Volume 149, Issue 07
OPINION: ‘Cornell 7’
George MacIntyre avenged Arkansas
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Wednesday, October 14, 2026
@utkdailybeacon
UT Title IX office saw 78 sexual misconduct reports in 2025. It resolved 9. OLIVIA LEE News Editor The University of Tennessee community is one of many university communities nationwide currently wrapped up in conversation about sexual misconduct and institutional accountability. A sexual assault case at Cornell University sparked the prolific conversation, garnering national attention at higher education institutions after being publicized online in late September. The case details a student, referred to as Jane Doe, alleging seven men raped her in a fraternity house in October 2024. Doe filed a lawsuit against multiple parties, including the seven men and Cornell. As the conversation rattles UT, the UT Office of Title IX offers data for community members to view related to sexual misconduct. The office publishes sexual misconduct report data yearly in its Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, Stalking, and Retaliation Annual Report. “While not required, we have elected to publish our campus data each year and have hosted a Title IX Town Hall each semester to answer community questions and increase awareness,” Ashley Blamey, Title IX coordinator and chief campus compliance officer, said. In 2025, the Office of Title IX received 78 sexual misconduct reports. This included a number of reports in all four categories defined under sexual misconduct, including 37 rape reports, 14 fondling reports, 14 sexual exploitation reports and 13 sexual harrassment reports. The total number of sexual misconduct reports fell from 85 in 2024. The university did not list any of the reports as pending
investigation or hearing. Nine reports received an alternative or informal resolution, with four resulting in educational sanction, probation or deferred suspension. Five resulted in separation from the university or withholding or revocation of degree. The unviversity administered limited action to 51 reports. In 25 reports, the complainant chose not to file a formal complaint or the formal complaint was outside the parameters of the policy. In three reports, the complainant remained unknown or not able to be identified. In 23 reports, the complainant was not responsive to contact. The university did not resolve 18 reports due to respondents being unidentified or unknown. Beyond transparency, Blamey explained the Title IX office’s role in helping students handle sexual misconduct matters. “When the Office of Title IX makes contact with the complainant, they are provided with their rights, supportive measures, and reporting options,” Blamey said. “We respect each complainant’s right to make their own choices, including the decision to file a formal complaint with the University or report to law enforcement.” On a student level, campus organizations have held events and expressed the need to talk about institutional accountability in the context of sexual misconduct. The Rock displayed the words “I am Jane Doe” Oct. 4 after being painted in response to the case. At higher education institutions across the country, students have referred to themselves as Doe, the name used to refer to the student in the case, in an act of support.
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The Rock is painted to raise awareness of an alleged sexual assault at Cornell on Oct. 4. Camden Hall / The Daily Beacon
Flyover during the National Anthem during the game between the Auburn Tigers and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on Oct. 3. Courtesy of Elliot Walker.
Behind the flyover
How military precision takes flight at Neyland CADEN DYER Editor Emeritus The countdown to kickoff had begun, and Tech. Sgt. Phillip Geerts was getting nervous. From his perch on top of Neyland Stadium, Geerts prepared to call in the plane that was set to do the stadium flyover ahead of Tennessee’s football game against Auburn. As a Joint Terminal Attack Controller-certified member of the flyover crew, he would be responsible for timing the flyover just right, as well as ensuring the airspace above the stadium stayed clear. In every flyover, timing is essential. The plane crew can’t hear the band, and the band can’t stop what it’s doing to match the aircraft’s speed. Everything relies on the person in Geerts’ role (sometimes referred to as “the JTAC”). Even a 10-second deviation can throw everything off. JTACs like Geerts normally direct combat aircraft to coordinate airstrikes. And although his typical day in the military looks different than a Neyland game, Geerts said the pressure of coordinating the flyover produced a different kind of nerves. The Pride of the Southland Band came marching out onto the field and Geerts felt like they were late. He started listening to the band, trying to keep track of the timing. Somewhere along the way, he got lost. Meanwhile, the aircraft — a C-17 from the 315th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina — had left its holding pattern 10 miles south of Neyland Stadium and would be arriving soon. The aircraft commander needed timing in minutes and seconds — should he slow down, speed up or continue to follow the agreed-upon time? Suddenly, Geerts wasn’t exactly sure. Still listening to the Pride, he gave an estimate. The plane came in early —
almost 10 seconds early. So instead of following its original sideline-to-sideline course, it took a turn around the stadium instead and crossed the field northbound right on time. “They would have been early had they not banked out toward the south side of the stadium,” Geerts said. “(The plane) leveled out right as he pulled over, and the crowd went nuts.” The timing was perfect. Neyland Stadium erupted into raucous cheers as the C-17 flew overhead, and “Home of the brave!” echoed into the airwaves. Geerts breathed a sigh of relief. Looking back a few days later, he would call it “all a blur.” The Neyland Effect Flyovers don’t just magically happen. They require coordination between UT Athletics, the military, university police and others. Approval processes and paperwork start months in advance. And it’s a different volunteer-based crew every time. Well, mostly. Associate Athletics Director of Marketing and Fan Experience Jimmy Delaney is a key piece of every flyover puzzle. At Athletic Director Danny White’s UT, the fans are a huge focus. Not only has UT garnered millions more in financial contributions since White’s start in 2021, but small touches on the gameday experience (like flyovers) have taken off. Delaney loves it. “There’s a team of folks that are there with me and we’re making all things Neyland awesome — or the ‘Neyland Effect,’ as we call it. So everything you see and feel in the game: from videos to music to Sterl to the band, light shows,” Delaney said. “Flyovers obviously are one aspect of what we do.” Delaney said that since 2021, flyovers are something they try to do every single game
— weather and time permitting, of course. Flyovers aren’t an option for late games, and sometimes stormy skies throw a wrench in the preferred plan, but both the military and the athletics department work to overcommunicate on the front end, ensuring last minute changes still go over smoothly. “We’ve really had a ton of emphasis on communication,” Delaney said. “We communicate and we overcommunicate. The more people that know, the better it’s going to be, and the more success you’re lined up for.” Outside of the crew itself, Delaney’s team is generally eight to 10 people on gameday. Between field coordination, getting vehicles to the stadium, and helping usher the crew out onto the field after halftime to be recognized, the nonstop pace relies on being prepared and having backup plans. “When you think about it,” Delaney said, “The flyover is 10 seconds over the stadium, but we spend hours and days and months for everything into it.”
Luke Goins / The Daily Beacon
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Vols set to host Alabama for Third Saturday in October TREVOR MCGEE Sports Editor The Third Saturday in October awaits. Tennessee football hosts No. 6 Alabama at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at Neyland Stadium, looking to extend its recent success in the rivalry. The No. 14 Vols (5–1, 2–1 SEC) have won the last two meetings in Knoxville, while the Crimson Tide (5–1, 2–1) are coming off a loss and looking to avoid consecutive regular-season defeats for the first time since 2007.
Head coach Josh Heupel has one offering for Saturday. “I encourage our fans to take advantage of half-priced happy hour and get hydrated for the football game on Saturday afternoon,” he said. Alabama is coming off a 20–17 loss to No. 1 Georgia. The Crimson Tide remained within striking distance late, but Georgia held on for the win in a game that featured difficult weather conditions and limited offensive production. The game was no indictment of Alabama’s offense, though.
What Alabama football presents Alabama is averaging 44.2 points per game this season, a mark clearing every other school in the nation. Sophomore Keelon Russell has emerged as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country with over 1,800 total yards and 16 touchdowns. His ability to extend plays with his legs will present another challenge for Tennessee’s defense.
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Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel celebrates a 24-17 victory over Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Oct. 10. David Smith / The Daily Beacon
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News
The Daily Beacon
@utkdailybeacon | October 14, 2026 | www.utdailybeacon.com
UT sexual misconduct policies remain unchanged amid Title IX repeal CASSIDY GASPARD Staff Writer On Aug. 1, 2024, former President Joe Biden expanded the civil rights protections included under Title IX. The revisions clarified that “sex discrimination” under Title IX includes discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, sex stereotypes, pregnancy and related conditions. These changes were never installed at the University of Tennessee. The state of Tennessee, along with 25 other states, filed a federal lawsuit that blocked the rule from taking effect. “While the U.S. Department of Education recently rescinded 2024 Title IX regulations nationwide, the regulations never took effect in the state of Tennessee,” UT’s Title IX Coordinator Ashley Blamey said. “A federal court in June 2024 issued a preliminary injunction that prevented the implementation of the 2024 regulations in Tennessee and several other states.” On Sept. 28, the Trump administration formally rescinded the Biden administration’s 2024 Title IX regulations and reinstated the former 2020 regulations. These changes remove the explicitly extended protections to sexual orientation and sexual identity, generating concerns surrounding transgender athletes, sex-separated spaces and pronoun use. According to the U.S. Department of Education,
“This once again aligns Title IX’s sex-based protections with biological reality, not ideological fantasy. ” The federal rollback did not affect the university’s existing policies. “The University of Tennessee’s Policy on Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Dating and Domestic Violence, and Stalking has largely remained unchanged since 2020,” Blamey said. According to the UT Title IX Office’s 2025 Annual Report, the UT Title IX Office received 529 reports from students and employees in 2025, an increase of 20 reports from 2024 and 71 from 2023. The report also recorded 40 instances of dating and domestic violence, 17 more than in 2024, along with 78 cases of sexual misconduct and 40 cases of stalking. “Each year, the Office of Title IX notifies our campus community of the university’s current Title IX policy, previews prevention and awareness activities, and asks our community to share questions, concerns and feedback. In addition, the Office of Title IX publishes an annual report that provides a transparent, comprehensive view of our work, including a prevention overview and campus partners’ collaboration in this work,” Blamey said. Out of the related reports, only one had a pending investigation or hearing. One hundred and sixteen received some form of limited action, while 15 resulted in an alternative or informal resolution.
Graphic by Shelby Perdue
The report includes outcomes such as suspensions and withheld degrees. Blamey said students can access support services and resources through the Title
IX Office without necessarily initiating an investigation. “Student support options, called supportive measures, are available to students from the Office of Title IX,” Blamey
said. “Supportive measures are available even if the individual chooses not to report the incident to law enforcement or initiate a university investigation.”
KPD addresses accountability as chief gets off suspension MAGGIE DUCKETT Contributor
Members of BridgeUTK introduce themselves at a debate hosted by BridgeUTK at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, on, Oct. 12. Elan Gurevich / The Daily Beacon
UT Title IX Office | cont. from Page 1 Three days later, on Oct. 7, The Rock had a new message, displaying the words “Stop Protecting Rapists.” Bridge UTK, a student organization focused on fostering spaces for multipartisan civil discourse, hosted a conversation Monday evening centered around the case, offering students time to talk with peers about what education institutions’ responsibilities should look like. Students of differing opinions joined discussions at tables during the meeting to share their beliefs. “I’ve been seeing a lot of it on my Instagram page and everything, so I just want to kind of see what other people are thinking that are in the area,” Cameron McNally, a freshman public health major, said. Some students expressed dissatisfaction in UT’s performance on sexual misconduct situations. “I do think that institutions in general, and particularly UTK, could do a bit better when it comes to sexual violence,” Kiley Perez, a junior global and Hispanic studies major, said. Students brought up an email sent to the UT community
Aug. 31 reporting four incidents occurring at on-campus fraternity houses the weekend of Aug. 28. Three of the incidents involved reported sexual assault, and one involved suspected drugging, the email said. “Every sexual assault incident is different for each individual, and the university supports and respects the decisions made by the students involved on how they wish to proceed,” the email said. The email did not name specific fraternity organizations involved in the reports. The email defined consent and provided a list of ‘Going out’ safety tips. “It is important to remember that sexual misconduct is never the fault of the victim,” the email said. Perez said UT could play a role in improving institutional accountability as sexual assault at universities remains in the national spotlight. “I think it looks different campus to campus, but I think UT should especially put a bit more thought and consideration into things like this,” Perez said.
Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel returned to his position on Sept. 6 after facing a monthlong suspension without pay for inappropriately texting a younger, subordinate police officer. Despite the incident, the Knoxville Police Department has not reviewed or updated its policies, maintaining that its existing accountability systems worked as intended. During his suspension, the department required Noel to complete counseling and leadership training before returning to work. His return raised questions about how the department would address the incident internally and maintain public confidence in its leadership. On his first day back, Noel spoke to his officers about the incident. “He stood in front of our employees and told them that he was sorry,” Scott Erland, the department’s communication manager, said. “Sorry for any distraction it caused and sorry for the impact it had. That was really important for him.” Beyond addressing employees, Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon had expectations for Noel’s return as well, emphasizing the importance of pushing through to be able to continue meaningful work at the department. “Chief Noel has pledged that he will work tirelessly to regain the trust of the community,” Kristin Farley, the communications director for the City of Knoxville, said. “Mayor Kincannon believes he can learn from this and continue the impactful work underway at KPD.” Rather than announcing new initiatives following Noel’s suspension, the department plans to continue its existing approach to community engagement. Erland said the department is focused on continuing to be transparent and maintaining open communication with the community. Erland said community trust could not be broken after one
incident, and the department will continue to foster the relationships they had already established. “Trust doesn’t work in this way of, like, there was this piggy bank of trust, and now it’s empty,” Erland said. “You know you’re always building on trust and you’re always building on what you had before.” The department’s handling of Noel’s conduct also comes after a separate April investigation involving allegations of sexual misconduct between two officers. Officer Jasmine Reed had involvement in both incidents. The two investigations raise questions about how the department evaluates misconduct and determines whether broader change is necessary. Despite the separate incidents, Erland said the department does not view Noel’s conduct as evidence of a systemic issue within the department.
“I think this is actually a great example of how the systems that were built here worked as they’re intended to work,” Erland said. Erland said the department’s existing disciplinary procedures are effective for enforcing accountability, emphasizing that officers are expected to take responsibility for misconduct regardless of rank. As Noel resumes his leadership position, Erland said the chief is asking for the opportunity to move past this incident in the same way he teaches his subordinates. “When he handles disciplinary matters as a chief, he sits across from our employees and he asks for them to accept responsibility for those mistakes, learn from them and you know, move forward,” Erland said. “He’s just looking for the opportunity to do the same thing.”
Gay Street stretches through downtown Knoxville. File.
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Institute of Agriculture builds protein innovation center LOGAN WEST Staff Writer The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is striving to meet workforce demand in the meat industry with construction of the new Center for Protein Innovation to train students in meat processing and food safety. One of the main goals of the institute’s five-year strategic plan aims to invest in facilities and scientific infrastructure, including the building of the center. Spurred by the global COVID-19 pandemic, a major shortage of processing facilities certified by the United States Department of Agriculture emerged nationwide — forcing farmers to travel long distances and increasing meat prices for consumers. In recent years, the United States Department of Agriculture has targeted small meat plants to combat these deficits. Even with the increase in capacity, specialized training is not widely offered. For this reason, the Center for Protein Innovation aims to provide workforce development for students who plan to step into processing roles after graduation. Following a period of financial constraint during the late 1990s, the university removed the original meat lab during a renovation of the food science building on UT’s agriculture campus. Justin Rhinehart, dean of UT Extension, experienced the old meat lab during his time as an undergraduate student at the university. “I learned more in the lab than any other class that I took at the university,” Rhinehart said, reminiscing on the former processing facility.
“It’s really hard to have really good instruction in animal science and food science without having a meat lab. It’s where you learn how the production management technologies translate into actual food quality and safety.” Over 20 years later, this new facility aims to provide students
It’s really hard to have really good instruction in animal science and food science without having a meat lab. It’s where you learn how the production management technologies translate into actual food quality and safety.” JUSTIN RINEHART Dean of UT Extension
with hands-on experience from harvest to fabrication into retail cuts of meat. Neal Schrick, animal science department head, dreamt up the idea for the center shortly after his appointment to leadership in 2011. He said he wished to see a revival of experiential learning methods. “I wanted to see a meat lab return because if you’re an animal science student, how better to learn anatomy than working in a meat lab,” Schrick said. “You get that hands-on approach, and that’s what (agriculture) campus does better than anyone.” Through a joint venture between animal science and food science departments, the facility will be the first of its kind at a 4-year institution — harboring the ability to process beef, sheep, goats, swine and poultry. The 15,000-square-foot building will feature a fully functional meat processing
setup, elevated classroom, built-in smokehouse and ready-to-eat area for processed meats like pepperoni and sausage. Kelly Vierck, food science assistant professor and state meat science extension specialist, says this center will be an asset to the state of Tennessee. “We’re very excited to be opening this facility to help out the entire livestock and meat industry in the state of Tennessee,” Vierck said. “I like to call it a pasture to plate or a farm to fork approach. We can bring animals in, harvest them there and basically have a completely UT-finished product.” This venture will also provide educational opportunities for students within the College of Veterinary Medicine. Medical examinations are required for all livestock prior to harvest in commercial facilities. “Prior to an animal being
Graphic by Amelie Carrillo harvested, we want to make sure that it’s healthy and not exhibiting any signs of disease, and so they can look at those animals ahead of time and evaluate them,” Vierck said. “We’re going to partner with the College of Veterinary Medicine to have them come in and train during harvest.” The Center for Protein Innovation will offer a wide range of learning experiences for students, farmers and high school students through dedicated programs and stateof-the-art facilities. According to Rhinehart, this large-scale undertaking exemplifies the goal of the land-grant system: to serve and educate the community. “It’s kind of a perfect example of how the land grant mission should work,” Rhinehart said. “You know, find the need, teach it to the students and teach it to everybody else in the state that needs that information.”
Flyover | cont. from Page 1 Falling to Plan ‘B’ Flyovers aren’t the time to improvise and create a new plan. Like the Auburn game. Originally, there were meant to be two C-17 Globemaster III planes in the flyover. UT alum and ‘07 grad Lt. Col. Clarke Belfanti was flying in one of them. Belfanti’s childhood dream had always been architecture, but he loved aviation even as a kid. He studied architecture at UT while simultaneously serving with ROTC and eventually went into pilot training. On an Oklahoma base, he learned how to fly C-17s, a flexible aircraftdesigned to transport both cargo and troops. “The great thing about the C-17 is we can go anywhere, anytime,” Belfanti said. “Just kind of never know where you’re going to end up in the C-17.” In the week before the Auburn game, Belfanti’s excitement slowly built. This wouldn’t be his first flyover, but he was looking forward to returning to his alma mater and remembering his college days. Plus, UT had given him and his wife free tickets to the game. “We love coming back,” Belfanti said. “The energy is fantastic, it’s just so much spirit, and it’s where I met my wife. It’s such a special place. And then to actually be involved in the game and in the school is this kind of way, it’s just an incredible feeling and experience.” The morning of the Auburn game, Belfanti practiced the flyover with both planes and their crews. Although the practice typically takes place on Fridays, the weather hadn’t
been looking great, forcing them to get creative. With retirement around the corner, Belfanti said he was hopeful that the Auburn game wouldn’t be his last flyover. The weather had other plans in store. Ten minutes before the planes were supposed to be flying over the stadium, the crew had to make the call and cut Belfanti’s plane from the flyover. He was already in the air. “We had talked through all these contingency plans on Friday before we even left to go up there,” Belfanti said. “For something like a flyover, we don’t improvise. We establish clear ‘lines in the sand’ based on terrain, airspace and especially weather about what will fly as a two-ship, single ship or nothing at all.” Belfanti maintained that sticking with the plan was the right move. “It’s unfortunate I didn’t get to actually do the flyover, but it’s just the way it goes sometimes,” Belfanti said. “The weather always gets a vote.” Thriving in premeditated chaos On Saturdays in the South, change can happen at any moment. “My role on gameday as the showcaller is, things are constantly happening and changing,” Delaney said. “And a lot of what we do in game is based on game flow — and not how we script it quarter by quarter.” Even early in the morning of the Auburn game, Delaney was aware that Plan ‘B’ would take the flyover from a two-ship to a single ship. He said focusing on the plan instead of panicking
Ahead of the Oct. 3 flyover, Lt. Col. Clark Belfanti and Maj. Josh Slocum sit in their C-17 aircraft. Photo courtesy of Lieutenant Col. Eric Hummer. over last minute changes is only helped by his teams’ overcommunication on the front end. But Delaney, who said he “thrives” in the sudden changes, had already caught a larger curveball this season. A couple hours before Tennessee kicked off against Texas on Sept. 26, Delaney started receiving communication that a very special kind of aircraft might fly over the stadium. Air Force One was en route to Knoxville, with President Donald Trump aboard to watch
the football game. Delaney couldn’t say much, just in case the hints he’d gotten didn’t actually go through. But when the plane was about 15 minutes out, he got the exciting confirmation. “Neyland Stadium is currently the only and the first college football stadium that Air Force One has flown over. Think about what that stands for,” Delaney said. While there is preparation to be handled before the flyover happens, there is also technical skill needed to pull it off. Delaney credited the Air
Force pilots’ precision with the amount of successful flyovers Neyland has seen over the years. Generally, the flight crews are volunteer-based and made up of alumni. In the Auburn game, both Volunteers and Tigers flew over. Volunteer Belfanti still felt appreciated by his university, even though he didn’t get to execute the job he’d traveled to Knoxville to do. During the second half, he joined the crews of both aircraft on ShieldsWatkins Field to be recognized. “Gotta roll with it and live to fly another day,” Belfanti said.
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Opinion
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The ‘Cornell 7’ reveals the cost of men’s silence ISABELL NORMAN Contributor
Women are speaking out. They are angry and want justice. They’re explaining why this case matters and asking how something like this could happen. But where are the men in these conversations? Once again, a case of alleged sexual violence against a woman has become a conversation that women are expected to lead, explain and carry. Sexual violence is not just a women’s issue — it is a societal failure, and men must be a part of the solution. In October 2024, a 20-year-old Cornell student, identified as Jane Doe in court documents, reported an alleged sexual assault involving members of the Chi Phi fraternity. Doe alleges in a civil lawsuit filed in September 2026 that she was pressured to consume alcohol, marijuana and ketamine before seven fraternity brothers sexually assaulted her over several hours. But another important element of this story is that the case did not begin in 2026. Doe reported the incident to the Cornell University Police Department in November of 2024. The Tompkins County District Attorney ultimately declined to bring criminal charges then, citing concerns about the evidence and Doe’s initial sworn statement. No criminal charges were filed against the seven men. Cornell conducted its own formal Title IX investigation. As a result, the Chi Phi chapter on campus was shut down and remains barred from campus. Nearly two years later, Doe filed a lawsuit against the seven men, Cornell University and the Chi Phi fraternity chapter. The lawsuit brought renewed attention to the allegations, including screenshots from a Snapchat group chat on the night of the alleged assault. The messages include a disturbing reference to whether the “shop” was still open, allegedly referring to Doe. This raises a question that goes beyond the seven men named in the lawsuit: What do men do when they see another man crossing the line? Why are silence and complicity so common? Out of the 57 men in their
group chat, how many knew what was happening in that room —and chose not to step in or protect Jane Doe? It seems the alleged violence happening upstairs did not raise any alarms for their fellow fraternity brothers. I guess Chi Phi’s pledge to build better men has fallen short. For as long as we can remember, women have been taught to protect ourselves. It is the message we receive from our parents, our peers and society: Don’t walk alone. Don’t wear that top. Don’t drink too much. And especially don’t leave your drink unattended. We teach young girls that we must learn how not to be assaulted, as though it is their burden to bear. Rarely do we teach young men to challenge the behaviors and mindsets that lead to assault or to intervene when they witness harm. I don’t think it’s a hot take to say men must be taught responsibility. “But he has such a bright future,” and “This could ruin him” are phrases that often circulate when men face sexual assault allegations, especially when the accused are promising young men of Cornell. These refrains can shift attention toward protecting the accused from consequences rather than reckoning with the alleged harm. One hill that I’m willing to die on is that the alleged events that took place in the Chi Phi fraternity house had consequences far beyond the futures of the men accused. If the allegations are true, that night irrevocably changed one life — the alleged victim’s. Five of the seven men named in the lawsuit went on to graduate in good standing from Cornell, while Doe left the University. Her attorney has described her as “barely hanging on,” two years later. In cases like this, a woman’s credibility will become part of the evidence. Her memory is examined. Her behavior is examined. Her drinking is examined. Her timeline is examined. Her decision to report is examined. Eventually, the woman herself can begin to feel as though she is the one on trial. And this is not unique to Cornell. Several years ago, I picked up a memoir by Chanel Miller, Know My Name. Miller
Graphic by Hayden Sauer so bravely told the story of her experience being sexually assaulted by a Stanford athlete, Brock Turner, on campus. I remember reading in stunned disbelief. Not only was her story tragic, but Turner went on almost completely unscathed. Brock Turner, like many other promising young men accused or convicted of sexual violence, received a lenient sentence. So it was no surprise when I read that Cornell faculty allowed five of the seven men to reduce their disciplinary consequences by submitting essays. These stories are not exceptions. They reflect a much larger issue. According to the National Sexual Violence Research Center, one in five women in the United States will experience completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. Yet conviction rates for perpetrators remain staggeringly low. The stories of the woman at Cornell and Chanel Miller are not isolated. Women carry the aftermath. Not only do they have to survive what happened to them, but they must live with the
consequences of speaking up. Meanwhile, too many men walk away unscathed – protected by silence, privilege and a system that too often fails to hold them accountable. Women across America are left hopeless and defeated after seeing yet another failure of our people and this justice system. To see progress, everyone — especially men — has to want it. This isn’t about performative outrage or posting an infographic online. It’s about speaking up in the moment, holding each other accountable, and refusing to turn a blind eye. Until men shoulder their fair share of work, justice will remain out of reach, and the cycle will continue. This is your problem too — act like it. If anything, public outrage is easy, or at least it is to me. Accountability seems to be much harder.
something small. Maybe we give an item to our sibling when we want it for ourselves. As an immediate response, we might feel angry or jealous. But soon, that feeling is replaced by something I can only describe as joy. As you become more selfless, you start to understand what it feels like to understand other people’s needs and wants as if they are your own, allowing you to perform selfless actions subconsciously and on a larger scale. These types of small selfless actions make you a selfless person, yet they also ensure that you don’t deprive yourself of everything for others. Instead, you start to understand others and form deeper connections, while still keeping a stable hold on your well-being. Project Hail Mary teaches us that true joy ultimately stems from what you learn to do for others through a series of selfless connections. Grace, despite sacrificing his own life, is eternally happy with his choice and his forever friend, Rocky. Being selfless brings us a certain type of joy that will benefit us more than when we only care about ourselves. The joy of “giving” is incom-
parable to any type of joy you can give to yourself. Grace found joy by giving to Rocky. I believe we need to be more like Grace and learn to be more selfless and give to others, despite the discomfort that sometimes comes with it. When we learn to be selfless, we are choosing others over ourselves, which raises the question of whether or not there is a clear balance between how we take care of others and how we are taking care of ourselves. True selflessness doesn’t mean abandoning yourself — it means loving yourself so that your love gives what you are to others. The greatest act of love you can give yourself is the one where you love yourself enough to want to bleed that kind of love into others. That kind of selflessness, the one where there is a clear balance, blooms the type of love that teaches you what you need for yourself through the joy of giving to others.
Isabell Norman is a sophomore at UT this year studying journalism. She can be reached at kml965@vols.utk.edu. Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon
The joy of giving MARIN MCGUIRE Contributor The scariest ultimatum is the one where you choose between your life and the life of others. And I don’t just mean “life” physically. I mean anything from taking something you want instead of giving it to another, all the way to sacrificing yourself for another person. The soldiers and veterans who serve our country are faced with this ultimatum: choosing to sacrifice themselves for the safety of the country. They become selfless for the safety and good of others, putting themselves in danger. We may also be faced with an extremely minor version of this ultimatum. Maybe you have your hands on the last bag of candy on the shelf with disappointed kids asking if they can have it. Maybe you have something you really want, but your sibling wants as well. Choosing this ultimatum, though harder at more extreme levels, is a difficult task and is one that most people struggle with, especially if we don’t understand what we want for ourselves. Andy Weir’s 2021 science fiction novel, “Project Hail Mary,” has recently taken the world by storm after the 2026 film adaptation. The novel follows Ryland Grace, a scientist who is mysteriously awakened from a coma in space next to his two dead crewmates, with no memory of how he got there. The book follows Grace as he searches for answers, and along the way, he discovers an alien named Rocky. As Grace learns more and more about what happened to bring him onto the Hail Mary space shuttle, he starts to piece
together the mission. The Hail Mary set out as a one-way space mission with three astronauts to collect data on a species called Astrophage that was said to be eating the sun. Ryland Grace believes that he has done a good thing, possibly saving the whole world by sacrificing himself for science. Except that he didn’t. As Grace gets more flashbacks to his life before space, he watches himself get forced onto the Hail Mary after he declines to go on the mission to save others in order to save himself. Grace says, “I’m a coward … I remember the emotions. I remember the feeling of panic. I remember it all now. Sheer unadulterated terror. Not for Earth or humanity or the children. For myself. Utter Panic.” Grace, faced with this ultimatum, chose himself. He chose his life over the lives of the whole world. Grace is considered selfish in this situation, except that many people would agree with him. Wouldn’t you? Most people don’t easily agree to die by choice. Life is valuable, and we are only given one. So what exactly would be the “right” choice here? I don’t know if this situation has a “right” answer. Rather, it has to do with what we can “give” others while still taking care of ourselves. I believe that you can still be selfless and choose yourself. Although it is important to be attentive to other people’s emotions and recognize what you can do for the lives of others, it’s also important to understand what you need and learn how to find a healthy balance. This balance is derived from what each person specifically needs. We are not all selfless in the same ways. Humanity’s uniqueness is what makes the
Graphic by Hayden Sauer world so fascinating. The thing is, we give to others what we believe we deserve. If we first learn to understand what we need for ourselves, then that love we have for ourselves translates to how we treat others. For some people, that may translate into more extreme acts of selflessness, and others with smaller acts. Both demonstrate how we can show our love to others through selfless actions. Later on in the novel, Grace “redeems” his selfish actions when he begins to choose Rocky over himself. Over the course of the novel, Grace develops a friendship with Rocky and begins to care about him, almost just as much as he cares about himself. At the end, Grace uses the fuel he has left in the Hail Mary to save Rocky and the rest of his colony from the Astrophage, leaving him stuck in space until he dies. Because of this, I believe that Grace, despite his actions early on in the novel, is a selfless person. Despite the fact that he wanted to protect himself at the beginning of the novel, Grace learned an important lesson throughout, demonstrating how anyone can become a selfless person. Being selfless starts with
Marin McGuire is a freshman at UT studying biochemistry. She can be reached at mmcgui34@vols.utk.edu. Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the
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Trevor McGee, Sports Editor (32-10)
Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon
Alabama 34 vs. Tennessee 17 Wisconsin vs. UCLA Ohio State vs. Indiana
Mississippi State vs. LSU
Notre Dame vs. BYU
Missouri vs. Ole Miss
2026 FOOTBALL PICK‘EMS
Alex Sarkis, Assistant Sports Editor (32-10)
Theo Colli, Senior Staff Writer (31-11)
Alabama 24 vs. Tennessee 13 Wisconsin vs. UCLA
Alabama 30 vs. Tennessee 20 Wisconsin vs. UCLA
Ohio State vs. Indiana
Mississippi State vs. LSU
Ohio State vs. Indiana
Mississippi State vs. LSU
Notre Dame vs. BYU
Missouri vs. Ole Miss
Notre Dame vs. BYU
Missouri vs. Ole Miss
Trip Scouten, Digital Editor (30-12)
Natalie Dripchak, Opinions Editor (26-16)
Alabama 27 vs. Tennessee 14 Wisconsin vs. UCLA
Alabama 34 vs. Tennessee 24 Wisconsin vs. UCLA
Ohio State vs. Indiana
Mississippi State vs. LSU
Ohio State vs. Indiana
Mississippi State vs. LSU
Notre Dame vs. BYU
Missouri vs. Ole Miss
Notre Dame vs. BYU
Missouri vs. Ole Miss
Patrick Busch, Editor-in-Chief (25-17) Alabama 21 vs. Tennessee 17 Wisconsin vs. UCLA
Graphic by Audrey Siemens
Ohio State vs. Indiana
Mississippi State vs. LSU
Notre Dame vs. BYU
Missouri vs. Ole Miss
This chart is compiled weekly by Tessa Nacke, assistant news editor, in accordance with the 60-Day Crime Log available at https://clery.utk.edu/crime-log/.
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Vols host Alabama | cont. from Page 1 How George MacIntyre avenged “The quarterback is a dynamic player,” Heupel said. “He’s throwing extremely efficiently, a bunch of yards, but extends and makes plays with his feet, scramble to run, but also throw the football down the field if you’re not matching things up. So us defensively, massive test.” With help from Russell’s 225 rushing yards, the Tide have four 200-plus-yard rushers this season to match their passing game. Leading the attack is true freshman back Trae’shawn Brown, a former three-star rated as the No. 731 player in the 2026 high school class. He’s toted the ball 51 times for 301 yards and five scores. Alabama’s offense runs on explosive plays. The Tide have completed 38 plays of 20-plus yards, while Russell ranks ninth nationally with 9.87 yards per pass attempt. He’s delivered 56 completions of over 10 yards. He’s also accounted for seven touchdowns of 20-plus yards. “I feel like they’re very explosive,” defensive back TJ Metcalf said. “They got a lot of great guys over there that can make plays, make the catches and do the things they need to do. They have a great offensive scheme. We know they’re going to be very multiple in what they do. So we just got to be prepared for it.” Alabama could be without one of its top receiving threats Saturday. Ryan Coleman-
Williams leads the team with 415 receiving yards, but his availability is in question after he sustained multiple injuries against Georgia. Who will Tennessee football start at quarterback? Tennessee’s head coach is still a professional at not giving the upper hand to his opponent. He still won’t name a starting quarterback ahead of the matchup. “We’ll find out here through the week,” Heupel said. “We get on the grass (Tuesday) and we’ll work towards Saturday.” True freshman Faizon Brandon started the first five games of the season before operating as an emergency reserve against Arkansas. He continues to battle through an upper-body injury suffered against Texas. Second-year quarterback George MacIntyre made the first start of his career against the Razorbacks, leading the Vols to a win with 249 passing yards and two interceptions. “I thought he was decisive with the football,” Heupel said. “He was going to the right spot and made some plays. Did some things inside of the pocket that were really positive … A lot to clean up, collectively, as a group, but he did a good job.” Whether Brandon or MacIntyre starts, Tennessee will need a more efficient offensive performance to keep pace with Alabama’s high-powered attack.
I encourage our fans to take advantage of half-priced happy hour and get hydrated for the football game on Saturday afternoon” JOSH HEUPEL Head coach
Arkansas in 1st-career start ALEX SARKIS Assistant Sports Editor FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Most weeks, there are 16 men who get the chance to start at quarterback in the SEC. Not many have to cut their teeth as George MacIntyre did. Five games into the season, Tennessee football has seen two names fill its weekly tally. Last week against Auburn, head coach Josh Heupel’s decision to insert MacIntyre into thenstarter Faizon Brandon’s place paid off in the form of a gritty home win. This week, MacIntyre rewarded Heupel’s decision once again by ending a 25-year winless drought in one of the Vols’ recent houses of horrors. He did it in an SEC road atmosphere in his first collegiate start, weathering a restless home crowd at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, a group hungry to see Arkansas win its first conference game in nearly two years. There’s pressure there, but MacIntyre didn’t let it rattle him. “I would say I was pretty even-keeled,” MacIntyre said. “At the end of the day, it’s just football. Obviously, super excited and grateful to be out there today. But I would say more locked in than nervous.” The focus-driven side of the Franklin native’s game came up clutch in the big moments. In a 24–17 win where points came at a premium, MacIntyre engineered the only scoring drive of the first half that helped the Vols stay afloat in a clear upset spot. He battled through two poorly timed interceptions that pinned Tennessee against the ropes late, responding with points on each following drive. MacIntyre generated seven pass plays that went for 15 yards or more, his longest clocking in at 68 yards to set the Vols up for their first of two fourth-quarter touchdowns. It was the conclusion of MacIntyre’s first-start story that mattered most to another former quarterback. “I do think that he finished really strong,” Heupel said. “There were some really good things early in the football
George MacIntyre celebrates a 24-17 victory over Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Oct. 10. David Smith / The Daily Beacon
game too. This game comes down to the finest of details. I thought he did a really good job in some adverse situations, just playing the next play and pulling the trigger. It was a winning performance by him.” The winning showing featured MacIntyre completing 18 passes for 247 yards, adding a touchdown to boot. While those numbers helped Tennessee grind to a second SEC win, MacIntyre’s efforts could’ve ended with a loss without another big afternoon from a fellow in-state product in DeSean Bishop. The senior running back fueled the Vols’ game-winning touchdown drive in the closing minutes, but he wasn’t going to let the limelight move away from a teammate he’s seen grow through the years. “He’s my locker roommate,” Bishop said. “That guy out there is a competitor, always looking to improve his game,
always looking to get better. Obviously had some mistakes, but didn’t let it phase him at all. He just kept playing and kept doing what he could to put us in the best position to come out on top. Really proud of what he put on today.” The sophomore embraced being the leader of the offense, not only through his play on the field, but also when the noise grew to its loudest when the Razorbacks grabbed a second-half lead. MacIntyre rallied his troops, emerging as one of the few men victorious this week in the SEC. “I was just saying, ‘Guys, this is our game, this is our time to go take it,’” MacIntyre said. “Really just trying to pump up the offensive line, the running game, especially on that last drive when we needed a couple of first downs and to kill some time. That was the message.”
Vols looking for ideal rotation ahead of Xavier exhibition NATHAN MILES Contributor
Tennessee basketball head coach Rick Barnes speaks during media day at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center on Oct. 6. David Smith / The Daily Beacon
If you go out and you don’t defend the way we want to, it’ll be like Grand Central Station at the scorer’s table.” RICK BARNES Head coach
Tennessee basketball is brand new. After bowing out in the Elite Eight against Michigan last season, the Vols experienced a mass exodus of roster turnover, coming out on the other side with 13 new players and only two returning scholarship players from the previous season. While this new-look team has created excitement and anticipation, it also creates a conundrum for head coach Rick Barnes to solve in his 12th season at the helm: how to divide up 200 minutes of playing time between all those players. Barnes must figure out how this new roster full of transfers and freshmen can fit together and form cohesive lineups on the court. “They all come from a little bit different backgrounds, and they’ve all come out of different systems, and we’re trying to get them to understand how we like to play here,” Barnes said. “Even as coaches here, we know that we’ve got to adapt and adjust to some of what we’ve recruited and put together and try to utilize their skill and their ability as much as we can. We’ve got to be able to guard somebody. We’ve gotten better, but we’ve still got a ways to go.” Tennessee’s regular season is fast approaching, with exhibition games against Xavier and Duke in the coming weeks, and Barnes said he still hasn’t seen much “separation” between players on the roster, which adds to his complex task. “Coaching-wise, it’s not a good thing,” Barnes said. “You’d like to have guys that you knew would separate themselves and
you could start thinking about a rotation. But one of the best teams I ever coached — our Final Four team at Texas — we played nine guys over 10 minutes a game, and the 10th guy was right there, and the 11th guy was right there. So we don’t have a problem doing that.” Defense has always been the emphasis in Barnes’ system. But last season, the Vols gave up 69.6 points per game, Tennessee’s worst mark since the 2018–2019 season, dropping to 66th in the country in scoring defense after finishing top 10 the year before. Barnes said that his staff will use the Xavier exhibition on Thursday as an opportunity to test a wide variety of lineups and examine players’ defensive effort. “If you go out and you don’t defend the way we want to, it’ll be like Grand Central Station at the scorer’s table,” Barnes said. To complicate things further, Tennessee’s transfer class is full of offensive-minded scorers like Juke Harris, Dai Dai Ames and Jalen Haralson. Additionally, transfer Tyler Lundblade and returner Troy Henderson have missed time this offseason with injuries, meaning that Barnes has yet to see the whole team compete together during practice. Last season, out of Tennessee’s top seven players in total minutes, five were frontcourt players. That could be completely flipped on its head, especially if Jalen Washington isn’t granted a fifth year of eligibility. “We were talking the other day, we could play four guards,” Barnes said. “There’s a lot of different ways we could go, but the bottom line is they will make that decision for us as coaches based on their consistency and
what we can see from them. But right now, in terms of a rotation and all that, I really don’t have a clue. I don’t.” Last season, DeWayne Brown II was the biggest surprise for Barnes and his staff as a freshman. Now, as one of the only returning players, Brown is sure to play a key role for this iteration of the Vols, but Barnes is still looking for who that surprise player will be this year. “Every year we talk about somebody will surprise you, somebody will probably disappoint you,” Barnes said. “But those surprise guys are the ones that get it. They kind of see the picture before everybody else does, and they understand. They all want to play, and we tell each and every one of them what you have to do to get on the court. Some of them still think that they’re going to get on the court by shooting the ball. They’re not.” Barnes said that Brown demonstrated his mental toughness last season by not shying away from competition with Felix Okpara during practice every day. If the Vols’ newcomers want more opportunities, Barnes and his staff want them to follow the example of Brown’s work ethic. “We often tell them that there’s going to be a time when players separate themselves,” Barnes said. “Just like on our team right now, I won’t do it, but if you asked me if I could number from one to 15 the hardest-working guys on the team, I could do that. They could too. They know who works hard.” Tennessee will face Xavier in an exhibition game on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in Food City Center.
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