04082020

Volume 138, Issue 27 Wednesday, April 8, 2020 utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

SGA debates held over Zoom, foster discussion of leadership and representation GABRIELA SZYMANOWSKA Editor-in-Chief CAROLINE JORDAN Managing Editor ALEXANDRA DEMARCO Campus News Editor

The 2020 Student Government Association election season kicked off with the candidate debate on Thursday evening, April 2. Unlike previous debates, this year’s debate occurred over Zoom because of the coronavirus pandemic. Candidates for student body president, vice president, student services director and executive treasurer debated in the two-hour long event.

Representatives from three campaigns — Change, Promise and We Hear You UT — tuned in from their homes and debated for each of the four positions in four rounds of 30 minute debates.

The debate wasn’t open to the general public because of concerns about the Zoom system becoming overloaded, but a recording of the event was posted the following day and can be viewed here.

Although there were a few technical difficulties amid muted microphones and lagging video times, overall, the debate proceeded smoothly.

Student Body President The debate’s first round occurred between candidates for student body president: from Change, junior studying English Karmen Jones, from Promise, sophomore studying political science Walker Hoover and from We Hear You UT, junior studying anthropology Nikki Hernandez.

Questions for the debate were fielded from Election Commissioner Nicole Painter. She inquired about many subjects including the candidates’ style of management, plans for student engagement and ability to coordinate with state legislature.

Each candidate was allotted a one minute rebuttal during the questioning period that followed.

In her opening statement, Jones explained her campaign’s emphasis on bringing about positive change on campus.

“The Change campaign is committed to three important pillars. The first one is compassion, the second one is collaboration and the third one is community. I count it as a privilege to be constantly involved with administration and being invited into those spaces, but I do recognize that not all Volunteers have been invited into those conversations. That’s why it is the goal of the Change campaign, and mine, to make sure that we bring complete student representation to the highest level of the university’s priorities,” Jones said.

Next was Hoover who emphasized student engagement as one of his campaign’s most important goals for their administration. He explained that as a Resident Assistant and member of Sigma Nu fraternity, he has experience with students approaching him and explaining that they don’t understand what SGA is and hopes to changes this.

“Through these leadership positions I’ve found that many students come to me looking for advice, looking for answers. ... They would often come to talk to me about financial insecurity, social insecurity, academic insecurity and food insecurity. They would often bring questions to me that I didn’t have the answer to. But, as a student who is ready to be your next student body president, I promise that I will always give students the resources they need to prosper,” Hoover said.

Additionally, Hernandez focused on explaining that her campaign is aiming to represent each and every UT student. As a first generation college student, Hernandez is passionate about ensuring that every student, including those who may have been underrepresented in the past, has a voice on campus and in SGA. ”It’s just by showing that no matter how small their position is in SGA or how big their position is in SGA that they have a voice and they can be heard here in this organization.

And that’s why we’re called We Hear You UT

because every student should be valued and every student is important,“ Hernandez said.

In response to a question about how candidates would correspond with state legislators, Jones explained that her experience in working with government has prepared her for the task.

“I actually paged for the House of Representatives, and I work with the Shelby County government every summer interning so I understand the culture across Tennessee. A lot of people serving in Nashville are alumni of UT, and we can draw that connection and make more connections through making sure we continue those relationships,” Jones said.

Student Body Vice President Next, candidates for student body vice president debated during the event’s second round.

The candidates included, from Change, junior studying aerospace engineering Raj Patel, from Promise, sophomore studying political science Carly Broady and from We Hear You UT, junior studying American studies Sophia Rhoades.

The debate ensued in the same format as that of the presidential candidates.

Because the vice president is charged with residing over the senate, much of this section’s debate consisted of inquiries about what type of changes would be made in SGA’s senate and First-Year Council.

While discussing how eight at-large seats in the senate body should be allocated, Broady expressed her interest in adding representation from Greek life to the senate and maintaining a seat for a veteran, while Rhoades and Patel discussed adding representatives from Multicultural Student Life, Women’s Coordinating Council and the LGBTQ+ community.

“It’s truly critical that we are ensuring that those eights seats are diverse and are representing underrepresented groups on campus,” Rhoades said.

Patel, who stated that he comes from a diverse background, feels equipped to represent

the diverse senatorial body consisting of 60 students.

Rhoades added that as vice president, she would like to aid senators in writing bills and seeing through with legislation that they have passed.

“Legislation shouldn’t just be something that passes and then we don’t see anything come from it,” Rhoades said. “I would love to see mental health education at student orientation. That is the bill that I wrote a year ago.

I question why nothing has been done with it yet.”

In terms of re-organizing First-Year Council, Patel and Broady echoed their wishes about forming FYC into a group that prepares students for leadership.

“Students can take the skills that they learned in first year council forward to be successful not only in senate or student services, but whatever organization they desire, even if it is one that’s not involved in SGA,” Broady said. “I think this has the added benefit of increasing connections to SGA with organizations outside the student government, with the main added goal of making an SGA that is reflective and representative of all students on Rocky Top.” As a sophomore, Broady is younger than both Rhoades and Patel. However, she explained that this situation will work to SGA’s advantage if she is elected as student body vice president.

“Second semester, I’m not worried about graduation. I’m not worried about where I’m going to get a job or my plans. I am in it, and I’m here, and you know where to find me, and I think that that’s really important in a vice president, is knowing that they’re accessible,” Broady said.

In her closing statement, Broady challenged her fellow students to hold her accountable for the promises she made during the debate.

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 8, 2020

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Promise campaign running on platform to ‘protect students, serve students, engage students’ CAROLINE JORDAN Managing Editor

Of the three campaigns with sights set on taking executive office in SGA in 2020, the Promise campaign consists of two sophomores -- an unlikely characteristic which they view as an advantage.

Walker Hoover, sophomore majoring in political science, and Carly Broady, sophomore in the College Scholars program are running for the positions of president and vice president, respectively.

“Both Carly and I are very involved in SGA now, and we’ve just seen a constant disconnect between organizations and SGA. The potential for a relationship is there, but we don’t think that the current SGA has really connected them as well as they could have.

The disconnect between the Senate now and the current administration is just not getting SGA’s name out there like they should, so that’s really what pushed us to run.”

In addition to Hoover and Broady, Christopher Barnes is a junior studying political science and philosophy and is running to be the student services director with the Promise campaign.

Having him on their team has instilled their mission to involve all students in SGA and break down the barriers of entry, making SGA for the people and of the people.

“I want to be a voice for the people who don’t really understand SGA and try to show them that you don’t always have to be in SGA to be a part of SGA,” Barnes said.

One of the main goals the campaign has is to reinvent the role of senators in SGA to be more of an interactive and engaging role — which builds on one of their campaign platforms of engaging students.

“I want to help shape the role of senators to be more on an advocacy side as well as the legislative representation side, and they need to be responsible for encouraging communication from the constituencies they represent so really going back out and building those relationships from the ground up with individuals, with student organizations, with administrators and creating a more cohesive unit within all of SGA,” Broady said.

Hoover describes the mission of the Promise campaign in two ways: holding SGA accountable and being an accurate representation of the students on campus. He also noted the fleeting nature of spring SGA campaign season as Broady points to their youth as a key advantage.

“Walker and I being sophomores comes with a lot more pros than cons. Everything

that we’re saying right now and all the goals we want to achieve right now, a year from now, you’ll know exactly where to find us because we’re still going to be on campus, and we’re still going to be around for a whole ‘nother year,” Broady said.

Along with youth, Broady noted the freshness their campaign has with people who might be new to SGA but come with their communities in mind first.

“We think that attitude is really important, having people that are so passionate about these other opportunities on campus that make their experience at UT so much more rich, adding to SGA,” Broady said.

In the SGA Debate on April 2 discussion surrounded the topic of the relationship between the administration and student organizations. To remedy that disconnect, Hoover cited a platform Promise is running on is to establish SGA News — a video series or newsletter to get SGA updates distributed to student organizations on campus.

“We think there’s a lot of potential for good things in SGA, and we’re really excited about them, but those also need to be broadcasted to the students because it would make them feel more engaged, it would make the organizations also feel more engaged,” Hoover said.

Admitting the taboo nature of the campaign name Promise, as many students feel that promises are broken in campaign season, Broady described their campaign as threefold: to protect students, to serve students and to engage students.

As a current senator, she noted that her exposure to policy this year has given her breadth to understand the legislative process in senate, and where it is currently broken.

One issue Promise hopes to tackle is rewriting the UT alcohol policy to change Rocky Top from a dry to wet campus.

“When it comes to protecting students, one thing that we really want to do is work on the alcohol policy. We’re one of two SEC schools that is not wet. In practice we are kind of damp, so we just want the policy that we have to reflect the actions that are being taken on campus,” Broady said.

Along with updating the alcohol policy, Promise also wants to expand the current individual amnesty policy to protect groups of three or more, and organizations.

As it stands, the UT amnesty policy protects a student who calls emergency services if the person they are with needs medical attention. That policy does not protect students

in groups larger than two or official student organizations, posing a difficult decision for students: help a Vol in need or risk the status of their organization on campus.

“Organization amnesty is at the forefront of our agenda. … The way it’s written now, we see it as a student health concern that people have to juggle this kind of decision. Right now since the University has the individual policy we think it would only make sense to branch it out to the groups and organizations,” Hoover said.

As a current at-large senator, Broady is eager to use her experience to redesign the role of senators, which falls under the “serving students” platform of their campaign.

“I want to help reassess the constituency hours and make the senators more of a liaison to bring back to their organizations and the organization within their constituencies, about what we’re doing in SGA,” Broady said.

“Sometimes SGA feels really untouchable and so by re-shifting the role of senators, it helps us to better serve the students which we are so passionate about.”

Hoover added that relying on students to approach their senators, often in colleges, about their concerns is naive. By going out and engaging with students, “... We can have them truly represented at the table when we talk to these administrators,” Hoover said.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and suspension of all in-person contact until at least the end of summer, all SGA campaigns are, too, taking place online and even on Zoom.

While online campaigning is not ideal for any campaign, Broady, Hoover and Barnes each cited their adaptation to the new normal. Despite all three candidates now living in different time zones, their team is still dedicated to serving students and running a successful campaign thanks to modern technology.

“We’re really adapting and recognizing that we’re not alone in this experience, and as crazy as it is for us to try to pivot and figure out how to do a campaign completely online, every student is going through a really hard time right now and SGA may not be at the forefront of their minds, and we understand that,” Broady said.

Hoover added, “I’d argue that students need leadership. This is probably the most pertinent time that students need leadership, and they still need to elect who will represent them next year.”

Photos courtsey of Promise

CAMPUS NEWS CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 “I have the experience, I have the passion and I have the clear vision needed to implement our polices. You have the power — the power to vote, the power to hold me accountable for the the things that I have said tonight, but most importantly the power to put your faith in someone who is ready to dedicate herself to putting SGA to work,” Broady said.

Executive Treasurer Next, two candidates debated for the position of executive treasurer: junior studying industrial engineering Cody Ramangkoun from Change and junior studying mechanical engineering Molly Mays from We Hear You UT. Painter asked the candidates a question about the position itself, which has recently been changed from an appointed to an elected position.

Ramangkoun explained that he thinks this was a positive change, particularly because it puts decision-making back in the hands of the student body.

“I think by changing it from appointed to elected it does add a level of accountability with SGA as a whole, and it can hopefully bring back student voices to the realm of student programming. It also adds an additional layer of trust between the students as well as the administration,” Ramangkoun said.

Mays echoed similar sentiments.

“Having this as an elected position creates a lot more legitimacy to the student government, and not that we’re not already legitimate, but I believe that with having someone

Wednesday, April 8, 2020 • The Daily Beacon that’s elected by the student body we are giving the responsibility back to the students and giving that responsibility especially to one student who is elected to that position,” Mays said.

As was discussed in other moments in the debate, Painter asked the candidates a question about student programming funding. Ramangkoun expressed his idea for a fund that would be accessible to organizations across campus.

“One issue that we do have in mind is creating a student campus-wide fundraiser ... doing one that’s campus-wide and allocating that money into a certain pot to pool money for certain students and things in general can definitely alleviate some of that financial insecurity when it comes to student programming and student organizations,” Ramangkoun said.

Student Services Director Finally, from Change, junior studying political science Emma Kate Hall, from Promise, junior studying political science Chris Barnes and from We Hear You UT, junior studying modern foreign languages Gustavo Morrice debated for the position of Student Services Director discussing topics like committees, retention and how each candidate reacts under stress.

Each focused on a different committee they would change or add to the Student Services branch of SGA. Barnes focused on honing students’ professional development with a committee that would work closely with the Center for Career Development and fraternities.

“Personally I would like to create a professional developmental committee, so I would

like to do that to ensure the readiness of UT students when they start preparing for the real world outside of college,” Barnes said.

New to the SGA election campaign process, Morrice stayed in line with We Hear You UT’s platform of focusing on health and wellness by creating a health and wellness committee, as he highlighted the Student Health Center needs an additional 10 counselors to support students on campus. He also said he’d add an internal affairs committee to help students feel more included in SGA and help with retention rates. “... One of the things that our campaign really wants to do when it comes to health and wellness is making sure that the students have the resources that they need in the Student Health Center,” Morrice said.

Hall also focused on both changing the current environment and sustainability committee while bridging the gap between serving students on campus and serving students in Knoxville. “... What I would want to do is just ensure that while they’re already doing incredible programs like the home and holiday market and sustainability day and things like that,” Hall said. “Just ensuring that as Student Services Director I could help advocate for as many opportunities as possible for that committee to engage with conversation with administrators regarding environmental policy across campus.”

In response to a question about the candidates’ ability to handle high stress situations, Hall shared an anecdote where she did just that when a third party company pulled out of an event she was organizing just 30 minutes be-

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fore the event was scheduled to take place.

“So I think number one, you have to be willing to call an audible and willing to change and know that sometimes you can plan to the best of your ability and that’s what you should do,” Hall said. “But you should be ready to do what you need to do to serve the students in the best way that you can.”

When asked about how they plan to encourage all SGA branches to work together, all three candidates emphasized collaboration.

“I think that this is something we need partnership for. What I mean by partnership is the student services branch working with the senate branch and making sure that everything that we do is in tandem,” Morrice said.

In his closing statement, Barnes discussed his idea of the SSD’s responsibilities and explained that he believes he would be the best person to fill the role.

“The goal is to take a holistic view of the student experience at UT and provide service to continually improve that experience,” Barnes said. “It is our responsibility and a privilege to plan and carry out the events that bring awareness to issues facing campus. Filling someone in this position requires someone with a positive attitude, optimism, a good worth ethic and other necessary skills to communicate the things that need to be done in a respective and timely manner.”

With that, the 2020 SGA debates concluded.

SGA elections will be held from April 15 to 17, online. More information about specific voting procedures will be released close to the election. All three campaigns can be found on Instagram: @wehearyou_ut, @votepromise2020 and @changeutk.

SGA campaign Change proudly exhibits diversity, looks to a positive future ALEXANDRA DEMARCO Campus News Editor

Compassion. Collaboration. Community. These three words not only form an alliteration but also represent the three pillars that the 2020 Student Government Association campaign Change has been founded upon.

The campaign consists of junior studying English rhetoric and Africana studies Karmen Jones for student body president, junior studying aerospace engineering Raj Patel for student body vice president, junior studying industrial engineering Cody Ramangkoun for executive treasurer, junior studying political science Emma Kate Hall for student services director and dozens of senatorial candidates.

The students running for positions on Change have one goal in mind that their name perfectly explains: change. The group is hoping for change in a number of areas, including within and outside

of SGA. For example, they hope to add a general body branch to SGA, allowing more members and more students to be apart of the organization. This will further their aim to increase dialogue between fellow students, their peers and administration by allowing more students to be apart of the governmental organization.

Jones explained that the campaign highly values student opinions and hopes to foster an environment of inclusive dialogue while also sharing students’ thoughts with administration.

“I think our purpose is to amplify student voices,” Jones said. “I want to make sure that everyone is heard.

We don’t want to just give people a seat at the table. We want to make sure that they’re actively participating and being listened to while they’re at those tables.”

Adding the extra branch will also make SGA accessible to every student, another one of the campaign’s priorities.

Hall explained the sense of community she found within SGA and her hope that increasing accessibility to the organization will allow other students to have the same experience.

“I’m from a small town right outside of Nashville and so community has always been really important, and SGA was the first thing that helped me find that community here and why I’m passionate about continuing to be in the organization and making it reach as much of its potential as I think that I can,” Hall said.

Furthermore, the students hope to implement a Zero Tolerance policy, coupled with educational reform, in response to hate speech.

As a previous member of the Student Code of Conduct Revision Board, Jones has seen firsthand the way that disciplinary polices are implemented. Additionally, the team has researched the manner in which these policies have been implemented at other universities.

Change created this potential initiative because of the hate speech that has reached campus in recent years, which has included vandalism at the Pride Center, an incident of black face and anti-semitic slurs written on the Rock.

Hall explained that the Zero Tolerance and educational reform policy will accurately discipline those involved with any potential hateful acts while also educating them about their actions and why they are dealt with so seriously.

“It’s not that we’re gonna expel you and leave you out to dry.

That is an opportunity for education and to understand why that speech isn’t okay, and why that isn’t accepted, and why that’s not a part of the Volunteer community and the Volunteer spirit,” Hall said.

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 8, 2020

STORY CONTINUED FROM PG. 3 These policies have been implemented at other universities.

Change created this potential initiative because of the hate speech that has reached campus in recent years, which has included vandalism at the Pride Center, an incident of black face and antisemitic slurs written on the Rock.

Hall explained that the Zero Tolerance and educational reform policy will accurately discipline those involved with any potential hateful acts while also educating them about their actions and why they are dealt with so seriously.

“It’s not that we’re gonna expel you and leave you out to dry. That is an opportunity for education and to understand why that speech isn’t okay, and why that isn’t accepted, and why that’s not a part of the Volunteer community and the Volunteer spirit,” Hall said.

Furthermore, the campaign hopes to implement better security for both Fraternity Park and Sorority Village. For fraternities, in particular, this is in an attempt to ensure that fraternities are not held responsible in the instance that outsiders bring alcohol onto the fraternity houses’ premises.

Because UT is a dry campus aside from alco-

hol sold at sporting events, on-campus fraternity houses are not permitted to have alcohol in their residences. However, this can be difficult to enforce among those who are not in the fraternity, particularly during game day tailgates when strangers and brothers alike walk all over fraternity park.

Extra security will allow the fraternities to monitor who is entering their homes and what they are bringing with them.

“They’re worried about getting in trouble because someone who they don’t know might have brought alcohol into their house or something like that, and they’ve tried to enforce the rules but something out of their control got them in trouble, so just making sure that doesn’t happen,” Patel said.

Change is also considering working toward changing UT’s alcohol policy.

Next, Change hopes to standardize the grading policy and require the use of Canvas across all colleges at UT in order to reduce confusion for students.

“There’s a lot of variation across colleges with grading; some professors go A B C D, and you miss out on those interim grades that can really affect your GPA and hurt it because on our transcripts, it doesn’t really show that a professor does this one; it just says this is the university policy but not all

professors follow that,” Patel said.

This election season has also brought forth several unwarranted changes. For one, the executive treasurer position was appointed, rather than elected, prior to this year. Ramangkoun explained that although this change brings about slight shifts in the position’s role, if elected he will be sure to prioritize students’ needs over everything.

“With this new position being elected, it opens up various avenues on what I can and can’t do, but for my own purpose and my own sake, I’m more geared and dedicated to hearing student voices, making sure that their finances are going toward their student needs and what they want to do,” Ramangkoun said.

And, of course, an even more drastic change in the election season is the fact that SGA elections are completely online due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Although all three SGA campaigns are finding ways to promote their messages online, Hall explained that right now, it is more important to acknowledge students’ current struggles and sympathize with them.

“We have to ... recognize that students are facing more hardships right now across the board ... than any other given time in recent memory, so being really willing to meet students where they are and not try to dance around the point of that

we know that this is hard, and it’s a lot to ask of students to pay attention, to take stock in [the elections], and so the most that we can do is try to make change right now and to give to you all that we can,” Hall said.

Ultimately, Jones emphasized that Change stands out from other campaigns because of its diversity in terms of identity and experience. She explained the challenges associated with toting such a diverse ticket.

“It definitely takes more work because you have three-fourths people of color on this ticket, and you have two women running and usually that is not the formula on how a winning SGA ticket looks like. and we’re fighting stereotypes and a quota on what does that winning SGA ticket look like,” Jones said.

If elected, Jones will be the first black woman to serve as UT’s student body president.

Jones stated that despite past stereotypes, she is determined that a diverse campaign can be a winning one as well.

“We’ve taken a lot of risks because we know that this is what our university needs, and across the nation I think we’ve seen — even at Harvard, at Vanderbilt — diverse tickets can win, and people don’t think that they can but we are completely capable to do that,” Jones said. “We’re qualified, and we’re capable to do that.”

We Hear You UT is here to listen to students, focuses platform on mental health, financial security and transparency GABRIELA SZYMANOWSKA Editor-in-Chief

Running on a platform focused on listening to students, We Hear You UT is aiming to address issues of mental health, financial insecurity and transparency.

Drawing from their diverse experiences in both Student Government Association and other campus groups, Nikki Hernandez, Sophia Rhoades, Gustavo Morrice and Molly Mays are focused on really listening to UT students’ concerns as they make a bid for the exec positions of SGA. Hernandez, a junior studying anthropology and a first generation, low income college student, is running for the position of student body president with the hopes of seeing more out of SGA. Hernandez has been with SGA the last three years, serving on multiple councils and committees including First Year Council, the Diversity committee and Government Affairs.

Hernandez pushed for all kinds of different legislation especially aimed at helping students from lower income families have financial security including releasing in advance which textbooks students will need for the se-

mester to help with planning financially.

“Mainly I just love working with students. I love making sure that I can be there to represent students and advocate for what students need on this campus,” Hernandez said. “It’s something that I’ve found a huge passion for, and that’s why I want to go and help people when I’m older, well outside of college.”

Running alongside Hernandez for the candidacy of vice president is Rhoades, a junior majoring in American studies and minoring in psychology and political science.

Rhoades has also been involved in SGA as a senator the past two years.

Rhoades knew when she was elected that she wanted to take action through writing legislation. Along the way, she discovered she was passionate about mental health after working with the Counseling Center, even writing a bill about mental health education at orientation.

“It doesn’t need to be one time that we’re talking about it, like once every few months,” Rhoades said about mental health legislation.

“It needs to be a constant conversation so that students know that there are resources out there that they can get help and that there’s always going to be people there talking about it.”

Morrice, junior majoring in Hispanic studies and minoring in both chemistry and biology, is running to be the Student Services Director. Unlike Hernandez and Rhoades who have both been in SGA, Morrice has not served within SGA, but brings in his experience from other organizations.

In 2018, Morrice was an orientation leader, the last two years he was a Resident Assistant in Reese Hall, a student ambassador and has co-chaired the UTK Relay for Life team since January 2019.

“When it comes to me as just a person, I am just high energy, I’m a really talkative person,” Morrice said. “And I just want to make an impact in a way that actually does something.”

Rounding up the exec for We Hear You UT is Mays, a junior in mechanical engineering, running for the position of executive treasurer. Mays has been involved with Relay for Life since her freshman year and is currently the head of finance for the group. Mays is also very involved in her sorority Kappa Delta and has been an engineering senator for the past two years.

“I’m super into my feelings too and other peoples’ feelings and making sure that other people feel heard and feel that their emotions

are valid because I think it is extremely important,” Mays said. “One of the reasons that I (am) running would be I want more transparency from SGA. That’s why I want to be heard. … I want more transparency, I want more clarity, and I think we are all pretty much coming from that place.”

We Hear You UT is a campaign heavily tied to inclusivity, focusing on really understanding issues that students have concerns with and helping students feel welcomed within SGA. “What I’ve heard the last few years is that SGA doesn’t listen to us. SGA doesn’t doesn’t hear us, and I don’t feel that I am represented

by SGA,” Hernandez said. “Whenever I made this decision, I made this decision because I kind of hit a wall with my legislation writing that I really done all that I can…

I really need a greater platform to advocate for financial security, and for inclusion.”

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CAMPUS NEWS STORY CONTINUED FROM PG. 4 I really need a greater platform to advocate for financial security, and for inclusion.”

Hernandez said that by running for student body president she would be able to really sit down with administration to talk about inclusion and how it’s not just about meeting a quota at the end of the day.

The group has focused on pulling together students from all walks of life including from different organizations and areas of campus to complete their ballot — students who like Morrice have previously not been a part of SGA but want to make a difference on UT’s campus.

Some issues that We Hear You UT hopes to address while in office include mental health, more counselors at the Counseling Center, greater transparency within SGA, more support for financially insecure students and a greater sense of inclusivity.

“I am really passionate about mental health, like I mentioned, and so running for this would give me a greater voice in those

Wednesday, April 8, 2020 • The Daily Beacon conversations to advocate for students in regards to mental health, I think I’ve written every piece of legislation I think I can on mental health on campus,” Rhoades said.

Currently, Rhoades explained that a university the size of UT is recommended to have anywhere between 18 to 20 counselors, while UT’s Counseling Center only has 11 counselors.

Rhoades also hopes to get more legislation passed if she were to be elected vice president of the student body, who oversees Senate processions, by getting more senators involved in the writing process instead of the same few senators.

The group also hopes to use some of SGA’s budget to help students who may be struggling financially, like giving out free blue and green books for students and buying calculators for students to rent out.

As far as Student Services, Morrice is focused on expanding knowledge about the branch of SGA which he currently feels is underrepresented.

“Seeing how I’ve been able to do programming in the past, and I’ve been really, really

successful with it, I really do think I can bring that into SGA, at least into the Student Services branch,” Morrice said. “And be able to continue that and make it a better program … they just need a way to promote their programs and get more people involved. And I do think I have the energy, the charisma and the vibe to be able to do it.”

The We Hear You UT campaign also wants policies to be from students’ opinions and concerns. Mays explained that although everyone has different backgrounds, all voices on UT’s campus should be heard.

“We also just want people to know how we’re promoting on social media too, is that we also are students and we also want to be heard,” Mays said. “So we want to be heard just as much as we want you heard. … It’s not a hierarchy, like we’re all equal. We’re literally all pretty much undergrad students. Yeah we all come from different backgrounds, but at the same time like all of our voices deserve to be heard.”

And while this year’s election cycle is different than usual because of the coronavirus pandemic, We Hear You UT wants students to

Kara Wegner, Contributor

Postgraduate programs adjust to online learning ABDULLAH SALIM Contributor

Over the past three weeks, the UTK learning community has been undergoing a transition to an e-learning system where instruction is delivered and coursework is completed fully online in order to mitigate the spread and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This online transition has impacted every segment of UT’s student population, including graduate students, who have not only had to adjust to the change in the way that instruction is delivered, but have also had to deal with uncertainty and challenges relating to their on-going research projects, teaching responsibilities and other academic activities.

Recognizing these difficult times, gradu-

ate programs have been working tirelessly to make the transition as smooth as possible for their graduate students while also maintaining the same standard of excellence in delivering education.

Claudia Kirk, the associate dean of academics at the College of Veterinary Medicine, explained what the experience has been like for vet students.

“Most clinical courses transitioned to online over the [spring] break,” Kirk said. “Our veterinary students are expected to be available for their courses at the scheduled times, unless specifically instructed otherwise by a course instructor. It is critical that our students adhere to the honor code and complete their own work unless collaboration is specifically allowed. We also remind our students to follow instructions for social distancing and following local and state orders.”

Kirk also explained that close communication on the part of the graduate programs’ leadership is essential for the transition to continue to be a success.

“It is critical that everyone read emails each day,” Kirk said. “I have an open zoom and ‘fireside chats’ each day at 5 p.m. to see how things are going and answer questions.”

Over at the College of Law, Melanie D. Wilson, dean and Lindsay Young Distinguished Professor of Law, explained that the college has sought to provide its law students with resources and help during this transition.

“Every faculty member, full-time and adjunct, successfully moved their courses online with only two weeks advance notice,” Wilson said. “Our IT and library staff and faculty worked tirelessly alongside classroom teachers to ensure that student learning did not suffer in the transition.”

5

know that they are there for them, and that they hope everyone stays safe.

“We’re sad that COVID-19 had to happen and that elections aren’t going to be in person because some of the things we looked forward to the most was talking to students face-to-face ... because at the end of the day it’s hard to do that online,” Hernandez added. “It’s insane to assume that the UTK student body all have Instagram that we can reach them on, because they don’t.”

“I hope that students are able to learn more about our platform. In any way that we can, we are trying to be as accessible as we can to students to show students that we’re here for them and they can DM us, they can text me if they want to,” Hernandez added.

“Any student can reach us if they really want to and that we’re here for them.”

We Hear You UT is running their campaign this year on their various social media platforms including on Instagram at wehearyou_ut, Twitter @WeHearYou_UT and Facebook at WeHearYouUT.

Additionally, Wilson noted that the Legal Clinic has recently joined forces in a partnership with Free Legal Answers, an online platform that offers pro bono services to clients facing difficult circumstances, allowing law students to continue serving their community and continue being professionally engaged scholars.

In graduate programs where students may be responsible for teaching a discussion section, a lab course or a whole course, program directors have sought to alleviate the pressure on these graduate students by providing them with improvised lecture plans and supplemental resources to aid them in the transition to online teaching and to keep their classes engaging and challenging for undergraduate students.

Likewise, many graduate students, in STEM related fields especially, are also facing disruptions with their ongoing research projects and activities.

To deal with this, faculty and staff have been prioritizing working from home when appropriate on many of these projects in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UT’s guidance and recommendations. For many of these graduate students, this has meant working on papers, completing data entry and analysis and conducting lab meetings and collaborations via Zoom.

While these disruptions are certainly challenging and inconvenient, graduate programs are seeking to provide their students with the help and resources needed to continue being productive and engaged scholars. Graduate students, for their part, are answering the call to action by remaining engaged and productive, and in the process, defining what it means to be a Vol.

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 8, 2020

CITY NEWS // CLIMATE CHANGE AND CRISIS

‘Cleaned up in the most expensive possible way’: Impacts of coronavirus on environment, economics GABRIELA SZYMANOWSKA Editor-in-Chief

Across the globe, the coronavirus pandemic has affected millions of lives. Countries have restricted travel, cities are ordering citizens to stay at home and despite all the disarray, the Earth appears to be clearing up from pollution.

In Venice, the water in the famous canals cleared as sediments settled on the bottom. In both China and across Europe, air pollution has been greatly reduced. Even in larger U.S cities like Chicago and New York, where residents are under strict stay-at-home orders, there is a reduction in emissions, decreasing smog.

Wild animals are roaming streets in certain countries like Japan, and overall, the atmosphere is clearing up from certain pollutants in the air.

Maps displaying the satellite monitoring of air pollution by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) from Jan. 1, 2020 to Feb. 25, 2020 show a significant reduction in nitrogen dioxide over China. Recently, new images from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite also show a reduction in nitrogen dioxide in Europe.

In a news release from the ESA, atmospheric scientist for the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, Henk Eskes, explained why satellite images from March 14 to March 25 were used to compare to the monthly averages of nitrogen dioxide concentrations in 2019.

“The nitrogen dioxide concentrations vary from day to day due to changes in the weather.

Conclusions cannot be drawn based on just one day of data alone,” Eskes is quoted saying in the release. “By combining data for a specific period of time, 10 days in this case, the meteorological variability partly averages out and we begin to see the impact of changes due to human activity.”

As life slowly begins to return to normal — with Wuhan reopening and China beginning to

try to move past coronavirus — will the respite from emissions and other pollutants have any real impact?

According to Joshua Fu, professor in the John D. Tickle Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, it is only a short term improvement, especially when economic activity starts up again.

Fu explained that the pollutants in the fossil fuels that are burned and then released take decades to leave the atmosphere.

“The climate is a long-term change, not short term change. … Climate is a longer term like 30 years or decades to make enough changes,” Fu said. “So with carbon dioxide, why it causes global warming is because carbon dioxide is increasing every year. So if you reduce only a couple months, you won’t help with global warming.”

“But, if we keep reducing all the emissions from carbon dioxide … nitrogen and fluoride in the ozone, longer term reductions will help,” Fu added. “But in only three months, you want to change the climate, it’s impossible.”

Associate professor of economics and Director of the Energy and Environmental Policy Program at the Howard H. Baker Center Charles Sims highlighted how pollutants have been cleared up in the most expensive way possible -- by basically shutting down the economy.

“Of course, we have other policies in place that we could use to achieve these reductions in water pollution and air pollution that would’ve done this in a much cheaper way. I think that’s one of the most important points to take home,” Sims said. “Yes we have seen a big decrease in environmental pollution which is great, but we’ve probably done it in the most expensive way that we could.”

The Environmental Protection Agency announced its own policy changes amidst the coronavirus pandemic. In a news release on March 26, the EPA suspended some of its enforcement policies applying to civil violations for an indefinite amount of time. This includes not penalizing companies who don’t comply

with routine monitoring and reporting obligations.

Sims explained it’s hard to know what the particular regulation change will mean for the environment. He said it’s one thing if the change is meant to give flexibility to firms who have less people onsite to monitor and another thing if the change just completely allows people to pollute undetected.

“But from my reading of this thing, it’s hard to know which one it is. So I think people do have a right to be concerned and worried,” Sims said.

“But I think over the short term, as long as these rules are rolled back once any of the social distancing and stay at home orders are removed, then I would imagine it would be a short term change. If you imagine the amount of pollution that we have this year versus last year, and you are basically relaxing an environmental regulation in a world where there’s not a lot of pollution anyway, then I would imagine that the effect of releasing that regulation is going to be fairly small.”

What is much more impactful for the global climate is how economies, industries and individuals react coming out of coronavirus lockdowns.

Fu said that emissions could be worse coming out of the quarantines around the globe because industries will be starting up again and trying to regain some economic footing. Industries will likely put their emissions into overdrive to make up for lost profits, which will hurt the environment long-term more than anything else. So even if there is a three month break in operations and high levels of emission, it won’t make much of a difference.

As far as what the government can do, Sims said that it’s the same thing scientists and economists have been saying for years — putting a price on carbon and subsidizing industries that make technology to clean up pollution.

“From an economist perspective, the thing you want to do is try to put some sort of dollar value on the impacts that these pollutants are having,” Sims said. “And so that dollar impact is going to be similar to what it was before the outbreak. I think the thing you try to do in in-

stances like this is figure out is there some sort of change in the economy that’s occurring at this outbreak that would potentially make it easier to adopt some of these technologies and move things forward.”

Those changes in the economy depend on many different factors, like how long the pandemic lasts and how long the stay-at-home orders are in place, making it hard to predict how the economy will react after the outbreak ends.

Sims said that the longer the quarantines go on, the more economic impact there will be and the more fundamental changes there will be to the economy.

Some fundamental changes could be a shift moving some manufacturing back to the U.S. after seeing the impact of the disruption of the supply chain by the pandemic. While this may boost the U.S. economy, it could also increase pollution closer to home.

But the potential positive side, Sims explained, is that if there are higher environmental regulations in the U.S. then there could be an overall change in global pollutants like carbon dioxide.

This change could be negative for the environment, as some of the industries who have not physically operated in the U.S. since the 1970s may come back, increasing emissions of ozone and particulate matter and worsening water quality.

However as some companies go out of business during this time, newer businesses may invest in and operate with greener technology. Consumers who value sustainability should look to invest and buy from those companies.

“I think as individuals the most important thing you could do is direct where your dollars are spent,” Sims said. “I think that the biggest shift that people have seen is that companies that are recognizing that people want to purchase goods that … have been produced in an environmentally sound way. So I think as consumers the thing you can do to reinforce that is making sure that the purchases you’re making have been produced in an environmentally sound way.”

Venice, Italy in May 2018. Sophia Liberatore / Daily Beacon

CITY NEWS

Wednesday, April 8, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

7

‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ Review: a masterclass in taking it easy

Courtesy of Nintendo

JAKE YODER City News Editor

“Animal Crossing” is a series that has been with me for years.

My first home video game console was a Nintendo GameCube. My parents got me the console before I even knew how to read — yes, I’m showing my age. One of the first games I received was the original “Animal Crossing.”

Since the game is so text heavy, my mom literally sat and read it to me as I ran around digging random holes, not really knowing what I was doing.

As I grew (and learned how to read), I picked up every new “Animal Crossing” game that became available. The series is truly something special to me and many others; hence why I was so excited when a new entry in the series was announced for Nintendo Switch.

While every other “Animal Crossing” game released up to this point has blown me away (not counting “Amiibo Festival,” of course), I was still skeptical about “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.” The last time that I was really into a core game in the series was back in 2012.

So much has changed in my life; would I still be able to enjoy a game where the only objective is the pay back your home loan?

It turns out that “New Horizons” was not only the game that I needed right now, but the game that the world needed.

“Animal Crossing: New Horizons” is pretty simple as far as video games go. You play as a human villager in a world full of adorable anthropomorphic animals. Tom Nook, tanuki owner of Nook Inc., has recently moved from the real estate market into deserted islands.

You, along with two random animal friends, agree to go to a deserted island with Nook and his apprentices, Timmy and Tommy, to try and turn the island into a bustling community.

The main gameplay in “New Horizons” comes from trying to pay loans back to Tom Nook. Nothing is free in the world of “Animal Crossing;” everything you build must be paid for in the game’s currency, bells. Luckily, these loans come with no deadline and no interest, so you can pay them back at your leisure — or, not at all, if you’re fine with the minimum.

How does one go about paying these loans back?

The most peaceful ways possible, of course.

The game is full of bugs, fish, fossils and other items that players can find and sell for bells.

This is probably what you’ll spend most of your time with the game doing and, luckily, it’s oddly enjoyable.

I’ve found myself spending hours upon hours simply fishing or hunting for bugs in “New Horizons.” Trying to find that new big catch is incredibly addicting, whether you’ll sell it for a cash payout or donate it to the game’s museum.

“Animal Crossing” is a game series that wants to keep its players for much longer than normal games. The series has always been based off a real time clock and the same is true for “New Horizons.”

There is only so much you can do in one day.

You can only pay off so many loans, buy so much from the shops and get so many fruits from trees in one day. After all, one doesn’t really ever ‘beat’ or ‘finish’ “Animal Crossing.” It kind of goes on forever.

While some might find this incredibly annoying, I love it. Having a game that you can play for an hour every day and then move on

is a breath of fresh air compared to massive, stressful experiences like “Person 5 Royal” or “Red Dead Redemption 2.” “Animal Crossing” is all about taking things easy and relaxing, so this fits the game’s theme perfectly.

Of course, if you’re impatient, you can “time travel” in the game by changing the date and time on your Nintendo Switch’s internal clock.

While this will let you go to different days and even seasons, I feel like this makes you miss out on the whole point of the series.

Also, with “New Horizons,” Nintendo is adding holidays such as “Bunny Day” (the series version of Easter) to the game over time with updates, so time travelers will completely miss out on them.

One of the biggest things drawing players to “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” is its multiplayer setting.

While players have always been able to visit other villages, “New Horizons” takes it to a whole different level. In a world where we have all been forced to stay inside and avoid others due to a pandemic, “New Horizons” is giving people a chance to see each other — even if it is only digitally.

While I’m not really into multiplayer video games, the few times that I have gone to my friend’s islands (online or locally) have been incredibly fun. I never ran into any issue such as lag, making this one of the best video games for virtual hangouts to date.

Another aspect of “Animal Crossing” that is incredibly popular is its customization.

In past titles, players have only been able to place furniture in their house. In “New Horizons,” the whole island is entirely customizable. Players can put furniture anywhere they want and, after a few weeks with the game, change the island’s entire landscape.

In the past, everything that you could obtain in the game had to be given to you or bought.

Now, however, the game features a crafting mechanic that allows players to build almost everything.

Gathering resources has become part of the new daily grind in “New Horizons.” While some might find this tedious, I found that this added a whole new level of personalization to my game. I didn’t just buy the stereo in my house, I built it.

This is without a doubt the most customizable game in the series, with almost everything being completely up to the player. Even clothing is completely customizable, with players online creating some clothing that is even better than the stuff Nintendo put in the game. All in all, if you want a game you can customize to your heart’s desire, “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” is the game for you.

All in all, “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” is even better than I could’ve expected. It improves on everything in the series and adds a whole slew of improvements. The game looks beautiful, with some of the cutest characters and interactions I’ve seen in video games, and provides a multiplayer experience that the world needs during this time of crisis.

With a seemingly unending slew of content in the game, “New Horizons” is the perfect thing to get your mind off the world. This is a game that I’ll be playing for years, and, even though I’m not completing big quests or slaying monsters, I really don’t mind.

5/5 Torches

8

SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 8, 2020

NCAA grants all spring sport athletes an extra year of eligibility MATTHEW SHAVER Staff Writer The NCAA Division I Council met on Monday afternoon and came to the decision that all spring sport athletes have an optional extra year of eligibility due to season cancellations.

One main concern for schools before the official announcement was made was how they would handle returning seniors on the 35 player roster limit for Division I baseball.

The NCAA announced that returning seniors would not count against the roster cap, which is great news for smaller schools that rely heavily on seniors.

“The Council’s decision gives individual schools the flexibility to make decisions at a campus level,” Council Chair M. Grace Calhoun, athletics director at Penn., said. “The Board of Governors encouraged conferences

and schools to take action in the best interest of student-athletes and their communities, and now schools have the opportunity to do that.”

The NCAA also announced that schools can adjust the financial aid for returning seniors to anything from no aid to the exact aid they received during the 2019-2020 school year — the cap is the matched amount.

We will likely see many players do what Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia did during the last two years of his collegiate career at Arizona State. He gave up his scholarship to younger players because he knew that he was going to be drafted high enough to pay off his college debt.

“It’s going to be expensive, but I think it’s worth it,” LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward said. “I think it’s worth our studentathletes having another opportunity if they want that.”

This decision will leave many Tennessee baseball players with a decision to make, as one of the top offenses in the country was led by players that are draft eligible this June for the 2020 MLB Draft. The draft, however, has been shortened to at minimum five rounds and at maximum 10 — the official number has yet to be determined. With a shortened draft, many players that will fall later in the draft will likely return for another year to improve their draft stock.

Junior outfielder Alerick Soularie quickly took to Twitter to voice his opinion on the matter.

The preseason All-American led the Vols in home runs this year with five long balls. After getting off to a slow start where he hit .100 through Tennessee’s first six games, Soularie heated up, hitting .350 over the Vols’ final 10 games in the shortened season. He racked up five homers, 14 RBI and scored 11 runs as a

part of the high powered Big Orange offense.

The Vols are a well mixed team when it comes to age. They had many key contributors that were freshmen and sophomores, but will also have numerous guys eligible to enter the draft. Those eligible include juniors Alerick Soularie, Zach Daniels, Redmond Walsh, Garrett Crochet and Jackson Leath among others.

No player has made an announcement on whether or not they will declare as of Monday — most will wait until early June to officially decide. The NCAA’s decision will give seniors on the fringe some leverage when it comes to draft stock, as they will have the option of returning to school instead of signing as a late round pick.

The Vols were looking at a return to the postseason in 2020, but will have to wait until the 2021 season for their chance at hosting a regional for the first time since their College World Series run in 2005.

Pruitt talks challenges surrounding coronavirus and football RYAN SCHUMPERT Sports Editor Tennessee head football coach Jeremy Pruitt talked with the local media Friday discussing his football program amidst the coronavirus. It’s a challenging time for all college football program’s as players are away from campus due to the global pandemic.

While many are focused on whether the 2020 season can begin on time and how football programs move forward during these trying times, Pruitt is more focused on the wellbeing of his players and the country.

“My first thoughts are with everybody in our country,” Pruitt said. “Football is a sport, it’s a great game that’s been really good to a lot of us and we love doing it. I know it’s tough on everybody, but there’s also bigger issues out there right now that are be addressed daily with our government and those in the medical field. Whenever that time comes for the season to start, we’ll be ready at Tennessee.”

As players are away from campus, having them put in adequate work without supervision becomes a challenge. It’s made even harder for Tennessee who is currently without a strength and conditioning after Craig Fitzgerald bolted for the New York Giants last month.

For Pruitt, the focus is on other things ahead of strength and conditioning in this unprecedented time.

“We’re doing very little,” Pruitt said. “The first priority or us is their health and wellness.

Not only for them, but them and their family.

The next thing for us the academic piece, the school part with everybody across the country

Head coach Jeremy Pruitt for the Tennessee volunteers facing Indiana in the 2020 Tax Slayer Connor Morss / The Daily Beacon doing online classes.”

When it comes to managing his team now and when they return to campus, Pruitt sees a challenge that all coaches will face. He believes it’ll be about making wise decisions in how you handle a team full of players in different circumstances.

“It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen especially with this virus,” Pruitt said.

“Going back and drawing on my experiences from high school, you get creative, you find a way. Whatever the outcome is, whenever we do start back it’s going to be the same for ev-

erybody.”

“It’s something where you have to think outside the box and figure out a way to be efficient with your time. … Every team’s going to be different. Every player is going to be different. Some are going to have lots of experience, some are going to have absolutely none, but you have to find a way to figure out the guys that can help you have success.”

While the 2020 season may be in jeopardy it is only part of the challenge’s college teams are facing. With the NCAA extending its suspension of in-person athletic activities until May 30th, on campus recruiting camps are

unlikely to occur.

This period helps coaches evaluate recruits in person, helping them get a feel for whether they’d be a good fit.

With that period likely lost, Pruitt says they have to lean on what they see on tape.

“I think it’s very similar to what’s going on in the NFL,” Pruitt said. “They have to go back and look what’s on tape. They have to go back and trust their scouts in their scouting department. It’s the same for us. We have to gather as much information as we can, so we can move forward.”

SPORTS // RACING

Wednesday, April 8, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

It’s Bristol Baby! Well, virtual Bristol, at least RYAN CREWS Sports Editor

Sunday, the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series headed to virtual Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City Showdown. Available on the Fox network, the race featured many top NASCAR Cup Series drivers. William Bryon, who has been on the pole for all three of the eNASCAR races, finally got the victory in what was a caution-filled race.

The day got underway with qualifying, which was a three-minute period during which drivers simultaneously attempted to put their best lap on the board. Afterwards the drivers participated in two 50-lap heat races before the afternoon concluded with the 150lap feature race. The first heat set the starting positions for the inside lane of the feature, while the second race set the outside lane.

On the pole for the first heat was the #24 car of Byron. Joining him on the first row was Dale Earnhardt Jr. sporting the #8. The heat featured smooth sailing until Ryan Blaney in the #12 car found the wall in laps 26 and 27, damaging his car. A few laps later Michael

McDowell driving the #34 got into the side #77 of Parker Kligerman.

“We’re seeing a lot of this #24 car” Clint Boyer of the #14 car told FOX midrace “and what I did see was a lot of guys saving tires that are starting to come up the field.”

Then with 15 laps to go, Blaney spun out sending the #21 and Matt Dibeneditto down into the grass. In the penultimate lap, Christopher Bell in the #95 slid past Earnhardt Jr for second place, while Byran held on for the heat win and the pole position in the feature race.

“We had a good qualifying lap there” Heat one winner Byron told Fox “The track temp is little different for the heat race so I tried to save my tires as best I could” Starting in the pole position for heat two was John Hunter Nemechek driving the #38 machine and the #89 of Landon Cassill in second. Nemechek got out to an early lead and unlike the first heat, the action started right away as Denny Hamlin spun out and dropped nearly eight spots in the second lap.

“I was trying to stay off of (Bobby Labonte)” Boyer told Fox “and I got hit. But, man it’s hard, I’m torn up … the next time I catch

the old man, he’s going for a ride. Cause this is Bristol, right?”

As the passed the 21 laps to go mark, Boyer made good on his promise, intentionally wrecking Labonte. The Boyer-Labonte incident seem to spurn a series of wreck throughout the succeeding laps. Nemechek would hold on to clinch the final spot on the front row for the feature race with heat win by a photo finish over Ryan Preece in the #37 car.

“Our Ford Mustang was pretty good” Nemechek told Fox “I’ve been practicing this week … it was a really good race down to the end and I’m just glad …”

The feature race includes all 32 drivers competing and, unlike the heats, allows for cautions. After getting the command from Co-Grand Marshalls Mojo Rawley and Rob Gronkowski, Bryon and Nemechek led the field off the grid. Preece created the first caution of the race, spinning out on lap number one. When they finally got to green flag racing on lap 6, Boyer found himself turned around

by Bubba Wallace.

“I got ‘Bubbaed’” Boyer jokingly said on the broadcast. “This is worse than real life.

These guys forget this a 150-lap race.”

9

The continued on with a view more cautions but none seemed to touch the cars near the front of the pack, while Byron seemed to have stranglehold on the top position. However roughly halfway through the feature race, Bryon ceded the top spot when he went in for a pitstop and #17 Chris Buescher took the lead. Also, during that same caution, both Kyle Larson and Daniel Suarez were blackflagged, with the punishment coming down that they were both to park their cars for the remainder of the day.

However, Bryon quickly rose through the field, getting to second with 55 laps to go and reclaiming the lead with 43 laps to go. Nemechek found his way into second with just over their 30 laps to go. Then with ten laps to go, Kyle Busch, who was running sixth at the time, was knocked out of contention. In the end, Bryon held on to claim the win, for which he longed. Nemechek finished in second with Timmy Hill, Hamlin and Dibeneditto rounding out the top five.

“It was a lot of fun” Byron told Fox “We had to work through some track positon and really just keep ourselves up towards the top five. Luckily, we were able to do that and make the pass on (Buescher) and then just manage the restart there.”

An artists rendering depicts the potential stadium setup for the Battle at Bristol between Tennessee and Virginia Tech at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 10, 2016. Officials expect over 150,000 atteendees for the game, which would break the record for the largest crowd to view a college football game.

10

OPINIONS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Killer Conversations: The Slender Man stabbings in 2014

MOLLIE CHAMBERS Columnist As COVID-19 continues to keep me cooped up inside, I have found myself binge watching an unhealthy number of documentaries. My most recent binge “Beware the Slenderman” brought to my attention a horrific stabbing that took place in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

In 2014, two 12-year-old girls lured their supposed best friend into the woods and stabbed her nineteen times. The two girls later revealed that they did this to please “Slender Man.” However, unlike most cases I’ve covered thus far, their victim survived. Payton Leutner is the survivor of the stabbing and has since spoken out about her attack to ABC News.

Leutner revealed during her interview that if the knife her “friends” used on her had been the width of a human hair deeper it would has cost her her life.

While this documentary is full of shock facts regarding this case, I’d like to highlight the three that stood out to me most: 1. The age of all three girls On May 30, 2014, Payton Leutner, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier had a sleepover to celebrate Geyser’s birthday. Geyser’s mother recalls that on the night of the sleepover, the girls were acting like “typical 12-year-olds.”

They were running up and down the stairs and their laughter could be heard all around the house.

Leutner revealed to ABC News that she had been looking forward to the sleepover for weeks and couldn’t wait to spend time with her friends. However, she had no idea that the next day her life would be changed forever.

It saddens me that behind a night that seemed so innocent there was such a sinister plan in place. Geyser and Weier were able to fool not only their best friend but also Geyser’s mother. The acts these girls performed showed maturity beyond their years, maturity that could have been used for good.

2. Worshipping ‘Slender Man’ Slender Man is a fictional character that

Courtsey of Unsplash originated from a scary story written on Creepypasta Wiki. He is described as a tall, thin, faceless man who abducts children. Geyser and Weier both formed a strange obsession with this character, which made their friendship grow stronger.

The duo grew so obsessed with the character that they longed to live in the Slender Man mansion. This mansion was supposedly where the character lived along with the children he abducted. The girls believed that in order to gain entry they needed to kill someone.

It was the girls’ longing to be with Slender Man that drove them to stab Leutner. Geyser and Weier committed this heinous act with only one goal in mind: pleasing Slender Man. I find Geyser and Weier’s devotion to Slender Man the most puzzling element of this case. When I was 12 years old I was obsessed with One Direction, but there’s no way I would have killed my best friend over them. The level of loyalty they felt towards a fictional character is something I will never understand.

3. Geyser and Weier’s behavior during questioning Despite being stabbed nineteen times, Leutner was able to crawl out of woods and onto a main road where she was spotted by a biker. After finding Leutner soaked in blood, he called 911 and she was rushed to the hospital.

At the hospital, Leutner revealed to authorities that her attackers were her best friends.

It didn’t take authorities long to find Geyser and Weier. After being found, they were taken in for questioning. During their questioning both girls exhibited behavior that I found odd.

While being questioned by detectives, Geyser asked where Leutner was and if she was dead. It wasn’t only the questions themselves that raised red flags for me but also the tone in which Geyser asked them in. Throughout the duration of her questioning, Geyser kept the same unapologetic tone. She did not appear to feel any remorse for what she had done.

Weier also had her share of questionable actions during her interrogation. Weier asked the detective how far her and Geyser had

walked. She likely asked this question to be able to map out just how close she had gotten to the Slender Man mansion. This is an absurd thing to worry about when you’re facing possible time in jail. I believe this shows just how deep Weier’s devotion to Slender Man went.

Geyser and Weier were both charged with attempted murder and are currently serving time in prison. However, Leutner’s family says that their daughter will live with the emotional trauma the two girls caused her forever.

Mollie Chambers is a freshman majoring in journalism and electronic media.t She can be reached at mollcham@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.

PUZZLES & GAMES

THE DAILY BEACON

Wednesday, April 8, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

the daily beacon

crossword & sudoku

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New puzzles every Monday and Thursday.

No. 1399

Easy

Previous solution - Tough

2 2 3 1 3 2 9 4 5 9 4 8 9 5 6 7 7 8 6 6 7 8

3

4 5 2 7 5 6 1 2 9 2 3 1 6 2 6 4 7 9 4 5 7

© 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

7

You can find more help, tips and hints at www.str8ts.com

3 5 4 2 6 7 8 9

6 8 9 4 7 8 6 9 5 6 7 8 8 6 7 7 5 2 3 6 2 3 4 4 3 2 3 4 5 3 2 1 4 5

How to beat Str8ts – Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. These need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, eg [4,2,3,5]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ are formed.

SUDOKU Tough

5 8 2

7

2

4 9 8

2 3 6

1 8 2 9 1

4 1 7

6 8 5 4 3 2 7 1 9

4 9

6 9 4

Previous solution - Medium

5

The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

3 1 2 7 8 9 5 4 6

4 7 9 1 5 6 2 3 8

1 4 3 2 9 8 6 5 7

5 2 7 3 6 4 8 9 1

9 6 8 5 7 1 4 2 3

8 5 1 6 2 3 9 7 4

7 9 4 8 1 5 3 6 2

2 3 6 9 4 7 1 8 5

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. © 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

No. 1399

6

FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 26, 2019

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle LOS ANGELES TIMESEdited CROSSWORD Edited byLewis Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

by Rich Norris• and Joyce

STR8TS

1

11

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Str8ts, Sudoku and other puzzles, check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store at www.str8ts.com

ACROSS 1 Cigar residue 4 “West Side Story” sides 9 Cul-__: dead-end street 14 Versatile truck, for short 15 Head off 16 Oven emanation 17 Transmission specification 19 Divided island of Southeast Asia 20 Fielder’s mishap 21 Irish watering hole 23 Trucker on a radio 24 Catch one’s breath 25 Stockholm-born three-time Best Actress nominee 28 Barfly 29 Run out of juice 30 Weekend show with Aidy Bryant, to fans 31 “Dig in!”

32 Actress Berry 34 Real estate units 36 Longtime New Year’s Eve bandleader 39 Dalmatian marks 41 Skin irritations 42 PC key near Z 43 Partners for mas 46 Terminate 47 Suffix with Brooklyn 50 Video game series with a Warriors of Rock edition 53 Dashing style 54 Escape key function 55 Comfy footwear 56 Leave the chair 57 Secret Service role 59 Leave the house ... and a literal feature of 17-, 25-, 36- and 50-Across 62 Rodeo rope 63 Bring together 64 Gp. that isn’t gun-shy 65 Welles on-screen 66 Hall of Fame pitcher Ryan 67 Corn serving

11/26/19

By Kurt Krauss

DOWN 1 Hole-making tools 2 Den music system 3 San Simeon castle builder 4 Teri of “Young Frankenstein” 5 Gardner of the silver screen 6 Badminton divider 7 Beef 8 Strong ales 9 Not dis?

10 CNN journalist Hill 11 Mariachi’s hat 12 One-celled swimmers 13 Orange veggies 18 Hogwash 22 Keep out 25 Fish organ 26 Move, in realty ads 27 Shone with a nearly blinding light 29 Pampering place 32 Simple shelter 33 Ambulance letters 35 S&L offerings 36 Looked through a home remodeling magazine, perhaps

Monday’s Puzzle Solved

©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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crossword & sudoku

your morning coffee’s best friend.

11/26/19

37 Transvaal settler 49 Make beloved 51 Lone Ranger’s 38 Florence’s river pal 39 Arizona cactus 40 Tool that unclogs 52 Affordable, in brand names using suction 53 Sci-fi beings 44 Chair part for 56 British firearm elbow resting acronym 45 Feudal 58 Color like Japanese khaki military ruler 47 “Seinfeld” regular 60 Black gold 48 Former Justice 61 Hagen of __ Day O’Connor Broadway

puzzles Wednesday.

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12

OPINIONS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Bad Movie Showcase: Rem Lezar is a fever dream

Courtsey of IMDB

JON SHARPE Columnist Think of the worst superhero possible.

A useless power, a complete lack of design cohesion and the personality of a sheet of plywood. No matter how bad you’re imagining, Rem Lezar has got you beat, as he is the superhero that doesn’t even exist.

You read that right, the titular hero of the film “Creating Rem Lezar” isn’t even real in the movie. He’s a figment of two children’s imagination who gets them sent to the principal’s office and watches them as they sleep.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

“Creating Rem Lezar” is a 48-minutelong superhero musical film made for young children. Rem Lezar is visually the love child of Jake Paul and Ninja if he traveled back in time to the 80s. He’s got a blue mullet tied back with a yellow headband, and his whole outfit continues the motif of blue and yellow, accompanied by his symbol of the infinity.

Now, for most superheroes, the emblem is made of the two main colors of the hero,

with the one in the background contrasting the one in the foreground to make the icon catch the eye easier. But Rem Lezar’s emblem is just yellow on yellow. I didn’t even notice the symbol on it until the film blatantly transitioned between one of the child’s drawing of an infinity and the emblem itself.

It doesn’t help that his overwhelmingly blue costume causes issues with their recording equipment, making his almost have a blue aura surrounding him at all times, which I can assure you was not a purposeful decision.

Now when I call this movie a musical, I mean it. It hardly goes three minutes without the children or Rem breaking into some new song. But of course, because it is a movie starring children, the songs have tunes and lyrics so simple it is almost painful. If I was ever having trouble falling asleep, the songs are so braindead they would put me to sleep in seconds.

Now story wise, the reality of the story is of two children who both have the same imaginary friend stealing a mannequin, breaking into an abandoned house and then sleeping there until a policeman finds them and returns them to their family.

From their point of view, though, they’re going on a massive adventure with Rem Lezar to find his missing chest emblem. They explore mystical places like the forest, the mountains, and even the Twin Towers.

When they visit the Twin Towers, one of the characters even says the quote “They’re so strong they’ll stand forever.” Yeah, that part didn’t age all that well.

Rem Lezar himself comes off as a little creepy. He’s played by a 35-year-old man, but his mannerisms make his seem much younger. Throughout the film, we only see

him around these children. When one of them is afraid of the dark, he just fades in from the darkness and promises to take her away from there.

Not only is he constantly watching these kids, but after he gains a physical form (at least as physical as you can get inside a dream), he is constantly touching the children. He is always holding their hands or putting his hand on their shoulders or even carrying them in a princess carry. I know he’s supposed to come off as protective and fatherly but, in all honesty, it makes me uncomfortable.

It’s not like he’s doing it to comfort them or something, he’s just doing it literally every time they are on screen together. Maybe it was supposed to be related to the fact that they were hugging onto the mannequin they dressed like him when they fell asleep, but that doesn’t excuse him emerging from the dark in the middle of the night.

When the one child was drawing his symbol, it honestly felt like a scene from a horror movie. The sketchy quality to the drawing makes it seem like one of those moments where the mad man draws crazy things all over the room relating to some great evil.

I don’t know, Rem just kinda creeps me out.

The villain is just as weird though. He’s this disembodied floating face that is pixelated strangely and constantly distorts itself around the screen. He is also the only rational character in the film, explaining that the Twin Towers aren’t magic but instead a construction of man, which should have been the good lesson in the film.

The way he is defeated is by the kids just saying they don’t hate him anymore, even though less than a minute before they were

talking about how much they hated him.

I rate movies from 10 to -10, with negative being so bad its good, and this movie definitely deserves a -9. I had a blast sitting through this and watching how ridiculous everything is. Nothing makes any sense, and the constant songs had an almost maddening effect. I was laughing wildly along with my friends throughout this whole film, with us needing to pause it several times just to catch our breath.

You need to see this film, and luckily enough the entire thing is on YouTube completely free. Just search “Creating Rem Lezar” and you’ll find the entire thing in no time.

This week I want to give a shout out to the reason Rem looks so weird on the VHS tape, and that is blue-screen technology. Before modern greenscreen, blue screen was used to place actors into locations they weren’t in. The reason Rem has a weird aura is because the cameras used in the film were set up for filming blue screen, which isn’t meant to actually capture the color blue well as it is meant to be edited out in post.

Because of this, it makes any blue bleed out into the surrounding colors, making it hard to see the edges of blue objects.

Jon Sharpe is a senior in supply chain management with a concentration in business analytics. He can be reached at jsharp37@vols.utk.edu. Love BMS? Be sure to check out the podcast on Soundcloud and Jon’s blog at betweentheframes.home.blog

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.