Follow us: @DailyBeacon
“Paranormal Activity 2” lacks suspense of prequel
Vols, Lady Vols basketball practice reports
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
PAGE 6 T H E
E D I T O R I A L L Y
Cloudy with a 70% chance of rain HIGH LOW 79 66
Issue 47
PUBLISHED SINCE 1906 http://utdailybeacon.com
Vol. 115
I N D E P E N D E N T
S T U D E N T
N E W S P A P E R
O F
T H E
U N I V E R S I T Y
PAGE 5 O F
T E N N E S S E E
Students perceive diversity, racism differently Walker was born in nearby Oak Ridge, but spent seven years living in the U.K., before his family returned to the U.S., where they have lived for the past 12 years. Managing Editor He says that he has always been aware of the stereotypes about Asians in math and sciences but also points out that the With October being Global Diversity Month and initiatives stereotype does not really exist. on campus, like Ready for the World and Life of the Mind, “I guess it’s probably a coincidence being in the neighborpushing for broader perspective, it is often easy to glance over hood of Oak Ridge where there are a lot of people from all over the reality of what it is like to be a minority on UT’s campus. the world, and a lot of the foreign people I have met in Brittany Vasquez, junior in anthropology, says one of the Knoxville are in the sciences and mainly employed in Oak biggest challenges facing UT students today is the unwillingRidge,” Walker said. “I have grown up mainly knowing Asian ness to accept diversity as a part of campus life. people that were in the sciences. I don’t think it “The fact that people reject that diveris really a stereotype, though. The first professor sity is the biggest challenge,” Vasquez from mainland China at UT is a political science said. “That is where prejudices start and professor.” where they are allowed to foster and Walker says that he originally chose his major grow. You have to begin to understand based on an interest in medical school but that those that are not like you to even start he quickly grew fond of the material. to work past any of the underlying prob“I decided initially to pick nuclear engineerlems within society. To understand your ing because I was interested in medical school, enemies can only strengthen your ability and there are a lot of opportunities to work with to move past differences and anger to radiology and oncology,” he said. “Once I got love.” involved with working at Oak Ridge, that pushed Vasquez also feels that this resistance me into national security and nuclear topology. I to understanding is one of the most found that interesting and fun as well.” hurtful things to UT students in terms of Walker is currently an intern for ORNL, enriching their college experience. where he is working on a project involving “It's just a lack of understanding or nuclear materials identification systems. He has apathy,” she said. worked at ORNL since the summer of 2009, and “When I think about it, I am not so he completed an internship with the U.S. Navy sure if the lack of understanding comes this past summer. from ignorance or a conscientious deciHe says that in his spare time he enjoys the sion not to want to understand,” outdoors, playing the piano, and the opera. He Vasquez said. “If it’s the latter, I think we currently sits on the Knoxville Opera Board of begin to tread into apathy which, in my Directors. George Richardson • The Daily Beacon opinion, would be bad ... actually, really Walker says that he isn’t sure what the future bad. Again, I think empathy is the Mark Walker, junior nuclear engineering major, and Brittany Vasquez, junior in anthrobiggest answer to many of the problems pology, enjoy working jobs in their fields. Mark works as an intern at ORNL, while holds, but he is not content to limit himself to one particular focus of interest. He says that one in the world — at least that, and love — Brittany works at UT’s Body Farm. of his possible interests includes applying to law and apathy just allows intolerance to school. degrees, I am looking to compete for some competitive nationgrow and expand throughout society.” “I like to keep myself interested by doing different things all Vasquez says that discrimination has been a part of her life ally and internationally prestigious baccalaureate and post-bacthe time,” said Walker. “I don’t want to confine myself to one since before she came to UT, and that her experiences with calaureate scholarships.” She says that beyond her career aspirations, she aspires to specific field for the rest of my life; I want to split things up.” discrimination have helped shape her view points. Vasquez and Walker both agree that UT has made huge “I have experienced two major events in my life where dis- work towards global improvement. amounts of progress in making the campus more diversity “My career aspirations basically revolve around my desire crimination was a key part,” Vasquez said. “In high school, one friendly, but Vasquez offers a solution for how the campus can to help the world and make it a better place,” said Vasquez. “I of my best friends discredited every single one of my major accomplishments by attributing them to my Hispanic heritage. would like to travel around the world, identifying bodies and continue to grow in tolerance and be a more welcoming atmosThe other deals with my current relationship, where a girl relieving the pain and suffering that so many people in this phere. “We have to breed empathy and understanding, period,” she became jealous of me and used my ethnicity as her major form world have to deal with on a daily basis.” said. “One can never completely understand another person’s Mark Walker, junior in nuclear engineering, often finds his of insult. struggles. They can only make an attempt to try, and that is experiences on campus defined by his accent. “Without these two experiences, I think I would have “You know, I really never identified myself as a British per- definitely needed. My cultural anthropology classes have realremained blissfully oblivious or naive to current prejudices in our society and to the hurt that can be caused by only a few son,” Walker says. “I have an accent, and a lot of people pick ly inspired these ideas in me. To stop all the violence and aniwords, and I think without experiencing these things first- up on that. I have to explain myself a little bit. When people mosity that surrounds other cultures, you have to not only hand, no one can really fully understand either of these ask me where I’m from and say Oak Ridge, they're a little learn about the other culture but appreciate for its intrinsic and self-perceived importance.” incredulous.” trends.”
Brandi Panter
Vasquez wants to attend medical school after graduation to eventually become a pathologist. She currently works at UT’s Body Farm, which was a huge factor in why she chose anthropology as her major. “I chose my major for one main point: the Body Farm,” she said. “Since I was little, I have wanted to work in forensics — mainly as a forensic pathologist — and the Forensic Anthropology Center has always been of interest to me. Along with wanting to do autopsies, I want to feel comfortable with my bone knowledge, so that when bones end up in my morgue, I will know what to do. Beyond accomplishing getting my
Chancellor leads lunch forum Kyle Turner News Editor Chancellor Jimmy Cheek hosted a lunch Monday, Oct. 25, with faculty and staff at the Ready for the World Café. The first 50 staff and faculty in attendance were treated to free meals by the Chancellor in an attempt to facilitate the open forum. The purpose of the event, according to Cheek, was to further increase communication between the chancellor and faculty at UT. Chancellor Cheek fielded questions before a packed room of faculty regarding issues of most concern to those in attendance. A large portion of the Q-and-A session involved the issue of diversity not only among students, but faculty as well. The Chancellor stated that the diversity existent among faculty at this point in time is higher than it has ever been, citing an increase in AfricanAmerican, Hispanic and Native American faculty. “The College of Engineering for example has added nine educators this year, five males and four females,” Cheek said. “A department that traditionally composed of older white men.” The idea of appointing a chief diversity officer was on the minds of some in attendance. Cheek told of the ongoing conversation, which has existed regarding a diversity officer within the university, but he has not been able to bring the position to fruition for a number of reasons. “We are currently facing budgetary constraints of $57 million less than we had two and a half years ago, a 30-percent cut,” Cheek said. “The position has always been on our minds, but it is hard to add a position in this tough economic environment.” Cheek cited the goal of graduating students taking higher priority than adding additional staff at the moment. “Not having a diversity officer is tough, especially because it would take away from putting teachers
in the classrooms,” said Cheek. The recent news of Bruce Bursten stepping down as dean of arts and sciences also raised concerns of those within the college, which will be left without a dean. Provost Susan Martin responded by detailing the current collaborations and advisory that has been sought within the college for a replacement. “First we have to focus on finding an interim dean and then move into the process of conducting a national search,” Martin said. “I’ve done all I can do for today, and I think we will move forward very quickly.” Cheek reiterated the commitment he made to students and parents at this fall’s orientation regarding a four-year graduation goal for all students. At this year’s orientation, a clear objective of having the students graduating on time was explained, even handing out tassels of ‘2014’ for graduation caps. The Board has provided the tuition increases asked for in an attempt to help combat the problem of prolonged graduation rates, according to Cheek. Cheek stated the university will put a lot of focus on providing the classes needed as well as a more intrusive advising strategy, all helped by the increase in tuition. “If they are bright enough to come here, they can certainly graduate on time,” Cheek said. Mindful of the audience, Chancellor Cheek addressed the issue of pay increases for faculty, something that has not occurred for nearly four years. “Our most valuable resources are our people, and we must do all we can to keep them,” said Cheek. A 5-percent raise in salary faculty would cost $12 million, which translates to a 7.5-percent tuition increase. The importance of civility on campus was reinforced by the Chancellor. “We want to be welcoming to all and hostile to none,” Cheek said.
Tara Sripunvoraskul • The Daily Beacon
Naima Cortez, left, helps teach students the art of lantern making at Chinese Culture Night at the International House on Friday, Oct. 22. The International House hosts a number of events from language labs to film viewings to let students travel the world with little more than a 10 minute walk from the dorms.