On Rocky Top

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

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On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Hi there future Volunteers, In your hands is the 2016 On Rocky Top issue of The Daily Beacon. If you’re unfamiliar with the Beacon, we are UT’s student newspaper, and we cover everything from lectures about microorganisms to state legislative actions. But, in this issue, we’ve compiled only the biggest stories of the year—all the campus news you should be familiar with before arriving “On Rocky Top.” And, if you haven’t been paying attention, you’ve got a lot of reading to do.

This year at UT was one for the books, and our campus has spent more than its fair share of time in the spotlight. Unfortunately, it wasn’t always for things we should be proud of. In the news section, you’ll see stories about students protesting our campus administration and state legislature. You’ll see stories about our representatives calling for our Chancellor’s resignation, condemning certain student groups and trying to take away our diversity funding. And, in the sports section, you’ll see stories about sexual assault lawsuits and our head coaches allegedly calling teammates traitors.

But, don’t give up on us just yet. There are also stories about some of the incredible students and faculty on this campus whose research will

someday change the world, stories about athletes who form bonds with some of their most unlikely fans, and stories about the city you’ll grow to know and love.

You chose to attend a university where a lot of things are happening, both good and bad, and attending a university like UT means you’ll have to make a choice, too. You’ll have to choose who you want to be and what you want to do. Every student fills a hole on campus, and every student has the potential to make a major impact. My advice to you is to find what you care about and give it your all.

Throw yourself into campus life, exhaust yourself with your involvement, write papers you care about and present your ideas with gusto.

We can’t predict what next year will bring, and we can’t tell you who to be once you get here; but we can promise to tell your story after you arrive.

So, whoever you decide to be at the University of Tennessee, come August, you’re officially a Tennessee Vol. Welcome to Rocky Top. We can’t wait to see what you’ll do here.

Carson Hollingsworth and McKinsey Patterson will stay a duo for another year.

Hollingsworth, junior in public administration, won the presidential bid with 2,814 votes, and Patterson, junior in nursing, won vice president with 2,832.

“We did it the right way,” said Hollingsworth of his campaign’s approach. “We made sure we were completely authentic. We made sure we were doing this in the most clean and most appropriate way possible.”

Between hugs and congratulations from her fellow supporters, Patterson said the final results were something she really couldn’t believe.

“Nobody in a million years thought McKinsey Patterson would run for student government,” she said. “I don’t have the track record. I’m not an SGA-er, that’s not who I’ve ever been, and I don’t think anyone ever expected me to run — much less win.”

With an entire year of legislation to look forward to, the two couldn’t help but look at the past efforts that led them to victory.

“When we were sitting up there (waiting

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief: Jenna Butz Managing Editor: Bradi Musil Creative Director: Katrina Roberts Chief Copy Editor: Hannah Moulton News Editor: Tanner Hancock Asst. News Editor: Alahnah Ligon Sports Editor: Jonathan Toye Asst. Sports Editor: Taylor White Arts & Culture Editor: Megan Patterson Asst. Arts & Culture Editor: Michael Lipps Online Editor: Cara Sanders Asst. Online Editor: Millie Tunnel Photo Editors: Mary Kate Leitch, Alex Phillips Design Editors: Lauren Ratliff, Justin Keyes Copy Editors: Breanna Andrew, Sara Counts, Trenton Duffer, Courtney Frederick, Jared Sebby Editorial Production: Laurel Cooper, Rachel Incorvati, Caroline Norris, Cameo Waters Training Editor: Troy Provost-Heron

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Hollingsworth-Patterson win president, vice president Staff Report

The Daily Beacon Staff

for the results), we were reflecting on the past few months, past few weeks, and we were just thinking that we wouldn’t do anything differently,” Hollingsworth said. “We knew that we did it the right way. We knew that if we lost, we knew we’d be happy with losing because we did it the way we wanted to do it.”

Before the election results had even been announced, however, the HollingsworthPatterson campaign had seemingly hit a snag.

Supporters of the campaign had at first packed into Hanna’s on the Strip to await the election results, yet were forced to make a quick change of location after they learned the bar did not accept persons under 21.

One hurried conversation later, and the nearly 100 supporters found themselves in Fort Sanders Yacht Club, where the news of their party’s victory eventually hit home across the narrow confines of the bar.

For the Hardee Morris McCandless campaign, Jennings Hardee came in second for president with 2,639 votes, just 175 votes behind Hollingsworth, while Matthew Morris also came in second for VP with 2,673 votes, just 159 votes short.

The Hardee Morris McCandless campaign See SGA ELECTIONS on Page 5

To report a news item, please e-mail editor.news@utdailybeacon.com or call 865-974-2348 To submit a press release, please e-mail pressreleases@utdailybeacon.com To place an ad, please e-mail beaconads@utk.edu or call 865-974-5206 To place a classified ad, please e-mail orderad@utdailybeacon.com or call 865-974-4931 Advertising: (865) 974-5206 beaconads@utk.edu Classifieds: (865) 974-4931 orderad@utdailybeacon.com Editor-in-Chief: (865) 974-3226 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com Main Newsroom: (865) 974-3226 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com LETTERS POLICY: The Daily Beacon welcomes all letters to the editor and guest columns from students, faculty and staff. Each submission is considered for publication by the editor on the basis of space, timeliness and clarity. The Beacon reserves the right to reject any submissions or edit all copy in compliance with available space, editorial policy and style. Contributions must include the author’s name and phone number for verification. Students must include their year in school and major. Letters to the editor and guest columns may be e-mailed to letters@utdailybeacon.com or sent to Editor, 1340 Circle Park Dr., 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314.

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Email addresses sexual misconduct Alahnah Ligon

Asst. News Editor Data released by the Division of Student Life confirmed there were 38 reports of student-on-student sexual misconduct in 2015.

The report was sent out by email to students, faculty and staff on April 14 and outlined details of the sexual misconduct by location, as well as how the university resolved those cases.

Another report underlined the services provided to the victims of the assaults, which is one of only two reports of its kind.

In February 2015, the university released four years of sexual misconduct data to the public and promised it would continue to do so each year.

The university saw an increase in sexual misconduct reports from 2014 to 2015. There were 29 reports of sexual misconduct in 2014, nine fewer than this year’s amount.

Less than 20 reports were made each year from 2011 to 2013.

Of the 38 cases, 22 occurred off campus, 12 occurred in an on-campus residence hall, two occurred on campus in other locations and in two cases, the student declined to offer the location of the incident.

In 17 of the 38 cases, the student was able to identify their alleged attacker, 17 declined to identify the person and four students reported they did not know the identity of their attacker.

Because 21 of the 38 alleged attackers were not identified by the victims, the university was unable to perform a student discipline case for those reports.

In the 17 cases where a suspect was identified, eight victims requested that no disciplinary action be taken or declined to participate in the conduct process.

In the nine remaining cases, five students were found responsible for acts of sexual misconduct, there was insufficient evidence to find responsibility with three students and one case is still pending.

The university provided nearly 30 more support services to aid victims of sexual assault in

2015 than in 2014.

“We want all of our students to know that the university will support them if they choose to report an incident,” Vice Chancellor for Student Life Vincent Carilli said an email to the university. “We are committed to moving forward with this work, and we encourage you to get involved.”

Carilli also noted a grant from the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women, which will provide $300,000 to training, programming and advocacy work for sexual misconduct cases.

In the event of sexual misconduct, the university will provide “interim measures” for the alleged victims. There were 94 interim measures provided to 55 total student victims in 2015.

The measures include counseling support services, medical services, academic support, housing needs or relocation and others.

Interim measures are available to students regardless of whether the student chooses to report the incident to the police, chooses to participate in the student conduct process, chooses to identify or not identify the respondent or whether respondent is affiliated with the university, according to the report.

“We are making progress on raising awareness across campus about these important issues,” the email read. “We are strengthening our prevention efforts and methods for extending care and services to every student who reports and needs our help.”

The data comes amidst a Title IX lawsuit, which alleges the university supports a “hostile sexual environment,” especially among student athletes, and violates Title IX laws with how it handles allegations of sexual assault.

The lawsuit was filed in February by eight unidentified former UT students. Six of the eight women allege they were sexually assaulted, one alleges she was physically assaulted for refusing sex and one says she experienced “victim blaming” after the sexual assault of one of the other plaintiffs.

New regulations cause ‘growing pains’ for fraternity members, administrators Alahnah Ligon

Asst. News Editor “Animal House.” “Revenge of the Nerds.”

“Project X.” “22 Jump Street.”

These are the movies that have forged the wild, party-animal image of Greek life for decades—but for the UT administration, the time for change is long past due.

Three regulations have surfaced over the past months, including an event registra-

“

When you have 35-yearold trying to tell a 20-year-old how to live, it’s almost like your parents are back here and we all know that doesn’t work really well.”

Alexander Clark, senior in supply chain management

tion form that requires fraternities to submit requests for particular events, and required

“house parents” intended to guide interfraternal decision-making and leadership.

The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life will use the event registration document as a “paper trail” to track all fraternity activity, according to Alexander Clark, a senior in supply chain management and Interfraternity Council president.

Clark also explained that changes made to the Student Conduct Policy could be a major drawback for UT fraternities, citing a “thinning” of Interfraternity Council representation from eight members to one. A revision to the Student Conduct Policy would result in the first such revision in over 30 years.

In addition to this revision, Clark said UT fraternities will host a “house parent,” or adult mentor intended to advise all fraternity members in each house. Adult mentors are not currently present at every fraternity house on campus, but most houses, including Kappa Sigma and Phi Sigma Kappa, are housing these parents through fraternal funds.

Clark said this situation is far from ideal.

“When you have a 35-year-old trying to tell a 20-year-old how to live, it’s almost like your parents are back here and we all know that doesn’t work really well,” Clark said.

Clark said he has also recently noticed an increased police presence on Fraternity Row, causing stricter enforcement of UT’s dry campus policy which prohibits the consumption of alcohol on campus.

Undeclared sophomore Gus Darden explained in a Daily Beacon guest column that for most students, UT’s strict alcohol policy only drives the fraternity “party scene” to the often dangerous Fort Sanders neighborhood.

“It is putting students in a much more dangerous place than they would be if they were just able to do it in a controlled environment on campus,” Darden said.

Early in August 2015, the suspect of a shooting forced his way into a Fort Sanders home and demanded refuge from police.

See FRATERNITY on Page 11

GROW YOUR CAREER AND ENJOY AN OFFICE WITH A VIEW

PlantSciences.utk.edu/undergrad.htm

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On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

SGA ELECTIONS continued from Page 3

The Hardee Morris McCandless campaign said they were concerned the voting site crash may have affected results.

“We’re going to look and see what the possibility is of contesting,” Hardee said during her speech to their campaign supporters. “The voting site was down for six hours. That’s when we used most of our resources, so we’ll see what happens.”

Morris and Hardee both remarked on the integrity of their campaign to their supporters gathered at Sunspot after the results were shared.

“We did it the right way. We didn’t bully people.

We just wanted to treat people like they deserve to be treated,” Morris said. “I hope the people in student government can carry on that message. That’s what it’s all about.”

Morris said even though he and Hardee’s loss came as a sombering surprise, he enjoyed the race and was proud of his campaign’s run.

“It stings right now a whole lot,” Morris said. “This is the most fun I’ll never want to have again, but I will always be proud to say I was a part of this.

“I’ll never hang my head.”

Caitlyn McCandless, who ran unopposed for Student Services Director under the Hardee Morris McCandless campaign, won with 6,726 votes.

Though McCandless won, she still expressed surprise and disappointment about her campaign’s loss.

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“I truly believe that the reason that we lost is because we ran a clean campaign,” McCandless said. “We ran on feasible policy that’s actually going to happen next year.

We didn’t lie and cheat our way to the top.”

The Challenge campaign, comprised of Alex Pennycuff and Fuller Edwards, won no executive positions.

Pennycuff, a junior in supply chain management who was running for SGA president, totaled 1,973 votes while Edwards, a junior in supply chain management who ran for VP, totaled 1,937.

Edwards said he had no regrets after the duo found out the results.

“I’d say we ran a proud campaign. We ran on message, we didn’t run for ourselves, and we had a goal in mind,” Edwards said. “We wanted to make sure that students were represented, and sadly it didn’t go through.

“But also, we were the only campaign that didn’t have any real violations. We followed the rules the whole time, we didn’t do anything (wrong), and that’s something to be proud of.”

Pennycuff declined to comment on the election results.

The voter turnout more than doubled this year, with an increase of 3,822 votes.

The number of voters in 2015, with 21,451 undergraduate students enrolled at the time, totaled 3,735 votes, while this year, with 21,863 undergraduates enrolled, 7,557 students came out to vote.

Former Student Services Director Mariah Beane, senior in business analytics, called this year’s voter turnout “historic” for UT’s SGA elections.

“Win or lose, voter turnout was as high as it’s been in Carson Hollingsworth and McKinsey Patterson join their several years,” Edwards said, “and that’s something to be campaign at Fort Sanders Yacht Club after receiving news that proud about.” they won the election. Justin Keyes • The Daily Beacon

Overflow housing displaces international students with little notice Hannah Marley Staff Writer

Each year, 7,000 students, including 400 international students, check out a rolling cart and move into campus housing.

From the suburbs of Seoul to the streets of Rio de Janeiro, international students travel thousands of miles to make Knoxville their new home. Yet, for many, the process of finding permanent housing becomes more of a hassle than a service.

Thais Regina, an international Brazilian student studying chemical engineering, said that in the one year she has lived at UT, she has been forced to move five times by University Housing. Regina claims that she knows fellow Brazilians in the international student program that were forced to move at least four times last fall.

“I don’t understand why this is happening,” Regina said. “We emailed them (UT Housing) asking for the budget, asking for an explanation or an extension for two more days because some of us were traveling, and they just said ‘No.’” Regina moved from Clement Hall to Laurel Hall, and was later joined by other Brazilians in

relocating to the former Apartment Residence Hall. From there, they were moved to Morrill Hall, only to be returned to Clement Hall again, adding that each time, UT housing representatives gave her no explanation for the move and required her to leave two days after receiving notice. To make matters more difficult, many international students like Regina lack a means of transportation and are more often than not unfamiliar with the area.

Denied the chance to argue her case, Regina has often been left frustrated by what she sees as mistreatment at the hands of UT Housing.

“Why does housing treat us like that, and they aren’t even open to conversation, to dialogue about how it could be good for us,” Regina explained.

Kyujung Choi, an international student from South Korea studying at the English Language Institute, faced similar issues when moving from Morrill Hall to permanent housing for the fall semester.

Choi was placed in overflow housing, which consisted of three beds moved into a converted kitchen space in Hess Hall, for over a week before being asked to move to Massey with less than 24-hours notice and no explanation.

“They asked me when I want to move to Massey, I said maybe on the weekend, and then bam, you need to move right now,” Choi said.

“

“They had already changed my card access so I couldn’t get into Hess to move.”

UT Housing Director Frank Cuevas maintained that housing does everything it can to move students into permanent rooms efficiently, working with the I-House and the English

Why does housing treat us like that, and they aren’t even open to conversation, to dialogue about how it could be good for us.”

Thais Regina, international student

Language Institute to plan for students beforehand.

“We can only work with the numbers we’re given, and some international students were probably admitted later than what most domestic students go through,” Cuevas said.

He pointed out that most students placed into overflow housing were given permanent rooms after one week, and that despite constant construction and demolition, housing has still found room for all 7,000 students in need of accommodations.

“It could be the space, where they are, that we have to use it for something else, but I can’t keep every building open,” Cuevas said.

Despite Cuevas’ explanations, Regina and Choi both said they and their international friends continue to face difficult situations with housing and hope to see changes in the way the university handles international housing in the future.

“I don’t know if they do this on purpose, but as international students, it’s really hard to be here and housing is our home here, and we pay just like everyone else,” Regina said.“If you want us to move, it’s okay, just give us a reasonable explanation and give us enough time to prepare, because some of us don’t have any American friends to help us or to stay with if something happens with housing.”

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Campus workers fight for diversity Diversity Issues Timeline Travis Dorman Staff Writer

“Hey, Haslam, step off it! Put people over profit!”

Hundreds of UT students, professors and campus workers protested in the Humanities Amphitheater Friday, Feb. 5 against Gov. Bill Haslam’s proposal to privatize the university oversight and Tennessee legislators’ bill to cut the diversity budget.

When the rally began, Cassie Watters, an organizer of United Campus Workers, and George Habeib, member of the UT Diversity Matters coalition, led the protesters in chants of “Tennessee is not for sale” and “UT Diversity matters.”

Representatives of various campus organizations gave speeches while protesters held signs, signed petitions and made phone calls to local politicians to express their discontent.

Melanie Barron, graduate assistant and member of United Campus Workers who helped organize the rally, explained why she views the government’s intended changes as attacks on the university.

“Anyone who works on maintenance for buildings, cleans buildings, the people who

manage those people — what (Haslam) wants to do is turn those public jobs over to a private company,” Barron said. “In order to save costs, they’re going to cut jobs, cut benefits — a lot of people are going to lose their jobs and the quality of service on our campus is really going to decline.”

Tom Anderson, a buyer for Facilities Services, also talked about Haslam’s privatization plan.

“It’s been pretty exhausting for all of us.

Especially when you have to deal with a governor that believes in backroom deals, that his own people don’t have to comply with public information laws (and) with open meetings laws,” Anderson said.

“This attack and the attack on diversity and sustainability, these are all related.”

Barron also spoke about the importance of inclusivity, freedom of expression and equality for all, — regardless of socioeconomic status, race, gender identity or sexuality.

“Our leaders envision our university as a corporation where workers are costs to be cut, where students are customers, where classrooms can only be filled with the students who can afford to fill the seats and where faculty are pressured to commodify their research and teaching,” Barron said.

August 26, 2015

February 4, 2015

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion released a post suggesting that students and faculty should be more aware of individuals on campus that use gender-neutral pronouns.

The post also emphasized the importance of not assuming anyone’s gender identity.

The first meeting was rescheduled. This was the first meeting that members from the coalition were able to discuss the list of demands with administration.

September 4, 2015

Members of the Diversity Matters Coalition protested at the Brenda Lawson Student Athletic Center in response to the University’s reaction towards the Title IX lawsuit and to stand in solidarity with survivors of sexual assault.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion took down the gender-neutral pronoun post due to pressure from the state legislature.

December 3, 2015

State lawmakers called for the resignation of Ricky Hall, the Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion, and Chancellor Jimmy Cheek after the Office of Diversity and Inclusion released a post suggesting for more inclusive holiday celebrations.

December 8, 2015

Students organized a study-in in order to show support for Vice Chancellor Hall, Chancellor Cheek and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

December 14, 2015

The Black Student Union and Sexual Empowerment and Awareness of Tennessee released separate lists of demands regarding campus climate for students of color and LGBT+ students.

Mid-January 2016

The demand lists from SEAT and the BSU were combined and various student organizations joined in solidarity with SEAT and the BSU. Representatives from these student organizations met throughout January and added other aspects to the demand list to include students with disabilities, Stop Bias reform and comprehensive inclusivity training to form the Diversity Matters Coalition.

January 29, 2016

Representatives from the Diversity Matters coalition were scheduled to meet with UT administration, but the UT administration did not show up because of a lack of communication about the meeting’s location.

Students responded by staging a sit-in in the Chancellor’s office.

February 25, 2016

March 8, 2016

Over 40 students traveled to Nashville to lobby against Governor Haslam’s privatization plan and budgets that would strip the Office of Diversity and Inclusion of its funding.

April 19, 2016

Tennessee’s State House of Representatives passed an amendment reallocating $100,000 of diversity funding to “In God We Trust” decals for police cars and the remaining $336,700 to minority engineering scholarships.

Students gathered in HSS amphitheater for a rally in response to state legislative action to strip the Office of Diversity and Inclusion of funding. The Coalition also staged a “die-in” where students laid down on Pedestrian Walkway and held up signs expressing their discontent with campus climate towards minorities. The protest later moved to Presidential Court where Confederate flags were displayed in windows in opposition to the Coalition.

April 20, 2016

The State Senate passed a different amendment reallocating $436,700 of diversity funding strictly to minority scholarships for engineering students. This version was later confirmed through a conference committee.

Diversity Coalition representatives met with UT administration to discuss progress on the list of demands as well as UT’s response to legislative action. The coalition urged Chancellor Cheek to release a public statement denouncing the actions of the state legislature defunding. Cheek said that he would rather contact Nashville representatives and Governor Haslam personally.

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On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

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Lawmakers finalize redistribution of diversity funds

Students protest outside Thompson Boling Arena before a basketball game on March 5, 2016.

Natalie Ward • The Daily Beacon

Staff Report A conference committee comprised of Tennessee state lawmakers agreed on a final bill that would redirect $436,700 in funding from UT’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion to go towards scholarships for minority students seeking engineering degrees.

The committee agreed to adopt a version closely resembling the one which passed in the Senate Wednesday and does not include diverting $100,000 to fund a “In God We Trust” decal program for state law enforcement vehicles.

The final bill will divert funds for one year only, and still includes a section prohibiting UT from using state funds to finance Sex Week, the promotion of gender neutral pronouns or “to promote or inhibit the celebration of religious holidays.”

The bill was approved by both the House and Senate late April and now awaits Gov. Bill Haslam’s signature before it can become law.

During the debate on the senate floor, Sen. Joey Hensley explained that his opposition towards the Office of Diversity was not based on race but rather from a dislike for what he saw as unnecessary public statements made on behalf of that office.

“This isn’t about race — it’s not about black or white,” Hensley said, as reported

by The Tennessean. “Our constituents didn’t want us spending state dollars to talk about gender-neutral pronouns at UT and about not celebrating Christmas.”

UT’s Office of Diversity garnered complaints from state lawmakers after posts promoting the use of gender-neutral pronouns for non-gender confirming students and holiday inclusivity practices were made public on the office’s website.

The call for a conference committee came after initial disagreement over what form the diversity bill should take. Rep. Micah Van Huss, the bill’s House sponsor, had long argued for the necessity of diverting some funds towards a decal program, though many members of the senate were wary about including that section into the final law.

“Law enforcement get a tough wrap in our nation today,” Van Huss said of the program in an earlier interview with The Daily Beacon. “It (the national motto) is part of our history as a nation, and I think it’s important to include that in there.”

Members of UT’s Diversity Matters Coalition have reacted negatively to legislative action on the diversity office. As the Senate passed their version of the bill, nearly 300 students and faculty protested across Pedestrian Walkway and later Pedestrian Courtyard.

Confederate flags could be seen hanging from the windows of student dormitories in Presidential Courtyard as the protests were being held.

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

‘Mass Class Exit’ takes over Humanities Amphitheater Tanner Hancock News Editor

What would have usually been a normal spring afternoon on Tennessee’s campus quickly became the opposite Tuesday afternoon when nearly 300 students and faculty members protested recent legislative action against the university’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

The Mass Class Exit, organized by the UT Diversity Matters coalition, took their protest from the seats of the Humanities Amphitheater to Pedestrian Walkway.

Senior and member of the Diversity Matters coalition JT Taylor invited those members of the crowd who had ever felt “personally victimized” by the university to lie side by side on the walkway’s surface.

“Everyone be mindful that we are not in the business of hurting students who are not engaged with us right now,” Taylor said to the crowd. “We are simply trying to let them know that we are hurting, and the administration has not been showing us respect.”

From Pedestrian Walkway, the protesters made their way to Presidential Courtyard, where they were greeted to

several Confederate flags and signs hanging from the dormitory windows, one of which read “Where’s my scholarship for being white?”

“It’s not surprising. This is the culture of UT,” Kristen Godfrey, member of the UT Diversity Matters Coalition, said. “People are very uncomfortable with us trying to be free and get our rights and stand for equality.”

Addressing the protesters at the outset, senior and member of VolOUT Thomas Tran called on his fellow students to help enact change in what he said was a hostile environment to many.

“Homophobia, queerphobia, racism still exist on this campus,” Tran said, referencing a broken window of the Pride Center many students believed was a hate crime.

UTPD police officials said in January that the incident was likely not a hate crime, though Tran and others remain unconvinced.

“The problem is on this campus. We have to change UT campus,” Tran said.

The protests came as members of a state senate committee passed a bill seeking to redirect funds from the diversity office towards scholarships for minority students seeking degrees in engineering. The bill passed 9-2 in the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee.

Speaking on behalf of the student body, student body president Carson Hollingsworth said that while he was proud to have been a part of the demonstration, he finds it upsetting that such an event was necessary in the first place.

“Now, more than ever, we need to come together as a UT community,” Hollingsworth said, “and ensure our State Representatives understand that their actions in taking away such an integral part of our university will only harm us; not only as students, but also as graduates of this institution.”

Students lay on Pedestrian Walkway during a Mass Class Exit on April 19 to protest state legislation that reallocated diversity funding.

Alex Phillips • The Daily Beacon

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Housing demographics show unequal minority distribution Travis Dorman Staff Writer

UT Housing recently released the percentages of minority students living in each residence hall in response to claims from a diversity meeting in December that housing on UT’s campus is segregated.

Hess and Massey’s populations are 28 percent and 31 percent students of color respectively, while residence halls in Presidential Court contain anywhere from 9 to 17 percent each.

Morrill has 26 percent, but this figure is skewed by the Multicultural Mentoring Program on the third floor. Reese Hall houses the fewest minorities at just 9 percent, and Clement, at the most, has almost 45 percent.

Director of Housing Frank Cuevas said the high racial disparities in housing are not an intentional effort by the department, and said no demographic data aside from gender is used during the assignment process. Rooms and halls are assigned on a first come, first served basis, Cuevas said.

Black Student Union member Joshua Oliver presented a list of demands at a diversity meeting last December directly criticized the

unequal distribution of minority students in UT Housing.

Oliver said most students of color live in Clement, Massey and Hess, and that these buildings have been given derogatory nicknames like “Nasty Massey” as a result.

Presidential Court, he said, contains very few people of color, and the name itself bears a connotation of elite status and prestige.

“There’s a divide in housing,” Oliver said.

“We want to see that come together.”

It is not just the Black Student Union that has taken issue with certain residence halls’ disproportionate number of minority students.

A number of students who live or have lived in Clement and Massey Hall have spoken out, suggesting that more students of color live in these buildings than in any other. Clement Hall in particular is known among the student body for having an unusually high population of black, Hispanic and international students.

Julian Wright, senior and president of the UTK Diversity Student Leaders Society, recalled how as an incoming black freshmen without any housing preferences, he was advised by a resident assistant to choose Clement Hall.

“When I was choosing my dorm freshman year, the RA told me ‘Pick Clement, I’m sure you’ll like Clement,’” Wright said. “As a student that knew nothing about where to stay, he may

have suggested Clement because I was black and appeared urbanized, he felt that I ‘fit’ or ‘belonged’ in Clement Hall.”

Wright said after he chose to live in Clement, his brother, who was a sophomore at the time, told him he made the right choice because “all the black folk from Nashville and Memphis are in there.”

Many students said they feel like the segregation of residence halls is a failed attempt by housing to make people feel comfortable. One such student, Chinese international sophomore Liu Yuchen, described how the segregation of international students can prevent them from thoroughly immersing themselves in American culture.

“We came to America to learn the culture, to learn English, to be with the native people,” Liu said. “If we are all put together on purpose, it is the same as if we are still in China.”

Maya Jackson, a Hispanic freshman, said she listed Morrill, Humes and South Carrick — three residence halls located in Presidential Court — as her preferred housing choices.

Massey Hall was her last pick, and that is where she was placed.

According to a study by the Pew Research Center, the median net worth of white American households in 2013 was 13 times greater than that of black households and 10 times greater

than Hispanic households.

A system that rewards those who can immediately afford to pay the $250 confirmation fee favors higher income students, and Cuevas agreed that this may be one reason why Presidential Court — which historically fills up first — is home to a smaller number of minority students.

Richard Swearingen, associate director for administration of housing, pointed out that more minority students are first generation college students, and they may be less familiar with the application process as a result.

“There may be other factors besides finances,” Swearingen said. “We have a lot of first generation students — first time college attendees from their families. An underrepresented student and a white student may be admitted at the same time. They both have their deposits sitting there in cash on the table, but the white student may know just because all of his brothers have already been through to move fast on this and confirm.”

Cuevas, a first generation student himself, said he understands the application process can be confusing. He said housing is working on reaching out to all populations to help walk students through the application process, and they will continue to work to make room assignment as fair as possible.

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Protestors unite downtown for Trump visit Heidi Hill

Staff Writer “Hey, ho, racism’s gotta go!”

As thousands poured into the Knoxville Convention Center to listen to Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump, a group of protestors led by Knoxville’s SomosUno chanted in unison to passing pedestrians and cars on Henley Street.

Earlier in the day, the group’s embedded message, “We Are One,” appeared on the face of The Rock in an effort to attract larger numbers to appear at Trump’s scheduled appearance, which held thousands of supporters as the candidate traveled across the Southeast for his campaign.

Julian Rodrigeuz, a graduate of CarsonNewman University, described the event as a larger collaboration between SomosUno, a organization designed around the needs of Latin American students, and similar organizations across Tennessee.

But the binding factor for the gathering, he said, wasn’t the protestors’ opposition to Trump’s aggressive policies for border control, but rather support for democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders as a guarantor

for Hispanic families and his message of equal opportunity.

“Maybe get some people across the line to agree with us, but I wanted (to raise awareness) and to dispel some of the rumors and misinformation that has been spread about Sen. Bernie Sanders,” Rodrigeuz said.

For Rodriguez, Sanders’ appeals lie in his grassroots voter support from twenty-somethings and a strong social media — a factor that could make historic victory if Sanders lands the presidency.

“That proves that our message can be spread and can be seen throughout all walks of life, and it doesn’t have to be a bunch of people whose parents are in support of Donald Trump,” Rodriguez said. “That’s the way they’re going to (change the) vote. Just to spread information like that.”

Like Rodriguez, Alicia Faggioli, senior in chemistry, said the primary role of the protest was to voice fundamental concerns for the wellpublicized comments made by Trump about immigration reform and international relations with the Middle East and China.

“He keeps talking about how Mexicans are illegal immigrants and are criminals,” Faggioli said. “It’s hard to believe that we have made this country our home, and they made us feel like

we’re not welcome, especially someone with so much power like Donald Trump.”

Such power, she emphasized, can be powerful when channeled into protests like with SomosUno, where she is an active member, seeking to alter the perception of immigration for older generations — some of whom flipped off the protestors as they shifted between chants.

“We hope to reach out to all the Latinos, especially in Knoxville, get them out to the polls and stand against people like Donald Trump,” Faggioli said. “We want to show that racism and inequality is still a thing and address (it) as an issue.”

True to televised statements expressed in GOP debates, Trump prominently echoed his stance on immigration by stating that the erection of a wall between the United States and Mexican border would be the best solution, and described its scale as too fearful for any illegal immigrant to cross without risk of repercussions.

“If anyone gets to the top of that wall, they’re gonna be afraid to come down — it’s a long way down,” Trump said to a roaring crowd. “We’re gonna have a door in the wall, but they’re gonna come into our country legally.”

In addition to a scattering of other topics, Trump’s comments on the mass shootings in

Paris that killed at least 129 civilians led to several heated minutes on gun control, prompting the candidate to promote himself as a “big, big, big Second Amendment person.”

“If 20 of those people who were shot had guns — you’ve heard the stories — it would have been a totally different story, there would have been a shoot out at the O.K. Corral,” he said.

“There would have been death, but it would have been their death.”

While the Manhattan tycoon remains a public spectacle, Paulie Murphy, a retired Knoxville teacher and protestor, said Trump’s “message of hate” completely contradicts the refugee story inherent to the United States’ inception as a nation.

“It is against all belief in freedom that I have known and when I poured my heart and soul into this country,” Murphy said. “It is irrational anger against people uniting to make things right and make a better life for all of humanity.”

Though her grandparents immigrated from Ireland almost a century ago, Murphy maintains that America’s historic openness for immigrant populations needs a reboot by leaders in the See TRUMP on Page 12

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FRATERNITY continued from Page 4 Darden said he believes these and other recent events serve as ample reason for the university to abandon its current alcohol policy in favor of a “wet campus” model that would allow for drinking on university grounds.

“What I really hope is that the administration will try to work with us and give us the ability to have parties on campus,” Darden explained. “It really makes more sense and it is much safer.”

According to Clark, UT administrators and the Interfraternity Council met recently to discuss the potential for allowing alcohol on campus and changing the current policy to that of a “wet campus” policy.

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon Should UT’s dry campus status be revoked, Clark said, the dangers presented by the Fort Sanders area would diminish, given that students could host and attend parties in a “more controlled environment” rather than search for outlying venues to drink underage.

“You do it responsibly,” Clark said of the potential switch. “Have it in your own house, your own venue, where there are no unknown variables. It keeps everybody safer and helps everybody have a better time too.”

Collin Gatlin, senior in public relations and Interfraternity Council member, cited UT’s Pi Kappa Alpha 2012 “butt-chugging incident” as a major factor in pushing for the regulatory changes that will take effect this year.

“That’s when they really started enforcing those regulations a lot more and really lost a lot of trust in the Greek population,” Gatlin said.

Though Clark admitted the number of regulations has increased over the last two years, he said these changes are designed to prevent future incidents rather than a reaction to a single event.

“You can blame it on (Pi Kappa Alpha), or you can really just blame it on the media,” Clark said. “Think of it as preventative maintenance. They are more or less trying to prevent issues before they happen.”

As an active IFC member, Gatlin said he feels fraternities are disproportionately targeted for illegal activities compared to the general student body.

“In our eyes, we try to be leaders around campus, but when the administration has no trust or confidence in us, then it’s a little frustrating to experience that kind of tunnel vision and attention on Greek life,” Gatlin said.

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

TRUMP continued from Pag e 10 American legislature who may dispel the illconceived ideas preached by Trump.

“It just scratches the surface because it wasn’t that long ago,” Murphy said. “Everyone is just trying to survive and raise their families and everyone in those families work so hard and they don’t get a lot of reward for it.”

Though Faggioli and Murphy reported overall positive reactions from on-lookers, some witnesses at the rally saw students holding a

College Republicans banner while shouting discriminatory phrases at the protestors from across the street.

College Republican’s Communications Director Greg Butcher released a statement on the UT College Republicans Facebook page in response: “The University of Tennessee College Republicans unequivocally denounce those actions, as well as any attempt by the College Democrats to grandstand and pin this on our organization and our members because of the individual actions of some.”

UT College Democrats has also called for the group to “publicly apologize for their unacceptable behavior that took place tonight.”

Concealed carry permits a possibility for faculty, staff Travis Dorman Staff Writer

The state Senate passed a controversial bill in April, which would allow employees and faculty members of public universities to carry handguns on campus, providing they have the appropriate carry permits.

Senate Bill 2376 states that employees who wish to carry handguns on campus must notify law enforcement before doing so, and even then, there are exceptions to the rule: employees cannot be armed at school-sponsored events, hospitals, disciplinary meetings and meetings regarding tenure.

The bill does not apply to individuals who are enrolled in classes, and employees who choose to carry their handguns on campus must do so in a concealed manner.

The bill advanced with a 28-5 vote, despite many groups voicing their opposition to the measure.

Bruce MacLennan, president of the UT Faculty Senate, said he believes the bill will not make anyone safer, and that the ability to carry weapons on campus should be granted solely to trained law enforcement officers.

In a poll conducted by the faculty senate on the issue, 87 percent of the faculty members who participated said they “strongly disagree” with the statement that allowing guns on campus is in the best interest of the campus community while 88 percent said they would not feel comfortable with firearms in their classrooms.

The Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, the Tennessee Board of Regents and employees from universities across the state have opposed allowing permit-holders to

carry guns on campus, said Sen. Lee Harris, D-Memphis, who proposed an amendment allowing public schools to determine their own gun policies.

Bill sponsor Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, disagreed with Harris’ amendment “from a philosophical standpoint,” saying it is the legislature’s responsibility to control the policy of public colleges and universities since they are paid for by state dollars.

Bell referenced the concerns of university employees, some of which said they would quit their jobs or leave the state if the bill passed.

“I think some of these people need to take their medication,” Bell said.

“Maybe this will give UT a chance to hire some conservative teachers if we have a mass exodus of some of these liberals who responded to this. There’s a few reasonable comments on here, but not many.”

Harris’ amendment did not pass. If the bill becomes law, public schools will be subject to the provisions of the bill, while private schools will have the ability to opt in or out.

Proponents of the bill, including co-sponsor Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, argue that the second amendment rights should extend to college campuses, and that allowing university employees to carry guns will make campus a safer place.

“There are people with the sole intention of creating destruction and wreaking havoc on individuals who are in most cases left with no plausible means of defense,” Holt said. “This is an opportunity to start correcting that.”

The Student Government Associations of Middle Tennessee State University and Austin Peay State University have spoken out against the bill, according to a report from The Tennessean.

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On Rocky Top• The Daily Beacon

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Anti-abortion displays on Pedestrian Walkway rally student protestors Alahnah Ligon

Asst. News Editor Pro-Life Collegians, a UT student organization, invited The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform to set up anti-abortion displays on Pedestrian Walkway on March 23 until 4 p.m. and again the next day. UT administrators permitted the national pro-life organization’s visit.

“We’re out here to show (students) the truth about what abortion is and what it does,” said Fletcher Armstrong, Director for the Southeast branch of Center for BioEthical Reform. “A lot of people think abortion just makes you ‘not pregnant,’ but in reality, it destroys a living human being, and these pictures make that clear.”

Several students arrived as early as 10 a.m. to protest the display, many skipping their classes to do so.

Andrew Wynn, junior in plant science, said it angered him to see the large display on campus and triggered harmful memories from his past.

“I myself am a childhood abuse victim.

To come here with PTSD and see bloody pictures on my campus infuriates me,” Wynn

said. “It is not acceptable in a learning environment for a public university to have a private group that’s funded to come in here and traumatize students.”

Tia Freeman, a freshman in interdisciplinary programs, agreed with Wynn, and said the display was a distraction for students trying to walk to class.

“I feel like this is unacceptable to be on a university campus because this is harassment,” Freeman said. “ It’s a distraction from my learning experience.”

Armstrong, however, argued that the display’s primary intention is to educate students.

“People are telling lies to students, to potential customers if you will, saying it’s not a baby, it’s just tissue,” he said. “The first thing people get (with the display) is a brief education about what abortion really is, what it looks like.”

Many student protesters claimed the group’s arguments were largely illogical and inaccurate.

“No matter what your stance is on this message, it’s the way they’re bringing it across,” said Tori Gilooly, a freshman on the exploratory track. “This an illogical argument. This is sensationalism. They’re using non sequitur reasoning.

Students gathered on Pedestrian Walkway to protest an anti-abortion exhibit. Justin Keyes • The Daily Beacon “Their reasoning is just propaganda.”

Gilooly cited the display’s connection from abortion to Nazi principles on the disposal of unborn fetuses as a part of this “propaganda.”

“People sometimes say, ‘You’re comparing women to Nazis,’ but we’re not,” Armstrong countered. “They’re comparable in the sense that in both cases, victims are being dehumanized. (Babies) are being treated as less than human.”

Armstrong said he agreed with the common slogan that he claimed many abortion clinics use— every child should be a wanted child— but he offered a different perspective.

“We want that too, but their way of getting to that point is to kill the unwanted ones,” Armstrong said. “We don’t think that’s right.

“Whether it’s unwanted children, overpopulation, no matter what it is, we should not use violence to solve that problem.”

GET INVOLVED IN UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FROM THE MOMENT YOU ARRIVE ON CAMPUS Assist a faculty member on a project Conduct research as part of a course Find research opportunities within the community

RESEARCH: IT’S NOT JUST IN A LAB. IT’S ALL AROUND YOU. DISCOVER MORE AT UGRESEARCH.UTK.EDU

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Rise of electronic cigarettes warrant no change in tobacco policy Connor Barnhill Staff Writer

Cigarettes are going electronic, but it doesn’t mean the rules have to change.

Vape pens and e-cigarettes have increased in popularity over the past few years. In previous years at UT, to see them on campus — if anyone saw them at all — would be a rare occurrence.

Today, they have become almost common place.

What is less popular knowledge is how these devices are treated on campus and if university administrators were concerned enough to create a policy addressing those who vape.

According to the current policy, UT prevents any smoking in a university building or within 25 feet of its entrance. But despite these differences, the policy does not distinguish between smoking and vaping.

E-cigarettes or vaporizers mainly differ from cigarettes in the reduced chemical and nicotine levels in vapors. Instead of smoke, the user

inhales heated propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin heated to the point to produce vapors.

While some e-cigarettes may not contain nicotine at all, they are not completely harmless. The Teen Therapy Center’s official website stresses repeatedly that, as of yet, there are no scientific studies proving that vape pens and e-cigarettes are not harmful.

Sarah Carroll, sophomore in graphic design and an avid vaper, claims that the benefits outweigh the unforeseen risks.

“For me, it’s a much healthier alternative to smoking a cigarette, which has over 200 chemicals,” Carroll said. “Although vape pens generate much larger clouds than cigarettes do, which can annoy some students, they don’t smell bad like the clouds cigarettes produce.”

Carroll said the policy is not a hindrance in her daily activities, and she said she doesn’t mind that the policy does not distinguish between smoking and vaping.

“Even if the policy said that vape pens or e-cigarettes could be used anywhere on campus, I would only vape in the smoking areas anyway

out of courtesy to other students,” Carroll said.

While some vapers do not share Carroll’s view on the premise of no harmful effects on bystanders --- like second-hand smoke from traditional cigarettes --- the UT administration recognizes that as an issue.

Brian Browning, director of Administrative Services, likewise cited courtesy for other students as the main reason the policy does not differentiate between smoking and vaping.

“We realize that e-cigarettes are focused on emitting a vapor and not smoke, but the problem is that it would create a distraction for many students if we allowed it in learning environments,” he said.

Like Carroll, Browning emphasized that students might find such clouds in confined spaces like a lecture hall or a classroom distracting or annoying, a problem that administrators foresaw when passing the policy.

“If you were to sit right next to a student who vaped in a classroom, you’d probably know right away that it wasn’t a cigarette,” Browning said.

“But for students farther away, they might not

be able to tell as easily and that could distract or confuse them, taking their mind off learning.”

The same policy prohibits the sale of smoking or smokeless paraphernalia on campus, meaning students must travel to the Commons or the Strip to buy cigarettes or vape pens.

UT also released a reminder earlier this year about carrying vape pens around in laboratories, considering they might expose students to hazardous biological chemicals through ingestion.

Browning said this precedent helps solidify the reasons for passing the smoking policy under the university’s Safety Board instead of UT Human Resources.

Still, Browning said he believes the policy is crucial in keeping the campus a place of learning and environment for fostering awareness in all students.

“The main thing about the policy is being cognizant and courteous to others and respecting their right to learn, regardless of whether it’s smoking or vaping,” Browning said.

Policy makes porn watching possible, OIT still notices Alahnah Ligon

Asst. News Editor

it.

We’ve all watched it, though few would admit

In your dorm room, on the quiet floor of Hodges, even in class if you do not close your browser, pornography is a part of American culture and, subsequently, UT’s.

“If the dorms count as being on campus then yes, I was (watching pornography) on the reg on UT-WPA2 freshman year,” said Jeff*, a junior at UT. Like many students, Jeff spent a good deal of time in his dorm room alone with his computer, by and large unconcerned with facing consequences from UT for what was popping up on his browser.

“I figured there were a bunch of other dudes doing the same thing, and they couldn’t get everybody in trouble,” he said. “I was old enough to legally look at it and everything, so I didn’t even really think about it.”

But the Office of Information Technology guidelines might surprise Jeff and others who believe their web surfing unrestricted.

The OIT Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources policy at UT sets guidelines for network use on UT’s campus — including recreational visits to porn sites.

If users are accessing pornography over UT’s network, they can lose rights to that network if their actions are reported with necessary evi-

dence. That evidence, however, is often hard to come by or not sought out except in cases where laws are broken.

Such a case occurred in 2010 when access to child pornography was reported to UT administration by the federal government. In most cases, however, OIT usually chooses to look the other way.

“We’re not sitting there scanning all of that stuff every day,” Joel Reeves, assistant vice chancellor and chief information officer, said. “We don’t have a warrant to review that information.”

Should a student or faculty member choose to report porn usage on UT’s network, OIT would be within their rights to restrict network usage for that user and possibly alert the administration depending on the nature of the pornography in question.

“If someone sees someone else is looking at pornography and tells us about it, we may or may not be in the position to investigate,” Reeves said. “We could shut them off, because they’re using the network, but someone would have to report it to us.”

The networks on campus, like UT Open, act as an “interstate system” that connect users to applications on UT servers, Reeves said.

For services like Blackboard, Banner and MyUTK, OIT employees install patches and programs on a regular schedule to protect and monitor these applications. This cyber shield is strengthened for OIT employees because of a clause in the Acceptable Use policy that outlaws operating systems outside of those already accepted on campus.

Part of this standard of integrity enacts a policy that prohibits “excessive personal use” on the network which includes a myriad of activities like running a business on the network, watching Netflix, discussing politics or even watching pornography.

Steve Keys, executive director of OIT Communications, said running a business increases the traffic on the network, and consequently limits access for others.

“All we ask is that you don’t run a (webbased) business out of your dorm room on the network,” Keys said. “There are other avenues to take to not use our network to do that.”

Netflix and other live streaming is not currently overseen by OIT, but the department sets network access within housing separate from the rest of campus.

For David Cunningham, a senior in computer science, avoiding the gaze of OIT’s monitors is simple. A download from TOR, a program that routes traffic from multiple sources, will encrypt traffic coming in and out of UT network servers.

But he thinks it’s unlikely that students would be concerned enough to “hide their porn traffic from their school network,” he said. “If people are bothering to hide their traffic, it’s probably because they’re pirating films, file sharing, hacking or something like that.”

A less defined area of personal use, Reeves said, is discussing politics or lobbying movements on the university’s network systems.

Reeves cited Gov. Haslam’s recent outsourcing proposal as a primary example.

Individuals are “free to discuss politics,” he

said, but pushing a stance “one way or another could be construed as lobbying and is in violation of policy.”

If UTPD or other departments are notified of potential violations such as harassment, network privileges may be also revoked.

“Denial of service attacks occur when a user harasses a business outside of UT by overloading their business with traffic, making it impossible to conduct business,” Reeves said.

A UT student was accused of such an act last year and OIT in turn revoked access to the network.

Additionally, “if you’re not one of us, we’ll take steps to limit your access to our community,” Reeves said. “If you are one of us, we will lock your account, take away your credentials, and depending on your role at the university, you will deal with (Office of) Student Life, Human Resources or the Provost’s Office.”

Other illegal activities detected through network monitoring are directed to UTPD or processed on a federal level, depending on the severity of the case.

“We monitor the network at all times to see if there is anything or anyone behaving on the network in a way that may cause problems for everybody else on the network,” Keys said.

“We try to detect it and (are) proactive, so that we can stop it from proliferating all over the network.”

Name has been changed to protect the identity of the source.

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

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ARTS&CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

WUTK show displays local affairs, classic R&B McKenzie Mitchell Contributor

Every Sunday morning, a man gets up and goes to the studio.

In the studio, he sits and prepares to speak across the airwaves in a small, dank room.

His name is Hubert Smith, and from 10 a.m. 12 p.m. every Sunday, Smith and his small team of two get together to produce “The Hubert Smith Radio Show.”

Divided by only a glass screen, Smith hosts in one room while his producers connect cables and adjust volumes under succinct time constraints in the other.

Like clockwork, this is the rhythm for the next two hours.

From the very first day of his Mass Communications 100 class at UT, Smith knew he wanted to be in radio.

He wanted to talk to people about what mattered most to him: local affairs and classic R&B. “These people we elect determine how we live our life on a day-to-day basis,” Smith said on local politics. “So … I try to encourage people to get involved locally.”

One of the ways he involves the commu-

nity is by bringing in guests from organizations around Knoxville. One Sunday, a guest from the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee came in to promote the organization and ask for volunteers.

Smith expressed his delight about when people call to talk in the show.

“They call in. They participate,” Smith said.

“That’s my motivation.”

However, outside of local politics, Smith’s second goal for his program is to entertain audiences with classic R&B. “It’s music that moves me. Classic R&B is real instruments, sung by talented people that are on full display,” Smith said. “It’s soulful. It’s the soul that touches your heart.”

For Smith, true classic R&B is anything that dates from the mid-1980s and earlier. So, on the show, you’ll find artists like Marvin Gaye, Earth Wind & Fire, Patti LaBelle and The Temptations.

Regarding the odd coupling of politics and R&B, Smith describes his program as a variety show. “(Variety shows) entertain you and make you laugh,” he said. “I try to mix all of those things in the pot, so hopefully by the end of the program you’ll say, ‘I listened to some great music, I may have learned something, I may have won some-

thing, and I think I’ll tune back in next Sunday.’”

On the other side of the glass, his producers show equal dedication to being a part of the show.

One of the producers, Jim McCarter, was asked to do the show over the summer.

“One of my favorite parts of the show is getting to sneak in music that I used to listen to in my car when I was a teenager,” McCarter said.

Sometimes listeners will get a little taste of McCarter’s favorites like Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Jethro Tull and ZZ Top. Producer Jaimie Hartman is one of the work study students in the studio. By working 20 hours, she hopes that her time with Smith will further her career in journalism.

“It’s a great experience, especially for students who want to get into broadcasting,” Hartman said.

She described her experience working for the show as difficult but worthwhile.

“We just have a good time. It’s hectic and crazy, but it teaches you to go with the flow and improvise,” Hartman said.

McCarter emphasized that the show is definitely not all fun and games.

“It’s fun, but you have to stay on your toes a lot more than people think,” McCarter said.

“People seem to think it’s a big party when it’s

It’s music that moves me. Classic R&B is real instruments, sung by talented people that are on display.”

Hubert Smith, radio show host

not. If you’re having a party, it sounds awful on the air.”

However, the team still maintains close personal connections despite the stress of running a weekly broadcast.

“If I could ever host a show, I hope that I could match his exuberance,” Hartman said of Smith.

“The Hubert Smith Radio Show” comes on every Sunday morning from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. on WUTK 90.3 The Rock.

ARTS&CULTURE

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

Big Ears brings the avant-garde to Knoxville Megan Patterson

Arts & Culture Editor

For the fifth installment of Big Ears (and the third in a row since 2014), expectations were set high, with John Luther Adams as artist-in-residence and a new venue premiering through the festival.

The four-day music and film extravaganza kicked off on Thursday, March 31 with a performance in the Tennessee Theatre by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra performing the music of John Luther Adams, Bryce Dessner and Philip Glass.

Then Andy Scott and Yo La Tengo brought the night to a close with two late night performances in Old City.

Friday brought a much more dense lineup and kept the eight venues filled all day. This day brought the start of two of the festival’s headlining installments — Lou Reed’s “Drones” presented by Laurie Anderson and John Luther Adam’s “Veils and Vespers.”

Each afternoon from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., The Standard hosted a slew of beanbags, yoga mats and meditating listeners while Reed’s “Drones” filled the room. One of Reed’s long time technicians Stuart Hurwood operated the setup — a semicircle of amps with a guitar propped against each.

The amps vibrated against the strings of the guitars, effectively “playing” them without the aid of human hands.

Adjustments to this setup provided slow, nearly imperceptible variation to the droning produced. Some attendees camped out here all afternoon, while others only stopped by to observe.

That seemed to be the theme of the festival, a constant ebb and flow in and out of each venue. No matter the performer on stage, the crowd seemed to continually be shedding its skin and changing with the music.

Adam’s reoccurring installment shared the spiritual meditation present at Reed’s “Drones,” but communicated in a very different manner.

The most removed venue, The Sanctuary, held “Veils and Vespers” from 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. in a former Christian church. The antique architecture mixed with the ethereal music set the scene for attendees to wander across the pews to stand on the altar or to sit in silent prayer and contemplation.

Friday also kicked off the film aspect of the festival and brought the first of two performances each by music legends Anthony Braxton and Marc Ribot early in the afternoon, but smaller acts had a place as well.

Boyd’s Jig and Reel hosted a poetry performance by Drew Drake accompanied by two guitarists. Local poet Black Atticus provided the introduction for one of the first poetry events at Big Ears Festival.

Although attendance was low, Drake put on

a well-crafted show melding poetry and song together professionally. His choice to open with a cover of “Hotline Bling” introduced the artist perfectly — easy to brush aside as another cookie-cutter act, until he transforms things you thought were set in stone into a different beast entirely.

Hieroglyphic Being (Jamal Moss) and Marshall Allen’s collaboration at The Mill & Mine showed how new and old vehicles of jazz can meld together. With the saxophone as his instrument of choice, Allen brought his free jazz background to the 21st century with sound artist Moss providing heavy DJ accompaniment.

At the Bijou Theatre, Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith took a more traditional approach to jazz with Wadada on the saxophone and Iyer on the keyboard and piano. Although the two carried the piece on these instruments, additional sound effects throughout the performance enhanced and framed their melodies.

A performance of Tony Conrad and Faust’s 1973 “Outside the Dream Syndicate” directly preceding the Standard’sDrones Jam to close Friday night. This high intensity, rhythmic rock performance utilized standard rock instruments of the electric bass and drum alongside a duo of standing bass players and a violinist.

The two remaining members of Faust (drums, electric bass) were joined by three incoming musicians, but all paid tribute to Conrad. The drummer never spoke until the end of the performance when he left the stage after saying “Danke Tony.”

Saturday brought even more variety with country-jazz fusion artists Lamchop at The Mill & Mine. This singer-songwriter style performance was one that would have been accessible to more mainstream listeners and the lead singer certainly kept a casual attitude with the crowd — tossing each piece of sheet music to the ground after its conclusion.

“Here’s another song Kurt (frontman) wrote while we were playing that last one,” Lambchop said to introduce their final song.

The general public is exactly who Black Atticus intended to cater to with the First Annual Big Ears Indie Poetry Slam. The Square Room was filled beyond capacity, and mid-way through the performances, Atticus took the stage to ask attendees to give up their seats so that technically more people could come in to the show.

Audience members immediately leaped to their feet or moved to the ground and across the venue, all in attendance moved their tighter together toward the front of the room, allowing newcomers plenty of room to file into the space.

The slam maintained this sense of casual familiarity with Atticus encouraging the audience to give verbal support to the performers along with opening opposing the judges.

“Boo like the stewardess just said ‘I’m sorry we’re all out of peanuts and there’s no more liquor on the plane right now,” Atticus said.

Finally, after the guest performer finished his set, the time was up for the poets to occupy the venue, but no winner had been decided.

Atticus gave the option of a hurried final round or continuing the slam in the open air of Market Square. As they had all night, the audience unanimously and loudly gave their support for a continued slam outdoors.

Meanwhile, Anthony Braxton and Marc Ribot concluded their Big Ears appearances with back to back performances at The Standard. Braxton played with a trio and the group gave an intimate show. Then Circuit Des Yeux took the stage.

This singer-songwriter had the raw passion and androgynous persona of Patty Smith. She played a heavy rock set filled with at times operatic vocals over an impressive range.

To end the night, Kamasi Washington and his band closed down The Mill & Mine with a high energy jazz show. Washington has gained recent recognition as a collaborator with Kendrick Lamar on “To Pimp a Butterfly,” and in Saturday’s performance, this type of improvisation- heavy standard was evident.

Washington gave a performance that remained variable over two hours and made sure to showcase each of his band members, several of whom he had known since childhood. Early in the set, Washington invited his father on stage to join the band on the flute.

This final show concluded Big Ears 2016 run in downtown Knoxville and set the tone for “Inuksuit,” Sunday’s final performance open to the public at Ijams Nature Center.

Despite its removed location, “Inuksuit” brought droves of people to the two-lane road leading into the nature center. After traffic reached a standstill, cars pulled off the road and hopeful attendees began hiking the final half mile to Ijams on foot.

On the way, more travelers from additional parking lots joined into the stream of attendees walking along the forest greenway to reach the quarry. Upon arrival, the amount of people in attendance was staggering.

A large group congregated at the open space where the performance would begin, but additional groups peppered the edge of the quarry everywhere you looked, sitting on the edge of the water. Thankfully, it didn’t matter where you were positioned for this performance — everywhere was the best seat in the house.

“Inuksuit” began with the use of soft percussive items such as triangles and sound hoses. People who originally appeared to be just part of the crowd pulled out these instruments and began walking out from the center See BIG EARS on Page 19

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Secret local concerts visit unusual venues Michael Lipps

Asst. Arts & Culture Editor Secrets – on a spectrum they fall somewhere between good and bad. Secrets don’t make friends, but anyone who has ever uttered that phrase also knows the joy of coming across a “best-kept secret.”

One of Knoxville’s newest and best-kept secrets is Knox Secret Shows. The shows offer listeners the opportunity to hear talented artists from here and elsewhere, like local artists Steven Wesley and Joey English as well as Nashvillebased duo Carolina Story and Joseph LeMay. While there is no mystery as to which artists you will see, tickets are purchased without advance knowledge of the location of the venue.

And it’s not just a matter of if the show will take place at a usual venue like The Bijou, The International or the Pilot Light; rather, you can rest assured the venue will be an experience in and of itself.

The first secret show was held at Saw Works Brewery, located in the Warehouse District near the Old City, and the second show was at The Salvage Shop –a program of Knox Heritage that re-sells donated historic building materials to prevent them from going into a landfill.

The shows take place thanks to Kent Oglesby

of Knoxville Music Warehouse and Garrett Thomson of Asterisk Management. Oglesby explained that he and Thomson wanted to create a really enjoyable listening environment for music patrons and artists alike.

Utilizing atypical spaces and turning them into venues shows off some of the cool places across Knoxville and helps to connect different communities.

“The stage setup at Knox Heritage (Salvage Shop) was awesome,” Oglesby said. “We got to use their art and stuff they were selling for the stage, and it worked out great.”

Thomson elaborated on how one man’s trash became a Knox Secret Show treasure.

“We used doors as backdrops, and it was cool to be able to tie part of their element into the atmosphere,” Thomson added.

But each show is more than just creating a cool atmosphere; it is also about sharing the spotlight with each unique venue.

One audience member from the second show told Thomson about his or her plans to return to The Salvage Shop and purchase two doors to make them into a headboard.

“We want to highlight great music, we want to highlight a great event that’s unique and special and intentional, so I think the space goes along with that,” Thomson said. “It’s hard but it’s also exciting - we’re having to create a space

that’s not intended for music. So each time there’s a bit of, ‘Um, how is this going to work?’”

So far, it has worked out just fine—and the community seems to be getting behind the concept.

“It’s starting to gain enough momentum to where the community is saying, ‘This is cool.

How do I get in?’” Thomson said.

Thomson and Oglesby were pleasantly surprised when the Casual Pint downtown contacted them about donating beer for the second show. Additionally, they have had volunteers show up to help out in various ways.

Aside from local support and interest, Oglesby says the pool of local musical talent in our area is huge.

“That’s what I spend all day every day telling everybody – how vast our local talent pool is here,” Oglesby said. “Per capita, given the size of the market, I think it’s pound for pound the best in the country.”

And most likely, you can expect to see local talent performing at every show.

“Why wouldn’t we put local guys or girls we love on stage for a big audience?” Oglesby said.

An emphasis on local talent and community is a major factor behind each show.

“I think that music in general, especially on the local level, really gives identity to the culture of a city,” Thomson added. “And I think blending a musical event with a local business or a non-profit and allowing a space to tell that story in a musical setting ties those things together really well.”

With two shows under their belts and a third on the way, Oglesby and Thomson have a lot of dreams and ambitions, and they plan to keep working to get more people on board with their ideas. One thing they want to ensure is that they keep building upon the excitement that surrounds the secret shows.

Oglesby recounted a story of a lady who came

up to him and said that she and her friends are going to come to every show that’s held when they’re in town.

“She said she was going to buy tickets for the next one,” Oglesby said. “I asked her if I had told her who the band was, and she said, ‘Nope.’

That’s awesome.”

And the excitement isn’t just coming from the fans. Ben Roberts from Carolina Story took a moment during his set at the second show to rally support.

“Keep behind this thing and stay behind this thing and hopefully it continues to flourish,” Roberts said.

And seeing as Oglesby and Thomson plan to keep things interesting, there’s really no reason it shouldn’t flourish.

“Don’t expect us to settle into just solely singer-songwriters,” Oglesby said. “There will be bands.”

“We use a lot of words like ‘intimate’ and ‘connection with the audience’ that people just naturally assume is a seated acoustic show,” Thomson said. “… while it has been that so far you don’t have to be seated in room that’s dead silent to connect with the artist and to feel the emotions that they’re trying to convey through their music.”

And this is something the two are interested in exploring: What is a premium listening environment? Not every shows is going to be seated, Oglesby and Thomson explained, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a premium listening environment.

“We definitely want to make sure as we go along that the secret show has a certain novelty to it,” Thomson said. “We don’t want it to lose that appeal, so we’re definitely going to explore ways to keep this different and interesting. I think that as soon as people get comfortable with the idea of what this (the show) is (that) will be when we’ll probably change it.”

BOSS brings dance back to UT JoAnna Brooker Contributor

As one of the top five student-run organizations on campus, BOSS Dance Company was founded to set an example in self-sufficiency.

In fact, that is what they stand for; BOSS is an acronym for Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency. Why does a student organization feel the need to be entirely self-sufficient? BOSS has a reason.

In 2008, the University of Tennessee cut the Dance department due to budget cuts. Unwilling to let the spirit of dance die, in 2010, the Dance Society at UT

created BOSS Dance Company to provide students with both technique classes and opportunities to perform dance for the general public.

Six years later, BOSS Dance Company has nearly doubled in size, and with a company made up of over 40 freshmen alone, dance is definitely alive and thriving.

“A lot of people thought BOSS wasn’t going to make it in the first year, maybe two,” ballet choreographer for BOSS Lindsay Bacon said, “but everyone’s surprised we’ve made it six.”

Bacon was actually one of the last students at UT to go through the university’s See BOSS DANCE on Page 19

ARTS&CULTURE

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

Student artist moves forward one painting at time Katey Robinson Staff Writer

Paris Woodhull, junior in studio art, has always been captivated by the world of art and creating— and now her life revolves around it.

Woodhull said she credits the early discovery of her passion to her parents.

“My mom was constantly working on an art project. She’s an amazing carpenter, seamstress, illustrator, calligrapher — you name it, and she can do it or she will teach herself how to do it,” Woodhull said. “My father is a politician, writer, jazz enthusiast, problem solver and creative thinker ... As far back as I can remember, the sky has been the limit.”

Woodhull works mainly in paint—acrylic, oil and watercolor. She said painting fascinates her with its ability to “transform a flat surface into something taut with meaning or a lack thereof.”

She said she finds much of her inspiration in fashion and pop culture.

“I love Scandinavian style, bold color, busy patterns, Gloria Vanderbilt, Miles Davis’s fiery spirit and Esperanza Spalding’s flawless sense of style,” Woodhull gushed.

Those imperfections that are intrinsic to the creative process contribute so much to a final product that Woodhull said she has not yet pinned down a specific methodology for creating her work.

“I think of my creative process as akin to me being blindfolded and then reaching until I grab something that makes my heart skip around,” she said.

Recently, Woodhull and fellow student

BOSS DANCE continued from Page 18 dance program, graduating in 2009 with a public relations major and minor in dance performance. In her past five years with BOSS, Bacon has seen the organization’s progress with not only keeping dance alive but also keeping it on campus.

One of the organization’s largest accomplishments came to fruition this spring.

This semester is the first since 2008 that a dance class has been offered through UT. “The class was full and had a waitlist,” Bacon said. “The fact that it had a waitlist is a big deal, and I think we’re taking the right steps towards having the minor reinstated.”

Aside from the credit class through the university, BOSS also offers dance tech-

Elijah Fredrick exhibited work at Gallery 1010 in their show “Young Religion.”

Woodhull is no stranger to showing her paintings, however. Since its opening in 2010, Woodhull has worked at Rala. Short for “Regional and Local Artisans,” Rala comprises of half shop and half gallery—Woodhull has shown her work there twice.

Last summer, she had a show up at Old City Java. Having work on display there, Woodhull said, made her feel a little like a celebrity.

“Old City Java was so wonderful to work with, and I still testify that they have the best latte in town,” she said.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Woodhull. She opened up about the frustrations that can go along with hitting a creative block.

“Towards the end of last semester, I started to hit an all-time low,” Woodhull recalled.

“I wasn’t particularly loving anything that I was making, and as a result of that, I was losing my joy in making. I emailed my drawing professor, Claire Stigliani, and asked ‘How do I get joy back?’”

The passage that Stigliani replied with, an excerpt from Letters to a Young Poet, she said will resonate with her forever: “You ask whether your verses are any good. You ask me. You have asked others before this. You send them to magazines.

You compare them with other poems, and you are upset when certain editors reject your work. Now… I beg you to stop doing that sort of thing. You are looking outside, and that is what you should most avoid right now. No one can advise or help you – no one.

There is only one thing you should do. Go into yourself.”

Reminders like that one paired with the

nique classes each Sunday on a variety of styles, which are free to UT students.

These classes not only give interested students an opportunity to check out BOSS but also help the members of the company enhance their technique.

“The technique classes are actually how we get a lot of people to come out and audition for BOSS,” tap choreographer for BOSS Rachel Vernon said. “They’ll have not heard about it and then come to one of our technique classes and love it.”

Vernon is a senior at UT in food science and technology with a minor in psychology.

This combination of degrees is not atypical for BOSS, which attracts students from a variety of backgrounds due to the diversity of style and expression within dance.

“I think that’s what a lot of people are drawn to,” Bacon said, “is that we offer a variety of dance styles.”

vibrant art community at UT and in greater Knoxville have played a large role in Woodhull’s continuing growth as an artist.

“I am constantly reminding myself that I am extremely lucky to be in such a beautiful city surrounded by a caring and supportive group of people,” Woodhull said. “Artist Sharon Louden said that ‘It takes a community to be an artist.’ I believe that Knoxville is that community for me.”

When the question of future plans came up, Woodhull made her frustration clear how on frequently others broach this sticky topic.

“Artists are bombarded with this question.

And believe me, we are already thinking and worrying about it,” Woodhull admitted. “Our profession includes daily risk-taking. Am I worried? Yes, definitely.”

The beauty of uncertainty, she said, is entirely interlaced with the journey and development of an artist.

“I just remind myself that I’m an extremely hard worker, that I know myself and that things have a way of working out. Artists have to be flexible and fearless,” Woodhull said.

Woodhull plans to continue forging her path through the world of art, one painting at a time.

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BIG EARS continued from Page 17 of people, beginning a migration through the many trails along the quarry.

Down these trails, additional musicians sat waiting with stoic reverence for their cue to join in the unusual symphony developing.

As attendees roamed the trails, casual conversation developed and many found a space to sit for meditation or a picnic. The casual outdoor venue lent itself to this sort of percussive soundtrack.

Depending on your location at a given time, you heard a different piece of music than another attendee 50 feet away. This dispersive quality to the piece gave a highly individualized experience to everyone in the crowd.

When the beats died and down and silence fell over the quarry, the crowd stood in continued silence for almost a minute before erupting into applause.

Although the only real physical journey during Big Ears came at the finale, the entire festival brought music lovers of various knowledge levels together for a pilgrimage of a different sort — breaking down what they define as music and challenging them to keep big ears and an open mind.

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Zombie apocalypse terrorizes campus Bryanne Brewer Contributor

There has been an infestation on campus, and only students brandishing green bandanas, Nerf blasters and rolled socks can save us. For the members of the Humans vs. Zombies Club, the zombie apocalypse is upon the UT campus and only this band of heroes can stop it (hopefully).

Humans vs. Zombies is an intensive game of tag for 24 hours over five days, where the playing field is all of the UT campus. Almost all players start out as “humans” while one is randomly chosen to be the “original zombie.” None of the club members know who will start the infection until it is underway.

The zombies feed by tagging humans every 36 hours or else they “starve to death” and are out of the game. Humans are allowed to fend off the zombies with Nerf guns or rolled up socks.

The humans win by outlasting the time frame or evading the zombies until they starve to death. The zombies win when all humans have been converted.

During the game, there are four or five periodic “side quests,” or missions, available to challenge players. At the start of the first mission, the humans are fully aware of the incoming horde and must continue to gather materials and weaponry to survive.

These missions often force both factions (humans and zombies) to go through various trials and tribulations in order to increase their own chances of survival.

During these missions, humans normally try to hold a point or obtain an item as the zombies try to stop them.

William Jackson, junior in psychology and occasional moderator for HvZ, joined the club as a freshman. As a moderator, Jackson acts as a referee of sorts: making sure the rules are enforced, making judgment calls on whether a play was legal and determining if something counts as a tag.

There are really only three main rules: do not break any of UT’s rules, do not do anything to harm anyone and do not “be a douche-bag” Jackson said. Of course, there are additional smaller, detailed rules that can be found on the club’s website.

However, Jackson prefers participating as a regular player; he believes HvZ can

help people make friends and also relieve stress.

“For a lot of people, they feel that something is after them,” Jackson said. “This is a good way to actually have something after you that you can deal with.”

Jackson has met most of his friends and his girlfriend through HvZ. “Most of the people are genuinely good people, but also Humans vs. Zombies is just a fun thing to go do,” Jackson said.

After being an active member of the club for three consecutive years, Jackson can list three of his favorite memories with the club.

“The first was my first game — being the last human to survive because things didn’t go so well,” Jackson said. “Then this past game I tried to capture a point and somehow made it out by myself with seven zombies after me, which is rare, and it was a good feeling of accomplishment. The last was actually meeting my girlfriend.”

Unlike Jackson, Jacob Rhyne, junior in marketing and business analytics, prefers being a moderator over being a player.

“Being a player is great. It’s a lot of fun and involves a good amount of exercise and

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adrenaline,” Rhyne said. “But being a moderator is more involved because you can get in depth analysis of the game. You get really involved, and you get to see all the smiles on the players’ faces when the game goes according to plan.”

Rhyne offers a tip for new players: never get caught alone. Zombies often ambush humans in groups and to survive that sort of attack alone requires a great amount of strategy. Rhyne encourages new members to invite their friends to play and to make friends during gameplay.

“Since you are in this lighthearted survival situation, you tend to make allies and friends pretty quickly in order to survive,” Rhyne said. “It’s also really easy because the more involved and the more often you play the game, the stronger your relationship will be with these people.”

Ultimately, Rhyne wants people to know that the club is actually really fun. While the game does look entertaining from afar, the most enjoyment can only be found once immersed in the gameplay.

To learn more about the Humans vs.

Zombies club at UT and future events, add them on Facebook or visit utkhvz.com.

ARTS&CULTURE

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

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Fabulous opportunities abound in UT’s Fabrication Lab Michael Lipps

Asst. Arts & Culture Editor Just over a mile north of UT campus sits a unique looking building that raises a question or two.

It’s white brick exterior contrasts greatly with its red-bricked neighboring buildings. The contrast is amplified even more by a nostalgic looking awning outlined in vibrant color, bulb lights, with letters bearing the name JEWEL mounted above like a badge of honor.

Drive around back and be greeted by a building exterior outlined by two shades of blue paint and the name “Fab Lab” adorning the ground floor windows.

Short for fabrication lab, the unique building is a UT facility that is home to 3D printers, laser cutters, robotics and standard metal and woodworking equipment.

UT decided to invest in the property a little more than a year ago, giving space to multiple programs for the College of Architecture and Design. In the time since the Fab Lab’s opening, digital fabrication supervisor Craig Gillam says he has seen exponential growth in the number of students utilizing the facility.

“Student use in the last three weeks has really rapidly expanded because we had some new faculty members come on board who were really excited about the space and really pushed their students to use it,” Gillam said.

There was previously a design build facility off Middlebrook Pike, where things that were built would oftentimes have to be disassembled in order to be taken offsite. The college wanted to avoid this logistical hassle, which is why they chose to have more digital capabilities in the Fab Lab. The new space is also very modular, so items can easily be moved around if necessary for a large-scale design build. It’s also a flex space, allowing room for lectures for up to 110 people.

Fab Lab supervisor and lecturer, Tally Locke, explained that the facility gives students exposure to the technologies they need to stay on the cutting edge of their education.

“The Fab Lab is a remarkable resource for students to pursue research into digital fabrication,” Locke said. “From furniture design to architectural construction, the industry is headed into the digital age. It’s imperative for students to have access to these technologies in order for their education to be complete.”

Recently, students have been able to help with a number of projects which utilize resources from the Fab Lab. Such projects include helping with the building of a water kiosk to provide clean water to residents of Clay County, Kentucky and building a classroom and office structure at Beardsley Community Farm here in Knoxville.

Something else that the facility is useful for is

its rapid prototyping space, which includes laser cutters, self-serve 3D printers and more industrial style printers that offer higher quality work.

In this space, students can quickly transform ideas into tangible prototypes.

“It’s really easy for them to do it,” Gillam said. “They can have a physical model and they can analyze it in a different sense than just on a screen, and then decide if they want to put the time and the money into going into larger scale.”

Associate professor, Ryann Aoukar, was able to utilize the rapid prototyping space after he flushed out the design for one of his products.

Aoukar designed a funnel bowl with an integrated strainer, which is as aesthetically pleasing as it is functional. Since the design and prototyping processes, the bowl is now available for purchase online.

And while this associate professor has made great use of the space, Gillam says students have the same potential to do extraordinary things with a variety of equipment to which they wouldn’t ordinarily have access. And whether the project entails anything pertaining, but not limited, to woodworking, plastics, sheet metal, metal machining or welding, Gillam says, “Just the breadth of the equipment available is huge for them.”

Prior to the Fab Lab’s existence, there was not a place in this area for students to experiment with and utilize such a wide variety of equipment under one roof. Gillam recalled a student who wanted to make a sheet metal fabricated chair once for a furniture design project. At the pre-Fab Lab time, it took the student somewhere between two to three months just to get the skills and confidence necessary to use some of the manual equipment.

Comparatively, he spoke of a student last semester who designed a project in a software system, exported the file, put it on the Fab Lab’s water jet cutter and within two hours had a water jet cut chair that they could bend into shape.

Since opening the Fab Lab, Gillam estimates that around three to four large colleges have come to tour the facility because they want to put in a proposal to create something similar at their institutions. And while the Fab Lab was created with architecture and design students in mind, it is not exclusively for such students.

After having quite a bit of interest from students outside of the College of Architecture and Design, it was decided that the facility would be open to all students.

Even if a student is hesitant or doubtful of their abilities initially, Gillam explained that they really work to get students oriented and comfortable with using the equipment.

Then, Gillam says, “They have this sense of ownership of what they’re making. We’re definitely about getting the students using things hands on in an open, inviting, safe environment.”

Ultimately, what Gillam and the rest of the

The Fabrication Lab offers students the opportunity to use 3D printers, laser cutters and more. Justin Keyes • The Daily Beacon administration see the space as is a place to make stuff happen. “(Students) come with a project, then they can work through their design with myself or the other supervisors of the shop,” Gillam said. “We

can use our expertise and just give them advice, but then there’s the equipment here for them to generate their ideas. So it’s a great research facility, or it’s just even a great maker’s space for the students to conduct research.”

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ARTS&CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

UT alumnus finds calling in Tennessee apparel company Marina Waters Staff Writer

You do not have to venture too far down Volunteer Boulevard before you are met with those three stars congregating in the center of a pastel-colored cap or on the back of a Tennesseethemed pocketed t-shirt.

When Mason Jones, UT alumnus and CEO of Volunteer Traditions, retells the story of how his star-clad company came to be, it starts on that same street. It is the story of how a college student turned a classmate’s South Carolina flag belt into one representing his home state of Tennessee.

“There in those days, we didn’t really know what we were doing,” Jones said. “We got those (belts) in and started there. It was kind of cool to see how it just came together.”

However, Jones’s journey from a start-up idea that operated out of his closet to a company with merchandise sold in stores from Memphis to Bristol was just beginning.

“Getting the word out was slow and tricky,” Jones said. “Because of that, we took our time, and I think that really helped out. I did it parttime out of my house; I had a full-time job working as an attorney … I feel like that was a very beneficial time.”

Although he has a degree in accounting and law from UT, the Volunteer Traditions CEO said he gained the most from being around other driven students while he attempted to find his calling.

“Those majors and that education really put me around other people working really hard,” Jones said. “When you get around other people who work hard, it makes you want to work hard.

It really ramps up your problem solving, which is something they certainly don’t really teach in general.”

Understanding the history of the university’s traditions and style was also beneficial — par-

ticularly the style found on a game day in Neyland Stadium. Jones aimed to add a touch of nostalgia from game days past in the ‘80s in ‘90s through retro logos such as the iconic Tennessee rifleman.

“People wore coonskin caps and waved Tennessee flags at the game,” Jones explained.

“Do I think that’s what people will do now? No, but I do think that they’ll wear a lot of retro logos that really remind them of that classic style that takes them back to that.”

These retro logos are meant to throw Tennesseans back to game days with their father or grandfather back when players like Peyton Manning called Knoxville home. However, the outlandish styles found in some vintage items will not be featured on a Volunteer Traditions shirt anytime soon. Instead, Volunteer Traditions creative director Kimber Cline explained the company’s constant goal in all of their designs.

“We find that simple classic designs work the best. It’s what sells the best for us, and it’s what comes together the most naturally,” Cline said.

“Every time we come up with an idea, I try to strip it down to the basics because that’s what’s gonna work for us.”

Jones is also ready to extend his apparel’s focus and branding slightly. After success with items such as tri-star caps and belts, the UT alumnus is focusing on female customers through their new inventory like Volunteer Traditions jewelry and the latest addition, a new line of active clothing under the name of Harper Knit.

“We’re really just trying to say ‘Alright, what we’ve seen is that these people are buying our products. How do we continue the products that they want?’” Jones said. “We really wanted to look at making essential comfort wear to enhance your entire day.”

However, the Tennessee-themed company will not be speeding towards too large of a change; although Volunteer Traditions has produced some products that appeal across all

Apparel is on display at Volunteer Traditions’ store location. • Photo Courtesy of Mason Jones and Volunteer Traditions southern states, Tennessee will always be a main own fault or not from parents, from friends and priority for Jones. they don’t feel like they can say, ‘This is what I “Really what that (creating more universal really wanna do.’” products) came back to was we want to make But Jones has another motivation for continuthe best products that people in Tennessee can ing his work on Volunteer Traditions. wear,” Jones said. “I’m really proud of that, that “You just wanna be able to do something to we’ve been able to focus in and say ‘alright, make a difference,” Jones said. “In wanting the we’ve done a lot of different stuff for a lot of best for you, they want to put you down the different states, but let’s focus in and do the best middle of the road to be the most average person Tennessee stuff.’” in the world, when no one in the world is good at Jones may be committed to producing appar- anything if they’re average at everything.” el for his home state, but this new-found comAfter grappling to find a calling that was anymitment comes with a price and the weight of thing other than average, Jones is CEO of the expectations. well-known Volunteer Traditions — and that is “It’s scary,” Jones said. “My grandparents a story he is thankful to be able to tell. were mad that I wasn’t an attorney that they saw “When I got out, I could see I was not made on TV commercials. My mom was disappointed to be an attorney,” Jones said. “I was blessed. If that she couldn’t tell her friends that her son was I had (become an attorney), I would have never an attorney and that he sold belts instead. That’s been able to pull out the strengths I am pretty hard. It’s a constant battle. good at.”

“People have expectations whether it’s their

Creative space to bring North Knoxville together Michael Lipps

Asst. Arts & Culture Editor At one point, sometime around the mid 1900s, someone was likely getting his or her car radio repaired at 923 N. Central Street.

At this location on a Wednesday afternoon in 2015 though, seated Indian-style on the floor in the space that will soon be occupied by the Center for Rural Strategies, Shawn Poynter shared his vision for the mixed-use space planned to open on Central Avenue — appropri-

ately named The Central Collective.

Just below the second story floor we were sitting on is the space that will accommodate Poynter’s photography studio and Knoxville’s divine Dale’s Fried Pies, but even more is planned for the space.

“My wife and I had been looking for space for a long time,” Poynter said. “A space to have people do creative things, so people in the community could put on a show, do stand-up, show their artwork, teach cooking or whatever their passion and skills are.”

The couple found the place they were looking for, and as it would turn out, they didn’t have

to look too far. Located about a mile away from their home, they fell in love with the potential of what was, at the time, a blighted North Knoxville property.

“We always complained about cool stuff not being here,” Poynter said.

But now, the couple is excited to come onto the scene of what is becoming a noteworthy revitalization of the area. Existing businesses in the area include Magpies Bakery, Holly’s Corner, Hops and Hollers and the Striped Light to name a few.

Poynter and his wife want to play a part in helping to foster community in what is “kind of

like (their) neighborhood anyway.”

“Our overarching goal is to bring folks together who wouldn’t necessarily come together organically,” Poynter explained.

They want the space to be a social hub where people can come together, most likely around sociable activities pertaining to food and beverages, but they also want it to be a space where people can learn and just have fun.

For instance, Poynter mentioned potentially having a local herb farmer coming in and talking about cooking with herbs and creating an herb garden.

See CENTRAL COLLECTIVE on Page 24

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

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ARTS&CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Rhythm and Blooms brings Americana to Scruffy City Every year, Americana music festival Rhythm n’ Blooms takes over Knoxville’s Old City. This year saw headliners like Mutemath, The Black Cadillacs and The Lone Bellow in addition to an array of local artists.

By Marina Waters, Staff Writer

All photos by Marina Waters • The Daily Beacon

CENTRAL COLLECTIVE continued from Page 22 Another idea being tossed around is to have pop-up dinners or brunches.

“I think North Knoxville is really hurting for brunch,” Poynter said. “It’s definitely a missing ingredient.”

And The Central Collective will lend itself to these types of culinary events, as it will have rentable commercial kitchen space that will also serve as the commissary kitchen for Dale’s Fried Pies.

Dale Mackey, Poynter’s wife and owner of Dale’s Fried Pies, is excited about the opportunities the kitchen will offer her and others.

Mackey explained that there are not really any community kitchens in the area. This is a challenge she had to face and one she hopes to help others overcome.

“That was really the absolute number one barrier to entry I had when I started finding kitchen space,” Mackey said.

The kitchen at The Central Collective will be unique in that it will be a community kitchen, not to mention its certifications.

“Most kitchens are certified by the Knox County Health Department … Ours will not only be certified by the health department, but it will also be certified by the Department of Agriculture,” Mackey said.

This certification will allow Mackey and other kitchen users to prepare products to package and sell in stores.

The entire space will also allow Mackey to experiment with her business in other ways. She explained that people seem to naturally assume she will have a storefront, and while this is not the case, she does plan to set up her trailer near the edge of Central Avenue and sell her pies.

“Bringing the trailer out front to the edge

of the parking lot kind of gives me a chance to experiment with that idea of having a storefront,” Mackey said.

Aside from Mackey’s and Poynter’s ideas, the couple is excited to see what thoughts the community has for the space.

“We’re just kind of weirdoes who want a place to do weird, fun things,” Poynter said. “I’m really excited to see what folks come up with and what sticks to the wall.

“We hope people will have ideas and come to us and say, ‘Oh, I want to do this with so-and-so, or I’m interested in this.’”

And so far, the feedback the couple has received has been positive. Poynter said people have been really supportive and excited to see what’s to come. And he, for one, is “excited to see this once blighted property become something not blighted, something actually decent looking, something that’s not an eyesore anymore.”

While the couple is optimistic for the future of the space, their optimism is paired with a tinge of uncertainty about what the future will hold.

“Our model is sort of interesting, and we hope that it works,” Mackey said. “We have offices upstairs; that helps a lot. There’s sort of this really magical added part of it, which is that because we have these three businesses supporting space, when we’re not working at those various jobs, we have this really cool space that’s centrally located and it’s just very mixed-use.”

The space opened in October, and the couple is eager to come together and share their space with the community.

“It’s kind of like an artistic home for us,” Mackey said. “We are always coming up with wild ideas about things we want to do like popup dinners and arts shows and performance events, and to have a space that’s ours where we get to kind of play and have fun.”

ARTS&CULTURE

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

25

Clarence Brown production team shares what happens off-stage Megan Patterson

Arts & Culture Editor

When the curtain opened at the Clarence Brown Theatre this past fall, there were 100 characters on stage for opening night. The trick is that there were only four actors.

For the upcoming production of “The 39 Steps,” the Beacon took an in-depth look at the behind-the-scenes preparation that went into this farcical rendition of an Alfred Hitchcock classic.

A lot happens before the opening scene, and even more happens before the actors enter the picture. Joe Payne, the sound and projection designer for Clarence Brown Theatre, detailed how the design crew begins their preparation.

“The play is chosen, and the whole design team all gets together with the director,” Payne said. “The director talks about the concept of the piece or the theme or mood or feeling of the piece and how he/she wants to portray the piece.”

After the director sets the stage for the team, the individual designers begin production.

Bill Black, the costume designer, starts each production in the same way. Equipped

with an elaborate chart outlining which roles the actors play in each scene, he begins his research.

“My research for this play was that I read the novel that the movie was based on, which wasn’t very helpful because Hitchcock really changed it for the film,” Black said. “Then I watched the film, and online I found a bunch of stills from the movie for reference.”

From the online stills featuring period dress of the 1930s, Black sketched out costumes for his production that fit with the established style of each individual character.

“Sometimes that involves finding clothes and putting them together in the right way, and sometimes it involves making them from scratch,” Black said. “When it involves making them from scratch, the drawing goes to the draper and he makes that into a pattern.”

The costume for the female spy character is a dress pattern, which Black found in a 1937 Sears catalogue.

“You can see a lot of the way through the movie she is wearing a dark dress with a big white collar or a big white bow so that’s why I kept that,” Black said. “In the movie she had three or four different dresses but … we didn’t have time for her to make all

those changes.”

For a play this extensive, most characters only have one costume, but even that is enough to keep the actors busy.

“The idea in a play like this where one actor plays more then one character is that the costume tells you which character they are,” Black said. “The actress plays three different women so she’s not too complicated…then these two guys play every other character in the movie.”

The two actors, called “clowns,” play every male role (with the exception of the lead) and even a few female roles. Their basic look is a white shirt, black pants, red suspenders and red-and-white socks.

“Whenever they play a woman or someone in a nightshirt or whatever, they will just pull their pant legs up and we will see those red-striped socks,” Black said. “When they are being stage musicians they have their basic costume and then they just put on a vest and shirt and bow tie in one piece over their thing and add a jacket.”

The rapid quick-changes these characters undergo are facilitated by sewing multiple items of clothing into a single piece and swapping out buttons for Velcro and snaps.

“Its not like we’re trying hide the fact that these two guys are playing all the other people; it’s part of what’s funny,” Black said.

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“They have a whole lot of different voices and accents and funny things that they do.”

David Alley is an actor-in-residence at UT playing one of the “clown” roles. For Alley, the quick changes only add to the comic nature of the play.

“One of the elements of farce is that there’s always some sense of danger, of things going too fast or things reaching right to the point of being out of control,” Alley said. “Our job is to make that appear to be the case but really to have things under control at the same time.”

Once costume and set design are wrapping things up, that’s when the other production teams move into full swing.

“I actually wait until the set design is done and the costume design is done because they hugely influence where I go from there,” Payne said. “I always like the sound and music and sound effects to feel like the physical world that has been created.”

The sound designer is in charge of the music and sound effects that go into a show.

Payne described his job as “emotionally driving the piece, keeping the piece going and keeping the mood and feeling of the piece where the director has intended so See CLARENCE BROWN on Page 28

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ARTS&CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Salvage Shop combines creativity with utility Megan Patterson

Arts & Culture Editor Where can you find vintage post-office boxes, a cast-iron tub and a full hand-carved staircase in one building?

Beth Meadows has seen all of these items come and go throughout her time with Knox Heritage. What began as a collection of donated building materials stored in a garage has grown into a professional vintage and antique store known as the Salvage Shop.

Knox Heritage is an institution with an extensive history in Knoxville, but it’s community interaction was fairly limited until a few years ago, when the accumulation of donated historic building materials grew too large for their former storage space.

It was then that Knox Heritage decided to give the old materials a space of their own.

Meadows began overseeing the salvage program in 2010 and was present for the move to a new location. Previously a studio manager for artists throughout Fort Sanders, Meadows was a fitting choice for the job of expanding the salvage program.

“When I first started we would take donations … we were pretty much just in a garage,” Meadows reminisced. “So I would get the donations, dust them off a bit, get them organized and there really wasn’t anywhere to work.”

After the move to a new location, the Salvage Shop was able to expand its services significantly.

“We’ve gone from that little to no cleaning of items to slowly getting to the point where we are creating new things out of salvage,” Meadows said. “There are different people around Knoxville who have taken items and refurbished them for us.”

The collaboration with local artists doesn’t stop there. To help offset costs and to promote further community outreach, the Salvage Shop shares their new space with several local artists.

“It’s kind of a win-win situation for everybody,” Meadows said. “I’m an artist as well, so anything you can do to put your name out there. We’re trying to promote them while also promoting the Salvage Shop.”

Sarah McFall is one of the local artists currently occupying a studio in the Salvage Shop. She met Meadows previously when she worked in another studio in Fort

Sanders under Meadow’s management.

“I love having a communal studio,” McFall shared. “Most of the time no one is there when I am working. But I do enjoy having group shows and open studio nights.

Seeing other people’s work is always motivating to keep going on your own.”

However, the collaboration between the Meadows and McFall goes beyond shared space. The two work to help each other with Meadows selling McFall’s pieces in the shop and McFall helping in refurbishing the space.

“The Salvage Shop and Knox Heritage are a great resource and advocate to have,” McFall said. “They have done so much to preserve some of Knoxville’s beloved buildings and keep quality building materials out of the landfill.”

Meadows’ hope for the future is that more Knoxville residents like McFall, who have a passion for historic preservation, will notice the Salvage Shop and choose to get involved either as a donor, a consumer or a volunteer.

When Meadows first became involved with Knox Heritage, she felt slightly isolated as a recent graduate in the company of a group of influential land-owners who

used to make up the majority of the organization. She hopes that the Salvage Shop will provide a bridge to connect the rest of the community to this same cause.

“It’s way more hands-on, because not a lot of volunteers can come in and help Knox Heritage renovate a house, but they can come in to Salvage and help us in there,” Meadows said. “It’s more accessible in a hands-on way to a lot of different kinds of people.”

In addition to the new building itself, Meadows has expanded the Salvage Shop’s presence throughout town by instituting Salvage Shows featuring local artists’ transformations of salvage and by participating in First Fridays.

For Meadows, these programs have brought a younger population into the mix and brought a more creative class to Knox Heritage.

“We really do cater to people who own historic buildings so they can come in and have resources for their home, but we also do cater to just people wanting to come in and hang a window in their room,” Meadows said. “It’s all sorts of people who come in and get inspired.”

ARTS&CULTURE

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

27

Label wars: Big vs. small-scale farming

Michael Lipps

Asst. Arts & Culture Editor In its pilot episode, the satirical comedy series “Portlandia” has a couple visit a Portland restaurant and drill the waitress with questions about the chicken they are considering ordering.

The waitress answers the pair’s over-the-top questions in stride, even bringing the couple a booklet detailing the chicken’s life prior to its presumably peaceful earthly departure. The couple ultimately decides to interrupt their ordering and take a “quick trip” to the farm, located 30 minutes from the restaurant, to ensure the quality of life the chicken was able to enjoy.

While it can be easy to watch a scene like this and laugh, the reality is that the agriculture industry is currently facing unprecedented challenges that are often compounded by marketing gimmicks and uneducated consumers. Even Bill Nye the Science Guy has flip-flopped his stance on genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, which underscores the importance of research and education when it comes to agriculture matters.

From “All Natural” to “USDA Organic” and “Free Range” to “Cage Free,” it can be challenging to ascertain what, exactly, each label means and why or why not it is important to have such distinctions. Furthermore, it can become challenging for smaller farms that concern themselves with such distinctions to gain strong market penetration and achieve sustainable profitability.

Taylre Beaty is a rising senior in food and agricultural business who has spent the majority of her life working in and learning about the industry and many of its overall challenges.

“I think it’s a struggle for organic farms right now to be completely sustainable and successful … Part of it is just that they incur a lot more labor expenses,” Beaty explained. “It’s very cost inefficient a lot of times for small, organic farms.”

While Beaty is sympathetic to the challenges faced by small-scale and organic farms, many of which abstain from using pesticides and GMOs, she is not opposed to offering consumers an alternative to these types of farms and practices.

“I think consumers should definitely have a choice in what kind of food they consume,” Beaty said. “You have to meet all the demographics … I just feel like they need to be educated about it.”

One instance she explained relates back to the “Portlandia” ordeal. According to the USDA, it is illegal to add hormones to poultry or pork — thereby making the label “hormone free” a questionable one that is unusable unless proceeded by the statement, “Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.”

Beaty also discussed misconceptions of farms that use controversial farming methods, such as employing the use of GMOs or pesticides —

practices that yield more predictable crops.

“I think what organic farmers do, that is awesome … That they put that much work into it, and that they’re that passionate about it,” Beaty said. “… But if we took pesticides and GMO seed out … We would have a thousand of these little farms that were trying to feed (billions) of people. So my problem is not at all that people want to have organic farms or non-GMO … It’s this consumer trend of pitting people against each other. I don’t think that we, as the agriculture industry, need to pit each other against one another; I think we should work together.”

Regardless of one’s stance on this, a great deal of passion often fuels the work that farmers do, small-scale or otherwise. One such farmer is Brenna Wright, owner and founder of Abbey Fields Farm —a development and community supported agriculture operation located at 1400 Washington Avenue in Knoxville.

For Wright, Abbey Fields began as somewhat of a cathartic practice for her that simultaneously stood to have far-reaching impacts on the community as a whole.

“Everything that we do, we want it to be for the better — for the better of the land, the people, the vegetables, for every part involved,” Wright said.

While in college, Wright started learning about farms similar to Abbey Fields that are located in other states.

“They were just kind of recycling land, and I thought what a cool idea to do in a city — to kind of recycle, repurpose, make blighted lots good again,” Wright said. “It just changes the atmosphere enough in the neighborhood to foster a little more civic pride and to just care for things better.”

Although Abbey Fields is not yet certified as organic, since the process is a lengthy one that supersedes their years of operation, refraining from the use of pesticides, GMOs and like practices is a non-negotiable for Wright and her farm.

“We come in here and want to farm that land the best way that we know how, which means not adding toxic substances, which means working with the natural cycles of seasons and plant life, and that’s going to benefit us,” Wright said.

“And it can be an economical advantage for us, because we’re not buying all these chemicals to do this to try to control it and then the land is better for it too.”

In sum, both Beaty and Wright stress the importance of being informed and both are passionate about their industry.

“I’m very passionate about agriculture,” Beaty said. “I love farmers; I love what they do, regardless of what kind of farm that they have.”

“What I found was that, coming back to the ground, I’m overjoyed because I can’t figure it out,” Wright said. “It’s nothing I can master …

Spring will always be amazing and fascinating, and that’s awesome.”

Abbey Fields, a space for locals to harvest their own food, is located right outside downtown Knoxville. Michael Lipps • The Daily Beacon To learn more about agricultural matters and issues, visit the UT Institute of Agriculture

website, where you can view research and find resources for more information and assistance.

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ARTS&CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Independent shops build Knoxville’s coffee scene Michael Lipps

Asst. Arts & Culture Editor For some, coffee is coffee. “Coffee is coffee” people are the ones who are no fuss and no frills when it comes to what’s in their cup. Then there’s the “Coffee is coffee? Wrong! Coffee is not coffee unless it’s fair trade, ethically sourced, organic ...” people.

Either way, Knoxville’s growing coffee scene is moving to please the novice and the aficionado alike.

Several long-standing coffee shops, including Old City Java and The Golden Roast, have been serving Knoxville citizens for years, but another Knoxville coffee go-to, K Brew, has only been a part of the scene since late 2013. Since K Brew’s opening, Knoxville has seen new shops such as Blue Mason and SPERO Coffee open as well.

But recently, it has almost been a challenge to keep up with all of the changes.

Pierce LaMacchia, co-owner of K Brew, speculated as to why there seem to be so many changes, attributing the surge in part to the efforts of independent shops.

“I’ve seen a significant change in the past two years with people who have always had a Starbucks beverage, or a chain beverage, begin

to really question what they’re drinking, where it’s coming from and who, ultimately, they’re supporting,” LaMacchia said. “And I think that’s the work of the wonderful independent coffee shops here in Knoxville.”

This change really got started in summer 2015 with the announcement that Three Bears Coffee would open a tasting room at the site of their new roasting facility on Sevier Avenue.

Then in the fall, Remedy announced that they would be moving from their Jackson Avenue location and leaving that space up for lease; but it wouldn’t be long until Remedy unveiled their new space at 800 Tyson Street in December and a new coffee spot tenant would occupy 125 W. Jackson Avenue.

Somewhere in the midst of Remedy’s changes, a newcomer of sorts, Wild Love Bakehouse, opened its doors to the public. Wild Love had already established a presence in the community via its baked goods, which have been and continue to be served by the owners’ other business: Old City Java. The new space gave more room and opportunity for the bakery to grow, in addition to adding another option for caffeine seekers.

And as calendars turned to 2016, more changes took place on Tyson Street and Jackson Avenue — again.

Remedy’s new space was originally planned

to be the sole site of Makers Donuts. Plans changed and as of Jan. 29, Makers opened their doors alongside already established Remedy.

In addition to donuts, customers can also find the same Intelligentsia coffee that they can find at Remedy, but lattes, Americanos and other specialty drinks will only be available next door.

Amidst this change, true newcomer Awaken Coffee opened its doors at the old Remedy space on Jackson. As part of the Awaken City Church initiated by senior pastor Adam Lutts, the coffee shop provided a vehicle for the church’s vision of becoming a more integral part of the downtown community.

Awaken has only been open a few weeks, but Lutts says people have already seemed to adjust to the changes and become acquainted with the new shop.

“People know we’re the old Remedy space,” Lutts said. “But I think we’re already starting to define and make our own culture here where people are starting to understand who Awaken is.”

Lutts went on to speak on the larger coffee culture that is brewing in Knoxville.

“I think one of the reasons why we’re seeing the coffee culture boom in Knoxville is because Knoxville’s booming now,” Lutt said.

And with another coffee shop set to open in Knoxville this February, booming seems to be a good descriptor of all the changes.

Along with new locations opening, veteran coffee spots are expanding. K Brew will be opening a second location just behind the Bijou Theatre at 800 Market St. this month.

“We’ve always had too few seats for the number of people who’ve wanted to sit and drink coffee, so I think with the addition of these new shops people are going to find more areas to

hang out and we’re very excited about that,” LaMacchia said. “It means better things for the full community.”

He explained that K Brew’s new location will cater to on-the-go customers, offering exclusively drip coffee and espresso beverages. Additionally, LaMacchia said the new location will offer even more food options — this after the success of their recent switch to a plant-driven menu.

“We’re interested in providing a healthy alternative to all the fast food that’s around Knoxville, and we want people to have an option to start their morning off strong, or start their project or afternoon off strong,” LaMacchia said.

Still, yet another new coffee option has been cruising the streets of Knoxville as of late.

Andrew Mrozkowski’s brainchild, Pedal Java, allows him to serve all the coffee drinks people love from a cart attached to his bike.

And after only a few months in operation, Mrozkowski is pleased with the response he’s been getting and with his welcoming into the coffee scene of Knoxville.

“There’s a really great brotherhood of coffee purveyors in Knoxville that I’m really enjoying,” Mrozkowski said. “People who love coffee don’t just go to one shop … people who enjoy the conversations, enjoy the social aspect and enjoy the craft of it … they can go to Remedy or Awaken and have a great drink at night, and then the next morning have a great drink on the coffee bike.”

So what’s next - are even more changes coming in the future? Awaken’s Adam Lutts thinks so.

“We’re probably just at the edge of what Knoxville will look like 10 years from now concerning coffee,” Lutts said. “This is still the beginning phases of what’s to come.”

CLARENCE BROWN

“Lighting actually visually creates the world but also has to help us move from one place to another or from one time to another with the action and sound does the same thing,” Payne said. “We call these the ethereal elements or the time-based elements of plays.”

As much as the design team relies on the actors to shape their work, the actors are equally dependent on the design team for inspiration.

“It’s our job to inhabit what the scenic designer and the costume designer and the sound designer have provided us,” Alley said. “Those tools are very very useful in allowing us to sort of go to a particular place almost instantly. They have provided us with some of the costume pieces, in particular hats, as well as the full sound design, and that has been absolutely vital to us for rehearsals of this particular show we are doing.”

In the end, each individual team works to create a world which the actors can introduce the audience to on opening night.

continued from Page 25 that we never fall flat.”

To do this, Payne and his team search through source materials that capture the time period, location and mood of the production. After a lengthy process of whittling down their selections, it is time to move to rehearsals.

“By the time rehearsals begin we have an idea of most of the sound and music generally,” Payne said. “Then as the actors start bringing it to life, that’s when you say all the little ‘ooh this piece of music needs to be 10 seconds’ or ‘this sound effect needs to be much angrier’ and all those things that are based on what the actors are actually doing.”

Lighting and sound bring a play into the fourth dimension. They move the action through the world that costume and set design created and help bring it to life.

SPORTS

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

29

Vols welcome fourth head coach in six years Taylor White

Asst. Sports Editor When Rick Barnes speaks to the media, one phrase is heard more than any other: player development.

It was player development that helped Barnes take a Clemson team dubbed one of the worst in the country to the NIT in 1995.

It was player development that allowed him to then take Clemson to the Sweet Sixteen and a No. 2 national ranking just two years later. And it was player development that led him to 16 NCAA Tournament appearance and a Final Four in his 17 seasons at Texas.

It’s that same concept of player development that Barnes looks to bring in his first season at a Tennessee program that has seen three basketball coaches in the past three seasons.

“I think it’s the most important thing,” Barnes said. “I think one thing that’s great about college basketball is we graduate guys or lose them to the NBA, but there is always somebody else that’s waiting to showcase what they can do.

“Every year there is someone that comes out of nowhere because of an off-season improvement program … I think as coaches we have an obligation to teach our players the fundamentals of the game.”

It didn’t take Barnes long to start developing the roster he had when he was hired in March, as he quickly began correcting the form and fundamentals of certain players.

His first project? The team’s top returning scorer, Kevin Punter. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 31 minutes and 10.3 points per game last season, but not even the team leader was able to escape Barnes’ criticism, as there were certain elements of his jump shot that needed to be changed.

He didn’t stop with Punter, as he made his way through the team tweaking different aspects of different players. For Jabari McGhee, it was his free throw stroke and for freshman Shembari Phillips it was the form of his jump shot.

In most cases, these players have been shooting a particular way for most of their lives and that makes change a difficult concept. Not only does a player have to mentally want to change his shot, but he has to try and erase the muscle memory that he has developed over his career.

“It was a little frustrating at first,” Phillips said. “But once I started seeing positive results, I started really appreciating what they were doing for me. After that, I asked no questions, I did what was I told, and I see positive results every day.

“The old shot definitely comes around every once in a while,” Phillips said. “But it’s just repetition and muscle memory. As long as I’m working on it every day, it will become natural for me.”

Barnes admits, though, that all he can do is point a player in the right direction. It’s up to the individual to take that advice, and it if they don’t want to change then nothing will change.

“There are certain things that you can’t help them with, if they don’t want to be helped,” Barnes said. “You get a group of guys that buy in, and it’s great when you get a player on your team that does buy in. The other guys see him and it makes it a little bit easier to communicate … There’s no secret to player development. The best ones to coach are the ones that are passionate, they love the game and they love to compete.”

The Hickory, North Carolina native has been a head coach for 27 seasons, but this one is different. He spent the last 17 years at Texas, where he developed a comfort level with the program and with the players.

Now he has to start over at Tennessee.

Barnes runs a very specific system and coaches a very specific way with an extreme attention to detail, and while his players at Texas knew what to expect from him every day, his new team doesn’t. That’s been frustrating at times.

“It’s teaching the mundane drills over and over again,” Barnes said. “We’ve had to do that. In the past I could say, ‘two-on-two double contest’ and they could get right into it. Now we’re teaching everything that we have to do. I’m very fortunate that I have a great teaching staff … They know how we want to play.”

It’s no secret that this isn’t the most talented team that Tennessee has put on the floor over the last several years. The Vols finished with a .500 record last year in Donnie Tyndall’s lone season at Tennessee, and the team’s do-it-all player, Josh Richardson, is now with the Miami Heat.

Tennessee doesn’t have the size or the depth it needs in the post, and on top of that, the Vols now have their fourth head coach in last six years. Barnes has a proven track record, though, making 22 NCAA Tournaments in those 27 years, and his players don’t have any reason to think he won’t do the same at UT. “He’s a coach that’s always going to be in the gym with us,” junior Robert Hubbs III said. “Anything we need extra help on, or we need a better understanding, he’s just going to sit down with us or demonstrate it for us.

“Everything happens for a reason. This time we got a good one. I think he’s going to be here for a very, very long time.”

• Tennessee Head Coach Rick Barnes

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SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Warlick names assistant head coach Jonathan Toye

Sports Editor

Trenton Duffer Copy Editor

Tennessee welcomed a new member to the women’s basketball family on Wednesday.

Sharrona Reaves, a Murfreesboro native, will join Holly Warlick’s coaching staff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, Warlick said in a statement on Tuesday. Reaves spent the last three seasons at West Virginia University, where she was also the recruiting coordinator.

Reaves was also able to attract elite talent to Morgantown during her stint with the Mountaineers, engineering multiple top-20 recruiting classes. While she was in charge of recruiting, West Virginia signed the top JUCO player in 2016.

“I love Coach Reaves’ energy and have always been impressed with her ability to recruit players at every level of basketball and at every stop along the way,” Warlick said in a statement.

“She’s a native Tennessean, and she played in our league at Alabama. So she is quite aware and understands the magnitude and history of this program.

“She’s had great success, especially at West

Virginia, where she brought in some really dynamic freshmen who contributed early this season, including the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. She also was instrumental in WVU signing the top JUCO player in the country this spring.”

Reaves has an opportunity to make an immediate impact on Tennessee’s women’s basketball program, as the Lady Vols struggled in recruiting last year, signing only one player — three star Kamera Harris — in 2016’s class.

But as a Tennessee native, Reaves is familiar with the expectations for the Lady Vols. She understands she has to recruit top-tier players to come to Tennessee.

“The recruiting piece, I am ready for,” Reaves said. “Knoxville is a great city. University of Tennessee women’s basketball stands alone. The respect that it carries and the opportunity to go out and recruit the caliber of players that can put Tennessee back where I know Holly wants it to be, I’m so ready. I know we’re going to do some really special things.”

In fact, Reaves has already made an impression on some of her players.

“I think it’s great,” Andraya Carter said Tuesday in the Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio. “Obviously, if Holly feels good about it, we feel good about it. We’re going to trust our head coach. I know a little bit about her (Reaves).

She’s been a great recruiter at all the schools she’s been to, and I think that’ll be great for us.”

Butch Jones talks about the new recruits at the 2016 National Signing Day press conference. Taylor Gash • The Daily Beacon

Vols finish strong on National Signing Day Jonathan Toye

Sports Editor Tennessee’s 2016 National Signing Day featured more drama than the last two signing days, but it mostly played out in Tennessee’s favor. The Vols had to fight off the likes of Auburn and Ole Miss for the services of some of their more highly coveted recruits.

They eventually secured commitments from three blue-chip recruits in a 24-hour span and surged seven spots in 247’s team rankings, finishing signing day ranked No. 14 in 247’s team rankings.

Tennessee finished the 2016 recruiting cycle with 21 signees. Notable signees include the top-ranked dual-threat quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, athlete Tyler Byrd, who flipped from Miami on the eve of signing day; four-star safety and Nigel Warrior and four-star defensive end Jonathan Kongbo, the top-ranked junior college prospect. Both Warrior and Kongbo committed the day of signing day.

“This is a culmination of one to two to three years of hard work by a lot of individuals involved in this process,” Jones said Feb. 3 in a presser at Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio.

“It’s really about relationships. We are in a relationship business. It’s earning that trust over time, and our coaches did a great job with that.

“That’s the one thing about this staff: it’s a collaborative effort. It’s a group effort in all that we do. We recruit as a staff together. We kind of feed off of each other … Our challenge was to finish strong.”

The coaching staff accomplished that goal.

The 2016 signing class wasn’t as highly ranked as the past two classes. But it’s also significantly smaller than the 2014 (32) and 2015 (30) classes. Tennessee built depth in those classes.

That allowed the Vols to be more selective for

the 2016 class.

“We have a recruiting profile, and it is about finding a right fit here at Tennessee,” Jones said. “We had some very specific needs in our program this year.”

Jones said Tennessee made it a priority to recruit versatile players capable of playing on offense, defense and special teams.

Byrd granted that wish with his commitment.

Byrd’s ability to impact the game on special teams is evident on his game film.

He also showed he can play either wide receiver or cornerback.

“The great thing about Tyler Byrd is position flexibility,” Jones said. “That’s the other thing that we wanted. We wanted to bring in players that could play a multitude of different positions. It provides you flexibility within your football program. So, to be able to add an individual like him really adds to the dynamics of your football team.”

Warrior – the son of former Dale Carter and the No. 4 safety – committed on Feb. 3 around 8 a.m., giving Tennessee its second four-star recruit in 12 hours.

Tennessee had to sweat it out with Kongbo, who was choosing between Tennessee and Ole Miss. The British Columbia native initially committed to Tennessee in late November before deciding to reopen his commitment on Jan. 5. Around 1 p.m. on Feb. 3, He made his final decision, placing the finishing touches on Tennessee’s recruiting class.

“We thought we had a great nucleus in this recruiting class already intact, and now if we could add to that, we wanted to do that,” Jones said. “We set forth, and we’re going to go try to get the best players that fit our recruiting profile, no matter where they’re at.

“Whether it’s Tyler Byrd, whether it’s Jonathan Kongbo — those individuals to us are difference makers. They make you better being in your football program.”

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

2016 Athletics Hall of Fame introduced David Bradford Staff Writer

On Friday, April 15, select members of the 2016 Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame induction class gathered at Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio for media availability.

Among those present were track and field standouts Sharrieffa Barksdale and Richmond Flowers, former shortstop Phil Garner and basketball legends Dale Ellis and Kara Lawson.

Lawson played shooting guard for the Lady Vols from 2000-2003, averaging 13.6 points per game while shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc. A three-time All-SEC selection, she was a key component of three Tennessee Final Four runs. The Lady Vols twice finished runner-up to UConn in 2000 and 2003.

“When you get an opportunity to be honored like this it kind of forces you to be reflective,” Lawson said. “Look back and be thankful for the relationships you had and the people that helped you get here.

“Some of my fondest memories are some of the relationships I’ve made here, that I still have with my teammates, my coaches and my friends.”

Lawson’s relationships at Tennessee go well beyond basketball. Her two college roommates didn’t play on the team, but they and their families will attend Saturday evening’s private induction ceremony.

Although Lawson was the No. 5 pick in the 2003 WNBA Draft, she has gained considerable recognition for her work as a broadcaster for ESPN. This past college basketball season capped her 13th on the job.

Because she works so diligently for the worldwide leader, Lawson rarely receives the opportunity to travel to Knoxville. However, she takes every advantage presented to her to get to know the current Lady Vols.

“I do a lot of stuff with USA basketball,” Lawson said. “So a lot of times I know them before they even get here … and I’m always rooting for Holly (Warlick) and the staff and the program and want them to do really well.

And gosh, they’ve been so close over the last few years, knocking on the door of the Final Four.

“All the players, whenever I come down, I try to go through a practice or a workout just to watch and observe. They know that they have access to pretty much everybody that’s played here.”

During Lawson’s years with the orange and

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white, the women’s college basketball landscape starkly opposed its current state.

“There is more parity than when I played,” Lawson said. “There are a lot (more) stronger teams throughout the Top 25, but it is different than when I played in that there’s just one team (UConn) that has been so dominant for the last seven, eight years they’ve really started to distinguish themselves … I think next year, everyone will see how many good teams there are.

“There could be 11-12 teams that could make the Final Four and maybe ultimately win the championship. That would be a unique year for women’s basketball, in a good way.”

A few feet away from Lawson sat Ellis, whose grandson was draped across his lap.

Over the course of his four years at Tennessee, the 6-foot-7 Ellis was a nightmare for opposing defenses. Not only did he possess length, but his shooting efficiency and range made him an almost impossible player to defend.

Ellis won back-to-back SEC Player of the Year awards in 1982 and 1983, averaging 34 points and 10 rebounds per game during his senior season while shooting 60 percent.

“This was the best time of my life here in Knoxville,” Ellis said. “It’s always gonna be a home away from home. I have so many fond

memories here and played with so many great teammates.”

Despite the accolades, a moment Ellis cherished on the court was hitting clutch shots for his team. His most notable shot in the clutch came against VCU in the 1981 NCAA Tournament, when he hit the game-winning shot in overtime to advance the Vols into the second round.

“It gave me an understanding that you can actually do this thing,” Ellis said. “… I don’t know, it just gave me extra life ... it gave me an understanding that I might play this game and make it to the next level.”

Ellis made it to the next level and definitely proved he could play the game. The No. 5 pick in the 1983 draft scored over 19,000 points and retired as the second-most prolific threepoint shooter in NBA history during his 17 year stint.

A total of 71 former student-athletes will join Ellis and Lawson as inductees. This year marks the first time that males will be included.

Previously, the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame was known as the Lady Volunteer Hall of Fame.

The class was celebrated during the Dish Orange & White Game on Saturday, April 16.

Jones names permanent captains for first time Jonathan Toye

Sports Editor Alvin Kamara has always been outgoing. But he admits he was also immature in his freshman season at Alabama. He overlooked small details and wasn’t too concerned with becoming a great player.

That immaturity hasn’t been a problem since Kamara arrived at Tennessee.

He’s still a character, but he has channeled his strong personality to benefit the team.

Tennessee coach Butch Jones has repeatedly said that Kamara has worked hard since day one of his arrival.

He earned the respect of his teammates and evolved into a leader. And on Saturday, April 16, he was rewarded for his hard work. Tennessee announced during the Orange & White game at Neyland Stadium that the Vols’ teammates voted Kamara to be a permanent team captain for the 2016 season along with Josh Dobbs, Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Cameron Sutton.

It’s the first time in Jones’ four year tenure at Tennessee that the Vols have had permanent team captains. Like Kamara, all four players

have positively impacted Jones’ rebuilding project and are big reasons why Tennessee has huge expectations for 2016.

“We look forward to being captains this season,” Kamara said. “I think we all see it as a challenge. We have to be better and hold ourselves to an even higher standard. This is the first time Coach Jones has done this — named a permanent team captain — so it is a lot of pressure, but it is good pressure.”

Jones said there would be a special announcement at halftime. Turns out, the announcement involved appointing four players as team captains.

Many fans were expecting something bigger, expressing their disappointment on Twitter. It’s fine to be disappointed with the announcement itself. It’s a little harder to be disappointed with the selection of team captains.

Dobbs, Sutton and Reeves-Maybin were members of Jones first recruiting class. When they were freshmen, Tennessee was a bottomdweller in the SEC East. Entering their senior seasons, Tennessee is an overwhelming favorite to win the division. All three players played See CAPTAINS on Page 34

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Tennessee ready to take next step with new defensive coordinator Jonathan Toye

Sports Editor

Tennessee football has made significant strides under coach Butch Jones.

But Jones himself wasn’t satisfied. As soon as the season ended, he searched for ways to improve the program.

He decided to part ways with former defensive coordinator John Jancek and appoint Penn State’s defensive coordinator Bob Shoop as Jancek’s replacement. Shoop boasts a decorated resume, with all his defenses at Vanderbilt and Penn State finishing in the Top 25 in total defense.

“We wanted an individual who had a great track record, and I think that success speaks for itself,” Jones said Jan. 12 in a presser at The Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio. “Obviously, (he is) very highly sought after, and I think that is a direct correlation to him being a great teacher, motivator, leader, recruiter and even better person.

“Again, you have to step back and (ask): ‘How can we take the next step? How can we continue to get better?’ We believe coach Shoop helps us in that process.”

Shoop has coached for 27 years, but he didn’t get his first taste of coaching in the SEC until 2011 when then Vanderbilt coach James Franklin

hired him to be his defensive coordinator. Shoop followed Franklin to Penn State in 2013, where he commanded defenses that ranked No. 2 in total defense in 2014 and No. 15 in 2015.

Now that he is at UT, Shoop made one thing clear on Tuesday — he expects to win championships.

“We’re here to build a championship-caliber defense, let me be clear on that,” Shoop said.

“From the first time I meet with the unit later on today, we’re going to establish that championship mindset in all that we do. That’s something that’s important to me.”

It’s not hard to understand why Tennessee would be interested in hiring Shoop, but Shoop made sure people knew the feeling was mutual.

There were numerous qualities about Tennessee that attracted Shoop to Knoxville. He liked the enthusiasm of Tennessee fans and admired the culture that Jones was creating at Tennessee.

The current players were also a major selling point. Shoop knew most of them from his time at Vanderbilt. He tried recruiting them then, now he has the opportunity to coach them.

“Jalen Reeves-Maybin and I had a great relationship throughout the recruiting process,” Shoop said. “Derek, Kyle Philips, Rashaun Gaulden and Todd Kelly Jr. are all guys that I have had previous relationships with ... We were going back and forth talking about old times and talking about how excited we are to be together.”

• Defensive Coordinator Bob Shoop

From the first time I meet with the unit later on today, we’re going to establish that championship mindset in all that Bob Shoop, defensive coordinator we do.

Shoop doesn’t plan to overhaul the defense. Instead, he said he merely wishes to enhance the unit.

He hopes to base his defense on three qualities: pursuit, pressure and solid techniques. He wants Tennessee to win at the same level it did in the past.

“It’s not just about playing well. It’s about playing winning football,” Shoop said. “We want to play our best when the game is on the line.”

Happy Returns: Jalen Reeves-Maybin made Shoop’s job a little easier.

It’s no secret Reeves-Maybin had to make a difficult decision: to return for his senior season or to take a risk and submit his name for the

NFL draft.

Reeves-Maybin is the undisputed leader of the defense. He was named Second-Team All-SEC and finished 2015 with 105 tackles, including 14 for a loss and six sacks.

Reeves-Maybin shared his decision on Twitter.

To use his own words, Tennessee fans get him for one more season and he guaranteed it’s going to be a great one.

“After much evaluation with the people closest to me, I have finally made a decision,” ReevesMaybin wrote in a tweet. “The truth of the matter is, my biggest childhood dream was to be a great college football player. Yea [sic] I’ve had a good career, but I was taught as a kid, ‘good is the enemy of great.”

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Backups shine during annual Orange & White Game Trenton Duffer Copy Editor

The Orange & White game always seems like a bit of a formality, but this year’s game wouldn’t have happened in past years according to Tennessee coach Butch Jones.

“We had 24 players out in the spring, and in years past, we would have had to cancel the spring game,” Jones said. “A lot of those were preexisting injuries from the fall. In some, we held individuals out who maybe could have played, but we didn’t wanna risk anything.

“Now we just have to continue to compete in everything we do.”

With injuries abounding, the defensive Orange team squeezed by the offensive White team 70-63, despite losing a 16-2 lead towards the end of the first quarter. A sack from Corey Vereen in the fourth quarter helped the Orange jump in front 65-62 and not look back.

If these scores look a bit odd, it’s because of the unique scoring system implemented in the Orange & White game. Both teams received six points for a touchdown, but the similarities stopped there.

The defense received two points for a safety and seven points for a turnover forced. If the

defense held the offense to four yards, they received one point. Every tackle for a loss and sack were both worth three points.

The offense scored one for an extra point and three points for a field goal. Two-point conversions were worth two points and gaining four yards earned one point. If the offense could connect on a big play, something that went 16 yards or more, they were rewarded with three points.

Despite the score, Jones thanked the 67,027 in attendance first and foremost. That total was the third-highest in Vols’ spring game history.

“I’m very grateful to our fans and all of Vol Nation and what they mean to us,” Jones said.

“We always ask them to give their all, and they always respond, so thank you.”

Backup quarterback Quinten Dormady saw more snaps and attempted more passes than the Vols’ starting quarterback Joshua Dobbs.

Dormady finished the day 10-15 with 95 yards and a touchdown, despite being sacked three times.

“I’m just feeling more comfortable in the offense and getting to work with different guys, so that was good, and I think I played pretty good today,” Dormady said. “I think that there’s little things I need to work on.”

Dormady and fellow backup Zac Jancek both won the Quarterback Challenge with nine points apiece. Both players grabbed an extra five points

We talk about that grit, that internal drive to be the best and to always compete in all that you do.”

Butch Jones, football head coach

at the end for successfully replicating Peyton Manning’s failed QB sneak that turned into a touchdown pass against Georgia in 1996.

Dormady said the team decided on that throw after narrowing it down from a plethora of Manning moments.

“There was some debate, and then we just kinda settled on that,” Dormady said. “We all kinda had our own things that we wanted to do, so then we just settled that that was a pretty cool

CAPTAINS continued from Page 32 important roles in the massive turnaround.

“It’s been fun to see it all grow,” ReevesMaybin said. “Just to see us take that climb: from the bottom of the SEC to where we are now and have the expectations placed on us now. It’s been a fun process to be in. I want to take it to the highest we can go.”

Sutton has started in all 38 games he has played at Tennessee. In only his second college game, he returned an interception for a touchdown. He’s played at a high level ever since: collecting six career interceptions and 26 pass breakups.

Reeves-Maybin mainly contributed on special teams his freshman year. He switched from safety to linebacker his sophomore year and thrived in his new position, co-leading the team in tackles at 101 in his sophomore year. He established himself as the undisputed leader of the defense his junior year and was seventh in the SEC in total tackles at 105. Both he and Sutton forewent the NFL draft to return for their senior seasons.

Dobbs only played in five games his freshman year, but held a 4-1 record in 2014, leading Tennessee to its first winning season

way to settle it.”

Jones said injuries set the receiver position back in the game, but he was still pleased with the numbers he saw from those who played.

“It provided tremendous teaching opportunities and the value of repetitions,” Jones said.

“With Preston Williams and even Jeff George coming in here and really now understanding the endurance it takes to play the receiver position.”

On the ground, sophomore running back John Kelly ate up 15 of the team’s 48 runs, gaining 66 yards and rushing for a touchdown in the first quarter.

“The volume of repetition, that’s how you learn, and having him get the valuable repetitions, not just running the football but pass protection and route running, has really benefited him,” Jones said. “He’s an individual who just loves football.”

With the spring game in the books, Jones said he learned a lot from his team, and he looks forward to seeing where they go from here.

“Today was a good teaching tool, another evaluation tool,” Jones said. “Not just in the team segments, but also in the one-on-one segments.

We talk about that grit, that internal drive to be the best and to always compete in all that you do.

“We have a long way to go, and the next three months are going to be very critical in the development of our football team.” since 2009. He carried Tennessee’s offense at times during 2015, and spearheaded an offense that had the second most rushing yards in school history.

Kamara didn’t arrive to Tennessee until 2015, but he made the most out of his first year at Tennessee. He ran for 698 on just 107 carries and caught 34 passes for 291 yards.

Those stats just show what he brings on the field. Off the field, coaches say Kamara is a team leader, holding other players accountable and challenging them to improve.

So Jones was right. The announcement was special in its own way. All four players represent everything Tennessee has accomplished under Jones. They also signify why fans are so excited about 2016.

“We have something very, very special here and nobody should ever take this for granted,” Jones said. “It’s amazing, because when you welcome people from other areas of the country, whether it’s recruits, whether it’s media members, whether it’s family members, it doesn’t matter. When they come here and they spend time within the walls of our football program and they’re around our players, they’re around our fans, they sense the excitement. They sense the energy. They sense that there’s something special here.

That’s something that we’ve been building for a long time.

“We’ve come so far in such short periods of time, and it’s all a tribute to our players.

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Dobbs draws inspiration from courageous battle Jonathan Toye

Sports Editor The Cuckseys didn’t know what to expect when they received an invitation to attend a Tennessee football practice in November of 2014.

They certainly didn’t anticipate meeting a future family friend.

Their five-year-old son A.J. Cucksey met Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs for the first time after practice ended. Dobbs continued to stay in touch with A.J. and his family, visiting them on holidays and on random weekends. Somewhere along the way, A.J. became the little brother Dobbs never had.

“It’s really cool,” Dobbs said. “I am an only child. I never grew up with a little brother or a little sibling, so he is kind of like that for sure.

“He is always going 5,000 miles per hour.

He has a lot of energy.”

Dobbs genuinely enjoys spending time with A.J., saying he is really outgoing compared to other kids his age. But A.J. has also had to endure trials no child should ever have to face. He was very sick and in a wheel chair the first time he met Dobbs. A month earlier, the Cuckseys were on a family vacation at Disney World in early October of 2014 when A.J. began developing problems with his coordination and walking. His parents thought the problems were related to his preexisting eyesight issues. But they were still worried and his dad John Cucksey called the doctor. The doctor suggested that they either take A.J. to an emergency room or bring him back to Knoxville.

That night John and his wife Shannon Cucksey agreed they would see how A.J. did the next day before making any decisions.

When A.J. had to use the restroom the following day around 11 a.m., John sat in the stall with him and was three inches from A.J.’s face when A.J. said: “Daddy, where did you go?”

The Cuckseys immediately got in the car and rushed back to Knoxville. The doctor promptly ordered a CT scan, which unveiled news no parent wants to hear: A.J. had multiple tumors in his brain in a difficult area.

The tumors were blocking the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid in his brain, causing a build up of fluid and pressure.

“It was a tough time,” John said.

“Everything is cloudy about then.”

A.J., however, had a strong support group.

And when the Cuckseys attended practice, the football team also offered encouragement. After practice ended, every single player came over and shook A.J.’s hand.

Then the coaches, including Butch Jones, went over and talked to A.J.

Dobbs, who was preparing to make his second start that season against Kentucky, was the last player to visit A.J. They talked for 10 minutes. A.J told Dobbs he was his favorite football player. Dobbs took photos with A.J. “It was a pretty cool experience,” John said. “(But) we didn’t expect anything after that.”

Dobbs, though, didn’t waste time pursuing a relationship with A.J. John received a call around a week after his family attended practice. It was from Dobbs.

“I thought I was getting punked and someone was messing with me,” John said.

But it really was from Dobbs. He wanted to meet with A.J. again. The day before Tennessee departed for Jacksonville for the TaxSlayer Bowl, Dobbs came over to the Cuckseys’ house and presented A.J. with a signed No. 11 jersey.

Dobbs originally planned to drop off the jersey and leave, but he ended up staying for an hour.

“The first time I went to his house it was humbling to see a four-year-old kid who can’t get around without his walker or his wheelchair,” Dobbs said. “I talked to the family and played with the family. We kind of just hit off.

“That just comes from the connection we had.”

The house visits intensified. Dobbs came over last Christmas and also visited the Cuckseys on Easter Sunday, bringing his own dad along. That gave John the opportunity to tell Robert Dobbs that he appreciates everything his son does to keep A.J. smiling.

These aren’t short visits either, Dobbs stays for a long time. He and A.J. love to talk about football. Sometimes, they talk about school. Dobbs gave A.J. an orange backpack encrusted with the No. 11. A.J. has worn that backpack everyday he has attended school.

On the day Tennessee switched from Adidas to Nike, Dobbs left a Nike hat at the bottom of the Cucksey’s door with a note that read, “Hey A.J., I wanted you to be the first to get the new gear.”

“You can tell Josh actually cares for him and this not something he is doing for the media,” John said. “You can tell he really, really cares for him. And A.J. has developed the same care for Josh as well.

“It’s just amazing to watch … a lot of people don’t realize the relationship Josh and A.J. have had in the last year and a half.”

Dobbs knows there isn’t much he can say to comfort A.J. He has never been in A.J.’s situation so he wouldn’t even know where to begin when giving advice. All Dobbs can do is try to make A.J. happy.

A.J. loves football. So on one random See DOBBS on Page 41

Senior quarterback Josh Dobbs and five-year-old A.J. Cucksey spend time together at the Cucksey home. • Photo courtesy of John Cucksey

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Wind turns tragedy into inspiration David Bradford Staff Writer

Thanksgiving weekend of 2012 lived up to its billing for Bailey Wind. She had much to be thankful for.

Aside from the normal festivities of a scrumptious feast and Black Friday shopping, Wind had a strong support system, featuring her family, best friend Deanna Rivers and boyfriend Christian Stewart.

Even more enthralling for the senior at Shaker High School was the coronation of all her hard work spent on the diving board.

Shortly after Thanksgiving, Wind officially signed her letter of intent to join the swimming and diving team at the University of Tennessee.

But three-and-a-half years later, Wind was not on the diving board, ready to pierce the water after a series of graceful moves. Instead, she stood behind a microphone, accepting the Volscar Inspirational Award in front of a crowd prepared to be moved to tears.

On Dec. 1, 2012 — just one week after signing with Tennessee — Wind’s world, as she later described it, went black.

After leaving a local basketball game in Albany, New York, with Stewart, Rivers and Rivers’ boyfriend Matt Hardy, Wind was involved in a fatal car accident at the hands of a drunk driver.

Wind was left with a physical scar — a broken neck. However, the emotional scar seethed deeper. Both she and Hardy survived, but Stewart and Rivers were tragically killed.

The physically broken-down and emotionally torn-apart Wind faced a long road to recovery. But before she even dipped her toes in the water in Knoxville, the swimming and diving team displayed the side of sports that is so attractive to recruits: the camaraderie within a group of individuals from different

backgrounds — and how they rally around to support one of their own in a time of need.

“When the accident happened, my coach Dave Parrington was one of the first people that my mom called,” Wind said. “And the whole swim team dressed in my high school colors, as well as my boyfriend’s and best friend’s high school colors and sent me a picture. And they also wore ‘Dive for Bailey’ t-shirts.

“Even long before I knew most of them, they were huge supporters in my life and sent me constant messages about how excited they were for me to even get to Knoxville.”

In a move of pure compassion, Parrington allowed Wind to keep her scholarship, even though her surgeon urged her to never dive again after her freshman season.

Wind followed the advice. Instead, she does whatever she can to boost the team’s spirits.

However, her largest contribution is her story.

While she will never be the same again physically, Wind reaches from within her heart and uses the spoken word at school and events to discuss her story and depict the dangers of driving while impaired.

“My message is to make the right choices in general,” Wind said. “Because you never know how your choice could affect someone else or even your life. Your life can change in the matter of a second.”

In the matter of a second, Wind’s life did change. But as she described, “time heals all wounds.”

And over time, Wind has done anything possible to spread valuable lessons on loss, grief, forgiveness, unity, bullying, kindness and the power of love — which are the topics of her book entitled “Save Me a Spot in Heaven.”

In the book, Wind talks about the accident in detail, as well as her relationship with Stewart, her best friend and her family. The book can be purchased at spotinheaven.com.

Hurd reaches milestone in Vols’ win Taylor White

Asst. Sports Editor COLUMBIA, Mo. -- In last season’s loss to Missouri, Tennessee ran for just 53 yards on 29 carries.

On Saturday, Nov. 21, Jalen Hurd picked that up in two first quarter carries.

The sophomore running back carried that ball a career-high 34 times for a career-high 151 yards in the Vols 19-8 win over the Tigers.

“Against one of the best defenses in our conference, we had almost 250 yards rushing,” Tennessee coach Butch Jones said. “What can I say about Jalen Hurd? I’m just proud of the guys up front. I’m proud of him.”

Coming into the matchup, Missouri (5-6, 1-6 SEC) was giving up just 113 rushing yards per game, good for third in the SEC and 14th nationally. At halftime, Tennessee (7-4, 4-3) already had 143 yards on the ground, most of them coming from Hurd.

The Hendersonville, Tennessee native had six runs of 10 yards or more. He came into the game just 113 yards shy of breaking 1,000 on the season, and he reached that milestone shortly after the third quarter began. Hurd became the first Tennessee player to rush for 1,000 yards since Rajion Neal did it in 2013.

“That’s such a big accomplishment for us,” senior offensive tackle Kyler Kerbyson said.

SeE HURD on Page 39

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On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

Lady Vols Head Coach Holly Warlick calls a play during her 100th winning game against Arkansas in Thompson Boling Arena.

Justin Keyes • The Daily Beacon

Warlick picks up 100th win Trenton Duffer Copy Editor

As Holly Warlick met with the media against Georgia Tech in 2012, a smile formed on her face as she was asked about picking up her first win as a head coach.

“It feels awesome,” Warlick said. “I knew it was coming, but I love that we did it in this fashion and this style. We did it with a lot of effort and a lot of heart, and I’ll take those anytime.”

Flash forward 1,182 days later to Feb. 4’s matchup against Arkansas.

As the final buzzer rang out after the Lady Vols 75-57 win over Arkansas, Andraya Carter and Jordan Reynolds swarmed Warlick, lifted her up and carried her to mid-court to celebrate.

Once the celebration slowed, the team retreated to the locker room, where Tennessee men’s basketball head coach Rick Barnes was waiting with a special 100 wins cake for Warlick.

Carter, who’s been with Warlick for all 100 of her wins, smeared a bit of the cake on her coach’s face.

Warlick would later return the favor.

“I hugged a couple of (players), and I got Andraya back when I hugged her,” Warlick laughed after the game.

Warlick’s celebration couldn’t come at a more opportune time. Uncertainty and tough losses have swarmed the team all season, and the fouryear coach has seemingly shooed away the buzzards of adversity as the season has progressed.

But now, she has a chance to enjoy her own spotlight. Warlick became the seventh-fastest Div. I women’s basketball coach to reach the 100-win mark with Thursday’s win over the Razorbacks (9-14, 4-6 SEC).

“I want to thank, first, Dave Hart. He took a chance on me, hiring an assistant coach in a big-time women’s basketball program, and he’s done nothing but support me,” Warlick said. “I understand how you get your wins – from your coaches down to everybody and the players.”

Almost every coach that has come into

Thompson-Boling Arena has praised Warlick’s coaching style this year. How could a seemingly unproven coach jump right in to one of the top basketball programs in the world and perform at this high of a level?

While it seems Warlick’s success has turned heads across the country, more and more fans of the program are turning their noses to the third-fastest Power 5 coach in history to reach 100 wins.

Arkansas head coach Jimmy Dykes had an answer for any Warlick doubters in the crowd after his team’s loss.

“I read where some fans in here were critical of Holly right now, and that’s crazy. That’s crazy,” Dykes said. “She can flat out coach.

Tennessee’s program is in great, great healthy shape. She’s as good a coach as anyone in this league, and Tennessee’s lucky to have her.”

Shine bright like a Diamond: Diamond DeShields hasn’t been anything like the player that the Lady Vols expected her to be when she signed with the team in 2014. Entering Feb. 4’s game, the former Tar Heel had 18 points on 7-29 shooting (24.1 percent) and 17 turnovers over her last three games.

Against Arkansas on Thursday, Feb. 4, however, the redshirt sophomore righted the ship, scoring 15 points on 5-10 shooting and not committing a single turnover.

DeShields admitted to the media after the win that she had talked to her father Delino DeShields, a former Major League Baseball player, before the game to calm her down.

“He gave me a piece of reality,” DeShields said. “Tonight, I really took my time and found my spots and was really able to slow myself down and, in turn, make good plays for everyone around me.”

DeShields added that she hasn’t been able to go as fast as she wants because of some nagging injuries.

“I think it would be beneficial for me to really understand that I have to maintain,” DeShields said. “I’m still very capable, and I think I needed this game to open my eyes to that, also.”

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Harris becomes first Lady Vols commit Trenton Duffer Copy Editor

The Lady Vols will be having a “Block Party” next season with their newest added talent.

Kamera Harris, a 6-foot-3 center from Dutchtown High School in Hampton, Georgia, signed a national letter of intent to play basketball for the Lady Vols next season.

“We’re very excited that Kamera has made the decision to become a Lady Vol,” head coach Holly Warlick said in a statement on Wednesday. “She’s a fantastic pick-up for us in this late signing period.”

Harris averaged only 6.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in her senior season, but her 7.8 blocks per game kept her relevant in the recruiting process. Harris owns the national high school record for blocks in a game when she swatted away 28 shots against Veterans High School in February 2014, break-

ing the original record of 25 that was set by ex-Baylor superstar Brittney Griner.

Harris proved that the game wasn’t a fluke, as she blocked 22 shots in the Georgia state semifinal game. The massive amounts of blocks that Harris has during each game earned her the name “Block Party” in one of her highlight videos.

“Kamera is a strong defensive player, as evidenced by her ability to block so many shots,” Warlick said. “That love for defense is what initially got me excited about the possibility of her joining our program. I like her energy and have enjoyed hearing about her love for the Lady Vols.

“We have signed an outstanding player who is going to help us, and we look forward to having her wear the orange.”

Harris is now the fourth Lady Vol from the Peach State, joining Andraya Carter, Te’a Cooper and Diamond DeShields as current Lady Vols from Georgia.

Harris is thus far the Lady Vols’ first and only signee for next season.

• File Photo

Big Orange facelift coming to Neyland Jonathan Toye

Sports Editor It is no secret that the South and East sides of Neyland Stadium need a facelift.

The concourses are narrow and dark. The restrooms are small. And there are not many concession options.

Tennessee, however, appears willing to correct these problems. The university announced Jan. 14 that it will conduct a feasibility study on renovations to Neyland Stadium. According to the statement, a major focus of the study will be evaluating potential upgrades to the South and East Sides. Other possible renovations include enhancements, like hospitality areas, additional video displays, improved sound system and a high wi-fi delivery.

Tennessee will be partnering with Populous for the project, an architecture and design firm based in Kansas City, Mo. Populous

recently helped design Texas A&M’s Kyle Field, Baylor’s McLane Stadium, Oklahoma’s Memorial Stadium and Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium.

“The time is right to turn our focus to the long-term investment in Neyland Stadium,” Athletics Director Dave Hart said in a written statement. “This process is a critical step in determining the appropriate vision and supporting business model for a significant renovation. The resulting outcomes will serve as a catalyst toward making this vision become a reality.

“We truly value the tremendous support of our Volunteer fan base. It is an exciting time to be a Tennessee Volunteer. The enthusiasm surely to surround this project further demonstrates the positive trajectory and momentum behind our program.”

Neyland Stadium opened in 1921 and has undergone 16 renovation and expansion projects, with the most recent being after the 2005 season.

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HURD continued from Page 36 “That’s what we were really striving for this year… I’m very happy that Jalen got that. I’m very happy with all of the offensive linemen that have played this year and helped him reach that.”

Many times this season, Hurd has had to grind out tough yards, sometimes breaking multiple tackles to get back to the line of scrimmage. That wasn’t the case against Missouri.

The Vols offensive line consistently won the line of scrimmage, paving the way for 248 total rushing yards behind the trio of Hurd, Alvin Kamara and Josh Dobbs.

Dobbs carried the ball 10 times for 54 yards and scored the game’s only touchdown on an eight-yard run at the end of the first half.

Kamara added seven carries for 43 yards, giving him an average of 6.1 yards per carry.

A key part of that was the addition of Jashon Robertson.

The sophomore offensive guard has been dealing with injuries all season, and his ankle kept him out of the game completely in the last two games against South Carolina and North Texas. Robertson was able to help anchor the line on Saturday from his regular left guard position.

“It’s big,” Dobbs said of having Robertson in the lineup. “Obviously with the experience Jashon got last year, he’s a leader on the offensive line. We know that anyone who goes out there, they’re going to give their all, and they’re interchangeable. But having Jashon out there is definitely big.”

It’s no secret that Tennessee has struggled to close out games at times this year. Against Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, the Vols had the ball with a chance to milk the clock and couldn’t convert when they needed to.

Against the Tigers, though, Tennessee finally got the drive it needed.

With a little over six minutes left in the game, Tennessee got the ball at its own 26 yard-line after a Missouri punt. The Vols went 33 yards on eight plays, and while the drive ended with a punt, Tennessee was able to milk 4:55 seconds off the clock, effectively ending the game.

Hurd ran for 25 yards, including two first downs, on the drive and Dobbs added an 11 yard dagger on third down to seal the game.

“It’s just great to see us finish,” Kerbyson said. “Earlier this year, as an offense, that four minute drill came up and we never really completed it. We never really got some first downs and kept the defense off the field. This game we did. We did it when we needed to. We got the first downs and kept the clock running.

“That’s a huge testament to how hard we’ve been working and everything the guys do in the weight room and the film study. All of that has made us better and better every week.”

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

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Opinion: Reeves-Maybin, Sutton get cement legacy with decision to stay connected.

Jonathan Toye Sports Editor

Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Cam Sutton are true professionals, but both are postponing their auditions for the NFL. Instead they will return to Tennessee for one final waltz. Both players announced their decisions via Twitter.

Reeves-Maybin made his announcement Jan. 12, Sutton made his on Jan. 14.

Who knew that a tweet could cement one’s spot in Tennessee lore?

It’s impossible to avoid risk when making the decision to enter the NFL draft. Players who submit their names don’t know for sure where they will be drafted – or if they will even be drafted at all, and juniors who elect to stay for their senior year risk suffering an injury that could damage their draft stock.

With that being noted, I think Sutton and Reeves-Maybin made the correct decision.

And it’s one that Tennessee fans will remember for a long time. If both players stay healthy in 2016, and unfortunately that’s a big if, they will have great seasons and improve their draft stock. Both players have everything a NFL GM could possibly want. They have great

work ethics. They are leaders. And the coaches love them. I felt like I couldn’t go through a Butch Jones’ press conference without him heaping praise on one or the other.

Oh, and they can play football too. Both have competed against the premier talent in college football and have preformed admirably.

Sutton has at times shut down his entire side of the field, making opposing quarterbacks wary of throwing in his direction. He’s also proven he can contribute on special teams at the next level. Reeves-Maybin collected 21 tackles against Oklahoma. That team ended up playing in the College Football Playoffs. He made plays all season and was good for at least one highlight-reel tackle every game.

But there’s another big reason why returning is the right decision. They now have a chance to finish what they started. In a way, they embody Jones’ rebuilding project. Brick by brick is a Kahlil McKenzie-sized cliché, but it’s an effective approach in resurrecting a moribund program. The rebuilding strategy involves incremental steps of improvement, a tireless work ethic and bringing the right players into the program. No one represents See MAYBIN AND SUTTON on Page 40

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

(Above) Senior linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin defends against a Florida running back in Tennessee’s game against Florida on September 29, 2015.

(Right) Defensive back Cam Sutton watches the screen during the game between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Tennessee Volunteers.

Hayley Pennesi • Tennessee Athletics

MAYBIN AND SUTTON continued from Page 39 the “brick by brick” process better than Sutton and Reeves-Maybin. Pardon this next cliche, but they were two of the first bricks.

Both were members of Jones’ inaugural recruiting class. When they came to Tennessee, the Vols stunk. They couldn’t beat their rivals. They couldn’t make a bowl game. Heck, they couldn’t even beat Vanderbilt.

Reeves-Maybin and Sutton’s freshmen season in 2013 featured more of the same.

They were on the field when Oregon and Auburn ran over Tennessee and when Vanderbilt handed Tennessee a gut-wrenching loss on senior night.

But Reeves-Maybin and Sutton weren’t deterred by those setbacks. They just worked harder. They were standouts as freshmen, but they improved in each season. So did Tennessee. Three years removed from their freshmen seasons, Tennessee finished the 2015 season ranked in the final AP and coaches’ poll for the first time since

2007 and is an overwhelming favorite to win the east — and potentially much more in 2016. Reeves-Maybin and Sutton are huge reasons for that turnaround.

It’s almost poetic justice that the two players are returning for a final season.

They placed Tennessee in a position to win championships. They deserve a chance to win some themselves.

But regardless of what happens in 2016, Reeves-Maybin and Sutton’s decision to stay places them in the same conversation with Peyton Manning, Al Wilson, and Reggie White – some of the most beloved Vols of all time. Both players alluded to goals they hoped to accomplish in 2016.

Their decision to return reveals their love for Tennessee and their eagerness to return Tennessee to its place among college football’s best.

Vol fans have waited a long time for Tennessee to be good at football again.

They will forever be indebted to ReevesMaybin and Sutton for making that a reality.

Reeves-Maybin and Sutton were beloved before they announced their decision.

On Jan. 14, they became legends.

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DOBBS continued from Page 35 Saturday, Dobbs played football with A.J. and his dad in their backyard. A.J. was happily running around, donning his Tennessee helmet and jersey. The moment stood out to Dobbs.

“It was kind of surreal just to step away from things and just be a little kid in the backyard playing with little A.J.,” Dobbs said. “That was probably my favorite moment with him.”

John also has his own favorite memories of Josh and A.J. He remembers Dobbs laying on the floor playing Lincoln Logs with A.J. “I am a firm believer that smiles are what really help these kids heal and get through these tough situations,” John said. “Every time Josh comes over, it’s nothing but smiles for A.J. “Just knowing that there is another adult figure out there who cares for our family and cares for our son like we do. A.J. is a tough kid and seeing A.J. smile and A.J. stay positive makes it easier for us to cope with the situation.”

Dobbs also benefits from the relationship, as A.J. is inspiring in his own right.

A.J. may be young, but he knows what he is going through. And A.J. is prepared to fight.

Family friends call John to tell him A.J. inspires them. John himself once had to give a speech at the Peyton Manning golf classic. John, admitting he is not much of a public speaker, was dreading the speech until his son gave him a boost of motivation.

A.J. serenaded Peyton Manning with Rocky Top. If A.J. could sing Rocky Top to one of the best quarterbacks of all time while battling brain tumors, surely he could deliver a speech.

“He is a role model,” Dobbs said. “He is kind of a little inspiration, a little motivation that every time I think I am going through something tough, you just look at him and see how much positivity he has and how much energy he has and how much genuine excitement he has for really anything. It really brightens my day.

“He is inspiring to really anyone. When you are around A.J., the (energy) is completely genuine. Everything he does is genuine.”

Seventeen months have passed since Dobbs and A.J. first met. A.J. underwent 41 weeks of chemotherapy treatment in a year span. He still has the tumors, but they are now stable. He has been out of Chemotherapy since November.

A.J.’s biggest problem at the moment is his eyesight. He still also has to deal with the side effects of chemotherapy. John has at times watched his son’s body deteriorate in a 12-hour span.

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon His father doesn’t know what the future holds. John avoids being too optimistic just in case they receive more bad news. He admits that A.J. faces a life long battle.

A.J. isn’t fighting alone, though. He has friends from church praying for him. The Prayers for A.J. Cucksey Facebook page has over 7,000 likes and the Prayers4AJCucksey twitter account has over 1000 followers.

Both provide a platform for people to off their support.

And A.J. has Dobbs.

It’s Saturday, and Dobbs intends to make A.J. smile yet another time.

Adults guide A.J. to his room, where two surprises wait behind the door.

The first surprise is a Tennessee makeover of his room, courtesy of Special Spaces, a nonprofit organization that provides children battling life-threatening illnesses with special spaces that help them temporarily forget their struggles. In A.J.’s case, his special space suits his die hard Tennessee fandom, as Special Spaces painted the popular checkerboard pattern on an entire wall.

The second surprise is Dobbs. Steve Winfree, the Director of Fundraising and Special Events at Special Spaces, contacted Dobbs on twitter and gave him details about the room makeover. Dobbs made sure he was there to surprise A.J. A.J. loves the first surprise and is elated by the second one. He eagerly asks Dobbs if he has seen the room downstairs. (Special Spaces also designed a playroom for A.J. and his three-year old sister Gia.) Dobbs smiles and caringly wipes the edge of A.J.’s mouth.

It’s a small gesture, but it reflects just how much Dobbs cares about A.J. And how much their relationship has progressed in the past 17 months.

“I was really excited and really happy for him,” Dobbs said. “ It was a blessing he was able to receive that.

“He knows all three verses of Rocky Top. He is a big time Tennessee fan. (The room) was something he deserved.”

Later that day when the cameras have left, Dobbs, Winfree and the Cuckseys share conversations together. The conversations reflect the comfort level Dobbs has with the family. Cuckseys tease Dobbs about his Atlanta Braves hat. As Mets fans, they jokingly tell Dobbs that he is not allowed to wear the hat in the house.

When Dobbs finally gets up to leave, Gia, who is normally shy around Dobbs, wishes him goodbye.

Dobbs is a little surprised. This is the first time Gia has said hello and goodbye to Dobbs during a visit. It’s another small indicator of just how close Dobbs has become with the family.

Gia will have more opportunities to talk to Dobbs.

He said he plans for his relationship with A.J. to last forever.

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

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Tennessee coach allegedly told Bowles he ‘betrayed’ team Jonathan Toye

Sports Editor Tennessee football coach Butch Jones allegedly told former player Drae Bowles he “betrayed the team” after the wide receiver helped a woman who was allegedly raped by two former players A.J Johnson and Michael Williams, according to an amended complaint filed Feb. 24, in a Title IX lawsuit against Tennessee.

Six plaintiffs originally filed the lawsuit against Tennessee on Feb. 9. The lawsuit alleges Tennessee has created a “hostile sexual environment” and had a “deliberate indifference” after reported sexual assaults. The amended complaint included two more plaintiffs and more information on the alleged assault against Bowles.

The amended complaint comes a day after all 16 Tennessee coaches held a joint-press conference and defended the culture at Tennessee.

According to the lawsuit, the alleged victim told Bowles in his car that Johnson and Williams had raped her in the early hours on Nov. 16. After a discussion, she decided to call 911 from his car to report the sexual assault.

Later in the day, Tennessee player Curt Maggitt confronted Bowles in the team locker

room and asked him “accusing questions.”

Bowles told him he helped Johnson’s alleged victim and Maggitt became upset and said Bowles was trying ruin A.J. He punched Bowles in the face, causing his lip to bleed, the lawsuit said.

Jones later told Bowles he was disappointed in him and that he had “betrayed the team.”

According to the lawsuit, Jones later called Bowles and apologized for his comments.

Jones, however, denied he ever called Bowles a traitor.

“The assertion that I ever attempted to belittle or demean a young man for taking action to help another person is absolutely false,” Jones said in a statement released Feb. 24. “To the contrary, I did all I could to assist the former student in question.

“During the course of the judicial process, campus officials, as well as the young man’s own words, will clearly establish that I have done nothing wrong. I will fight all of these false attacks on my character, and I know that once this process has been completed, my reputation will be affirmed.”

The lawsuit goes on to claim that Bowles was confronted the next day by football players Geraldo Orta and Marlin Lane at Smokey’s Sports Grill in the Anderson Training Center.

Strength coach Brandon Myles intervened before a fight broke out, according to the law-

I will fight all of these false attacks on my character, and I know that once this process has been completed, my reputation will be be affirmed.”

Butch Jones, Tennessee football coach

suit. The lawsuit claimed Maggitt, Lane and Orta were not disciplined for their actions against Bowles.

Coach Jones instructed the players to stay

away from Bowles, the lawsuit said. Bowles transferred to UT-Chattanooga at the end of the 2014 season.

Bowles signed an affidavit saying he believes the allegations in the lawsuit are truthful.

But Tennessee continues to dispute the allegations found in the lawsuit.

“The university has reviewed the amended complaint filed by the plaintiffs and we continue to stand by our actions,” Bill Ramsey, one of the lawyers representing Tennessee, said in a statement. “The facts, as opposed to allegations in a complaint, will demonstrate that the University acted properly in the matters at issue. We have continuously worked hard to improve our processes and our procedures to ensure that we are doing all that we can to prevent incidents of assault, to support victims of assault and to pursue justice while ensuring due process for those accused. We will vigorously defend all claims in the amended complaint.

“The University is issuing this statement to lessen the potential harmful effects narrative in the amended complaint has on the University’s continuing efforts to encourage survivors to come forward and report sexual assaults and its efforts to educate students about the issue of sexual assault. The University will not allow this lawsuit to detract from those efforts.”

Hart speaks out to defend Jones during press conference Jonathan Toye

Sports Editor Tennessee athletics director Dave Hart offered his support of football coach Butch Jones at a press conference at Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio.

“I trust Butch Jones implicitly,” Hart said. “I know who he is. I know what his work ethic is. I know what he’s meant for this university… I know how he’s represented the university.

“I trust in him implicitly.”

Hart’s comments came a day after eight plaintiffs filed an amended complaint in a Title IX lawsuit against Tennessee.

According to the lawsuit, Jones allegedly told former player Drae Bowles he “betrayed the team” after Bowles helped a woman who was allegedly raped by two Tennessee football players.

Bowles signed a affidavit that allegations found in the lawsuit were truthful.

Jones, however, fiercely denied he called Bowles a traitor in a statement.

“I did all I could to assist the former student in question,” Jones said. “During the course of the judicial process, campus officials, as well as the young man’s own words, will clearly establish that I have done nothing wrong. I will fight all of these false attacks on my character, and I know that once this process has been completed, my reputation will be affirmed.”

Hart declined to talk on the specifics on the lawsuit Wednesday and didn’t answer a question on the Bowles allegations.

He did address rumors that his job at Tennessee might be in jeopardy.

“I communicate on a very regular basis as you might imagine with our chancellor,” Hart said. “I respect him greatly, and I think that respect is returned. And I think his knowledge of the hill we have to climb is respectful. He is right where I am on this topic: we got to do more. We have to do better, everybody on our campus.

“But’s it’s been a great relationship and respectful, trusting relationship.”

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On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

Coleman on his way to becoming next great sprinter Shane Switzer

Staff Writer By his own admission sophomore Christian Coleman doesn’t have the fundamentals down as well as other sprinters.

What Coleman does have is determination and a fierce competitive attitude.

Attending Our Lady of Mercy high school in Atlanta, Georgia, Coleman was an all-state, region, and county defensive back and wide receiver and it is that football background that makes him so tough on the track.

“I feel like I’ve got that killer instinct, that competitive edge in me,” Coleman said. “I go out, and I just try to compete.”

Coleman doesn’t shy away from big time competition. Playing defensive back in the state of Georgia Coleman went against guys bigger than he was but faced them and most of the time beat them.

“I’m not really afraid of running against guys that have like this big name,” Coleman said.

Those are sentiments his head coach Beth Alford-Sullivan echoes.

“He would not be denied in that in win at the 200 indoors at the National Championships,” Alford-Sullivan said. “He wanted the win in the 60 and as he said in his interview, it took them PRing to beat him.

“He really respected that but at the same time letting that race be over and turning his attention to the 200 there was a decision in his head that it was whatever it takes.”

Running the 200 meter in 20.55 seconds is what it took for Coleman to become a National Champion at the 2016 NCAA Indoor National Championships.

While many see Coleman as having just now burst onto the scene, Alford-Sullivan said he has been achieving at a high level for a while. In high school, Coleman ran the 100 meter at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in 10.30 seconds, which was the fastest time in Georgia and the 5th best nationally. Coleman also finished 5th in the 200 at that meet with a time of 20.94, again the fastest time in Georgia and 11th fastest in the nation.

In his senior year of high school Coleman set the Georgia Class A State records for the 100 meter, 200, and the 4x100 meter relay. Those times were 10.38, 21.10 and 41.88, respectively.

As a freshman at Tennessee, Coleman was named as the SEC Men’s Freshman Runner of the Year. He was also the first Tennessee athlete to score in the 60 meter at nationals since Rubin Williams in 2008 and the first freshman to do so since Justin Gatlin in 2001.

Even with all the early success, Coleman brushes it off as “a little bit of success.” Instead

focusing on what he didn’t do and using it as motivation.

“At nationals last year I didn’t make the final in the 100 or 200,” Coleman said. “After that day I told coach (Tim) Hall that I was going to make it back here and next year it’ll be different. It’ll be something special.

“I took that mentality into the off season and kept working and kept my goals in mind.”

Even though Coleman won the National Championship he didn’t come into the meet with the fastest time in the 200. In fact he was third in the nation going in behind Mitchell-Blake and Brendon Rodney of LIU Brooklyn. It didn’t matter because Coleman had already decided that he wasn’t going to lose.

It isn’t just about himself though, his success has led his teammates to strive and reach for the same levels of success. Felicia Brown who won the 200 meter 2016 Indoor National Championship on the women’s side said just watching what he does inspires everyone else.

Fellow sophomore and Georgia native Nathan Strother runs with Coleman in several of the relay events, and said seeing Coleman run the earlier leg of the relay and watching him get a lead on the other guys pushes the rest of the relay runners to piggy back off that and keep the success going.

The constant pushing and not wanting to let each other down led the men’s 4x100 meter relay team to a fifth place finish at the indoor national championships.

Strother said seeing Coleman reach the national championships as a freshman helped everyone on the team and gave the rest of the team confidence.

“Seeing him do that made me want to strive to do better,” Strother said. “By doing that he helped other people on our team.”

Alford-Sullivan sees Coleman as potentially being one of the next great Tennessee sprinters.

Racking up multiple All-American honors and winning more SEC and National Championships.

Alford-Sullivan said that he will catch up where the fundamentals are concerned and pairing that with his fierce competitiveness, the successes will continue to come.

Coleman has already seen the successes come almost on a weekly basis. He set the Olympic A Standard in the 100 meters with a time of 10.11 and will compete for a spot on the USA Olympic National team in July at the Olympic Trials. No one can deny the allure that the Olympics has, and with 2016 being an Olympic year, some of those who could make the team might have their attention drawn away from the task set before them.

For Coleman, he is listening and taking things one day at a time. While he says the Olympics are a dream and desire of his, he first wants to get back and win an SEC title and then another national championship.

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Understanding the difference between Opt-In vs. Opt-Out Bradi Musil

Managing Editor

Whether you’re tired of hearing it or not, getting inVOLved can make a difference in your college experience. You’ll make friends, learn things you never could in a classroom, continue passions unrelated to your major and became a more well-rounded human being. Need some help getting started? Good thing you’re holding this paper.

Volume 130 Special Issue

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Thursday, August 27, 2015

Within the past few years, the Central Program Council has hosted an Emmy Award-nominated transgender actress, a conservative journalist and Fox News frequent, a Saturday Night Live writer and the former head of the Communist Party.

CPC is entirely student-run and entirely financially dependent on the Student Programs and Services Fee, a $19.46 charge that, as of 2014, students could decide not to allocate to student programming.

This procedural change occurred in June 2014 after UT’s Board of Trustees approved a policy allowing students who are opposed to certain student-organized, controversial events to designate their funds elsewhere.

Previously, the student programs fee was allotted to support programming both student organized and not.

However, after the student group Sexual Empowerment and Awareness at Tennessee sponsored a week filled with events encouraging sexual health and awareness on campus in 2012, the Tennessee legislature began discussing ways

to limit the taboo group.

The opt-in/opt-out process is the result of a compromise between the university and Tennessee legislature.

Thomas Carpenter, the president of CPC and a senior in classics, said SEAT absorbs a small percentage of the fee, about $.25 of the nearly $20 stipend. Choosing to not support all student programming just to limit one organization’s funding, Carpenter said, has a much larger impact than students realize.

“What we have is a culture in Tennessee, a very conservative culture, that does not promote free speech or ideas,” Carpenter said. “By opting out ... you’re saying students are: a. not capable of making these decisions, and b. they shouldn’t have free speech.

“I think both of those are really, really scary things to say.”

According to Mark Alexander, assistant vice chancellor for student life, the percentage of students who chose to opt-in for the fall 2015 semester stands at 82.3 percent.

The fall 2014 opt-in rate was 81.79 percent, while the spring 2015 opt-in rate dropped to See OPT-IN on Page 45

SPECIALISSUES

OPT-IN continued from Page 44 79.98 percent.

Students who do not opt-in by deadline, typically midnight on the first day of classes, are automatically defaulted to opt-out. After the deadline has passed, there is no way for students to change where their programs fees go.

Additionally, even if a student has chosen to opt-in for one semester, they will still default to opt-out for the next semester if they do not manually make their selection before deadline.

Since the Student Programs and Services Fee was previously shared by student-run and non-student-run programming organizations, the CPC budget has not yet decreased as a result of the process change. Opt-in funds are now solely contributed to student-run organizations while some opt-out funds are allocated to non-student programs like events hosted by the International House or Clarence Brown Theater.

Carpenter, noting that the CPC budget should have seen an increase several years ago, said if the rate of students opting in doesn’t increase, or decreases, their budget will face losses, negatively affecting campus programming.

“If these percentages stay the same or get any worse, we could definitely see an impact on our budget,” Carpenter said. “That would be worst case scenario.”

For now, CPC and SGA are focusing efforts on increasing campus awareness about what the policy is. SGA President Will Freeman credits the nearly 20 percent opt-out rate to a lack of understanding on campus of how that fee is applied and what the implications of the process are.

“I think incoming students and incoming families are not 100 percent cognizant of the situation, and I can’t blame them,” Freeman said. “It’s a lot ... I have had students and parents who have come up to me and asked, ‘what if we’ve already opted out and how can we change that?’”

The biggest misconception of the process, Freeman said, is the notion that choosing to optout actually waives the nearly $20 fee, when, in

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On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

45

SURVI VAL OF THE FITTEST

Unless they repeal the First Amendment, they won’t stop us from bringing in an event that we want.”

Thomas Carpenter, president of CPC

$ fact, the opposite is true.

Students who opt-out waive all their privileges as a student for free admission to student organized events and are instead required to pay public prices at the door.

Usually, this equates to roughly a $5 fee.

However, at last spring’s Volapalooza and the largest student-organized event of the year, a tradition on campus since 2002, students who did not opt-in were charged $40.

Freeman said SGA spent “a lot of resources” throughout the fall to encourage students to become educated on the process and “at least understand where that money goes for next semester.”

The modified process is under a sunset provision and will be reviewed in 2018, when the university decides whether to keep the opt-in/ opt-out process or abandon it.

In the meantime, Carpenter said CPC will continue to host speakers and plan events without hesitation.

“We refuse to not bring an event just because the state legislature might not like it,” Carpenter said. “We’re going to bring an event because we think students are going to enjoy it or learn something from it.

“Unless they repeal the First Amendment, they won’t stop us from bringing in an event that we want.”

Volume 130 Special Issue

No one leaves college the same person who arrived four (or five) years before. You’re going to laugh until you cry, cry until you can’t breath, sleep less than you thought possible and actually consider Chef Boyardee a gourmet meal. But, fret not, the Beacon is here to help you along the way. Here’s our version of how to make it out alive.

utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

Get your head in the (study) zone Trenton Duffer Copy Editor

Throughout my high school years, I didn’t study once. No, seriously. I never studied for tests, end of course exams or even the ACT. That all changed when I arrived in Knoxville.

You can’t not study for UT’s exams. You can’t glance over a five-page study sheet for 15 minutes and think to yourself, “Eh, I’ve got this.”

Studying is something that you have to learn how to do. To some, it comes easy. To others, it’s nearly impossible.

UT is a huge campus, and there are plenty of places you can study.

The libraries on campus are obviously the best places to go, but there’s a certain place you can venture for complete tranquility. Find yourself somewhere in the back, away from the entrance.

That way, people coming in asking questions or people passing by the door won’t bother you.

Another surprisingly peaceful place are empty computer labs spread out all over campus; how-

Friday, September 4, 2015

ever, be wary. A class may take up one on the day you want to study.

The outdoors are another wonderful place to study if you find the right spot. I wouldn’t go lay in the grass right next to the new Student Union, but finding a grassy area on The Hill may be just what you need. Be aware of the hourly chimes from Ayres though.

And some extra advice: Don’t wait until the night before to study. Your brain wasn’t made for you to cram that much information in there in the span of a few hours. Your professor should have announced exam dates during syllabus week, so check your syllabi and find out those exam dates.

Finally, if you’re still having trouble with studying, don’t fret. College is a ginormous step up from high school, and you’re currently attending one of the top 50 public universities in the country, according to U.S. News. It’s a lot to take in, but there’s no need to get discouraged. If you have trouble, visit the Student Success Center like I did. There’s no shame in admitting you need to learn how to study.

Aren’t your grades worth it?

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

‘New Yorker’ uses unique tactics to teach students Megan Patterson

Arts & Culture Editor William Larsen, a distinguished lecturer in English, still remembers the first paper he ever marked up as a teacher.

It was a test in his second period social studies class in the New York City high school where he began his career. Larsen marked up the paper the same way he does now, with color coded comments that fill up the margins and with detailed feedback in every blank space.

“I saw one person look at the grade, and then throw it in the garbage,” Larsen said. “I was heartbroken, and I was angry. I picked it out and I saw one of the people leaving and I asked them if they knew Debbie Williams. They said yes and I told them to tell her to read it and then she can throw it away.”

After 46 years of teaching, not much has changed in how Larsen runs a class and in what he expects from his students. Since he made the shift from high school teaching to university lecturing in 1990 when he entered as a Ph.D. student, Larsen has stuck to the same basic principles of how to run a class.

“The people who I had as teachers, who were the teachers that I liked the best and learned the most from, are the same people who made me work the hardest,” Larsen said. “My 5th grade teacher Mrs. Stein. She made you work hard, but you had fun.”

Larsen knows that he has a campus reputation of being the New Yorker, but instead of taking it as a negative, Larsen decided to embrace this persona.

“When I first came here, I had to decide. I have a pretty good ear, so I could have lost the accent on purpose,” Larsen said. “But I realized, no, this is part of the cache that I’ve got. I’ll be the New Yorker.”

The “New Yorker” has built a larger than life reputation for himself; there is even a studentcreated Facebook fan club devoted to his quirky habits.

“I first met Dr. Larsen in his screenplay writ-

SPECIAL ISSUE

MEET THE

Professors

Whether you chose your professors because of their Rate My Professor ratings, recommendations from your friends or the fact that their class time allowed you to sleep in on Fridays — the professors you take can make or break your time at UT. Why not get to know them a little better?

ing class in the fall of 2014, and he terrified me,” as possible.

Although teaching wasn’t always his profesKatherine Christian, senior in English, recalled.

Although Christian admitted she went in sional ambition, Larsen said he found a pasexpecting the worst, about a week into the class, sion for it during his undergraduate education she decided it was one of the best classes she in political science at Notre Dame. Instead of graduating when he was supposed to, he had taken at UT. Volume 130a lecture style that involvesutdailybeacon.com education Larsen has a got into the secondary Thursday, September program 24, 2015 and @utkdailybeacon Issue 26 lot of energetic, high volume discussion and signed up to be a student teacher to stay longer outbursts, but Christian said this is just part of and take more classes.

“I was going to go to law school, but I was his charm.

“It doesn’t really feel like he’s lecturing,” burnt out as a student. I was tired of classes, Christian explained. “It feels more like he’s hav- so I thought, ‘Alright, I’ll teach for a few years.’

As I used to say to classes, ‘I’m still waiting to ing a conversation with you.”

While his gruff persona is slightly uninten- figure out what I want to do when I grow up,’” tional, the personal connection that Larsen puts Larsen said.

After a few years of teaching social studies into teaching is not.

As a distinguished lecturer, Larsen is not a at New York high schools, Larsen went on to professor on the tenure track — so unlike pro- get his masters in English, both to be a certified fessors who split their time between teaching teacher in two areas and as an opportunity to pursue his lifelong passion for writing. and publishing, Larsen is hired fully to teach.

After 20 years of teaching in high school and Lecturers are given four classes to be fulltime, compared to professors’ two classes. two recommendations from college professors Despite this heavy workload, Larsen said he that he pursue a Ph.D., Larsen finally made the enjoys making contact with as many students leap. He applied to 19 schools, and eight or nine

offered money.

“Out of those, four gave me the most money: UT, Hawaii, Kansas and Purdue. So I called Hawaii first,” Larsen laughed.

The cost of living there proved infeasible, however, and Hawaii recommended he call Tennessee next. The people he spoke to on the phone for UT were so nice he never called the other schools. Without visiting the area once, Larsen signed on to the program and prepared to move.

Now it’s Larsen’s 26th year at UT, and he’s decided teaching is what he’s meant to do.

“I don’t know if I’m good at it or not,” Larsen admitted. “I have no idea. I can’t answer that.

Students have to answer that. But it’s been fun.”

His main goal remains capturing students’ attention, and forcing them out of their academic comfort zone.

“I realize the thing is don’t put a grade on things; it’s discouraging enough to look at all the marks,” Larsen said. “People don’t want to write. They don’t like writing, and they want to get it over with as quickly as possible. Now more and more, it’s harder than ever because everyone texts and everything is short. It’s almost like the world is learning journalistic writing. ‘Bam, bam, boom, over.’ But that’s not academic writing; you have to explain.”

Whether it is a film class or a screenwriting class, Larsen said he wants students to find a connection with material without stressing over their GPA. “What can you do to make things relevant to people?” Larsen asked. “Even when I’m teaching the film classes, it’s like okay we studied this thing, this thing and this history thing, but how can you hook this into your own life?”

Ultimately, the students themselves, outside of their abilities, remain Larsen’s biggest concern.

“Mostly I want them to find something where they can look in the mirror, and say ‘Hey I’m not as plain and ordinary as I thought I was,’” Larsen said. “That’s the one thing about being harder. People will tell you that ‘I’m glad you didn’t just say, ‘Oh this was nice.’ When you say it’s good. That must mean it’s good.’”

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

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On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

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Drag shows provide outlet for gender expression Jenna Butz

Editor-in-Chief When Jonathan Shoemaker was in middle school, he was often bullied for being soft-spoken. After having grown tired of the bullies, the senior in theater decided to bust out of his shell.

“Most people reacted more towards my willingness to say and do the things everyone wouldn’t,” Shoemaker said. “So I used that social ability in a blunt and comedic way that people took interest in.”

And that’s when his drag persona, Victoria Frost, was born.

“And that secondary persona that exists in attention is where Victoria lives—high upon a beautiful and deadly frozen throne,” Shoemaker explained. “She is the unfiltered embodiment of my confidence, comedy and sensuality.”

Thomas Tran, junior in anthropology and vice president of volOUT, only does drag for the Sex Week/volOUT drag show, where he performs as Thalia Black: the Greek muse for comedy. His favorite part is putting the look itself together and “figuring how I want to present myself.”

Tran’s on-stage character, though, doesn’t stray far from his everyday life.

“I believe that my drag persona is simply an extension of my own personality,” Tran explained. “I’m very much the same person when I’m in drag. For other people, it may be different.”

Drag performers define drag in multiple ways, and its meaning changes from performer to performer. Some see it strictly as entertainment, others as a way to explore their sexuality or gender identity. Regardless, drag is a form of expression.

“It’s an art form,” Tran said. “It’s a way to express artistic ideas, and that’s just my personal idea of it.”

Shoemaker said he personally likes the theatrical side of drag—and the reactions his performances engender in his audience.

“You can see the life you’re giving to most of the people who watch you (if you’re any good),” Shoemaker joked. “People are just astonished at the barriers you’re willing to break. But that’s the point of it. Afterwards, most people tell me I confuse their sexuality. Which I take as a success.”

Tran pointed out that there is misconception that all drag kings and queens are transgender.

Even though Tran and other drag queens use feminine pronouns when in drag, many still ascribe to their cisgender pronouns normally.

Shoemaker said people may also think of drag queens as “overly feminine gay men who want to be or act like women.”

“But that’s rarely true,” Shoemaker explained.

“Most of the queens I know love performing.

And drag gives them a readily available means to perform, and make people enjoy themselves.

Some queens love dancing, some love gymnas-

SPECIAL ISSUE

pride.

To introduce the Daily Beacon’s special issue for LGBTQA+ history month, this cover showcas-

es just 10 faces of the University of TennesseeKnoxville’s LGBTQA+ community. This is a microscopic sampling of the entire community—at UT, in Knoxville, in Tennessee, across the nation.

But here is our introduction to the issue—and to an entire community.

Volume 130 Issue 36

utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

Thursday, October 8, 2015

tics, some love comedy, but they all love improving their audiences’ mood more than anything.”

Though UT hosts a drag show each year through volOUT and Sex Week, Tran admitted that Knoxville’s drag scene is lacking, especially compared to larger cities. Since the Carousel, which used to reside beside Vol Hall, closed, Tran said the better drag performers have since scattered, making it “not as fun as it used to be.”

Though the campus drag show tends to go over well among the UT community, Shoemaker said he’s not sure most people, both in and

outside the LGBTQ+ community, are quite as accepting of the larger drag community because of the unconventional ideas they are introduced to.

“Most people are afraid of the feelings that successful drag makes them experience, like questioning their sexuality or becoming curious,” Shoemaker said. “They usually feel shame in this, but they need to know it’s normal. Seeing a visually stimulating drag queen doesn’t make a straight man gay. He’s appreciating the feminine appearance that he’s seeing, not the carefully (and sometimes uncomfortably) hidden bits.

He visualizes what he wants to be under there, and for him that visualization is a heterosexual one.”

In the LGBTQ+ community, it’s heteronormative ideals of how to be masculine and feminine that still persist in the community that ostracize drag kings and queens from everyone else.

“It mainly pertains in the gay community due to internalized homophobia,” Tran explained.

“It’s this whole idea that gay men have to be masculine so that we can prove ourselves to the heteronormative, straight community. So, ‘feminine’ men, or drag queens, get ridiculed because we don’t uphold this certain standard of masculinity—a really toxic standard of mas-

culinity.”

And Tran said he has a response to these conservative ideals: “They should get over it,” Tran said, smirking. “They should get over this internalized homophobia that they have within themselves, and be free and be who you want to be because -- this is true for straight and gay men -- this really toxic level of masculinity that they think they have to uphold is not who they are. They end up hurting themselves on mental and emotional levels doing that.”

“

Most people tell me I confuse their sexuality. Which I take as a success.”

Jonathon Shoemaker, senior in theater

Need Health Insurance?

The UT Student Health Insurance Plan offers highly competitive rates for eligible students and their dependents.

Student plans may cost 60-72% less* than similar Exchange plans which are based on broader, more diverse groups.

If you currently do not have health insurance, or have other coverage through the Exchange or your parent, the Universitysponsored Student Injury and Sickness Health Insurance from UnitedHealthcare may be a better, more affordable option.

Visit www.studenthealthprograms.com before September 20th to view the 2016–2017 rates and policy brochure or to enroll.

Questions? Contact The Hildreth Agency 865-691-4652 · studenthealth@hildrethins.com 16COL3396

*Comparison data from 2015 Employer Health Benefits Survey, Kaiser Family Foundation

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Tyson House to feed ‘invisible need’ as UT’s first food pantry Heidi Hill

Staff Writer

Skipping a few meals may be a necessary sacrifice of college life, but for some students, it’s more than just readjusting when and what to eat.

As a response to a population plagued by food deprivation, SGA members and the Office of Sustainability created a survey on campus dining, prompting responders to disclose how often they eat and how accessible food is on campus.

When the results revealed 71 percent of surveyed students would support an on-campus food pantry, Erica Davis, senior in environmental sociology and food pantry co-founder, began considering how to curb students’ hunger needs faced.

“There’s a common conception of college students that they’re all freshmen, they live in dorms and their parents pay for the school,” Davis said.

“But the fact is, we have students at UT who are going to work full time. They have to support a family and students who are older than the standard college age or in very unique circumstances.

“We have to recognize that our campus probably reflects similar statistics as the state that we’re located in.”

Jackson Bogach, junior in civil engineering and pantry co-founder, said the idea to start a food pantry first surfaced when Davis and him

realized they were both passionate about food insecurity issues.

“My original feeling was that you can’t be a student and an active citizen if you’re worried about being hungry,” Bogach said.

Knoxville’s rumbling hunger comes as no surprise to Davis and Bogach, who both cited the community’s and East Tennessee’s status as a “food desert,” or a region where the nearest food distributor is more than 10 miles away from a city or town.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, over 40 percent of households without vehicles are more than a 1/2 mile away from a supermarket in Knox County.

Despite the statistics and support from various student organizations, adequate space and privacy for visitors blocked the project’s progress, eventually leading to an official “no” from UT administrators as first contacted by Davis and Bogach.

“I believe that the upfront time to start a food pantry would be the most costly and time consuming, and once you got it going, you’re talking about opening your doors twice a week for two hours to let people in,” Bogach said. “The administration believed that we would initially start one, but that eventually it would cave and nothing would be there to take its place.”

But, the Tyson House was more than happy to

Beerquest

News editor conquers 60 beers in 60 days

#KnoxFoodRevival Downtown sees surge in culinary diversity

When in Knox

Eat like the Scruffy people do

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utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

Thursday, November 19, 2015

provide the missing ingredients for the pantry’s perfect spot as a non-UT affiliated building.

“The thing about the (Tyson House) is it’s a confidential space, and it’s easily accessible and the fact that it has a gravel lot makes it even better,” Davis said.

Robin Lovett, an intern at the Lutheran and Episcopalian campus ministry, said she jumped at the opportunity to offer two of the Tyson House’s rooms to store extra food items.

Another advantage of starting the pantry through their resources, Lovett explained, was the pre-existing relationship with alternative food

pantry networks throughout the city such as Fish Hospitality Pantries.

Even still, Lovett said she is excited for an alternative food system, having been a witness to on-campus hunger during her years as a UT student and worker at the Pride Center.

“I myself come from a low-income background, and I remember freshman year not having enough food to eat, especially when PCB and other locations were closed on the weekends,” Lovett said. “(When I worked) at the Pride Center, I remember that students, especially non-traditional students, would face hunger issues.”

For Davis, her vision is to eliminate the shame of receiving food assistance, a symptom she attributed to the greater American idea of individualism and the ability to “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” without aid.

The ultimate mission of UT’s first official food pantry lies in accessibility not only for members of the UT community, but as a catalyst for more cooperation between the university and city to curb hunger.

“Food is such an intimate part of our lives and something we all have in common,” Davis said. “I’d love to see how we can do (our) part in reaching out.”

The Tyson House is located at 824 Melrose Place, across from the Golden Roast. For hours and services, visit their website.

On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

Size, shape, security: safe sex is good sex Jenna Butz

Editor-in-Chief Let’s talk about (safe) sex, baby.

While most people may be generally aware of the risks of STIs and unplanned pregnancy, there are certain specifics when it comes to safe sex that college students may not fully understand, starting with condoms.

Condoms are not one size fits all. While most penises fit into a regular size condom, that rule does not apply to everyone. If a condom is too tight with no room at the tip or sliding off, then a condom is more likely to break and not work properly.

A correctly fitting condom can bust the myths that condoms are uncomfortable or ruin sex.

Billie Amatuus-Salaam, wellness director for the Center for Health Education and Awareness, recommended finding a sample pack with various condom sizes and finding what your size is.

“Wearing the right size increases the likelihood that you’re going to continue to use condoms because it fits — it’s not uncomfortable,” AmatuusSalaam said.

Condoms aren’t just to prevent unplanned pregnancies though. Condoms and other barrier methods, like a female condom or a dental dam, also protect from STIs and HIV while other contra-

ceptives that only protect against pregnancy cannot provide the same bacterial protection.

While the dangers of STIs are always something to be careful of, Amatuus-Salaam stressed being especially careful when pursuing sex with partners you may not know as intimately.

“You don’t know if they also practice safer sex with their other sexual partners,” AmatuusSalaam said. “I do think if you’re making those decisions you kind of have to weigh your risks.

There’s also the option to engage in sexual activity that’s less risky too.

Maybe instead of having penetrative sex with someone you just met or maybe you weren’t prepared with condoms or anything, there are other things you can do.”

Amatuus-Salaam and Ashley Blamey, director of the Center for Health Education and Wellness, also emphasized another aspect of safe sex: consent.

“All this is a choice,” Blamey said. “As far as Volume 131 Issue 20

consensual sex and consensual alcohol use, those things don’t happen without your participation.”

This includes continued consent while with someone that you know well and have been intimate before.

However, AmatuusSalaam explained that intimacy without sexual activity, like kissing and cuddling, can still show someone you care about them without having to cross your comfort zone.

“You’re young, you’re still dating.

There’s going to be someone else who will respect those boundaries,” AmatuusSalaam said. “It’s important to be a little selfish sometimes and look out for yourself that way.”

To actively, enthusiastically consent, regardless of how far they want to go, Blamey encouraged students to “find your voice about where your own personal lines are drawn.”

“I think that’s something that maybe some of our

utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

Friday, February 12, 2016

students haven’t heard before — every individual having the responsibility,” Blamey said. “Because I always ask at orientation whose responsibility is it to come up with how you’re going to manage sexual safety, and it’s not unusual that people tend to say the guy or tend not to say anything. Then we reemphasize it’s everyone’s responsibility because if you’re going to make this choice, you’re also taking on the inherent risk in it.”

This boils down to sexual agency, or having ownership and control over your own body.

Amatuus-Salaam said this is the best practice for participating in safe sex.

“Throughout your life, that’s really something you should have,” Blamey said about AmatuusSalaam’s explanation of sexual agency. “… Like, I’m in charge of my body and I can make decisions about my body and that’s my job … The reality is we need to be responsible for our body and we get to make choices about it.”

Regardless of how you practice safe sex though, Blamey said these are issues students need to be talking about, regardless of any stigma they might have grown up hearing.

“This is a health issue,” Blamey said. “Even talking about condom fit, though that may make some people uncomfortable, those are the things you have to talk about to make sure people are staying safe.”

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On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

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The harsh truth about addiction as an illness Hannah Moulton Copy Chief

Addiction comes in many shapes, sizes and substances.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition defines addiction as “a problematic pattern of use of an intoxicating substance leading to clinically significant impairment or distress.”

Some of the signs of impairment and distress include failure to meet work, school or home obligations, a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or quit substance use, spending a lot of time obtaining a substance, having withdrawal or tolerance symptoms and continuing to use despite knowing that it’s causing physical or psychological harm.

At least two of these symptoms manifested in a 12-month period are considered to be an addiction disorder.

Gregory Stuart, professor in psychology, has been treating addiction in adults for the past 20 years.

“Of course, there are plenty of people who use substances problematically who may not actually meet criteria for a substance use disorder,” Stuart said.

The most commonly used addictive substances are alcohol, opiates and benzodiazepines.

Drinking alcoholic beverages can turn hazardous once you exceed a certain number of drinks on one occasion. This means having four or more drinks if you’re a woman, and five or more if you’re a man.

“Each time a person did that it would be considered an episode of hazardous drinking because that level of consumption significantly increases the risk of negative consequences,” Stuart said.

Opiates include codeine, hydrocodone, morphine, oxycodone and others. The euphoria that can come from opiates can become addictive and can turn into a problem after prolonged use or high doses of the substance.

Benzodiazepines are typically used to treat anxiety and sleeping disorders. Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, Ambien and many others are commonly used benzodiazepines.

Both benzodiazepines and opiates can become addictive substances even under the prescribed orders from a doctor.

People who are prescribed painkillers can start to crave the feeling they get from the relieving qualities of the medication.

“I’ve seen a lot of patients who maybe started with a back surgery or some chronic pain condition that ended up evolving into a significant

The Daily Beacon presents the Mental Health Issue Volume 131 Issue 29

utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

Thursday, February 25, 2016

opiate addiction,” Stuart said.

The euphoric feeling that comes from using substances like alcohol, benzodiazepines and opiates is only one contributing factor to addiction. Physical dependence occurs after long-term use. This dependence can cause a person to only feel “normal” when the addictive substance is in their system.

Withdrawal occurs when a person stops using a substance that they have become addicted to. Withdrawal can manifest in physical or

emotional symptoms depending on the substance. Symptoms can include anxiety, depression, headaches, sweating and nausea, among many others.

Alcohol withdrawal can be potentially fatal.

A person who has formed an alcohol addiction but suddenly stops can experience seizures and delirium tremens — both can lead to death. DTs are defined as rapid onset confusion that causes shaking, heart palpitations and high fever.

UT’s Center for Health Education & Wellness works to prevent students from experiencing the negative consequences from alcohol addiction.

“The thing I think is important that we stress at this office is that the choice to drink is a really big responsibility,” said Rebecca Juarez, wellness coordinator at the Center for Health Education & Wellness.

The pathways to forming an addiction are infinite. A person can be born with a genetic predisposition to addictive behaviors. The family environment a person grows up can impact how they react to addictive substances. Hanging out with friends who use substances heavily can also lead to an addiction.

It is to be noted that having a genetic predisposition to addictive substances and growing up in an environment where addictive substances were used does not condemn someone to a life of addiction.

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The Daily Beacon • On Rocky Top

From where it all began: a comprehensive beer history Megan Patterson

Arts & Culture Editor “I think humans have been looking to get intoxicated for about as long as they’ve been speaking, breathing and interacting in a society.”

Assistant professor of U.S. History Tore Olsson knows the origins of brewing beer lies in Mesopotamia, the commonly accepted site of the first modern agrarian society, where Olsson said there is evidence that “links making beer to the very foundations of agriculture.”

As to the reason why the people of ancient Mesopotamia sought to brew barley, Olsson said he sees two main motivators: religion and sanitation.

Before modern plumbing, clean water sources were few and far between, and standing water in particular held a high risk for bacterial contamination. Alcohol kills many germs, so a beverage containing alcohol is much more likely to be safe to drink compared to water from a natural source.

However, Olsson said he views religion as the main motivation for these early brewers.

“To have a religious experience for much of human history was to get messed up,” Olsson said.

“Intoxication meant closeness to a higher power …

Religion and out of body experiences were closely connected.”

From these spiritual origins in the Middle East, beer traveled upward into Northern Europe, where

it took the form that is recognized as beer today.

Germany and Great Britain in particular pioneered the brewing of beer.

During this time in the middle ages, most brewing went on in monasteries or in the home.

In contrast to today’s largely masculine brewery scene, women brewed beer as part of household tasks.

The professionalization of brewing came with the Industrial Revolution.

Technological and scientific advances were applied to make beer ,and a consolidation and commercialization of the industry followed.

“A city like Boston in 1900 for example would have 100 or 200 breweries,” Olsson said. “You would be serving a local population, brewing a particular style and serving those local folks.”

Northeastern and Midwestern cities such as Boston held the majority of breweries in the US due to the influx of German immigrants in those areas who arrived in the 19th century and brought their beer culture with them. With the arrival of Germany in the U.S., lagers took the forefront

and would remained at the forefront for the next 150 years.

“The type of beer that everyone in the U.S. knows best (Budweiser, Miller, etc) is a pilsner, which is a type of lager,” Olsson said. “This one breed from this one family is dominating.”

The prominence of pilsner above all other lagers came almost directly as a result of prohibition in the 1920s.

“All of the big breweries were able to convert over and stay in business producing other things,” Olsson said. “In 1933 when prohibition ended, Miller and Coors and all these big companies are ready to go back into business while all the mom and pop breweries were just decimated by it.”

Then in the 1980s, two companies began the craft beer revolution — Sierra Nevada on the west coast and Sam Adams on the east coast. Both of these companies began experimenting with their brewing, especially in the addition of hops.

“Both Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada experimented with beer that tastes more like something,

We could have run just another “Safety During Spring Break” listicle, but, instead, we decided to do things a little differently this year. Behold, a whole issue meant to guide you as you venture into the great outdoors and crack open an ice cold beer.

that doesn’t just taste like water essentially,” Olsson said.

Olsson believes this initial revolution and the current craft beer movement underway stem from the same source.

“It has to do with a sort of just being tired, getting bored of the standard,” Olsson said.

Today in the US, two new breweries are opening daily across the country and brewing growth in Knoxville is no exception.

One of the founders of the popular blog “Knox Beer Snobs” Rob Shomaker has watched the growth of Knoxville’s craft beer scene since he came to the city in 1999 for his undergrad.

“Being as we’re in the bible belt so to speak, beer has been looked at a little bit differently than in other parts of the country,” Shomaker said. “It’s taken a little bit longer for the South to catch on to some of these things, but now we’re in this huge resurgence of craft beer, not just in Knoxville and East Tennessee but really across the country.”

For Shomaker, the pushes toward supporting local businesses and health awareness have helped to spark the growth of local breweries. However, the camaraderie between different craft breweries and between craft brew patrons may be the main attractant.

“What I love about craft beer is that it’s accessible to everybody,” Shomaker said. “It doesn’t matter what your socioeconomic status is or background or where you live. It’s something that everybody can rally around.”

Italian major shows ‘large’ personality to all Travis Dorman Staff Writer

Xylina Marshall once received a fortune cookie that said, “Each day, do something you would rather not do.”

This seemingly arbitrary bit of advice stuck with the UT senior, and she has been striving to follow it ever since.

“It is mostly just the idea of doing things that people don’t like,” Marshall said. “If you actually bring yourself to do things, you’ll probably find a way to enjoy them, and the experience will better you in some way.”

The animated 22-year-old certainly does a lot of things. She’s like a real-life version of Jim Carrey’s character in “Yes Man,” who made a vow to say yes to every opportunity that presented itself. The difference is that while Carrey fought his fate, Marshall, affectionately called Xi by her friends, embraces it with a smile and an infectious laugh.

In addition to majoring in Italian and world business, Marshall works as an ambassador to recruit students for the honors program, serves as a justice of the Student Government

Association’s judicial branch and has an internship with the Office of Special Events.

She also helps plan educational programs as an ambassador for the Center of Leadership and Service. She performed in “The Vagina Monologues,” a play openly addressing women’s sexuality, and she recently led an alternative spring break trip to Greeneville, Mississippi to help alleviate the stress poverty places on people in rural communities.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Marshall’s involvement is seemingly infinite. She herself struggles to recall the extent of her endeavors.

“I forget a lot of things that I do,” she said.

“It’s not like I do them all the time. I’m just kind of like,’oh, today I’m doing this,’ and then I do it.”

While most people would be exhausted if they worked a handful of jobs while attending classes and volunteering for countless events, it is Marshall’s constant activity that gives her the energy to keep going. She is a perpetual motion machine, and she loves every minute of everything she does.

“Her vast involvement is impressive not because of the quantity of things she is active in, but because of the passion to know and understand people that drives her to be involved,”

Alyssa Johnson, senior in studio art, said.

Daniel Hughes, senior in fine arts, has known Marshall for three years. He said that a 10-minute walk around campus with her can easily turn into an hour-long ordeal because so many people approach her to make conversation, making magnetic a near definition of Marshall.

“I’ve also never known someone to be so comfortable around huge amounts of people and somehow become personally connected to all of them,” Hughes said.

Most of Marshall’s activities have something in common: they involve helping people by connecting them to the resources they need.

She said her passion for service is why she is interested in helping refugees who don’t always receive the information they need to start a new life after relocating.

One of her ultimate goals is to work as an ambassador to the United Nations, where she hopes to advance from connecting people to connecting countries. In such a situation, the cultural dexterity obtained from majoring in Italian and world business would prove useful for achieving such dreams.

Marshall may have described herself best: “I’m a very large personality.”

ST U DE N TAP P RE CI A T I ON I S SU E

Volume 131 Issue 51

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Thursday, April 7, 201

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On Rocky Top • The Daily Beacon

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STRIPPED Every person is unique — like a fingerprint. And every person’s unique voice deserves to be heard.

As the debate surrounding the university’s diversity funding — and what it funds — grew more and more heated this academic year, a lot of voices were struggling to be heard, both on campus and across the state. Whether it was about gender neutral pronouns, religious holiday parties or Sex Week, it seemed everyone had something they wanted to say.

The Daily Beacon feared we wouldn’t be able to reach you all — to let you all stand up and have your time at the podium, making your case and sharing your concerns. So, we reached out and asked for just that. We asked campus administrators and student leaders to send us letters, telling us, and you, what they really think about the diversity amendment - good, bad or otherwise.

In a race against the clock, only five made this issue, but we will make you a deal: if you all keep sending them, we will keep publish your letters.

Unedited. In full.

Volume 131 Issue 59

utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Currently, there is a budget amendment recommendation in the State Legislature that would re-assign 8 million dollars from the University of Tennessee Knoxville budget, completely defunding our Office for Diversity and Inclusion, and instead reallocating it to UT Agricultural Extension and rural outreach programs including those at UT Chattanooga and UT Martin. With the unpredictability on whether the bill’s sponsors will pursue it before the legislative session ends, UT is left in the kind of limbo-like frustration we’ve seen for the entirety of our semester.

Whether we’ve paid much attention in civics class in understanding the logistics of what affects us from Nashville or we’ve stayed up to date with the UT Advocacy webpage, UT students need to realize that any given bill that threatens the sustainability of an office that offers our campus such an integral piece of its identity is a threat to us all. The UTK Office for Diversity and Inclusion affects every student on our campus, even if indirectly.

The University of Tennessee’s com-

mitment to diversity extends beyond race and ethnicity, and encompasses many aspects including gender identity, sexual orientation, religious belief, geography, physical ability, socioeconomic status, veterans status, and family educational attainment (first generation college students), among others.

Some of our university’s most impactful student leaders were recruited through its programs, pieces of our students’ personal identities are advocated for through its work, and associated funding even supports UT’s Veterans Affairs and Environmental Sustainability efforts. Students who had never heard about the Office before its funding was threatened will notice the void the moment it goes missing.

Every UT student’s experience connects back to the incredible work this office does to create a community that produces advocates and leaders for our campus and the State of Tennessee.

The current amendment uses extremely vague language, but if it passes the way it is written, it will entirely defund the Office for Diversity and Inclusion on our campus. The

55

amendment puts the office at a complete financial limitation as it states that the Office may only be allowed to use federal funds awarded to it despite the fact that the office does not receive any federal funding. Along those lines, the amendment also prohibits the office from accepting private donations. Our campus cannot afford the detriment we would face without the leadership and impact this office provides for our students. As representatives of the Student Government Association, we stand against this amendment and affirm the importance and necessity of the Office for Diversity and Inclusion and its invaluable service to our student body.

Carson Hollingsworth SGA President sga1@utk.edu McKinsey Patterson SGA Vice President sga2@utk.edu Caitlyn McCandless SGA Student Services Director sga3@utk.edu

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