KNOXVILLE — Legal help is expensive for most people. For those with lower income, it can be a huge problem.

The College of Law at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, addresses that problem with its legal clinics.

Among the longest-running clinics in the nation, UT’s clinics help students learn how to practice law while providing a low-cost legal alternative for students, faculty and staff, and low-income people in Knoxville.

The College of Law’s legal clinics are examples of how UT encourages students to learn more about the issue of poverty this year and reach out to those in need. Ready for the World, the campus’ international and intercultural initiative, is spending this year focusing on “Our World in Need” with a particular emphasis on poverty.

Ben Barton, associate professor and director of the clinical programs, said the clinics serve an important role in the college and in the community.

“People who can’t afford a lawyer come to us,” said Barton, who works primarily with the advocacy clinic. “Students interview a person and appear in court with them. They take it the whole nine yards.

“Our clinics are one of the very best things about the law school. We’re thrilled about them and the work we do.”

The College of Law offers seven different clinics:

• Advocacy Clinic — handles civil, criminal matters and housing cases
• Domestic Violence Clinic — deals with victims of domestic violence
• Wills Clinic — new clinic, helps people write wills
• Wrongful Conviction Clinic — new clinic, aids those wrongfully convicted of a crime
• Business Clinic — works with nonprofit organizations and start-up businesses
• Externship Program — students prosecute cases on behalf of the state
• Mediation Clinic — students are trained to be mediators

All of the clinics are for core credit classes. Students participate in the clinics as part of their class requirements for the College of Law. Similar to the medical school model, where residents are overseen by attending physicians, students working in the legal clinics get real-world experience while being supervised by professors.

Also, the clinics are meant to encourage students to do pro bono work, Barton said. UT offers a nonprofit pro bono program, for which Barton twice won the Outstanding Faculty Adviser award.

“From the law school’s point of view, we’re trying to create good lawyers, and people,” Barton said. “We want to encourage them to do volunteer work or do pro bono work. Volunteering and clinics are critical for development as lawyers and people. Working with the poor broadens the students’ outlook. We share a lot in common with the poor, and it opens eyes to many difficulties people in East Tennessee face.”

“The students learn sympathy and empathy — the main part being empathy,” Barton said. “This is really helpful in representing them as a lawyer.”

Barton said that in addition to seeing how the clinics help students hone their skills, he enjoys seeing the reaction of clients.

“I get a lot of clients sending thank-you cards and telling me how pleased they are that students went the extra mile for them,” he said. “They just want to know that someone believes in them.”

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C O N T A C T :

Bridget Hardy, (865-974-2225, bhardy4@utk.edu)

Amy Blakely, (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

The center — part of UT’s College of Business Administration — will conduct wage and benefit surveys of construction labor markets throughout the nation. The contract will require the center to add seven permanent wage analysts to its staff. In addition, the center will add six temporary employees to its staff to assist the Labor Department with implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Research Director William Schriver, who founded the center in the early 1980s, said the Department of Labor will use UT’s results to set local pay rates for local tradespersons and laborers. Schriver said the Davis-Bacon Act (1931) requires the payment of locally prevailing rates, established from surveys of contractors working on private projects in the area, to all mechanics and laborers performing construction work on federally funded projects.

“There is a common misconception that Davis-Bacon rates are merely union rates,” Schriver said. “But union rates are said to prevail only when more than 50 percent of local construction is performed by union workers. Otherwise, union and non-union rates are averaged to create the prevailing rate for as many as 30 trades and laborer categories. Based on the surveys conducted by the center, prevailing rates are established by the Department of Labor staff for every county in the U.S.”

Nancy Mason, a center coordinator, will supervise the wage survey activities, according to John Moore, acting director of the center.

Other UT research conducted under the Department of Labor contract includes:

Studying industry compliance with or violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which in 1938 established overtime wages for work exceeding 40 hours per week; a minimum wage; and laws prohibiting many forms of child labor.

Assisting the Department of Labor in implementing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

In 2007, the center was awarded a $7 million contract by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to design and operate OSHA’s construction targeting system. Each month the center randomly selects about 1,400 construction sites from their file of over 3 million active sites for safety inspections by OSHA compliance officers. This contract also requires the center to analyze fatal construction events, identify direct and related cause of each event, and suggest intervention strategies.

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C O N T A C T:

John Moore, (865-974-4955, jmoore10@utk.edu)

The menu will include chicken a l’orange; sauteed tilapia with mushroom sauce and fried spinach; pork tenderloin with cranberry dressing; portabello mushroom Parmesan; loaded-potato soup; braised fall vegetables with red wine sauce; and green-and-yellow bean salad with tomato dressing and feta cheese.

The Ready for the World Café is open from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday in the Hermitage Room on the third floor of the University Center.

Diners pay $11 for the all-you-can-eat buffet or $9 for a plate of food to carry out.

Faculty and staff can use ARAMARK’s new UT Reward Card to receive a 15 percent discount at the café.

Students in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism (HRT) 445, an advanced food production and service management class, plan the menu and operate the café; ARAMARK, UT’s provider of dining services, prepares the food.

This week’s café manager from HRT 445 is Lindsey French, of Memphis, a senior in nutrition. She’s worked at Trio on Market Square, Curves and currently is interning for Knoxville Parks and Recreation planning a children’s after-school nutrition program called Nutrition Exercise and Activity Training (NEAT). She plans to complete a dietetic internship after graduation, get her registered dietitian’s license and work as a dietitian in a children’s hospital.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely, (865-974-5034, ablakely@tennessee.edu)

Sri Viswayogi Viswamjee

KNOXVILLE — One of India’s most respected holy men will speak at the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, on Friday, Nov. 6, as part of his 10th visit to the U.S.

Sri Viswayogi Viswamjee will lecture on “Vision 2020: Peace & Unity, a New World Reality.” The talk will begin at 7 p.m. in the Toyota Auditorium. A reception begins at 6:30 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.

Sponsored by the Center for International Education, UT’s Ready for the World and the Baker Center, the visit is part of Sri Viswamjee’s tour across the U.S. to spread his message of unity and peace.

Sri Viswamjee, 65, was born Viswanatha Sastri. He worked as a high school mathematics and English teacher in Guntur, India, and, according to an online biography, “after 21 years of rigorous penance, mortification of body with celibacy, he attained siddatwa,” or Hindu sainthood.

In Hinduism, the saints are the medium through which God reveals himself. His followers believe he is the incarnation of Lord Dattatreya.

Sri Viswamjee’s home, just southwest of Guntur, is the site of the Universal Integration Pillar, a three-story shrine that can hold up to 1,000 worshippers at a time. The pillar is described as Sri Viswamjee’s “envisioned symbol of oneness of humanity.” The dome has a dove and pillar with four lions representing vision, truth, character, and purity and unity. The Universal Integration Pillar has eight entrances, each representing a major religion in the world.

Also near the Sri Viswamjee’s home is the Mother and Child Hospital, which he built. It provides free health-care services.

Sri Viswamjee has been traveling across U.S., meeting government and religious leaders, doctors, intellectuals, students and interfaith organizations and talking about his message of universal and unconditional love and tolerance of others.

For more information about Sri Viswamjee, see http://www.viswaguru.com.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely, (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

Idan Raichel

KNOXVILLE — Israeli musician Idan Raichel will bring with him a host of international performers when he visits the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, campus Monday, Nov. 9, as part of the 2009-2010 Cultural Attractions Series.

The Idan Raichel Project will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Cox Auditorium of the Alumni Memorial Building. Tickets are $5 for students, $20 for faculty and staff and $25 for the public. Tickets will be available at the door, but may still be reserved through http://knoxvilletickets.com, by phone at 865-656-4444 or in person at the University Center Central Ticket Office. For parking information, call 865-974-5455.

The Idan Raichel Project debuted on Israel’s music scene in 2002 with a blend of African, Latin American, Caribbean, Ethiopian and Middle Eastern sounds fused with Hebrew texts. In a region of the world where headlines are often dominated by conflict, the message of tolerance and love found in Raichel’s lyrics is changing the face of Israeli popular music. The project’s self-titled album involved artists from around the world and went on to sell more than 150,000 copies, establishing Raichel as a new type of Israeli pop star. The Idan Raichel Project has become one of the most unexpected success stories in Israeli music history.

Music from the Idan Raichel Project was released worldwide in the fall of 2006, bringing even more attention to the inspirational collective. Billboard Magazine called the international release “one of the most fascinating titles to emerge in world music this year…a multi-ethnic tour de force.” The New York Times selected the album as one of the top world music releases of the year, and media from Peru to Portugal were unanimous in their praise. The album also received a nomination as one of the best world music albums of the year by the BBC Radio 3 Award for World Music.

Each year, UT Knoxville’s Cultural Attractions Series brings top-notch performing arts to the campus and community. Highlighting diverse music and dance programs, past performers include the Moscow Festival Ballet, Irish troupe Gaelic Storm and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. Other 2009-2010 events include La Bottine Souriante, the celebrated traditional roots band from Quebec; Brazilian hip-hop dance company Grupo De Rua; and TAO: The Martial Art of Drumming. For more information on the 2009-2010 Cultural Attractions Series, visit http://cpc.utk.edu/Committees/cac.

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C O N T A C T :

Rebekah Winkler, (865-974-8304, rwinkler@utk.edu)

Joan Creasia

KNOXVILLE — Joan Creasia, dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will retire at the end of the academic year.

Creasia began serving as the college’s third dean on Oct. 1, 1995. Of all current deans on the UT Knoxville campus, she is the longest-serving.

“Joan has provided strong leadership for the college through many challenges as well as significant changes in the health care industry,” said Susan Martin, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “As the faculty and the curriculum have adapted, her commitment to delivering the highest level of nursing instruction has never faltered. Throughout her 14-year tenure, she has been among the most highly regarded and highly rated administrators by faculty members.”

The UT Knoxville College of Nursing has maintained its leadership role among the state’s nursing programs and its graduates are some of the most sought professionals in the industry.

“My 14 years at the University of Tennessee has been the most satisfying experience of my professional career,” Creasia said. “The faculty, staff and students in the college are outstanding and the programs have an excellent reputation. When I encounter our graduates in practice and see how competent they are, I am so proud to have been a part of their educational experience.”

Creasia has led the college’s effort to address the high demand of the nursing program by bringing the RN-BSN degree and some doctoral courses online. Throughout her tenure, the college’s partnerships with area health care organizations have increased, and community and global outreach efforts have strengthened. Creasia, however, shares credit with members of her college.

“No one person can take credit for the accomplishments of an entire organization,” she said. “Our significant achievements are the result of a team effort among the faculty, staff and students. Among my points of pride are the excellent educational programs, the cutting-edge research and the clinics and outreach efforts that provide service to the community.”

Recruitment of a new dean is planned to coincide with Creasia’s retirement. Jim Thompson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, will chair the search. Committee members are Susan Speraw, Marian Roman, Gary Ramsey, Mark Priestley, Peggy Pierce, Carole Myers, Mary Gunther, Nan Gaylord and Lora Beebe, all of the College of Nursing, as well as Rita Geier, associate to the chancellor.

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C O N T A C T :

Kristi Hintz, (865-974-3993, khintz@utk.edu)

The street will be closed for vehicular and pedestrian traffic from Lake Loudoun Boulevard to Pat Head Summitt Street.

Staff Area 23 located on Chamique Holdsclaw Drive also will be closed.

Also on Sunday, a crane will be used to re-set HVAC units on the roof of Dabney/Buehler Hall. Therefore, Circle Drive at Dabney/Buehler Hall will be closed from 7 a.m. to noon.

For locations of the affected roads, parking lots and buildings, refer to UT Knoxville’s campus maps.

Kickoff for the Volunteers’ game against the Tigers of the University of Memphis is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Neyland Stadium gates will open at 5 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPNU, marking UT’s first-ever football appearance on the ESPN-owned network specializing in college sports.

The traditional Vol Walk will begin at 5:20 p.m. at the Torchbearer statue on Volunteer Boulevard, then proceed down Peyton Manning Pass, then left onto Phillip Fulmer Way.

The Pride of the Southland Marching Band will leave the music building at 5:25 p.m. and will proceed along Volunteer Boulevard to Andy Holt Avenue and then on to the stadium. The band will be accompanied by the alumni band.

Due to the Vol Walk and the band march, Volunteer Boulevard from east Andy Holt Avenue to Lake Loudoun Boulevard will be closed to vehicular traffic from 5:20 p.m. to 5:40 p.m. Also, Phillip Fulmer Way from east Andy Holt Avenue to Peyton Manning Pass will be closed from 5:20 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Parking permit holders in Staff Lot 9 and other parking lots in this area should arrive two hours prior to kickoff in order to avoid vehicular traffic and pedestrian congestion.

The Volunteer Village commercial exhibition area will be open on the Humanities Plaza lawn from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Homecoming will be celebrated across campus, with many colleges and academic departments hosting gatherings for their alumni.

Party in the Park, a large tailgate, will be held in Circle Park starting at 4 p.m. Members of the pep band and cheerleading squad will be on hand as fans enjoy music, door prizes, face painting and games for kids. The tailgate is free and open to the public.

Fans also can attend the College of Arts and Sciences’ Pregame Faculty Showcase, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Held two hours before each home game kickoff in the University Center Ballroom, the showcase is a free 30-minute presentation by a UT faculty member, followed by a 15-minute question-and-answer session. This week, Larry McKay, head of the UT Knoxville earth and planetary sciences department, will discuss “Germs and Geology: Emerging Issues in Waterborne Pathogen Research.”

Only fans with permits can park on campus. UT encourages fans to use shuttle buses from the Knoxville Civic Coliseum, the Old City area of downtown Knoxville, and Farragut High School in west Knoxville. Limited public handicapped parking spaces and handicapped shuttle service to the stadium are available on the UT Agriculture Campus, off Neyland Drive.

Many area hotels also offer shuttle service to the game. Check with your hotel’s management for details.

Tennessee Department of Transportation overhead signs and radio broadcasts will advise motorists which interstate exits to take to arrive on campus. The signs also will advise through-traffic on Interstates 40 and 75 to take the I-640 bypass around downtown Knoxville.

UT reminds visitors that all items, including purses, are subject to search at the stadium gates. Certain items remain prohibited inside the stadium, and those items cannot be stored at any stadium gate.

Prohibited items include the following:

• alcoholic beverages, cans, bottles or coolers
• radios without headphones
• open umbrellas
• video cameras
• stadium seats with arms
• large bags or parcels, including backpacks and large purses
• weapons of any kind, including pocketknives

Fans are allowed to bring the following items inside the stadium:

• cushions and seats without arms
• diaper bags that accompany infants
• small cameras, pagers, cell phones and binoculars

In an effort to reduce wait times, the university is offering express entry lanes at Gates 10 and 21. Those fans with no items subject to search may utilize the express lanes for quicker access to the stadium.

Under state law, no smoking will be allowed anywhere inside the gates of Neyland Stadium. Those fans violating the no-smoking regulation may be escorted out of the stadium. No one inside the gates will be allowed to leave and then be readmitted.

A no-fly zone extends over the stadium from one hour before the game until one hour after it ends, prohibiting flights within a 3-nautical-mile radius and lower than 3,000-feet altitude, except as authorized by air traffic control.

Solicitation near stadium gates and along Phillip Fulmer Way is prohibited.

For those driving on campus, Peyton Manning Pass, Middle and Lower Drives, Estabrook Drive and Phillip Fulmer Way from Middle Drive to Tee Martin Drive will be closed 30 minutes before kickoff. Directional parking will be used in Area 9 and Lots 4, 5A and 5B.

A limited number of tickets are available at http://www.uttix.com.

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C O N T A C T :

Jeff Maples (865-974-3061, maples@utk.edu)

Brian Browning (865-974-3061, brian-browning@utk.edu)

Charles Primm (865-974-5180, charles.primm@tennessee.edu)