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Issue 47 T H E

E D I T O R I A L L Y

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Monday, March 26, 2012

PUBLISHED SINCE 1906 http://utdailybeacon.com

Vol. 119

I N D E P E N D E N T

S T U D E N T

N E W S P A P E R

O F

T H E

U N I V E R S I T Y

O F

T E N N E S S E E

Students call for fair-wage sourced products Blair Kuykendall Editor-in-Chief Does a person have the right to sustain himself? In an increasingly global marketplace, clothing manufacturers contract the lowest labor costs available to remain competitive, regardless of the repercussions. Direct vendors like the UT bookstore commonly deal with intermediaries that outsource production to manufacturers overseas with poor labor practices. Gretchen Chromas and Jayanni Webster want to change that. “A fair wage ... supports the right for all individuals and workers to receive payment for their work that reflects their hours and effort and helps them live more than impoverished lives,” Webster said in a statement. “I personally believe it’s a human right and everyone’s responsibility to support fair wages.” Both women believe that philosophy should be applicable to UT’s sales model. “Fair wages should be the bottom line for human rights when we’re looking at how UT’s apparel business is directed,” Webster said. Chomas sees the life-changing benefit that an appropriate wage can bring to an individual. “People who are paid a fair wage are able to purchase clean water and adequate food and other necessities of life,” Chomas said. “Therefore they have a higher quality of life, less disease and fewer health problems. It also increases self worth knowing that they are going to really be able to live on that wage and not just exist.” Possessing a drive to promote change, both young women were driven to play some role in improving global working conditions. “Since my freshman year I’ve been working with Amnesty International at UTK and about two years ago we were in the midst of a sweatshop-free campaign at UT,” Webster said. “It ended

with the university affiliating with the Workers Rights Consortium, which is a third-party watchdog organization that monitors where our UT apparel is being made. Students worked really hard to instate WRC affiliation, but we recognize it is just a step in the right direction. Even with WRC, violations, like the one adidas is implicated in at the PT Kizone factory, continue to occur.” Alta Gracia, a fair-wage manufacturer in the Dominican Republic, promotes a different type of business model. “We like Alta Gracia because it goes above and beyond anything else offered in the bookstore by paying living-wages, embracing its factory union and allowing WRC unrestricted access to monitor its business in a way no business has ever opened itself up to before.” After that success, both students continued in their cause. Chomas’ focus on improving working conditions in apparel factories sparked their quest to see fair-wage manufactured products supplied by UT’s bookstore. “Alta Gracia is based on the principle that workers should be paid a living wage that allows them basic needs such as clean water, shelter, food, education and health care without charging more than other brands,” Chomas said. “Alta Gracia aims to treat their workers as human beings by providing a safe workplace, a non-threatening atmosphere and the right to form a union.” “When I heard about Alta Gracia from Gretchen I knew this was the next step in the process — to directly order apparel from a union-friendly, fair-wage paying company,” Webster said. This firm is truly unique, possessing the courage to reject industry norms and forge a new business model. “The great part about Alta Gracia is that the employer actually benefits from fair working conditions,” Chomas said. “Other schools like NYU and Duke have seen a positive revenue impact. Not only does the employer benefit, but the entire community benefits. ... It allows the worker to not only have their basic needs met, but also provides them with enough to obtain some things beyond necessity.”

See ALTA GRACIA on Page 3

Fraternity kicks off events Victoria Wright Student Life Editor Though the event is titled “Deja Blu” to signify the fraternity’s colors and the “dream like” theme of their events, students will feel anything but sleepy as The Kappa Chi Chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity host their Spring Semester fraternity week. The week kicked off on Sunday with Nostalgia Night in the Volunteer Hall Recreation Room. Fraternity members induce students with feelings of nostalgia by playing childhood games. Tarius Summers, chapter president, hopes the week will bring awareness of the fraternity to students. “All of us have really different expectations,” Summers said. “But one of the main things is that we’re trying to get our name out around UT and get our campus to come more together.” On Tuesday, fraternity members will co-host Mahogany Soul Cafe with the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority in the Black Cultural Center (BCC) at 6 p.m. The event is held by different sponsors on the last Tuesday of every month and invites students to perform various poetry, music and other art forms. Summers and other members hope to bring campus unity through their annual Sleep-Out for the Homeless event on Tuesday. Sigma members will sleep outside the Humanities Building on Tuesday from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. in an effort to raise awareness of homelessness in the area and raise money for the Knox Area Rescue Ministries. All students are invited to participate, and Summers said the event will be held regardless of weather conditions. “Homeless people can’t choose what day they sleep outside,”

Summers said. Chapter vice president Reginald Ransom participated in the event last year as a non-Greek student. “It was very humbling,” Ransom said. Homelessness isn’t the only issue the fraternity will highlight during the week. The chapter will host an HIV testing day on Thursday in the BCC Multi-Purpose Room from noon to 4:30 p.m. Ransom believes every student should know their status. “There is no reason not to know,” Ransom said. “I think most of the time (the students) are scared of the results, but not knowing is not going to be good for anyone.” Also on Thursday, members will host a financial literacy seminar at 7:30 p.m. in Room 221 of the University Center. Clarence Vaughn of SunTrust Bank will speak to students on raising knowledge of their finances. The fraternity will also host events beyond those concerned with social issues in the community. On Monday, the fraternity will host a cookout in front of the BCC from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., as well as a ‘90s Trivia Game Show in the UC Shiloh Room at 7 p.m. On Wednesday, members will host a Women’s Appreciation Dinner, catered by Aramark, in the UC Executive Dining Room at 8 p.m. Fraternity members will honor the efforts of various female faculty, staff and graduate and undergraduate students. Reggie Jenkins, executive director of UUNIK Academy and motivational speaker, will also give a speech during the event. “We definitely honor everyone, but today’s just a special day to honor women,” Summers said. See PHI BETA SIGMA on Page 3

Whitney Carter • The Daily Beacon

Annie Fullard, Mari Soto, Kirsten Docter, all on violin, and Merry Peckham, on the cello, perform in the Cavani String Quartet in the Alumni Memorial Building on Friday, March 16.

UTPD urges students to protect belongings from theft Lauren Kittrell Staff Writer The UT Police Department is hosting Operation ID in Presidential Courtyard Monday afaternoon in an effort to aid in theft prevention and recovery. The UTPD will be engraving and registering students’ property free of charge between 4 and 5:30 p.m. Operation Identification is a free theft prevention program offered to university students by UTPD. The program makes it possible for the department to hold records of students’ personal property serial numbers and a detailed description of the item. The program also makes it possible for UTPD to apply registration stickers or engrave property. Lt. Emily Simerly said the goal of the event is to increase awareness about theft prevention. As the No. 1 reported crime on UT’s campus, Simerly believes it is important for students to secure their property. “Placing a registration decal on your item or having your item engraved may reduce the chance of the item being stolen,” Simerly said. “If the item is stolen, having your item registered could increase the likelihood of recovery.” Simerly said the registration on Monday will include UTPD recording the serial number and other identifiers for students’ property. As many students fail to have the information necessary for property recovery, the process of registration and engraving will help students find the information and use it in the event of a theft. “If your item is stolen we can provide this information to the victim,” Simerly said. “Many times individuals do not keep up with serial number or other necessary information people may need if their item is stolen.” Simerly also said that thefts have increased on campus recently. While they have had several success stories in the recovery process (through Operation ID), many students have yet to participate in the program, which is concerning to UTPD. “This event is one way we highlight theft issues,” Simerly said.

“Anything we can do to encourage our campus community to think about theft prevention is positive step.” Jacob Smith, junior in logistics, is always aware of the possibility of property theft. His faith in Operation ID is unwavering. “As a student I live in constant fear of having my personal possessions stolen,” Smith said. “Many times at the library I have had to use the bathroom significantly faster than I would like to, simply because I’m afraid of people running off with my new Kelty backpack or Nalgene bottle. This, of course, is stressful and unhealthy for me. Were these items engraved obviously no one would even consider taking them.” In light of this, Simerly strongly encourages students to hold on to their property and never leave it unattended. Ashley Hodgson, sophomore in English, said that while she has never had an issue with theft and she will not be able to attend the event tomorrow, she isn’t concerned about theft because she follows Simerly’s advice and never leaves her valuables unattended. “I don’t have time to attend the property safety event,” Hodgson said, “but I always keep my backpack with me, so it hasn’t been an issue.” Along with that, Simerly added that it is not safe to trust strangers to oversee your property. “Several victims or cases reported in Hodges are due to students asking a stranger to watch their property for a minute and the property missing when the victim returned,” Simerly said. “The victims typically stated that the person they left to safeguard their property looked like a trusted student. However, thieves can ‘look’ like trusted individuals.” While the event on Monday is a great opportunity for students to take advantage of, there are other ways to register your property. If for any reason a student, like Hodgson, is unable to attend Operation ID, he or she can schedule an appointment with UTPD by calling (865) 974-3114. UTPD also hosts Operation ID in Hodges Library every Monday from noon to 2 p.m.

The Daily Beacon staff would like to extend our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Kevin Davis, who was killed in a moped accident in Cancun over Spring Break. Our thoughts are also with Audry Gayle McInturff, UT freshman, who was severely injured.


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