02 11 16

Lawsuit alleges Tennessee has ‘hostile sexual environment’

The Tennessee State Capitol building in Nashville.

•Photo courtesy of creativecommons.com

Associated Press

UT facilities chancellor slams privatization proposal Tanner Hancock News Editor Governor Bill Haslam’s privatization proposal came under scrutiny Monday, after Vice Chancellor for Facilities Services Dave Irvin heavily criticized the gover-

Volume 131 Issue 19

nor’s outsourcing initiative for the state.

The critique comes just days before UT President Joe DiPietro’s State of the University address scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 16, when DiPietro may decide to either opt-in or opt-out of the government outsourcing plan.

In response to earlier criticism to priva-

tization in August 2015, Gov. Haslam created a core research committee to discuss its benefits. Irvin served as UT’s representative on that committee, where he learned the details to the outsourcing proposal.

See PRIVATIZATION on Page 3

utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A lawsuit filed by a group of women alleges that the University of Tennessee has violated Title IX regulations and created a “hostile sexual environment” through a policy of indifference toward assaults by student-athletes.

The federal suit filed Tuesday in Nashville states Tennessee’s policies made students more vulnerable to sexual assault and says that the school had a “clearly unreasonable response” after incidents that caused the women making complaints to endure additional harassment.

The suit also states the university interfered with the disciplinary process to favor male athletes.

There have been several sexual assault complaints made against Tennessee studentathletes over the last four years, including former football players A.J. Johnson and Michael Williams. They were indicted on aggravated rape charges in February 2015 and have separate trial dates this summer.

The suit was filed by David Randolph Smith, a lawyer representing six unidentified plaintiffs, against the University of Tennessee and the director of the office of student conduct and community standards. No individual were named as defendants in the complaint.

The suit also states that Tim Rogers, a former vice chancellor for student life, stepped down in 2013 “in protest over the violation of Title IX and the UT administration’s and athletic department’s deliberate indifference to the clear and present danger of sexual assaults

by UT athletes.”

See LAWSUIT on Page 3

Thursday, February 11, 2016

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INSHORT

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, February 11, 2016

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First case of Zika virus reported in East Tennessee Tennessee’s first case of the Zika virus has been reported. A man who recently returned to East Tennessee from South America was confirmed with the virus Tuesday. Although the case is not in Knox County, health officials will not report which county the virus is present in. All 35 cases of Zika reported in the United States have resulted from international travel. No cases have originated from a mosquito bite within the states. The Zika virus causes only mild symptoms in most adults, but results in dangerous health risks to pregnant women and their unborn children. There is no treatment other than acting on mild symptoms, which only show in approximately 20 percent of cases. Several cases of rare birth defect microcephaly are being reported as a result of the virus. Those traveling abroad to Latin America are encouraged to be aware of the increasing risk of contracting Zika.

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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An industrial park shared by North and South Korea has suspended its operations in light of North Korea’s rocket launch Sunday. The launch was deemed by UN officials as a “hostile and illegal” missile technology test.

South Korean officials hope closing the industrial park will limit the North from using the revenue to fund banned missile projects. North Korea has referred to these as part of a “peaceful space program.” In the last decade, the industry has provided North Korea 560 million dollars of revenue. South Korea will begin pulling its employees from the park on Thursday, providing financial compensation for those affected. The industry park initially served as a “test case for reunification” of the countries, joining South Korea’s initiatives with North Korea’s cheap labor, but several discrepancies in past years have interrupted the cooperation of the rival countries.

New federal proposal in Louisiana to limit abortions A New Orleans federal judge has issued a new order that, if enforced, would limit opportunities for women in Louisiana to get an abortion.

Supporters of the new order from Judge John deGravelles said the law comes as a push to preserve women’s health following an abortion. The order requires doctors offering abortions to also be able to admit a woman to a hospital located within 30 miles of their center. The judge agrees the proposal would prohibit most women in the state from getting an abortion.

Currently, only two abortion clinics in the state of Louisiana meet the outlined requirement. The physician in one of these centers says he will cancel his practice if the law is enforced, leaving only one abortion center in Louisiana. Analysts estimate 70 percent of the women seeking an abortion in Louisiana will be unable to get one following the order’s execution.

Government sues Ferguson after city tries to revise deal Associated Press

Editor-in-Chief: (865) 974-2348 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com Main Newsroom: (865) 974-3226 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com

Shared North and South Korea industrial park closes

FERGUSON, Mo. — The federal government sued Ferguson on Wednesday, one day after the city council voted to revise an agreement aimed at improving the way police and courts treat poor people and minorities in the St. Louis suburb.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Ferguson’s decision to reject the deal left the department no choice except to file a civil-rights lawsuit.

“The residents of Ferguson have waited nearly a year for the city to adopt an agreement that would protect their rights and keep them safe. ... They have waited decades for justice. They should not be forced to wait any longer,” Lynch told a Washington news conference.

The Justice Department complaint accuses Ferguson of routinely violating residents’ rights and misusing law enforcement to generate revenue — a practice the government alleged was “ongoing and pervasive.”

Ferguson leaders “had a real opportunity here to step forward, and they’ve chosen to step backward,” Lynch said.

Ferguson spokesman Jeff Small declined to comment. Messages left with Mayor James Knowles III were not returned.

Ferguson has been under Justice Department scrutiny since 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was black and unarmed, was fatally shot by white officer Darren Wilson 18 months ago. A grand jury and the Justice Department declined to prosecute Wilson, who resigned in November 2014.

But a scathing Justice Department report was critical of police and a profit-driven municipal court system. Following months of negotiations, an agreement between the federal agency and Ferguson was announced in January.

A recent financial analysis determined the agreement would cost the struggling city nearly $4 million in the first year alone. The council voted 6-0 Tuesday to adopt the deal, but with seven amendments.

Hours before the lawsuit was announced, Ferguson leaders said they were willing to sit down with Justice Department negotiators to draw up a new agreement.

“We ask that if they (the Justice Department) feel there needs to be some additional changes to the agreement, we sit down and talk,” Knowles said.

That seemed unlikely from the outset. Within hours of the Tuesday vote, Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement that the department would take “the necessary legal actions” to ensure Ferguson’s police and court practices comply with the Constitution and federal laws.

Knowles said the seven amendments were formulated after the analysis showed the deal was so expensive it could lead to dissolution of Ferguson. The analysis suggested that the firstyear cost of the agreement would be $2.2 million to $3.7 million, with second- and third-year costs between $1.8 million and $3 million in each year.

Ferguson has an operating budget of $14.5 million and already faces a $2.8 million deficit.

Voters will be asked to approve two tax hikes in April, but approval of both would still leave the city short.

A big part of the cost was the requirement that Ferguson raise police salaries to attract better candidates, including more minority officers.

Removal of the pay-raise clause was among the seven amendments.

Another new provision states that the agreement will not apply to any other governmental entity that might take over duties currently provided by Ferguson. That means, for example, that St. Louis County would not be beholden to the agreement if it takes over policing in Ferguson.

St. Louis County police spokesman Brian Schellman said if the county were ever asked to take over policing in Ferguson, “we would consider the implications of the consent decree before entering into such an agreement.”

Knowles doesn’t believe neighboring municipal departments would agree to cover Ferguson under the Justice Department’s requirements.

CAMPUSNEWS

Thursday, February 11, 2016 • The Daily Beacon

LAWSUIT

PRIVATIZATION

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Bill Ramsey, a lawyer representing the school, said in a statement the university “acted lawfully and in good faith” in the situations outlined in the complaint. Ramsey said the school “has devoted significant time and energy to provide a safe environment for our students, to educate and raise awareness about sexual assault and to encourage students to come forward and report sexual assault.”

The Tennessean first reported the lawsuit.

This suit comes two weeks after Florida State settled a Title IX lawsuit with a former student Erica Kinsman, who said the school failed to adequately investigate allegations that she was raped by former Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston. The Heisman winner and No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft has said the allegations are false and that he and Kinsman had consensual sex. No charges were ever filed against Winston as prosecutors said there wasn’t enough evidence to win a conviction and that there were gaps in Kinsman’s story.

Title IX is a federal statute that bans discrimination at schools that receive federal funding.

The U.S. Department of Education in 2011 warned schools of their legal responsibilities to immediately investigate allegations of sexual assault, even if the criminal investigation has not concluded.

The state claims they can save the university system over $12 million dollars through outsourcing, a fact which Irvin said was unlikely given that the current facilities services budget is $28 million without utilities.

“When they talk about savings — and that’s being able to save $12 million — even if you don’t believe their numbers, all of these other things would be extra costs, so there’s not really a savings there,” Irvin said. “It probably would cost more, but it certainly doesn’t make any sense to do all this disruption — you end up paying about the same thing and you’re still not getting the sustainability and recycling and all the student involvement.”

The $12 million dollars in savings equates to a 65 percent in the current supplies and operations budget of the Facilities Services Office. Irvin said he believes that some of those savings would likely stem from the state’s new Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) policies, which rely on setting “critical locations” for HVAC upkeep.

In the case of UT, Irvin was told the only campus critical location would likely be UT’s data center. The upkeep of other locations, including student housing, classrooms and temperature sensitive research facilities

would not be a priority for the facilities management company.

“We don’t think they get it,” Irvin said. “It would have huge implications for research.

It has implications all across the board. You can’t expect our students to pay the huge dollars they pay and live in a dorm where you don’t have air conditioning and heating and power.”

Privatization proponents typically point to Texas A&M when providing an example of successful privatization. Texas A&M outsourced it custodial services and building maintenance services to North Carolinabased Compass Group USA in 2013, and has reportedly saved over $250 million since switching over.

“The A&M folks are saying they saved a lot of money, and if you look at base-line contract, they did,” said Irvin of school’s savings. “There are a lot of things not in the base — special events, assisting housing, athletics, recycling, sustainability, student internships.”

Commenting on DiPietro’s situation, Irvin explained that the UT president likely faces an impossible decision, given the opposing pressures from both the Haslam administration and members of the UT community opposed to the plan.

“If you say we’re going to opt out, you’re saying to the governor ‘we’re not going to accept one of your biggest initiatives’ when

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the governor is surrounded by a team that says ‘they’re leaving 55 million per year on the table,’” Irvin said. “If you decide to stay in, you make people on the campus upset.”

DiPietro, whose decision Tuesday may lock the University of Tennessee system into a 10-year outsourcing contract with a private company, is unavailable for comment the rest of the week.

Speaking on behalf of the Haslam administration, Michelle Martin of the Office of Customer Focused Government declined to immediately comment with the Daily Beacon. In a statement issued to The Tennessean, Martin claimed that much of the information provided by Irvin was either inaccurate or incomplete.

“We continue to work with UT and other stakeholders on this issue,” Martin said in an emailed statement. “The state’s facilities management project team is in the process of finalizing its business justification, and we expect to have that completed by the end of February.”

Ultimately, Irvin said he believes opting into Haslam’s privatization plan would be a calamitous decision by the university.

“It would be a disaster for this campus. It would be a disaster for our students ... “ Irvin said. “You can kiss top 25 goodbye. There’s no way you could do this and pretend that you were going to be approaching the top 25.”

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CAMPUSNEWS

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, February 11, 2016

The city of Knoxville pumps 34 million gallons a day from the Tennessee River into the water treatment plant. Will Clifft • The Daily Beacon

Flint water crisis inspires concern in Knoxville

Maria Amalla

Contributor On Tuesday, Feb. 9, investigators in Flint, Michigan, announced that local officials could face charges equal to manslaughter if they are found to be “grossly negligent” in dealing with the city’s water crisis.

Beginning in 2014, when Flint switched water source suppliers, residents have been subjected to lead contaminated water.

Symptoms ranging from delayed growth to vomiting and learning difficulties are expected for children in the area. The effects can be just as dangerous in adults and can cause miscarriage or premature births in pregnant women.

Qiang He, a UT associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, explained where the problem lies.

“The water has no lead in it,” He said. “It’s because of the pipe that’s there. We (engineers) don’t use lead pipes anymore.”

He explained that the reason is “leeching,” or what experts depict as the mixture of lead and corrosive water that triggers the disintegration of lead, a common problem in old U.S. rivers. He said that officials can take measures to control the chemistry, or put in an anticorrosion agent.

Although the investigation is still underway, many critics are blaming the crisis on government negligence. As this is a common problem with an obvious solution, critics are all the more prompted to feel aggravated by what seems like government carelessness.

“They really wanted to save pennies over different places, and I think that caused this kind of a problem,” He said.“Typically, it’s not going to be that expensive to fix that kind of a problem (with anti-corrosion agents).”

While the government is held responsible for street pipes, they are not often liable for

homes and residencies that still have lead piping systems.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder.”

Flint residents in these homes cannot afford to replace their plumbing systems.

The crisis in Flint has shed light on small, impoverished towns across America that are susceptible to the same infrastructure concerns.

In Knoxville, the concern is centered on the quality of water being pumped from the Tennessee River into the Knoxville Utilities Board’s treatment plant.

According to the KUB’s website, they pump 34 million gallons a day from the river into the water treatment plant.

“It (the Tennessee River) is often listed in the top 20 most polluted rivers in North America.

It’s pretty dirty,” said Michael McKinney, UT professor of sustainability and author of several aquatic research papers. “Rivers have been the receiving end of a lot of urban pollution for centuries.

“People see them as places to dump their waste and sewage.”

McKinney also said that aside from people, agriculture has a significant impact on the quality of the Tennessee River.

“In Tennessee, the agricultural lobbies are very strong so they don’t have to clean up a lot of their runoff and it goes right into the river,” McKinney said.

Despite allegations against the quality of Knoxville’s water, KUB cites it is relatively clean as they “continuously monitor our water as it leaves the plant and at various points in the system.”

Professor He wanted to assure the public that KUB employees are “professional” and “pay very close attention to the water monitoring.”

For more information on Knoxville’s water sanitation, visit KUB.org.

VIEWPOINTS

Thursday, February 11, 2016 • The Daily Beacon

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Time to act on UT privatization is running out Roosevelt Fireside Chatter

“It would be a disaster for this campus. It would be a disaster for our students.” — Dave Irvin, Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Services Day-to-day operations are about to dramatically change on UT’s campus, and we only have until next Tuesday to do something about it.

Last August, Gov. Bill Haslam took Tennessee by surprise by proposing the privatization of facilities management at most state-operated facilities. Amidst public backlash to the proposal, emails among state administrators surfaced suggesting that they were willing to pursue privatization even in light of unfavorable cost estimates.

These same emails document the assurances of Gov. Haslam to UT President Joe DiPietro that the UT system would be given the opportunity to “opt out” of any outsourcing initiative. We have now learned that President DiPietro’s decision about whether to opt our university out of Gov. Haslam’s privatization initiative will take place behind closed doors this Tuesday, Feb. 16.

In response to push-back against the governor’s proposal, the state formed a “Core Research Committee” to evaluate the privatization initiative. Dave Irvin, Vice Chancellor for Facilities Services at UTK, was the UT representative on the committee. According to Irvin, “the core committee has finished their work. The state is going to do whatever the state does, and they’re getting ready to, in another couple of weeks, go public and make a big push for why they believe this is a great proposal.”

The state’s argument seems convincing at first glance: They suggest that privatized facilities services will yield $55 million in savings per year, with $12 million in savings just from UT-Knoxville (which currently operates at a $28 million facilities service budget). However, those “savings” are not gains in efficiency. Instead, any savings will be produced by a combination of eliminating service programs and slashing worker benefits.

A modified timeline from the state shows that by the end of the selection process, a single firm will be awarded a 10-year contract worth $4.5 billion to $5 billion to outsource all facilities management across the state.

The idea that Tennessee might be for sale is suddenly becoming a frightening reality.

The $12 million savings proposed by the state would equate to a 65 percent cut in the current supplies and operations budget of the facilities services office. Besides cutting employee benefits, where does the state expect to find these savings? The answer lies in the gap between what the state perceives the role of facilities services to be and what our facilities services workers actually do here at UT. The state’s narrow vision of facilities services

only includes the basic cleaning and maintenance of buildings and public areas. The low cost estimate for a privatized workforce is based on those workers only providing these base-level services. In the switch to a private management company, the university would lose dozens of vital programs.

The facilities services office’s extensive sustainability and recycling programs would be eliminated. The team dedicated to turf management in Neyland would be dissolved, as would the team responsible for events at Thompson Boling Arena. Master planning, which ensures we construct a cohesive campus environment, would no longer exist. Setting up for Student Engagement fairs or on-campus events would no longer be covered by facilities services, and neither would moving offices into our newly constructed buildings or students into dorms. The STAR group (Special Team to Assist Research), responsible for helping recruit prominent researchers to UT and insuring that they have all of the resources they need to conduct groundbreaking research, would be eliminated.

Beyond cutting essential programs, the state’s privatization plan would also restructure the way the facilities services office conducts business.

Any work order would have to be directed to a national call center rather than the current UT response center. The complaint would then be assessed at the national level and sent back to crews on the ground in Knoxville. The office’s social media pages and outreach efforts would be cut completely.

Perhaps most worrying are the state’s new Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) policies. A portion of the “savings” projected by the state would come from setting “critical locations” for HVAC upkeep. HVAC services would only be guaranteed at these critical locations. Only one UT location, the data center, is expected to be deemed critical. That means that HVAC for student housing, all classrooms, and most importantly research facilities would not be a priority for the facilities management company.

All of the temperature-sensitive research projects being stored in campus buildings could be ruined due to a lack of maintenance; all of the animals being housed in the veterinary medical center and the animal research facilities could be threatened by outages.

Critically important areas of this campus are not seen as critical locations by the state. And that’s where the problem lies.

“We don’t think they get it. It would have huge implications for research; it has implications all across the board. You can’t expect our students to pay the huge dollars they pay and live in a dorm where you don’t have air conditioning and heating and power,” commented Dave Irvin. “I

think that really gets to the fundamental problem I have with the whole thing, there’s not an understanding of the difference between maintaining an office building for an office worker and being a vital part of a campus. Certainly it’s cleaning and grounds keeping and making sure we run the buildings — but if that’s all we did, we would be a failure.”

The state has been touting the privatization of facilities services at Texas A&M as an example of comparable success, but how A&M operated and how UT operates now are very different. Here at UT, the facilities services office has modernized significantly over the past four years, and it is already operating $7 million under budget. There is little room for any streamlining efforts, which is why the state has resorted to cutting programs entirely.

It is also worth noting that A&M was the only school system in Texas to privatize. None of the six other systems followed suit, despite encouragement from the governor. Nor has any other top state school in the country.

“There’s no way you could do this and pretend that you were going to be approaching the top 25. There’s a reason, I think, that of the top 400 schools, that A&M has been the only one that has done this,” Irvin said.

The state’s argument in favor of privatization is based on a misconception of the mission of facilities services at UT. What the state sees as inefficiency and excess spending is actually the office fulfilling its integral role in campus life. The “one-size-fits-all” approach to statewide facilities management completely ignores the complexities of managing facilities for students and researchers, so when the state advertises $12 million in savings here on UT’s campus alone, it’s important to note that those savings come at the cost of service. Programs will be cut, management will be changed, and UT’s campus will suffer.

UT’s final opportunity to remove itself from the state’s privatization proposal is quickly approaching. DiPietro’s best chance to save our university’s autonomy is this Tuesday, Feb. 16. Following this, UT’s ability to opt out will become more and more difficult. If you are concerned about the future of our university, please contact DiPietro’s office at utpresident@tennessee.edu to encourage an open forum with UT students, faculty, and staff or call Governor Haslam’s office at (615)741-2001 to voice your concerns.

Sawyer Smith, Patrick McKenzie and Hayley Brundige are members of UT’s chapter of the Roosevelt Institute. They can be reached at ricnutk@gmail.com. This piece is the first of a series highlighting the potential damages of privatizing state services.

Columns of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

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VIEWPO VIEWPOINTS

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, February 11, 2016

On casinos, games and gambling Clint Graves If I’m Honest

I’ve recently gone to a casino. It went about as well as could be expected.

I lost. I lost all of the money I came to spend.

Which, in hindsight, was essentially a given.

Casinos are like bear traps. They are quite clearly and obviously devised to cause you pain. They make no sheepish apology; they have no resignation as they operate. Casinos are designed with one express purpose in mind: to take your money.

I knew this going in. But, being the foolhardy optimist that I am, I still kept a modicum of hope alive. Maybe 22 black will actually hit. Maybe standing on 17 will actually work out. Maybe the Wonder Woman slot machine will finally make sense. Pointlessly, I kept hope until I’d lost it all.

But like I said, losing your money is a given. A quick Google search will give you a decent idea of the massive selection of casino games available. And luckily, they’re often ranked by “house advantage,” or simply put: approximately the amount of time it will take that game to rob you blind.

So, the correct attitude to carry into a casino is the same one you should carry into a grocery store when hungry. That is, go in, spend your money quickly and run away.

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And, if done properly, you’ll spend a few half-cut hours experiencing a few highs, many lows – if you’re me – and just enough excitement to make you want, begrudgingly, to come back.”

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t gamble in a casino. You just spend a couple of hours and a predetermined amount of dollars on feckless entertainment.

After adopting the right attitude, the rest of it is easy. Set aside enough to tip the cocktail waitresses, close your eyes and roll the dice. Then open your eyes and go home. Because addiction isn’t pretty.

Depending on the kind of night you want to have, however, certain games are better than others.

If, for instance, you need to kill a couple of hours but aren’t exactly keen on thinking, then I’d suggest the penny slots. Essentially, you put money into a machine and press a button. Then the machine decides whether or not to give you money for doing so. You can slip a 50-dollar bill in the machine and make the minimum bet until you’re brains ooze out.

Requiring about the same level of cognition as slots but located at a table and played for higher stakes, baccarat is a simple, yet expensive game.

Throw as much as you dare on either the player or the banker and watch the dealer go. Essentially you’re betting on the flip of a coin. These tables always seem to be making the most noise. Most often because some guy just won and lost the same handful of chips 62 times in the last 20 minutes.

A little more involved, roulette is for people who like to look at numbers and develop conspiracy theories. Throw $100 down and start tossing singles around the table like it’s a strip club. Some people have a system. But those people also tend to have no money. If you’re like me, though, you’ll blindly drop chips around the table on spaces that make artful pictures. Like stick figures. Or snakes. Or tic-tac-toe boards.

And for the control freaks, I’d recommend blackjack. But be warned, even with a small minimum and low stakes, blackjack dealers can make short work of you. Conventional wisdom dictates you take a card when you have 16 or less and always stand on 17 or more. And don’t worry about doing math in your head: you’ll be able to tell how badly you lost by the speed with which the dealer snatches your money.

Rest assured, if these games don’t sound all that fun, then you can find any number of ways to blow your cash. Craps, Texas hold ‘em or even Pai gow will keep you busy for a while. And, if done properly, you’ll spend a few half-cut hours experiencing a few highs, many lows – if you’re me – and just enough excitement to make you want, begrudgingly, to come back.

Presumably, it’s a similar experience to reading this column. Except my words don’t cost you a dime.

You’re welcome.

Clint Graves is a junior in communication studies and English. He can be reached at bhr713@ vols.utk.edu.

Valentine’s Day is three days away (and our Valentine’s Day special issue comes out Friday).

“Make You Feel My Love” Adele

“The Thrill’” Miguel

“Kiss Me” Ed Sheeran

“Bump N’ Grind” R. Kelly

“XO”

John Mayer

“Pillowtalk” ZAYN

“Come Away With Me” Norah Jones

“When I Get My Hands on You” The New Basement

“Love Me Like You Do” Ellie Goulding

“I Love You, Honeybear” Father John Misty

VIEWPOINTS

Thursday, February 11, 2016 • The Daily Beacon

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Letter to the Editor: What I learned in the Peace Corps I lived for two years in a community where I was the only white person, the only American, and the only person who spoke English. For the past two years I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay, and I learned a lot.

So how did I cope and what did I do?

First, I had my routine. I ran in the morning before the sun rose, went to my local cultural center, had lunch with a Paraguayan English teacher, played with neighborhood children in the afternoon, and read Tolstoy with my host brother at night. I once read

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the best way to get promoted at a job is to be predictable, so to be promoted in the community is the same, I had to be open and clear with my actions. All spontaneous and crazy times, and there were quite a few of those in Peace Corps, were spent with other volunteers in other cities.

Second, I didn’t care what people said or thought about me. Other volunteers would cry over the phone, telling me their host mom told them they looked fat. I realized my friends were getting things off their chest, but later I realized these conversations were empty and accomplished nothing except making us both feel bad.

Third, I smiled and stopped thinking about myself. I looked at the birds and the trees and thought of other people I really liked, those who I really admired.

When walking down the road I looked at people and greeted them no matter who they were or what they looked like. In Paraguay, nobody ever passed anyone on the street without saying

Students need learn to cope in healthy productive ways so that the rest of their life will be more enjoyable and rewarding.”

“Buen dia” or “Adios.”

Fourth, I didn’t expect anything from anybody, and didn’t complain about others actions. If I wanted something done, I did it. I lived with a host family and when the kitchen was dirty, I cleaned it, and it wasn’t about whose fault it was, if something bothered me, I just fixed it. Eventually my actions inspired others to change their habits.

Finally, in order for me to get support I needed to give support. No one helped me until I first went to their house and gave them a freshly baked bread or sat down and chatted with them about their life.

Returning to UT, I learned living in Knoxville is not very different from living in Paraguay. I may be the only gay Jew at UT, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t necessarily have to find other gay Jews to be happy.

I have my way of living and being comfortable in difficult situations. I think that’s what I hope students at UT learn the most from their college experience.

Students need learn to cope in healthy productive ways so that the rest of their life will be more enjoyable and rewarding.

Jeremy Haber is a Peace Corps Recruiter and a graduate student in business analytics. He can be reached at jhaber@vols.utk.edu.

Unhealthy foods growing out of hand Emily Moore Day by Day

The other day, whilst I was procrastinating until the last possible moment, I found myself scrolling through the news until I came upon an article titled “50 Unhealthiest Foods On the Planet.”

Being the curious little thing I am, I couldn’t help but wonder which foods that I regularly enjoyed were on the list. Let’s just say that the further into the list I got, the more flabbergasted I became.

The article listed the food, why it was harmful and a healthy alternative. Of course there were the foods you’d expect like ice cream, sodas, fast food chicken nuggets, energy drinks, etc. for the more obvious reasons. What surprised me were the things that I had been taught were healthy, such as turkey, tofu, salmon and soy veggie burgers.

What was outrageous were the listed ingredients that make them unhealthy. For the soy bean burger, the harmful ingredient was stated to be soy protein because it is genetically modified and subjected to hexane, a chemical solvent that can explode. Some tofu has magnesium sulfate in it, which is known to cause cancer in laboratory animals — and the list continues. All the substitutes for these already healthy foods are mostly organic and extremely pricey foods.

Why, Emily, have you chosen to share such startling new findings and ruin a perfectly great day, you ask?

Imagine this scenario: say you eat completely clean your entire life and work out five times a week and don’t drink out of plastic water bottles and basically do everything perfectly healthily as you are supposed to, in order to avoid Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease,

“

All I can say is that at the end of the day, if you can sit down and reflect on your actions and thoughts and are content with yourself, that is all that matters.”

different types of cancer, high cholesterol, etc. You can follow every rule to be as healthy as humanly possible, and still be hit by a bus and killed tomorrow.

To be so extravagantly picky astounds me. There will always be some killer ingredient, killer virus, killer something because that is how life works.

No matter what you do, where you go or who you become, we all die in the end. It’s just a fact. If it is not your body that betrays you in the end, the world will.

So my point is this: screw it. I am the last one who will tell you how to live your life. That is no one’s business but your own. All I can say is that at the end of the day, if you can sit down and reflect on your actions and thoughts and are content with yourself, that is all

that matters. Start learning to love yourself and live your way. For all you know, Pakistan and India are going to nuke each other today, killing an unfathomable amount of people and launching the world into turmoil. All productivity will stop, climate change will kill crops and lead to starvation, people will be poisoned by radiation, etc.

So as I sit at my computer, eating Sour Patch Kids and drinking a soda, I encourage you to eat the cake while you can.

Emily Moore is a sophomore in journalism and electronic media. She can be reached at emoore52@ vols.utk.edu.

8

ARTS&CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, February 11, 2016

Judah & the Lion bring experimental Americana music to Knoxville Marina Waters Staff Writer

Nate Zuercher, banjo player in the Americana folk-pop band Judah & the Lion, described one of the band’s new tunes as a mix of rapping with banjo lines and rock guitar riffs topped off with a touch of screamo. “That sounds really intense,� Zuercher said, laughing as an afterthought.

Though this mixture of styles may seem intense and outlandish to people who haven’t listened to their music, the genre-blending band, returning to Knoxville for two nights at the historic Bijou Theatre on Sunday and Monday night, said they wanted to explore all possibilities on their upcoming album “Folk Hop N’ Roll.� “We all, I think, collectively cover just about every genre of music you could want,� Zuercher said. “It’s been really cool to be able to derive from all these different sources and try things out.

I think this new record — it’s the biggest culmination of that. We felt the most freedom to kind of explore things and put different stuff together.�

But before the four-piece Americana band broke out the banjo rolls and harmonious voices, the band was just comprised of three college students at Belmont University who had finally found something they’d all been searching for. “That day that the three of us got together, it was really obvious that this was bigger than

us, this was something important,� Zuercher recalled. “You know how people say when you meet your spouse you just know? It kinda had something similar to what that might end up being like. It clicked. It felt right. It was something we had all been hoping would happen.�

Since commencing their musical matrimony, which has produced two studio albums and brought the band through Knoxville several times over the past six years, Judah & the Lion is now aiming to focus on the realistic parts of life “Folk Hop N’ Roll.� “We can be real about the things that are hard and the things that are good, but hopefully help people remember that life really is good and is a gift they should be celebrating. That’s what we would hope for,� Zuercher said.

Whether the indie folk band is releasing a new album or shooting a video in the streets of downtown Knoxville, like they did back in November while in town to open for Ben Rector at the Tennessee Theatre, Judah & the Lion never fails to return to the city they’ve come to know and love. “It’s what kind of got us going with our ‘Sweet Tennessee’ record and all that,� Zuercher said. “Knoxville felt like the place that embodied kind of what we were writing about. It kind of feels like a home away from home.�

Judah & the Lion’s Sunday show is sold out, but tickets for Monday’s show are $17 in advance and $20 at the door. Go to www.judahandthelion. com/pages/tour for more information.

Nashville-based Judah & the Lion will be performing at the Bijou Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 14 and Monday, Feb. 15. • Photo submitted by Sully Sullivan

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PUZZLES&GAMES

Thursday, February 11, 2016 • The Daily Beacon

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Get Fuzzy • Darby Conley

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz ACROSS 1 8 11

I’m Not A Hipster• John McAmis

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Cartoons of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

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“Yep, you’re right” Set opening?

Boxer, e.g., for short Appealing in appearance Poetic preposition Stage legend Hagen “It’s my understanding that …”

Worker who may skim off the top?

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Decide (to) Colorado tributary Large numbers Sum for keeping mum Lassoed

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Organization whose name hints at some missing letters in this puzzle

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ARTS&CULTURE

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, February 11, 2016

Knoxville singer songwriter Erick Baker rediscovers motivation Marina Waters Staff Writer

In 2007, Erick Baker, a recent UT graduate in public relations who was pursuing a master’s degree in English, got the opportunity to open for John Legend at the Tennessee Theatre.

“The guy that walked on the stage was a guy ... just trying to figure it out,” Erick Baker said reminiscing on that night. “But the guy that walked off that stage was a guy who was like, ‘Alright, I’m going to give music a shot.’ It was the defining moment for me. It was the awakening.”

Baker has come a long way since his epiphany in the Tennessee Theatre. He graduated from UT, built a family, traveled the world, recorded five albums and started a Tennessee-themed travel show.

After jump-starting his career by touring and opening for bands like the Goo Goo Dolls and Gavin DeGraw, the up-and-coming musician who got his start playing cover tunes all around Knoxville recalled having a bittersweet satisfaction in his success.

“Every step forward in my career was a step away from my family,” Baker said. “When the gig’s over, I want to come home to a real life.

Without the love of my family, it’s not worth anything.”

It’s this love that has inspired new music from Baker. His upcoming album “Dear Amanda” is titled in honor of his wife and focuses on both his “other half,” his 6-year-old daughter who drew most of the album art, and the new purpose he has in life.

“It’s me looking in the mirror and realizing where I’ve fallen short as a husband and as a father,” Baker said. “It’s also celebrating the good things that we’ve got. But more than anything, it’s working on trying to be the best version of me that I can.”

A new album isn’t the only project the Knoxville songster has been working on. Two years ago, Baker made the decision to bring his music career to a halt to focus on being with his family. Out of this came the opportunity to host the PBS television series “Tennessee Uncharted.”

Baker describes the series as an “outdoor travel show” in which he travels through Tennessee looking for intriguing places on the road map of the Volunteer State. But it has also sparked deeper meaning within him as well.

“It ended up that the show became a diary of my real life,” Baker said. “I’m rediscovering what Tennessee is and how great Tennessee is, but I’m also rediscovering myself. It’s a huge blessing.”

Baker said he’s finally found a way to balance his home and family with his love for music: keeping an open mind and following his heart.

“What I challenge people to do is always have

Erick Baker will be performing at the Bijou Theatre on Friday, Feb. 12 and Saturday, Feb. 13 at 8 p.m.

• Photo courtesy of Erick Baker your arms open,” Baker said. “You may have a degree in biology but poetry may speak to your heart. Ultimately, I’m 37 years old and my heart is full. There’s a lot of 37-year-olds who choose another path and their hearts are empty and broken. But I have a smile on my face and a full heart.”

Though he’s traveled through small towns all over Tennessee and globe-trotted with a guitar in hand, for Baker there’s only once place he wants to be — and his Scruffy City dream will come

true this weekend.

“I go and play in Massachusetts and Michigan somewhere 10 hours away, but I close my eyes and I try to think about what it’s like when I play to my hometown in Knoxville. Nothing’s is like it here in Knoxville,” Baker said. “It’s home. It’s who I am.”

Baker’s two-night run of shows at the Bijou Theatre on Friday and Saturday will start at 8 p.m. For more information visit www.erickbaker. com/store/live-at-the-bijou-theatre.

ARTS&CULTURE

Thursday, February 11, 2016 • The Daily Beacon

11

Brunch spot in Old City is perfect to treat yo’self

cakes, Eggs Benedict and potatoes available.

The food is fresh and local, and there are even Cruze Farm products available (so you know it’s good).

Upon paying and leaving OliBea, I was stuffed from a meal that would normally leave me hungry in an hour or two. This is a place I would definitely go to again, whether by myself or with friends.

OliBea is open from 7 a.m — 1 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8 a.m to 2 p.m. on weekends. I’d recommend calling ahead, as it is a small place that might fill up fast. Parking is free on Willow Avenue, where one would normally park for Crown and Goose.

JoAnna Brooker Contributor

All the single ladies (and gentlemen), put your hands up. Instead of spending Valentine’s Day at home alone, why not treat yourself to brunch in a place that “feels good like home?”

OliBea is a restaurant located in the Old City that specializes in one thing — breakfast food. The founder has a passion for chef-driven breakfasts at a cost that won’t kill your pocket, and it shows.

You can distinguish OliBea from the rest of the eateries on the block by its mint green storefront and signature typography. As I walked in, I noticed that I was surrounded by artwork, and that the mint green motif carried into the dining room. The front of the store also has large glass windows, which allow natural sunlight to be the strongest source of light in the room.

I chose to sit in a nook by one of the windows. Fresh flowers in a mason jar were at my table, and soft relaxing jazz played in the background. The countertop in the front continued the beautiful typography from the outside, and exposed wooden beams held up the ceiling.

Two other women were in the room I chose, also eating alone but working diligently on their laptops. It was the first place I’ve been to for this series that didn’t feel awkward eating solo.

OliBea is a popular brunch spot located at 119 S. Central Street in Old City.

Mary Kate Leitch • The Daily Beacon The waitress approached and read me the accurate name would be biscuits and gravy with specials, but I had my heart set on the chicken chicken on top. Nevertheless, it was delicious biscuit, described by the menu as a pickle- — despite the fact that it was difficult to get brined fried chicken biscuit with whipped sor- both biscuit and chicken in one bite.

The rest of the menu also appeared just as ghum, chow chow and gravy.

Now I only know what two of those things appetizing and affordable, with burritos, panare, so I was apprehensive but excited. About ten minutes later, my meal was presented to me. I was a little confused by the presentation, though it was beautiful. It appeared to be a until the Valentines’s Day issue of hefty chunk of chicken, on top of a biscuit, The Daily Beacon. on top of what appeared to be gravy. A more

1 day left

Hawaii’s big wave surf competition called off Associated Press HALEIWA, Hawaii — Legendary surfer Eddie Aikau would have gone out. But Wednesday’s surf in Hawaii didn’t stack up to his namesake competition’s big-wave standards and the event was called off hours before it was supposed to happen.

“Eddie would go” is the mantra of the Quiksilver surfing competition in memory of Aikau, a Native Hawaiian surfer famous for riding monster waves and saving hundreds of lives as Waimea Bay’s first official lifeguard.

The event was last held in 2009, when waves built to competition size for long enough for the surfers to run their heats.

Conditions Wednesday on the North Shore of Oahu had been forecast to meet the competition’s strict requirements for 40-foot-high swells that last for hours. But the towering breakers were a no-show, and as the sun came up over throngs of spectators and dozens of elite surfers, ‘The Eddie’ was called off.

The narrow road that snakes along Oahu’s North Shore was backed up with traffic early in

the day as fans rode bikes or walked for miles to reach the venue. Parking was nearly impossible to come by anywhere near the beach.

The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau competition began in 1984, six years after Aikau died trying to save others. It has only been held eight times.

Some of the best big-wave surfers in the world were at Waimea Bay to compete in the event, including Eddie’s brother Clyde Aikau, who is the oldest competitor at 66 years old and the only person to compete in all eight events.

“Is Uncle Clyde ready to ride? Absolutely,” Aikau told The Associated Press after he posed for photos with excited fans.

He said he and his brother used to ride Waimea Bay because of their passion for the sport.

“It was just that love to ride, you know, the biggest wave in the world, and to ride it with friends that you really love and you really have a lot of confidence in that if you get in trouble, they’ll help you out,” he said.

He said the event isn’t about fame or money, it’s about honoring his brother’s legacy. He also added that this will be his last year competing in the Eddie.

Burger King’s next conquest: Hot dog king Associated Press

NEW YORK — Burger King is looking for a new crown: Hot Dog King.

The Miami-based chain says it plans to put hot dogs on its menu nationally for the first time starting Feb. 23. It may seem like a jarring addition for those who know the chain for its Whoppers. But Burger King says its ability to flame-grill meat makes hot dogs a natural fit on its menu.

“This is probably the most obvious product launch ever,” said Alex Macedo, president of Burger King North America.

With the launch, Burger King says it will offer hot dogs at all 7,100 of its U.S. restaurants — more U.S. locations than any other chain. Smaller chains that sell hot dogs include Dairy Queen and Sonic Drive-In. The move comes as Burger King works to push up sales amid intensifying competition, with McDonald’s offering breakfast items all day to spark a turnaround, while Wendy’s offers a “4 for $4” deal to get customers in

the door. In 2014, Burger King’s sales rose 2.1 percent at established locations in the U.S. and Canada. Parent company Restaurant Brands International Inc. reports results for 2015 next week.

The hot dogs are being supplied Kraft Heinz, which owns Oscar Mayer. Investment firm 3G Capital manages both Restaurant Brands and Kraft Heinz, which also supplies ketchup to Burger King.

Macedo said hot dogs would build on Burger King’s momentum given their growing popularity, including at trendy eateries.

Tests of the hot dogs in a handful of cities last year resulted in unspecified sales increases, according to Burger King. The food-review website The Impulsive Buy noted the hot dogs seem “small and not quite substantial enough” but otherwise gave them a positive review.

Burger King’s “Grilled Dogs” will come in two varieties. The “classic” hot dog will be topped with ketchup, mustard, chopped onions and relish, and 310 calories. The company suggesting franchisees sell it for $1.99. A chili cheese version has 330 calories, with the suggested price of $2.39.

12

SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, February 11, 2016

SOFTBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The UT softball team is young, but expectations never change David Bradford Staff Writer

Freshman guard Shembari Phillips looks down the court during Tennessee’s game against Auburn on February 9.

Taylor Gash • The Daily Beacon

Phillips making change for the better Troy Provost-Heron Training Editor

A little less than a month ago, Shembari Phillips sat firmly on the bench, rarely eclipsing 10 minutes of action.

Not long after that, the freshman guard had a conversation with Tennessee coach Rick Barnes and things started to change.

The end result, at least for now, was the freshman guard drawing his first career start and playing a career-high 31 minutes in the Vols’ 71-45 victory over Auburn inside Thompson-Boling Arena.

“The turning point happened when coach (Barnes) told me if things don’t change, things will change, and not for the better, for me at least,” Phillips said Tuesday. “I took it upon myself to just go hard every day and take advantage of every day.”

In a five-game span between UT’s contests against Georgia (Jan. 13) and Alabama (Jan. 26), Phillips played 32 minutes and recorded doubledigit minutes just once versus Mississippi State on Jan. 16.

During that time, though, the 6-foot-2, 190pound guard was putting in extra work to turn things around.

“I’m in the gym a lot more than I was,” Phillips said. “I’ve been waking up early and getting in there … I was very inconsistent with my effort, and as far as confidence goes, I just wasn’t very confident.”

Over the last three games, the early morning workouts have paid off.

Phillips played 17 minutes, scored six points and corralled five rebounds against TCU on Jan.

30. He followed that up with 13 minutes in the Vols’ comeback victory over then-No. 20 Kentucky.

Then, with Robert Hubbs III struggling against Arkansas, the junior guard played a season-low 16 minutes, Phillips tallied 23 minutes and scored 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting.

Three days later, Phillips became the ninth player to start for the Vols this season and did so because of “defensive purposes.” The move paid off as Auburn didn’t score in the first six minutes, eight seconds.

“I think he did his job on the defensive end,” Barnes said. “I think he realizes it’s probably harder to play that many minutes than he could ever imagine because he hasn’t had to do that and play the way we need him to on the defensive end.”

Phillips added: “It felt pretty good that he trusted me enough to take on that task. I’m just going to continue to get better at it. At the end of the day, it’s about effort.”

Phillips’ defensive improvement stems from the gym as well, matching up with senior guard Kevin Punter Jr., who averages 22.4 points a game, during practice.

“On the defensive end, guarding KP every day, it’s only making me better because KP is a lethal scorer,” Phillips said. “Now I know that it starts on defense. Climb into somebody, get some deflections and then I’ll let the offensive game come to me.”

For now, Phillips looks to be turning the corner and he’s hoping to parlay that into his sophomore season.

“Right now, me Admiral and Kyle as freshman are setting the culture right now of getting in the gym and working every day,” Phillips said. “When the freshman next year come in, they’ll come into that culture.”

For the Tennessee Volunteer softball team, expectations never change.

It does not matter who the starting pitchers are.

It does not matter if two-thirds of the roster is comprised of underclassmen. With a program that has appeared in seven of the past 11 Women’s College World Series, high-quality performance is expected.

The Vols enter the 2016 season underneath the same set of expectations. One year after compiling a 47-17 record, Tennessee is the No. 8 team in the country, according to USA Today.

Head coach Karen Weekly understands what she has helped build at Tennessee. The program is one of the most consistent in the country. However, that does not distort Weekly’s view of the current squad. She knows that putting this young squad through a grueling non-conference and SEC schedule might yield mixed results.

“It is a tough schedule, but I’d rather do that and test them every time out,” Weekly said. “Maybe we’re going to take some losses and I kind of expect that we may lose more games than our fans are used to.”

An abundance of new faces on any team will change the style of play. Last season, the Vols hit a team-record of 100 home runs. This season, Weekly would be pleasantly surprised if Tennessee approaches that number.

“For the past two years I think our offensive approach needed to change because we didn’t have the speed players,” Weekly said. “We’ve got more players who bring more speed to the table on this team.”

With a shortage of power hitters, the Vols will focus more on bunting and slapping this season, as well as on limiting the player’s swings to bring more versatility to the offense.

The addition of 11 freshmen players and change

in offensive style is balanced by veteran leadership.

The Vols welcome back seven starters from last year’s College World Series.

The most notable returning starter is Rainey Gaffin. Last season, Gaffin was not only Tennessee’s ace, compiling a record of 17-4 and and ERA of 2.17, but she was one of the most consistent batters in the line-up, batting .315 while finishing second on the team on hits and runs scored. Her versatility led to widespread preseason recognition, most notably being selected as a member of the preseason AllSEC First-Team.

However, Gaffin refuses to let accolades and honors alter her approach to softball.

“This year is a new year,” Gaffin said. “Those honors were from last year. This year is a new year.”

Gaffin’s impact on the team goes beyond her play on the field. She is also someone the younger players look to for advice.

“A big thing I told them is Fall is nothing compared to season,” Gaffin said. “Don’t make anything bigger than it is. The game is still the same. Catch the ball, throw the ball, hit the ball. That doesn’t change.”

Gaffin isn’t the only veteran. Weekly feels that Lexi Overstreet and Shaliyah Geathers have been overlooked.

The question of who was going to start at catcher for the Vols was widely debated throughout the offseason. The Weeklys, however, knew the answer to that question all along, praising Overstreet for her defensive abilities.

On the other hand, Gathers became an effective offensive weapon for the Vols last season, finishing second on the team in batting average (.320), fourth in hits (56), and third in doubles (12).

The Vols open up the season on Feb. 11th in the warm weather of Tempe, Arizona. The trip is certainly no vacation, as the youthful Vols will not only be tested by their opponents, but also by the Tennessee teams of the past that have set the bar so high.

The Vols softball team huddles before a game on March 7, 2015.

Justin Keyes • The Daily Beacon