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Fiction: Waiting Room
Monday, April 23, 2012
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Issue 66
E D I T O R I A L L Y
Vol. 119
I N D E P E N D E N T
S T U D E N T
PUBLISHED SINCE 1906 http://utdailybeacon.com N E W S P A P E R
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T H E
U N I V E R S I T Y
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T E N N E S S E E
Forum seeks to educate on revolving fund Students, faculty urge university to put funds towards alternative energy, other initiatives Emily DeLanzo Design Editor On Tuesday, April 17, almost 40 students, faculty and speakers filed into the Shiloh Room at the University Center to discuss the potential and positive effects of a revolving fund. Speakers talked about potential solutions at this forum and collaborative discussion focusing primarily on energy efficiency. Nick Alderson, junior in environmental studies and past intern for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, organized the “Gettin’ Green & Savin’ Green: Energy Efficiency at UT” event. “This event was focusing on energy efficiency and the benefits of energy efficiency,” Alderson said. “Here on campus we really want to institute a revolving fund for greener energy.” A revolving fund is where the university makes an initial investment towards a renewable energy source. The money saved from that investment through energy efficiency returns to the original fund to be used to invest in other cost-effective initiatives. “We want to get the word out to students and get them more interested in green efficiency,” Alderson said. “We want them to go to the chancellor, faculty and staff and express an interest in a revolving fund. (Students) want the university to be a leader in energy efficiency here on campus.” This meeting was to receive student feedback to give to Chancellor Jimmy Cheek and his office. “Students are very responsive to green energy,” Alderson said. “UTK already purchases about three percent of its power through green power from TVA. That’s paid for through the student environmental fee. Through energy efficiency, we can decrease the total amount of power we need, reduce our canon emissions, and afford more green power.”
This event had three speakers to educate the students in attendance about energy efficiency: Bruce Tonn, political science professor and senior researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the Environmental Sciences Division; Bill Park, an agricultural and resource economics professor; and Maria Rosales, senior in environmental studies and the Tennessee Campus Organizer of Southern Energy Network. These three speakers lectured students on the importance and the relevance of investing in greener technology. Tonn discussed how a switch to a more sustainable, energy efficient lifestyle through buildings and weatherization can benefit many parties. “Energy efficiency has a positive impact on people’s health, comfort and ability to pay for their energy costs,” Tonn said. Tonn has been working with the Department of Energy with a National Weatherization program to increase energy efficiency in lowincome homes. This forum discussed ways the campus community can speed the adoption of new energy efficient measures and the means to pay for these investments. The revolving fund being pushed by students like Alderson and Rosales will help achieve the goal of being more energy efficient. “The revolving fund is our ‘big idea’ and we want the administration to address it as such,” Alderson said. “Other top 25 universities have revolving funds.” “At a school noted for its accomplishments in sustainability, UTK now has the chance to invest in innovated and sustainable energy practices for the future,” Rosales said. “I have been around (here) for five years, and I’ve seen a lot Tara Sripunvoraskul • The Daily Beacon of students dedicate time and effort for energy UT students and staff gather for food at an Earth Day event on Friday. On Tuesday, efficiency. I think it’s time to see the university members of UT met to discuss the impact of a revolving fund on energy efficiency do its part now.” on campus.
KUB offers ‘start/stop’ service Wesley Mills Staff Writer With the days of the Internet upon us, things are becoming easier by the click. While there are many students who live in dorms and on-campus housing, there is also a chunk of students who live in off-campus apartments. Among those students who buy services from the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB), some find that they are paying for months they are not actually using. “I mean, it’s not anyone’s fault,” Brittany Doss, junior in nursing, said. “It just kind of is what it is. When you sign on to a lot of these apartment leases, you know ahead of time that you are in a 12-month lease, and you’re paying for all those regardless if you’re there or not.” However, even though students will be paying for rent with 12month leases, they can stop paying their KUB bill with a click of a mouse. On KUB’s website, there is a “Start/Stop Service” tab, which
allows users to start or stop their residential utility services at any time. All that’s necessary is one’s account number, billing zip code and an ID number. Students such as Josh Delaney, sophomore in communications studies, like this idea because he feels like he would definitely use that feature to its fullest potential. “I personally like it, because for instance, in the summer, I probably won’t be here much and I think it’s beneficial to get on the website and discontinue the utilities just to save money,” Delaney said. Justin Schoonmaker, junior in journalism and electronic media, lives in the Woodlands Apartments, but he’s from Knoxville, so in the summer he may not be on campus as much. “I think it’s good for the fact that a lot of college students don’t live here so we are going to need this place to live for nine months of the year,” Schoonmaker said. “But they only offer 12-month leases, so there’s going to be a 3-month period where we are not going to be here, or not going to be here as much, and where we don’t want to pay for something we are not using, so it would be good to stop the pay for those months.” See KUB on Page 3
Tara Sripunvoraskul • The Daily Beacon
Brian Conlon, junior in German and environmental sciences, mans the grill at the Earth Day Celebration on Friday. Students had a chance to get a taste of veggie burgers prepared with ingredients from Three Rivers Market.
Event held to promote awareness of LGBT community, prevent bullying, suicide Justin Joo Staff Writer A countdown of 20 minutes was on the projector screen, and the crowd of more than 100 people in the UC Ballroom remained silent the entire time. This was the 17th annual Day of Silence event. The participants’ silence represented the lack of communication, awareness and prevention of bullying toward the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community. The event is put on by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Brandon Hopper, junior in psychology at Tusculum College and board member of GLSEN, explained the silence further at the opening of the event, once the silence had been broken. “It is an act of solidarity not only within the community, but also in society,” Hopper said. “Silence fuels oppression. But we are not powerless. So tonight we break that silence.” Dozens of display boards lined the walls from different organizations that lent their support to the event. There were boards from Planned Parenthood, giving advice on preventing STDs and dis-
tributing free condoms. The display from the Knox County Health Department also had information on STDs, including HIV and AIDS. The KHD was also offering free, anonymous HIV testing in UC Rooms 216, 217 and 218. The event was hosted by UT’s OUTreach LGBT & Ally Resource Center. Donna Braquet, OUTreach’s center coordinator, said that Day of Silence was not only important for raising awareness, but also to show the high school-aged LGBT community that there are people who care. “It’s pretty amazing,” Braquet said. “I couldn’t imagine coming out and having these kinds of resources when I was their age. It’s great for bringing them into the next step of their lives.” Throughout the day, thousands of middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities participated in the Day of Silence. Traditionally, students spend the entire day in silence and some will often set up display tables with information about the persecution young students face because of their sexual orientation or identity and the consequences of that persecution. See DAY OF SILENCE on Page 3