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THE
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Tennessee Tech University | Cookeville, TN | 38505
Volume 94 | Issue 4 | Free in single copy | October 1, 2010
By JULIE GRAHAM Staff Writer
Paint Te
Purple will cover Tech as students come together to raise awareness of the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. For one week, colleges across the nation cover their campuses in purple, the signature color of Relay, by holding campus wide activities and spreading information everywhere. Paint the Campus Purple will take place Monday through Thursday. Each day, students will target a certain area on campus to deck out in purple. Teams will also be encouraged to sign up for Relay for Life, which will take place in April. “Every one of us has been touched by cancer in some way. That is why we’re painting our campus purple by spreading information and hosting events this week-to remind everyone that we all have the opportunity to fight back against this disease,” said Kacyn Goranson, last year’s Relay for Life chair.
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urp le
Dorms will be decorating their lobbies to get points for Tech Wars. Dorms in Capitol Quad and Pinkerton Quad that are conjoined will choose one lobby to decorate. Purple and Relay for Life 2011 must be included in the theme. Stars, cancer statistics, and hope can also be included. Judging will take place at 2 p.m. Oct. 15. Giveaways will be held all week, and the French club will be selling purple crepes during dead hour Tuesday. On Thursday, students can pay 50 cents to put a painted body part on a poster that will later be given to the Cookeville Cancer Center. The schedule for the week starts with Purple out the UC on Monday, followed by Douse Purple on Derryberry and the Library Tuesday, Dye the Dorms Purple Wednesday, and Smother South Patio Purple Thursday. “Paint the Campus Purple is a great way to raise awareness on campus for Relay while having some fun,” said Courtney Clifford, Relay for Life special events chair. “I just hope campus comes together and gives to such a great cause.”
Art by Christine Seiber
Looting, theft rise on campus in Sept. By ALEKSANDR PETERSON Staff Writer
Recurrences of looted vehicles and missing bikes have University police paying a little more attention lately. In the past two weeks, campus police have received three reports of stolen bicycles and two reports of theft from vehicles. “In one week,” Chief of Police Gay Shepherd said, “that’s a little high.” Last Tuesday, Sgt. Sandy Thompson came upon a Chevy pickup that appeared to have been ransacked. “I was driving through the open lot north of Jobe [Hall] at approximately 4:25 a.m. when I noticed the lights on,” Thompson said in her report. “I then noticed that the driver’s door lock was
punched out, and the front grill was missing.” The victim, after being notified, reported the theft of stereo equipment, CDs, and the truck’s grill and headlights. In a less-than-one-week span, University police responded to three reports of stolen bicycles, two outside of residence buildings Murphy Hall and New Hall and one outside of the Jere Whitson building. “We try to keep an eye on everything, but we’re not a huge police force,” Shepherd said. “If we see a problem, we’ll put an extra watch on that area.” Shepherd also suggested that students secure their bikes with sturdy locks. “They’re either not locking them, or they have those little cheap chain locks with the barrel,” Shepherd said. “They’re made of aluminum. A poor lock won’t stop any-
body.” The second instance of theft from a vehicle occurred only a day after the first. A student reported the theft when he returned to his car in the library commuter lot to find his iPod and wallet gone. “The items were in the center console in plain sight,” Lt. Tony Nelson said in his report. “He had forgotten to lock the doors.” The wallet contained the student’s driver’s license, social security card, eagle card and debit card. Shepherd said catching thieves on campus is no easy task. “It’s not like on TV,” she said. “It’s hard to catch those people. Sometimes it takes weeks or months.” See “Police“, page 6
Flu shots available Monday By HANNAH HARRIS Staff Writer
With students at Tech already wanting to know if the flu shot is available, they will be happy to hear that Monday is the first day to receive a flu shot at Health Services. This year, the flu vaccine is an all-in-one injection that protects against type A H1N1 influenza, influenza A H2N2 and influenza Type B. The vaccine can be administrated two ways, but Health Services only offers the inactivated
vaccine, which is a shot injected into the muscle. The office does not offer the live “mist” vaccine, which is sprayed into the nostrils. Students, faculty, staff, and retired employees can come to Health Services to get the vaccine. People who should consider getting a flu shot are those with compromised or suppressed immune systems, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, secondary cancer, or who are pregnant. Students or faculty who are caregivers for children six months or younger should also receive a flu shot. “It takes up to two weeks for the vaccine to get into
Booker, Townsend face off about pay inequality
Cross Country holds Tech Invitational today
your system,” Cynthia Tompkins, bachelor in science and nursing, said. “Therefore, you need to come early to get your shot, so it can be getting into your system.” People should get the flu shot as soon as it becomes available to them. Health Services will open at 8 a.m. Monday for patients to come and receive vaccinations. Supplies are limited, and when they are out, they are out. See “Flu“, page 6
Brandon Jelson
ROTC cadets participate in physical training Tuesday as the sun begins to rise.
Ranger Club prepares to compete By BRANDON JELSON Staff Writer
Stranded on one side of the gap, the team’s goal was to get all nine cadets across the deep ravine safely. The problem: they could only use rope. “You have five minutes to tie your harness and pass inspection,” Cadet James Toliver shouted to the team. “HOOAH!” the cadets yelled in response. Each cadet had a length of rope to fashion into a climbing harness capable of holding their own body weight, a full rucksack and an M-16. “On your mark, get set, go,” Toliver yelled, simultaneously pressing his stopwatch.
With remarkable precision, the cadets all finished their harnesses in less than two minutes. The ravinespanning rope bridge was then rigged even quicker. All of the cadets were boosted up to the rope, clipped in, and then shoved down the line headfirst and upside-down. They pulled themselves across the gulch hand over hand with their feet locked over the rope as a safety measure. The whole exercise was executed with muscle memory similar to that of a professional athlete. The ROTC Ranger Club was practicing for the Bold Warrior Challenge, an upcoming competition taking place Saturday, Oct. 15 in Fort Knox, Ky. The drills at the competition will include combat first aid, hand grenade throwing, navigation and ori-
enteering, obstacle courses, small boat movement, weapons assembly, commanders challenge, and the well-practiced rope bridge. Tech’s ROTC Ranger Club will be among 52 other nationally and internationally recognized teams during the competition. Throughout the duration of the BWC, the cadets will be leading themselves from event to event in an elapsed-time format. “It puts a lot on their leadership and how well they can handle things,” Master Sergeant Jeff Mallo said. “I’m not even allowed to talk to them until it’s all over.” For the challenge, a team of nine cadets will compete in various events. See “ROTC“, page 6
IN THIS EDITION Page 2
OPINION
Local Honey: ‘And the World Opened Up’
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SPORTS
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ENTERTAINMENT
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OPINION
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Page 2 | October 1, 2010
Personal choices create wage gap EMILY BOOKER Editorial Editor
The Equal Pay Act, passed in 1963, made it illegal to pay woman less than men based strictly on sex. So why, almost 50 years later, is there still a wage gap? It’s a fact that on average, men earn more than women, but no amount of legislating will change the lifestyle choices that create that discrepancy. It’s commonly stated that today women earn 80 cents for every dollar a man earns. But according to a study by economists Francine Blau and Lawrence Kahn, when you factor in education, experience, industry, and whether they belong to a union, the gap narrows to 91 cents per dollar. To really close the wage gap, you also have to factor in lifestyle choices. Women are more likely to take time off work, either taking a few years off to raise children, or just working part-time. When women take time off work to care for family, or seek jobs with more flexibility, their wages take a hit. A study by the National Longitudinal
Survey revealed that women between the ages of 18 and 34 have been out of the labor force 27 percent of the time, in contrast to 11 percent for men. When a woman takes years off to raise young children and then reenters the workforce, she is paid lower than someone who never took time off. It’s not sex discrimination. It’s paying fair wages based on career experience. It would be unfair to pay the worker who stayed the whole time the same as the worker who left and reentered the work force. According to June O’Neill, Congressional Budget Office former director, when you look at people ages 27 to 33 who have never had a child, women’s earnings approach 98 percent of men’s. In fact, having a child is the biggest determinant as to whether women are paid less than their male peers. As much as feminists can try to make men and women equal, they can’t change the fact that women are biologically dif-
ferent from men. Women are going to take time off work to have children. In countries that have socialized childcare, like Sweden and Belgium, the wage gap is smaller than in the United States. The less time women spend taking care of their children, the more time they spend at work. Whether you prefer to drop the kids in childcare and work or stay at home with them is a personal choice, but as long as some women choose to stay at home, the wage gap will persist. This isn’t just about the choices women make. Men are more likely to regularly work overtime and more likely to ask for a raise, reaping the financial benefits. Also, many male-dominated occupations pay more because of the “danger” factor. Firefighters, prison guards, and soldiers receive strong medical and retirement benefits, but for good reason: those jobs are more dangerous than most, and many people just aren’t willing to take the risk. If anyone wants to complain about unfair wages, let’s not compare men and women, but the occupations that are still socially designated as female and male. Almost 80 percent of elementary and middle school teachers are female, and I think most can agree that anyone who takes
Bailey Morgan
Lilly Ledbetter speaks at Tech about the discrimination she faced working for Goodyear. Her case led to the passing of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. charge of dozens of other people’s kids for eight hours a day deserves to be paid more. It would be great if they were paid the same and male-dominated fields, or if people stopped buying into occupations having a gender. But since we live in a capitalist society, wages will reflect society’s priorities and demands, which aren’t always equal or fair. So what’s with all the
SARAH TOWNSEND Asst. Editorial Editor
Did you know that on average working women make 78 cents to every man’s dollar? In some cases, women who make less are not doing their job or have chosen not to get a degree. I am not talking about those women who have decided to be stay-at-home mothers (though that is a full time job with no real breaks). I am referring to women who have the same education, same experience, and do the same exact job as men in their company and still are affected by a gap in pay. I know that some people may argue that because so many women choose to be housewives or have husbands who support them financially, this gap is somehow justified. For example, I am picking apples or working in a factory for 12 hours a day, working as hard as my male co-workers, and they make more because I happen to be married. That still isn’t fair. The same amount of work should yield the same earnings. You might think that this is something that happened in the 1950s and has improved, however, Lilly Ledbetter, who was at Tech Tuesday night, spoke about her battle with the wage gap at Goodyear. She held the exact same position as three of her male co-workers and was paid as much as 40 percent less than what they were earning. Goodyear employees were not allowed to discuss their salary with each other, so she worked for nearly 20 years at the same job for significantly less pay. She had the same credentials and even won an award for her efficiency one year, so her performance was not the issue. This is the 21st century, and this is still happening in the United States, and it is unacceptable. According to Ledbetter, if women and men were paid equally, we wouldn’t need a stimulus package. Money would circulate in the economy faster, and it would impact the United States in a positive way. I am not sure if I agree with her 100 per-
cent, but I know it’d make life easier for families with single moms. More women are single parents than men and deserve to make as much as their male counterparts. Some women may outlive their husbands. If the woman is the only worker in her household, how will she raise her children on poor wages? The role of caretaker in the home isn’t always the mother these days. There are an increasing number of stayat-home fathers and more talk of parents hiring “mannies” or male nannies. I think the fact that men are now becoming caretakers for children more and more shows that traditional gender roles shouldn’t affect workers pay when their lifestyles are not all cookie-cutter copies of women in aprons and men in business suits.
Poll of the Week
Dear Editor, I am writing in response to Casey Elrod’s letter in the previous issue. Being a fan of the Tennessee Vols or any other team is fine, but insulting the school you attend in favor of that is inexcusable. In Mr. Elrod’s letter, he mentioned how only “two” people read the paper. This statement not only offends The Oracle, but also the many students in this university who read this publication. Then again, if no one reads The Oracle, why should he have felt the need to write to the paper in the first place? Perhaps Mr. Elrod should get his facts about The Oracle’s readership straight before he decides to insult it. Personally, I defend Brandon Goodwin’s article a couple of issues back. When you look at UT’s socalled “performance” against Oregon, it soon becomes clear that the Vols are due for some criticism. Truly, it is no mystery why Lane Kiffin could barely stomach a year coaching that team. Lastly, if Mr. Elrod or anyone else was offended by Brandon Goodwin’s article, they can always stop reading
THE
the paper, or switch schools entirely. At any rate, I do not think it is too much to ask to be more respectful to your own school and to appreciate the opinion of others. Casey Woodard ctwoodard42@tntech.edu Dear Editor, The reason why I am writing is concerning the fact that Tech is a “dry campus”. If this is so, why has Greek Life banned alcohol at all greek events? Shouldn’t alcohol have been banned when Tech offically went to a “dry campus”? It is absolutely ridiculous that the University has decided to make Tech a dry campus. If you are the legal drinking age, then you should be allowed to have and consume alcohol when you would like. It is that person’s responsibility to make the right decisons, not Tech’s. Briana Finchum blfinchum42@tntech.edu Dear Editor,
Go to tntechoracle.com to vote!
celled? In the recent article “Alcohol banned at greek events,” it was reported alcohol is not the true reason that parties have been banned. In the interview, Ochsenbein states that alcohol is not the real issue in the end of parties. He clearly says it was because of students showing up who were not on the ‘list’. How are students supposed to get on that list? What if you are not in greek life? What if you’re a broke college student that didn’t have the money to be part of Greek life? Do I need to even state that it’s not cheap? I think not. College is about learning and meeting new people. Tech honestly doesn’t have much going on on the weekends if you’re not in greek life. I think Tech needs to break down the sorority and frat stereotypes and have a great Tech life, not just greek life. I believe Tech would be a much more enjoyable place to live and learn for everyone if we break down these walls. Mckalla Johnson mjjohnson44@tntech.edu
What is the true reason that greek parties are can-
ORACLE
Weekly. Student operated. | P.O. Box 5072 Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN 38505
CHRISTINE SEIBER Managing Editor
SARAH TOWNSEND Asst. Editorial Editor
WILL HOUSLEY Asst. Managing Editor
BRANDON GOODWIN Sports Editor
SAMANTHA KENDALL Ad Manager
ROSS HARVEY Asst. Sports Editor
DAKOTA WEATHERFORD Ad Assistant
CHUCK ACHESON Entertainment Editor
EMILY BOOKER Editorial Editor
TALLULAH GILLIAM Copy Editor
BRENDA WILSON, Faculty Adviser
Do you think the wage gap is created by discrimination or personal choice?
not on the wide-scale level feminist activists would have you believe. The wage gap is not a result of discrimination against women but rather women choosing flexibility in their careers. It is a personal choice. For the woman who wants to “have it all,” she’ll have to expect lower pay than her strictly career-oriented male peer. That’s my two cents, whatever it’s actually worth.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Gender discrimination in workplace still real In the corporate world, many employers don’t prefer to hire women because they may want to start a family, and companies don’t like paying for maternity leave. I understand that it is an expense for the company, but that doesn’t mean she should be paid less to make up for those weeks missed for having a child or that she shouldn’t be hired. I strongly believe that men and women should both have paid time off when they become parents. Maybe the father doesn’t need to recover physically like the mother, but bonding time with a new baby shouldn’t be a privilege. Of course, men would still return to work faster than women, but I think a lot of companies also assume that women will want off more time for her children’s soccer games or piano recitals. This still doesn’t make it okay to underpay or exclude women from job opportunities. This is not to say that all work places discriminate against women or minorities, but many still do, and people don’t really think about it. Just because some women lend themselves to this kind of discrimination by choosing not to work or by not utilizing their education doesn’t mean that women and men shouldn’t be paid equally for the same job. If a woman doesn’t educate herself or work hard, then she deserves to be paid less than someone who is doing their job and works hard. However, there are still cases here in America where men and women work the same amount of time at a company and do the same quality of work and are still paid unequally. If she has the same work ethic and drive, she should have the same paycheck.
hullabaloo over a wage gap? Rather than look at the differences in occupation choice or the time women take off from work, activists only cite the 20 cent discrepancy and cry sexism. They want equal pay. But does equal pay mean fair pay? Men and women approach work differently, and the wages fairly reflect that. That’s not to say workplace discrimination never exists. Of course it does, but
Tennessee Technological University--nondiscriminatory on the basis of sex in its educational programs and activities including employment and admission of students to the University as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and regulations based therein and published in CFR, part 86. Tennessee Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer.
BEAT REPORTERS: Brittany Anderson, Kyle Buckner, Brandi Campbell, Courtney Clifford, Matthew Davis, Sarah DeRossett, Katrina Dvorken, Lee Ferris, Lindsey Gore, Julie Graham, Candice Griggs, Hannah Harris, Brandon Jelson, Pavel Koshkin, Jodi Lawrence, Leasa McCall, Bailey Morgan, Justin O’Dell, Ariel Perry, Aleksandr Peterson, Jonathan Pierce, Ashlee Polk, Christina Riddle, Brittany Ritzman, Kaitlin Salyer, Ashley Smith, Dustin Smith, Rachel Stine, Evan Taylor, Cassie Tesauro, Isaac Wright
SPORTS Page 3 | October 1, 2010
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Cross country holds Tech Invitational today By BRANDON GOODWIN Sports Editor
Runners from across the region are converging on Cookeville today to compete in the seventh-annual Tennessee Tech Cross Country Invitational. “We’re looking forward to it,” Tech coach Tony Cox said. “It should be a great day for it.” At deadline, three other teams have confirmed their participation including Alabama A&M, Murray State and UT Martin. Cox expects a total of seven or eight teams to compete in the invitational. “The weather’s going to be just about perfect,” Cox said. Today’s forecast is clear with a high in the mid-70s. Tech has competed in two meets so far this season. In each of those, the Golden Eagles were led by freshman Matthew Bishop on the men’s team and freshman Peri Winborne on the women’s squad. “The first meet went really well for us,” Cox said. “The second meet was not such a good one. “We have a really young team this year, especially on the women’s side,” he said. “They’re still learning how to race at the
collegiate level.” Cox said the teams that Tech has been competing against have experience on their sides, but that hasn’t deterred the Golden Eagles. “They’ve got a good attitude about it, and I’m pretty happy with them,” he said. The meet, being held at Southern Hills Golf Course, is comprised of a 5K race for the women’s teams and an 8K course for the men. “I’m excited to run the course because we’ve ran it, and we practice on it, so I’m used to it,” Winborne said. “I’m excited to race against the competition.” Even though she is the only runner on the women’s team to finish in the top-30 overall in each of the first two races, Winborne hope running on their home course will give her teammates an advantage over the competition. “They’ve been running with me in practice, so I think they’ll be able to run with me in a meet,” she said. “I’d like for them to, so I can have somebody to push me from my own team.” “We train out there a couple days a week,” Cox said. “The runners know that course very well.” Both Cox and Winborne hope that a large Tech fan
turnout will help them in the meet. “Having fans come out to the course helps [us],” Cox said. “It does give us an advantage.” “It motivates me when I see people cheering for me,” Winborne said. “It makes me run faster because I’ve got to show them that I’m actually working hard.” Winborne said her goals for this season are to run a 19:30 in a 5K and to do well at the conference and regional championships. Southern Hills is also slated as the site of the 2010 Ohio Valley Conference Cross Country Championships on Oct. 30. “This can be a tough and challenging course,” Cox said. “There are a couple of hills that present a real test to the runners. We’ve run the TTU Invitational here for several years, and we’ve heard really good comments from the visiting teams.” Cox also said he expects more OVC schools to enter the event in order to practice for the championships. The meet is scheduled for 3 p.m. today, and admission is free to the public. Southern Hills Golf Course is located at 4770 Ben Jared Road in Cookeville.
The Extra Point
Above: Tech women’s cross country team Below: Tech men’s cross country team
Tech soccer hits road for OVC play By JOSEPH GWYNN Staff Writer
By ROSS HARVEY
Asst. Sports Editor raharvey42@tntech.edu
The Michael Vick Guide to Redemption When watching sports news recently, it seems that athletes’ names off the field are always connected with illegal activity, infidelity, and all-around improper conduct. Look at Braylon Edwards, Tiger Woods, Ben Roethlisberger, and Wayne Rooney. All have made the news with these issues. There was a man three years ago that would have been mentioned with these names, but has recently been in the news on a much more positive side of the light: Michael Vick. His successful comeback has taken Vick from the squalor of a Kansas Penitentiary to a NFL stadium near you. Seeing Vick successful and back in the NFL should be the Sports Story of the Year. Don’t get me wrong, Vick’s crimes against dogs and his part in a regional dog fighting ring were deplorable. Horrible. Unforgivable, even, to some. But to me, Vick paid his dues. He served more than 21 months in jail. He lost millions of dollars in endorsements and had to repay $20 million in contract bonuses. His job as a starting quarterback in the National Football League was taken, and that’s something that you usually do not get back. But that’s not why I chose to forgive Vick. Vick is good in my book because he followed a certain path, a guide to redemption, if you will. It’s a guide that Woods, Roethlisberger, and the others would be wise to follow. The first thing Vick did was –albeit not immediately– own up for his actions. He had no choice but to man up. I don’t mean just pleading guilty to jail time, I mean owning up, in public, for his actions. Vick also was willing to mentor to kids in urban areas about the inhumanity of dog fighting, in order to cut down on the activity. He’s doing his part to make sure others
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do not make the same mistake that he did. The next thing Vick did was secure a great mentor: former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy. Dungy worked with Vick after he was released from prison in order to repair his attitude and image. He forced Vick to distance himself from his old friends and his old habits. Dungy is someone that is respected throughout the sports world because of his success in a father-figure role. It’s clear that Dungy was concerned with Vick’s life before his career, and if Dungy was willing to sign off on Vick, then I’m on board. And the third is that Roger Goodell was willing to reinstate Vick. With all these positive signs, he obviously was willing to give Vick a second chance. Only until his personal life was cleaned up was Vick able to focus on his football game. Athletes are under more scrutiny for their actions outside of their profession than those in other jobs, but that’s because they are in more of a public light all the time. If you look at the importance society puts on entertainment, then you’ll realize why we see athletes as role models. The added pressure to behave is warranted. Many fall, but many are offered a second chance. Look at Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest, and Ricky Williams. All have made successful comebacks from darker days. Others haven’t been so lucky. But if you do find yourself in trouble, pick up the Michael Vick Guide to Redemption. Clean up your personal life, with that as your singular focus, and then worry about your golf game, Tiger. That goes for the others too. And don’t mess up again; then you will succeed. Just ask Mike Vick.
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TTU Sports Information
The Tennessee Tech soccer team will travel to Kentucky to face conference foe Morehead State as it begins its stint of Ohio Valley Conference road games. The Golden Eagles look to have a good showing in their conference match after finishing up their non-conference play with a hard-fought 1-0 overtime loss to Radford last week. “I think the teams we have played already have made us a stronger, better team and prepared us to really compete to win our conference this year,” Ashley Smith, senior midfielder, said. Going into the match this weekend, the Golden Eagles will be looking to not only capture their first OVC win of the season but also their first road win of the season. While away from Tech, the Golden Eagles have lost five games and won one game while playing at a
neutral location. The Golden Eagles have high expectations for their conference season and look to improve upon their second-place finish just a year ago. “We have practiced much harder this year, and our practices are geared more towards winning and performing at our best,” Smith said. “It is a competition for playing time, and everyone has the potential to be a key player at any time. We have very consistent depth.” This game will begin a four-game road trip for the Golden Eagles as they travel to Eastern Kentucky, Murray State and UT Martin as well. The Golden Eagles will then return home to wrap up conference play against Southeast Missouri State, Eastern Illinois, Jacksonville State and Austin Peay before beginning the OVC tournament. “It’s going to be tough playing on the road for two weekends in a row,” Smith said. “We generally play better at home because of our great fan base and just being comfortable in our environment, but we have gotten better on the road this year.”
Brown up for Coach of the Year PRESS RELEASE
To college football fans, pride and support for their team is everything - donning team colors; following favorite players as they reach milestones on the field; dedicating countless Saturdays to watching their alma mater do battle. Every season, fans commit time and energy into each game hoping for the win, the same way coaches invest in their players and communities by encouraging sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility, and excellence. Liberty Mutual Insurance has launched its annual Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award, honoring the coaches who give back to their teams, schools and communities, on and off field. It’s an opportunity for
Tennessee Tech fans to get behind their head coach by casting a vote each day for Watson Brown. Fan votes will help determine the finalists, and ultimately, the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year winners. Now through Dec. 4, fans are offered the unique opportunity to help their favorite coaches by voting at www. coachoftheyear.com. Each winning coach receives $50,000 to donate to the charities of their choice and a $20,000 grant to his school’s alumni association, providing further positive impact on their school and local community. “Year after year, the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award recognizes the country’s most influential and impactful
coaches with the opportunity to continue their good work beyond just the x’s and o’s,” said Archie Manning, National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame chairperson, a partner in presenting the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year. Following an initial fanonly voting phase, 15 finalists will be selected and then again voted upon using the following weight: College Hall of Fame, 55 percent; media, 25 percent; and fans, 20 percent. All winners will be announced on Jan. 10 in Scottsdale, Ariz., in advance of college football’s championship game that evening.
Art by TTU Sports Information
ENTERTAINMENT
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Page 4 | October 1, 2010
Spin Dat Record
Deerhunter’s ‘Halycon Digest’
to get my computer open to finally listen to this album, I realized why this is so. The album starts out with “Earthquake,” a super-mellow song that I zoned out on until it ended. This is a classic Bradford Cox song arrangeSometimes bands and artment, complete with swirling ists’ work can become stale, wave-like background music, stagnant, and predictable. whispery vocals and drum This is most definitely NOT machine. You don’t really the case with Deerhunter know what he’s talking about and the band’s latest album lyrically…but that’s kind of “Halycon Digest,” which was the point. I thought it was a released Tuesday. great song to start the album The last album from out with because it kind of Deerhunter, “Microcastle,” lulls you into thinking that was released in 2008. After the rest of the songs are going the release of “Microcastle,” to be just as chilled out. the band’s front man and viThe next track, “Don’t Cry,” really caught me off guard. The song sounds almost like a doo-wop song, aside from the fuzz guitars, of course. Lyrically, it could be straight out of the 50s. Really simple songwriting, but perplexing at the same time. Later on in the record comes “Sailing,” a track featuring reverb-soaked guitar and a pretty barebones song structure. Apart from the barelythere percussion, it’s basically just guitar and vocals. This is another song that’s characteristic of Bradford. After “Sailing” comes “Memory Boy.” This song is dynamic, complex, and full. Synthesizer, several guitar tracks, drums, and a heart-thumping bass line make this song a Featured above is the album cover for “Halycon Digest”, the fourth shoe-in when it comes to choosing a single for the studio album released by the group in addition to two EPs. album, which I’d predict
With KYLE BUCKNER
sionary, Bradford Cox, chose to focus on Atlas Sound, a solo project he’s involved in on the side. I love all of the Atlas Sound albums, but I was beginning to miss Deerhunter. I even began to wonder if they were taking a permanent hiatus. When I finally got this long-awaited album, I was dying to hear some more indie/ noise rock from these guys. Deerhunter is one of my favorite current bands, and after I had anxiously fumbled
will happen. This song is best heard on full volume, by the way. One of my favorite tracks from “Halycon Digest” is “Basement Scene.” This song also employs the doo-wop style melody I mentioned earlier. This track is so good that it almost made my head spin. It’s structured, but it also seems like they could just be jamming out. The bridge in this song is really dreamy too. The first single from the album, “Helicopter,” pretty well sums up the overall vibe from the album. Chime-like keyboard juxtaposes with a synthesizer line that could be straight out of a Mega Man game, ambient keyboard tracks swirl to and fro behind Bradford’s vocals, and it sounds almost like bubbles are being popped into the microphone. This would probably be the first track I would play someone off of this album because it’s pretty much a blend of all the tracks. That’s probably why the band chose to make it the first single. Overall, I’m extremely excited about this album and I’d say most of these songs would be on any play list I make in the next few weeks. The band has made leaps and bounds since “Microcastle.” I highly recommend requesting this at your local record store, and I also suggest making the trek to Nashville to watch them perform some sonic magic at the Exit/In Nov. 10. If the guys from Deerhunter didn’t already have there heads in the clouds, I would say that the sky’s the limit.
Craft Center debuts new exhibit and prepares for annual Bacchanal By CHRISTINA RIDDLE Staff Writer A furniture exhibitions and a wine tasting are in store for the Appalachian Center for Craft this month. Artist Chris Bowman’s Surface and Repurpose furniture exhibit is being presented at the Craft Center in Gallery Two. “[Bowman] translates his agricultural influence into wood and other materials making it shapely and colorful,” Gallery Manager Gail Looper said. According to Bowman, this furniture exhibition was inspired by the Indiana rural landscape, surrounding architecture, and local farm land. Bowman’s exhibition will be on display now through
Nov. 3 in Gallery Two. All of his work is for sale, with prices ranging from $450 to $4000. Bowman is from Indianapolis, Ind., and received his bachelor of fine arts degree from Indiana University and the Herron School of Art. He is inspired by the environment and both new and repurposed materials. “Be sure to save the date for the Bacchanal on Oct. 24 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.,” Looper said. The Bacchanal is a wine tasting and a live auction with proceeds going toward scholarships for art students. Admission to the Craft Center is free, and it is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on these and other events, call (931) 372-3051.
Let ’s Talk About CHUCK ACHESON Movies By Entertainment Editor Returns Next Week with
ENTERTAINMENT Page 5 | October 1, 2010
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Picasso Doesn’t Live Here Arts and Craft Fair announces musical lineup By CHUCK ACHESON Entertainment Editor The organizers of the Picasso Doesn’t Live Here Craft Fair announced the musical performances for the event, featuring numerous local artists. The event will be divided among two stages, one by Broad Street and the other on
By Matt Knieling
1st Street. On the Broad Street stage, fairgoers can enjoy Grove, Kat & Zeb, Sleepy Eyed Fox, West Fifth, From the Hollow, tenShades, and Above. Performing on the 1st Street Stage will be Jen Richardson with Mary Summerlin, Captain Henry, Jacob Walker, and Kyle Buckner. Before and after the scheduled musicians, open mic sessions will be available. “We made every effort to bring in local artists for the event,” Event Organizer Brooke Byars said. “We wanted a local feel for the fair from the vendors to the music.” “If the weather holds, Oct. 16th will provide grassroots grooves of gorgeous generosity on Cookietown’s wondrous Westside,” Andy Smith, Tech English teacher and music organizer for the event, said. “This lineup illuminates local love at its loveliest. “The 1st and Cedar area is the Haight and Ashbury of the Upper Cumberland and this show will prove it.” Taking place on Oct. 16, the craft fair offers a unique experience in downtown Cookeville. With vendors open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and music going from noon until 8 p.m., everyone can find something to enjoy. Vendor offerings vary from crafted home furnishings to fine artwork and everything in between. “There will be an array of local artists, and you will be able to find just about anything here,” Byars added. In addition to giving the spotlight to local artists and musicians, the craft fair is also supporting the Rails-to-Trails charity through a silent auction. Rails-to-Trails is a nonprofit organization that works to create a network of walking trails throughout the country out of old rail lines. In addition, the Animal Adoption & Rescue Foundation will be setting up an adoption center with dogs and cats. Local restaurants will have food available during the event, including a beer garden. People interested in being a vendor have until the end of today to turn in an application. For more information, check out the Picasso Doesn’t Live Here Arts and Crafts Fair Facebook group.
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Local Honey with KASSI THOMAS
‘And the World Opened Up’ 2009, features Waggoner, backed by a miniorchestra of local musicians, performing her 2009 record “Go Easy Little Doves” almost in its entirety. The film also includes some vivid animation from British artist Sam Moppett, as well as intermittent commentary from Waggoner about her upbringing and classical training in New Orleans, the inspiration for her compositions, and the basis of her lyrics. All of this is supplemented by archive footage of Waggoner playing and touring through the years from age nine to present. Brooke Waggoner settled in Nashville in 2006 following her graduation from Louisiana State University, and in a mere four years, two albums, and one EP, she’s won the hearts of many with her charm, talent, and impeccable style. She offers up intelligent pop music that pairs classical orchestration with her unmistakable voice, crisp and sweet like iced tea. Peacock’s film serves as a great insight to this lovely local legend. The DVD is available for sale on Waggoner’s website.
As we discussed last week, Next Big Nashville always begins with a locally-relevant film premiere at the historic Belcourt Theatre. This year marks my first as an illustrious VIP, and apparently, I didn’t allow for enough badge pickup time in my mental itinerary. My partner in crime and I strolled into the Belcourt lobby 30 minutes late for “And the World Opened Up”, a documentary about pop piano prodigy Brooke Waggoner. Brooke was chatting in the lobby, so assuming we were in the clear. We flashed our wristbands and scurried into the larger of the Belcourt’s two screening rooms. After what seemed like an eternity of cheaply made music videos from everyone’s favorite local hipster bands and creepy David Lynch-esque short films shot in Nashville, we began to question if we were in the right room. I pictured Brooke next door discussing her classical influences and plans for the future, while I was wasting away precious minutes of my life watching lights flash on a field of grass, accompanied by 20 minutes of dissonant noise. Finally, the sounds of “Lungs Speed, Lungs Sped,” the first track from Waggoner’s first full-length album, “Heal for the Honey,” spilled from the speakers. “And the World Opened Up”, directed by Charlie Peacock, is largely Photo by Brandon Chesbro composed of skillfully-shot, live concert footage from a show at The Art House, Before breaking into the film world, Brooke Waggoner owned by Peacock, here in Nashville. found fame as a musician by releasing the album “Go The small, private show, filmed in Easy Little Doves”.
Golden Eagle Film Festival begins next week with Oscar nominated film ‘Adam’ By RACHEL STINE Staff Writer Two Academy Award Nominee films and a Sundance Film Festival winner will be featured at the Golden Eagle Film Festival beginning Tuesday. The festival is free to the Tech community and will be hosted Oct. 5, 12, and 26 in Millard Oakley Stem Center Auditorium from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Refreshments will be served during intermissions. The movies to be shown include “Adam,” “Lars and the Real Girl,” and “Murderball.” “These movies are awesome,” said Chester Goad, Disability Services Office di-
Golden Eagle Film Festival Features
Adam Oct. 5
rector. “Any student or faculty member will have a blast at these.” “Adam” was a Sundance Film Festival winner and will be shown Tuesday. It tells the story of Adam, a man with Asperger’s Syndrome who is trying to impress a pretty new neighbor. In trying to overcome his sometimes embarrassing social skills, Adam may discover that developing a relationship may not be as hard as he previously thought. “Lars and the Real Girl” was a Best Original Screenplay Academy Award Nominee and will be featured Oct. 12. Lars’ family becomes alarmed when he brings a life sized doll in a wheelchair to a family event. What follows is
Lars and the Real Girl Oct. 12
an emotional journey for Lars and those who surround him. According to an MGM synopsis, it is “a touching portrayal of emotional and physical disability and acceptance.” “Murderball” will be presented Oct. 26. The film was a Feature Documentary Academy Award Nominee. “Murderball” tells the story of rough and tumble rugby players who are also quadriplegics. “These men will make you think differently about the word disabled,” according to a SWANK Motion Pictures synopsis. “Our Tech athletes will love this movie; it’s hardcore,” Goad said. The festival is a Center Stage event sponsored by the Disability Services Office.
Murderball Oct. 26
Showing at 9 PM in the Stem Center Auditorium
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Career Services hosts Career Day Oct. 7 By COURTNEY CLIFFORD Staff Writer
Get ready for Tech’s largest recruiting event of the year. Career Day is begins at 10 a.m. Thursday. Career Day, hosted by Career Services, is held in the RUC. “Over 100 employers are expected to attend,” Alice Camuti, director of career services, said. “The employers will be set up throughout the Multipurpose Room and lobby, as well as in the Tech Pride Room.”
Last year, 2,246 students met with potential employers from all over Tennessee at Career Day. Career Day also hosted companies from Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina, and Kentucky. Camuti and the Career Services staff are optimistic that a large number of students will attend again this year. “Career Day is open to all students,” Camuti said. “no matter their classification or major.” She encouraged freshman and sophomores to attend Career Day, in order to witness the number of diverse companies that
are looking for employees. “Freshman and sophomore should ask questions to figure out where they would fit in the work world,” Caumuti said. Tech is known for their engineering program, which draws many engineering firms. “Engineering firms also need students from computer science, accounting, and other majors offered here at Tech in order to operate,” Camuti said. Career Services works diligently to bring in a good mix of employers to Career Day each year. The goal is to have at least 50
percent non-engineering employers present, according to Camuti. Students who are juniors can wear business casual clothing, while seniors and graduate students attending Career Day should come in professional attire with at least 20 updated resumes to give to employers. Some companies will be performing interviews during Career Day, while others will stay and perform interviews next Friday. Students can visit Career Services website for an up-to-date list of registered employers. Each employer
has a link to the company website, where a student can research the company in order to prepare for Career Day. Camuti encourages students who can to come when the event begins at 10 a.m. “The employers are fresh and ready to meet potential employees at the beginning of the day,” Camuti continued. “After lunch, the employers are tired and not at their best.” Camuti also suggest that students avoid dead hour, as that is the busiest time of Career Day.
Agenda setting characterized the SGA Senate’s second meeting of the semester. Much of the meeting was spent going over the basics of the upcoming learning commons and SOLO fund, with some time spent going over the process of creating and presenting bills. The beginning of the meeting was spent educating the senators about the plans for the new learning commons to be built in the entrance floor of the Angelo and Jennette Volpe Library. SGA President Sean Ochsen-
bein spoke about the plans for the learning commons before turning the floor over to Douglas Bates, Library and Learning Assistance dean. “It’s going to be a place where when you go in, you won’t want to leave,” Ochsenbein said of the new learning commons. The SOLO fund was another major point of interest. The three major committees overseeing the functions of the SOLO bill were introduced, each headed by an executive member of the SGA Senate, and members of the senate were recruited for each committee. Some time was taken to introduce new senators to the process of drafting and
introducing bills to help ease the senators into their roles as legislators. A mock bill was presented, and each of the steps of introducing that bill were followed through and explained. Bates spoke in depth about what the new learning commons could offer students. The learning commons will be a more flexible area than the current library main floor, with more accommodations for students to work on projects and presentations.
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Casa Mexicana Mexican Restaurant 506 N. Willow Ave. Cookeville, TN 38501 931-526-3794
Lunch & Dinner Specials Family Owned Lunch starting at $3.99 10% Tech discount with ID
events @ tech October
1 8 a.m. Chemistry Seminar Foster Hall, Rm 220
2 All day Upper Cumberland Rodeo Club Multipurpose Room 8:30 a.m. AAUP State Conference Meeting Derryberry Auditorium & Conference rooms
SGA sets agenda in second meeting Flu By EVAN TAYLOR Staff Writer
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CONTINUED from page 1 “There is no need to make an appointment, just walk in,” Registered Nurse Scott Bilbrey said. “There may be a wait, so be prepared. To make things easier, it would be nice if students would have their T-numbers ready.” The cost for students is $10, and for faculty and staff, it is $15. After the shot has been given, patients must wait 20 minutes before being released. “There will be no excuses for missed class given,” Tompkins said. “so make sure you have time in your schedule to come in.” “If you realize you have the flu, seek medical attention as soon as possible, “ Tomp-
kins continued. Linda Fox, Licensed Practical Nurse, said, “ If you have the flu, stay away from public places for 24 hours and other places you might come in contact with infants and the elderly.” To avoid possibly avoid coming in contact with the flu, wash your hands, use hand sanitizer, eat healthy, increase your fluid intake, sneeze or cough into your elbow, stay away from those who are contagious, and get adequate rest. For more information, regarding side effects and concerns, call Health Services at (931) 372-3320.
4 Until Oct. 29 Clare Murray Adams Exhibit Joan Derryberry Art Gallery 10 a.m. World Habitat Day Tech Pride Room 7:30 p.m. Brass Arts Quintet Concert Wattenbarger Auditorium
5 10 a.m. Fall Service Learning/ Civic Engagement Fair Multipurpose Room
Police CONTINUED from page 1
All bicycles should have a serial number written on the underside of the pedal axle. Law enforcement agencies can use this number to trace stolen bicycles that are later recovered. “If you’re spending $100 or more on a bike, you should record your serial number,” Shepherd said. “You can bring that to us, and we’ll enter it into the National Crime Information Center.” Shepherd presented an electronic copy of a possible security camera policy to
the Buildings and Grounds Committee last Thursday. The RUC has several surveillance cameras, but the University police department does not have live access to them. “Live coverage is not real valuable,” Shepherd said. “If something happens, we can go ask for the footage.” Shepherd said students should park in well-lit areas when at all possible, lock vehicle doors, and never leave valuable items in plain sight.
11 a.m. TAB Tuesday Bam Bam Giveaway RUC, 1st floor 11 a.m. Counseling Center Workshop Tech Pride Room 7:30 p.m. Cumberland Quintet Concert Wattenbarger Auditorium
6 5:30 p.m. Ballons Around The World STEM Center
ROTC CONTINUED from page 1
“Each event is scored and timed, as well as how long it takes the team to finish the whole competition,” Mallo said. “It usually starts at [6:00 a.m.] and finishes around [2:00 p.m.]. After the events, there will be an awards ceremony.” According to Mallo, the team must be comprised of nine cadets. Each team must have one or more female cadets, along with an individual from each rank in the
ROTC except MS1s, who are mainly freshmen and firsttime recruits. The ranking system starts with MS1s, who are freshmen, and progresses up to MS4s, who are seniors. The MS4s are in charge of the cadets’ training labs as well as physical training or PT. Practice days will take place until the competition. “During the BWC,” Mallo said, “it will really, truly be on the cadets themselves.”
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7:30 p.m. Chestnut Brass Quintet Concert Wattenbarger Auditorium
7 All day Career Day 2010 5:30 p.m. Women’s Club Ice Water Social Jere Whitson Hall 7:30 p.m. Anne Thurmond Clarinet Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium
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