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Monday, November 1, 2010 Issue 51
E D I T O R I A L L Y
PUBLISHED SINCE 1906
S T U D E N T
Jury returns verdict on Anna Nicole Smith trial
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Stalled economy shows signs of life Blair Kuykendall Copy Editor UT Center for Business and Economic Research, CBER, has just released an appraisal on the economic climate for the next few years. The report is entitled “The Tennessee Business and Economic Outlook: Fall 2010.” Predicting slow economic growth for next few years, the report’s outlook cannot be construed as optimistic. The prognosis indicates it may be 2014 before pre-recession levels of prosperity return. Matthew Murray, professor of economics and associate director for CBER, authored the report. In evaluating the current economic climate, Murray was careful to rely only on verifiable evidence and concrete scientific research. “I stay in touch with economic news and data releases on an ongoing basis to keep the economy well framed in my mind,” Murray said. “I also maintain a statistical model of the state economy that is used to produce the forecast itself.” While the release of this particular economic appraisal was recent, CBER works with the government on a regular basis, offering guidance on the future of the state’s financial interworking. “The CBER has maintained an econometric model of the state economy for decades,” Murray said. “We receive our funding from the state. The forecast helps state government plan and update its budget outlook for the state.” The Tennessee economy has mirrored developments within the nation as a whole, except in the area of employment. Tennessee has witnessed a 5.6 percent decline in jobs, whereas the national average is only 4.3 percent. Causes of this phenomenon have been linked to the 14.2 percent cut in manufacturing within the state. The state lost 155,800 in 2009. Some of the sectors that expe-
rienced the worst effects were mining, construction and natural resource production. There are some encouraging signs in the economy, as the report predicts that all employment areas will see an increase in jobs next year. Unemployment rates will more than likely still soar, however, as previously discouraged workers begin to look for jobs again. These “discouraged workers” tend to skew traditional reports on unemployment rates, because they are potentially productive members of society but have given up seeking work. Overall, Murray offers a positive outlook on Tennessee’s future, especially given the gravity of the latest recession.
“ ” The growing amount of
budget cuts are definitely having deep impacts.
– Shelby Talbott, on UT’s economic outlook
“It may take the full five-year window to restore levels of economic activity to where they were before the recession started,” Murray said. “While the recession officially began in December 2007, many measures of economic activity showed signs of weakening as far back as 2005. Growth should slowly improve in the quarters ahead though the unemployment rate will remain high throughout the next five years.” Though parts of the report prove at least favorable, the population will still face a sluggish economic revival in the immediate
future. “The prolonged and weak nature of the economy means that state and local government budgets will remain tight for the foreseeable future,” Murray said. “This will require careful planning and, in all likelihood, further budget cuts, given the anti-tax sentiment.” This dearth of tax revenue is crippling for UT, both on an institutional and individual level. The university has faced wide-ranging budget cuts to various colleges and programs, notably the College of Nursing. “The growing amount of budget cuts are definitely having deep impacts,” Shelby Talbott, junior in the College of Business, said. “Especially disappointing are the budget cuts to the nursing program, which is a field that is critically important to both the state and the nation right now.” Students are feeling the economic crisis through tuition hikes as well, which can only be expected to endure through the remainder of the recession. However, some hope does appear to be on the horizon. Sales across the state of Tennessee showed a marked increase in the second quarter of 2010, even after a 7-percent decline last year. Though the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will expire next year, this report did not predict another recession as a result of stimulus-fund expiration. Murray cautioned students that they will face a bleak job market upon graduation. Also, he lamented that budget cuts across the state had already impacted UT and will continue to in the foreseeable future. However, students should be encouraged that increasing their economic viability during a downturn is a wise move. Developing specialized intellectual skills will increase their marketability in the future.
Chancellor promotes diversity Cheek calls for increased minority representation
Associated Press The chancellor at UT says there is slow progress diversifying the faculty, which is mostly made up of white men. In 2005, about 15 percent of tenure-line faculty were nonwhite. That has risen to about 18 percent now. The percent of women faculty has risen from 29 percent to about 31 percent over the same period. “When students come here to school, they want to see role models like them,” Chancellor Jimmy Cheek said. “So it’s our job to make sure our faculty are more reflective of the people of the state, and that might have more diversity than where they came from.” Cheek told The Knoxville News Sentinel the issue is partly generational. The professors who have been in Knoxville the longest are mostly white men. Cheek said he is working to make the university more diverse each year. He said engineering is a bright spot: Of nine tenure-line faculty added this year, four are women and one is a black woman. On Thursday, he met with a search consultant for the vice chancellor of research position, and the two talked about creating a diverse pool of candidates. He also is asking department heads to increase diversity. Diversity became an issue in the recent search for a system president when all finalists were white men. Some faculty members complained and trustees received requests to suspend the search for a more inclusive pool to be recruited. “It’s really more about representing the populations you want to attract,” said Faculty Senate President Joan Heminway, a member of the
Presidential Search Advisory Committee. “We’re not denying the fact that the people whose names were presented to the board were highly qualified. We did get that quality; that’s not the issue. I’m complaining that we didn't get the quality with the diversity. And I think we should strive for more.” Presidencies are becoming more difficult and consuming jobs with heftier responsibilities than in the past, said Claire Van Ummersen, a senior adviser at the American Council on Education in Washington, D.C., and a former university system president in New Hampshire. A recent poll of women provosts by ACE showed that more than half did not want to move into the presidency, Van Ummersen said. “There are so many reasons that may deter someone from moving into a presidency, and it’s not a question of ambition, because I think some women have an ambition to be president,” she said. Van Ummersen said “women aren’t quite as mobile as men, and they’re still the major caregivers, and they’re now doing a large share of elder care and they may be placebound because of that. And some people just have a passion for teaching and research.” Cheek said people on campus “need to see diversity all along the way.” The chancellor’s 10-person cabinet, which includes two athletic directors and the provost, is comprised of five women and five men. There is no ethnic diversity, which Cheek said he wants in the future. “If we say we believe in diversity...and the senior leadership of the university doesn’t have any diversity, then that’s a contradiction to what we believe,” Cheek said.
Joy Hill• The Daily Beacon
A Chick-fil-A Cow directs students towards the restaurant’s location in Rocky Top Café on Wednesday, Oct. 27. Despite the species’ typical vegetarian propensities, this particular bovine prefers the offerings of Chick-Fil-A’s chicken-filled menu which is available to students 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday.
UT Gardens celebrates fall season Alyce Howel Staff Writer Those looking to experience more treats than tricks this Halloween season turned to the UT Gardens. The UT Gardens, located on the west campus off Neyland Drive, hosted Trick or Trees on Saturday, Oct. 30 from noon to 4 p.m. Emily Smith, education and special event coordinator, came up with the idea and wanted to expose the gardens to more families. “It is a family event to celebrate the fall and to explore the grounds,” she said. The event was geared toward families with children 12 years old and younger. The children were required to be accompanied by adults at all
times. Everyone was encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes in the spirit of the season. The visitors took a leisurely stroll through the gardens and enjoyed the changing of the leaves and visiting each of the five activity stations. In the Pumpkin Play station, visitors were educated about pumpkins, a Halloween staple. In the Buggy Boo station, attendees learned about bees, butterflies and other bugs that can be found in a garden. The Bootiful Creature station featured Ben the Balloon Man, who was there to create balloon creatures for his customers. In the Creepy Crawlies station, visitors learned about spiders and other crawlers while at the event.
Visitors were able to learn all about trees and make souvenirs to take home at the Spooktacular Trees station. Smith said this was a perfect way for families to have a good time outside, learning about the plants and insects that make up a garden. This weekend was the first time the UT Gardens has hosted the Trick or Trees event, possibly signaling the start of a new tradition. However, there were some concern expressed among students about the choice of venue. “I don’t think it would be a great idea to have this event on a university campus, because it’s geared to younger kids, especially since it’s close to Halloween,” Jessica Barlow, a senior in English, said