Lack of maintenance fuels ambivalence for Pedestrian statue
Alex Phillips • The Daily Beacon
Alahnah Ligon Contributor
In 2009, artist Alice Aycock submitted a 25-foot tall, $250,000 sculpture to UT. Originally named “A Startling Whirlwind of Opportunity,” the structure is now known
Volume 130 Issue 37
simply as the sculpture on Ped Walkway. UT alumni couple Wilton D. “Chick” Hill, a graduate in engineering, and his wife Andi Hill, a graduate in art history, commissioned the sculpture as a donation to the university. In total, the project’s commission included funds up to $300,000. The Hills utilized funds to implement a
process which evaluated the 220 international artists who applied for the commission to design an art piece for the walkway in 2005. Jason Brown, associate professor of sculpture, participated largely in approving the piece’s design, recalling the lengthy year spent reviewing details and design options. “We narrowed it down to a list of 20 that
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the family then looked at and narrowed down to a smaller group,” Brown said. After the selection was narrowed down by Brown and a committee of students, faculty, staff, administrators and members of the local arts community, the Hills then proposed the final four artists. See STATUE on Page 3
Friday, October 9, 2015
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The Daily Beacon • Friday, October 9, 2015
CRIME LOG 10/4/15 G7/N7/2401 Volunteer Boulevard/Level 5
10/5/15 Humanities and Social Sciences/1115 Volunteer Boulevard East
On Sunday, a UTPD officer received a call to the G-7 parking garage in response to a burglary of a motor vehicle. Upon the officer’s arrival, the officer made contact with the reporting party. The victim stated that she parked her vehicle on 9/27/15 and returned on 10/4/15 and noticed that items had been taken from her vehicle. There is no damage to the vehicle
At approximately 3:07 p.m., a UTPD officer was dispatched to the UTPD lobby in response to a reported theft. The subject stated he left his computer in a room in Humanities and Social Sciences and upon his return days later it was no longer where he left it and had not been turned in.
10/5/15 George C. Taylor Complex/1505 Cumberland Avenue/Room 176 Around 8:22 a.m., a UTPD officer received a call in reference to a theft. The incident occurred at the George C. Taylor Complex in room 176. The victim advised the officer that an item was stolen from his office over the weekend. There is no suspect information to report. The officer gave the victim a UTPD case card.
10/5/15 G10/C2/1500 Phillip Fulmer Way/G-10 Parking Garage Level 5 Around 9:59 a.m., a UTPD officer received a call in reference to a car burglary. The incident occurred on the fifth level of the G-10 parking garage. The victim, a UTK student, reported several items stolen from her vehicle. There is no suspect information to report. There were no damages to report. The officer gave victim a UTPD case card.
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Around 4:15 p.m., a UTPD officer received a call in reference to a theft. The incident occurred at Hodges Library in the fourth floor men’s restroom. The officer met the victim, a UTK student, at the UTPD lobby. The victim reported the theft of an item between the hours of 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.
10/6/15 G5/C6/1530 Lake Loudon Boulevard/Administration Parking lot C-6 Around 3:43 p.m., a UTPD officer received a call in reference to a car burglary. The incident occurred in the C-6 lot near Andy Holt Tower. The officer met the victim, a UTK student, in the UTPD lobby. The victim reported an item stolen from his vehicle. There were no damages to report. There is no suspect information to report. The officer gave the victim a UTPD case card.
Jeb Bush to tailgate with Vols
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EDITORIAL
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Tanner Hancock News Editor
Cancel your Saturday tailgate plans, you’re pregaming with Jeb Bush. As a part of a national campus campaign outreach tour, Republican presidential candidate and former Florida governor Jeb Bush will attend a tailgate prior to Saturday’s game at 12:30 p.m. Hosted by UT’s College of Republicans, Jeb Bush will deliver a short message for attendees as well as offer photo opportunities at the Humanities Plaza outside HSS. The tailgate comes only one day before the arrival of fellow Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson’s arrival in Knoxville. Carson plans to visit the Books-A-Million location on Kingston Pike around 7 p.m. Sunday. Greg Butcher, director of communications for SGA and state campus leader for Mission:Next, helped organize the event to host the Republican hopeful candidate. Maintaining that while UT’s College Republicans themselves have no set preference for a Republican presidential candidate, Butcher personally sees Jeb Bush as the greatest hope for the Republican conservative movement.
“I’m backing him,” Butcher said confidently. “A lot of young people want a governor, they want executive experience, and in the field of governors, Jeb Bush is by far the best choice.” For senior and fellow College Republican member Weston Bell, Jeb Bush’s outreach to young voters has served to set him apart from the other 15 potential Republican presidential candidates. “Jeb Bush has made young people a priority in his campaign, and his outreach to students is unrivaled across candidates of both parties,” Bell said. “We invite all students, regardless of political beleifs, to join us in welcoming a national leader to campus.” For Butcher, the event serves as an opportunity for all students, regardless of their political affiliation, to meet with a possible future leader of the nation, as well as the brother and son of two former U.S. presidents, an opportunity that doesn’t come around every day. “Regardless of party, regardless of what your thoughts on Jeb Bush are, the opportunity to meet a presidential candidate and someone who has a real opportunity to become president is rare and special opportunity,” Butcher said. Those wanting to attend the event can register at eventbrite.com.
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Friday, October 9, 2015 • The Daily Beacon
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Katherine Overton • The Daily Beacon
STATUE continued from Page 1 Brown also conducted student polls to gauge what the preferred aesthetic would be after each artist presented their vision to the public. But even then, the student population did not unanimously agree with the committee’s decision on the sculpture. “We did do quite a bit of opinion polling data from students,” Brown said. “However, if you look at what was the most popular of the four presentations among the students, it wasn’t the one that was chosen (by the committee).” Although the committee dissented with student opinion, Brown cited the abstract nature of Aycock’s design as an image “tailored ... to make it specific to UT.” After visiting UT campus, the New Yorkbased artist sent a statement to Brown describing her inspiration for the sculpture design as a “labyrinth of dynamic possibilities and interconnections which occur in the university environment.” “The acquisition of knowledge is not a static series of steps but an incredibly dynamic, energetic and creative ricochet of information,” Aycock said. “Ideas are not at rest.” Unfortunately for the Hill family and committee members like Brown, Aycock’s design was not — and is still not — positively embraced by UT’s campus. “We spent five years doing a process we had hoped would interest a lot of parties,” Brown said. “And when it was installed, there was a huge amount of dissatisfaction expressed, especially from students.” Drew Welch, sophomore in mechanical engineering, expressed his dissatisfaction with the sculpture and offered his own suggestion of art for the walkway.
“To be honest, it is kind of an eye-sore and I wish they had put the rock in its place,” Welch said. “I think that would be a more representative thing to have on the Ped.” Nick Stokes, freshman in journalism and electronic media, commented that the art looked like “a bunch of metal that was put together just to be abstract and different.” Brown also cited the “I Hate the Pedestrian Sculpture” Facebook page that was created by students against the sculpture as well as incidents of vandalism as early as the night of installation of the sculpture. “The night of the dedication in 2009, there was a football game the next day and someone went after it with a baseball bat,” Brown said. “For the Hill family, it was really hard for them to give all this money and have their gift rejected in that way.” The university’s minimal concern of such vandalism was another factor that fed the Hill family’s disappointment with student reception of the sculpture. “If you look at it now, the things that are broken on it have been that way for the last three years,” Brown said. Still, Brown understands UT’s reluctance to maintain the statue because of the lack of funds for the project, suggesting those funds are funneled to more prominent works such as the Torchbearer and the Europa statue in Humanities Plaza. Before Aycock’s final piece was placed on Pedestrian Mall, Brown recalled a massive — but unsuccessful — lobbying attempt for a maintenance fund for the sculpture in 2008. “We tried to put aside (the fund), and the Hill family agreed to match it,” Brown said. “But UT never came up with the funding. There was never any money set aside for necessary repairs.” Brown said he considered employing his
students as maintenance workers for a learning experience project, but decided against it in the end. “At a certain point, students don’t need to be spending time doing a lot of that kind of maintenance work,” Brown said. “There’s a limit to the educational aspect of it in my opinion.”
The overall issue surrounding the sculpture, he explained, mirrors the “snail’s pace” in which maintenance requests on campus sites and landmarks are answered. “There just isn’t enough funding to go around for everything. Everybody wants a little something taken care of.”
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The Daily Beacon • Friday, October 9, 2015
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UT partnership, student group works to break Hispanic stereotypes Kelsey French
Contributor
Hispanic students only comprise three percent of the 2014 freshman class. For a population so small, making your voice heard on a campus of 27,000 students is no laughing matter. According to data from UT’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, the first time freshman enrollment headcount for fall of 2014 documented 4,701 students, only 180 of which were Hispanic. For the graduate and professional headcount, only 54 out of 1,565 students were Hispanic. Yet these small numbers fail to address the bigger picture in the state. According to a 2012 UT study, there were 290,050 hispanic persons inhabiting this part of the state at the study’s time of writing. In Tennessee, the growth of the hispanic population was the third-fastest in the nation, yet despite this growth, the representation of hispanic peoples at UT remains disproportionate when compared to the whole state population. To help address the relatively small number of Hispanic students at UT, the university formed a partnership with Centro Hispano de East Tennessee, as well as with other student groups
like the Latin American Student Organization, designed to promote greater cultural acceptance and diversity across campus. Centro Hispano, which began its partnership with UT in 2001, works with multiple departments and serves as a resource for the continuously growing Hispanic population in East Tennessee. The partnering group sponsors English as a second language, English literacy and GED classes while offering benefits to students with high-level Spanish-speaking abilities to promote bicultural experience as key for jobs in the modern work force. For Laura Sanchez, one of Centro Hispano’s managers, exposure to different cultures is important in creating a welcoming environment for all students at UT and addressing both positive and negative perceptions of the Hispanic population exist in East Tennessee. “There are some Americans who have said that they know Hispanic people are the most hard working and responsible, and they like those kind of workers,” Sanchez said. “Some friends of mind have told me about a few cases of discrimination.” Like Centro Hispano, the members of Latin American Student Organization, an active body on campus, want to create a space for Hispanic
There’s not really discrimination, but there’s a lot of ignorance.” Lily Horna, Freshman in Biology
students to congregate, discuss culturally-specific issues and engage with their non-Hispanic peers. With approximately 30 attendees and bimonthly meetings, Alicia Faggioli, senior in chemistry and president of the Latin American Student Organization, said she and her fellow Hispanic students are working to become a more represented group both on and off campus. In addition to holding meetings and gatherings for members and non-members alike, the Latin American Student Organization also reaches out
to local Hispanic high schoolers to help them graduate. While Faggioli said she believes the perception of Hispanic students at UT is not a negative one, she does believe the lack of official representation creates the illusion that her community is nonexistent. “I feel like people don’t really know that there’s a really big community of Latinos here in Knoxville and at UT,” Faggioli said. Like Faggioli, Lily Horna, freshman in biology, doesn’t perceive any outright negativity circulating around campus, yet she still takes issue with people’s ignorance towards the importance of her culture. “There’s not really discrimination, but there’s a lot of ignorance — like assuming that every Hispanic person is Mexican and not other ethnicities. There’s also stereotypes with landscaping,” Horna said. With organizations like Centro Hispano and the Latin American Student Organization present, Faggioli said her primary goal is to ensure that the Latin American population in Knoxville and at UT don’t go unnoticed and to resolve the misconceptions surrounding the “rich culture” of her community. “It’s a really good organization to get us all together and have a family away from home.”
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Exploring link between dinosaurs, birds
Friday, October 9, 2015 • The Daily Beacon
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Humans of Knoxville
Nichole Proctor Contributor
If you can’t see the connection between Jurassic World and KFC, you might not be looking hard enough. The UT science forum will hold the lecture “The Origins of Birds: Did the Age of Dinosaurs Really End?” in Thompson Boling Arena Friday at 12 p.m. Colin Sumrall, assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and the planned speaker for the lecture, conducts research on paleobiology, a relatively new field that seeks to find answers pertaining to molecular evolution. Commenting on the connection between birds and dinosaurs, Sumrall pointed out that while many people assume “missing links” exist between birds and dinosaurs, the opposite is likely true. If the connection between birds and dinosaurs is taken to heart, Sumrall explained that the “age of mammals” we live in now might be a misnomer, as birds outnumber humans almost 2:1. “There really is no such thing as a single missing link between dinosaurs and birds, but rather a series of dinosaurs that become increasingly bird-like until you reach the point where there are a series of birds that become less dinosaur-like,” Sumrall said. “Birds are living dinosaurs, real dinosaurs for the same reason Tyrannosaurus rex was a dinosaur because it is descended from other dinosaurs.” Mark Littmann, professor in journalism and electronic media, extended the lecture invitation to Sumrall. He hopes attendees will get an understanding of how the ancient world has influenced the modern world. Littmann said he believed Sumrall’s lecture would provide meaningful information for students and for the general public. “It’s amazing to think my caged bird could be connected to the ancient world,” Sumrall said. The UT Science forum has been hosting weekly lectures since 1933. It began as a way for area scientists to share their research and findings with the general public. The general public and students can hear from scientists and researchers from UT, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and other local agencies at scheduled UT Science Forums every Friday at 12 p.m.
He doesn’t like the water. He’s allergic to grass, and he doesn’t like to play in water. He is basically a cat. - Melissa Meador & Gimli, Senior in Psychology & Anthropology
If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to? “Probably middle school, somewhere around 7th or 8th grade. I just think it was a good grade. You’re kinda like still innocent, and you don’t have to do much. The world is still like this amazing place.” - Samantha Hill, Senior in Anthropology All Photos by Alyssa White • The Daily Beacon
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The Daily Beacon • Friday, October 9, 2015
VIEWPOINTS
Life as Alice in the most bizarre of stories “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat. “I don’t much care where—” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat. “—so long as I get SOMEWHERE,” Alice added as an explanation.
“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.” Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Sarah Hagaman Turn of Phrase
July 4, and I felt a bit less than patriotic. The day marked the celebration of America’s independence from Britain, and here I was — drinking excessive amounts of British tea, and strolling the streets of the University of Oxford in America’s colonial motherland. The Sons of Liberty would’ve been ashamed. My newsfeed filled with patriotic American hashtags, blurry firework pictures and glittery red, white and blue apparel. Slowly, a latent guilt for my turncoat tendency won out, and I decided to demonstrate my American spirit. I donned a light blue denim dress — a few steps below the Old Navy t-shirts of my youth emblazoned with “Old Glory,” but still not too shabby. Yet Oxford, the beautiful, whimsical university renown for its literary legacy, wouldn’t let me off so easily. July 4, 2015, commemorated the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” Remember Alice? It’s the Disney animated movie with a frustrating lack of plot: little Alice falls down a rabbit hole, and encounters the Cheshire cat, the bloodthirsty Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter. The children’s story hasn’t proved popular with everyone, due to the bizarre nature of Alice’s journey through wonderland. My older brother refused to watch the Disney version more than once, but as a little girl, I glued myself to the television to watch Alice. Trying to make sense of the unrelated sequence of events became a mental game I never won. Snatches of the story flashed in my mind that July day as I walked the cobbled streets. Oxford went all out in celebration; the town hosted shows, musicals and other festive events. Across the city, people dressed up as Mad Hatters or put on a pair of bunny ears to commemorate the quirky characters in the story. I wondered why people were smiling, chuckling and nodding at me as I wove through the town on my way to research at Oxford’s Bodleian Library — but then I figured it out. Light blue, short dress. Rosebud socks. Schoolgirl shoes. Long blonde hair. Ok, so I looked like Alice, and the people of Oxford approved — but honestly, the comparison wasn’t far from the truth. Oxford has all the fascination of a wonderland; the great thinkers, writers and scientists who’ve walked those winding streets surpass comprehension. As I spent hours
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engaging in the city’s rich history, I couldn’t stop thinking about Alice’s journey, and her desperate attempts to make sense of her voyage. For me, the brink of senior year loomed ahead. I grasped at the threads of my college experience, trying to imagine where my path would lead. Some say the end of college feels like reaching a fork in the road, with one or two major junctures. I felt more like I entered a train station, with an infinite amount of possible destinations. Yet the Alice tale (though outwardly bizarre) possesses a brilliant logic. The author and renown mathematician Lewis Carroll structured the tale with mathematical principles. Logic underlies the entire story; the disparate events and words actually fit together in an amazing narrative symmetry. Life can often feel random, detached and illusory. But stories like Carroll’s suggest that our life events weave together in brilliant ways, and craft a unique story for every individual. Our journey perhaps creates the real joy; the moments that seem irrelevant throughout the day carry the most meaning. Eventually, the events may add up, or finally fit together to make logical sense. But in the meantime, engaging in the bizarre magnificence of life may allow us to fully embrace and enjoy the journey. Maybe therein lies beauty of college: every day offers some new revelation, a different idea to explore or person to meet. I will not emerge from each day quite the way I walked into it — maybe everything will make eventually make sense. The importance lies not in understanding the outcome, or forcing events to add up — maybe illogic has its benefits. The importance is to keep moving forward, to keep exploring and to never lose one’s sense of wonder. Maybe Alice said it best: “No, no! The adventures first, explanations take such a dreadful time.” Sarah Hagaman is a senior in English. She can be reached at shagama1@ vols.utk.edu.
Some say the end of college feels like reaching a fork in the road ... I felt more like I entered a train station with an infinite amount of possible destinations.”
Columns of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
VIEWPOINTS
Friday, October 9, 2015 • The Daily Beacon
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We don’t live under the General Assembly’s roof McCord Pagan Adding Context
In recent years, members of our General Assembly have taken a keen eye toward certain programs here at UT. From the pseudo-controversy over Sex Week and our student fees, to complaints over a suggested use of gender-neutral pronouns last month, and now questioning the salaries of those who support diversity programs, some of our elected representatives are quite picky about what the state supports. The argument is always roughly the same: state and student tax dollars shouldn’t be used on “political correctness” programs, and we are misusing funds. If one accepts that programs ensuring UT is welcoming to all are a waste of money, then this makes sense. No one likes the idea of a government institution misusing public funds. However, at what point is UT still a government institution? Last year, just 38.4 percent of the University of Tennessee system budget came from the state of Tennessee, with most of rest coming from tuition and private donations. When adjusted for inflation, state support for UT actually decreased by nearly 20 percent from 2011 to 2015. In response to slowing support for four-year universities, schools have had to sharply raise tuition to make up for the lack of money from the state. At UT, this slipping support has flipped the school’s funding model, with tuition, fees and research now making up more than half our budget; previously it was the state of Tennessee that
heavily subsidized our education. In this situation, perhaps it is not the responsibility of state legislators to question how we spend our money but rather the students and their families, who provide the lion’s share of UT’s resources. This is a two-way street; if the General Assembly does not adequately provide UT with the money it needs, then what right do they have to complain if we choose to hire diversity officers and encourage the use of gender-neutral pronouns? If parents no longer support their adult children with a roof over their head, then that parent in many ways has lost the ability to tell their daughter or son how to live her or his life. In the same ways, a government institution that only gets a fraction of its funding from the government is less limited in who it should answer to. If certain members of the General Assembly wish to hold hearings on such small issues like our use of gender-neutral pronouns while ignoring thousands of their constituents that are entering the workforce with debt, then we must seriously question their priorities. By not fully funding UT, the General Assembly is largely responsible for the thousands of students that take out loans to keep up with consequent tuition increases. On Wednesday, the state Senate Higher Education
Subcommittee is meeting, and UT’s diversity policy is the first item on the agenda. I will not be in Nashville to attend, but I will be following this issue closely. Next week, we may learn whether our General Assembly actually cares about supporting UT, and how much they simply want to voice their opposition to what they perceive as problems. No matter how one feels about gender-neutral pronouns, voicing displeasure at an issue is not enough. Just as a football coach cannot arrive at halftime just to criticize his players, the General Assembly cannot criticize the university on matters of diversity when it does not also take responsibility for the larger issues, such as rescuing young Tennesseans from crippling student loans. Our state made national headlines when Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced a way for high school graduates to attend community college for free with the Tennessee Promise. It’s a big move that, if implemented across the country, could help more people get a college degree. Now it’s time to promise the rest of Tennessee college students that they will be helped as well, by moving beyond he-said-she-said politics. Oops, my bad. Make that ze-said-ze-said. McCord Pagan is a fifth-year senior in journalism and electronic media. He can be reached at mcccpaga@vols.utk.edu.
It’s the substance, not the surface, that counts Summer Awad Quite Contrary
Most people look at me and see a white girl. I have light brown hair, light skin and light hazel eyes. I speak perfectly unaccented English and am completely assimilated into American culture. For some people, then, it comes as a surprise to find that my full name is Summer Ghasan Awad, and I am Palestinian American. Now people aren’t entirely wrong to view me as white. I’m half white. My mom is from Jackson County, Tennessee. But until my parents divorced when I was 8, I grew up immersed in my dad’s ArabMuslim culture. Arabic was spoken in my home. We drank a lot of hot tea and never ate pork. My grandmother prayed five times a day and spent a lot of time cooking delicious Palestinian cuisine. Being Arab has always been an extremely important part of my identity. Although I very much consider myself Arab, I never felt like I fit in when I was around other Arabs as a child. I barely spoke any Arabic. I didn’t practice Islam. And I didn’t wear the hijab or have any visible markers that I belonged in the Muslim community. It always felt painfully clear I was not and never would be Arab enough. Because I have always been so proud of my Palestinian heritage, I have often resented my whiteness. I have frequently wished my skin were just a little bit darker, or that I could make myself believe in God so I could become a practicing Muslim and wear the hijab. Wishing for something that invites intense discrimination seems ridiculous and insensitive to
the Muslim women who suffer from their decision to wear hijab. But my feeling of wanting to be Arab enough is very real. People, especially men, often tell me that I look “exotic” or even that I must have some “not white” in me. They ask me where I’m from, and when I say Knoxville, they ask me where I’m really from. When this happens, my first reaction is to cringe. I want to be attractive because of my personality and not because I’m an exotic specimen like a tropical bird. Sexual exotification of racial minorities is a huge problem. Biracial people like me experience this a lot; we still have “exotic” features but are palatable because we fit into the mold of whiteness. Although I am offended by these objectifying questions, part of me is happy the ignorant man in question recognized my Arabness. I am glad to get the opportunity to explain that I am Palestinian. Without understanding this part of me, no one can understand me at all. My whiteness brings up some interesting questions about privilege. If I unthinkingly accept my white privilege, I am benefitting in ways that my visibly Arab or Muslim friends never can. But if I “come out” as Palestinian, I run the risk of claiming or co-opting oppression I don’t have to experience on a daily basis because of my appearance. I interface as a white person, but I have felt the weight of discrimination against my family members and have been subject to jokes about me carrying bombs in my backpack. Especially as a Palestinian, I have experi-
enced identity erasure: being told Palestine is not a real place, Palestinians are terrorists and my people should leave their homeland and surrender it to the state of Israel. But does all this make me a person of color? I am inclined to say no because I do not experience discrimination based on my color. But my brother and sister are much darker — are they people of color while I am not? It has been difficult for me, as someone who interfaces as white and has only been to Palestine once, to find my place in the Palestinian-American community and in the struggle for Palestinian liberation. It is something I think about every day. But then I remember the privilege I have. As a Palestinian, I have special access to Palestinian history and culture. I know real people with real stories of living under Israeli occupation. As a white person, I am in a position to tell these stories and have people listen to me. I have access to white communities and white social circles. With this privilege comes great responsibility. I am obligated to tell people about my experience with Palestine and Arab culture and Islam, and do my part to dispel the myths they learn from the media. Being between two cultures makes me an ambassador of sorts. And although my Palestinian-American identity is confusing and shifting and complex, I am happy to be caught in the middle. Summer Awad is a senior in College Scholars. She can be reached at sawad@vols.utk.edu.
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The Daily Beacon • Friday, October 9, 2015
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANC Over the past two days, Habitat for Humanity received $18,000 in donations. Their generous donor? The Greek Life community at UT. Each year, new members in campus sororities participate in Lip Sync, a performance that has been in preparation for weeks. Lip Sync is a competition that includes elaborate costuming, choreographed dancing and, of course, — lip syncing. Each class of new members in each sorority competed to win first, second or third place along with a prize for the best costuming and one for philanthropy, the chapter that raises the most funds. Money is raised through sales of tickets and merchandise. Tickets were sold for $10 with full proceeds going to philanthropy. T-shirts sold were also partially used to fund the chapter’s activities, but $2 of each shirt went to Habitat for Humanity. -Megan Patterson, Arts & Culture Editor
The ladies of the AOPi chapter won first place at this year’s Lipsync.
Pi Beta Phi
Chi Omega Alpha Delta Pi
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The Daily Beacon • Friday, October 9, 2015
Alpha Chi Omega
Zeta Tau Alpha
Sigma Kappa
Kappa Delta
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Delta Gamma
Phi Mu Photos by Esther Choo • The Daily Beacon
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ARTS&CULTURE
The Daily Beacon • Friday, October 9, 2015
Green River Ordinance to return with new music, a desire for authenticity Marina Waters Contributor
Two years ago, Green River Ordinance filled The Square Room to the brim. The folk-country band topped off that night’s performance with an impromptu acoustic circle full of raw vocals and unplugged instruments in the very middle of the crowd. And now, they are returning to the Scruffy City tonight to do it all again. The Fort Worth, Texas band formed years ago in their hometown where a large metal sign that read “Green River Ordinance Enforced” inspired the band’s name. Since then, the band racked up hit songs like “Endlessly” and “Dancing Shoes” and accolades such as two albums on the Billboard Top 100 and songs featured on 56 different television shows. Now fifteen years, three albums and one strong fan base later, Green River Ordinance is gearing up for another tour and new record to be released in January. “When you’re younger, you’re really trying to find your identity,” Jamey Ice, the band’s lead guitarist said. “We took away the rules and took away trying to prove anything. We’re just having a good time with (the new album). “We’re making something we believe in.”
In preparation of their coming album, “Fifteen,” Green River Ordinance released four new songs to Spotify and to those who had preordered the album. Ranging from folk to rock, the new songs embody the band’s conglomeration of different genres. Green River Ordinance has historically obtained a reputation for blurring the lines on sound which can be attributed to their lack of a genre-related agenda. “It kind of dances along the lines of country and other stuff,” Ice said. “But I feel like we’re not in a place where we’re trying to put ourselves in a box. We’re writing the music that we like to write, regardless of whatever that is.” But this sort of freedom within their music is one that has developed over the years. And that development took them from a record label to three individual records. “There wasn’t a lot of freedom,” Ice said. “They didn’t like our Texas, southern-y sound, and there was a lot of pressure to sound like other bands ... We had a lot more to say beyond what they were letting us say.” Though the band has come a long way since then, their desire for authenticity is still prevalent. “There’s a giant movement for people who want authentic things,” Ice explained. “You look
at food, people want local restaurants. You look at beer, people want craft, local beer. You look at jeans, people want original denim jeans. People want that kind of simple sound too. I think there’s a place for ‘real.’” This authenticity is not only a sound, but also a feeling they hope to convey through their shows — maybe even in the form of an acoustic circle in the middle of a crowd. “We do it whenever it feels right,” Ice said remembering their acoustic finale two years
ago at The Square Room. “It’s nice to kind of strip everything away and just be down there. There’s this kind of magic that happens when you strip it all away. That’s what we try to do when we can. “I feel like people in Knoxville listen. And it feels right to do it in those situations.” Green River Ordinance will be at The Square Room tonight. Tickets are $12. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m.
• Photo Courtesy of Green River Ordinance
Artists finds inspiration in the grotesque Megan Patterson
Arts & Culture Editor Lorrie Fredette finds Lyme disease beautiful. Walk into UT’s Downtown Gallery and find yourself face to face with a large sculpture of white, spirochete shapes – otherwise known as Lyme disease. Fredette found her niche in the art world creating beauty from infectious diseases, plague and contemporary health issues. Her inspiration came from the New York Times science section, where she was immediately drawn to the intriguing and alien portrayal of disease and other microscopic images. “The language was truly foreign to me,” Fredette said. “My background in the sciences and in biology in particular is quite limited. I’m interested in what I don’t know.” Fredette pursued this initial interest and has become proficient in the visual display of microbes and bacteria. Her starting point is always the original molecular imagery, but then the art takes on a form of its own as the image is expanded to a larger size. “The way I present the work is very approachable,” Fredette said. “There’s nothing dangerous or shocking when looking at
my work.” That being said, according to Fredette most visitors who engage her art are unaware of its original inspiration. Mike Berry, studio manager of UT’s downtown gallery, was one of those initially unaware viewers of Fredette’s work., but when he found out the more morbid source of the art, Berry wasn’t surprised. “I was like ‘oh, yes, that makes total sense,’ and it adds another layer to it all and a much deeper meaning,” Berry said. In addition to displaying her work in UT’s gallery during October, Fredette also gave a lecture on campus earlier this month. Unlike many guest speakers, Fredette focused the lecture more on the students’ future careers than on her own. She spoke on three main points: her start as an artist, her transitional work and then practical concerns for young artists. These practical concerns include how to write for a grant, look for a residency, put a package together and meet key people in the arts. Overall, Fredette hopes that young artists will take note of her work while keeping in mind where she started. “I think its important to know that the majority of us after we leave college aren’t stepping into this A+ career,” Fredette said. “It takes a lifetime.”
ARTS&CULTURE
Friday, October 9, 2015 • The Daily Beacon
Electronic music to rock The International Sterling Martin Copy Editor
This weekend The International has managed to, yet again, recruit one of the premiere names in electronic music. For the first leg of his full-scale crosscountry “Super Shagadelic Tour,” electro-funk producer GRiZ will be bringing his danceinducing beats — along with his handy saxophone — through Knoxville. GRiZ ensures fans an action-packed performance, fresh on the heels of his latest release, “Chasing the Golden Hour Pt. 1.” This album, more laid-back in tone, demonstrates his versatility as an artist. Last weekend, the tour hit New Orleans. Just before finishing his set, the fire alarm was pulled due to excess smoke in the venue, in turn cutting off the power. GRiZ didn’t disappoint fans, however, and finished with a powerful acoustic saxophone solo. With the promise of a huge turnout this Friday, Lindsey Hofer, junior in food science, shared her past GRiZ experiences. “I think The International has really stepped up their game,” she said. “I saw GRiZ front row at Mad Decent (Block Party) in Nashville last summer, and I’m stoked to see him (Friday). He puts on the perfect show. He just gets you so into it.” The Super Shagadelic Tour’s stop in Knoxville will bring along artists Big Wild and Louie Lastic to kick off the party. As for Jackson Stell, aka Big Wild, numerous tours and releases have all launched him on a steady upswing over the past year. All Good Records asked that Stell do a remix of “For the Love,” featuring rapper Talib
• Photo Courtesy of Big Wild
Kweli, for GRiZ’s latest album, “Say It Loud.” In true Big Wild fashion, Stell flipped the track into an unexpected blend of energy and fun. GRiZ and his producers liked the track and decided to bring Big Wild onto the tour. “It’s been cool because they’ve helped me find some singers and linked me up with some producers to help with my own music,” Stell said. “It’s been a really great opportunity.” His reputation has soared in recent months, due to a couple of popular remixes and the release of “Aftergold” through ODESZA’s Foreign Family Collective. “I’ve been trying to have this different image from what’s normal electronic music,” Stell said. “That’s what first got me into electronic music, was the fact that people were making really different things and experimenting.” Stell credits various experimental sounds coming from the west coast for influencing his stage persona of Big Wild. “That kind of music made me want to make music that stood out on it’s own, and didn’t necessarily need a rapper over it … I try to make music that’s unique and kind of adventurous, but also people can still groove to it and relate to it,” Stell said. “It keeps your attention going.” Last time Stell was in Knoxville back in March, he opened for ODESZA at the Bijou Theatre. In comparison to the Bijou, the International is a great deal more personal and intimate. “When you’re that close to people, and everybody in the room is vibing with your music, I feel like that’s when you get the most energy,” Stell said of smaller venues. Doors open and the show starts tonight at 9 p.m. at The International. Tickets go for $20 in advance, and $40 for a VIP ticket.
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Russian Nobel literature prize winner transcends easy categories Associated Press With a reporter’s eye and an artist’s heart, Svetlana Alexievich writes of the catastrophes, upheaval and personal woes that have afflicted the Soviet Union and the troubled countries that succeeded it. Her writings, characterized by plain language and detail so visceral it’s sometimes painful to read, won her this year’s Nobel literature prize. She is an unusual choice. The Swedish Academy, which picks the prestigious literature laureates, has only twice before bestowed the award on non-fiction — to Winston Churchill and Bertrand Russell — and had never honored journalistic work with a Nobel. Alexievich’s work straddles the divide. Much of her books are essentially oral history, where the voice is not hers and she chooses only what to include. Her narrative passages are straightforward, free of literary conceits. “My calling as a writer involves me in talking to many people and examining many documents. Nothing is more fantastic than reality. I want to evoke a world not bound by the laws
of ordinary verisimilitude, but fashioned in my own image,” she wrote in her 1989 book “Zinky Boys,” the title a reference to zinc coffins in which the bodies of Soviet soldiers killed in Afghanistan were shipped home. “Her goal is to communicate the history of human feeling. The very fact that it transcends any easy category is part of what makes it great,” said Andrew Kaufman, a Russian literature scholar at the University of Virginia. The 67-year-old Alexievich’s books have been published in 19 countries, with at least five of them translated into English. She also has written three plays and screenplays for 21 documentary films. She is the 14th woman to win the award since 1901. Swedish Academy head Sara Danius praised Alexievich as a great and innovative writer who has “mapped the soul” of the Soviet and post-Soviet people. “She transcends the format of journalism and has developed a new literary genre, which bears her trademark. That doesn’t mean there aren’t predecessors — there are, absolutely — but she has taken the genre further,” Danius told The Associated Press.
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SPORTS
The Daily Beacon • Friday, October 9, 2015
SOCCER
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Weekend wins crucial for women’s soccer success Trenton Duffer Copy Editor
Nobody has separated themselves from the pack in the SEC soccer standings. Tennessee (6-1-5, 2-1-2 SEC) sits in sixth with eight points, while South Carolina sits in first with 13 points. Between those two lie four teams — Auburn, Missouri, Kentucky and Texas A&M, respectively. A total of four points separate all six of these teams from first place in the SEC, so the Vols’ weekend matchups against seventh place Florida and 13th Alabama are important if the Vols are to clinch a high seed in the SEC tournament next month. “These next couple of weeks we have South Carolina, Kentucky, Florida — teams that are primarily at the top,� senior Susan Ferguson said before Wednesday’s practice. “They’re big for our SEC standings, but also for our RPI, so I think if we can get some big wins, we’ll set ourselves up well.� A victory over No. 12 Florida would be a good start to the weekend, as the highly-touted Gators come to Knoxville this Friday on SEC Network + at 7 p.m. Tennessee’s last matchup with Florida was in the 2014 SEC Tournament quarterfinals. The Vols tied the Gators 1-1 in regulation before winning 5-4 in penalty kicks, eliminating the higher seeded Florida team. Florida (8-3-1, 2-2-1) is one of the best offensive teams, not only in the SEC, but in the country. The Gators’ scoring offense of 2.75 goals per game is tied with South Carolina for the best in the SEC and eighth in the NCAA. Headlining this offensive powerhouse is Savannah Jordan, whose 13 goals this season are good for second in the NCAA. Jordan
Every game in this league can be a bit of a trap game ... If you think you have no chance, you have a chance. If you think you have a great chance, you might only have a small chance.� Brian Pensky, Women’s Soccer Coach
is also a leader in all six of the SEC’s major offensive categories, including shots, shots per game, points, points per game, goals and goals per game. “It starts with Savannah Jordan ‌You can never lose sight of Savannah,â€? Tennessee Head Coach Brian Pensky said at his weekly press conference on Wednesday. “She’s clever and crafty in her movement ‌ We’ve gotta keep
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pack defense and goalkeeper. Although the Tide’s record isn’t noteworthy, Pensky warns his team about entering Sunday’s match with the wrong attitude. “Every game in this league can be a bit of a trap game,â€? Pensky said. “If you think you have no chance, you have a chance. If you think you have a great chance, you might only have a small chance. If you don’t show up, your frame of mind’s not in the right spot ‌ We can have a tough day on Sunday if we’re not ready for it.â€? Friday’s matchup against the Gators will be at 7 p.m. at Regal Stadium. It will be $1 concession night, which makes all hot dogs and drinks $1. The first 500 fans to enter the game will also win a free Tennessee soccer scarf. The Vols will take on Alabama on Sunday beginning at 6 p.m. The match is not scheduled to be televised.
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PUZZLES&GAMES
Friday, October 9, 2015 • The Daily Beacon
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NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz ACROSS 1 Shop class cutter 8 Class cutter, say 15 C-worthy 16 Primitive cutting tool 17 Makings of a miniature building project
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Cartoons of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
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SPORTS
The Daily Beacon • Friday, October 9, 2015
Cheek responds to football rumors at Board of Trustees meeting Staff Report UT Chancellor Jimmy Cheek weighed in on the recent rumors circulating around the Vols’ football program at Monday’s Board of Trustees meeting. Rumors began to swirl at the beginning of the week that Tennessee Head Coach Butch Jones was involved in a physical altercation with offensive lineman Mack Crowder in a pre-season practice. “There’s been a lot of rumor and misinformation on social media and message boards about an alleged incident during football practice,” Cheek said at the meeting. “It’s not our practice to respond to rumors, but I thought it was important to let you know that we’ve done our due diligence and (athletic director) Dave Hart and I are very confident there was no inappropriate conduct with any players or coaches.” Jones was asked about the incident at his Monday press conference, calling the allegations “absolutely ridiculous.” Wide receiver coach Zach Azzanni reiterated
the statement on Tuesday, saying he has “never, never, never, never” seen Jones cross the line with a player. Crowder took to Twitter in response on Thursday, saying, “I’m proud to be a VFL and honored to be a part of this University and Vol Family. I’ve given my all to this program and will continue to.” Jones appeared on Nashville radio’s 104.5 The Zone on Thursday afternoon and added to Cheeks’ comments. “I know that the university and our athletics department did their due diligence, and we’re moving forward,” Jones said. “I can tell you this: All the rumors were completely untrue, and it’s very, very unfortunate that we had to go through this for the last couple days.” He went on to state that questioning his coaching ability is one thing, but questioning his character is another. “Get on me about the two-point conversion, Jones said referring to the Vols 28-27 loss at Florida. “Get on me about time management or get on me with those things. But I think you guys know me by now. I take great pride in my character.”
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2015 FOOTBALL PICK ‘EMS FIRST PLACE Jenna Butz Editor-in-Chief No. 19 Georgia 35 - Tennessee 17 No. 13 Northwestern - No. 18 Michigan No. 23 California - No. 5 Utah No. 11 Florida - Missouri Miami (FL) - No. 12 Florida State
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This Year: 18-7
SECOND PLACE Taylor White Asst. Sports Editor No. 19 Georgia 31 - Tennessee 24 No. 13 Northwestern - No. 18 Michigan No. 23 California - No. 5 Utah No. 11 Florida - Missouri Miami (FL) - No. 12 Florida State
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This Year: 17-8
THIRD PLACE Hayley Brundige Multimedia Editor No. 19 Georgia 27 - Tennessee 14 No. 13 Northwestern - No. 18 Michigan No. 23 California - No. 5 Utah No. 11 Florida - Missouri Miami (FL) - No. 12 Florida State
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This Year: 17-8
FOURTH PLACE Esther Choo Photo Editor
No. 19 Georgia 38 - Tennessee 31 No. 13 Northwestern - No. 18 Michigan No. 23 California - No. 5 Utah No. 11 Florida - Missouri Miami (FL) - No. 12 Florida State
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This Year: 16-9
FIFTH PLACE Jonathan Toye Sports Editor No. 19 Georgia 28 - Tennessee 14 No. 13 Northwestern - No. 18 Michigan No. 23 California - No. 5 Utah No. 11 Florida - Missouri Miami (FL) - No. 12 Florida State
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This Year: 15-10
SIXTH PLACE Troy Provost-Heron Training Editor No. 19 Georgia 31 - Tennessee 27 No. 13 Northwestern - No. 18 Michigan No. 23 California - No. 5 Utah No. 11 Florida - Missouri Miami (FL) - No. 12 Florida State
This Year: 13-12
SPORTS
Friday, October 9, 2015 • The Daily Beacon
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Vols ‘getting back to the fundamentals’ against Georgia Taylor White
Assistant Sports Editor What was once billed as the game to decide the SEC Eastern Division, Tennessee’s matchup with No. 19 Georgia has lost the edge it once had. What it hasn’t lost, however, is importance. After last week’s, 38-10, home loss to Alabama, the Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1 SEC) need a win to try and keep pace with SEC East leader Florida. Tennessee (2-3, 0-2), on the other hand, needs a win over a marquee program to right what once looked to be a promising season. For that to happen, though, the Vols are going to have to clean up many of the problems that have plagued them so far this year. One of the most prominent of those is tackling. “Our theme this week is getting back to the basics, the fundamentals,” coach Butch Jones said earlier in the week. “For us it’s our eye discipline, it’s running our feet on contact. We know we’re going to be challenged this week with two very, very special
running backs coming in here. And understanding down and distance.” Much like what Tennessee saw with Arkansas last week, it’s no secret what Georgia wants to do on offense, and that’s get the ball into the hands of its running backs. Georgia running back Nick Chubb gains most of the attention, and rightfully so, as he has rushed for 745 yards and seven touchdowns in five games this season. The sophomore is a typical SEC back who makes his living running between the tackles. Overlooked at times, however, is the play of back-up running back Sony Michel. The sophomore has 283 yards and four touchdown this season, and the Bulldogs work to get the shiftier Michel more touches in space where he can use his quickness. This also makes him a threat in the passing game, as he is the team’s second leading receiver with 148 yards and is tied for the team lead with three receiving touchdowns. “We really just need to stay in our points,” freshman linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. said. “It’s just doing our job, not cheating and not being greedy in our system. They’re real gutsy and they have great backs that have great vision. We have to stay on our
game plan.” Where Georgia has struggled at times this year is in the passing game. The Bulldogs have played two quarterbacks in every game this year, with Greyson Lambert being the starter and getting the majority of the reps. He’s looked good at times this season, throwing for 819 yards and seven touchdowns, but consistency has been an issue. The junior has completed just 67 percent of his passes this season, including just 41 percent against the Crimson Tide on Saturday before being pulled. With the success of the running game, though, the Bulldogs ability to draw the defense in is what gives the passing game so many opportunities. Malcolm Mitchell has been Lambert’s favorite target for much of the season. The senior wide-out has 371 yards and three touchdowns, with more than twice as many receptions as the Bulldogs’ second leading wide receiver. “In our scout team situations, we’ve done a good job simulating their play-action passes,” Kirkland Jr. said. “We’ve also worked on the run, but I feel like we have a good game plan for that, and we’re prepared to
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We know we’re going to be challenged this week with two very, very special running backs coming in here.” Butch Jones, Tennessee Head Coach
stop them.” Defensively the Bulldogs have struggled at times stopping the run, giving up 123 yards per game this season, including 202 yards given up on the ground against Alabama. See FOOTBALL on Page 16
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SPORTS
The Daily Beacon • Friday, October 9, 2015
FOOTBALL continued from Page 15
With a veteran front seven, though, Georgia still has more than enough weapons to make life difficult for the Vols on the ground. Linebackers Jordan Jenkins and Leonard Floyd have combined for 11 tackles-for-loss, while the team as a whole has recorded 29. “Georgia’s defense is a good SEC defense as expected,” junior quarterback Josh Dobbs said. “We have to be on our A game. We have to have a great week of preparation … I feel like they’re good front to back. Obviously they’re good up front, they have good linebackers and they have a good secondary. We have to come ready to play on Saturday.” The pass defense has been a different story. The Bulldogs have held teams to under 200 passing yards per game, and intercepted five passes on the year. Dominick Sanders leads the team in both picks, with two, and deflections, with four, while Quincy Mauger has added three pass break-ups of his own. That’s a bad match-up for a team that has Junior quarterback Josh Dobbs prepares for a play during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks. struggled to get any kind of rhythm going Hayley Pennesi • The Daily Beacon/Tennessee Athletics through the air this season. “Everything is a work in progress,” Dobbs said of the passing game. “We do some good ing staff doesn’t think the nature of those second straight against a physical offense that’s a challenge in and of itself, especially things, but at the end of the day we don’t losses will have any effect on Saturday’s that tends to run the football. when you don’t have the depth across the make the plays we need to, to finish games. game. “It’s very challenging from a physical- board that we’re working to build yet.” But we’re still progressing and we’re getting What could affect the team, though, is the ity standpoint,” Jones said. “You know, all Tennessee will host Georgia at 3:30 p.m. better in practice each week.” grind of the SEC schedule. This is the Vols’ these football teams are extremely physical. on Saturday, and the game can be seen on Tennessee has led by at least 13 points in third straight SEC contest, including their So, you have to pick your spots in practice, CBS. every game it’s lost this year, but the coach-
Around Rocky Top
UTK Majorettes performed during the Arkansas Razorbacks game. Esther Choo • The Daily Beacon