Issue 69, Volume 122
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Council raises fraternity GPA requirement David Cobb Assistant News Editor The InterFraternity Council approved a measure last week that will raise the GPA standards for IFC member chapters from 2.3 to 2.7. On the heels of a controversial fall semester that warranted the dismissal of Pi Kappa Alpha from campus, a Greek Life Task Force was formed to recommend avenues of improvement within the Greek community. Its final 11-page report did not specifically recommend a stiffening of academic standards, but the IFC decided in its final meeting of the semester that raising the GPA standard was a necessary measure to take. “There aren’t any high schoolers coming in with 2.3’s anymore,” IFC Vice President David
Beisel said. “UT has raised their standards, and there’s no reason that IFC shouldn’t be on that same boat.” In the spring of 2012, 14 of the 17 IFC participating chapters maintained an average GPA of over 2.7. Though repercussions for chapters that fail to comply won’t be finalized until IFC meetings resume in the fall, Beisel said that chapters would likely get a probationary semester before being subject to punishment. “The next step, next fall, is going back to the drawing board,” Beisel, a junior in marketing and brother of Delta Tau Delta, said. “And that’s going to be the more difficult part for the IFC president, the ‘What do we do if we don’t meet that standard.’”
GSS gets new president, vice president Justin Joo Staff Writer The Baker-Atchley campaign wasn’t the only winner in this semester’s SGA elections, as the Graduate Student Senate has its own set of new faces. Martin Walker and Damien Pitts are the new president and vice president of GSS, respectively. Both have been actively involved with GSS in the past (Walker for two years, Pitts for one) and have worked on different resolutions and activities carried out by the organization. Walker was a key player working on GSS projects. These projects got him involved with past GSS presidents and made him what he called a GSS “legacy member.” When the time came for the previous GSS president, Amanda Sanford, to step down, becoming the president himself just seemed like a natural step. Pitts’ bid for vice president of GSS began when someone jokingly suggested he run for president. Pitts initially brushed off the idea but gradually warmed up to it, although he wasn’t looking forward to spending the excess money on campaigning. Once he was aware that Walker also had intentions of being president, the two talked and soon realized that they both had very similar hopes and plans for GSS. Walker suggested that Pitts serve as vice president, which Pitts described as a “perfect” idea. “It’s not about who is in charge, or who holds the office of the president,” Pitts said. “It’s a matter of can you get stuff done. I’m very willing and able to work with Martin and serve as vice president.” Walker also thought that the arrangement would work well, describing the sit-down meeting that cemented their decision to work together. “We agreed that it’d be easier to run together because we were on the same page on a lot of the things we wanted to do,” he said. Both Walker and Pitts ran unopposed during SGA elections, which is not uncommon for GSS; the past two
presidents and vice presi- … You hold this position, do something. We’re going to dents also ran unopposed. hold elected representatives responsible, more so.” A Disconnection One problem that Walker and Pitts want to work on internally is increasing participation and unity within GSS, both to create a better environment for the grad school as well as get the word out on GSS’ involvement. Walker believes that GSS is in a bit of rut where some students question its relevance, something he hopes to reverse. “I know that some graduate students really appreciate (GSS),” Walker said, “but I don’t know how many know truly what we’re doing or that we’re trying to work for them.” Every department in the graduate school can have a representative on GSS. However, Pitts said that not every representative fully participates in GSS, and sometimes departments simply don’t elect a representative. Pitts sees this as the main problem. He described a recurring conversation he’s had with graduate student friends outside of his department. They often do not know about GSS events, despite having representatives. “We can blame whoever we want, but it’s our own fault,” Pitts said. To help fix this occasional lack of communication and participation, Pitts suggested that he and Walker would go to each department and discuss GSS plans, encouraging said department to send a representative. Walker agreed that going to each department could be a viable plan. “We want to get out there and get representatives,” the president said. “And that means we’re going to go door-to-door, departmentto-department and say, ‘Hey, where’s your rep?’ ... “ The two new executives also want to encourage lackluster representatives to get involved with their constituents. “It’s not the executive officers’ job to tell the whole graduate school what’s going on,” Pitts said. “There’s a reason you have representatives.
Graduate Orientation
Student
In terms of the immediate future, GSS’ next big project is to coordinate the first graduate student orientation this summer. This will be the first summer where there will be an orientation for all first year grad students. In the past, there have been orientation programs offered from individual departments, but there hasn’t been one for the entire incoming grad student community that showcases the entire campus, much like the one undergrads participate in prior to their freshmen year. Walker said that the idea for orientation originated during a fall luncheon between SGA and Chancellor Jimmy Cheek. A student suggested an orientation for grad students, prompting Cheek to ask who else wanted the orientation. Walker said that about 90 percent of the room raised their hands. Since then, setting up the orientation has been supported by the UT administration and is all but set to happen once summer begins. “Most of the infrastructure is already there,” Walker said. “It’s mostly just getting the manpower to get the tours out and get people to come talk to them. But I think it’s going to be great. … It’s kind of just come together because everyone feels it’s necessary and worthwhile.” Pitts shared Walker’s sentiment and stressed that the graduate orientation was designed to show incoming grad students the ins and outs of UT while not stepping on the toes of individual departmental programs. “We really want to make a good impression on these first year students,” Pitts said. “We’re not taking away from what the departments do, but when the departments have their orientation it’s normally department specific. It’s not, ‘Here’s where you need to go to get your ID card.’” See GSS on Page 5
There was minimal contention raised about increasing the standard, Beisel said. “We’ve had a lot of great cooperation this semester,” he said. “A lot of the presidents have really come together, working together and keeping an eye out for each other.” The Greek Life Task Force’s recommendations included livein house directors, the adoption of a “Good Samaritan Policy,” among other things including increased education on alcohol. “The way the task force laid it out is just to increase Greeks doing well on campus and looking at ways that we can hold ourselves to higher standards,” Beisel said. “And we (IFC) came together and kind of laid out our goals at the beginning of the semester, and this one we saw in
our bylaws that we could easily change.” “Historically, UTK Greek organizations have made substantial contributions to the learning experience of student members,” reads the final copy of the Task Force’s report. “In turn, the same students make valuable contributions to the UTK community during their undergraduate years.” Beisel indicated that UTPD Police Chief Troy Lane, who served on the Task Force, has expressed interest in improving UTPD’s relationship with Greek Life. “He’s actually looking at setting up a task force this summer with the presidents, a task force in regards to working with UTPD,” Beisel said.
Former governor offers advice on environmental policies Claire Dodson Copy Editor
Samantha Smoak Copy Editor In light of UT’s involvement in controversial environmental issues like fracking and coal mining, former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson will be speaking on campus. Richardson’s speech, “Policies America Should Follow to Protect the Environment,” will be held at 6 p.m. today in the Baker Center’s Toyota Auditorium. The presentation is part of the Baker Center’s Baker Distinguished Lecture series on Energy and the Environment. Nissa DahlinBrown, associate director of the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy, is excited for the expertise that Richardson brings to the field. “This is a unique opportunity to hear Gov. Richardson,” Dahlin-Brown said. “He has been on many news shows recently discussing North Korea. He was recently appointed to a board on electric vehicles. He has much knowledge about these policy issues.” Richardson has had a 20 year career in public service. He served as U.S. Secretary of Energy under President Bill Clinton, New Mexico congressman, ambassador to the United Nations and governor of New Mexico for two terms. Lisa Dicker, a Baker Ambassador who helped organize the event, agrees with Dahlin-Brown about the progress Richardson has achieved in the areas of clean and efficient energy. “Gov. Richardson has had extensive experience in public policy relating to environmental and energy issues,” Dicker said. “He has had great success in implementing polices that reduce energy consumption as well
•Photo courtesy of fall.ccjsymposium.com
Former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson will be speaking at 6 p.m. at the Baker Center today. as move toward renewable sources. He will be able to provide discussion about his firsthand experiences as well as challenges that the field will face in the future.” Dicker, a junior in political science, said that students should attend the lecture because environmental and energy issues impact everyone. “These issues are especially important to us because of our proximity to coal sources,” Dicker said. “Students at UT are directly influenced by these policies and the lecture will be a great opportunity to learn more about them.” When UT gained state approval in March to move forward with its plan to drill oil and gas wells on university land in Morgan and Scott counties for hydraulic fracturing, the decision was
met with controversy and protests. In 2012, Richardson endorsed a different fracking plan in 2012 from Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York. Richardson emphasized his support for natural gas as a resource for the future. “If there is going to be fracking, it’s got to be done right,” Richardson said in his statement of endorsement. For Richardson, this involves full disclosure and strong regulation. “Fracking is doable if there’s full disclosure of all chemicals used,” Richardson said in an interview with the New York Post. “Secondly, science dictates the policy rather than politics. Third, there’s collaboration between environmental groups and the natural gas industry.”