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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Daniel Dassow

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COVER PHOTO: Fans cheer for the Vols during the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30, 2022 in Miami, Florida. Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Letter from the Editor: A prayer for the burned out

DANIEL DASSOW Editor-in-Chief

Monday was my last first day of classes as an undergrad, but it didn’t feel like a first day of class. With a creeping sense of overwhelm somehow already at my back, syllabus day felt like the final days of spring 2021, when I was a sophomore living alone in Laurel Hall at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I could never imagine that I’d feel so ready to be done, and that the feeling would be accompanied by so much shame.

The shame comes because we are supposed to earn our burnout. I feel like I have not earned mine. I feel like the pandemic wasn’t actually that hard to live through, especially because I was fortunate to not lose any friends or family members to the virus and because I was a college student for whom the pandemic mostly involved a lot of sitting.

The shame of burnout is also a sense of being stuck, since people rarely discuss what’s on the other side. Things that have burned out cannot be lit again. That’s why I appreciated the phrasing used by Jacinda Ardern, prime minister of New Zealand, when she surprised the world last week by announcing she would resign.

“I know what this job takes,” Arden said on the edge of tears. “And I know that I no longer have

enough in the tank to do it justice. It’s that simple.”

I am not resigning my post as editor or dropping out of school at the last minute. But I am ready to admit that my tank has run down, and that I’m grateful the end is in sight. I also feel sympathy for Ardern as critics publish their op-eds saying she wasn’t very good at her job anyway and that her style — the direct but deep empathy she showed after the Christchurch mosque shootings in March 2019, for example — was her only true substance.

What they really mean is that she has ulterior motives for resigning and that she hasn’t gotten enough done to truly feel burned out.

I sat in class yesterday as professors laid out attendance policies and book lists and all I could think was that I was ready to be done. It’s hard for me to admit because for so long, I’ve staked my identity on my passion for school and work.

Of course, this may sound like a typical case of “senioritis.” But I think it’s also a condition peculiar to the class of 2023. When we came to UT as freshmen in fall 2019, we were told over and over again by seniors to be present for every moment in college and to get involved because it goes by fast.

College has not gone by fast for us. It has been a tiring process of finding our place on campus only to be sent home after a semester, uneasily welcomed back and, at length, halfway reintegrated into the social fabric we once knew. We saw student leaders who came before us lead large and engaged organizations and then bravely steer them through the pandemic. Now, we are expected to be back to

normal, as if the pandemic could ever not be the deciding factor of our unsocial college years.

Burnout is something that happened to us, and it has knocked the energy from our daily lives in small ways. Though I now associate school with the anxious malaise of COVID, I am trying to detach myself from feelings of shame at my own fatigue.

As Ardern said, “We give all that we can for as long as we can, and then it’s time.”

Before graduation comes, I want to move beyond the burnout so I can fill the tank enough to enjoy these last months at the university and the paper I love. So here is a non-sectarian prayer for those whose first day of class was as unsettling as mine: May you find strength in the memory of all you have endured and the person you have been in times of hardship.

May each day present you with opportunities for connection to others that once seemed impossible.

May the words you read and hear bring you new life, and may the words you speak bring life to people you love and people you do not.

May you be reminded in sudden moments of the things you love and your history with them.

May you live each day in the knowledge that you are living a life.

May the sight of beautiful things mean more to you than the legacy you leave.

Letter from the Managing Editor: The good, the bad and the university

ABBY ANN RAMSEY Managing Editor

I’ve spent my whole life in Knoxville. I grew up going to Knox County Schools, spending Saturdays at West Town Mall and occasionally venturing out to Market Square for dinner with my family.

I say occasionally because about a decade ago, downtown Knoxville wasn’t all that exciting. We rarely had much of a reason to make the 20-minute drive.

While I’m still here in the heart of Knoxville, much of my family is spread out, living in Texas, New York City and the much-closer Roane County. A portion of my break was spent reporting to them what Knoxville is like now as families flock to a city that offers cool coffee shops and breweries and students apply to UT at record numbers.

Downtown Knoxville looks completely different from when I was growing up. The restaurants are great and there’s never a shortage of new places and activities to check out. But unlike when I was younger, you have to expect long wait times and higher prices. If you want to get on the interstate, you’re more than likely going to sit in a lot of traffic.

The growth makes Knoxville feel a lot cooler. But it also just feels so crowded.

While telling my family about housing in Knox-

ville, I mentioned that the cheapest 2-bedroom place you can find within walking distance to campus is usually no less than $600-$700 a month. My brother said, “That’s not bad for a 2-bedroom,” thinking that meant $300-$350 per person. I clarified that I meant the overall lease was no less than $1200-$1400 a month.

For my relatives that don’t spend their free time waiting in line for food at the Student Union or hunting down an open table in the library, UT’s growth equals a successful football program, like Chancellor Donde Plowman saiD on the Paul Finebaum show.

While this might be true, UT’s growth also equals humanities buildings coming down for a new Haslam building and students left scrambling for a place to live.

Last semester brought a mix of emotions for me. I felt so much Volunteer pride with each football win. But being surrounded by talks of university construction plans and unaffordable leases made me sad. I wished the athletic success and population growth could align with people feeling like the university had space for them.

We have no idea what this semester will bring. In August, I didn’t think I’d do a U-turn on the Strip to see why people were lining up outside the TENN. I honestly did not expect administration to decide to slow the rapid growth by letting in fewer freshmen for the 2023-2024 academic year. And I did not eXpect to walk around campus with my laptop open in hopes of scoring a Taylor Swift ticket.

But, that’s why the news is so exciting. Knoxville and UT – and Taylor Swift – can feel confusing and you never know if the latest story that comes out will bring you joy or disappointment or both or neither.

While the mixed emotions can feel uncomfortable, I think it’s wise to sit in that discomfort and understand that multiple things can be true at once. It’s true that I think my peers should be able to find an affordable lease. It’s also true that the football season made me genuinely excited for the basketball season — and that’s coming from someone who told people for years that I once met Peyton Manning, when it was actually Dane Bradshaw. (I was only 5 when I met him, so give me some grace.)

I encourage you to go into this semester at UT with an open mind, accepting that the miserable Starbucks line doesn’t mean you can’t scream Rocky Top at the next basketball game. Likewise, the Orange Bowl win doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to feel defeated when the only available lease is hundreds of dollars over your budget.

While I have no idea what will happen before May, I’m excited for a semester at a place that seems to contradict itself every other week, therefore forcing me to have more nuanced opinions than just only seeing the good or bad of each thing that happens on or around campus. Life here is always a little rocky.

ICYMI: Biggest winter break headlines by the numbers

AURORA SILAVONG Staff Writer

It took 15 grueling voting rounds for former House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to secure the necessary 218 votes to become Speaker of the House. While the majority of the GOP supported the California Republican, a group of far-right representatives held the process hostage in exchange for concessions from McCarthy. is election was the rst time in a century where a Speaker was not elected on the rst round of voting and constituted the highest number of voting rounds since the Civil War.

It has been a brutal couple of months for the tech industry as Alphabet, the parent company of search engine Google, is eliminating some 12,000 jobs, which constitutes 6% of its entire workforce. Tech giant Microso will lay o 10,000 of its employees, and Amazon will be going forward with the 18,000 job cuts it announced back in November.

In the uncertain economic climate of 2023, with growth stalled by in ation and change in consumers’ habits, these companies found their pandemic-era workforces unsustainable.

China unceremoniously dropped its “zero COVID” policy as rates of infection and deaths surge in the country. Japan, notorious for its strict approach to combating the virus, is considering downgrading the disease’s threat classi cation to on-par with the seasonal u. e COVID-19 situation remains stable in the U.S. with no indication of worsening to 2020 levels. However, there is a new variant known as “Kraken” making its rounds, accounting for nearly half of all new cases in the country.

e FBI searched the home of President Joe Biden for 13 hours on Friday in an ongoing investigation into classi ed documents discovered in his former o ce at the Penn Biden Center in Washington D.C. and at his private residence in Delaware. Although the documents were initially uncovered in November, the Biden administration did not publicize the ndings until the new year, drawing criticism from both parties and parallels to former president Donald Trump’s alleged mishandling of hundreds of classi ed documents found at his Florida residence.

As applications soar, university plans for smaller freshman class

DANIEL DASSOW AND ABBY ANN RAMSEY Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor

UT has never been more popular, or more competitive, for first-year applicants.

In the lead-up to the first release of admissions decisions in December, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions released statistics on the first round of applications for fall 2023, painting a picture of just how rapidly UT’s applicant pool has grown in the wake of positive national publicity in fall 2022.

The office also announced that next fall’s firstyear class would be smaller than 2022’s record freshman class of 6,846 students. Though the acceptance rate in 2022 was already seven percentage points lower than in 2021, it is expected to drop again for the most competitive year of applications in the university’s history.

UT received 38,483 applications by the early action deadline of Nov. 1, a 43.2% increase representing 11,601 more early action applications than in 2021. According to the Division of Enrollment Management, the university received a total of 36,290 applications for 2022.

Of this fall’s early action applicants, 25%, or 9,609, were in-state students and 75%, or 28,874, were out-of-state or international students.

Compared to last fall, there was a 15.9% increase in in-state applications by Nov. 1 and a staggering 55.3% increase in out-of-state or international applications.

While the percentage of out-of-state applicants skyrocketed, the university plans to increase financial support and opportunities for in-state applicants.

“As Tennessee’s land grant and flagship university, UT is committed to serving the state by providing an accessible and affordable education to qualified Tennessee residents,” said Kerry Gardner, assistant director of news and information, in a statement to the Beacon. “The university stands by that commitment and is proud to offer most of our in-state applicants a pathway to enroll at UT.”

UT received 44,300 first-year applications as of Dec. 12, a 43% increase overall compared to the same time last year.

On Dec. 20, students from all 95 counties in Tennessee, all 50 states in the U.S. and 54 countries found out whether they were offered firstyear admission into the class of 2027. Some took to social media to celebrate their offers.

Early action applicants who did not receive an offer were deferred until the second round of admissions decisions in mid-February, when deferred students and those who applied by Dec. 15 and who completed their application by Jan. 6 will

receive their decision. Though the university has not yet released numbers on the second round of applicants, Chancellor Plowman said on Friday that the number of total applicants was now over 48,000.

The increased popularity comes as UT leadership heralds a “university on the rise.” The success of the football program, which had its first 11-win season in nearly two decades, defeated Alabama in a home game that drew 11.5 million viewers and capped off the season with a 31-14 win over Clemson, brought international attention back to Neyland Stadium and to UT.

“We have become a destination for students seeking the Volunteer Experience,” Gardner said. “The excitement for being a Volunteer is palpable - on campus and in our application numbers.”

The growth of this year’s freshman class brought logistical issues in transportation and housing, prompting students, staff and faculty to speak out against the expansion of the student body and call for a decreased acceptance rate.

In an answer to the resounding question “why not accept fewer students?” the Office of Undergraduate Admissions said the incoming class of 2027 would bring an end to a ten-year trend of growth in the first-year class.

“To deliver the best Volunteer experience for all students across all four years and in course offerings, residential experience, and student life,

UT will reduce the size of its first-year class and enroll fewer first-year students than last fall,” the office said on its website.

“Because UT will be enrolling a smaller firstyear class, fewer students will be admitted in the first and second admissions release, with more students invited to join a waitlist following the second release.”

It is unclear yet how sharply the acceptance rate will drop for the incoming class. The unprecedented growth in the applicant pool suggests that newly competitive admissions are not the end of an era so much as the beginning of a new one for UT, as it climbs in the national imagination.

Students walk to class on the first day of the spring 2023 semester.

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Winter mini-term, just 2 years old, gets glowing reviews from professors

ABBIE SMITH Staff Writer

UT completed its second winter mini-term, with its first session being introduced in January of 2022. According to One-Stop’s Winter Mini-Term FAQs, this session is designed to provide students the opportunity to get ahead or catch up on courses they need within a threeweek period rather than a 15-week semester. Each student is allowed to take one course over the winter mini-term, but if they want to take more classes, they must get permission from their college. These classes are offered online, in-person and abroad.

While being well worth its time, winter mini-term is also cost effective. The estimated cost of Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 is $33,950 for in-state students and $52,370 for out-of-state students. Meanwhile, the total costs of 2023’s winter mini-term for undergraduate students is $1,365 for in-state students and $3,681 for out-of-state students. These are the hourly rates for students taking a three credit-hour course.

While these facts and numbers look good on paper, is the winter mini-term really as worth it as it seems? Two associate professors, Amber Roessner and Kandi Hollenbach, believe that it is.

“For students, I think that mini-terms potentially can be a relatively time efficient, lowstress opportunity to pick up course credits for graduation, particularly for general-education courses and electives within their majors,” said Roessner, an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Electronic Media, who taught JREM 367: Mass Communication History this term.

“I believe that winter mini-term courses are designed to cater to the emerging needs and desires of our students and that they help the university in terms of increasing its four and five-year graduation rates.”

Kandi Hollenbach, an associate professor of anthropology who specializes in archaeology, agrees that the winter mini-term is beneficial for students. Hollenbach is teaching Anthropology 430, a local field work class at the site of Dunford and Henson Halls. The class focuses on field work and has found artifacts from the construction of Henson Hall– nails, broken glass and a lot of bricks. Hollenbach also noted that the class had found a blue glass button. “That was pretty cool,” she said.

“It’s really hard to do a field school during a full semester because students have so many other classes,” Hollenbach said. “That really limits students who have a lot of other classes that they need to take. It can make it a really hard window for students to do. So these kinds of mini-terms are really nice ways to kind of

cram that field experience in.”

Hollenbach also weighed in on how these mini-terms (both winter and summer) have benefitted her as a parent.

“I have school-aged kids. They’re in high school now, but the summer mini-term overlapped nicely with their last bits of class until they got out of school for Memorial Day. Same thing with the winter one. It starts up right, pretty much when they go back to school. In both of them I’m able to hang out with them during their breaks, summer break or their winter break, and then when they go back is when I start the field school.”

Overall, it appears that the summer miniterm and winter mini-term do not differ from each other in substance.

“It doesn’t really differ, except that the gloves that I get for the students are nice and warm. I really don’t have to worry as much about the students getting heat exhaustion or anything like that,” Hollenbach said.

“I did not teach in our inaugural winter mini-term, but I did teach an online media history course during this iteration of winter mini-term, and I appreciated the experience much as I do when I have taught mini courses in the summer months,” Roessner said. “Other than the timing on the calendar, winter miniterm really isn’t different than summer miniterm.”

Professors agree winter mini-term is some-

thing to be taken advantage of, whether it be to catch up on classes or to get ahead. Not only that, in some cases (such as when doing field work), it’s better to take a class during the mini-term.

The timetable for summer classes is typically posted sometime in February. If the winter mini-term is cost and time effective, then summer mini-term is bound to be the same.

Headlines run above the entrance to classrooms in the Communications and University Extension Building in Circle Park.

File / The Daily Beacon

Board of Trustees hears plans for new academic programs as new semester begins

LAUREN WARD Contributor

On Friday, the Board of Trustees Executive Committee held a virtual meeting to discuss updates from UT System President Randy Boyd, letters of notification approval for new academic programs across the system and the future for students applying to UT in fall 2023.

Boyd opened the meeting with a recap of last year’s fundraising and enrollment numbers and records that UT accomplished. He covered events such as expanded access to dental care in rural communities through Healthy Smiles Initiative with over $50 million in state funding, record student enrollment and the second-highest fundraising year in UT history at $248.8 million.

Chancellor Donde Plowman described the over 48,000 first-year applicants for the fall 2023 semester at UT Knoxville as a “great problem to have” and discussed the university’s plan for new student enrollment for the fall of 2023, when the freshman class will be smaller and more competitive than the class before it.

“We took a playbook from the University of Georgia, to be completely honest, and we put up a very detailed web page,” Plowman said.

“And students know how many applications, how many we’re taking, they know what being ‘deferred’ means and what other options there are for them. So honestly, we have had a very smooth roll out of that set of decisions.”

Plowman said she wanted to make sure students were aware of the application process and what every part of it entails.

The university admitted the first round of students in December and the second round of admissions decisions will be released Feb. 15. Plowman said after the next round of admissions, the university will be able to share at the board’s winter meeting on Feb. 23 and 24

in Chattanooga about a developing program that will connect UT’s campuses, including UT Martin, UT Southern and UT Chattanooga.

Students with certain scores and GPAs who are deferred or not accepted to UT Knoxville will have the chance to follow online guidelines that will help them receive an admissions letter from another UT campus.

“It’s kind of a pilot, and we’ll see how that works,” Plowman said.

The program gives students better access to future opportunities, and supporters say it will potentially open up options being offered at other UT campuses.

“If a student wants to start with [UTC] and transfer to figure out where they want to be, we can do that too,” Steve Angle, Chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, said.

Angle mentioned that UTC has been putting more effort into their marketing this year, and that “things look very good for enrollment this fall.”

“It is a very student-centered approach, in terms of what’s going to make the experience have the best use of what their post-secondary experience will be,” Jamie Woodsen, former Tennessee State Senator and Board of Trustees member, said.

Linda C. Martin, vice president of academic affairs and interim chancellor of UT Southern, presented on several letters of notification (LONs) — proposals to create a new academic program or major — and the update in the system’s process of approval.

The three LONs currently awaiting approval are for a masters of management at UTC, a bachelor’s of science and environmental engineering at UTK and a doctorate in agricultural leadership for the UT Institute of Agriculture.

Martin said the process can take anywhere from 12 to 34 months, and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) makes the final approval.

“A lot goes into these approvals before the board ever gets them for final approval to go to THEC,” Martin said.

UT System President Randy Boyd presents on 2022 fundraising and growth at a virtual meeting of the UT Board of Trustees executive committee on Jan. 20, 2023. Screenshot

Vol Dining adds Peet’s, expands plant-based options for 2023

CAITLIN MULQUEEN Staff Writer

Hopefully you came back to campus with an appetite.

Students often hear about the grand future of the University of Tennessee. From new dining to new dorm buildings, to entirely new college buildings and sports complexes, the picture being painted of the future of UT is expansive.

Sometimes the idea of it all feels unbelievable for current students and it is easy to dismiss or roll your eyes at the talk of the ever-illustrious phrase “the future.” However, this semester students don’t have to look forward.

Last fall, UT announced that a new Peet’s Coffee and a restaurant called “Union Subs” would open before the spring semester, and the plan has been confirmed to be moving on time.

Director of Vol Dining Mohamed Ali confirmed that both Peet’s and Union Subs will be opened on the first day of classes, as scheduled.

During study day, Dec. 8, 2022, students got a preview of the new Peet’s Coffee at a sampling event in Stokely Hall and at a table set up in the Student Union.

“Peet’s Coffee is going to have different cafe menu items like cappuccinos, lattes and fresh bakery items from the UT Bakery,” Ali said.

Peet’s Coffee will be the sixth cafe-style dining chain on UT’s campus, alongside two Einstein Bros’, two Starbucks and one Dunkin’ Donuts. With this new caffeine-fueled stop, it is fair to say that students will be buzzing throughout the spring.

Peet’s Coffee will be located in Stokely Hall beside the POD and the Fresh Food Company in Stokely Hall, where, as some of the more seasoned Vols might remember, a Starbucks used to be.

Union Subs will take the place of the Subway in the Student Union.

“The Union deli will serve Boar’s Head meats, which have less sodium and preservatives. There will also be vegan and vegetarian options, salads and soups,” Ali said.

Aside from the new additions to campus, there were other changes undergone with already established locations this semester.

“We spent more than $100,000 to replace equipment pieces including flat top grills in order to offer vegan and vegetarian foods in Stokely Hall and Rocky Top Dining,” Ali said. “Additionally, we will have more plant-based food at Rocky Top Dining … The new grill is meant to ensure that vegan, vegetarian and Halal foods are authentic with no cross-contamination.”

Brice Florey, president of the UTK Veganteers, is pleased to see the changes club mem-

File / The Daily Beacon

bers and various students with dietary restrictions have been wanting.

“New additions like these are exciting as they make plant-based eating even more broadly accessible and convenient. We are always glad to see greater adoption of vegan products,” Florey said.

For the Veganteers, the Vol Dining enhancements are progress, and as these changes continue, Florey and the Veganteers hope the university continues to keep plant-based eaters in mind.

“I wish there were solid vegan meal options

at UTK-catered events, like those held by the student ORG,” said Florey. “This has been the most lacking in my experience.”

Another addition is the Boar’s Head cafe where Which Which used to reside in Thompson-Boling Arena. Once classes are underway, Starbucks coffee will be added to the menu as well.

“Our aim is to provide nutritious, balanced meals to every student who comes to UT regardless of their dietary preferences, restrictions or needs,” Ali said.

Interfraternity Council sweeps national awards: ‘An incredible year’

DANIEL DASSOW Editor-in-Chief

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Outstanding Peer Governance.

More than 50 fraternities nationwide are NIC members, and an IFC exists on any campus with two or more NIC fraternities. With the recognition, UT’s council became the most awarded IFC in the nation in 2022. Previously, the IFC at UT had not won a major national award since 1964, when it was named an Outstanding IFC.

In its rationale for selecting UT’s IFC as an outstanding council, the NIC focused on the council’s health and wellness programming and engagement with the broader community at UT.

especially noteworthy. (Currently, five fraternities which were part of the IFC are suspended.)

In a particularly high profile suspension, the Pi chapter of Alpha Tau Omega was suspended for five years in November 2021 for repeated violations of the university’s standards of conduct related to hazing and alcohol.

assertive and bridge-building leadership,” especially around DEI efforts. Hunter Carlheim, coordinator for the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life and the IFC advisor, also received an individual recognition.

The 2022 IFC Executive Board stand in front of a $26,000 check in honor of the endowment of IFC’s first ever scholarship, the IFC Leadership Scholarship, at the IFC 150th Celebration. Courtesy of Michael Rodriguez

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) at UT, the university’s largest Greek life governing council composed of 20 fraternities, was recognized by the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) with five of its six 2022 IFC Awards. The awards include Outstanding IFC, Outstanding IFC President, Outstanding IFC Advisor, Outstanding

“Intentional about using campus resources to their advantage, the UTK IFC is invested in the betterment of its members through health and wellness programming like healthy relationship topics, men’s mental health and intentional brotherhood,” the association’s website said. “UTK took a dedicated approach to not working within a silo of fraternities but thinking about the greater community at all times.”

The multiple honors come as the IFC works to rebuild from a slew of suspensions and disciplinary probations. In spring of this year, more fraternities were suspended or on probation than in good standing, making the IFC’s sudden sweep of national awards

That same month, Michael Rodriguez, a fall 2022 graduate in business administration and management, took over as president of IFC. Rodriguez, a member of the Beta Upsilon Chi fraternity, previously served as the council’s first vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion. In this role, he oversaw the drafting and passing of the council’s first-ever strategic DEI commitment plan.

As president, Rodriguez expanded the council’s programming around relational and mental health, created a task force to ensure the equitability of the council’s recruitment process and oversaw management of record-size recruitment cycles. This fall, the IFC also celebrated its 150th anniversary with an event that brought alumni, administrators and stakeholders together to reaffirm their commitment to bettering fraternity life at UT.

Rodriguez was recognized by the NIC as a top president of the year for his “passionate,

“Wrapping up what was such an incredible year of growth and structure for IFC with a near full awards sweep is quite energizing,” Rodriguez said. “Winning awards is nice but being recognized and honored for the achievements that required deep work is even nicer. I might be biased, but our collective leadership between chapter presidents, IFC Exec members and OSFL staff has never been stronger.”

Already, the scales have tipped towards progress for fraternities at UT, since 23 of the 32 active chapters are in good standing. Rodriguez said he hopes the work of the IFC will continue to be recognized after his graduation as the council works towards making fraternities more equitable and engaged in the coming years.

“Our awards should definitely serve as a reflection of the great leadership we exhibited but should also serve as a signal that our leaders have cast a vision of even further growth and success for the many years to come,” Rodriguez said. “It’s my hope that the University of Tennessee’s IFC is awarded nationally every year going forward.”

Rocky Top dining has new flat-top grills to offer more vegan and vegetarian cuisine.

TRIUMPH IN MIAMI TRIUMPH IN MIAMI

On Dec. 30, the Vols defeated Clemson 31-14 in the Orange Bowl, securing their first 11-win season since 2001

‘Just getting started’

Vol football finished the season with a glorious win against Clemson in the 2022 Orange Bowl, but the season finisher is just the start for the team.

ANDREW PETERS Sports Editor

REIGNING

and was a fluke-loss away from a College Football Playoff appearance.

Josh Heupel stood on the stage alongside quarterback Joe Milton inside Hard Rock Stadium on Dec. 30, tossing oranges out to fans and dawning new Orange Bowl merch.

The Vols had just defeated Clemson 31-14 in their first Orange Bowl appearance since the glory days of Peyton Manning and Phillip Fulmer. It was also the Vols’ first New Year’s Six Bowl appearance since the beginning of the College Football Playoff era.

For Tennessee fans who survived the Butch Jones and Jeremy Pruitt era, the moment probably felt like the top of the world. For second-year head coach Heupel, the moment was just the start of something bigger.

“This month the message was really consistent with that, as well,” Heupel said. “It was about finishing our season, finishing this legacy, for the guys that have been here the last two years or whenever they came in, I’m not sure a group has done more in a shorter amount of time to help revive a prominent program the way this group has.”

Heupel is already way ahead of schedule.

Working with a defense composed of those who stuck around after Pruitt’s departure in 2020 and an offense that had shown flashes, but wasn’t quite fully developed coming into the season, Heupel led the Vols to a 10-2 finish in the regular season

Tennessee went on to have the best offense in the country this season and its defense began to come together in the latter part of the year. The Vols also dominated a Clemson team that, despite having a bit of an off year, won the ACC and looked great.

But despite these feats, Heupel is not prepared to get complacent. While he might be overachieving by the fan and media standard, he is still very much on his way to achieving his personal standard.

“Playing electric football on the offensive side of the football field, scoring a bunch of points,” Heupel said on what’s to come. “Defensively, being aggressive, fearless, ferocious and being the best defense in the country, and having that same mentality on special teams. Like we’re just getting started in what we’re developing here.”

The 2022 season, capped off by an Orange Bowl win, slingshots Tennessee football to the next level - the level that Heupel and co. expect to be on.

There were a ton of big recruits on campus when Tennessee beat Florida in front of an electric crowd. There were even more recruits taking in the Alabama win surrounded by thousands of fans on Shield-Watkins field.

Heupel’s final pitch of the season to recruits was the Orange Bowl win.

“It was a primetime game, and they got a chance to see who we are, how we play, how we compete together, the connection, the energy,” Heupel said after the Orange Bowl.

“And man, I think if someone wants to play an exciting brand of football and have more fun than they can imagine, this is a great place to come compete on Rocky Top.”

Now, the No. 1 quarterback in the nation, Nico Iamaleava, is on campus preparing to battle it out for a starting spot against Joe Milton, who is one of the most promising quarterbacks in the SEC.

The Vols also return some big pieces and add some new highlyanticipated recruits. Tennessee is showing no signs of slowing down next year.

The past season for Tennessee wasn’t just a good one. It was a generational one. The days of expecting for 8-4 and hoping for 9-3 are gone. The Vols now expect to beat every opponent and anything less than that is a disappointment.

That is the mindset that gets the best recruits on campus and that forges championship seasons. Ask any head coach who has won a championship in college football and they will tell you how important mindset is to winning.

Heupel has the mindset and is instilling it into his entire team.

“As we continue to move forward, everybody inside that locker room understands there’s a whole lot left out there for us that we can improve upon, that we can control, that can help us continue to climb as a program,” Heupel said.

Season Reflection

ERIC WOODS Assistant Sports Editor

Vol fans, you have something to be excited about — something to build on. And no, it’s not a one-year wonder.

While you were away, the Vols won the Orange Bowl against Clemson, and before you left, it seemed like everything came crashing down. The loss to South Carolina was just another instance of a hopeful season ending in heartbreak.

That was not the case. Josh Heupel is building something special at Tennessee. Let’s throw it back to Oct. 15 — the third Saturday in October. It was a game that used to mean something back in the days of Phillip Fulmer.

Unless you lived under a rock, you know that Tennessee beat the Crimson Tide 52-49. The past 15 years of pain vanished in one night like the cigar smoke that hovered over Neyland Stadium.

Fulmer once dominated the rivalry with an 11-5 record during his time at Tennessee. During his tenure, a 10-win season was the standard, and he lived up to it by reaching that mark for half of his 16 seasons. He was also the last Vols head coach to reach the mark before Heupel.

Heupel’s success means something. Let’s take a look at the last time the Vols were in the Orange Bowl with a top-ti-

er quarterback in college football. It was 1997 and the Vols were led by some guy named Peyton Manning who was in his last season with Tennessee.

The Vols went 11-2 that year, but it was the year after that Rocky Top remembered the most. Even if you weren’t alive, you’ve heard stories of the magical 1998 season. Tee Martin, the guy who took over after Manning, led the Vols to an undefeated season and a national championship.

No. It’s not a guaranteed national championship, but there’s finally hope in Knoxville that can be backed up by results. Besides, it will be Heupel’s third season as the Vols’ head coach. In college football, it’s unheard of to see the kind of success that Heupel has had so early in his tenure, especially with the state that the program was in when he took over.

Most coaches who have early success already had the groundwork laid out for them in terms of recruiting, or they are a high profile coach with loads of experience to build quickly. Neither of those was the case for Heupel.

He took over a program and was forced to pick up the pieces left by the Pruitt era. In his short time, Heupel has revived the Tennessee fanbase, his players have bought in and

he has put the Vols back on the national radar of the college football world.

In the Orange Bowl, the Vols were without Hendon Hooker and Jalin Hyatt, who were the two most important pieces to their success in 2022. They were expected to lose, and no one was going to fault them for it.

The game was mainly a preview of the 2023 roster minus some transfers and freshmen coming in. Joe Milton showed that he can be trusted as a starter with 251 yards and three touchdowns, and Squirrel White showed that he could be the next speedy wide receiver to take Rocky Top by storm with 108 yards and a score.

Pair those two with a solid outing from the defense and the rest of the roster, and it looks like Knoxville is ready to stop reminiscing on the Fulmer days looking back to a better time.

It’s time to get past the five head coaches in the last 14 years since Fulmer’s departure. It’s time to get past as many losing seasons as winning seasons since them. The time for Tennessee football is now.

Letter from the Photo Editor: Mr. Manning, Miami and my future career

ERICKSEN GOMEZ-VILLEDA Photo Editor

Welcome back, Vols. For those of us who made it out to Miami on Dec. 30, what a game and what a way to end the season! I had the privilege of traveling down to the Orange Bowl as a photographer for The Daily Beacon to see our Volunteers take on Clemson.

As I drove down to Miami, I was able to reflect on a few things: life, the future, what I want to do after graduation in May. I was also able to enjoy some quiet time and not have the music controlled by a toddler.

I’ll be the first to admit I was nervous. This was a big game (and yes, I know Tennessee played in some big games and had some amazing finishes this season), and I definitely felt imposter syndrome as it got closer and closer to kickoff.

Something that helped was being able to talk with some of the local media personalities who also traveled to Miami for the game. I had met a few of them before on other assignments for the Beacon and when I did my internship last semester at the Daily Times in Maryville, but here it was more informal, and we could

sit and talk. I picked their brains about the job and what to expect, and they were more than encouraging.

The day of the game, I drove to Hard Rock Stadium and walked around, getting lost a few times as I searched for the media room. Walking into the media room was like walking into command central – computers and camera gear everywhere, photographers editing photos of warmups and writing captions before the game had even begun.

I decided to take my camera and walk outside where I stumbled upon the Volunteer Alumni party. I took some photos of alumni, and I even ran into a few classmates as the Pride of the Southland Band played for the crowd.

As I made my way back into the stadium, Tennessee alumnus and NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning was ushered into the stadium as well. He posed and took a few photos with fans and then was escorted to his seat. While making my way back to the media room, I ran into Mr. Manning and sa a quick hello. Unfortunately, it was too dark in the tunnel to get a decent photo of him.

The game itself was amazing. I was able to capture Squirrel White’s diving catch. I was right there when Jabari Small was pulled into the endzone for a Tennessee Touchdown and when Ramel Keyton walked in for a score. I saw

Through the lens

the defense sack Klubnik over and over again. The excitement and the energy was electric inside Hard Rock Stadium. It felt like a home game here at Neyland. At times, it was hard not to just sit and watch.

That game reaffirmed the path I’ve chosen. I came to the University of Tennessee to pursue a career in photojournalism. Being able to capture so many moments and different aspects of the game on such a big stage was incredible.

I transferred to UT from Pellissippi with a degree in photography, but it was photojournalism that really made me decide to continue my education here. I’ve learned so much over the last year and half from both the faculty and being able to work for the Beacon.

In my time with the Beacon, I have photographed many different campus events, covered restaurants, art exhibitions and many different sporting events. Some highlights for me have been an NCAA women’s basketball game, part of the SEC Swimming Championships, one of the Knoxville Super Regional Baseball games, former U.S. Gymnast Aly Raisman’s visit, First Lady Jill Biden’s visit and, of course, the Orange Bowl.

This is the part where I introduce myself and say that I’m the new photo editor this spring

for The Daily Beacon, and I’m excited to continue the tradition of excellence that was set in place by those before me. I’m looking forward to working with both returning and new photographers to get the best shots and produce the best images possible, telling stories without words. We have a group of very talented photographers and I’m excited to show you what they can do. Welcome back to Rocky Top!

About the Photos

Bowl

1. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel, Joe Milton III, Chancelor Donde Plowman and athletic director Danny White celebrate the Vols win against Clemson at the Orange Bowl in Miami’s Hardrock Stadium.

2. Coach Josh Heupel, Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton III smile during the trophy presentation.

3. UT cheerleaders bring spirit to pregame festivities.

4. Tennessee’s Byron Young (6) hits Clemson QB No. 2 Cade Klubnik on a 4th down desperation throw.

5. Couple shows o their UT gear before the game.

6. Byron Young (6) sacks Clemson QB No. 2 Cade Klubnik.

7. Interior of Hard Rock Stadium located in Miami Florida.

8. Javontez Spraggins (76) pushes Jabari Small (2) in the endzone for a touchdown.

9. Squirrell White (10) breaks from a tackle.

All photos by Ericksen Gomez- Villeda / e Daily Beacon

Peyton Manning talks to UT fans in Miami on Dec. 30, 2022 Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda’s photos capture moments from the Orange

‘A need for change’: New student group picks up UT’s trash

KELSEY TOLCHIN Contributor

A once-white Cook-Out box sits in a puddle outside of UT’s Student Union as leftover french fries rot inside. Hundreds of students meander down the sidewalk and ignore it — they’re late for class.

Parker Wiseman doesn’t ignore it. In fact, he realizes that was the fifth one he has seen today. He disposes of it in the nearest trash can, which is already overflowing with garbage.

None of his courses required it, and nobody introduced the idea to him. The very sight of the

littered campus he called home was enough for Wiseman. With that, the sophomore finance major created his first campus organization, Smokey’s Clean Up Crew.

Within the first semester of his sophomore year, Wiseman scheduled several organized trash pickups with the help of sophomore finance and psychology major Jack Pitts. The two led these weekly Sunday night pickups around campus and the surrounding Fort Sanders area, which houses a large portion of the offcampus student population.

“I came up with the idea last year,” Wiseman said. “I looked around campus and saw there was a need for change and thought there should be a way to have people integrate and get something back while also providing something for the community.”

Students often need to earn service hours, and volunteering with Smokey’s Cleanup Crew is one of the ways they can do that. Through ServeUTK, volunteers are able to log and track their progress after participating in a cleanup. Meeting in the Student Union, they are greeted by Wiseman, Pitts and free food. Director of environmental studies and club advisor Michael McKinney presents a slideshow on correct recycling after attendance.

“I’ve been a student advisor for thirty years, and I don’t think I’ve ever had two students that are more organized and professional than

Jack and Parker,” McKinney said. “They’re just amazing, with their ability to do outreach and educate people about this.”

Groups of two or three form after the presentation. Each group receives one trash picker, one trash bag and one recycling bag. Then, they set off to areas around campus and Fort Sanders for two hours.

Many events on and off campus produce large amounts of trash each week, allowing Wiseman to make the decision to change the cleanups from bi-weekly to weekly.

“Something we were worried about when we originally started the organization was doing it every week,” Wiseman said. “We weren’t sure if we should give it time for trash to spawn right back in the place where we picked it up. We didn’t want volunteers not knowing what to do and dilly dallying around without trash to pick up.”

Wiseman and other club executive members quickly found there was plenty to pick up, regardless of time.

Due to the success of this year’s football team, the days following big games seemed to yield the most trash. Herds of Tennessee fans pour into the city to attend home games then leave behind evidence of a victory in the form of beer cans.

“After the Florida game, there was so much trash,” Pitts said. “I don’t know if we weighed

that one, but I’m sure it was our largest.”

Chloe Ramey, a junior business management major at UT, stumbled across Smokey’s Cleanup Crew through her sorority. In need of service hours, she found herself one Sunday evening befriending new students and cleaning up the areas surrounding her apartment complex.

“Picking up trash isn’t exactly my idea of the most fun day,” Ramey said. “It was actually kind of fun. They had pizza for us and you got to know the people sitting beside you before you paired up and got the supplies. Before I knew it, the pickup was over and I had new friends.”

Pitts experienced positive feedback from students living on campus even when they were not participating in cleanups.

“One of my buddies came up to me and just randomly told me he swore the Fort has been cleaner since we have been cleaning it up, and I thought that was super cool,” Pitts said. “It does feel good to be recognized for doing something good.”

With the future in mind, Wiseman and Pitts have hired several new executive board members, including social media positions and other directors to help with promotion and operations of the cleanup crew. Rather than trash, the sidewalk is littered with students meandering in orange volunteer vests. Better than Wiseman imagined.

Smokey’s Clean Up Crew founders Jack Pitts (left) and Parker Wiseman. Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

8 must-see concerts coming to Knoxville this spring

EMMA COFFEY Arts and Culture Editor

With classes back in session, it is sometimes challenging to carve out time for entertainment and fun. However, concerts are a great way to let your mind rest from class and boost your energy during the week.

While seeing some cool artists, you can also support your community by attending a variety of local venues. This spring, there are a wide range of artists visiting the Knoxville area, including some big names.

Here are eight concerts to look out for as the spring semester begins.

Flipturn

Flipturn is an indie rock band from Florida, most known for their songs “August” and “Chicago.” They recently came out with their new album titled “Shadowglow.”

Flipturn is playing at the Bijou Theatre on Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster and Stubhub, starting at $20.

The band last performed in Knoxville for New Ground Festival in 2022, and opened for Rainbow Kitten Surprise in April 2022.

Whiskey Myers

Whiskey Myers is a country band from Texas. Their most popular songs include “Stone,” “Ballad of A Southern Man” and “Broken Window Serenade.” Their most recent album “Tornillo” came out in 2022.

The band is performing at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. Tickets can be found on Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats and StubHub, with the lowest prices at $50.

Journey and Toto

Journey and Toto are stopping in Knoxville for their “Freedom Tour.” Journey is a well-known rock band that was formed in 1973 in San Francisco. Their most popular songs include “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Any Way You Want it” and “Separate Ways.” Journey’s “Freedom” album was released in July 2022, 11 years after the release of “Eclipse.”

They will be touring with Toto, another wellknown rock band most famous for their songs “Africa,” “Hold the Line” and “Rosanna.”

Journey with original guitarist Neal Schon and Toto are performing at Thompson-Boling Arena on Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats and StubHub with starting prices around $80.

Moon Taxi

Moon Taxi is an indie-alternative rock band based in Nashville. Their most popular songs are “Morocco,” “Two High” and “All Day All Night.” They recently came out with a new single in 2022 titled “Evergreen” featuring Molly Tuttle. Moon Taxi is playing at the Mill and Mine on March 24 at 8 p.m. General admission tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats and StubHub for $35.

Eagles

The Eagles are a famous rock band that was formed in Los Angeles in 1971. Their well-known songs include “Hotel California,” “Take it Easy” and “Life in the Fast Lane.” The Eagles have won several awards, including six Grammys.

The band and its original vocalist Don Henley will play at Thompson-Boling Arena on April 1 at 8 p.m. Tickets can be found on Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats and StubHub with low prices starting at $190.

Judah & the Lion

Judah & the Lion is an alternative rock and folk band from Nashville. They are most known for their album “Folk Hop n’ Roll,” and songs such as “Take It All Back” and “Suit and Jacket.” Their most recent album titled “Revival” came out in 2022.

They will be coming to Knoxville for their

“Happy Again Tour” at the Mill and Mine on April 19 at 8 p.m. General admission tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster and judahandthelion.com for $30.

Lizzo

Lizzo is a popular singer and rapper, most known for her songs “Truth Hurts,” “Good as Hell” and “About Damn Time.” She is visiting Knoxville for “The Special 2our” and is headlining UT’s Volapalooza.

Lizzo is performing at Thompson-Boling Arena on April 21 at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats and StubHub with lowest prices beginning at $103.

Blackberry Smoke

Blackberry Smoke is a popular rock band from Atlanta. Their most popular songs include “Waiting for the Thunder,” “One Horse Town” and “Good One Comin’ On.” Blackberry Smoke released a new single in 2022 called “Up The Road (Acoustic Home Demo).”

They recently performed in Knoxville at the River Breeze Event Center in Oct. 2022.

Blackberry Smoke will be performing at The Shed in Maryville, about 20 minutes from campus, on May 11 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster, Eventbrite and StubHub with general admission starting at $60.

Lizzo will headline Volapalooza 2023, bringing the biggest name in the student-led event’s history.

Treefort Music Fest/Creative Commons

Brian Macdonald, mandolin player of Judah and the Lion, performing at the Coca Cola Roxy Theater in Atlanta, Georgia on Friday, November 8, 2019.

File / The Daily Beacon

Moon Taxi concert at the Mill and Mine with The Revelries as opener on Feb. 14, 2020.

Pictured: Spencer Thompson of Moon Taxi. File/ The Daily Beacon

Campus events for your spring calendar

AUTUMN HALL News Editor

Ready for the World Music Series: Ukraine (Feb. 26)

At the beginning of the semester, the number of events and activities offered can be daunting. While the UT Events Calendar is a great resource for viewing potential event options, it can be good to know some specific events to look out for. Here are some of the biggest campus events happening during the Spring 2023 semester.

2023 East Tennessee Chinese New Year Festival (Jan. 28)

Join together in celebrating the beginning of spring and the Year of the Rabbit at this special spring event, which will take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Cox Auditorium in the Alumni Memorial Building.

This cultural event will include dancing, singing, music, a traditional lion dance and martial arts. Tickets will be available for purchase at the event, and will range between a cost of $6 to $10.

Winter Engagement Fair (Feb. 10)

Although this event occurs each semester, it is a great opportunity to learn more about how to become involved in student organizations and groups. If you are interested in becoming more engaged in extracurricular activities, this might be a good option for you.

This event will take place from 12-2 p.m. at the Student Union Plaza.

VOLentines Day (Feb. 14)

Don’t have plans for Valentine’s Day? That’s okay! This event, hosted by the Campus Events Board, will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Center for Student Engagement, Student Union Suite 174 and Student Union Plaza and will allow for students to come together in celebration of Valentine’s Day. There will be free crafts, goodies and snacks offered, so this event is one that you won’t want to miss.

Join Solomia Soroka for a lecture about the history of music in Ukraine, as well as the social and political contexts that formed musical movements. In this lecture, Soroka will educate attendees on the classic Ukrainian music scene from the 17th century to the modern day as well as four of the most important composers of Ukraine, including Mykola Lysenko, Vasyl Barvinsky, Myroslav Skoryk and Yevhen Stankovych.

With a variety of live musical selections, this event is a great opportunity to be exposed to rich musical styles and talent that you have not experienced before. This series is specifically focused on the classical music culture of Ukraine, and will include performances from Ukrainian artists Soroka, Sergei Vassiliev and Angelina Gadeliya. These artists are renowned for their musical performances and accomplishments, which have brought widespread awareness to the importance and distinct style of Ukrainian music.

This event will take place at 12:30 p.m. in the Mary Greer Room in the John C Hodges Library. Tickets are free to students, faculty, staff and children under 18, and general admission tickets will be available for $25.

Fresh Check Day: Wellness Fair (March 8)

Join the Student Life, CHEW, Student Counseling Center, Vols2Vols, University Housing and RecSports for a fair promoting mental health care and resources. The fair will offer interactive booths, free food, music, prizes and giveaways.

This event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Pedestrian Walkway.

Earth Day Festival (April 19)

Come together with other students to celebrate Earth Day in a fun, festival-like manner. In past years, this event has included food, music and green opportunities, so this is likely to be a good opportunity to become more involved in sustainability initiatives on and off campus.

This year’s festival will take place at the Student Union from 7-10 p.m.

Students help themselves to free plants during the Earth Day Festival at the HSS Plaza on Friday, April 22, 2022. Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Column: Damar Hamlin holds lesson for student athlete safety

KERRY WILLIAMS Contributor

an athlete’s body and the potential long-term consequences of repeated head trauma in contact sports like football.

“It is a reminder that injuries are a risk that athletes face, and that more needs to be done to protect the safety and well-being of all athletes, both professional and student-athletes,” Dr. Robert Cantu, a neurosurgeon and cofounder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, said of the incident.

some players with a history of head injuries to have clearance to wear them in games. Thicker shoulder pads may be implemented also to prevent the risk of another player suffering from cardiac arrest on the field coming from the impact of a hit.

player safety and health, which includes initiatives such as the Head Health Challenge, aimed at advancing diagnosis, treatment and prevention of traumatic brain injuries.

Running back Jabari Small (2) shaken up after a play against Akron in Neyland Stadium on Sept. 17, 2022. File / The Daily Beacon

Damar Hamlin, a professional football player for the Buffalo Bills, sustained a seasonending injury during a Jan. 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The injury, which sent Hamlin into cardiac arrest, not only impacted the team, but also raises important questions about the safety of professional and studentathletes. The incident serves as a reminder of the physical toll that playing sports can have on

The NFL has implemented various rule changes and protocols aimed at reducing the risk of head injuries, but the potential link between football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) remains a concern. A study by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that of 111 former NFL players whose brains were donated for research, 110 were found to have CTE.

Although the likelihood of another injury like Hamlin’s occuring again and particularly at the college level are low, this needs to serve as an eye-opening moment for college and UT football athletic trainers.

With this tragic injury occurring in the NFL, however, we may see a push for more safety equipment used in practice and in games. Helmet “shells” are used in practice to prevent head injuries and there may be a push to allow

It is crucial that steps be taken by college teams and the NFL to ensure player safety moving forward to prevent an injury like this from occurring again. A new initiative needs to be set to ensure that the safety of the players is the biggest concern.

“We have seen a lot of progress in recent years in terms of player safety, but this incident serves as a reminder that there is still work to be done,” Dr. Brian Hainline, chief medical officer for the NCAA, said.

The injury of Damar Hamlin also highlights the need for better safety measures for student-athletes. The incident is a reminder that it is important for all stakeholders to take a closer look at the safety of sports and make changes where necessary to protect the safety and well-being of all athletes.

The NFL has implemented new rules to protect players from helmet-to-helmet hits, and has also increased funding for research into head injuries. The league also has a “Play Smart. Play Safe.” program that focuses on

Furthermore, some manufacturers have developed new technology, such as sensors within helmets that can detect the magnitude and location of hits to the head, which can aid in the diagnosis and management of concussions. These technologies have also been adopted by some college and high school teams as well, in order to better protect student-athletes.

However, despite the advancements in technology and rule changes, incidents like the injury of Damar Hamlin serve as a reminder that more needs to be done to protect the safety of all athletes.

Kerry Williams is a junior at UT this year studying journalism and electronic media with a concentration in broadcasting.

Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

East Tennessee Maverick: GOP supermajority opens fresh attacks on liberty

WALKER KINSLER Columnist

Tennessee’s state legislature, the General Assembly, began its 2023 session on Jan. 10 and wasted no time proposing controversial bills.

Both chambers are controlled by a Republican supermajority, 27-6 in the Senate and 7523 in the House. As a result, there are few safeguards to far-right legislation, as seen with the 2019 law banning abortion with no exceptions for rape, incest or saving the life of the mother that came into effect this summer following the fall of Roe.

Democratic legislators have proposed a bill this session, HB10, to add medical exceptions to allow for potentially life-saving abortion. GOP lawmakers have suggested that they will sponsor their own bill, as they apparently can’t show a hint of bipartisanship on abortion to totalitarian organizations such as Tennessee Right to Life.

Right to Life demands that no medical exceptions be added to the law, even in the case of rape, incest or saving the mother’s life. They say the law’s defense for doctors who perform abortion, first getting charged with a felony and then having to defend themselves, is enough leeway. Gov. Bill Lee and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally agree. How repulsive an organization must be to deny basic healthcare and human

rights, along with the bare minimum of exceptions, and then celebrate the prosecution of life-saving doctors.

The first bill proposed this year in both houses, the GOP sponsored HB1 and SB1, bans the altering of hormones or performing surgeries “for the purpose of enabling a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor’s sex.” This bill takes the delicate decision of trans healthcare out of the hands of patients and families. The conservative General Assembly will choose for them. With trans youth already going through monumental hardships, there may be one more massive burden thrown upon them.

Another early bill by the GOP, SB3, would ban drag shows “on public property or in a location where it could be viewed by a person who is not an adult.” The stipulation that a child might see it is a common conservative argument and is so vague that it’s ripe for abuse. For example, a bar in downtown Morristown drew protests from church members over the summer for having a drag show. They claimed a child could walk by the tinted windows and closed doors and accidentally see it. Thus with this law, any show, even on private property, could be cracked down on by the local or state government. This is a major attack on the freedom of expression by the party of “small government.”

Perhaps an even larger attack on local autonomy by the party of “small government” is the GOP-sponsored HB48 and SB87 that

cuts Nashville’s Metro Council in half from 40 elected members to 20. Republicans have not tried to hide that the bill is revenge for Nashville blocking the 2024 RNC bid. They have shown that they do not care for the city’s liberty, as when they carved it up into three congressional districts last year to strip them of their right to elect their own representative. It is overreach after overreach.

The conservative Tennessee Supreme Court has shown its willingness to bless GOP bills with constitutionality that target specific counties as with the earlier school voucher program. GOP lawmakers didn’t think their constituents would like the program in their districts, so they targeted it only at the Democratic counties of Davidson and Shelby. These two counties do not want the introduction of school vouchers either, but the GOP doesn’t care. It is sickening to know that Republicans in our General Assembly will attack certain members of its population because they belong to another party.

While there are sure to be positive bills that come out of the 113th General Assembly, state Republicans have proven they are more than willing to abuse their power. They crack down on freedom of expression, endanger patient health and attack the self-determination of metro governments. The average Tennessean is likely unaware of many of these bills, which means it is our responsibility, our duty, to stay informed on proposed legislation and speak out against injustice and tyranny.

The Tennessee State Capitol. Robert Schnaible / The Daily Beacon

Walker Kinsler is a sophomore at UT this year studying political science. He can be reached at wkinsler@vols.utk. edu.

Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

Pat Summit’s legacy lives on as “We Back Pat” week kicks off

CALEB JARREAU Staff Writer

Pat Summit had an aura when she walked into a room, Kellie Harper recalled Thursday.

With “We Back Pat” week kicking off in the SEC, Harper was asked her favorite story from her time playing under Summit.

“There are just too many stories to just dial it down to one,” she responded. “So many people want to come tell me their story. Everybody has a Pat Summitt story. Everybody. It’s always really good to hear.”

Summit impacted every player she coached, and she impacted women’s athletics as a whole. Her impact is still felt today.

This season marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, putting women’s athletics in the forefront with all Tennessee teams donning “Summit Blue” during their seasons in some way.

“It means a lot to still carry her legacy,” forward Rickea Jackson said. “Pat was the one who paved the way and made it cool to support women in sports, and I just feel like it means a lot, and I feel like we got this win in honor of her. So, it just feels good to have that on our back and to honor her in the way we did

tonight.”

Tennessee players wore jerseys on Thursday with Summit’s name across the back. They will also wear them on Sunday when they travel to Missouri.

Guard Jordan Horston has worn the jersey for four years now, and loves the opportunity to carry on Summit’s legacy.

“It means everything,” Horston said. “She led the way for women in general, and I’m just glad that we got to win in that jersey. I think I might be undefeated in that jersey, to be honest. Coach gave a speech (saying) it’s the perfect opportunity to give thanks and show that we are grateful.”

Summit won eight national titles while coaching for 38 years. During her time, she grew not just women’s basketball, but women’s athletics as a whole. Largely thanks to Summit, Tennessee has become the standard for women’s college basketball.

Florida’s head coach Kelly Rae Finley, who faced Tennessee in the first game of “We Back Pat” week, understands the weight of the initiative.

“Her legacy is tremendous, and what she did for women’s basketball has made an everlasting impact,” Finley said. “And so to see the support, like I said, emphasized by the crowd tonight, I thought was great. And, you

know, the shirts that we wear, whatever we can do - I have my purple shoes on tonight for Alzheimer’s, but I think that there’s a lot of good that comes out of the support for games like this.”

Summit’s legacy lives on through her former players, like Harper, and the stories passed down. She also lives on through the Pat Summit Foundation.

The “We Back Pat” initiative, represented by all SEC schools, raises awareness for the Pat Summit Foundation which fights Alziehmers disease. Summit, and her son Tyler, founded the Pat Summit Foundation in 2011 following Summit’s diagnosis of Early Onset Dementia.

On Thursday, the night dubbed “We Back Pat” night in Thompson-Boling Arena, the foundation was awarded several donations. The donations came from Forget Me Not 5K ($34,000), Race to the Summitt ($4,500), Imagery Wine ($31,000), Walgreens ($50,000) and Pickleball for Pat ($19,000).

The Pat Summit Foundation also presented $250,000 to The Pat Summitt Clinic at The UT Medical Center and $1.3 million to UT Extension Family and Consumer Science for the creation of “Pat’s Gameplan,” a web-based training guide for Alzheimer’s and dementia that will launch in 2024 and address the unique needs of caregivers across the country.

Summit’s legacy lives on through every person she influenced in her life. During “We Back Pat” week, remembrance of Summit, and raising awareness for Alzheimer’s Disease, brings on a whirlwind of emotions.

“When we were able to sit back and reflect on why we are doing this, I am just so grateful and thankful the SEC started the initiative for multiple reasons,” Harper said. “Obviously, the first being the fight that Pat started with her foundation. We want to bring awareness there. We want that foundation to really thrive.”

“We Back Pat” week coincides with the 50th anniversary of Title IX this year.

File / The Daily Beacon

Virginia Tech, L 59-56 | Ericksen Gomez- Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Tyreke Key embracing role as two-way spark off the bench

ANDREW PETERS Sports Editor

Tyreke Key checked into Tennessee’s game against LSU Saturday a few minutes in and hit two threes and grabbed four boards.

The graduate transfer was in a new role coming off the bench for the Vols – a role he needed no time getting adjusted to.

“He really was the guy that I think brough that initial thrust because they were doing a good job early, keeping us off the glass,” head coach Rick Barnes said. “When he came in the game he really got aggressive, getting to the glass and did some things.”

With sickness and injury running through Tennessee across its two-game road stretch last week, the Vols played around with lineups. The one that seemed to work well came on Saturday.

Zakai Zeigler, Santiago Vescovi, Julian Phillips, Josiah-Jordan James and Oliver Nkamhoau made up the starting five against LSU.

Key was in the sixth man spot after spending most of the season as a starter, but he was

more than willing to sit to start the game if it meant the best lineup for the team. His spark of the bench was also huge for the Vols. While Key is obviously a scoring threat, his size makes him an elite defender and solid rebounder at the guard spot.

“I embrace anything. Whatever role, I’m here to do,” Key said. “I’m going to play it to the best of my abilities. Whatever I can do to impact winning, whether that’s rebounding, scoring, defending, anything like that, I’m just going to do that role.”

Zeigler – who got the start in Key’s place –said early in the season that he prefers coming off the bench, but the sophomore guard’s competitive fire is something Barnes wants on the court from the opening tip.

“He’s going to fight with whatever he’s got to get through screens and he’s a high-level competitor. He’s going to do whatever he can,”

Zeigler has had his moments this season – like a game of poor shot selection and turnovers against Kentucky – but Barnes believes he has grown tremendously over the course of the season.

“Sometimes when he’s not playing well it hurts him because he wants to fix it right then

and there,” Barnes said. “And that’s where I think he’s gotten better with his poise, knowing that he’s not going to make every shot, not going to make every play, he can’t go to the rim when he’s upset and throw up a contested shot. That’s where he’s getting so much better with his overall game.”

While Saturday’s lineup worked well, it may not be permanent. As players get healthy, Barnes expects to continue tweaking his lineups, but with all the depth he has, he doesn’t think a lack of a solid starting five will ever be a problem.

“The way we look at it, we’ve got six or seven starters,” Barnes said. “I think our guys’ maturity shows that. It’s a really unselfish group of guys.”

Now the Vols prepare for another challenging week. No. 4 Tennessee (16-3, 6-1 SEC) prepares for Georgia (13-6, 3-3) on Wednesday. The Bulldogs are off to a decent start behind first-year head coach Mike White.

“Mike’s teams, defensively, they’re going to guard you,” Barnes said. “They’re going to make you work on every possession and being the coach that he is, he’ll find a way to do what he needs to do with his team offensively.”

UConn vs. Tennessee: A series that almost didn’t happen

CALEB JARREAU Staff Writer

When UConn travels to Knoxville on Thursday, it will mark the 26th time the two schools have played each other. The heated rivalry, as we know it today, between two of the top women’s basketball programs almost didn’t come to be.

ESPN needed a game on Martin Luther King Jr. day in 1995. Carol Stiff had a Women’s basketball game in mind, North Carolina at UConn. Only one problem, the Tar Heels refused to travel north in the midst of conference play.

So, Stiff looked around the nation for a coach that never turned down competition, Pat Summit. She didn’t shy away from facing the Huskies in the middle of the SEC season.

By 1995, Summit had led the Lady Vols to three national titles over the past eight seasons.

UConn was a program trying to prove itself in 1995. On the national stage, and the first meeting of a legendary series between the two teams, the No. 2 Huskies upset the No. 1 Lady Vols. Three months later, Geno Auriemma would lead the Huskies to their first National Title, defeating Summit.

Since that 1995 meeting, UConn has brought home 11 National Championships. Tennessee holds eight National Championships. The next closest school has three.

Summit and Auriemma’s relationship wasn’t the best, highlighted by the sudden end to the series after the 2006-07 season. Sum-

mit nixed the series after an alleged recruiting violation done by UConn. Due to her sudden retirement in 2012 after being diagnosed with early-onset dementia, she would never face a UConn team after that 70-64 win in 2007.

Auriemma claimed the two mended their relationship in the years following their last matchup. He was the first donation to the Pat Summit Foundation, cutting a $10,000 check.

Hollie Warlick – Tennessee’s former head coach that replaced Summit – revived the series in order to benefit the Pat Summit Foundation. The first game in the new series came in 2020, but Warlick would never coach against UConn.

Kellie Harper took the reigns ahead of the 2019-20 season. During her first year, she

took a trip to Hartford, CT to face the Huskies. UConn would win, and the Lady Vols have yet to beat UConn this decade.

Harper had success against UConn though, as a player. With her maiden name, Jolly across her back, and a torn ACL, Harper put up 19 points to defeat UConn in the 1997 Elite Eight. She went on to earn Summit’s seventh title that year.

“The environments were amazing,” Harper said, reflecting on her playing days. “The feel, the buzz, it was so alive.”

While women’s college basketball fans want the series to return, Auriemma didn’t sound as sure.

“You know, everything’s like a Broadway show,” he told reporters ahead of the rivalry’s

renewal. “It has its run, and then it’s got to end. And it ended, and I don’t know that you’re going to get that back, and I think college basketball is doing pretty damn good without it.”

As for Harper, she would like to see the series continue past 2023. There isn’t currently an agreement in place to continue the annual matchup.

UConn leads the all-time series 16-9, but the Lady Vols look to chip into that lead on Thursday. ESPN’s College Gameday will precede the 8 p.m. ET tip-off in what is expected to be another competitive game in the longstanding rivalry.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to have a great atmosphere and a great environment to showcase women’s basketball at this elite level,” Harper said. “I know our team is excited, who wouldn’t be? Everybody wants to play in that kind of environment with that atmosphere.”

Tennessee guard Tyreke Key (4) drives to the basket during the game against the Austin Peay Governors at Thompson-Boling Arena on Dec. 21, 2022. Nolan Keesee / Contributor

Lady Vols head coach Kellie Harper watches the team during the Lady Vols vs Mississippi State game on Feb. 24, 2022 at Thompson-Boling Arena. Kailee Harris / The Daily Beacon