The Oracle - 102015

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Tuesday, OCTOBER 20, 2015

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> Street preachers strike up strong opinion

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Street preacher returns to Centennial Plaza, students listen to McGlone’s beliefs By WILLIAM WEBB Beat Reporter A street preacher who Tech students know all too well returned to campus Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. John McGlone, host of the website jesuspreacher.com, returned to campus once again to speak to students on the new Centennial Plaza. This was the first time he has visited campus since Centennial Plaza’s construction. McGlone said in a Facebook comment reply to Jesse Morrell – another preacher who had been with McGlone previously at Tech – that he really liked how Centennial Plaza was set up. McGlone said he liked the circle because police can keep students out of it if they crowd in. It’s become common for students to avoid the area where McGlone

the point where they encroach on his rights or punch him.” However, not all students believe his motives are bad. Patrick Kent, a graduate student at Tech studying chemical engineering, said he’s been able to talk to McGlone before, and that McGlone doesn’t really seem to be doing anything wrong. “I really like that he is actually trying to tell people about the gospel of Christ,” said Kent. “The way he is doing it is actually an effective way of getting the message out. I think sometimes people just hear what they want to hear as they walk away from him. If nothing else, it at least makes people think about Christ.” Kent also said that McGlone’s presence on campus makes it easier for Christians to generate conversation about Christ. McGlone also brought a new

AVETT BROTHERS

Photo Courtesy The Avett Brothers

The

preaches when he is on campus. Many students say they just don’t want to be harassed by the man, while others simply disagree with his message. “I don’t go near him because I think his speeches bring out a double standard,” said Robbie Miles, a senior agriculture major. “He says if you’re not living right then you need to get right because you’re going to hell, but if you are living right, then you’re a false disciple. You can’t win either way with him.” Some students on campus say they have learned to avoid him when he comes by because his motives for being here aren’t what they seem. “I think he’s just some idiot that’s fishing for lawsuits,” said Dylan Duvall, a senior chemistry major. “He’s always going to say extremist things to try to tick someone off to

THE BALLAD OF LOVE AND HATE - The Avett Brothers will perform at Tech on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. Doors to the Hooper Eblen Center open at 7 p.m.

preacher with him to speak on campus. Ross Jackson, founder of Revival Mission Ministries, was with McGlone for this visit to Tech. Jackson was primarily the preacher who preached in the circle on Centennial Plaza, while McGlone spoke to students on the outside of the circle. Jackson’s Revival Mission Ministries is another company that encourages open-air preaching. The website for the company states that they go to college campuses, block parties, festivals, and what they consider to be “Pagan parades.” This company is much like the organization that McGlone originally came to Tech with, PinPoint Evangelism. PinPoint Evangelism is now run by Kerrigan Skelly. McGlone now claims to be a former PinPoint Evangelist. This was the fourth year in a row that McGlone has been to Tech;

however, McGlone came to campus for the first time in 2009. That year, he preached on North Patio, but he moved to the former South Patio after being told not to. He was asked to leave and police threatened to arrest him. McGlone sued the university shortly after the incident and won. There is a certain procedure that speakers who wish to come to campus must go through. Tech’s policy states the speakers must apply and receive approval from Tech before they can come. The university is not allowed to discriminate based on a speaker’s motive for coming. As long as a speaker goes through the process of getting permission to be here, they can be. Attempts were made to reach McGlone as well as Jackson for comment, but at time of publication, neither has replied.

The Avett Brothers to perform S.O.L.O. concert at the Hoop By KYLE GOSSETT Beat Reporter The Avett Brothers are coming to Tennessee Tech for the fall S.O.L.O. concert Tuesday, Oct. 20. The concert will be held at 8 p.m. in the Hooper Eblen Center with doors opening at 7 p.m. The Avett Brothers are a folk rock band from Concord, North Carolina. The band consists of brothers Scott and Seth Avett, Bob Crawford and Joe Kwon. Their most popular songs include “I and Love and You” and “Live and Die.” Their music has appeared in TV shows such as “One Tree Hill” and “Friday Night Lights.” The concert will support their 2013 album “Magpie and the Dandelion,” which debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 charts. The band has also played headlining sets at major music festivals, such as Bonnaroo, The Hangout and Lollapalooza.

Rolling Stone magazine has called the band’s performances “intense gigs that veer into gospel singalongs and old-timey ballads.” Like other S.O.L.O. concerts in the past, overall opinion about the event seems to be divided. Online response on sites such as Yik Yak and Tech Confessions expressed disinterest about the event. “I don’t know who they are,” said senior Alex Nail. “I’ve never heard of them in my life and don’t see how they won over Hozier or Nick Jonas.” However, some people are still looking forward to the upcoming show. “I am very excited to see The Avett Brothers live,” said junior Kacie Maeda. “I’ve heard they are incredible, and this is one of the better picks we’ve had since I’ve been enrolled.” The Suffers is scheduled to open the show said SGA President Bobby Adams. The band is a ten-piece ensemble

from Houston who, according to their website, “are redefining the sound of Gulf Coast soul.” Their debut EP, “Make Some Room,” was released earlier this year to favorable reviews. As reported earlier this semester, rules for S.O.L.O. events have changed since last spring’s Juicy J concert. According to the new S.O.L.O. policy, in addition to the tickets, students must have either their Eagle Card or valid ID to be admitted into the concert. No one under 18 will be allowed to attend the show unless they are a Tech student. Tickets for the show are still available. “Students who have not yet picked up their tickets for the show can get their tickets at the TTU Marketplace, which is accessible through Tech’s website,” said Adams. “Faculty, staff and part-time students can purchase tickets for $15, which is the same price full-time students pay with their tuition.”

State facilities face privatization, effects seen on Tech’s campus By LUCAS MCCOY Beat Reporter Tennessee is experiencing something unique in its history, and that is facing the privatization of nearly every state-ran facility in measures to reduce maintenance costs. Gov. Bill Haslam’s administration is the group driving the operation. A group that has been vocal in its fight against Haslam’s plan is United Campus Workers. Cassie Watters has been an East Tennessee organizer with UCW for four years. “United Campus Workers is Tennessee’s public education union. It is made up of educators, faculty members, and many other people who work in the Tennessee educational system,” Watters said. “We have over 1,600 members across 16 campuses.”

She said the group started in Knoxville in 2000. “One of the first things UCW fought for was to raise the minimum wage of starting pay to an acceptable ‘living wage,’” said Watters, who thinks minimum wage should be $15 an hour. “We’ve made some considerable gains in that aspect.” The current minimum wage for a starting employee at University of Tennessee is now $9.50 an hour, according to Watters. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s website, Tennessee does not have a state minimum wage and uses the federal minimum wage of $7.25. Watters described privatization in this way: “It can happen many different ways. A company takes public jobs and gives it to someone else. Sometimes the employees will get to keep their jobs when the new company takes over, which is a best-case scenario.” She said that in this case, the move to keep some employees

based on certain criteria was a “move made to appeal to people in the moment.” Sometimes the entire staff of a facility could be laid off and new employees come in, working for a smaller wage and working for little to no benefits, Watters also commented. “It’s morally wrong,” Watters said. This plan was discovered in mid-August when a “request for information” was sent from the Department of General Services to various vendors who would be interested in taking control of state facilities. According to negotiations.com, the purpose of an RFI is “to gather information to help decide what step to take next before embarking on negotiations.”

See “Outsourcing,” >>Page 2

Senior Salute prepares graduating seniors for life after commencement By HARLEY DAVIDSON Beat Reporter As graduation comes closer, seniors are trying to check everything off their to-do list in order to graduate. On Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., the semiannual Senior Salute will be held in the Tech Pride Room on the first floor of Roaden University Center. It will take approximately 30 minutes to complete everything. This year, it is required for seniors to check in at the Graduation Office’s table with their Eagle Card before they go through, according Read More Online

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to Debra Walker, administrative associate of Student Affairs. Seniors are not required to attend, but it is highly recommended to attend at least one of the days to help them take care of anything they need before graduation. Several offices will be available to students to make sure they have everything in order to graduate. “The Business Office will be there so students can pay any outstanding debts they might have,” said Walker. “Career services is there to help students with finding a job, and financial aid is there to make sure everything is in order for students.” A non-school service that will be present is

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Liberty Mutual. The Alumni Office invites the business every year because Tech alumni get a discount on auto and home insurance from Liberty just for being alumni. “A lot of students are getting off of their parents insurance so it’s a good chance to help them,” said Tracey Duncan, director of Advancement in the Alumni Office. “The main reason that the Alumni Office is Duncan there is to get emails. Even though you can keep your

Tech email, most people don’t, so we want a Gmail or something like that. That way we can keep in touch. Also we just want to welcome them to the Alumni Association.” The bookstore is there so seniors can pick up their robes. They can have their cap and gown pictures taken, but there’s no obligation to purchase the photos. The bookstore will also hold a raffle for a door prize. “We’ll be giving away a Framing Success diploma frame. The names will be taken from the check-in list,” said Greer Stanton, bookstore manager Greer Stanton. Balfour will also be there for anyone interested in ordering a class ring.

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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

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>> Campus

Will Sutton remembered

Haylee Eaton | The Oracle

>>“Outsourcing” Continued from Page 1 Facilities that were mentioned in the document were hospitals, colleges and universities, prisons, state parks and military. The UCW sees it as a plan for state governments to “trim costs through cutting jobs, salaries and benefits.” Mostly from Democrats and the UCW, Haslam and his administration have received a lot of criticism for these efforts to save taxpayers’ dollars. At this time, Haslam has said that no final decision has been made to outsource any building’s facility management. Even though Haslam’s plan is in the beginning stages, this isn’t the first time Tennessee Tech has faced privatization. In 2012, Tech and its Facilities department outsourced its custodial services to SSC Service Solutions, a company headquartered in Knoxville. This effort was made to save the university money while it was experiencing a budget crisis because of the impact of the Great Recession, according to a case study conducted by former University of Memphis economics professor David Ciscel. In Ciscel’s study, he said the 2012-14 contract with SSC cost ($1,731,780) had about a $100,000 difference between Tech paying its custodians ($1,824,895). The figure for Tech came from 2010-11. UCW is active on Tech’s campus. The group hosted a cookout Oct. 8 on the new Centennial Plaza to promote awareness of the governor’s plans. For 10 years, Michael Kuley has been a research assistant at Tech’s Center for the Management, Utilization and Protection of Water Resources, and he is a member of UCW. He said he became a member after the custodians were outsourced. “Does Governor Haslam have a plan? We, in reading the news stories, we would say yes,” Kuley said. “He’s been on record saying, ‘I don’t have a plan. We’re just looking into it.’ And it’s ridiculous.” Kuley commented that a major problem with halting Haslam’s plans is that it’s an “Executive branch decision.” “The legislators aren’t even going to be able to vote on it. He can do what he wants when he wants at any time,” said Kuley. “And for anyone to think there’s not

a plan and they’re just looking into it, I would say, ‘We heard this same thing during the custodial outsourcing.’ “If (Tennessee Tech) is privatized, you’re talking about workers hired in at minimum wage. Do they have to work 40 hours a week? No. They could be part-time. Do they get benefits? We don’t know.” Kuley mentioned that if Haslam’s plan were implemented, the department that would be affected first would be Facilities. Jack Butler, associate vice president of facilities, has worked at Tech since July 2011 and does not agree with the governor’s plans. “I think the diversity of operations in any university is a little more complex than just a state office building that operate Monday through Friday, nine to five with permanent staff, for the most part,” Butler said. He said the population of a university is ever changing and his facilities crew needs to tend to the needs of that population: water, sewage, air conditioning. “I think the complexity of our operation is not going to be a good thing for a contractor to try and put a number to,” he added. Butler also commented that President Oldham would be the final deciding factor in the privatization of facilities management at Tennessee Tech. No comment from the president has been given at this time. So the question was asked to Butler what would happen to him if this occurred. “I would assume, if that’s what would happen, there would be some kind of transition period,” Butler said. “We, being Facilities, wouldn’t walk out one day and a contractor would walk in the next. I don’t know where the contractor would get his expert knowledge of deferred maintenance, of where electrical panels are, of what pumps provide what source to the university. I’ve been here four years and I don’t know them all.” So what could the average person do? “Everyone who is part of a TBR campus needs to be aware,” Watters said. “Get on the radio. Write editorials. We need everyone to be more informed and bring this problem to our legislators. To find your local legislator, go to capitol.tn.gov and search under the ‘legislators’ tab. You can even type your address and learn exactly who your representatives are.”

TKE - Students of Tennessee Tech University and members of the Cookeville community leave flowers in honor of William Johnson Sutton outside the Tau Kappa Epsilon house. Sutton, a 22-year-old senior accounting major, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 6. A representative from the Tau Kappa Epsilon headquarters Alex Baker commented on the loss of a fraternity member. “We are saddened to learn about the passing of one of our members,” said Baker. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the men of the Mu-Omicron chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon. We are working with the university counselors to help support the chapter through this tough time.” The Counseling Center is available to help students cope with the loss said Lori Shull Director of Communications and Marketing. Will is survived by his father, John L. Sutton, and his mother, Michelle Crossland Sutton, according to his obituary. Services for Will were held on Friday, Oct. 9 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 10 from 12:20 p.m. to 2 p.m. The cause of Will’s death is still unknown at the time of publication. The autopsy results can take 10 weeks to be completed.

Blues and Brews festival raises funds for WCTE public television By KAYLA CLOUSE Beat Reporter

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All Day

William Ruller Painting Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Lateefah Simon, Guest Speaker Derryberry Hall Auditorium

7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

TTU Jazz Ensembles in Concert Wattenbarger Auditorium

21

All Day

William Ruller Painting Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Senior Salute Tech Pride Room

12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

College of Engineering Fall 2015 New Faculty Research Seminar Series Prescott Hall 225

All Day

The second annual Blues & Brews Craft Beer Festival was held again Saturday, Oct. 17 in Dogwood Park. Blues & Brews started out as a small WCTE fundraiser where patrons could listen to music, enjoy food and try a few local brews. However, when Becca Magura, president and CEO of WCTE, refocused the event as a craft beer festival, the event’s attendance increased from fewer than 200 attendees to 750 last year. Last year, the event itself made about $33,000. “This year, I’d like to hit $45,000. Fundraisers are so essential for local production,” said Magura. “People don’t realize the cost of production. Staff time, editing, and equipment are all very expensive.” WCTE’s fundraisers finance productions such as Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree, Cookeville Christmas Parade, Discover the Upper Cumberland, and award-winning Live Green Tennessee. “We are the recipient of some federal funding, but in order to receive these funds we’re required to raise a certain amount of preliminary nonfederal funding,” said Jodi Pitts, WCTE event coordinator. “That’s what our fundraising is for, is to reach the nonfederal mark we have to reach every year.” “The cost of television production all depends on what you’re trying to accomplish, so it’s hard to say how much money goes into the cost of each production,” said Desiree Duncan, WCTE production manager. “For example, Live Green Tennessee costs around $50,000 for one season to produce.” The appearance of Regional HomeBrewer’s Association at Blues & Brews is unique to WCTE’s mission to educate, inform and inspire. The Regional HomeBrewer’s Association brought their own brews, provided demonstrations and answered questions locals may have about home brewing. The VIP Stein Social occurred from 11 a.m. to noon, an hour before Blues & Brews started. It was an hour for locals to mingle with more than 60 vendors and brewers about their styles of brews and the distinctions of flavor in their product. With 11 breweries represented from Tennessee, most of the rest are local to the southeast region. “We’ve had a long standing relationship with Calfkiller and Yazoo,” said Pitts. Pitts also said the flavors are what one would find in the region, such as molasses. “Blues & Brews is an experience where you get to taste something you don’t normally get to try. You don’t have to go to Nashville or Knoxville because we bring that experience

William Ruller Painting Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

All Day

14th Annual Senior Expo Hyder Burks Agricultural Pavilion Kayla Clouse | The Oracle BLUES WITH BREWS - Blues and Brews is a fundraiser for WCTE public television. The event raised $33,000 in 2014. right here to you,” said Pitts. “It’s in a great setting in Dogwood Park, and it’s an event where you can meet up with your friends in our own community.” Pitts said the increase in attendees is because people are looking for a premier highquality event in Cookeville. Leah Spivey, sales and branding ambassador of Yazoo Brewing Company, chose to attend Cookeville’s Blues & Brews over four other craft beer festivals in Tennessee this weekend. “I choose to come here because y’all actually appreciate it more,” said Spivey. “I’m not saying that other areas don’t, but the excitement here is a little bit higher than other areas.” Yazoo Brewing Company’s objective is to establish more of a presence in the Cookeville area. Features like beer-inspired baked goods were presented at the festival. Rena Power, owner of Craft Cakes, showcased baked goods made from beer, beer ingredients, and spirits, such as an apple crumb cake made with apple ale and brown ale caramel. “I put beer in the cupcakes while I’m baking them. It’s not really infused with beer,” said Power. “Beer goes in all the cupcakes; it’s an ingredient.” WCTE provided a package deal in which runners who purchased Blues & Brews tickets would have VIP status into the festival. The VIP tickets sold out before the festival began. VIP at Blues & Brews included exclusive seating in the all day hospitality tent with food provided by Char, Buffalo Wild Wings and Seven Senses. Budweiser, Yazoo, Mid-South Distributing and BountyBev provided the beer in the VIP tent. Kate MacIndoe, Tech alumna, said she wasn’t there for the music. “I came out to cheer for my dad in the halfmarathon, then hang out and drink free beer,” said MacIndoe. “Who wouldn’t want to drink free beer all day?”

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10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Free HIV Same Day Testing RUC 370

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Senior Salute Tech Pride Room

12 p.m. - 2 p.m.

14th Annual Senior Expo - UCDD Area Agency on Aging and Disability Hyder Burks Agricultural Pavilion

7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Bird is the Word! Presents Poet Joseph Lease Talon Theatre, Foundation Hall

7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

TTU Soccer v. UT Martin Soccer Fields

7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Third Coast Percussion Wattenbarger Auditorium

23 7 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.

Josh Mayberry, Jalen Talley, Tuba Student Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium

7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

2015 Eat.Glow.Run. 5K Johnson Hall

8 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.

Jesse Chavez, Tuba Graduate Student Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium

8 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.

Tuphonium Quartet, Student Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium

24

5 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

Freshman Tuba and Euphonium Recitalists Wattenbarger Auditorium

6 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.

Adam Mullican, Euphonium, Student Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium

www.tntech.edu/calendar

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE || Page 3

Haunted Reviews <<

LIVING

 Amazin' Acres of Fun 2857 Old Kentucky Rd, Sparta

Tunnel of Doom 129 Johnson Speck Lane, Livingston

Frightmare Manor 7588 W Andrew Johnson Hwy, Talbott

Scare Factor: Distance: Price: Family Friendly:

Scare Factor: Distance: Price: Family Friendly:

Scare Factor: Distance: Price: Family Friendly:

OVERALL:

OVERALL:

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Located about 8 miles south of Cookeville toward Sparta on Highway 111, is a family-owned and -operated farm where you can find the McCulley’s Amazin’ Acres of Fun. The farm offers hayrides to the pumpkin patch where you can pick your favorite pumpkins. The hayride is $10, or $9 for a group of 10 or more. The pumpkins are very affordable, ranging from $0.50 to $3 a pumpkin. There is a petting zoo where about 20 goats will walk up to you and nibble at your hands to see if you brought them snacks. A pony and a sheep are also there to pet. Ziploc bags of food for the petting zoo are available in the office. If you want a little more

of a challenge, the Amazin’ Acres of Fun offers a 7-acre maze. Inside the maze is a scavenger hunt game called “Farm scene Investigation,” similar to the game Clue. To solve this mystery, six clues are hidden in the maze and need to be found. This maze is the hardest. Overall, this place is great if you are not into haunted attractions. Their scare factor is zero, but this place is family-friendly and good for all ages. Amazin’ Acres of Fun is a great place to go if you are looking for a good time that is near Cookeville, fairly priced and somewhere no one will jump out to scare you.

About 30 minutes from Cookeville on Highway 111 north is the Tunnel of Doom at the Overton County Rescue Squad’s building. For $8, you and your friends are welcomed with open arms by many horror movie characters. They begin at dark and end when the last people go through their Tunnel of Doom. Chuckie, Saw’s Jigsaw, Freddy and Jason, Michael Myers, Emily Rose, the Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Frankenstein, the little girl from the Grudge and clowns are all ready to get the chance to meet you. Before our trip went through the indoor maze, our group of 10 was split up into two groups of four and one lucky group of two.

The lady at the front desk informed us the characters love to separate people from their groups and they will touch you. Be sure to call ahead if you will get there late, as they do not have a set ending time. This haunted attraction was just the right amount of scary and friendliness. Before our time to go through the “tunnel,” all of the actors remained in character. But after our last group of friends was chased out of the building by the Texas Chain Saw Massacre, the actors talked with us and let us see them without their masks. The length of the tour was the perfect. I began to wonder if we would ever get out, and the very next room we did.

As it has been in years past, Frightmare Manor is one of the absolute best haunts to check out this season. It’s located pretty far from Tech. It’s billed as a Knoxville haunted attraction, but it’s actually located in a small town north of Knoxville called Talbott. They called themselves a “5 attraction screampark” for good reason. This is the scariest you are going to get if you head east of Cookeville toward the Knoxville area. The place has three haunted attractions, a money-back challenge, and a free-fall tower. The only ones I’ve done are the three haunted attractions. The attractions are titled Frightmare Manor, Quarantine and Psycho Hill. They are all really fun and extremely scary. The main

haunt, Frightmare Manor, is the best. You can tell they put a ton of work into it. You’ll experience more than just a few jump scares throughout the three haunts as well as some areas where psychological scares come into play. There are also some areas where you won’t simply walk through, but if I go into detail there, I might be spoiling too much. The haunt has been going for several years now, and they always upgrade every year. Keep in mind that you will have to wait a little for this attraction because of its popularity. I spoke to people in line who had come all the way down from Michigan to do this haunt.

Flynn's Lick

Dungeon of Darkness

Asylum Hill

2804 Granville Hwy, Gainsboro

2146 BIg Springs Rd, Maryville

410 Old Oak Hill Road, Rickman

Scare Factor: Distance: Price: Family Friendly:

Scare Factor: Distance: Price: Family Friendly:

Scare Factor: Distance: Price: Family Friendly:

OVERALL:

OVERALL:

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Since the start of the Halloween season, I’ve heard some great things about a local haunted house down in Jackson County. It seemed like a good one too – it only cost $8 to get in and it took only about 30 minutes to get there from campus. Driving there was another story; it was out of a horror film itself. There were many twists and turns with little to no cellphone service, so I would rely on your phone’s GPS because it took us down some little back road that wasn’t even a road. It was a driveway. When we finally arrived at Flynn’s Lick, we could see how popular it was. It opens at 7 p.m., and

we got there about 8:20 p.m. We bought our tickets and asked about how long the wait would be. She told us it would be a “little while,” so we waited … and waited … and waited. After we waited about an hour, we did some math and at the rate they were coming to take tickets we would be waiting there for another two hours. TWO HOURS. They had sold over 400 tickets and had everyone waiting for hours without really warning us about the actual wait time. So my recommendation is if you really want to see if Flynn’s Lick is as good as they say, be prepared to dedicate your night to this 20-minute scary ride.

Located in Maryville, Dungeon of Darkness is the all-around best haunt for the season. The biggest downside to the attraction is that it’s about 100 miles away from Tech. However, that’s about the only downside to this haunt. I’m a big fan of detail and that’s what you’re going to get at Dungeon of Darkness. It’s located in the basement of a community center, so you might underestimate the place when you first arrive. Don’t let that turn you away, though. The haunt is themed really well. They have so many different scenes set up throughout the attraction and you can tell that they have put in some time to make them look good.

There were about 40 live actors encountered throughout the house. Plenty of jump scares and general moments of psychological fear were experienced here. This probably isn’t the best place to take young children. The attraction says that parents may use their own judgment on whether or not to take their children through the house, but they also don’t recommend it for anyone under 12. I would agree with that as it is very scary, and you can expect a little foul language and adults themes in the house as well. It was definitely worth $15. If you’re willing to do a little traveling for a good scare, you won’t leave here disappointed.

Asylum Hill Evolution in Overton County fit into all of my categories. It was super easy to find and took us only about 15 minutes to get there from campus. It costs $10 per person to enter the maze they created in a dark creepy forest. Now to the actual good part: Was it really scary or just lame? I literally was holding on to my boyfriend’s arm for dear life while being chased through this maze.

Did I mention they were chasing us with chainsaws? Yeah and you know in most mazes they stop following after a few feet? Not in this one. We had a creepy killer following us the entire time. The maze was filled with rooms with different themes from horror movies and made it feel as if you were actually in one too. You could really tell they put a lot of work into making this as scary as they could for their customers.

Fear Farm

113 W Netherland Rd, Cookeville

Scare Factor: Distance: Price: Family Friendly:

OVERALL: The closest haunted house to Tech’s campus most likely isn’t going to scare you, but it’s a great place for families. Fear Farm is just about a 10 minute drive from campus, so it’s the ideal place to go if you’re not looking to travel too far. However, if you’re looking for some good scares, you might want to pass on it. You’ve probably seen the billboards advertising their zombie paintball attraction around town. That’s what they’ve become known for, but it was rather boring. The people dressed like zombies

didn’t really look like zombies. It seemed like something that someone put together overnight. They also have a haunted corn maze, but it was weak as well. There were maybe one or two jump scares throughout the maze. Other than that, it wasn’t something extremely exciting. This haunt would be a very good place to take the kids to get them into the Halloween spirit. The average college student is probably going to be rather bored at this one, and the $20 price tag on the attraction doesn’t help.

Each attraction is rated on a scale of five. Contributions by William Webb, Lauren Henley, and Sara Shanks Beat Reporters

Page 4 || THE ORACLE || COOKEVILLE, TN

ENTERTAINMENT

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

>> Reviews

‘Crimson Peak’ plays to Del Toro’s strengths Deerhunter slows down on ‘Fading Frontier’ By CAMERON FOWLER Entertainment Editor

trailers.apple.com QUITE THE SET - The house in Crimson Peak was built specifically for the film, but had to be torn down after production ended.

By HANNAH BARGER Entertainment Critic Set in a delightfully spooky Victorian mansion, Guillermo Del Toro’s “Crimson Peak� is not a ghost story so much as a story with ghosts in it. The same goes for the manuscript written by young aspiring author Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska). Ever since she was a child, Edith has been haunted by visions of her mother’s ghost, who warns her to “beware of Crimson Peak� when the time comes. Edith eventually takes a liking to a handsome aristocrat-turnedinventor, much to the dismay of her father and her doctor friend. There’s just something about Sir Thomas (Tom Hiddleston) and his sister, Lady Lucille (Jessica Chastain) that seems off somehow. After a great personal tragedy Edith marries Thomas and tries to make the best of her situation, but something still isn’t right. Nights in the Sharpe house are filled with mysteriously missing hus-

bands, cold drafts, fitful sleep, and the occasional skeletal ghost dragging its bleeding form across the mansion’s halls. Edith takes to exploring parts of the house previously forbidden to her, and what she finds is a lot more than cobwebs and old toys. “Crimson Peak� can be compared to Del Toro’s other films, particularly “Pan’s Labyrinth,� in terms of visuals. The Sharpe mansion is perfectly gloomy and falling apart, literally sinking into the clay-filled ground. The ending scene takes place just outside the building during a snowstorm, and the look of the blood-red clay seeping up into the snow (creating the eponymous Crimson Peak) fits well. The house’s ghosts don’t seem out of place for one second – they’re quintessential Del Toro monsters: thin, sharp-looking creatures who move along jerkily but may or may not be as sinister as they seem. My only real problem with the movie is that it’s a bit predictable. It follows the classic Victorian horror formula: girl’s mother dies, girl is raised by single father who’s loving but baffled

by her, girl’s father dies, girl falls in love with the wrong guy, girl has to be saved or save herself before it’s too late, roll credits. I also could have done without the “Edith chooses the ‘bad boy’ over the nice guy who has been there all along� theme. The movie may be set a hundred years ago but it’s 2015, writers, you can do better than that. Still, the stereotype of the helpless girl is averted near the end, when, through trials and tribulations, Edith becomes the person she said she wanted to be at the beginning of the movie. Overall, the movie has more hits than misses. The chemistry between the two leads is strong, not forced, and Jessica Chastain is wonderfully sinister. I was pleased by Charlie Hunnam’s ability to play a levelheaded doctor, seeing as I had previously only seen him in “Sons of Anarchy.� If you’re looking for a Halloween movie with top-notch visual effects, a storyline that keeps you on your toes and a quality cast, look no further. “Crimson Peak� isn’t a perfect film, but it is a ton of creepy fun.

Hardly any band can boomerang back to the same success it had on two earlier fantastic backto-back albums after a mediocre effort, but indie rock darlings Deerhunter figures out what works and stick with it on its latest LP, “Fading Frontier.� After 2013’s “Monomania,� which proved highly divisive among fans of the Atlanta natives, their latest album is a smoothly content vision of what subsequent releases tried to experiment with, and the 9-track album goes by lazily, both musically and aesthetically. Although the band’s lyricism has shaped itself into something more easily digestible while maintaining the quasi-ambient experimentation present on “Halcyon Digest� and “Weird Era Cont.,� that is not to assume it is lackadaisical. Most of the sounds on “Fading Frontier� are poppy and distant from what the band has done in the past. It doesn’t serve as a gateway to accessibility but more so an additive for the album’s straightforward approach. The album is the band’s shortest at 36 minutes, but the length also doesn’t try to cater to first-time listeners. This is an especially elementary-sounding LP all-around, and all these things simply do not serve as a gateway to newcomers in order to get them to enjoy the album. The reasoning for the album’s convenience primarily serves as a complement to the c’est la vie condition dominating the album. Deerhunter really seems to be drifting throughout the entirety of “Fading Frontier,�

pitchfork.com CLOSE CALL - Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox said “Fading Frontier� was inspired by his near-fatal car accident last December. penning songs with such a casual attitude toward life that it can’t help but be contagious. However, it’s this devotion to making each song hark on how life carries on that makes each track feel a little repetitious. It’s especially disheartening to relive the same theme over and over again in such a short period of time, which helps since “Fading Frontier� does not try and extend the length of the album to make it a boring slog. It’s just the right length for its ideas to spread out before you slowly leave once you’ve accepted them all. Musically, the motif of life staying the same and making the best of everything you have really does work here. The ideas aren’t as present musically as they are lyrically, and there are a couple of tracks that unfortunately end up feeling like retreads of the same ideas without any excitement sonically. The album’s lead single, “Breaker,� is almost as peppy as it gets, with a jangly riff in the chorus that feels heavily like an amalgamation of several modern indie artists. There are slower tracks throughout the album, and Deerhunter maintains an admirable balance between the urgent-sounding tunes and the slower, more leisurely

ones. The longer and passive songs end up retaining some of what made Deerhunter’s earlier work so arresting – that appreciation and obvious perceptivity of disparate genres. Mix these in with the hurriedly bright songs on the album and there is enough diversity to please most fans of indie music. This collection of tracks ends up having the same effect on the listener, which is to say they are a solid set of songs with some remnants of previous Deerhunter works. This perhaps speaks for the band better than “Fading Frontier� does. The message portrayed in the album’s lyricism gets a little long in the tooth by the end, but it is refreshing to see the band taking things at face value and clearly pondering where to go next. Deerhunter has indeed grown up at this point, and there is probably little hope that they return to the more erratic sounds from their earlier years. However, fans can rest easy knowing the band is content with their lives, if this LP is anything to go by, and that it are just taking time out to notice the quirks with some uncomplicated glimpses of true enjoyment.

‘Nathan For You’ attempts to take down Best Buy By CAMERON FOWLER Entertainment Editor Not many reality shows focus on the host, which makes “Nathan For You� all the more fascinating, as it is a subtle character study as well as hilarious fodder for those who attach themselves to its style. “Nathan For You� sees Nathan Fielder, a business school graduate, traveling around, giving advice to small-business owners who feel down on their luck, looking to improve their stores or find ways to get customers excited about their products. Of course, this is a comedy show, and Nathan often creates elaborate and bizarre plans for them to get customers in or simply grow their business. It also helps that Nathan is seemingly a lonely slave to the show, always noting how he is single and alone while reinstating that he needs to “focus on his work.� We never quite know if this is the real Fielder or a characterization of himself. The season three premier, “Electronics Store,� is a highlight reel of why Nathan For You is such a treat to watch. Fielder dreams up a crazy scheme to help the owner of a small electronic store battle Best Buy. The owner of the store, Alan Harikian, needs a tactic to get people in his doors. Fielder’s plan involves taking on Best Buy’s price match policy by convincing Harikian to advertise his Samsung TVs at $1, while buyers recruited by Nathan take the flyer to Best Buy, demanding that the price

be honored. This will allow Harikian to amass several of these TVs for almost free while selling them in his own store. “Are you in a relationship?� Fielder asks, using his own personal strategy to coax Harikian into feeling for him to create a sense of sameness. Harikian passively overlooks this, while Fielder says, “I’m not in a relationship either, so we can both work on this full time.� It’s the little glimpses of Nathan’s psyche that gives the show a dynamic or surrealism while portraying very real things, such as helping others. And in the end, “Nathan For You� always finds a way to make things strangely human, even if its host seems the opposite. There has to be a way to stop potential “real� customers from coming and simply snatching up all the TVs Harikian has, so Fielder conjures up a scheme that serves as a commentary on consumer greed while also keeping in tune with the show’s commitment to making normal people do weird things to get what they want. Fielder wants to make it as hard as possible for the actual interested customers to get a TV. He demands that each customer dresses formally and builds a maze of sorts to defend them, starting with a tiny door straight out of “Alice in Wonderland� that customers must crawl through, only to find a room on the other side housing a live alligator guarding the mountain of Samsung TVs. The idea of a man dressed in a tux crawling through a tiny door to get

a TV is already imaginative enough, but utterly hilarious once seen in action. While Fielder finds success with driving customers away, his fake buyers who were sent to Best Buy cannot get the company to honor its price match guarantee. Fielder marches down to Best Buy, his tux still on, scolding the company for not honoring a policy “that drew me in as customer,� according to Fielder. Although this scene is short, it is such a hilarious exchange between Fielder and Best Buy and his scheme begins to safely seem bizarre to the viewer. The episode switches gears here and becomes a mission to let Fielder exact his revenge on Best Buy with a class-action lawsuit. Harikian is roped into the lawsuit unwillingly, claiming it will hurt what he has spent so long building up, but Nathan visits a psychiatrist with Harikian so he can explain the grand plan to plea insanity while Harikian explains everything Fielder has dreamed up. Based off advice from one of the show’s previous guests, judge Anthony Filosa, Fielder needs a testimony from a former Best Buy employee to make his claims about the policy valid. He then posts a Craigslist ad announcing auditions for a fake reality show “Retail Dating,� a development that fans will probably see as another attempt for Nathan to go on a date under the guise of “doing it for the show.� He successfully sets up a date with Best Buy employee Elle, pos-

ing as a worker from Hot Topic, donning his best assumed “goth� garb, facial piercings and all. This whole date scene works as more depth into Fielder, which ends up with him getting little information about the policy, and a lot of painfully unsettling shots of he and Elle learning how to Salsa dance on the first date. Fielder smiles while Elle tries not to run away, and the short clip of the two saying goodbye (“OK, yeah, see ya.�) is assuredly stiff and a priceless peak of the episode. Fielder then realizes the lawsuit is pretty much bunk and gives up trying to make it happen because Elle would have to willingly testify in court on Best Buy, something Nathan is sad she isn’t going to do willingly. Although he admits defeat, one of the rare heartwarming moments of the show comes through when Fielder sets Harikian up with a woman who auditioned for “Retail Dating.� The episode ends with the two progressing through the blossoming talk of a potential connect, while Fielder drives off, claiming that while it’s good for them, he’s “fine being alone, because it would help me focus on my work.� We see a semi-long shot of Nathan looking lifelessly ahead while driving after he says these words, and the two together assures that the show’s third season will be more than fine as long as Fielder is happy with others and still disappointed with himself.

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OPINIONS

Why we should love the haters and learn from their mistakes KATE TREBING Opinions Editor

For less than one week every year, Tech students go to great lengths to avoid South Patio (now Centennial Plaza). We glimpse the large crowd clustered around a central figure and turn in the other direction, deciding to take the scenic route to our next class. We hear a voice blasting through a megaphone, and we close our ears to avoid hearing something we may wish to forget. We shudder as we recognize the public demonstrators have come again to inhabit the heart of campus. Since before my freshman year, these outspoken religious speakers have been paying annual visits to Tennessee Tech’s campus, and to be frank, I am rather tired of it. Now I profess to be a Christian, but I do not agree with their methods of evangelism. I have been taught to love those whose beliefs differ from mine. Respect and kindness are a much better representation of your belief system than contempt and superciliousness. Yet these public figures seem to work tirelessly to damage the reputation of Christianity in the few short days they are here. The banners they carry leave no doubts as to their message: Ask me why you are going to hell. Etc.etc. They call out to passersby as they hurry to class, labeling perfect strangers simply by appearance. In general,

they drive the public away. The only people bold enough to linger nearby the speakers seem to be either intent on engaging in verbal combat or curious to watch the aforementioned debate. This is the sum of their effect on campus; either you rush away with your head down and avoid eye contact or you openly confront them and “stir up the pot.” And then there are the rumors surrounding these traveling evangelists. Some say they have been diligent in their demonstrations for years because they are attempting to goad the campus public into physical violence. This line of gossip claims they are looking for an excuse to sue the university and collect financial compensation. According to one rumor, they once did sue Tennessee Tech after being relocated to a more remote corner of the campus. They claimed this impeded their freedom of speech. Apparently, Tech wrote them a check for $1 and moved their location to the more central South Patio location. A more heartwarming tale describes one Greek organization forming a giant air hug around the speaker. As one faculty member stated, “If anyone needs a hug, it’s those guys.” Now, I do not know if any of those tales are true. Whatever rumors you choose to believe, the fact remains that these activists are legally permitted to demonstrate on a public college campus. According to university policy, their freedom of expression allows them to share their message as long as any controversial stance is clearly

Melissa Edwards | The Oracle SAME OLD STORY - This photo was taken in the fall of 2013. The T-shirt designs may have changed, but the bold message of these "street preachers" has not.

stated on any advertising and they are located in an area that would allow attendance to be completely voluntary. While I can guarantee that avoiding Centennial Plaza is about as inconvenient as taking the back roads home from a Nashville shopping trip, it is possible to avoid the commotion if you so desire. These speakers are technically acting within their civil rights; so what is the harm in their presence? I can only speak for myself. I don’t know how other Christians feel about

the group, but I know that I don’t approve of them nor do I agree completely with them. They preach judgment and tough love. Sometimes tough love is good, but it sure doesn’t work without the love part. The God I know doesn’t walk around in a T-shirt saying, “Ask me why you are going to hell.” Ever heard of catching flies with vinegar? Yeah, me neither. Speaking as one who seeks a career in Public Relations, these people have some serious PR issues. A college campus as diverse

and multicultural as ours is bound to host groups which did not grow up steeped in America’s Bible Belt, and I hate to think of them graduating from our university with these Bible Bangers as their primary impression of Christianity in the South. As a Christian, I believe I am supposed to be an ambassador for my faith. If these spokespeople were representing my country, I would demote them in a heartbeat. No, we cannot banish them from campus. But perhaps we can counter their de-

structive tactics. Maybe we can show them what real love looks like. What would happen if we bought these people a couple of pumpkin spice lattes? After all, what is love if not a pumpkin spice latte? Humor me. Could we truly witness change by simple acts of kindness? Now for the million-dollar question: would anyone be bold enough to be kind? Kate Trebing is a junior communication major with a concentration in public relations. She can be reached at kdtrebing42@students.tntech.edu.

Differentiating between attention-seekers and the authentic Christian ANNALISE FREITAG Guest Critic

As I was walking to my first class back from fall break, I was in a great mood. Coffee in hand, light breeze blowing. It was great. But then, from in between New Hall North and New Hall South, I heard it. The unmistakable, “You’re going to hell,” threat being boomed all the way from Centennial Plaza. It could only mean one thing: the “Jesus Preachers” (their self-given title derived from their website) were back. So much for my great mood. So as many students did, I stood around and listened for a while. Within five minutes, the preacher had effortlessly offended half the crowd. He was on a rant, listing a few major ways to “spot a ‘potential’ lesbian.” The list

THE

Kate Trebing | The Oracle PEACE IN THE PARK - Students responded to this year's "Preachers" visit by drawing a peace sign in Centennial Plaza. These students read some of the response messages covering the brick patio.

included wearing pants, having short hair, playing basketball and watching or supporting Ellen DeGeneres. The first three things basically describe an elementary school girl during recess. The entire crowd was

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laughing at the absurdity. The preacher’s supposed reason for being there was to preach the message of Christ, but it was clear he was merely trying to elicit reactions. The real message of Christ is one of love, grace, truth and

peace. John Chapter 1 even tells us Christ himself was full of grace and truth. You catch that? GRACE and truth. Grace first, then truth. Preaching hateful, condemning and judgmental

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things while including the most microscopic amount of warped truth is embodying neither love nor grace, truth nor peace. Christ came to Earth, not to condemn the world, but to save it. In the first part of John Chapter 8, a woman is brought in front of Jesus who was literally caught in the act of adultery. The Jewish teachers wanted to stone her to death – the appropriate punishment for her crime. But Jesus replied that whoever has never sinned should throw the first stone. He had all the authority – all the right – to condemn her, but instead he simply forgave her. These “Jesus Preachers” are not a representation of God, Christ, the Bible or the church. The people who actu-

ally preach Christ probably won’t stand in the center of a university, spouting out hotbutton words and condemnation in a fit of delusional authority. You’ll find the real preacher of Christ caring for the sick friend, sitting with the lonely, including the outcasts, feeding the hungry or opening their doors to the dormridden. The real preacher of Christ will accept and love you wherever you are at, and the grace and truth of Christ they show you will transform you to be more like Jesus. Even the jean-wearing, short-haired, basketball-playing women. Annalise Freitag is a senior in communication with a concentration in journalism. She can be reached at amfreitag42@students.tntech.edu

2. Originality is required. 5. The Oracle reserves Plagiarized works will not the right to edit for style, The Oracle encourages be considered. grammar, length and readers to write letters and clarity. commentaries on topics of 3. For verification, letters interest. A few guidelines: and commentaries MUST 6. Submissions must be include your name, e-mail received by 4 p.m. on 1. Letters should not address, home town and Friday. exceed 300 words. classification or title. Commentaries should be 7. Your thoughts are free. around 500 words and 4. Letters may not run Think often, think free. include a picture of the in every edition due to writer. space. kdtrebing42@students.tntech.edu

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DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of Tennessee Tech University’s employees or of its administration.

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SPORTS

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

>>Inside the Game

Wilson promoted on NCAA committee By SHEA HAILE Sports Editor

Shea Haile | The Oracle

MR. CARTER - Redshirt freshman Dorian Carter looks for running room during Tech’s match-up with No.1 Jacksonville State Oct. 17. Carter led Tech in rushing yards with 72.

The Rundown: Pace’s Perspective By JORDAN PACE Asst. Sports Editor Romeo Crennel’s classic “They are who we thought they were” bit comes to mind while assessing Tech’s 42-13 loss to Football Conference Subdivision’s No. 1 ranked Jacksonville State at Tucker Stadium last Saturday. The Gamecocks (5-1, 3-0 OVC) were a team whose only loss so far this season came at the hands of then FBS No. 6 ranked Auburn, who went the distance and had to beat JSU in overtime. And the Golden Eagles? Well, after last year’s come-from-behind win over No. 12 Eastern Kentucky in the third annual “Blackout Game,” it’s safe to say this year’s edition wasn’t as lucky. Here’s my rundown of Saturday’s loss: Playmakers Redshirt freshman running back Dorian Carter’s performance was one of the few that stood out on Saturday. While granted it was late in the contest with the game out of reach, Carter picked up some impressive gains on runs of 10, 24, 11 and 13 yards, leading the team with 72 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. After the loss, head coach Watson Brown said Carter is

a player he might opt to give the ball to sooner in games, and after Carter’s production Saturday, I don’t see why not. Defensively, linebacker Jay Rudwall continues to be a force. The senior finished with a game-high 15 tackles (3 solo) against the Gamecocks, which puts him at 66 (18) this year. Beside Rudwall was another standout showing from opposite linebacker Tra’Darius Goff, who recorded 14 tackles (2 solo) on Saturday, bringing his season total to 102 (35), which is far ahead of the pack on the OVC’s tackle stat column so far this year. Rose It’s difficult to play spin doctor after a loss like Saturday night’s, but things could have been worse. A lot worse, actually. The Golden Eagles have lost three straight to three of the four best teams in the OVC, and they get the third best this Saturday at Eastern Illinois. They’ll soon be out of the “meat” of their schedule with some more favorable opponents. Plus, they have a bye week to look forward to in a few weeks and the possible return of quarterback Jared Davis, who broke his hand during a win at Murray State on Sept. 26. Things should get better, and Saturday’s loss could be the last home loss of the sea-

son, certainly the last blowout loss. Thorn The same thorns have crippled the Golden Eagles since Davis’ injury three weeks ago. Since then, Tech’s offense has been unable to put together successful drives, but especially in the first half over the last two weeks. On Saturday, the offense went 12 drives before scoring a touchdown. Twelve. A defense can only respond to so many stalled offensive drives. Settling for field goals and having Jonathan King punt the ball seven times — three from his own end zone — doesn’t give any team a chance to win on Saturdays. Defensively, Tech has to find ways to avoid giving up big plays early in the game. Two weeks ago, EKU put up five first-half touchdowns. On Saturday, Tech gave up four TDs on five first-half JSU drives, responding with just two field goals. To its credit, the Golden Eagle defense has faced three of the best quarterbacks in the OVC in the last three weeks. JSU’s Eli Jenkins was good on Saturday; his numbers, and really the entire Gamecock offensive numbers, are proof. The Gamecocks put up 619 yards to Tech’s 326. Those aren’t exactly winning numbers.

Mark Wilson, director of Athletics at Tennessee Tech, was recently selected to serve as the chair of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Committee for the 2015-2016 academic year. Wilson’s new position was announced Oct.1. The NCAA Division I Football Committee is responsible for selecting teams to play in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. The committee chooses 14 at-large teams to compete in the field of 24 after the automatic qualifier schools have been determined by the conferences. Wilson’s new role includes being responsible for conducting the committee’s meetings and conference calls during the season while still assisting in the selection process. He is also responsible for helping coordinate the NCAA Division I Football Championship Game. Wilson is humbled by his peers’ decision to select him for the leadership role. “It is a great honor. Anytime that your peers nominate you and elect you as the chair of an organization, that is really humbling,” said Wilson. “I just want to try to do my best job all year to represent the Ohio Valley Conference because Wilson I am the Ohio Valley Conference representative on the NCAA Division I committee and represent Tennessee Tech and our community in a positive light.” Wilson’s other appointments have included being the chair of the OVC board of directors of athletics. He was part of the NCAA Leadership Council where he represented the OVC. Wilson is a nonvoting member on the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee and is currently the first vice president of the FCS Athletics Directors Association Executive Committee. The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and Under Armour named Wilson as one of its four winners of the 2013 Athletic Director of the Year Award in the FCS. Wilson’s 11 years as athletic director at Tennessee Tech have been highlighted by student-athletes’ academic success. “I think it has been a variety of things,” said Wilson about Tech athletes succeeding academically. “I think our coaches recruit young

men and women that have values that are similar to Tennessee Tech as a whole and that means finding young men and young women that are serious about their academics.” Wilson mentioned that the creation of the Work Intensely Now (WIN) program at Tennessee Tech has helped prepare new student athletes for the strenuous life of a collegiate athlete. The program has all incoming freshmen meet at least once a week with their coach to discuss academic progress, time management and study skill techniques. The program also provides monitored study hours, tutoring and workshops for student athletes who are at risk of losing eligibility or not graduating. Athletic programs at Tennessee Tech have had impressive Academic Progress Rates. In the 2014-2015 academic year, all 14 Tech athletic teams earned a higher APR than the national standard of 930 for the NCAA multiyear APR. This marked the sixth consecutive year all Tech teams finished above the standard according to Lance Jasitt, Assistant Athletic Director for academics and student welfare. Also according to Jasitt, the combined student-athlete grade point average was above 3.0 for the Spring semester of 2015 which marked the 13th consecutive semester that the combined GPA was over 3.0. According to NCAA.org, the APR rating examines every student-athlete who is receiving athletically related financial aid. The student-athlete receives one point for staying in school and one point for being academically eligible. A team’s total points is divided by the points that are available on the team and is then multiplied by 1,000 to find the APR. Wilson has placed importance on the athletic facilities at Tennessee Tech. The university recently completed renovations to the Hooper Eblen Center, including new seats installed this year and a new video board before the 2014-2015 academic year. Lighting has been improved at the Tech Soccer Field and Tucker Stadium. One of his largest facility changes for athletics came with the addition of the Athletics Performance Center in 2010. Assistant Athletic Director for sports information and broadcasting Rob Schabert credits Wilson’s success to his passion and attention to details. “He is passionate about succeeding at every aspect,” said Schabert. “He is fair, but he is very tough. He keeps his finger on every aspect of the department.” “He has got his eye on every aspect of athletics from facilities, to the sports information and video operations, to academics and of course personnel and finances,” said Schabert. “He is involved in every single aspect of the department and knows where we are and where we should be going.”

Photos by: Shea Haile | The Oracle

THE NUMBERS DO NOT LIE- Cody Dodd (left) and Sharon Anderson (right) recently achieved major milestones in their collegiate careers. Dodd recorded her 1,000th kill against the Belmont Bruins Oct. 9. Anderson recorded her 2,000th assist in the same game. Dodd added 13 kills to her career total Oct. 16 against Morehead State while Anderson earned 46 assists in the game.

Anderson, Dodd reach career milestones By PHILIP GANT Beat Reporter In the past, Tennessee Tech had some great years in volleyball; throughout the past couple of years, the team has been trying to improve to get back to where it once was. Rebuilding is a process that usually takes time and patience, and Tech has been showing some improvements through the last two seasons. During this rebuilding process, Cody Dodd and Sharon Anderson have shined and

both have reached impressive milestones while at Tech. On Oct. 9, while playing against Belmont, Dodd reached her 1,000th career kill, and, in the same game, Sharon Anderson grabbed her 2,000th career assist. Dodd is a Cookeville native who stayed to play volleyball in her hometown and has myriad achievements and honors while playing here. While at Cookeville High School, she was voted district 6-AAA most valuable player for three straight seasons and helped lead Cookeville to three district championships. While at Tech, she has made the AllOVC team, the first player to do so since 2012, and has been voted OVC Offensive Player of the Week four times. She was also one of 36

athletes to participate in the U.S. Collegiate National Team program. However, 1,000 kills is her most recent accomplishment. “I’m pretty proud of myself for (1,000 kills),” said Dodd. “I wish that I would have gotten it last year, but I’m proud of it. I wasn’t very good my first two years, but I improved.” “Cody has done well, especially after her first two seasons,” said head coach Dave Zelenock. “She was pretty much a nonfactor. She only had like 100 kills apiece, so she has done pretty well.” Anderson is a junior from Burr Ridge, Illinois, who has quietly been making her name as the assist leader for Tennessee Tech. Though Anderson is just a junior, she has to

be a leader for the team because Dodd is the only senior. While in high school, Anderson was selected for the West Suburban AllConference team four times and was recognized as one of the top 50 Chicago volleyball players in 2011. She helped lead her high school to four conference championships, two regional championships and one sectional championship. While at Tech, she set a career high of 55 assists against SIUE in 2014 and racked up 1,161 assists that season. Zelenock said of Anderson’s 2,000 assists “I think it was pretty fast, not All-American standard, but she pretty much did all of that in one year. Her freshman season she only had four weeks before she got hit by a car. I would say it’s pretty good.”

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