April 3 by MediaOCU

THE CAMPUS

April 3, 2019 – Volume 112 Issue 23

Officials to conduct campus safety assessment Emily Wollenberg

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

University officials are conducting a campus assessment to determine if OCU is safe enough. The assessment follows the March 12 termination of former police chief Jennifer Rodgers. President Martha Burger sent a campuswide email March 26 informing the community about the safety assessment. The process was scheduled to begin Monday by Nathan Pyle, interim police chief, and Joey Croslin, vice president of human resources. “The safety and security of our campus community is always a priority for me and continual assessment and planning are important factors to maintaining a well-protected campus,” Burger wrote in the email. Former police chief Bradd Brown will lead the assessment, Burger wrote in the email. Brown worked with campus police from 2015-17 after a 25-year career with the Oklahoma City Police Department. “He will review policies, procedures, training, budgeting, and other aspects of the department to advise us on the most effective ways to move forward,” Burger wrote in the email. Croslin said Brown will lead the assessment because of his familiarity with the OCU Police Department and experience conducting safety assessments. “He has his own consulting business and does this kind of

work for others,” she said. Croslin said, because of the change in leadership in the police department, a safety assessment is important to have a stronger department for the future. Pyle took over the position of interim police chief March 11. A permanent police chief hopefully will be hired in the next few months, Croslin said. “I’d like to get through our campus safety assessment and see what our strengths are, maybe what we need to work on, and go from there,” she said. Croslin said there are 13 positions in the campus police department, but only nine are filled. Camryn McPherson, physician assistant graduate, posted in the OCU Facebook group March 21 saying she was confused about the availability of campus police. “Is the police station no longer accessible 24 hours a day,” she said in the post. “I tried to go there just now and it was locked, and I could not find anyone to speak to.” Jay Williams, religion junior, said, despite the changes in authority, he has had positive experiences working with the police. “Just talking with and hearing from the students on campus, there seemed to be a lot of anxiety concerning the article of Chief Roger’s termination,” he said. “I think the university takes our safety seriously and are taking active measures to work out the kinks we are currently experiencing.” The assessment will give officials a sense of where they are with

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officer training, Croslin said. “That’s why we’re engaging in this assessment,” she said. “To see how our resources compare to what we need to provide in order to keep the campus safe and secure.” The campus police department is continuing to provide 24/7 coverage, Croslin said. “I’m not aware of there not being an officer on campus,” she said. “Chief Pyle was ensuring that we have 24/7 coverage.” OCUPD and the office of student affairs are planning events in April to recognize Alcohol Awareness Month, Burger wrote in the email. The events are: - Golf cart drunk driving simulation test Thursday - Coffee and donuts with the cops session April 11 - Dangers of DUI discussion and demonstration April 18 Campus police work hard to ensure the campus is safe, Croslin said. “I would recognize the great work that our police staff do for the campus community,” she said. “I think it goes unrecognized sometimes. They really are here at all hours of the day and night making sure that we’re safe.”

Students frustrated by unscheduled maintenance Dru Norton

STAFF WRITER

Students are frustrated with maintenance workers entering their rooms unsolicited. Bri Williams, acting sophomore, said a maintenance worker has entered her and her roommate’s apartment at Cokesbury Court Apartments unannounced six times. “The first time it happened, our downstairs neighbor had a leak in their bathtub. Because of that, they had to go into my roommate’s bathroom a bunch. It was fine at first, but then it kept happening. They would just be knocking on our door, and if we didn’t answer, they would just let themselves in at nine in the morning,” Williams said. “That’s when we’re just waking up and getting ready and we’re showering, and they would let themselves in and say, ‘Okay, we’re going to work on your bathroom now.’” Williams said she wishes she received notice that the workers were coming. “It’s just frustrating not knowing when they’re coming, and we didn’t request a work order, so it was really alarming to wake up to,” Williams said. Williams said she was woken up Friday by a worker knocking on her bedroom door.

It's just frustrating not knowing when they're coming, and we didn't request a work order, so it was really alarming to wake up to. Bri Williams acting sophomore

“I was asleep in my room and my roommate was out of town and so I had my bedroom door locked,” Williams said. “I’m asleep. It’s like 9:30, and Fridays are the only day I really sleep in. I woke up to knocking on my door, and then a worker said, ‘Maintenance,’ and then he tried to open my door and it was locked.” Williams said the worker told her he was checking to see if all of the furniture was there. “I’m glad my door was locked, because if I had woken up to a maintenance man in my room, I really wouldn’t have been cool with it,” Williams said. “It’s just a real lack of privacy.” Casey Kreger, director of housing and residence life, said Cokes-

bury has a different maintenance setup than the residence halls. “Cokesbury is a private-public partnership. OCU owns the land, but Campus Living Villages owns the buildings. While housing staff is down there, we can handle room assignments, RAs and enforcing university policies, but it’s CLV staff that handles all the facilities,” Kreger said. There are two full-time maintenance workers at Cokesbury, and they are not required to work in pairs, Kreger said. “For OCU faculty, it is policy to come in pairs for work orders. In Cokesbury, CLV staff are not required to come in pairs because they have a different company there,” Kreger said. Kreger said there is a lack of communication. “The goal is to be able to communicate appropriately, so if that means to work with CLV staff to have them better trained to communicate with students, then we will go through that process with them,” Kreger said. “The only staff that has any power to enter without anything would be housing staff, and that’s only for emergency situations or room checks. Your space is your space.” Kreger said if students have any questions to call the housing office at 405-208-6363. CLV officials were not available for comment Monday.

Soccer field renamed after coach following his 34 years of service Dru Norton

STAFF WRITER

The Stars soccer field will be renamed Brian Harvey Field in honor of Brian Harvey, head men’s and women’s soccer coach. Harvey has coached soccer at OCU since the men’s program began in 1986 and the university fielded its first women’s team in 1994. Athletic Director Jim Abbott said Harvey was chosen due to his devotion to the sport. “We play our basketball games in Abe Lemons Arena,

and Abe was a great coach that was highly thought of,” Abbott said. “I think considering Brian is the father of soccer and devoted what will be 34 years of his life to our university, it made sense that we would play in a field that bears his name.” Abbott said Harvey brought the sport of soccer to Oklahoma. “Brian came to Oklahoma and coached soccer at a time when really nobody played soccer, before we even had a patch of grass for a soccer field. He introduced the game of soccer to the state,” Abbott said. OCU has reached the 2001

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics women’s national championship match, the 1999 and 2000 NAIA women’s semifinals and the 2008 NAIA men’s championships semifinals under Harvey’s direction. At the OCU Sports Spectacular on Thursday, Harvey received the Abe Lemons/Paul Hansen Award for Sports Excellence for scoring the most men’s and women’s soccer wins in NAIA history at 799 wins. Harvey said the best part about coaching is watching the players grow. “Coaching is an extension of

OCU a�chives Coach Brian Harvey takes a group photo with the 2010-11 women’s soccer team Dec. 3, 2010. Harvey has scored the most men’s and women’s soccer wins in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics history at 799 wins.

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playing. If you love something, which I love to play, coaching is something that was an extension of playing,” Harvey said. “Coaching, to me, is passing knowledge onto young men and women so they can become better soccer players and better people. That’s been the most fulfilling part, just trying to help people be better soccer players and better people.” Harvey said he appreciates having the field renamed after him. “It was something I never expected. I was quite honored,” Harvey said. Harvey said he enjoys getting to see each player’s future. “One of the nicer things about coaching at a college level is seeing how people turn out. You get to see them when they move on from being a student, and it’s been very interesting in terms of successes that people have had, not just on the soccer field, but in the community,” Harvey said. Freshman Defender Annie Bragg said Harvey’s coaching influenced her life. “Not only is he a very successful coach, but he has an amazing heart. He truly cares about his players, and everyone here is so grateful for that,” Bragg said. “He coaches a sport he loves, while caring for everyone around

OCU a�chives Coach Brian Harvey stands on the sidelines during a women’s soccer game against Southern Nazarene University on Sept. 9, 2004.

him. It shows who he truly is, and he has impacted me as a player and person in every way.” Abbott said Harvey’s legacy will continue to make an impact. “His legacy is the students he has impacted, the men and women who have played soccer here that have the opportunity to play the sport they love while getting a great education,”

Abbott said. “Those students then make an impact on the community by embodying the same character, spirit and integrity Coach Harvey does.” Brian Harvey Field will be in place for the start of soccer season in August 2019.

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opinion Maintenance must show tact, respect student safety concerns Students are concerned about dealing with maintenance workers on campus. Students have expressed concerns including delays in repairs, unplanned maintenance visits and unidentified workers. See Page 1 for more on unexpected maintenance visits. It seems that students can’t readily identify maintenance workers as such, and the workers come into their rooms without them being notified beforehand. This disconnect between employees and students is a pressing issue because it makes students feel uncomfortable and, at times, unsafe in their campus housing. Students want maintenance to be done in a timely and effective manner, but this doesn’t always happen. Students said work orders are not completed or it takes weeks to get repairs

done. For example, when an apartment in Cokesbury Court Apartments flooded March 20, the students living there had to be relocated while it was being repaired. The students couldn't move back until Saturday, so they had to room with friends or stay in a hotel for 10 days during the repairs. Identification is key in making sure that students trust employees, and maintenance falls short in that department. With no required uniform for the staff, some students are confused about who is actually coming into their homes. Students reported earlier this semester to police that an unidentified man was taking pictures of windows in Cokesbury. The man was later identified as a facilities official, but had the man been wearing a uniform or a badge to inform students he worked for maintenance,

Talk Back “Who is the most important woman in your life?” "My grandmother is, without a doubt, the most important woman in my life. She taught me many things including resilience, responsibility and respect. God is a woman."

the residents likely would have been much more at ease. This is something students have asked for from university officials, but maintenance workers still aren't easily unidentifiable. Students must be patient and respectful. Change doesn't happen overnight, and we must understand that maintenance workers are not being malicious in their actions. If we make an attempt to reach out and express our concerns, a positive outcome is much more possible. Students should report every issue of concern in relation to maintenance and campus safety. Officials must address these issues immediately. Communication must be better to promote safety and efficiency when it comes to maintenance in campus housing.

Blake Sauceda acting junior

"My mom, because she's always there for me to talk to and she always knows what to say and how to fix situations I get myself into."

Amy Brokamp dance junior

"Honestly, the most important woman in my life right now is myself. It hasn't always been that way, but choosing to make myself a priority and focus on who I am and who I want to become was an important decision that I needed to make."

Julia Lyall dance junior

Columnist celebrates Stevie Nicks’s contribution to music industry Rumours (Super Deluxe) by Fleetwood Mac runs three hours and 47 minutes in length. I know because I listen to it a lot. The original album was released in 1977, but was repackaged many times since, including the iconic 2013 Super Deluxe edition. The original album was certified as 2x Diamond, meaning that, in the United States alone, more than 20 million units were purchased or streamed. The album was even preserved within the National Recording Registry. I think that Rumours, specifically the Super Deluxe release, is one of the greatest albums of all time, and it remains popular more than 40 years after its release. If

you haven’t tried to complete an entire finals week workload while listening to this album, I’d really recommend it. While all members of Fleetwood Mac were integral to the album’s success, it’s worth noting the work of Stevie Nicks specifically. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction for the Class of 2019 was March 29. Nicks was inducted for the second time in her career. Other inductees include musical groups The Cure, Def Leppard, Radiohead, Roxy Music, The Zombies, and solo artist Janet Jackson. Inductees are recognized for at least 25 years in the professional music industry, according to the Hall of Fame. Each inductee will be inducted by

Amanda Miller is an English senior from Kansas City. She likes pop culture, glitter and iced coffee.

a member of the music community. Notable inductors for 2019 include Janelle Monáe (inducting Jackson) and Harry Styles (inducting Nicks). Fleetwood Mac was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and now, 20 years later, Nicks is being recognized for her solo career—one that produced eight additional albums and 17 tours. There are 22 musicians who have been

inducted more than once. Nicks will be the first woman to join that group. That comparative figure is staggering. How is Nicks the first woman to be recognized for her contributions within a group and on her own? When I first heard that, I was surprised that it wasn’t accomplished before, but also that Nicks had not already been inducted for her solo career. After all, she

gave us anthems like Edge of Seventeen, duets like Leather and Lace and complex tracks like Bella Donna. Known for shawls, platform heels and a magical presence, Nicks remains an icon to popular culture and music even at the age of 70. But the Hall of Fame statistic is part of a bigger problem—women’s representation in the music industry. For context, between 2012 and 2017, women make up 22.4 percent of artists, 12.3 percent of songwriters and 2 percent of producers in the music industry, according to a study conducted by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of

Southern California in Los Angeles. Women make up 56 percent of Apple Music users, 44 percent of Spotify users and 59 percent of Pandora users, according to studies conducted by Verto Analytics. Nicks has been a trailblazing artist for years and her second Hall of Fame induction is no exception to that. It’s an exciting induction this year to see Nicks return alongside another powerful woman in the industry, Janet Jackson. While I don’t have solutions to completely restructure the music industry, I encourage music lovers to seek out more music that is written, produced or performed by women.

Reviewer praises Climax as ‘most unique movie experience’ Climax is a French/Belgian film written and directed by Gaspar Noé. The movie was produced by A24, producers of such films like Eighth Grade, Mid90s and Hereditary. Climax was first shown at Cannes Film Festival on May 10, 2018, then released to theaters in France on Sept. 19, 2018 and in Belgium on Nov. 21, 2018, and released March 1 in the United States. I can say with 100 percent certainty that this movie is the most unique movie experience this year. The movie is about a French dance troupe that throws a party in an abandoned school. At a certain point in the night, one of the dancers realizes that their drinks were spiked with LSD and hijinx ensue.

Climax is a “love-it or hateit” kind of movie. A lot of critics will say the lack of story, odd-pacing, unlikable characters, and weird editing choices ruin any kind of engagement the audience could have with the movie. Other critics say the movie’s cinematography, coordination and performances make it an interesting statement on party culture and a beautiful exercise in extremism in film. I’m in the latter camp of critics. This movie left me in a bad headspace after seeing it for the first time. The number of emotions and themes packed into it is nuts. I left the theater speechless and without an opinion on the movie initally, which is a rare occurrence. The

Paul Dower is a film production freshman from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He likes squishy toys, hoodies and Stanley Kubrick.

first thing I could think to do is to look up things about the production. Climax took 15 days to shoot, which is a small time to shoot a full-length movie. The cinematography is spectacular in Climax. The movie consists of two really long shots of events going on in the story, and medium shots of all of the characters talking in pairs of two. The cinematography portrays the way characters feels through

pacing and camera movements that allows the audience to get into the character’s headspace. The editing in the movie also is pretty rad. During the first portion of the movie, the pacing of the editing is slow and monotonous, with weird black frames left between each of the cuts. The slow editing allows the audience to settle into the setting and get introduced to the characters in a natural and interesting way as they talk about the party and

their various sexual conquests. The extra black frames help to give the audience a sense of dread for whatever is going to happen to the dancers. The performances in the movie feel natural. Most of the characters are based on the actors playing them. The actors are allowed to just stand in front of the camera and talk in character to the other actors, allowing character dynamics, motivations and conversation topics to come up naturally and not feel as though they are reading lines off of the script. Sof ia Boutella, “Selva,” stuck out due to the movie following her most of the time and her being one of the only trained actors in the cast. Souheila Yacoub, “Lou,” also performed her role well,

especially with the depressing themes her character had to deal with directly. While the rest of the dancers weren’t horrible in their roles, they were obviously dancers before they were actors. There were some moments where the dancers felt like they were breaking character and were confused about what they were supposed to do, especially in the beginning, but it really doesn’t take that much away from the movie. Climax is the most extreme and technically marvelous movie you will see all year. Climax is worth at least a second viewing due to the amount of coordination and attention to detail that Noé puts into the film. Climax is the climax of the year.

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Campus Calendar Calendar items must be received in the Newsroom or stupub@okcu.edu by noon Friday for inclusion in the following Wednesday issue.

TODAY Baseball vs. Southwestern College at 2 p.m. in Jim Wade Stadium Workshop Wednesday: 5th Short Play Festival/Open Mic from 5:45-8:45 p.m. at Oklahoma Contemporary, 3000 General Pershing Blvd.

THURSDAY Picnic at 8 p.m. in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

FRIDAY Picnic at 8 p.m. in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Chapel service at 1 p.m. in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel

Baseball vs. Southwestern Assemblies of God University at 7 p.m. in Jim Wade Stadium

Softball vs. Southwestern Christian University at 2 p.m. in Ann Lacy Stadium

Softball vs. Panhandle State University at 5 p.m. in Ann Lacy

SATURDAY Picnic at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Baseball vs. Southwestern Asssemblies of God University at 1 p.m. in Jim Wade Stadium

TUESDAY Oklahoma City University Faculty Brass Quintet Recital from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Th i r te e nt h An n u a l S p r i n g Contest Powwow at 2 p.m. in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J.

SUNDAY Picnic at 2 p.m. in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Softball vs. Texas Wesleyan University at 2 p.m. in Ann Lacy Stadium

Stadium

The Campus has served the Oklahoma City University community since 1907. It is published Wednesday during the academic year, with the exception of holidays and exam periods.

THE CAMPUS April 3, 2019, Volume 112, Issue 23

Editor-in-chief: Nicole Waltman Associate Editor: Emily Wollenberg Copy Editor: Chandler White Associate Copy Editor: Paul Dower Photo Editor: Elina Moon Community Manager: Maddie Bowes

Web Editor: Jessica Vanek Staff Writers: Luke Barrett, MaKayla Baxter, Erik Hamilton, Francesca Iaccovaci, Hope Melton, Dru Norton Columnists: Caroline Hawthorne, Amanda Miller Photographers: Carolann Stout, Kylie Sullivan, Hope Melton, Clara Foster

The Student Publications staff welcomes unsolicited material and let-

Videographer: Emily Haan Ad Director: Emily Jones Faculty Adviser: Kenna Griffin

ters to the editor. All letters must be signed and include the writer’s phone number, address, major, and classification. The staff reserves the right to edit all letters. The staff also reserves the right to refuse letters without explanation. Letters can be sent online at mediaocu.com, emailed to stupub@ okcu.edu or dropped off at the Newsroom in Walker Center for Arts and Sciences. Submitted items may appear on MediaOCU and in the print edition.

April 3, 2019

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Theatre, performance program establishes new event Hope Melton

STAFF WRITER

The theatre and performance program is hosting a new event called “The Festival of New Works.” It will take place April 24-27 at Oklahoma Contemporary, 3000 General Pershing Blvd. The festival will include a talk show, a new play, a comedy special, a stand-up comedy show, and an original verbatim theater show. None of the works have been published or performed before. The festival serves as a capstone project for theatre and performance seniors.

Jillian Negan, theatre and performance senior, said the festival will become a permanent part of the theatre and performance program. “It will forever be essentially a thing after this because it’s the senior B.A. capstone,” Negan said. “Every year from here on out the senior B.A. class will create shows either on their own, in groups or potentially with outside sources and they’ll be able to perform those and workshop them as the current senior class has done.” The festival gives students a chance to have their work produced before graduation, Negan said. “As theater artists, we will

As theater artists, we will actually graduate with our work having been done before and produced and seen.

actually graduate with having our work having been done before and produced and seen,” Negan said. Matt Tuley, acting senior, is one of the performers in the stand-up comedy show. Tuley said he’s excited to perform.

Jillian Negan theater and performance senior

“I’m really proud of my set,” Tuley said. “Stand-up is something that I’ve always been interested in, and it wasn’t until recently that I’ve finally gotten into it. I’ve always had a friend or two that’s like ‘have you ever considered stand-up because you talk like a comedian’ and

whenever I get angry my parents say that I sound like a stand-up comedian. So I’m very happy with how it’s coming along and I’m really excited to show it to people.” He said it’s been interesting to watch others develop their new works. “You get to see these people kind of grow with their work and figure out things and figure out what works and what doesn’t, so seeing the final product will be really neat,” he said. Dani Pike, acting senior, is also performing in the stand-up show. She said it’s exciting to work with the new pieces. “I always love new works fes-

tivals because it’s always exciting getting to participate in the first of something,” Pike said. Updates on the festival can be found on the theatre and performance Facebook page, facebook.com/ BATAPOCUTHEATRE/. Editor’s Note: Nicole Waltman, editor-in-chief; Emily Wollenberg, associate editor and Jessica Vanek, web editor are in the B.A. theatre and performance festival. They did not participate in the writing of the story.

Spring music theater performance includes ‘twists, turns’ Luke Barrett

STAFF WRITER

The Wanda L. Bass School of Music is preparing to put up its next mainstage production, Crazy for You. Crazy for You will be performed at 8 p.m. April 12-13, and 3 p.m. April 14 in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. Set in the 1930s, Crazy for You follows “Bobby Child,” who, despite his family’s banking business, wants to be a dancer. His mother sends him to the small, western town of Deadrock, Nevada, to foreclose a rundown theater. When Bobby arrives, he falls in love with “Polly Baker,” who resents him for closing the theater, and he decides to try to save the theater by producing a show under a false identity. “It’s a lot going on. You’ve got cases of mistaken identity, you’ve got love triangles and rivalry between people, and you’ve got the scorned fiancé on one hand, and the cute cowgirl enticing you to stay in Nevada. It’s just all kinds of craziness,” said Jordyn Younger, music theater/vocal performance sophomore. “Plus, the dancing, I feel like that in itself is going to be an amazing spectacle.” Younger is portraying “Irene Roth,” Bobby’s fiancee. Jan McDaniel, music professor, is the music director and conductor of the show. The score is entirely George Gershwin songs. The music also was updated and adapted to allow for dance breaks and modern understandings of music, McDaniel said. David García, music theater/vocal performance junior, is portraying “Lank Hawkins,” the show’s antagonist. He said, though the show is more recent, it has the same feeling as clas-

It's so high energy. It's fastpaced, and it embodies the classic music theater show.

Katie Allsup music theater/vocal performance sophomore

sic musicals. “I think it’s a really, really cool piece of music theater because it takes all of that charm that the Golden Age era of music theater had, way in the early days of Broadway, and brought it back into a more modern time,” he said. Katie Allsup, music theater/vocal performance sophomore, is also playing “Irene Roth.” She said several classic Gershwin songs including I’ve Got Rhythm and Someone to Watch Over Me are included in the show, and the audience will recognize these hits. “It’s so high energy. It’s fast-paced, and it embodies the classic music theater show. Gershwin shows are standards, but Crazy for You is a standard that still has a lot of twists and turns, and the tapping in it is astounding,” she said. Younger said she’s enjoyed working with the director, Dan Fishbach, and is excited for people to see the show. “We’ve been working with a guest director, Dan, who’s been wonderful, and I feel like he’s been really great at allowing us to harness our creativity and he’s really allowing use our creativity to bring our own ideas to the table. This cast feels like a team,” Younger said.

Blake Sauceda, acting junior playing “Bela Zangler,” said the show involves a large cast. “I would say the show relies heavily on the ensemble. They are called almost every rehearsal and are there the entire time, learning choreography, brushing up on choreography, and making things clean. But they always come prepared, it’s always really impressive to watch them,” he said. Sauceda also said Fishbach knows how comedic moments should be orchestrated, and he has a clear image of how the scenes, acts and show need to develop. “A lot of it is about timing. A lot of it is about delivering the very funny lines, and dialogue that’s been written, in the best way. A lot of it is about working on characterization,” Fishbach said. Fishbach said the show is escapist comedy, and he wants the audience to enjoy themselves and the work the company has done. Sauceda said he thought the fun of the show was part of why it was chosen. “It’s nothing to be taken too seriously,” he said. Collin O’Neill, music theater senior playing “Bobby Child,” said the show is about community and following one’s dreams. “A community can really do anything, and establishing one is really powerful. And not to be corny, but sort of ‘follow your ambitions,’” he said. Tickets are available online or at the box office for $14, $20, or $28, depending on seat location. Vouchers for student-priced tickets will be available the week of April 8 before opening weekend.

Acting seniors bond through water gun ‘assassinations’ MaKayla Baxter

STAFF WRITER

A group of 24 acting seniors battled it out for the last time in a multi-day game of “Assassin.” The game began March 20 and started with students being given a water gun with their target’s name on it. The rules outline that the players may “assassinate” their target at any location or time, except for during rehearsals or classes, or in someone’s home or vehicle. Once a player assassinates their target, they are assigned the target of the assassinated player. The cycle continues until there is a single person standing. The winner receives $20, with second place earning $10 and third place walking away with $4. Onnika Hanson, acting senior, won third place in the

game Sunday after Narvaez eliminated her. The game ended Monday with a final battle on the quad between Samantha Buzonas and Narvaez, acting seniors. Narvaez was the ultimate victor. Katy Yates, acting senior, proposed the idea during Spring Break. “It was just something I have always wanted to do with our class,” Yates said. “I thought it would be a lot of fun, and it seemed like the perfect time to do it.” Reily Preston, acting senior, said she was interested in the game from the beginning. “We wanted to do something fun that could get us through the end of the school year,” Preston said. “I was immediately like, ‘Oh yeah, let’s do it.’” Preston said, the longer the game went on, the more complicated it got. “When you shoot someone,

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Marae Narvaez, acting senior, “assassinates” Samantha Buzonas, acting senior, in a final battle on Monday on the quad.

you automatically get that person’s next target, so things can get tricky,” she said. “You have to really keep up with it. We’ve all pretty much figured out who has who, so now it’s just about being really sneaky, and figuring out their schedule so you know exactly when to ambush them.”

Natalya Fisher, acting senior, said the game got fiercely competitive, with students constantly keeping track of what was going on and keeping others updated. “It’s been crazy,” Fisher said. “We have a group chat, and people will text it and say things

like, ‘Oh my gosh, people are chasing each other across campus,’ or ‘There’s a showdown going on outside the caf.’” Preston said students who were not directly involved in the game were having a good time keeping up with it. “Other students love it,” Preston said. “People who aren’t even playing will come up to me and be like, ‘Are you still alive? Did you die yet?’” Yates said the game has been a bonding experience for the acting seniors. “We’re bonding, but in a really exciting way,” Yates said. “Everyone playing is a senior and is about to graduate, so really it’s one last fun thing we get to do together. And with senioritis kicking in, it’s something cool we can focus our attention on.” Preston said she is glad to have enjoyed this unique experience as her senior year comes to a close.

“I didn’t even realize how competitive I was before this,” she said. “I’ve really lost myself in this game. I feel like a mob boss, like Jack Nicholson’s character in The Departed. It’s just been such a great time.” Yates said she would be delighted if the game caught on and became a campus tradition. “It would be really cool if people from other majors ended up doing their own versions,” she said. “People are getting a kick out of it, so it would be really nice if it kept going.” “I would just like to say that the only reason that I won is because I wanted this game to be over,” Narvaez said. “So I killed as many people as possible.”

Theatre students prepare to perform final mainstage of the year Francesca Iaccovaci

STAFF WRITER

Life’s no picnic, but the School of Theatre’s last mainstage of the season is. Picnic will be performed at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. Written by William Inge, the play is set in 1953 on Labor Day weekend in Kansas. The story follows the events and relationships that ensue when a guest, “Hal Carter,” joins the women of the town for a neighborhood picnic. Though Inge described the play as a romantic comedy, Kristen Cerelli, director and assistant professor of acting and voice, said it’s more of an American classic. “It’s a very simple, sweet and realistic American story about young love, lost dreams and the American dream,” she said. The cast began rehearsals with a process called “feeding in,” said Maddie Gustitis, acting junior playing “Helen Potts.” The process was developed at Shakespeare & Company in Lennox, April 3, 2019

The importance of seeing theater in school is that we have the opportunity to support people now that are going to be making art in the long run.

Dustin Dale Barlow acting junior

Massachusetts. “You don’t have a script in your hand, and your castmates give you your line and ask you questions about it,” Gustitis said. “It brought a lot out of the script, and we were able to explore it and be physically connected.” Cerelli said, even though the play was written in 1953, the material is still relevant. “As much as times change, people remain the same and the

human heart remains the same,” she said. “I think it will resonate with any person who struggles with fitting in, struggles with defining who they are, struggles with upholding any norm that has been set for them by their family or society or even by internal pressure from themselves.” Dustin Dale Barlow, acting junior who plays “Howard Bevans” said Inge sets up the female-driven story with archetypes from the 1950s that completely shift throughout the course of the play. “I want the audience to leave asking questions. If the work prompts questions, then you know you did your job,” he said. Tickets may be purchased for $15 online or in person at the ticket office in the Edith Kinney Gaylord Center. School of Theatre students receive a complimentary ticket that also may be redeemed at the ticket office. “The importance of seeing theater in school is that we have the opportunity to support people now that are going to be making art in the long run,” Barlow said. “There’s always something to learn.”

lifestyles SHINING STAR Runner lands accounting job a year before graduation Annaleiz Palacios, accounting/finance senior, is already working at her post-graduation job. Palacios has a job at Midfirst Bank, 2225 N. May Ave., which developed from an internship. “I had interned at Midfirst Bank over the summer and got a job offer from them in August, so I’m working parttime there,” Palacios said. “I’ll start working full-time when I graduate.” Palacios said she’s learning about becoming a credit analyst. “It’s kind of a development program, and that’s what I’ll be going into,” she said. Palacios said she found out about the internship through an alumnus. “I knew an alum who I bumped into at the OCU gym,” she said. “He told me about an internship at his work, and I ended up emailing him my resume. He sent it to his manager, and I got the job two days later.” Palacios came to OCU after being recruited by Conor Holt, former track and cross-country coach. “I started running my junior year in high school in Greeley, Colorado,” she said. “I was recruited, and I thought it would be interesting to see Oklahoma. I ended up falling in love with the school and the city. It was a quick decision to come here, but a good one.” Palacios was inspired by her mom to pursue accounting.

Submitted

Annaleiz Palacios, accounting/finance senior, runs the mile in the Pittsburgh State Indoor Classic in February. Palacios already has a part-time job at Midfirst Bank, and she will work there full time after she graduates.

Her mom went back to school from 2010-14, Palacios said. “She had two kids and was working a full-time job. She was already in accounting, but wanted to further her development so she went back to school,” she said. “I’ve always looked up to my mom, and she told me that it would be something that I liked. I

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came into college knowing I was going to go into accounting and finance, and I haven’t changed.” Dr. Susan Jurney, associate professor of accounting, also inspired her. “Probably one of the best teachers I’ve had here is Dr. Jurney,” Palacios said. “She’s really inspirational because she’s a strong and powerful woman working in tax, which is male-dominated. She handles situations well, and I’ve always looked up to her.” In addition to her full-time bank position, Palacios will take the exam to become a certified public accountant, as well as compete in the NAIA Outdoor Track nationals in May in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Palacios said the key to success is staying involved. “I’m currently Investment Club president,” she said. “It’s opened up a lot of opportunities for me, and I have so much to say about how involved I am at OCU. It really helps a lot, especially when making connections. It’s one of the best ways to find a job when you graduate.” Matt Aguero, head coach of track and field, said Palacios has developed a lot from her freshman to senior years. “She shows up every day and works hard. She’s always done good stuff and has been very competitive for us,” Aguero said. “She has always been a team leader and a great student.” By Web Editor Jessica Vanek

Emily Wollenberg Student Publications

Finding love in Grover's Corners Owen Whitham, acting junior, and Adelaide Ross, acting senior, play “George Gibbs” and “Emily Webb” in TheatreOCU’s Stage II production of Our Town. The play had performances March 28-31 in the Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music Center. Left: Amanda Kronhaus, acting senior, plays “Mrs. Gibbs.” The play centers on the everyday lives of people living in a fictional American small town in the early 1900s. The next TheatreOCU show is Picnic. It has performances Thursday through Sunday in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center.

Native American Society hosts annual powwow, celebrates culture Erik Hamilton

STAFF WRITER

The Native American Society is honoring Native history and culture with their annual powwow this week. The powwow will start at 2 p.m. Saturday in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. There will be a dance competition, which will be after 5 p.m. The event is free to enter and open to anyone, whether or not they are affiliated with OCU. “It is basically a gathering of people from different Native American tribes, and it’s full of dancing and music and celebrating our culture,” said Brianna Miles, nursing freshman. “We want people to come, just so they can all see that aspect of OCU. We are in Oklahoma, and this is where native people were relocated. It’s a special thing that we’ve been working really hard to get organized.” The society’s members have been organizing the event since October, Miles said. They have received the help of advisers Russ Tallchief, director of student diversity and inclusion, and Trustee the Rev. David Wilson. “It’s honestly a really big cultural insight for a lot of people who don’t understand Native culture at all,” said Kevin Chissoe,

It's honestly a really big cultural insight for a lot of people who don't understand Native culture at all. Kevin Chissoe president Native American Society

business senior and president of the Native American Society. “You know some people talk about, ‘Oh, we’re going to go have a powwow real quick,’ and just saying, ‘Oh, we’re going to go meet up,’ but whenever you come and see this for a real thing, you actually get to experience what it means to say, ‘We’re going to go have a powwow.’ It’s really eye-opening.” Chissoe said this is one of the society’s biggest events of the year, and people from across Oklahoma participate in it. “Everybody’s uniting and recognizing that in this world of different ethnicities. We have a little community on campus,” Miles said.

The powwow will begin with a gourd dance, Chissoe said. The gourd dance is a spiritual dance ceremony by which Native Americans honor people important to their community. In the past, participants have honored individuals such as former OCU President Robert Henry and alumni. The event also will include vendors with Native food, attire from different tribes and a dance competition. “I never really got the chance to grow up in my native culture,” Chissoe said. “I wasn’t too deep into my roots or anything like that. Coming to OCU and realizing I could actually have a chance to learn and be a part of something bigger than myself has been a huge plus.” Chissoe said he looks forward to a future of celebrating his culture. “It means a lot to see everyone that comes out and supports it too, to know that this is something that’s not dying, that this is something that’s alive and well, that’s still going strong, and that I’m able to be a part of it to keep it moving forward in the future,” he said.

Campus counselors report increased number of calls, appointments Paul Dower

ASSOCIATE COPY EDITOR

Counseling officials say that calls to make appointments have increased this year from previous years. About 1,100 calls were made last academic year by students to make appointments with the counselors. There have been about 1,300 calls so far this academic year. Mindy Windholz, director of university counseling, said the increase in appointments is due to more communication on the topic of mental heath on campus. “I think that we’ve promoted our services across campus, so our students know that we are available,” she said. “People are just more comfortable in addressing their mental health needs.” Chloe Roby, administrative assistant for university counseling, said counseling has been able to keep up with the increase in appointments, but with a decrease in counselor availability. “I used to be able to offer people more session times, as far as times that are available, than I am able to now. I’m still able to get folks in relatively quickly, maybe just not as conveniently for them,” she said. “I know students on campus are so busy, and we want to be accommodating to that. It’s been a little more challenging lately.” Levi Harrel, director of student engagement, said the counselling staff makes time for students. “Our counselors are some of the most hardworking staff April 3, 2019

Our counselors are some of the most hardworking staff members on campus, to say the least. Levi Harrel director student engagement

members on campus, to say the least,” he said. “They truly put the students’ needs before their own, whether that is coming in early or staying late, skipping lunches to make sure they are able to meet student needs and to be able to host student appointments.” The personal counselors are Windholz and two interns from the University of Oklahoma, Allison Hill and Zeinab Moravejnia. There is a personal counselor position open after Jackie Ledbetter left the university March 1. Josh Eliot, film freshman, said the increase in appointments may be due to students separating themselves from each other because of technology. “I feel like our generation is more depressed than previous generations,” he said. “I honestly think the technology that we have allows us to not hangout with people very much.”

Eliot said the lonely nature of a college campus leads to new students staying in their room and not socializing. “Lots of times when you are new to college, like I am, it’s easy to isolate yourself and just stay in your room all the time,” he said. “It’s a lot harder to push yourself to go and hang out with people and talk with them.” Rachel Eckert, elementary education freshman, said the increase in appointments is not great, but at least people are getting the help they need for mental illness. “Obviously people are wanting to reach out for help, and I think that is awesome, but the fact that they have to reach out shows that people are having mental illnesses,” Eckert said. Anastasia Pellar, theatre and performance sophomore, said she thinks the increase in appointments is because of the improved awareness of counseling on campus. “I know my freshman year, I kind of heard about it, but I never knew details about it, how to go about setting up appointments if I ever wanted to or where it was located,” Pellar said. If students want to make an appointment, they may contact the counseling office at 405-208-7901, email Roby at croby@ okcu.edu or go to counseling in person at the University Counseling Center in the north side of the first floor of Walker Hall dormitory.