University cracks down on hover boards >>See page 3
Editorial: on the Beacon code of conduct >>See page 6
Vols doubles team surging nationally >>See page 12
20x20 Locals present 20 images in 20 seconds about their newest ventures. >>> See more on page 5
Akshata Dusa • The Daily Beacon
Volume 131 Issue 21
utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon
Monday, February 15, 2016
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INSHORT
The Daily Beacon • Monday, February 15, 2016
THE DAILY BEACON STAFF
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief: Jenna Butz Managing Editor: Bradi Musil Creative Director: Katrina Roberts Chief Copy Editor: Hannah Moulton News Editor: Tanner Hancock Asst. News Editor: Alahnah Ligon Sports Editor: Jonathan Toye Asst. Sports Editor: Taylor White Arts & Culture Editor: Megan Patterson Asst. Arts & Culture Editor: Michael Lipps Online Editor: Cara Sanders Asst. Online Editor: Altaf Nanavati Photo Editors: Esther Choo, Alex Phillips Design Editors: Lauren Ratliff, Justin Keyes Copy Editors: Breanna Andrew, Sara Counts, Trenton Duffer, Courtney Frederick, Jared Sebby, Shelby Tansil Editorial Production: Laurel Cooper, Amber Dalehite, Rachel Incorvati, Caroline Norris, Cameo Waters Training Editor: Troy Provost-Heron
ADVERTISING/PRODUCTION
Advertising Manager: Conner Thompson Media Sales Representatives: Andrew Bowers, Jesse Haywood, Lauren Huguenard, Payton Plunk, Amber Wilson, Steven Woods Advertising Production: Aubrey Andrews, Tim Rhyne Classified Adviser: Zenobia Armstrong
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DISPATCHES Supreme Court Justice Scalia died over weekend Antonin Scalia died at a Texas ranch this weekend. The late Supreme Court Justice, 79, was found dead in his room Saturday after his absence from quail hunting with colleagues that morning. Scalia’s body waited 3 days at a Texas funeral home while officials awaited word on whether or not to perform an autopsy before his body could return to his Virginia home. Flags flew at half mast in Washington D.C. at the White House and Supreme Court. Officials report the court will be short-handed for some time. Republicans declare the next president, rather than Obama, must nominate Scalia’s replacement as his or her first policy decision.
Violence surges in Syria over peace talks Diplomats reached an agreement this weekend for a ceasefire in Syria. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced the temporary “cessation of hostilities” in Munich, Germany at a security conference Friday. Several other world leaders and senior diplomats attended the conference, providing a “unanimous” decision according to Secretary of State Kerry. Russian officials originally proposed the ceasefire for March 1, but U.S. officials insisted the violence end sooner. While the announcement has a potentially significant impact, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is increasing forces on the ground against Syrian rebels. Fleets of humanitarian aid are to be sent to the area this week.
Mississippi officer shot in face A northwest Mississippi officer is in critical condition in a Memphis, Tennessee hospital following a shooting associated with a robbery Sunday. Corporal Derrick Couch was shot in the face by one suspect fleeing a robbery. The two suspects escaped on foot following the incident. One suspect was discovered by officials later based on video footage of the robbery and shooting. The father of the suspect thought to have shot Couch turned his son in to police for the shooting. The shooting occurred four blocks from the robbery. Couch lost one eye in the shooting and is on a ventilator at the Regional One Health trauma center with the bullet still lodged in his brain.
Around Rocky Top
Editor-in-Chief: (865) 974-2348 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com Main Newsroom: (865) 974-3226 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com LETTERS POLICY: The Daily Beacon welcomes all letters to the editor and guest columns from students, faculty and staff. Each submission is considered for publication by the editor on the basis of space, timeliness and clarity. The Beacon reserves the right to reject any submissions or edit all copy in compliance with available space, editorial policy and style. Contributions must include the author’s name and phone number for verification. Students must include their year in school and major. Letters to the editor and guest columns may be e-mailed to letters@utdailybeacon.com or sent to Editor, 1340 Circle Park Dr., 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. CORRECTIONS POLICY: It is the Daily Beacon’s policy to quickly correct any factual errors and clarify any potentially misleading information. Errors brought to our attention by readers or staff members will be corrected and printed on page two of our publication. To report an error please send as much information as possible about where and when the error occurred to Editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com, or call our newsroom at (865) 974-5206. The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Wednesday during the summer semester. The offices are located at 1340 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/ year, $100/semester or $70/summer only. It is also available online at: www.utdailybeacon.com
The Daily Beacon is printed using soy based ink on newsprint containing recycled content, utilizing renewable sources and produced in a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner.
“But I think the biggest surprise for me has been how welcoming everyone is. It is such a great community to get involved in. There is always something going on, there’s always someone inviting you to do other things and to get involved in things that I would never really consider doing. There is always some sort of event. It just makes me really appreciate coming here and realizing there is so much we have access to that I feel like people should take more advantage of.” -Madison Murphy, freshman in marketing Alyssa White • The Daily Beacon
CAMPUSNEWS
Monday, February 15, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
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Route Talk: New university policy hinders hover boards Alex Harward
Contributor On Jan. 19, the Student Union released a new policy regarding the use of wheeled or mechanical forms of transportation. “Due to safety concerns for users and members of the University community, the use of any wheeled or mechanical transportation in the Student Union or Panhellenic Building is strictly prohibited,” reads the release. Wheeled or mechanical forms of transportation that are prohibited include bicycles, hoverboards, skateboards, skates or scooters. The release also states that “Due to risk of fire, hoverboards cannot be plugged into an electrical outlet inside the Student Union or Panhellenic Building.” Although these items have been banned, the release also maintains that the policy does not affect devices used to accommodate disabilities. Hover boards are self-balancing scooters that are controlled by leaning forward or backward to go in said direction. Whether because of their novelty to the general public or for potential to start fires, hoverboards have dominated the news over the past few months.
Michael Nuñez, a reporter for Popular Science, explained that there is an increasing concern about the safety of these ‘vehicles.’ “There are already thousands of hover board wipeout videos available on sites like YouTube,” Nuñez said, “and in many cases, the personal vehicles have caused serious injury.” Hoverboards are also a relatively expensive form of transportation, as prices can range anywhere from $300 to $700. However, UT’s Office of Sustainability includes hover board transportation in their New Year’s resolution to drive less. The Office of Sustainability explained that 92 percent of people in the Knoxville region drive alone to work, 16 percent higher than the national average. “This (percent) is astounding,” The Office of Sustainability said, “especially when you consider how many different options we have for traveling locally here at UT Knoxville,” citing walking, running or utilizing the city’s system of greenways. Many students on UT’s campus are owners of hover boards and use them to get to class. Students can also often be seen riding up and down Pedestrian Walkway and other parts of campus, yet their prevalence has seemingly dropped since the implementation of the new
Student Union policy. Gina Barnett, a senior in anthropology, believes that students should be able to get to class however they feel necessary. “I don’t have a problem with people hoverboarding,” Barnett said. “It doesn’t bother me. As long as they aren’t bumping into me or running over my feet, I don’t see the harm in riding hover boards to class.” Hoverboards, although appealing, can still be dangerous, as they have been known to catch fire. Last month, a Nashville mansion went up in flames due to a fire caused by hoverboard. The fire spread rapidly, forcing a 16-year-old resident to jump from the second story, her father catching her outside. To see the new policy about hover boards on campus check out: http://studentunion.utk. edu/2016/01/21/new-policy-on-wheeled-andormechanical-forms-of-transportation/ . Drew Wellham, UT MAC Graduate Program, uses his hoverboard all over campus. “It sure beats having to walk!” Mary Kate Leitch • The Daily Beacon
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ARTS&CULTURE
The Daily Beacon • Monday, February 15, 2016
The Moonshine Mountain Cookie Company can be found at 7347 Kingston Pike, Knoxville. Will Clifft • The Daily Beacon
Grandma’s cookies have some competition Sage Davis
TORCHBEARER NOMINATIONS The Torchbearer is the highest student honor conferred by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Torchbearers are seniors who have served their alma mater with overall excellence. It is awarded for academic achievement and outstanding commitment to others as demonstrated by the student’s various activities and significant contributions to the university and the community. Students chosen for this award embody the Volunteer spirit, displaying initiative and service in the best interest of both the university and their fellow students. Recognition as a Torchbearer reminds all students that those who bear the Torch of Enlightenment shadow themselves to give light to others.
Please encourage senior students to submit their materials at honorsbanquet.utk.edu. Completed forms must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on February 19. Please e-mail dos@utk.edu with any questions or comments.
Contributor A new, small cookie bakery off of Kingston Pike may seem easy to miss, but it has already gathered quite a popular reputation since its opening in January. The Moonshine Mountain Cookie Company does not serve your regular kind of cookies. Though the ingredients say their cookies have moonshine in them, they won’t give you a buzz, but you will get drunk off how delicious they are. Their menu consists of six kinds of cookies, each one baked fresh daily. Each cookie costs $2 and is worth the price. Once the store warms it up fresh for you, you will be asking for more. My top three favorites are the Happy Pappy, Rocky Top and Nutty Butty Holly cookies. Each one differs incredibly in flavor, but all of them result in making you go back to the cashier to order more. Their Happy Pappy cookie, also known as Apple Pie Moonshine, is a burst of flavors in your mouth. The cookie tricks your mind into thinking you have just eaten an apple pie while knowing full well you have just bitten into
a cookie. With sweet spices, oats and white chocolate, this is no common cookie. Like the menu said — this could upstage your Granny’s apple pie. Rocky Top cookies, otherwise known as their creamy chocolate chip cookies, are clearly the store’s most famous cookies for a reason. The cookie is perfect unaccompanied by milk since it is already creamy and moist on it’s own. In addition to a fair amount of chocolate chips, it is also stuffed with rolled oats, giving it a unique taste compared to other chocolate chip cookies. Their Nutty Butty Holly cookies are perfect for peanut butter lovers. One bite in and you can taste the nutty flavor. This cookie has a rich chewy texture that is perfect for a tall cold glass of milk. The other flavors currently on sale include John Lemon, a lemon blueberry cookie, and their seasonal Berry White for the Valentine’s Day season. Moonshine Mountain Cookie Company will be attempting to regularly make a seasonal cookie to spice things up in their shop. Hopefully they will open another location closer to campus for us students to enjoy and give Insomnia Cookies a run for their money.
ARTS&CULTURE
Monday, February 15, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
PechuKucha provides chit-chat for locals Danni Ha
Contributor For many people, public speaking is a dreaded experience; imagine giving a presentation with 20 slides and having only 20 seconds to present each slide. That is exactly what 10 individuals decided to do this past Thursday night at the Bijou Theatre downtown. Feb. 11 marked the 5th anniversary of the PechaKucha (Japanese for “chit-chat”) 20x20 event in Knoxville. The event originated in Tokyo and has spread to over 800 cities around the world. Ashley Pace, lecturer in the school of architecture and design at UT, is one of the individuals who brought the event to Knoxville back in 2011. “PechaKucha was started by an architecture firm in Tokyo, and I think it was sort of started as a way for young architects to show their work informally,” Pace said. “Since then, it has expanded and grown to other creative things, but that is sort of how we started it — by asking architects.” Pace had the idea of starting the event here in Knoxville after attending a PechaKucha event in Chattanooga where her husband had been invited to speak. “That was the first time we had ever heard of it or seen it, and it was a lot of fun,” Pace recalled. “We were like ‘If Chattanooga can do this, then Knoxville can do this.’ So we came home and decided to look into it.” The night was filled with laughs, and there was a great amount of learning as each presenter shared their creative interests with the audience. The speakers seemed to spark a lot of discussion, as there was definitely a lot of chitchat during the intermissions between each set of presentations. Matthew Cummings, an artist and designer who works with glass, presented at the event for the first time Thursday night. He explained the challenge of presenting in the 20x20 format. “It was the most difficult format I have ever done, but it was a cool format. Artists and creative people can get kind of verbose, so it’s
nice to put a limit on it,” Cummings said. “But not having control over when the slides change makes it really ... You have to be tight about it.” With each presentation, a new concept about creative life in Knoxville was revealed and the audience was able to visualize the city in a new light after learning so many new things about it. Sean Poynter, another one of the presenters that night, shared his impressions after the event. “That was kind of cool to see how all these weird random things sort of fit together because, in the end, it’s all about Knoxville
“
Anytime I’ve gone to one (PechaKucha) I always end up being so excited and inspired...” Dale Mackey
and the things that make Knoxville awesome,” Poynter said. “You learn to appreciate it more.” Dale Mackey presented alongside her husband that night. “Anytime I’ve gone to one (PechaKucha) I always end up being so excited and inspired ... You know Knoxville can feel so small and like you know everything that’s going on,” Mackey shared, “so it’s really nice to be like ‘Oh my gosh! There’s all this cool stuff happening that I don’t even know about.’” When asked whether or not they want to attend another PechaKucha event, all three presenters interviewed answered yes with no hesitation. The next PechaKucha is planned for this upcoming May.
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2016 CHANCELLOR’S CITATION AWARD CATEGORIES You are invited to help the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, recognize deserving students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the campus by nominating persons of extraordinary accomplishment for awards. Truly extraordinary service or accomplishment is the standard of selection for Chancellor’s Citations, and there is no limit on the number of persons who may be honored. Note: Undergraduate students nominated for the various citation categories should have senior standing.
Extraordinary Academic Achievement Given to undergraduate students for academic achievement. Persons wishing to nominate students for this award should submit a nomination packet to the academic dean of the college in which the student is enrolled by February 22. To be considered, the packet must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate academic dean. The academic college must forward all approved nominations by March 7. Extraordinary Campus Leadership and Service Given to graduate and undergraduate students for contributions to the university community through leadership and service. Persons wishing to nominate students for this award should submit a nomination packet to the Office of the Dean of Students by February 26, for review by a selection committee composed of students and professional staff. For more information, contact Danny Glassman, associate dean of students, at dglass@utk.edu. Extraordinary Community Service Given to faculty, staff, student organizations, and students. The recipient of this award exemplifies extraordinary community service to the UT community and beyond. This individual goes out of his or her way to contribute through volunteering, community service projects, and other projects outside the realm of his or her regular duties. Persons wishing to nominate students or student organizations for this award should submit a nomination packet to the Office of the Dean of Students. For more information, contact Danny Glassman, associate dean of students, at dglass@utk.edu. Faculty and staff nominations should be submitted to Jonathan Ramsey at jramse17@utk.edu or 230 Conference Center Building. The deadline for submission is February 26. Charles R. Burchett Extraordinary Contributions to Campus Life Given to student organizations for outstanding or innovative contributions to the university community. Persons wishing to nominate organizations for this award should submit a nomination packet to the Office of the Dean of Students by February 26, for review by a selection committee composed of students and staff. For more information, contact Danny Glassman, associate dean of students, at dglass@utk.edu. Extraordinary Professional Promise Given to undergraduate students for professional promise and to graduate students for professional promise in teaching, research, or other contributions. Persons wishing to nominate students for this award should submit a nomination packet to the academic dean of the college in which the student is enrolled by February 22. To be considered, nominations must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate academic dean. The academic college must forward all approved nominations no later than March 7.
Nominations may be downloaded online at honorsbanquet.utk.edu. All members of the university community (faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends) are invited to submit nominations.
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VIEWPOINTS
The Daily Beacon • Monday, February 15, 2016
LETTER from the
EDITORIAL BOARD
On Wednesday, Feb. 10, The Tennessean published an article titled “UT official says Haslam outsourcing plan ‘would be a disaster. The primary source for their article, Vice Chancellor for Facilities Services Dave Irvin, conducted an interview with UT students who were writing a column for The Daily Beacon, and those students shared their transcription of Irvin’s interview with The Tennessean. One of those students was also an employee of The Daily Beacon. Although students who work at the Daily Beacon are encouraged to be as politically and socially engaged as they desire, they are not permitted to do so as representatives of the Beacon. Our journalistic integrity lies in our ability to remain fair and unbiased in our reporting, and when employees align themselves with the Beacon and simultaneously take a stance on a campus issue, that integrity is jeopardized. It was not the Daily Beacon’s intention to release Irvin’s interview to The Tennessean, and we regret losing the trust of campus sources who may be hesitant
in the future to speak with our reporters. In an effort to prevent this unfortunate mistake from happening again and to be as transparent as possible on this issue, we are publishing a few bullets from our Code of Conduct below. Although the Code of Conduct is not new to our newsroom, we have failed to enforce it which has led to us being in this position. Our Code of Conduct policy on Conflicts of Interest states: While staff members are not prohibited from engaging in political, community, personal or business activity, they are not allowed to do so as representatives of the Beacon. Staff members may not report or comment on any campus activity, organization or issue in which they are directly involved. This policy also applies to off-campus issues and activities. This can help avoid any conflict of interest or the appearance, thereof. Beacon staff members may not use departmental resources or act in an official capacity as an employee of the newspaper to influence any decision-making body of the university. This includes the improper
use of departmental stationary. In addition to being a breach of ethical conduct, it is a violation of state law. Employees may also work for other newspapers. However, these staff members are _strictly forbidden_ from using Beacon resources, equipment, sources, stories or ideas for other news organizations, nor may they cover the same events or issues for the Beacon and another news medium. This is considered a breach of loyalty and grounds for dismissal. The Editor-in-Chief must always be informed of all staff members who work or are interns for other newspapers or student media. These policies have been reviewed by our staff, and we hope that we have not lost your opinion or faith as a result of this error. The Editorial Board is comprised of Jenna Butz, editor-in-chief, Bradi Musil, managing editor, Katrina Roberts, creative director, and Hannah Moulton, copy chief. They can be reached at newsroom@utdailybeacon.com.
Title IX lawsuit puts UT under a microscope
Thomas Carpenter
The Workshop
Last year, I wrote a column about the mysterious circumstances under which Tim Rogers, a veteran UT faculty member of almost 40 years, quit his job as Vice Chancellor of Student Life, citing an “intolerable” situation surrounding the handling of student sexual assault cases, especially ones that involved student athletes. At the time the column ran, there were very few facts available to the public, so all I could do was point out the fishiness of the whole thing. Why would a UT employee of 38 years quit with almost no warning if not for a very serious situation? If I thought it was fishy back then, it downright reeks now. In the span of just a few days, articles from The Tennessean and the Commercial Appeal among others have come out detailing a new class action federal lawsuit against UT regarding the notably “intolerable” situation surrounding the handling of sexual assault cases. The lawsuit involves six female plaintiffs, citing offenses from 2003 all the way to the end of last year. So what are the allegations? Well, there are too many to address in this column, so for the sake of space I’ll try to cover the big ones, but I encourage you to read the case document for yourself. The overarching theme of the case claims a concerted effort by the UT Athletic Department to cover up sexual assaults committed by student athletes on other UT students. This case is a Title IX lawsuit, which the plaintiffs claim the university violated multiple times. Title IX is a federal statute that deals with gender discrimination at universities and colleges. One of these alleged violations concerns the appointment of administrative judges that the lawsuit claims favored athletes in disciplinary hearings, and that also determined appeals by either party. This led to the prolonging of cases to allow enough time for athletes to transfer to other schools. This, as well as the claim that UT did not provide required support services to the victims, negatively impacted all six of the females’ academic record. Another potential violation of Title IX raised by the lawsuit is that public comments made by UT Athletic
Department officials indicated that they were biased in favor of the accused football players amid rape accusations. Further, there are other allegations that peers of accused players attempted to influence witnesses’ testimony through harassment, supporting the claim that the process was unfairly biased towards the defendants from the beginning. The lawsuit also claims that two separate UT faculty members tried to speak out but were met with complacency and maybe even hostility. Tim Rogers faced indifference when he raised concerns about the process, specifically of the judicial appointments. Former Director of Student Judicial Affairs Jenny Wright was told by Chancellor Cheek to stop investigating into specific sexual assault cases involving student athletes. Overall, what is detailed in the 64-page document is that, on multiple occasions, players were allowed to participate in practices, games and events, even when the university had been made aware of rape allegations. Beyond that, when some of these incidents with internal university investigations revealed substantial evidence supporting the victim’s claims, the university decided to not even pursue further judicial hearings. If what is detailed in these pages is true, misconduct exists at all levels, from players all the way to the top. How deplorable that our university would be allowing this to continue for so many years. I feel that the university’s claim that these allegations are baseless is itself unfounded. After years of multiple incidents and recorded evidence, it would seem that something has gone terribly wrong with the existing system we have in place. Although the recently proposed changes to the Student Code of Conduct include a new student judicial process, it is unclear whether it will remedy the problems before us today. What also makes the university’s position particularly problematic is the fact that these allegations reflect a growing trend of sexual assault on campuses across the country. UT is not alone in facing these issues, and it is highly unlikely that we would somehow be spared from the sexist rape culture that exists in ath-
letic teams elsewhere. What matters here is how we deal with it, and if the women’s claims are upheld by the federal court, it will be clear that members of our administration have failed horribly in doing just that. What will happen to the university legally is to be determined by the federal court; however, the University of Tennessee’s athletic department and several other administrators are facing some very serious criticisms of their alleged conduct. Is it really impossible to think that they have been involved in covering up the sexual offenses by UT athletes to protect their precious money pot that is UT Athletics? Could the fact that UT football has become so entrenched in the establishment that when anything threatens it, including the violent acts of its players on other students, it could do everything in its power to silence the victim, protect the perpetrator and perpetuate a culture where sexism, victim-shaming and rape thrive? We joke that “football is a religion in Knoxville,” but have we actually started acting like it? If we can’t have a game where the players can’t keep themselves from raping other people, then the right thing, and the only thing, we can do is to get rid of the game. Nothing, including the millions of dollars in athletics revenue, is worth ruining student’s lives. UT has found itself in the middle of an ordeal that has the potential to rock the institution to its core, and in the end, this may be exactly what is needed. What this lawsuit claims to have been happening in locker rooms, off campus parties and dorm rooms is disgusting and must end immediately if true. There is a necessary urgency to learn the truth of the matter, and the public will look to the student body for that urgency. We can be the proponents of change, regardless of the outcome of this case, because sexual assault on campus continues to be an issue much larger than this lawsuit. Our generation alone has the power to end the injustices we inflict on one another. Thomas Carpenter is a senior in Classics. He can be reached at ThomasCarpenter@utk.edu
VIEWPOINTS
Piracy in the world of science
David Garcia Public Scientist
Most people would be hard-pressed to find a student that has not in some way pirated a piece of copyrighted material. Personally, I do not see piracy as a moral grey area — at its core, it is stealing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not judging anyone for doing it, but it’s important to acknowledge that most pirates can likely afford and have reasonable access to the material they are downloading. This is why the Sci-Hub, a website dedicated to bypassing paywalls, presents an interesting case. Publishing research is an almost insane proposition when looking at it from the outside (the inside too, but that’s neither here nor there). To publish an article in most journals, the author has to give up the paper’s copyright over to the publishing house and pay the company for the privilege. It gets worse. After it has been published, the author must have a subscription to the journal to access their own paper. To say the least, these subscriptions do not come cheap. For example, in 2012, Harvard University released a memo stating their annual subscription bill was around $3.5 million. It is a price tag that likely has little difference between universities, and one way or another has to be paid. Unfortunately, scientific research is dependent on the work that has already been published. Scientists do not have the option to disregard work they cannot afford, at least not if they ever want to produce anything
that matters. At large research institutions like those found in the U.S., this tends to not be a problem since most major universities can pay the bill. It certainly would not look good if UT decided to not subscribe to the “Journal Nature,” so we pretty much have no option. Globally, this is not the case. For many institutions, subscribing to the full cadre of journals owned by a publishing company is nearly impossible. This then places the burden of acquiring articles on the individual researcher. As a result, the common $30 price tag for an individual article greatly limits the research potential of students that may already be on tight budgets. For reference, the first paper I pulled out from my desk has 21 citations. If the student had to individually pay for each of those papers, the cost would be about $600. Try paying that in Kazakhstan. That is exactly the issue that faced Russian neuroscientist Alexandra Elbakyan when she created Sci-Hub to bypass the publisher’s paywalls and pool millions of articles for public use. The publisher Elsevier, unamused with Elbakyan’s actions, filed an injunction against Sci-Hub’s activities and shut it down temporarily. Only to see if rise again. For their part, publishing companies generally claim their costs need to be recouped as they are the only ones capable of implementing the full peer review process that gives science its legitimacy, as they need to find reviewers, editors and still bear the costs of a tradi-
Monday, February 15, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
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tional publishing house. One should note that reputable journals such as “PLoS One” provide this service while making their articles completely free and don’t have the 35 percent profit margin Elsevier does, but I digress. The actions of publishing companies in regards to their prices and practices are diametrically opposed to what it means to be a scientist. The discovery, cataloging and dissemination of research is directly hindered by companies that have monopolized our access to this information. The immediate solution will leave many of us with only one option — to take what we need. Science is not cheap, but it is fair and crafty in its practices. So long as publishers refuse to make their services affordable for the very institution it depends on, the actions of those that cannot afford their services will be to acquire it through methods like Sci-Hub, and it will be to the nearly unanimous support of the scientific community. As a final aside and perhaps to the detriment of my concluding remarks, I should note that Sci-Hub also has access to articles and journals in the humanities and other disciplines where budgets can get even tighter. Good luck everyone, and happy reading. David Garcia is a first-year graduate student in energy science. He can be reached at dgarcia8@vols. utk.edu.
The (sour) process of a box of chocolates
Kimberly Bress
Real World Problem Solving
Love may be patient and kind, but in the wake of one of our nation’s largest consumer driven holidays, it is apparent that love is not always ethical nor sustainable. In the United States, an overwhelming $18.9 billion are spent during the week of Feb. 14, making Valentine’s Day one of the year’s most profitable celebrations. As 145 million greeting cards and 58 million pounds of candy begin to circulate, it is easy to be swept away by the trends of massive consumption. However, beneath the covers of every heart-shaped box there is a side to Valentine’s Day that is darker than any chocolate we can buy. The essential and definitive ingredient of chocolate is the cocoa bean, the dried and fermented seed of the Theobroma cacao plant. The yellow and orange pods prefer perpetually warm environments, making African nations such as Ghana and the Ivory Coast prime locations for the growth and harvest of cocoa beans. In fact, these two countries supply nearly three-quarters of the global cocoa market. The anatomy of a cacao tree is interesting, as its pods grow directly from the trunk instead of hanging from the ends of branches like other fruiting trees. Moreover, the pods do not ripen simultaneously, but must be harvested periodically over the course of the year. These physical attributes of the cacao bean promote, and perhaps necessitate, harvesting by hand. Using long curved knifes, pods are carefully cut from the tree, opened with a machete and then dissected to reveal the valuable cocoa seeds.
The market for chocolate and the constant demand for cheaper cocoa has resulted in the development of a disturbingly exploitative industry. It takes 400 cocoa beans to produce one pound of chocolate. The sale of chocolate on Valentine’s Day alone equates to 23 billion cocoa beans and over 1 billion cocoa pods. To meet these overwhelming production demands while keeping the cost of cocoa competitive, child labor, human trafficking and slavery have become the primary mechanisms of cocoa farming. The United States Department of Labor’s 2014 report, “The List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor,” indicted both Ghana and the Ivory Coast, along with Cameroon, Guinea, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, for their use of child labor in cocoa production. With the average cocoa farmer earning less than $2 per day, there is little, if anything, left to trickle down to the actual laborers. However, even if the financial reward were humane, the risks required of child cocoa workers are infinitely greater. According to World Vision, the majority of cocoa farmers are between the ages of 12 and 16 years old. Equipped with chainsaws and large machetes, these children climb the cocoa trees and hack away at the stems of the pods. Once on the ground, they use the machete to split open each pod, collecting the beans into 100 pound bags. The use of these dangerous tools pose great risk for injury, including the loss of fingers, limbs and life. In addition, the pesticides utilized to protect cocoa plants expose child laborers to damaging industrial
chemicals. As if these perils were not enough, the work environment established by overseeing farmers is often abusive. Water is in short supply, and the food supply is even less. Never mind needs such as healthcare or education. Those privileges are nowhere to be found in the pervasive cycle of cocoa farming poverty. These disturbing practices are the hidden ingredient in many brands of chocolate, including popular companies such as Mars, Hershey and Nestle. However, due to consumer ignorance regarding the industry of cocoa production, the history of oppression attached to our chocolate does not leave a bad aftertaste. The point of this expose isn’t to attach more guilt to our desserts. Instead, it’s a call for more conscious consumption. It is easy to ignore the fact that our purchases have the power to demand respect for human rights. Even from the Walmart or Walgreens check-out line, we have the ability and responsibility to make a difference by buying informedly. Love is patient, and it is kind, but in a consumer-centric society we must also commit to making it sustainable, ethical and just. Although Valentine’s Day has already passed, please visit the link below to see a list of ethically-produced chocolates for when your next cocoa craving hits: http://www.slavefreechocolate.org/ethical-chocolatecompanies/ Kimberly Bress is a sophomore in neuroscience. She can be reached at kbress@vols.utk.edu.
Columns 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.
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ARTS&CULTURE
The Daily Beacon • Monday, February 15, 2016
NEW MUSIC MONDAYS
Lion Babe “Begin�
Matthew Logan Vasquez “Solicitor Returns�
Anticipation: 1/5 R&B has been such a disappointment. Set the bar low and you avoid disappointment, right? During: 3.5/5 This whole album is such a jam. Reflection: 4.5/5 Lion Babe gave this ‘90s baby everything she didn’t know she needed. Those who grew up listening to artists like Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige remember the golden age of hip-hop and R&B. Distinguished by a super cool, catchy sound that was dubbed “neo soul,� the sub-genre combines retro-soul elements and a contemporary sound. Though many artists today are leaning towards a dubstep/auto-tune style, the duo Lion Babe is attempting to bring neo soul back with their new album “Begin.� The track that got the duo their start, “Treat Me Like Fire,� is a prime example of this retro sound. Lead vocals from Jillian Hervey prove her vocal ability through these soulful portions, while smooth, sexy tunes like “Hold On� and “Jungle Lady� also show the duo’s ability to record meaningful songs — while also throwing in some trumpet blasts and entrancing drumbeats. However, Lion Babe’s song elements aren’t the only ‘90s-like characteristics on the record; the female empowerment anthem “Wonder Woman� is a major highlight of the album and serves as the album’s latest single, produced by hip-hop and R&B artist/producer Pharrell Williams. The fast-paced, terribly catchy “Impossible� dons this same strong female role as well as the positive body-image themed song “Got Body.� What’s most notable about Lion Babe’s debut album is their ability to combine catchy hip-hop and funk elements while also bringing soul and R&B into the mix which makes for a more compelling genre of music than what is typical in most mainstream music. There’s more to Lion Babe’s new album than what today’s over-produced music may lead you to believe — but that’s what happens when an artist creates vibrant tracks with a bit of soul mixed in.
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Anticipation: 2.5/5 Kind of indifferent here. But this album art looks a bit ... homemade? During: 3/5 Loving the rock sound on this album. “Everything I Do Is Out� is B-A-D (in the best way, of course). Reflection: 3.5/5 Solid album. Rock ‘n’ roll is alive and kickin’ on this record. Vasquez will need more solo work before he hits his stride though. Sometimes lead singers have a tendency to break from their band and record their own music, whether it’s to go in a different direction musically or because the band isn’t getting along. However, for Matthew Logan Vasquez, from the indie rock band the Delta Saints, neither seems to be the case. The band is only taking a temporary break and the tracks on Vasquez’s debut solo album “Solicitor Returns� seems to be in similar style to that of the Delta Saints. The rocker kept his psychedelic rock sound on numerous songs such as “I Bet It All.� He also hasn’t strayed from the hard-hitting style of rock that the band is accustomed to playing. Vasquez breaks out his outsider rebellion tendencies in the hard rock song “Everything I Do Is Out.� The rock tune is gritty and perfectly depicts a metal attitude with lyrics like, “My little sister found my record collection/ They tried to tell her it’s a bad direction/but somehow I’m alive today.� However, the difference between Vasquez and his band the Delta Saints is subtle and is found in Vasquez’s classic rock sound on the Hotel California-like track “Maria.� There is also the tune “Personal,� which sounds very much like a Bruce Springsteen tune. Despite the greater number of soaring guitar solos on “Solicitor Returns,� there are few differences between the indie rocker’s solo work and that of the Delta Saints. However, his rock ‘n’ roll potential is apparent whether he’s singing alone or with his band. -Marina Waters, Staff Writer
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PUZZLES&GAMES
Monday, February 15, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
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Get Fuzzy • Darby Conley
NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz ACROSS 1
I’m Not a Hipster • John McAmis
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Cartoons 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.
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The Daily Beacon • Monday, February 15, 2016
Narcissistic villain or vulnerable artist
Travis Dorman In Kanye West’s seventh studio album, “The Life of Pablo,” West looks inward to himself and upward to God. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell where he draws the line between the two. The album, which was originally scheduled to drop on Thursday, Feb. 11, was finally released this weekend on Tidal right after West performed on Saturday Night Live. During the numerous delays, West periodically sent out streams of manic tweets that took his more dedicated fans on an emotional rollercoaster — ascending to the heights of hype, devolving into madness and despair, clinging
to shreds of hope and putting everything into perspective … before ascending to the heights of hype once more. It’s not entirely clear if West, who is known for being both a careful planner and an unpredictable loose cannon, intended to take his fans on such a stressful journey, but the evidence suggests that this time, he actually had no idea what he was doing. Over the course of the creative process, West changed his album’s name four times — from “So Help Me God” to “Swish” to “Waves” to “The Life of Pablo” — and posted at least five different tracklists. On Jan. 24, West tweeted “So happy to be finished with the best album of all time” along with a list of 10 tracks which hardly resemble the 18 track smorgasbord that West ultimately released 20 days later. The sprawling work, with its wide array of featured artists including Rihanna, Chance the Rapper, Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar, feels more like a mixtape than a cohesive album at times. Samples are interspersed among West’s massive orchestration, and upon first listen, one never knows who will be singing or rapping next. Some songs cut off abruptly, and others
have multiple sections that start and stop sporadically. If one is listening without looking at song titles, it can be difficult to discern where one song ends and another begins. Tracks like “No More Parties in L.A.,” in which Kendrick and Kanye trade bars over Madlib’s dusty old-school production and “Facts,” a hard-hitting trap track dissing just about everything and everyone, stand out in stark contrast from the album’s spacious, soulful opener “Ultralight Beam,” where a choir triumphantly sings “This is a God dream / This is everything” over rising synth chords, sparse drums and a resonant bass line. On “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1,” an auto-tuned West sings about his experience with a model’s bleached posterior, providing no transition into part two where he reflects on his parents’ divorce and his mother’s death. A line in “Famous” has rekindled West’s feud with singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, which began when West interrupted Swift during her acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. West raps “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous.” Later, on “Real Friends,” West talks about how he regrets feeling disconnected from family and friends due to his own inability to deal with fame and wealth. West switches between chest beating and soul-searching so rapidly that listeners may get whiplash. But oddly enough, these constant contradictions in content don’t pull the album in completely different directions, but rather tie everything together and keep it all from collapsing under its own weight. To analyze how this works, one can begin by referring back to the album’s title. When West initially announced the name “The Life of Pablo,” fans speculated that the “Pablo” West was referring to might be either drug lord Pablo Escobar or artist Pablo Picasso. This theory seemed like it was supported
ARTS&CULTURE
by West’s lines on “No More Parties in LA”: “I feel like Pablo when I’m working on my shoes / I feel like Pablo when I see me on the news.” West feels like Picasso when he is creating and expressing himself artistically, and he feels like Escobar when he is sparking controversy in the media, as he is wont to do. While this theory remains unconfirmed, and West has only said that Pablo refers to the Spanish name of Paul the Apostle, it may as well be true. The duality of West’s public persona as both a passionate, vulnerable artist struggling to deal with the repercussions of fame and an arrogant, outspoken and unapologetically problematic villain (who many people love to despise) is a theme that pervades “The Life of Pablo” from start to finish. Which is the real Kanye? Both? Neither? Does he put on the misogynistic and narcissistic personality like a suit of armor to obscure his humanity and shield himself from the outside world? Is it a Trump-like façade to ensure West stays relevant, so people always have his name on the tips of their tongues regardless if he’s receiving their curses or their praise? Or is he truly a malevolent, despicable person who occasionally experiences flashes of relatability that he expresses to avoid losing even his most hardcore fans? These questions have been asked time and time again, and now, Kanye is proving that he’s hyper-aware of the criticism. On “I Love Kanye,” West raps acapella in third person from the perspective of a complaining fan. “I miss the old Kanye, straight from the go Kanye / Chop up the soul Kanye, set on his goals Kanye / I hate the new Kanye, the bad mood Kanye / The always rude Kanye, spaz in the news Kanye.” West offers no apologies for being true to himself, and at the end he laughs, showing that he takes the criticism in stride. If one thing is for sure, Kanye will always be Kanye – what that means is up to you.
Streaming 24.7.365 at WUTKRADIO.COM or listen on your
smart phone and iPad app.
SPORTS
Monday, February 15, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Te’a Cooper attempts to shoot against Texas A&M on January 8, 2015. •File Photo
Lady Vols prep for matchup against South Carolina Trenton Duffer Copy Editor
Sunday was Valentine’s Day, and while couples everywhere were giving each flowers and chocolates, the Lady Vols were preparing for a not-so-sweet matchup against No. 2 South Carolina on Monday at Thompson-Boling Arena (TV: ESPN2, 7:30 p.m.). The Gamecocks (23-1, 11-0 SEC) are the second-best team in the country, according to last week’s Associated Press poll. South Carolina entered last Monday night’s match-
up against undefeated No. 1 Connecticut as the only other undefeated team in Division I women’s basketball. The Huskies beat down the Gamecocks 66-54, giving South Carolina its first and only loss so far this season. “(South Carolina’s) athletic. They’re physical. They play hard every possession,” Holly Warlick said after Sunday’s practice. “They’ve got a great front line in (Alaina) Coates and (A’ja) Wilson, and I think they play around them. And you’ve got Tiffany Mitchell, who, in my opinion, is the third option after those two players. “I just think they play well together.
When you play well together and you play hard, great things happen.” The Gamecocks have done just that against the Lady Vols as of late. Although UT has an all-time 47-5 advantage over USC, Tennessee is only 3-2 over the last five matchups between the teams after winning 40 in a row from 1980-2011. The last meeting between these two teams showed the Gamecocks trumping the Lady Vols 62-46 in the 2015 SEC Championship Final. The loss was the first time in program history that the Lady Vols entered the tournament as a No. 2 seed and did not win the championship. “I think they’ve got more experience,” Warlick said about the differences in this year’s South Carolina team compared to last year’s. “They’ve been in tougher games … They’re just getting the job done.” Breaking out the brooms: The Lady Vols will be coming off a season sweep of their instate rival Vanderbilt when the Gamecocks visit on Monday. A strong fourth quarter run gave the Lady Vols an extra push as they powered their way to a 69-51 victory over the Commodores Thursday night. Five Lady Vols scored in double figures during Thursday’s sweep of Vandy. Jaime Nared (18), Diamond DeShields (12),
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Mercedes Russell (11), Te’a Cooper (11) and Bashaara Graves (10) all helped the Lady Vols cruise to a confidence-boosting win over the Commodores on Thursday. Warlick hopes that the confidence her team found in that game will transfer over to Monday night’s matchup against the Gamecocks. “It was huge for us,” Warlick said about the win. “It gave us some momentum. It gave us some energy. It gave us some confidence. I was really proud of how we finished the game.” No wins against No. 2: Although Warlick now has 100 wins under her belt, the fouryear head coach will look for her first win ever over a No. 2-ranked team on Monday. Warlick is 0-3 against teams that are ranked No. 2 in The AP poll. Although she came close in last year’s February matchup against South Carolina, not having team captain Isabelle Harrison on the floor proved to be the team’s downfall as the Gamecocks beat the Lady Vols 71-66 in Columbia. Warlick’s other two losses to No. 2 came in January matchups against Notre Dame in 2013 and 2014. Each of those losses was by at least 10 points.
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SPORTS
The Daily Beacon • Monday, February 15, 2016
MEN’S TENNIS
Tennessee’s top doubles team complements each other on, off court Taylor Crombie Contributor
While Tennessee’s men’s tennis team has struggled in singles, the Vols have enjoyed consistent success from their No. 1 doubles duo. Sophomore Luis Valero and junior Jack Schipanski, two of the Vols’ four returning players, have gone 5-1 in doubles matches during the 2016 spring season and are currently the No. 16 team in the nation. “We started playing together last spring, so we’ve been together for a little while now,” Schipanski said. “It took a little while to get used to each other’s games, but I think we’re pretty comfortable with each other now.” The two teamed up halfway through the spring season in 2015 and went 6-3 against SEC opponents. When they returned to action in the fall, Valero and Schipanski went 6-1 and defeated Florida’s 12th-ranked Maxx Lipman and Elliott Orkin 8-4 in the SEC Fall Classic for their first win against a ranked opponent. They defeated teammates Igor Smelyanski and Preston Touliatos 8-6 in the finals of the SEC Fall Classic to pick up their first doubles title. “We had a pretty good season and we finished it well at the SEC’s,” Schipanski said. “That was good and we’ve carried that form on so far this season.” After their successful fall season, the two started the spring ranked No.23 in doubles and have been dominant from the begin-
ning. Their only loss of the spring season was to No. 11 Wake Forrest during ITA Kick-Off Weekend in January. Valero credits their success not only to their abilities as players, but also to the fact that the two are so close off the court. “I think doubles teams need to get along well,” Valero said. “That’s something that we do on and off the court. I think we complement each other really well.” Schipanski agreed that their playing styles complement each other and that getting along is one of the keys to success in doubles. “I think that’s very important in doubles,” Schipanski said. “Luis is really strong at the baseline and has a great serve. I like to come in and use my volleys. We get along well, so I think that helps as well.” Valero and Schipanski were the only Vols to record a win in their last match against No. 10 Wake Forrest at Goodfriend Tennis Center. This was the second time Tennessee faced Wake Forrest and a chance for Valero and Schipanski to avenge a 7-6 loss to No. 25 Skander Mansouri and Christian Seraphim. This time, Valero and Schipanski picked up a 6-4 win that helped move them from No. 23 to No. 16 in doubles rankings. “It was nice to get a little revenge,” Schipanski said. “We went out with a pretty clear game plan and executed it pretty well.” The Volunteers will return to the court Feb. 27 after a week off for a double header against Georgia Tech at 1 p.m. and Tennessee Tech at 5 p.m. at Goodfriend Tennis Center.
Jack Schipanski returns the ball on January 15, 2015. •File Photo
NBA slam dunk competition more about the big moments than the dunks To begin this column, I am bitter. The greatest dunk contest of my basketball viewing lifetime happened Saturday night and I missed it. I lived with it in spirit, saw the vines, read reactions and watched as basketball Twitter combusted into a haze of awe and approval. The NBA’s dunk contest hadn’t had a moment like that since Vince Carter in 2000. Essentially, the dunk contest is exactly that, a moment. The dunks, which are extremely difficult and can only be performed by some of the top athletes on Earth, are often less important and impactful than the context around him. The best recent example would be Blake Griffin versus Javale McGee in the 2011 All-Star Weekend, when Griffin dunked over a car with a choir singing “I Believe I Can Fly” behind him. Griffin jumped over the lowest part of the car – a Kia, the NBA’s official car sponsor — from rela-
tively close to the rim. Counter to him, McGee threw down two dunks on two different rims at the same time in a way that defied physics. Griffin’s dunk was a bigger moment, orchestrated to be extravagant and over-the-top; McGee’s dunk had a much higher level of difficulty and was significantly more impressive, but Griffin had the bigger moment, so he won. That puts Saturday’s dunk contest on center stage. The two competitors, Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon, are two of the most athletic people in the world’s most athletic sports league. LaVine was the reigning champion and rumored to have done his “safety dunks” the year before, which included going behind the back off-the-bounce and getting high enough to give himself concussions on the rim. This year, the dunk contest was decided by the moments, and there is no bigger moment in
dunk contests than the run up to the free throw line. From the first step at the other side of the court, you know what the athlete is going to do before he jumps, but it’s impossible to believe he can do it. Only the bounciest people in the NBA have dunked from the free throw line, and the list is exclusive, limited to names like Julius Erving, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. As Zack LaVine blurred past the three-point arch and ascended one step later, his moment become bigger than any competition. He combined aerial acrobatics with his unparalleled hang time in a way that made fellow NBA players lose their collective minds. Opposite him, Gordon threw down dunks that were more impressive, including a dunk where he sat on the ball … with the ball over seven feet in the air. Gordon performed dunks while rotating on multiple axes or extending in more degrees of
motion than humans should be able to do while simultaneously being eye-level with a ten foot rim. Could LaVine have done Gordon’s dunks? Probably. Could Gordon have done LaVine’s dunks? Less likely. However, Gordon outperformed a man who went between his legs from the charity stripe, which was his undoing. No matter the difficulty or impressiveness of what you do, a dunk is still a dunk unless it has a moment. LaVine had the best moments of the night, and that’s why he won. Fortunately, Gordon has already expressed interest in returning in 2017, so now it’s up to LaVine to return for three-peat. What a moment that will be. Lucas Hunter is a sophomore in journalism & electronic media. He can be reached at lhunter9@vols.utk.edu.