Validity of ‘student-athlete’ still in question
April 20, 2011
It's no secret that some student-athletes on Tennessee's campus are revered by fans with celebrity-like status. Success on the field or court makes it difficult for a successful student-athlete to walk across campus unnoticed.
With fans, the unfortunate truth is that such athletic prowess often takes precedence over ...
SGA victors lack integrity in celebration
April 13, 2011
I've always been a firm believer in the transparency of public officials; that is, making sure the general population is aware of the goings-on within the office of elected individuals. After all, people who hold such positions are just that: elected, meaning they are to serve the population of ...
Last 4 years memorable for wrong reasons
March 30, 2011
Boy, what a ride.
The last four years of Tennessee athletics have been four years for the history books.
Think about the success. Think about the failures. But most importantly, think about the radical change that the Tennessee brand has gone through.
Nearly four years ago, when freshmen like myself ...
UT Faculty Senate makes smart, safe decision
March 09, 2011
On Monday, the UT Faculty Senate voted to keep our campus safe. Sounds obvious enough, doesn’t it? But a few key lawmakers in Nashville might disagree with that statement.
A resolution proposed by Faculty Senate past-president Toby Boulet, associate professor of engineering, and member Carole Myers, assistant professor, expressed ...
Top 25 progress showing UT’s potential
March 02, 2011
UT chancellor Jimmy Cheek recently released a report entitled "Journey to the Top 25: 2010 Chancellor's Report." The booklet touched on several efforts being made by the administration of UT to boost the university into the list of top-25 public research universities in the country within the next 10 ...
Fan’s actions ruin SEC sportsmanship
February 23, 2011
For anyone who has ever been accused of being "too much of a fan," this one's for you.
Last Thursday, a 62-year-old man was arrested in connection with the poisoning of that iconic oak trees that have graced Toomer's Corner on Auburn University's campus for more than ...
Homophobia altering recruiting landscape
February 02, 2011
It goes without saying that college recruiting is a dog-eat-dog world. The higher profile the sport, the more ruthless recruiting tactics have become. With National Signing Day presently upon the college football community, now is the time to for college programs to enjoy the fruits of their labor, however legal ...
Fighters for equality deserve remembrance
January 26, 2011
On Feb. 1, UT will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first African-American undergraduates on campus. The event, which was postponed because of inclement weather from Jan. 4, will recognize the desegregation of our university and the monumental occasion when racial boundaries were broken at one of the major ...
New medium merits cautious approach
January 19, 2011
The continual development of technology is no secret to anyone. Advancements in modern science transcend boundaries and truly make possible aspects of society otherwise considered improbable and irrational.
There even come times when such advancements surpass our own understanding of our own technology. In those cases, the question often arises ...
Parking plans detract from campus beauty
November 10, 2010
In August, the Princeton Review ranked UT as one of the ugliest campuses in America. At No. 10 in the Review’s “least beautiful” rankings, the Knoxville campus, which sits along Fort Loudon Lake and only steps from downtown Knoxville and World’s Fair Park, was given a scholarly smack ...
Statistics echo dangers of alcohol use
November 03, 2010
Imagine a room filled with nothing but a table. Atop the table sits several well-known drugs: heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and, of course, alcohol, to name a few. Now imagine that you’re given the option of selecting the drug that harms individuals and others to the greatest degree.
Would you ...
DiPietro places focus on student needs
October 27, 2010
Joe DiPietro sat in his Morgan Hall office last Friday morning patiently awaiting arguably the most important announcement of his career. As the UT Board of Trustees deliberated between selecting DiPietro, chancellor of the UT Institute of Agriculture, or Brian Noland, chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission ...
Blame goes to agents for paying athletes
October 20, 2010
The plight of college football was no more evident than this past week when Sports Illustrated released its Oct. 18 issue to millions of readers worldwide. This week's SI, a magazine ordinarily known for its breathtaking photography and insightful athletic prose, arrived in mailboxes with no striking cover image ...
‘Whirlwind’ not deserving of criticism
October 13, 2010
<p> Last fall, one might have thought a curse struck our poor Pedestrian Mall smack-dab in the middle of UT’s campus. The outcry was far reaching and echoed from student to student as UT’s best and brightest wondered why, oh why, would such a monstrosity plague our dear walkway, a mall so beautiful that no structure dare sour its innocence?<br /><br /> The culprit? None other than a 25-foot structure of metal and glass, a piece of art donated to UT and eloquently named “A Startling Whirlwind of Opportunity.”<br /><br /> The statue’s artist, Alice Aycock, gathered inspiration for the art from the energy which she claimed graced the Pedestrian Mall, where for those precious 15-minute increments each day, students trudge to their next glorious destination of learning. The statue’s donor, alumnus Wilton D. “Chick” Hill, funded the entire project, which was intended to represent the plethora of opportunities that exist on UT’s campus.<br /><br /></p>