Issue 61, Volume 122
Friday, April 12, 2013
Baker-Atchley to take office next week David Cobb Assistant News Editor In the fall of 2010, Jake Baker and Paige Atchley met on SGA’s Freshman Council. Two and a half years later, with a slew of leadership experiences under their belts and one whirlwind of a campaign season behind them, the duo is once again going to work together within SGA. Only this time it’s as president and vice president of the student body. Baker, a junior in political science, will serve as SGA president; Atchley, a junior in marketing, will be the vice president. The duo broke the mold of conventionality to take last week’s SGA elections in a three party race. They officially transition into office on Tuesday. “We just saw two very similar campaigns forming,” Baker
said of his and Atchley’s late decision to run. “It was two campaigns that had been in the past, and so Paige and I got together and decided that we should give the student body a third option.” That late-blooming alternative had no catchy verb associated with it, as SGA tradition unofficially mandates. Further, the Baker-Atchley campaign didn’t have a student services director candidate on its ticket, which is the third elected position within the SGA executive board. So to say the blueprint was clear and that the path to victory was well-lit wouldn’t be true, as Baker and Atchley combated the well-organized, handcrafted Amplify and Engage campaigns. “We were the third campaign and we’ve never seen a third campaign since we’ve been here,” Atchley said. “So we
honestly didn’t know.” What they did know was that a different approach was necessary – if not unavoidable. Forming in February instead of last fall handicapped the fundraising capabilities of BakerAtchley and also limited the pool of students to recruit from in order to assemble a campaign. But one thing they weren’t lacking in was passion for their school. Baker has served two years as an SGA senator, been a part of the government affairs and campus affairs committees, and also worked as an assistant advisor for Freshman Council. Outside of SGA, he’s a brother of Delta Tau Delta, has been an orientation leader, worked with the Ignite program, been a campus tour guide and is a new member of Student Alumni Associates. Ironically, UT wasn’t even
Ellyn Fulton • The Daily Beacon
Jake Baker and Paige Atchley answer questions during the SGA debate in the Toyota Auditorium on April 2. Baker’s first choice coming out of high school. “I was one of those students that just kind of ended up here,” he said. “But once I got on campus, it just seemed like a fit.” Atchley’s résumé refuses to be outdone. Though a marketing major, she has a dual concentration in international business with a
minor in communication studies. She’s a part of the Global Leadership Scholars program, involved in the Chi Omega sorority, a founder of Impact UT, which is a new philanthropic organization, and a recent addition to SAA and the UT Ambassadors program. Serving as vice president means she will preside over
Student Senate and Freshman Council. “It’ll be such a great year,” Atchley said. With the addition of 13 Baker-Atchley senatorial candidates, the senate’s 73 seats were split three ways between the parties, something Atchley sees as a pro rather than a con. See SGA on Page 1
‘Sex in the Dark’ event evocative, educational Hanna Lustig Staff Writer
Jalynn Baker • The Daily Beacon
On Feb. 14, students show support with Post-it notes on ‘Relay for Life’s’ ‘Wall of Hope’ on the Pedestrian Walkway.
‘Relay for Life’ hosts overnight run R.J. Vogt News Editor On Friday night, about a thousand Vols will skip the traditional trip to Rumorz for a more charitable use of their money. “Relay for Life” will put that money toward cancer research and support. The 10th installment of UT’s “Relay for Life” begins at 6 p.m. tonight and ends around dawn at 6 a.m. “The goal of having it overnight is … the metaphor of cancer patients fighting against cancer, being at night, with the dark, and then it ends with the sunrise,” said Drew Nash, a junior in computer science and the president of “Relay for Life” at UT. Nash explained that participants are encouraged to walk around the track during the event to symbolize cancer patients’ struggle against the disease. There will always be at least one person walking around Circle Park. If cancer never sleeps, the logic goes, then neither will the volunteers fighting it. “It’s just a way to get people pumped
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up about the event and give them something to do overnight, and also just reflect on the fact that cancer is prevalent in the world,” Nash said. There are 45 different teams signed up for this year’s relay, and Nash estimated around 30 will set up booths. The overall theme is movies, so each team is encouraged to represent their theme in their booth, attire and fundraising efforts. Last year, the UT relay raised just shy of $65,000, the highest total in the Southeastern Conference, according to Nash. As of Wednesday night, this year’s UT relay had reached $45,000, trailing Auburn University’s total of $62,000. Throughout the night, various teams will sell foods and run games to help boost the charitable effort. Zach Luze, senior in finance and the project director for Student Alumni Associates, said the SAA booth will employ a Disney theme. “We’re going to have what we call a ‘Disney lock-up’: another group can pay to have one of their members or someone at Relay locked away in a roped off area,” Luze laughed. “And they either have to
pay money or sing a Disney song to get out.” Luze attended the event last year and marveled at the range of student organizations that participated. “You … get to see, right there, this entire portfolio of UT organizations … their unique personality and how they raise funds,” he said. “And at the end of the day, it’s for a great cause; it’s for helping to cure cancer and helping survivors.” For all the fundraising, the event begins with a display of tenacity known as the “Survivor Lap,” in which all those who have fought and defeated cancer take to the track. Around sundown, there will also be a luminaria ceremony that allows people a chance to buy a paper bag and candle, and light it in memory of someone who has passed away or is still fighting. “That’s the solemn moment of the night,” Nash said. “Then we continue to do fun activities.” For more information on “Relay for Life” at UT, visit relayutk.org
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As “Sex Week” progressed with its fourth successive day of programming, the United Residence Hall Council sponsored a particularly intriguing event with an attention-grabbing name to match. On Wednesday night, students trickled into the UC to line up for the night’s most highly publicized event, “Sex in the Dark.” While approaching the auditorium doors, students seized the opportunity to write and submit questions they’d like to explore during the presentation. Afterward, each person was armed with a single glow stick. URHC President Hunter Tipton explained the unusual protocol for his council’s program. “You write down questions, we turn the lights off, and we tell everybody to shuffle around. They have the glow sticks to put up in the air, and we call on them and they get to respond to these questions anonymously. So you really get to know what your peers think.” The responses of the audience, however, were also punctuated with the occasional interjections of the resident “sexperts,” to provide factual information and adult insight when needed. The panel consisted of five UT Student Health and Counseling Center employees. The inception of this program, though, precedes its scheduling for “Sex Week.” Tipton said the opportunity for interactive sex education on campus had already been noted. “We’re with United Residence Hall Council, so we wanted to do a sex-ed program before we even knew ‘Sex Week’ was really growing, really becoming a thing. We went to a housing conference where we saw this program and got to
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sit in on it, and it went fantastically well.” From that moment on, “Sex in the Dark” evolved into a reality, joining “Sex Week’s” educational and engaging lineup. Tipton outlined the premise of the night’s activities, emphasizing how this event promotes a healthier dialogue among participants, free from the embarrassment of talking about personal and controversial topics. “In all of ‘Sex Week,’ you’re learning from experts. You’re learning from people who have studied sex. But we wanted to be able to put on a program where you get to learn from your peers.” For freshmen English major Rachael MacLean, that exchange of ideas was what drew her to the event. She said her expectations were fulfilled by the program. “I was hoping it would be funny but respectful at the same time,” MacLean said, “and for the most part I think it was.” After going to several other “Sex Week” events, MacLean asserted that though she didn’t always agree with what was said, she appreciated the “diversity of opinion.” “I think I’ve definitely learned some new things from the other lectures as well as just this discussion,” she added. “It was interesting to hear what people thought.” Amanda Bouldin, an undecided freshman, echoed this sentiment, mentioning her surprise at how forthright the conversation was in comparison to traditional sex education. “I wasn’t expecting everyone to be so open and honest,” she said. “It was really fun and everyone was laughing instead of it being really quiet and solemn.” To stay updated on the rest of “Sex Week’s” schedule, like the organization’s Facebook page, visit their website at http://sexweekut.org or follow them on Twitter @SexWeekUTK.
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