August 18, 2021 - Welcome Back

The Daily Beacon

Volume 140, Issue 1

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

2021

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 18, 2021

DAILY BEACON STAFF AND POLICY INFORMATION EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Sarah Rainey MANAGING EDITOR: Jake Yoder COPY CHIEF: Caleigh Rozmenoski CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR: Daniel Dassow CITY NEWS EDITOR: Madelyn Muschek SPORTS EDITOR: Josh Lane ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR: Ethan Stone DIGITAL PRODUCER: Kailee Harris OPINIONS EDITOR: Ben Goldberger PHOTO EDITOR: Alexandra Ashmore DESIGN EDITOR: Bella Hughes SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: Kimberly Lalas COVER DESIGN: Alexandra Ashmore, Bella

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Letter from the Editor: A new beginning Hi everyone! I would like to offer a warm welcome to you all, whether you are a returning student, a transfer or a first-semester freshman.

So much has changed over the last year -some things for the better and some definitely for the worst. We have endured countless trials and experienced things that we never thought we would have to deal with in our lifetimes.

But, we are still here, and we are still pressing forward.

I had one in-person class during the 20202021 academic year, and many students had fully virtual instruction. While we used to be accustomed to a daily commute to classes and having the campus filled with 30,000 students, we had to figure out how to navigate attending every class from our bedrooms on a computer.

The pandemic robbed many of us of a proper school year, but there was some good that came out of it. New relationships were formed, human interaction developed a different look and personal connections continued to blossom despite the odds against us.

However, thankfully, this semester we are able to drive home those connections with a return to in-person instruction. Although we still need to wear masks, don’t let this discourage you. We can make the best of these cards we have been dealt, and we can still foster those

CORRECTIONS POLICY:It is the Daily Beacon’s policy to quickly correct any factual errors and clarify any potentially misleading information. Errors brought to our attention by readers or sta� members will be corrected and printed on page two of our publication. To report an error please send as much information as possible about where and when the error occurred to managingeditor@utdailybeacon.com, or call our newsroom at (865) 974-5206.

The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee on Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. The o�ces are located at 1345 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 379960314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/year or $100/semester. It is also available online at: www.utdailybeacon.com

The Daily Beacon is printed using soy based ink on newsprint containing recycled content, utilizing renewable sources and produced in a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner.

same without the amazing people who make it up.

Last semester, the Beacon was only printed once a month. This semester, however, we are back to printing once a week on Wednesdays! We are eager to get the news out to the UT community and to have the opportunity to distribute weekly physical papers once more. As always, all of our content will be posted to our website daily at utdailybeacon.com.

Finally, I’d like to say that I am so looking forward to connecting with the UT community -- in person, and not through a screen! And, I encourage everyone to prioritize their safety -- through vaccinations, if possible -- and physical and mental health as we enter this new semester.

Please feel free to reach out to me any time at editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com. I love talking to anyone and everyone, and we are always excited to see new faces at the Beacon.

Welcome back to Rocky Top, Vols. It’s going to be a fantastic year!

Sarah Rainey

Editor-in-Chief

Letter from Dean Shea: Welcome Back Vols

beaconads@utk.edu EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: (865) 974-3226 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com MAIN NEWSROOM: (865) 974-3226 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the Editor must be exclusive to The Daily Beacon and cannot have been submitted to or published by other media. Letters should not exceed 400 words and can be edited or shortened for space. Letters can also be edited for grammar and typographical errors, and Letters that contain excessive grammatical errors can be rejected for this reason. Anonymous Letters will not be published. Authors should include their full name, mailing address, city of residence, phone number and e-mail address for verification purposes. Letters submitted without this information will not be published. The preferred method to submit a Letter to the Editor is to email the Editor-in-Chief.

relationships while masked.

One way that we can look at this semester is as a new beginning. We went from having fully in-person classes and an ignorance of the words “social distancing” in 2019 to an almost entirely virtual learning environment in 2020.

Now, in 2021, we are in a sort of middle ground, but we can absolutely see this as a positive change from last year. This is a chance to reorient ourselves in a physically interactive environment. We may all need to brush up on our conversation skills, but that is something I think we are all happy to do.

I cannot wait to have our newsroom, and our campus, filled with bright eyes and passionate personalities once again. The Daily Beacon and the University of Tennessee just aren’t the

WELCOME BACK

Dear Vols, I have never been more excited to utter the words, “welcome back.” 17 months ago, our lives came to a halt as the pandemic made its way to East Tennessee.

Spring Break and 2020 felt scarily infinite as our campus abruptly shifted online and our homes became schools as we went into quarantine. That time and the subsequent moments were unanchoring. Through new levels of flexibility, students returned to campus last fall with significant adjustments inside and outside of the classroom as we worked collectively to protect the health and safety of our campus community. In talking with many of you, all you wanted was for things to go back to normal.

Although “normal” is just a setting on the dryer, we have missed what is familiar. We have collectively craved routine, semblances of our versions of normal.

We have been concerned about our health, wellbeing, stability, financial security and have grieved profound losses, near and far. We have sat in dissonance and connection during a politically polarizing season.

Together, we continue to lean into the vulnerability and discomfort that accompany the unknowns of a global pandemic. New experiences tend to instigate awkwardness, self-doubt and uneasiness. You are not alone if you have had to “fake it until you make it” in this uncertainty. (Let’s remember, this is new for each of us.) In this moment, it is important to recognize what has happened, what we have learned, and what has gone right.

First, we added new words to our vocabulary.

Unprecedented. Pivot. Reimagine. Modality. Synchronous. Asynchronous. Asymptomatic. Social distancing. New normal. Quarantine. Self-isolation.

Zoom. Drop it in the chat. And, a personal favorite …

You’re on mute.

Beyond new ways to communicate, we have learned many lessons about ourselves. From our wellbeing to what makes us tick, we have identified new ways of knowing and being through the unknown. We have also learned that we can do hard things.

We have mastered smiling with our eyes in an effort to protect those around us, and we learned and connected from boxes via Zoom. We have discovered the art of reframing and making the most of challenging situations. From Canvas to Kahoot to Facetime, to socially distant face-time, we found ways to learn, connect, plan and remain in touch. With medical advances we have been able to hug again and experience closer proximity while remaining cautious as variants of COVID-19 emerge.

As I reflect on this difficult season, I am proud of you, our students. Much of what I already knew was

reaffirmed this past year: You are resilient, creative and brilliant problem-solvers. You are the heartbeat of campus life. You are leaders. You are Volunteers.

As you head into this semester, I encourage you to reflect on where you have been in order to gain perspective on where you are headed. What happened to you? What did you learn? What did you achieve? What were your milestones? What challenges did you face?

In asking those questions, I imagine you will be surprised by what you find.

In the coming months, I also ask that you continue to extend grace and patience, as we all take these days as they come. Do what is in your power to stop the spread of this relentless pandemic. Short-term inconveniences and discomfort can lead to long-term health and protection of our collective community.

Finally, I encourage you to consider a few thoughts as you begin this academic year. Turn toward curiosity. Ask questions of yourself and those around you.

Reflect often. Practice gratitude. Embrace your unique talents. Get to know your faculty. Go to class. Wear orange on Fridays. Get involved in a student organization. Ask for help before you feel overwhelmed. Open your mind and heart to new experiences. Be kind to yourself and to others. Take responsibility for making our campus home for every student. Remember, Vol is still a Verb.

Whether new or returning, we are so glad you are here. I look forward to being a part of your journey on Rocky Top. Welcome home, Dean Shea

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Wednesday, August 18, 2021 • The Daily Beacon

West Dining Facility now open to students JAKE YODER Managing Editor

The future of Vol Dining is finally here.

After years of planning and construction, UT has finally put the finishing touches on a brand-new dining hall in Presidential Court.

Without any major donors, the $47 million project is simply known as “West Campus Dining” and will replace the dining hall featured in the Presidential Court Building.

West Campus Dining, which opened fully for students on August 16, is the largest dining hall UT students have ever seen. At 80,000 square feet, the building features three floors completely dedicated to dining, a first for UT. Each of the three floors features different kinds of food. The bottom entrance on the newly elongated Pedestrian Walkway houses two retail locations: a POD market and a Chickfil-A. Unlike the other Chick-fil-A locations in PCB and the Student Union, West Campus Dining’s Chick-fil-A will be full-service, meaning patrons will be able to order off of Chick-fil-A’s full menu at the location.

The next two floors are essentially a larger version of the “Fresh Food Company” found in Stokely. Food choices will vary by day, but a number of themes will be ever present, such as a bakery, a Mongolian grill, a pizzeria, a madeto-order deli and more. Students will almost be subject to an overwhelming amount of choice each day, with pancakes, poke bowls, stir fry, pizza and more.

“This is a larger version of Stokely, with more stations, more options and twice the amount of seating,” Andrew Buckner, a chef manager at the West Campus Dining Facility, said. “It’s got more options than anything else on campus. Just about anything you could want

Interior of the West Campus Dining Facility.

Alexandra Ashmore / The Daily Beacon

for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you can find here.”

Perhaps the most important station at West Campus Dining is “True Balance.” Built to be hypoallergenic, the True Balance station is the go-to place for anyone with allergies that may prevent them from eating certain foods. With a dietician on staff, students can trust they are in safe, healthy hands while eating at West Campus Dining.

This wasn’t the only thing on the mind while UT and Aramark were constructing West Campus Dining, however. The entire atmosphere of the new dining hall was intentionally crafted, hoping to be somewhere that students would want to hang out in for hours on end.

“Each of the current dining areas available to students have their own feel. The West Campus Dining Facility is nestled in amongst all of the dorms, so it’s supposed to have a little bit softer, more residential feel,” Barbara Tallent, the project manager for West Campus Dining, said. “It’s got a little wood, some softer lighting … It’s supposed to give a warm, nurturing feeling.”

Situated right next to the Presidential Court Building, the West Campus Dining Facility is the closest dining hall to a large number of dorms such as Reese, Carrick, Geir, Robinson, Dogwood and Magnolia, meaning it is sure to become the go-to place for thousands of students.

With a capacity of nearly 1400, the West Campus Dining Facility is ready to welcome students in a year with record breaking attendance at UT. The dining hall will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekly.

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Monuments honoring historically Black fraternities, sororities to open on Ped Walkway DANIEL DASSOW Campus News Editor

For much of the spring and summer of this year, a small plot of concrete just off of Pedestrian Walkway has been shrouded in construction fence, tarping and a fair bit of mystery.

Those who attended the groundbreaking for nine new monuments honoring the fraternities and sororities of the historically Black National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) knew what stood behind the fence.

This fall, nearly two years after ground was broken, the monuments, one for each of the so-called “Divine Nine” Greek organizations of the NPHC, will officially be unveiled at the center of campus.

Design and construction of the monuments began before the pandemic or last summer’s nationwide protests over racial justice. Tyvi Small, vice chancellor for diversity and engagement, said that, though the need for recognition for Black organizations has become more immediate, the purpose of the monuments has not fundamentally changed since they were begun.

“The events of the last year I think just highlight those organizations … because

Ongoing construction at monuments near HSS. Alexandra Ashmore / The Daily Beacon

they do show to a campus like the University of Tennessee that not only is it supportive of diversity, equity and inclusion but also that it recognizes the important role that the organizations and members of those organizations have played on our campus, in our community and really in our world,” Small said.

According to Small, because NPHC orga-

nizations do not have houses, have tended to emphasize leadership development and community service and are chronically underfunded, they have not been granted the same space on campus as other Greek organizations.

“There have always been sorority and fraternity houses on campus, and so to go through many of our Greek organizations,

they already have really, really large facilities on campus that highlight them, so this is really about equity,” Small said. “It’s giving our NPHC organizations an opportunity to also have place and space on our campus.”

Allana Tate, senior and president of the Mu Beta chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho, a historically Black sorority, said that she appreciates the recognition that UT is giving the NPHC through the monuments.

“NPHC sororities and fraternities are important to me because personally they have allowed me to network with people of color with the same interest of bettering our community at a PWI (predominantly white institution) and within the Knoxville community,” Tate said.

For Tate and many other students of color who are involved in leadership roles, the monuments are a significant symbol and a small sign of progress towards creating a culture of greater equity on campus through the NPHC. “While the monuments are great, this is just a small step in the right direction to be more inclusive of NPHC sororities and fraternities,” Tate said. “I believe more funding and possibly bigger spaces would be more helpful to us as an organization.”

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Alleviating anxiety surrounding pandemic: Getting vaccinated, slowing down BEN GOLDBERGER Opinions Editor

The COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely detrimental to practically every aspect of our society. Lives have been lost, businesses have gone under and plans have been shattered. It’s hard to talk about anything without mentioning something that this virus has affected over the past year and a half.

As we all return back to college, students and administration alike are trying their hardest to put this pandemic and all its various side effects in the past, but it can be hard to return to normalcy after spending a large chunk of the past year in isolation.

For a lot of students, this semester will be the first time socializing with large groups of people since the pandemic began back in March 2020. Understandably, this comes with some anxiety and hesitation leading up to the fall. Luckily, there are a few ways to combat that feeling without compromising the college experience that students pay thousands of dollars to have.

Get vaccinated The number one way to prevent the spread

of COVID-19 is to get vaccinated. This has turned into a controversial topic, but essentially every reputable source has stressed the importance and effectiveness of the vaccines.

In multiple briefs released by the CDC, they explain that the vaccines are incredibly effective in protecting against the contraction of the coronavirus, even with the Delta variant.

While it is still possible for vaccinated people to contract COVID-19 (.08% likely according to NBC News), it rarely ever results in serious symptoms.

Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey explained that unvaccinated people account for about 97% of all hospitalizations and over 98% of deaths in the state (News Channel 5 Nashville). Science has proven that vaccines are not only effective in protecting against getting COVID-19, but also effective in minimizing symptoms in the small chance that you still contract the virus after getting vaccinated.

Getting your vaccine and surrounding yourself with people who did the same is the best way to ensure that you’ll be safe socializing this fall.

Enjoy the outdoors Socializing outside is a great way to hang out with friends without the anxiety of expo-

sure to the coronavirus. Since it’s extremely difficult to spread the virus while outside, you can enjoy both the company of your peers and the beauty that is UT’s campus.

There will be plenty of outdoor events offered throughout the first few weeks of the semester for you to enjoy safely hosted by New VOL Leaders as part of Big Orange Welcome.

Another thing that makes UT so great is that it is close to numerous outdoor activities.

From hiking the Great Smoky Mountains, to flying down roller coasters at Dollywood, to even taking in the beautiful sights at UT Gardens, there are seemingly endless opportunities to enjoy the beautiful outdoors with a friend, making these options perfect ways to socialize safely.

Take it slowly You can take all of the precautions possible to put yourself in a safe environment to meet new friends, but there is ultimately a limit on how much you can control something that even our nation has yet to get under wraps completely.

To combat this uncontrollability, just take things slowly. Maybe start by eating lunch with one or two people from your residence hall, or join an organization and spend time with a few other members. Whatever tak-

ing it slowly means to you, it’s a great way to ease your way back into interacting with large groups of people, something that we mostly haven’t had much practice with for over a year.

Socializing is a skill, and it is something that needs to be repeated to become more comfortable. Just like how you get out of shape if you stop exercising, you get out of shape in socializing if you go long periods of time without interacting with others. That is why it’s important to take it slow when coming to college after a year of isolation and give yourself some time to readjust to normalcy.

The U.S. has made significant progress since this time last year to try to contain COVID-19, but between a large unvaccinated population and the recent surge of cases due to the Delta variant, we cannot put this pandemic behind us just yet.

This can cause lots of hesitation when it comes to existing in an extremely large group of people, especially without a requirement to get the vaccine, but it is still very possible to hang out with friends without having to risk contracting the virus. By getting vaccinated, chilling outside and taking it slowly, you can safely socialize with friends without having to worry as much about the coronavirus.

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Big Orange Pantry offers food, hygiene products to UTK community KEENAN THOMAS Staff Writer The Big Orange Pantry serves the University of Tennessee community by distributing food and hygiene products for students and faculty.

Located on the first floor of Greve Hall, the pantry allows students to pick up grocery items after placing an order on their website. Students can pick up their order during their hours of operation, which will be for 13 hours over four days each week in the semester.

The pantry opened in Nov. 2020 as an initiative from the Office of the Dean of Students and the Department of Nutrition. Interim Assistant Director for Outreach and Initiatives Abigail Brumfield and pantry coordinator Evan Oliver spoke about the pantry.

“We provide emergency food assistance to any students, faculty, staff, anyone on campus at all,” Oliver said. “We have our website, so you can place an online order and come pick it up. You can come by and look at the perishable foods in the fridges back there.”

Most of the people who operate the pantry work for UTK or as part of a department. For example, they are planning on bringing in an intern from the business college to help out with supply-chain management.

“We love to have volunteers come and help us out, and usually in the semester, it gets booked up pretty

quickly,” Oliver said. “People love to come over here and volunteer. So, we will probably continue to have about three or four volunteer slots per afternoon at the pantry this semester. They can sign up at … the sign-up-to-serve website.”

They receive funding from several sources, including UT and sponsors. They purchase food from Second Harvest to distribute to the community. They are currently working on a partnership with Food4All, which is an organization that focuses on providing locally sourced food.

“The Food4All program is going to be a partnership between the UT Culinary Institute, which is housed in the Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management Department within the College of (Education, Health, and Human Sciences), Big Orange Pantry, Sustainability and Vol Dining,” Brumfield said.

Brumfield added that it will be “something different than giving you black beans and rice, (they’re) able to give you soups or sandwiches.” Essentially, they will provide meals to people.

Since they opened in November, the pantry has distributed over 11,000 pounds of food. They hope to distribute this much food and more in the remainder of this year and onward. They also want to distribute food through events that encourage them to expand their output.

“I hope we can do the Schools of the SEC Food Fight again,” Brumfield said. “That was a lot of fun, and so we were able to compete in a friendly way with the other pantries in the conference. I feel like that

Abigail Brumfield and Evan Oliver Keenan Thomas / The Daily Beacon was really powerful, and it was a big motivator for our campus.”

They want to work on the space that they currently have in Greve Hall, including the former POD Market.

They want to alter the location to make it feel more like a grocery store so that students can walk around and pick out the items that they need.

As of right now, they have received a lot of support as they continue to learn by serving the UTK community.

“We were really fortunate in that we had a lot of support, and we continue to have support with either people volunteering with us or reaching out asking about how they can set up drives,” Brumfield said.

“We’ve learned a little more about what our patrons want and what they’re asking for.”

They want to foster more knowledge of the pantry, inviting students to use their services. They are

planning a snow cone event on Thursday, Aug. 26 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. to inform students about the pantry.

“We want to do a lot more outreach,” Oliver said.

“Get out on campus, see some faces and people, reduce some stigma that way. Just be more approachable.”

“I think that’s the challenge of it; there is so much food, it’s just getting it to people and the timing of it,” Brumfield said. “So when people do say, ‘Oh I don’t want to take too much,’ and I will just say, ‘You just take what you need and you are exactly where you need to be right now. We are glad you’re here and please, please, please take this.’”

They work alongside other pantries in the area, like Smokey’s Pantry, to ensure that they have enough food that can be distributed before it goes bad. But, they want to help people in other ways than just offering food by confronting food insecurity.

“We don’t only want to give people food,” Brumfield said. “We want to help them develop the skills … to be able to do something with it. For us, it’s not just giving someone black beans, some kale … we want to help them figure out what they can do with the space that they have.”

As the semester starts, the Big Orange Pantry will transition to their regular hours of operation. People can set an order online to pick up while they’re open, as well as read more information about the pantry.

Volunteers can also sign up online to help with the pantry.

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 18, 2021

How to make life easier on Rocky Top CALEIGH ROZMENOSKI Copy Chief The sheer number of resources available to UTK students can quickly become overwhelming. It can also be difficult to find apps and websites that are helpful more often than just every once in a while.

Many people know the major resources that UT widely advertises like the Volunteer Life Guide -- usually referred to as the Vol Life app -- or GET Mobile, but there are a plethora of others that are equally as useful. Here are a few resources that can help simplify that chaos that is college.

My Print Center At some point, everyone will have an emergency that requires some reliance on the desktop computers in Hodges library. Logging in, downloading a file, swiping a VOLcard and waiting for the printer to work is time consuming and not the most enjoyable thing in the world.

With My Print Center, you can upload files from your phone and choose where to send your documents, from Hodges to Hoskins to the Tickle Engineering building. The system is run by UT and is connected to the Flex funds used to pay for printing, so there’s no need to even get your VOLcard out.

allows its users to share their location with trusted contacts and make sure everyone gets home safely. It is an extremely useful app.

However, there is one function on the app that is also incredibly convenient. Under the Find Resources section, there is an option to view shuttle routes. From there, the routes in service at that moment will be available to choose from. A map will then pop up with real-time visuals of where the buses are and approximately how long it will take them to get to the next stop. On days where you sleep in or when the weather isn’t too great, knowing when to be at the bus stop makes life much easier.

OIT Network Registration Most people have at least one device that needs to be connected to the internet -- whether it’s a computer, gaming console or a smart device. However, you will consistently find your device having connection issues if it is not registered through the OIT Network Registration. The actual process is simple. You click “register now” and go through the steps to find, name and connect your device to the UT network. But regardless of how simple it is, it won’t matter if you don’t know to do it.

The resources available to students really are there to help lessen the pressure and confusion that can come with being on campus. If there’s something

LiveSafe

you’re worried about or just know a simpler way to do

LiveSafe is broadly promoted as a safety app that

office waiting to help.

something exists, there probably is an app, website or

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Wednesday, August 18, 2021 • The Daily Beacon

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 18, 2021

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New SGA exec. seeks accountability, emphasizes integration with student body SARAH RAINEY Editor-in-Chief After acquiring the executive board positions following their Forward campaign, UT’s new SGA president, vice president, executive treasurer and student services director are eager to begin the 2021-2022 school year.

The new SGA team has many goals for the year and is looking forward to a new normal after the daunting -- and nearly fully online -- semesters of the 2020-2021 academic year. Although the UT community is still required to wear masks in classrooms, labs and indoor events where attendance is required, the majority of classes will be in person this year.

While these times are continuously unpredictable, the SGA executive team hopes to bring meaningful change and to advocate for the betterment of the university.

Vice President Reggie Williams spoke about his anticipation for the new school year.

“After more than a year of our college experience living more online than on-campus, it’s refreshing to be back on

Rocky Top with the opportunity for students to gain a real Volunteer experience once again. As we begin to take on this academic year, we are ready to connect with the student body in personal and meaningful ways that SGA has never done before,” Williams said.

As for their first order of business, SGA President Claire Donelan explained that the UT community’s safety is the utmost priority.

“The first order of business for our administration will be to ensure that our campus community is safe and healthy.

It is essential that students get the COVID-19 vaccine,” Donelan said.

“We will be working to communicate to the student body the importance of Reggie Williams, Claire Donelan, Simon Jolly and Nia Myrthil getting vaccinated and how to get the Courtesy of SGA vaccine on our campus. The vaccine is how we will be able to have a safe return why each member of their team chose to we are, importantly, joined by a driven to what we love most about UT: filling up get vaccinated.

Executive Cabinet, a dynamic Student Neyland with all of our closest friends, However, the team has more plans Services branch, a diverse Undergradulining up for free food on Ped Walk- than just assisting with COVID-19 ef- ate Student Senate and First Year Leadway and learning face-to-face with our forts; they also hope to lessen the divide ership Council and an engaged general peers.” between SGA and the general student body, in our efforts to move campus forUT’s website on the coronavirus of- body. Simon Jolly, executive treasurer, ward,” Jolly said. fers information regarding the virus discussed their intentions to ensure that itself, as well as about the vaccine. Do- students feel represented within SGA. STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 nelan encouraged everyone to check out “While ‘Top 4’ is committed to enactthe UTK SGA Instagram account to see ing change in the interest of all students,

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Wednesday, August 18, 2021 • The Daily Beacon

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STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

2021-2022 SGA Executive Team // Courtesy of SGA

“It is through each of these groups engaging students and student organizations in consistent and innovative ways that we will be able to truly have our hand on the pulse of student desires and be able to activate coalitions to call for change.”

According to Jolly, they intend on keeping the promises they made during their campaign.

“We will have a very hands-on and ambitious approach to policy in order to deliver on the promises we made to students throughout the campaign. We look forward to developing our longstanding relationships with administrators and cultivating new ones where we need to in order to make change for students,” Jolly said.

As for the change they would like to see during their time in the SGA executive board, their goals are far and wide.

Student Services Director Nia Myrthil detailed the many topics their team intends to address.

“The change that we want to see on UT’s campus this academic year addresses a wide range of issues, from sustainability goals, to supporting minority students, all the way to academic policies that need to be updated,” Myrthil said.

Myrthil also added that they are seeking to enact change through advocacy, accountability and transparency, again touching on breaking down the barrier between the general student body and SGA. “Student voices, both in and outside of SGA, will guide our work throughout the year. The General Body branch of SGA will be integral to connecting traditionally uninvolved students to the expansive work SGA does each semes-

ter,” Myrthil said. “We know the needs of students are constantly changing; we invite feedback, concerns and comments. Our doors in Student Union suite 174 are always open.”

Meanwhile, the overall vision of the SGA executive board is to advance student power. Their team hopes to do their best to listen to student voices and create a dialogue with administration regarding student concerns, and to be “thoughtful and thorough” in the proposals they choose to advance.

They ask the administration, in return, to actively listen to these student concerns. They hope to find a middle ground in order to enact the change students seek.

In a closing statement, they once more referenced their desire for accountability.

“There have been times in the past where student voices have been ignored.”

...Our team is committed to holding ourselves and administration accountable to meet student demands.

2021-2022 SGA EXEC.

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 18, 2021

How to use the T Bus system MADELYN MUSCHEK City Editor

The T Bus system is one of the most useful (and free) resources for getting around campus quickly and safely, but it can be tricky to figure it out at first.

Here is an overview of the different buses on campus, their usual routes and how they work.

During the school year, there are four fixed routes and two on-demand routes. A fixed route means that the bus will come to specific locations at specifically scheduled times, running on a cycle. On-demand route means that the buses are available for request, and can come to many different locations at any given time.

The buses run through campus, from one end to the other, and also through parts of Fort Sanders, the neighborhood behind campus.

There are four fixed routes: the Fort route, Neyland express, the Hill route and the late nite route. Each one runs on a slightly different schedule.

The Fort route runs on weekdays through Circle Park to Highland Avenue in Fort Sanders, from 7 a.m to 6

p.m., every 10 minutes. This route is great for those living in the Fort who want to get to campus without purchasing a commuter pass.

Neyland express runs on weekdays through sorority village around Neyland drive, every eight minutes from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m, every 10 minutes from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and every 30 minutes from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. This bus route is helpful for those living in sorority houses and those needing to get to the Agriculture campus.

The Hill route is one of the most used routes, because it runs through the Hill all the way to TRECS, making stops at places like the Student Union, Hodges Library and Strong Hall, for example.

This route runs on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m every seven minutes, and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. every 10 minutes.

The late nite route runs through each end of campus on Sundays through Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 2:30 a.m every 10 to 12 minutes, and on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 3:30 a.m every 10 to 12 minutes, as well. This route is great for those needing to get to and from residence halls at night.

There are two on-demand routes: the access service and the link service.

The T Access is only available to students with an Access ID card, which is issued by UT’s Student Disability Services. Students can request a T Access bus on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Of the two on-demand routes, the link service, commonly called the T Link, is arguably the most popular.

It’s also the only T Bus that runs on the weekends. This bus only runs from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m., and can be requested either through the UT app or by phone.

The best way to use the bus system is through the UT app. Once on the app, the section called ‘ride the T’ is where all the most recent and current information about the buses can be found.

Here, it’s easy to see where each bus is in real time, and it’s also the best way to call for a T Link. By keeping up-to-date on where each bus is, it’s easy to catch a bus and predict how long it will take to get just about anywhere on campus.

Happy trails, Vols!

The T Bus runs each route from the Student Union.

Sarah Rainey / The Daily Beacon

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Unique classes to take this fall: Theatre, scuba diving KATY DANIELS Contributor

There are so many exciting things to do this semester, including some very bizarre and interesting courses. This fall, ease back into oncampus college life through some exciting and unique classes.

Here are some courses guaranteed to pique interests and possibly create new hobbies.

Scuba Diving 261 The first eye-catching course to sign up for is Scuba Diving, which is a Physical Ed Activity Program offered through the department of Kinesiology/Recreational Sports. It is offered as a two credit hour course that is available for all undergraduate levels and has additional fees of $270 to cover the cost of equipment and course material.

Scuba Diving professor Greg Blankenship discussed the unique course.

“This course can eventually lead to obtaining an official scuba certification through an exciting optional off-campus trip at the end of the semester,” Blankenship said.

There are also other variations of this scuba diving course such as Advanced Scuba Diving I,

Rescue Scuba Diving and Master Scuba Diving which can result in National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) leadership roles.

Stress Management 237 Another Physical Ed Activity Program offered through the department of Kinesiology/ Recreational Sports is Stress Management. It is offered as a two credit hour course that is available for all undergraduate levels.

This class dives into the relationship between stress and health. What is learned throughout this course will be implemented through physical activities to practice various coping strategies in order to further reduce stress. Information from this class can be applied to everyday life and will definitely help to reduce the stresses of returning to college this fall.

Chocolate: Bean to Bar 123 Sports are not in everyone’s wheelhouse; therefore, UT offers interesting courses outside of physical activities. For instance, Chocolate: Bean to Bar is a course that is completely virtual this fall.

This class is through the department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and is a three

credit hour course available for all undergraduate levels.

According to Chocolate: Bean to Bar professor and head of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Dewayne Shoemaker, “Everyone loves chocolate.”

Though this class is to be offered completely online, it still gives the full learning experience.

Learn what “real” chocolate actually tastes like and dive deeper into the history and business of the cacao plant. This course covers cultures impacted by chocolate business, as well as the environmental aspect of the world of chocolate.

Non-Major Intro to Painting 213 Artistic juices will be flowing strong in the Non-Major Intro to Painting course. This is an Arts and Sciences class that is offered as a three credit hour course available for all undergraduate levels. This class will explore acrylic and oil painting on canvas and is a perfect outlet for starting a new hobby.

Introduction to Theatre 100 This next class can be used as an Arts and Humanities General Education Requirement.

The Introduction to Theatre class is a three

credit hour course that is available for all undergraduate levels and is being offered as both on-campus and fully virtual. Learn how to interpret theatrical productions and even participate in some acting practices throughout this course.

Japanese Graphic Novel/Anime 321 Finally, if any of the sports, educational or art classes mentioned above do not sound like fun options, maybe Japanese Graphic Novel/ Anime will be a better course selection.

This class is offered through the department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literature and it is a three credit hour course available for all undergraduate levels. There is no requirement of being able to read or write in Japanese, as all readings will be translated into English. This class will explore major contemporary Japanese cinema studies through films and animated television, as well as delve into graphic novels.

With all these distinctive academic studies, there is bound to be something that intrigues every student. Just remember to take an enjoyable class every now and to try something new while broadening skill sets and becoming a more well rounded student.

Wednesday, August 18, 2021 • The Daily Beacon

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A look at this year’s fall sports on Rocky Top ETHAN STONE Assistant Sports

Three Tennessee sports are ready to start their seasons within two weeks of the first day of classes on Aug. 18.

Soccer and volleyball both begin play in the month of August while football kicks off in early September.

Tennessee soccer will be under the direction of head coach Brian Pensky, who is entering his 10th year at the helm of the Lady Vols soccer program. Pensky and the Orange and White are hoping to improve upon a disappointing 8-6-1 season that ended with a 0-7 heartbreaking loss at the hands of No. 2 North Carolina.

Tennessee’s first regular season game is Aug. 19 against Florida Gulf Coast at Regal Soccer Stadium.

Just one day later, volleyball will begin exhibition play against Appalachian State. The Lady Vols are moving in the right direction under Eve RackhamWatt, who is entering her fourth year as Tennessee’s head coach.

Tennessee volleyball was just shy of making the abbreviated NCAA tournament roster in 2020. A 12-8 record in the SEC is usually just enough to make the normal field of 64, but the tournament was reduced to 48 schools in efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Rackham-Watt will look to capitalize on the talent still present on the roster from last season. Top producers Morgahn Fingall and Lily Felts will both return in 2021, and both are slated for breakout years after leading the squad in kills a year prior.

Tennessee volleyball begins the fall regular season against Texas Tech on Aug. 27 in Thompson Boling Arena.

Vols fans are ready for the return of football season as well. Tennessee’s most popular sport on campus kicks off Sept. 2 in a Thursday night game against Bowling Green.

The Vols will be under the direction of first-year head coach Josh Heupel from the University of Central Florida. Heupel built Central Florida into one of the most exciting offenses in college football for the past couple seasons and boasts a 28-8 record as a head coach at the collegiate level.

Heupel described the vision he has for Tennessee football clearly in his opening remarks to reporters at SEC Media Days in mid-July.

New Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel speaks during a basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Kansas Jayhawks at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, January 30, 2021.

Caitie McMekin/Pool via News Sentinel

“We want to be innovative, but we want to have fun,” Heupel said. “I believe in that player experience. … Chasing that championship is something that you’ll never forget.”

Josh Heupel Tennessee Football Coach

“That pays forward once we get on the football field,” Heupel later added.

“Fun” is something the Volunteer football program hasn’t had in a long time. Tennessee is looking to traverse a tough SEC slate fresh off one of the worst seasons in school history with a roster that is void of nearly all its top producers from that same season.

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What happened in Tennessee sports over the summer: College World Series, NBA Draft JOSH LANE Sports Editor

Tennis

In an eventful summer for Rocky Top, long playoff droughts were broken, some coaches got paid and plenty of transfers committed to Tennessee.

Here is a quick recap of some of the biggest sports news from over the summer.

Softball The Lady Vols turned a successful 2021 regular season campaign into their 16th straight year hosting a regional tournament. They opened the tournament with an emphatic 8-1 win over Eastern Kentucky but dropped the next two games to James Madison and Liberty, and they were eliminated from the tournament.

The bad news kept coming for the Lady Vols, when long-time head coach Ralph Weekly announced his retirement in June. Fortunately for Tennessee, his wife Karen Weekly, who has been the co-head coach for the past 20 seasons, will take over as the full time head coach and has had her contract extended through 2025. Tennessee softball also added some intriguing transfers in Ryleigh White, Kelcy Leach and Zaida Puni.

Pitcher Blade Tidwell #29 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Tennessee Volunteers on April 18, 2021.

Kate Luffman / Tennessee Athletics Baseball Just like the softball team, the Tennessee baseVols found themselves deep in postseason contention after winning their first SEC East title since 1997. The Vols hosted and dominated a Knoxville regional and super regional, going a perfect 5-0 to advance to its first College World Series since 2005.

The College World Series did not go as well as Tennessee planned, and the Vols dropped the first two games they played to end their season. And with Tony Vitello rumored to leave UT for SEC rival LSU, things were looking precarious for baseball in

Tennessee.

But Vitello got paid in mid-July -- a restructuring of his contract that now runs through the 2026 season and makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in the league. Despite losing a programrecord seven players to the MLB Draft, the Vols have three important “super” seniors returning in Evan Russell, Luc Lipcius and Redmond Walsh and added some high-level pitching transfers to complement Blade Tidwell and keep expectations for 2022 high.

Both the Tennessee men’s and women’s teams made the postseason tournament in late May. The women’s team reached the SEC Tournament semifinal game before falling to the eventual champions Georgia and then headed out to Charlottesville for the NCAA Regionals. The Lady Vols shutout James Madison in the first round but fell to Virginia in the second round, ending their season.

The men’s team knocked off top-ranked Florida in a tense match to claim the SEC Tournament title.

The Vols were named the NCAA Tournament’s No. 3 seed and cruised through the first four matches of the tournament, before eventually falling to Baylor in the semifinal round.

While the team tournament was over, the singles and doubles tournament was just getting started, and Tennessee’s Australian duo of Adam Walton and Pat Harper took home the doubles tournament championship, Tennessee’s third ever.

Tennessee’s star Walton announced his decision to return to Rocky Top for one more season, his fifth and final year of eligibility. Additionally, both Alison Ojeda and Chris Woodruff, the women’s and men’s head coaches, respectively, had their contracts extended through 2026.

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STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 lie Harper had their contracts extended through the 2025-26 season.

Football Last but not least, the football team got back to official practices under first-year head coach Josh Heupel. Fall camp kicked off in early August and is in full swing as Heupel and the Vols attempt to narrow down a four-way quarterback race and improve on a disappointing 2020 season.

Heupel, wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. and defensive back Alontae Taylor also represented the Vols at the 2021 SEC Football Media Days in Birmingham, Alabama, and most recently, VFL Peyton Manning was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame following an illustrious NFL career. Manning is the third Vol in the Hall of Fame, joining Reggie White and Doug Atkins.

Tennessee guard Jaden Springer (11) is defended by Kentucky forward Jacob Toppin (0) during a basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Kentucky Wildcats on Feb. 20, 2021 Caitie McMekin/Pool via News Sentinel

Basketball Yves Pons, Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer were all in action at the NBA Draft Combine ahead of the 2021 NBA Draft. Johnson broke the combine’s max vertical jump record with a 48.0 inch vertical leap, blowing past the previous record of 45.5 set in 2001.

Johnson and Springer were both selected in the draft’s first round, Johnson by the New York Knicks, who then traded him to the Los Angeles Clippers, and Springer by the Philadelphia 76ers. Pons was not taken

in the two-round draft but did sign a free agent contract with the Memphis Grizzlies that night.

It was a good summer for the Vols’ incoming prospects, as five-star freshman Kennedy Chandler won gold at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup. Local 7-foot prospect Handje Tamba, out of Knoxville Catholic High School, reclassified to the class of 2021 and will enroll in Knoxville in this fall.

On the women’s side, Marta Suarez and Team Spain competed in the 2021 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup. For their recent success, both Rick Barnes and Kel-

Offensive lineman Darnell Wright #72 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the Auburn Tigers and the Tennessee Volunteers Andrew Ferguson / Tennessee Athletics

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Neyland Stadium ready to rock at full capacity ETHAN STONE Assistant Sports Editor

Tennessee football is following in the rest of the world’s footsteps in an attempt to return to normalcy following the COVID-19 pandemic. After a frustrating 2020 season at quarter capacity – around 25,750 people – Neyland Stadium will be returning to its full strength of 102,455 on Sept. 2.

“I know our fans are eager to experience the rich pageantry of Tennessee football game days again, and they’re going to have an exciting brand of football to rally around,” Director of Athletics Danny White said in a statement earlier this summer.

“This will be my first football season at Tennessee, and after witnessing the power of Vol Nation during our recent baseball postseason run, I cannot wait to see the impact of our fans giving their all in a packed Neyland Stadium.”

The opening matchup against Bowling Green will be Tennessee’s first full capacity game in Neyland since the Vols’ Nov. 2019 victory against Vanderbilt.

To say a lot has changed since then is an understatement. The new-look Vols

feature an almost entirely new staff and starting lineup. It’s no secret that fans are starving for some sense of relevance in the SEC East again after going 4-7 in their last 11 games, highlighted only by a come-from-behind win against Indiana to finish the 2019 season.

Eight of this year’s 12 regular season games will be played in Neyland. The Vols start and end the year with three straight games on Rocky Top, while also hosting South Carolina and Ole Miss halfway between a grueling SEC slate.

The other six home contests consist of matchups against Bowling Green, Pitt, Tennessee Tech, Georgia, South Alabama and Vanderbilt.

Tennessee’s first game against Bowling Green and Lane Kiffin’s return to Tennessee as the head coach of Ole Miss on Oct. 16 are sure to be packed events.

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STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 Also returning to Neyland this fall will be its storied traditions. Safeguards against the COVID-19 pandemic did numbers on the gameday experience last year by excluding the Vol Walk, tailgating before kickoff and even running through the “T.” According to the university, expect everything listed above to return for Tennessee’s 100th season in Neyland.

“We can’t wait to experience the Vol Walk, running through the ‘T’ and everything that makes Neyland Stadium special,” head coach Josh Heupel said.

“I get goosebumps just thinking about

what it will be like.”

Tennessee’s away games are all trending towards being at full capacity as well. The Vols have four such matchups against Florida, Missouri, Alabama and Kentucky.

All but Alabama have officially stated their intentions to play at full capacity, while the Crimson Tide’s athletic director Greg Byrne has tentatively stated their intention to follow suit.

Peyton Manning greets fans at the Vol Walk before the game against Georgia at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 30, 2017.

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Milton shines early in quarterback battle JOSH LANE Sports Editor

JOSH HEUPEL TENNESSEE FOOTBALL COACH

It’s time for another school year at Tennessee, which means another season of Tennessee football. After a disappointing showing in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Vols have a new head coach, an all new staff and a vamped-up roster.

On this first day of class, let’s look at the most anticipated and most important roster battle the Vols have – the quarterbacks.

To nobody’s surprise, first year head coach Josh Heupel was not ready to name a starter during his Media Day press conference at the start of fall camp. Heupel and his staff are still in the early stages of whittling down the reps each quarterback gets in practice, but he did anticipate having a starter named by week one.

“Quarterbacks, just like every other position, those competitive battles that they’re in, you dwindle the reps down and make decisions when guys have shown that they’ve earned the opportunity to become a one or become a two or become a three based on how they perform,” Heupel said. “And so, as we go through training camp, the players will dictate how that unfolds.”

Redshirt junior Joe Milton has set himself apart in the early stages of the fourway quarterback race. The transfer from Michigan has the strongest arm among the group and can be a threat with the ball on the ground, even at 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds.

“Really strong arm guy, big body type,” offensive coordinator Alex Golesh said of Milton. “And I mean big, big body; he is big. He is as big of a quarterback as I’ve ever been around. Really strong arm, has the ability to run. They (Michigan) did not ask him to do that a ton, but can win running the football with him as well. But he has an extremely strong arm.”

Though Milton has had an impressive start to fall camp, it’s no guarantee that he will be the starting quarterback on Sept.

2 against Bowling Green. The Vols have three other capable quarterbacks on their

Courtesy of St. Louis Post

roster -- Harrison Bailey, Hendon Hooker and Brian Maurer – each of whom could just as easily top the depth chart.

It’s almost certain that multiple of those guys will see time at quarterback this season. Despite his experience with a twoquarterback system at Oklahoma in 2013, Heupel prefers to settle in on a true starter but did mention the importance of depth at every position -- even quarterback.

I don’t think at any position, the strength of the position can just be one guy...

JOSH HEUPEL TENNESSEE FOOTBALL COACH

“I don’t think at any position, the strength of the position can just be one guy,” Heupel said. “I know that’s unique with a quarterback that there typically is one guy, but I think you’ve got to continually develop that room.”

There is certainly enough time to narrow down the position battle as fall camp rolls on and the first game approaches.

These multiple-way position battles tend to sort themselves out, as injuries and performances dictate who gets the most reps.

But, Golesh knows it is imperative to establish some sort of ranking as soon as possible so that the Vols can find their offensive identity – something they lacked all of last season.

“To me, there’s a huge sense of urgency,” Golesh said. “You want to start gearing and shaping the offense towards who that guy is and having a plan for who the next one is. Because you obviously have to prepare, you have a plan A and then you (have) to have a plan B, and this time, this COVID thing is still real, so you have to have a plan C. Maybe a plan D even. So, I would like to get a pecking order as fast as we can.”

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New look offensive line headed in the right direction JOSH LANE Sports Editor

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the Vols’ 2020 season was the play of the offensive line. A unit of five returning starters and 24 total stars went from the unstoppable “TVA” to one of Tennessee’s biggest weaknesses in less than a month’s time.

Entering the 2021 season, that group is almost entirely gone. Wanya Morris entered the transfer portal after the coaching change and found a new home at Oklahoma.

Trey Smith was a seventh-round draft pick by the Kansas City Chiefs and Brandon Kennedy even got an opportunity in the Minnesota Vikings’ rookie minicamp.

That leaves junior Darnell Wright and senior Cade Mays as the Vols’ only returning starters in a position group that will be crucial to first-year head coach Josh Heupel’s success.

The one starter whose position is all but guaranteed is Wright, who should start at right tackle. It’s a position Wright can hold down with ease, as he started there 14 times in his career, including in nine of the Vols’ 10 games a year ago.

Sophomore Cooper Mays is poised to replace Kennedy up the middle. The younger Mays brother saw action in all 10 games of the shortened 2020 season and even twice started at center as a freshman. An excellent spring learning the new system only bolstered his chances.

His older brother, Cade Mays, is a versatile lineman capable of playing every posi-

tion on the line. Six of Mays seven starts last season were at right guard, though with Jerome Carvin also having spent time at right guard, Heupel and his new offensive line coach Glen Elarbee might be inclined to start Cade Mays at left guard to replace the substantial hole that came with Smith’s departure.

Cade Mays did get some snaps at right tackle, including one start, but he struggled

Tennessee offensive lineman Cade Mays (68) runs on the field during the first quarter during a game between Tennessee and Missouri Calvin Mattheis/Pool via News Sentinel

in that role. It seems that Tennessee’s best line will have both Cade Mays and Carvin as the starting guards, but with Tennessee’s lack of line depth, the senior Mays might be forced into the tackle job at some point in the season.

That leaves replacing Morris at left tackle, and at this point it seems to be a two-way race between K’Rojhn Calbert and Dayne Davis. Calbert is a redshirt senior that has played in 32 games over his career, including five starts at tackle. He was limited to only 51 offensive snaps in 2020, but worked extensively at tackle during spring practice and should be the frontrunner in the battle.

Davis, on the other hand, is a former walk-on who has yet to see any action in his two seasons on Rocky Top. Despite his inexperience, Davis earned a scholarship in December 2020 and impressed his coaches enough in the spring to be a legitimate contender for the starting left tackle job.

Tennessee’s offensive line does not have the same caliber or star power as its predecessor did, but under a new regime of Heupel and the well-respected Elarbee, there is plenty of reason to believe this unit can take a step in the right direction.

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White announces contract extensions for nine head coaches ETHAN STONE Assistant Sports Editor

Tennessee athletic director Danny White announced that nine head coaches were granted contract extensions on Tuesday, July 13, solidifying their involvement with UT athletics for several seasons to come.

Highlighting the list of coaches that received extensions are Tony Vitello, Rick Barnes and Kellie Harper. The baseball, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball coaches, respectively, have seen their fair share of winning at the University of Tennessee and all received extensions through the 2026 season.

Success was plentiful across Tennessee athletics in the 2020-21 season. Tennessee was one of only three Division I schools to advance to the NCAA Tournament in men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, baseball, rowing, and softball.

Other names included in White’s announcement are both tennis coaches, Chris Woodruff and Alison Ojeda, men’s golf coach Brennan Webb, rowing coach Lisa Glenn, swimming and diving coach Matt Kredich, and softball coach Karen Weekly. Weekly’s contract was

extended following co-coach Ralph Weekly’s retirement from coaching in late June and runs through the 2025 season.

“First, I’d like to acknowledge the fact that I inherited a very impressive roster of head coaches when I arrived at Tennessee back in January,” White said. “That’s a credit to those who came before me. Extending contracts for successful coaches is one indicator of a healthy athletics program, and we plan on continuing to be aggressive with extensions and rewarding success moving forward.”

Lisa Glenn, the longest tenured coach at Tennessee, received a contact extension

Jason Beede / 247sports

through June of 2024. Glenn led the rowing team to a top 20 ranking and their ninth NCAA championships berth in 23 seasons.

Both Tennis coaches saw their contracts extended through the 2025-26 season. Chris Woodruff’s men’s team was arguably the most successful program on campus this past season, reaching the final four in the NCAA tournament that later resulted in Pat Harper and Adam Walton winning the program’s fourth individual championship over Auburn in doubles play.

Alison Odjeda’s team impressed as well.

Women’s tennis received a final ranking of

18th in the ITA polls, enough for Tennessee’s best finish to a season since 2011. The Lady Vols eventually fell to No. 14 Virginia in the second round of the NCAA tournament after besting James Madison in round one.

Swimming head coach Matt Kredich received an extension through the 2025-26 season. Kredich’s decade long tenure at the University of Tennessee is highlighted by a still active four season streak of top-20 finishes in men’s swimming. Prior to the pandemic, Kredich led the Lady Vols team to their first ever SEC championship in 2020.

Men’s golf coach Brennan Webb also finalized his extension through the 2026 season.

Webb and the men’s golf program have skyrocketed since his arrival three seasons ago, qualifying for their first NCAA championships appearance since 2013. Tennessee has claimed five tournament titles under Webb.

“I am excited to work with these talented leaders to ensure that our programs continue building toward our bold, ambitious future,” White concluded. “We want to support and maintain high graduation rates and championship aspirations—conference and national—across all of our sports.”

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Tennessee wide receivers set to shine in revitalized offense ETHAN STONE Assistant Sports Editor

To say it’s been a tumultuous offseason for Tennessee football would be putting it lightly.

The transfer portal hit where it counts, leaving the Vols without the services of some top offensive weapons such as Eric Gray and Ty Chandler to name a few.

The entire team will be nearly unrecognizable in comparison to last season; especially so when considering the complete pivot in systematic philosophy under first-year head coach Josh Heupel.

Even so, the loss of some of last season’s highest contributors makes it apparent that Heupel will have to find adequate production elsewhere at just about every position. Tennessee’s group of wide receivers are no exception.

Perhaps no unit shows as much potential, however. Even without the talent of last season’s top performers such as third round NFL draft selection Josh Palmer and UCF transfer Brandon Johnson, the Vols’ wideouts are poised for a breakout year in Heupel’s uptempo spread offense.

One major reason why is their depth of tal-

ented, qualified receivers for Tennessee’s system. Velus Jones Jr. and sophomore Jalin Hyatt will be featured as top targets in the offense, as well as a pair of junior weapons in Cedric Tillman and Ramel Keyton.

Jones is especially intriguing. The USC transfer will see a great amount of playing time as the number one option following a 2020 campaign where he recorded 280 receiving yards and three touchdowns, second only to Palmer. Jones also proved useful on special teams, averaging 22 yards per kickoff return.

“I feel like a kid in a candy store,” Jones stated at SEC Media Days concerning his place in the offense. “We’re going to have a lot of fun.”

Jalin Hyatt is in prime position to offer a deadly one-two punch alongside Jones in the depth chart. His freshman season proved to be one of the best in the SEC among receivers, and ended with his name placed firmly at second on the team in total receptions. Hyatt started in only one game last season against No. 5 Texas A&M. The Tennessee coaching administration addressed their offseason departures as well.

Heupel retained commitments from Walker Merrill and JUCO transfer Andison Coby, who committed to Tennessee just a week before Heupel was announced Tennessee’s 27th head coach. In addition, the Vols picked up speedy

Tennessee running back Ty Chandler (8) runs the ball during a game between Tennessee and Missouri at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020.

Calvin Mattheis/Pool via News Sentinel Mississippi State transfer JaVonta Payton.

When asked to summarize Payton and his place in the receiving core, Heupel stated, “We have some age at the top (of the depth chart), but we’re really young behind them. So his experience, having played in this league, I think is important for us and was an important piece for us to add this spring.”

Payton is playing his part in making the already promising wideout room even richer.

Payton recorded 19 catches for 225 yards and a

touchdown in 2020 before injuries slowed his season.

Payton, who played in Mike Leach’s air raid offense at Mississippi State, is one of many who can thrive in an offense where natural athleticism is a necessity. Look for him to compete with Tillman and Keyton to compliment Jones and Hyatt atop the depth chart this fall.

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Questions surround Tennessee’s depth at defensive line JOSH LANE Sports Editor

are among the more inexperienced, but former blue chip defensive line prosects who could see an increase in action this fall.

With all that being said, Banks does not expect one guy to hold down one specific spot on the line all season. In order to combat a weak depth chart, Banks has

Already one of Tennessee’s thinner roster positions,

emphasized versatility in the spring and early stages

the Vols’ defensive line took a big hit over the course of

of fall camp. For example, normal outside rushers like

the offseason. Their leading pass rusher from a year

Butler may line up on the inside from time to time.

ago, Deandre Johnson, transferred to Miami after the

“I just believe in versatility, and that’s what we’re

firing of Jeremy Pruitt and subsequent hiring of Josh

trying to develop,” Banks said. “As coaches, our job is

Heupel. Following him was Tennessee’s leading tackler

to put everybody in the best position to be successful.

Henry To’o To’o, who went to SEC rival Alabama. Kivon

We’re going to play to their strengths, whatever that is.

Bennett was also dismissed from the team following an arrest early in the 2020 season, just to name a few of the notable subtractions.

Now, it will be up to new defensive coordinator Tim Banks to make something out of this mess, create some depth on the front, and ultimately, put Tennessee and its fast-paced offense, the respective star of the show, in the best place to win.

“To win. That’s our number one goal,” Banks said at Tuesday’s Media Day. “We want to win. We want to find a way to do our part to make sure at the end of the day that UT is successful. What that looks like week in and week out, we don’t know. We have some core fundamentals and beliefs that we have that we think are critical to us playing great defense, but ultimately, our number one goal is just to win. That’s how we start everything, and that’s how we end everything. What do we need to do to win?”

Aubrey Solomon, #98, tackles an opposing player at the UAB football game in Neyland Stadium on Nov. 2, 2019.

Coleman Numbers / The Daily Beacon Leading the way on the defensive line is fifth year

hurry.

Outside of Butler and Solomon, the Vols have a cou-

pound lineman followed a breakout 2019 with another

ple of veterans looking to make the jump from a ser-

solid campaign in the pandemic-shortened 2020 sea-

viceable player to a high-impact contributor. LaTrell

son, one in which he started all 10 games and led the

Bumphus, a fifth year senior, has played in 38 games

Tennessee line with 43 tackles. Butler was named to

and started 12 times. He got off to a good start to 2020

the Preseason All-SEC Third Team entering 2021, as he

with 14 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack through

figures to anchor a young Tennessee attack.

the first five games, but a knee injury kept him out of the second half of the season.

his presence felt is Aubrey Solomon, a senior who

In a similar spot to Bumphus is redshirt junior Ku-

transferred to Knoxville after spending his first two

rott Garland. At 6-foot-3, 310, Garland has made six

collegiate years at Michigan. Solomon got into all 10

starts at the nose tackle position and figures to get

games for the Vols last season -- including six starts on

plenty of reps there as well.

the line -- and totaled 17 tackles and one quarterback

we want those guys to be able to play outside to inside.”

Whether that strategy pays off remains to be seen.

“super” senior Matthew Butler. The 6-foot-4, 295

Another experienced body that is looking to make

But if we were able to do it exactly how we want to do it,

Omari Thomas, Dominic Bailey and Amari McNeill

Banks all but confirmed Tuesday that his defense isn’t settling on one specific base, but rather will use multiple systems from week to week. With this approach, establishing depth will be even more important as players are rotated in and out based on the system. But that’s something that Banks and his staff are looking forward to.

“I think that’s the million-dollar question,” Banks said of the questions regarding his line’s depth. “I think that’s what we’re going to work toward. We have some guys that have played. We also have a lot of youth and a lot of unknowns at that position. That’s what makes it fun. We’re excited about the challenge.”

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Incoming transfer efficacy crucial to success at corner ETHAN STONE Assistant Sports Editor

This offseason, by nature, has raised plenty of questions concerning the product Tennessee will put to the field come Sept. 2.

The battle for starting quarterback, the thin linebacker corps, and even head coach Josh Heupel’s fit at the helm of it all is being analyzed and questioned more and more each day.

For the cornerback position, one area of concern stood above the others heading into fall camp – depth.

Tennessee’s leading producer at corner last season was signed by the New Orleans Saints after going undrafted, leaving the position thin leading into spring training. At the time, only three returning Vols had significant experience at the position.

Since then, Tennessee has turned to the transfer portal to fill the spots left in the roster. The Vols came away with Kamal Hadden and Brandon Turnage, both of whom can make an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball.

Turnage played in three games at Alabama last season after redshirting his

freshman year. Though the statistics won’t show it, his talent is certainly there and he, alongside Hadden, can provide significant reps in the secondary.

Hadden has seen the most playing time between the two. The No. 5 ranked JUCO corner is having a fantastic start to fall camp and will no doubt see the field this fall.

More than anything, the addition of both Turnage and Hadden will provide quality insurance for a previously thin group of cornerbacks. The overall success at the position could ultimately rely on the production these two can provide as the season

progresses.

“We felt coming out of spring that we didn’t have quite enough depth. But, obviously, having a couple of portal guys come into our program and come into the fold, we feel like we’ve established some depth,” defensive coordinator Tim Banks said at the start of fall camp. “Now, what that depth looks like is yet to be determined.”

Alontae Taylor, Warren Burrell, and Kenneth George Jr. are expected to highlight the majority of snaps at cornerback this season.

Taylor is a recognizable name for much of Vol nation. He is known as a leader on

Alontae Taylor, #2, waiting for the snap during the Mississippi State game on Oct. 12, 2019.

File / The Daily Beacon

defense and was one of the bright spots in a secondary that struggled heavily throughout head coach Jeremy Pruitt’s final season. Taylor did not allow a touchdown all year against SEC- level talent and totaled 29 tackles and one interception in just eight games. For all intents and purposes, the starting role is his to lose.

The other starting spot is up in the air.

Burrell and George both have strong potential to be something big for the Vols, but have struggled to make a lasting impact at the position.

Burrell started the final four games of the 2020 season and totaled 17 tackles and one pass breakup. He also made his presence known in the spring, posting a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Orange & White game.

George Jr. had similar production, and will likely see the field plenty as a Tennessee graduate.

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Nashville-based café Frothy Monkey to open Knoxville location in 2022 KEENAN THOMAS Staff Writer

Frothy Monkey will open a new location in Knoxville in 2022.

Started in 2004, Frothy Monkey is an all-day café that originated in Nashville, TN. Currently, they operate six locations in Nashville, Chattanooga and Franklin, TN. This new location will open on Gay Street in the Kress Building, which is owned by Thomas Boyd at 417 S. Gay St. The space occupies 4,500 sq. ft and will hold about 180 seats.

Their hours vary from location to location, but they typically open around 7 a.m. and close around 9 p.m.

Frothy Monkey serves a variety of food and drink options. They serve coffee, meals and alcoholic drinks throughout the day. Restaurant director Brittney Russler spoke about Frothy Monkey’s menu and their service.

“We do a lot of things really well,” Russler said. “Being in charge of the restaurants, I would say one of the best things that … we try and stand out on is hospitality. You can do coffee really well

munity is that what’s happening in the coffee culture is that places are coming in and raising awareness for good coffee,” Russler said. “I think that you should visit as many great coffee shops in the community as you can, because all we’re doing is helping each other know that coffee is a great thing and we can serve it in a fantastic way.”

Frothy Monkey is excited to enter into Knoxville’s competitive coffee market.

Managing Partner Ryan Pruitt talked about this competitiveness.

“We think it’s great,” Pruitt said.

“When you can have a good scene around specialty coffee, like Mahalo (Coffee Roasters), like Honeybee (Coffee), … the more people that are doing specialty coffee, the more customers are educated on what specialty coffee is, and that’s better for everybody.”

A nice, big brunch display from Frothy Monkey.

Courtesy of Frothy Monkey

and you can do food really well, but if you don’t have the service to back it up and be an … approachable place to be, then all of that is washed out the window.”

Russler also talked about how Frothy Monkey wants to connect with Knoxville’s coffee community.

“What I love about the coffee com-

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Hummingbird Latte from Frothy Monkey.

Courtesy of Frothy Monkey They hope to work with local coffee shops to promote each other and boost appreciation for coffee. They also want to work with artists and other collaborators in their restaurant space.

“Knoxville has such a great mix of arts and culture, especially that which comes out of the mountain culture,” Pruitt said.

Knoxville has such a great mix of arts and culture ... That’s really attractive to us.

RYAN PRUITT MANAGING PARTNER

“That’s really attractive to us. The arts community as a whole has been really big, big clientele, big supporters of us.”

They hope to create a space for everyone to gather, especially since they will be located in the heart of downtown Knoxville.

From work to meetings to dates, they want to offer something for everyone.

“It’s a pretty large space so that we can accommodate all different groups of people,” Russler said.

This Knoxville location will be Frothy Monkey’s first expansion since the COVID-19 pandemic. This opening will act

as a way for them to test the waters before diving further into growing and expanding their brand.

“Our first hope is that we can build a team here of managers and staff that align with what we’ve been able to get accomplished in Nashville and Chattanooga,” Pruitt said.

“We’re known for our people.”

They talked about maintaining sustainable growth as they continue to expand and reach more customers. However, they don’t want to grow too quickly and lose themselves in the process. “… It’s really important that our staff have fun while they’re at work and it feels family oriented and it feels like a team and you feel like you know you’re valued and taken care of, and if we ever lose that, that’s when I’m done,” Russler said. “That’s really important to me.”

They plan to open the Knoxville Frothy Monkey location sometime in 2022. But they need to finalize some of the finer details before they can get to work on the location itself. Russler said that they will get it open “when [they] pick up a hammer and get to work.”

They hope that Knoxville will welcome Frothy Monkey and that they’ll do well by staying focused in Tennessee.

“We’ve been trying to get into Knoxville for about four years,” Pruitt said. “We’re a neighborhood concept, and the fact that downtown Knoxville is a neighborhood … has also been really appealing to us. Plus, it’s a short drive and it’s in Tennessee, which is where we know how to do business.”

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The most anticipated film releases of fall 2021 CULLEN MCCURRY Contributor

director and the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally arriving this fall, fans have been anxiously awaiting the thrilling spy film starring Daniel Craig.

With a budget upwards of $250 million, the extravagant film will likely captivate audiences and members of the Academy alike.

As the film industry slowly but surely makes a comeback from the devastating effects of the pandemic, many film releases that were delayed or put on hold due to COVID-19 are finally arriving this fall. From surefire blockbusters to Oscar frontrunners, fall 2021 is expected to bring a variety of ambitious, post-pandemic projects to the big screen.

The traditional movie-going experience was temporarily halted by the pandemic, but has been on the mend following strong showings from summer blockbusters such as “Cruella,” “Zola” and “Black Widow.” As films that have been affected by COVID-19 continue to roar into the theaters, audiences have a great array of options for fall movie screenings.

Villeneuve spoke to SlashFilm about his intentions with the film, explaining that he “wanted the audience to feel deep inside their soul the journey that [he] felt as [he] was reading the book.”

The Last Duel (October 15) One of two Ridley Scott-directed films set to hit theaters this fall, “The Last Duel” stars Adam Driver, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Jodie Comer. The film is set in 14th century France, and centers around a rape allegation that leads to a clash between two knights.

The ambitious period piece seems to be a safe bet for the upcoming Academy Awards, as many of the individuals involved have received Oscar nods in the past.

The Many Saints of Newark (October 1) Expectations are high for the prequel to the critically acclaimed HBO series “The Sopranos.” Starring Michael Gandolfini and Vera Farmiga as a young Tony and Livia Soprano, respectively, the film is set in the 1960s, and is expected to dive into Tony Soprano’s young adulthood and explain how he evolved into the headstrong mob boss for which he is known.

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Dune (October 22)

Courtesy of IMDb No Time to Die (October 8) The long-awaited new entry into the “James Bond” film series has been in development for over five years, due to the departure of its initial

Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the classic 1965 novel features a star-studded cast including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Oscar Isaac. Trading in the campy tone of David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation for a more sleek and serious ambiance, the film will be released in theatres and on HBO Max simultaneously.

Courtesy of IMDb

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STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 “love letter to journalists,” weaving together three different stories. The film features an ensemble cast consisting of Anderson staples Tilda Swinton and Frances McDormand along with Timothée Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan.

Nightmare Alley (December 3) The latest from Oscar-winning director and writer Guillermo del Toro promises to bring the same twisted creativity

West Side Story (December 10)

Last Night in Soho (October 29)

Steven Spielberg’s take on the iconic Broadway musical grabbed the attention of cinephiles when newcomer Rachel Zegler was cast in the leading role. With a backdrop of 1950s New York City, Spielberg’s cinematic craft is expected to be on full display when the film hits screens this December.

Arriving right in time for Halloween, the psychological thriller written and directed by Edgar Wright stars Anya Taylor-Joy. Portraying a fashion designer who is transported to 1960s London, expectations are high following TaylorJoy’s Emmy-nominated performance in “The Queen’s Gambit.”

Spider-Man: No Way Home (December 17)

House of Gucci (November 24)

Courtesy of IMDb

The French Dispatch (October 22) Wes Anderson’s latest film debuted earlier this month at Cannes to rave reviews. Anderson described the film as a

that has made his other films so lovable.

With an all star cast consisting of Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe and Toni Collette, the psychological thriller is sure to strike a chord with moviegoers.

The latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s extensive canon brings back Tom Holland and Zendaya in the iconic roles of Peter Parker and MJ. A sequel to 2017’s “Homecoming” and 2019’s “Far From Home,” Jon Watt’s latest is sure to be a major box office success.

Ridley Scott’s second film coming out this year is centered around the 1995 murder of Maurizio Gucci, the head of Gucci, and stars Lady Gaga and Adam Driver. Photos of the two on set in Italy have led to immense hype for the film, Gaga’s first role since her Academy Award nominated performance in 2018’s “A Star is Born.”

Courtesy of IMDb

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UTK alum opens Illuminarium in Atlanta KEENAN THOMAS Staff Writer A University of Tennessee alum is set to open a new entertainment experience called Illuminarium in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 1.

UTK alum and entrepreneur Alan Greenberg is the CEO of Illuminarium. He has owned, operated and sold several businesses throughout his career. A few of his businesses include publishing Esquire magazine, Greenberg Network News and an online healthcare communication platform.

Illuminarium is his most recent and most expansive business. The first location will open in the Atlanta BeltLine on July 1. They plan on opening two more locations in Las Vegas and Miami by 2022. Price

Courtesy of Illuminarium will vary based on location, but will most likely be within the $30 to $40 range, not including discounts.

Their hours of operation are published on their website.

They aim to offer a new type of experience. Greenberg talked about the main goal of Illuminarium.

“We do our spectacles and … our mission is to democratize extraordinary experiences,” Greenberg said. “Not everybody’s been on a safari … but probably if you asked them if they’d like to go, 95% plus would say ‘Wow that’s a dream, I’d love to do it. If only I had the opportunity.’ So, we make that opportunity happen.”

Executive vice president of technology and content at Illuminarium Brian Allen discussed how different these experiences will be.

“Illuminarium is the next evolution in immersive entertainment,” Allen said. “There is no place in the world with the canvas and technological capabilities that we can offer. I like to say that we have created a new media format. Unlike (Virtual Reality) we offer a communal experience that surrounds you on all sides and even reacts to your interactions with it.”

They will showcase various types of experiences.

The first one that they will open with is called WILD,

which will act like an African safari trip. People will traverse through the Illuminarium building, going from room to room to see everything that the experience has to offer. It accomplishes this through various technologies working together to simulate what an actual safari trip would provide, including 22 feet tall canvas projections that wrap 350 feet around people.

Allen spoke about the technical accomplishments of the WILD experience.

“We captured the content of WILD … using specialized camera arrays we developed specifically for our immersive canvases,” Allen said. “Through the advent of native 4K projection, 3D beamformed audio systems, custom haptic floors, our LIDAR (Laser Imaging, Detection and Ranging) sensing system and scent delivery, we provide the technological back-

bone that will put you in the plains of the Serengeti to the hills of the Maasai Mara.”

Illuminarium experiences actively engage audiences as they move freely through the rooms.

“It’s much more like a museum experience, the way you would walk through a couple of different galleries in a museum,” Greenberg said. “You actually start in what we call Illuminarium Number One, where the pre-show is.”

For example, the WILD experience starts with a safari guide laying out what you hope to see during the trip before moving into the main room, Illuminarium Number Two, which holds around 500 people.

Greenberg said that the pre-show helps get audiences accustomed to the experience before becoming fully immersed in the spectacle.

Illuminarium plans on offering more experiences every six to nine months. Greenberg confirmed that a space exploration experience called SPACEWALK that will take people to the moon and Mars is currently in production and will start in 2022. After that, an ocean themed experience called AQUATICA will be created to show people parts of the ocean that they wouldn’t be able to see otherwise.

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STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39 Greenberg talked about how experiences like AQUATICA will show people how impressive the technology behind each experience is as well as the true scale of different parts of the world.

“Almost nobody has seen a humpback whale at scale, and that’s because no aquarium in the world could hold one,” he said. “But you will see that in Illuminarium. So the big creatures of the sea will be a focus, and also things that are disappearing, like the coral reefs around the world that 20 years ago were much more alive than they are today.”

Illuminarium will have a mission behind their experiences, whether that’s bringing awareness to something that is endangered or requires preservation. For example, Greenberg said that proceeds for WILD will go to wildark.org to promote programs that enhance biodiversity worldwide.

Currently, Illuminarium works with three partners for each location and experience. RadicalMedia handles the creation of each experience, working with high-end cameras and special effects equipment. The Rockwell Group handles the design of the buildings and rooms, with some of their previous work including stages used for the Academy Awards

Courtesy of Illuminarium

shows. Finally, Legends operates the venue aspects of Illuminarium.

Greenberg said that they are willing to work with other partners in the future, especially for creating new content to showcase at their locations. Other experiences that they would like to provide include museum and historical exhibits, live performances, artist showcases and even private events.

“Illuminarium is a place that can take you anyplace,” Greenberg said. “If you want to have a wedding in Paris in Atlanta, we can do that. So we can really make

it just about anything that you want it to be. If you can dream it, we can probably do it.”

Along with their main attractions, Illuminarium offers a late-night venue aptly titled Illuminarium After Dark. This will be a bar that uses their canvases to display sights from their experiences and all over the world.

In their first year, Illuminarium plans on opening two more locations after the launch of their Atlanta location. They will also produce two more experiences along with their WILD African safari. They hope

that they can expand to more than 40 locations all over the world, including Mexico, Australia, Europe and Asia. With that many locations, they project that around 30 million people would visit Illuminarium each year.

“We’re building a global experiential entertainment company,” Greenberg said.

They hope to change the entertainment world by offering a new kind of experience at Illuminarium.

“I am truly excited to see what the full potential of this format holds,” Allen said.

“There are so many ways we can think about using this blank canvas and the team and myself revel in the possibilities.

Through our (Illuminarum Lab Facility) space we have already started conceiving new shows and look forward to opening the format up to other creators excited about pushing the boundaries in the immersive space.”

Greenberg hopes that people in Knoxville and the University of Tennessee will make the trip to Atlanta to come experience everything that Illuminarium has to offer.