March 20 by MediaOCU

THE“CAMPUS

March 20, 2019 – Volume 112 Issue 21

SGA creates diversity, inclusion position Hope Melton

STAFF WRITER

A new Student Government Association resolution will create a student position for promoting diversity and inclusivity on campus. After President Martha Burger’s listening session on diversity and inclusivity Feb. 6, Student Senate passed a resolution Feb. 26 calling upon Burger to establish a chief diversity and inclusion officer position within the president’s cabinet. The resolution also establishes a secretary of diversity and inclusion position within the SGA president’s cabinet. The resolution passed unanimously through Student Senate. President Burger was unavailable at presstime for comment about the position within the president’s cabinet. Sen. Trae Trousdale (Greek) proposed the resolution and said it was inspired by concerns brought up during Burger’s session. “The resolution is acknowledging that there is a problem that was brought up on our campus, specifically with diverse populations,” Trousdale said. “I thought it would be a great idea for SGA to get ahead of that instead of acting reactively later on.” Trousdale said the new position will give minorities and underrepresented groups the means to interact with SGA.

I really hope that this will allow our multicultural organizations to feel valued and represented and connected to SGA.

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Trae Trousdale Sen. (Greek) Student Senate

“Throughout this whole year, one of my biggest problems with SGA has been that disconnect between the student body and those that are representing the student body,” he said. “This will really work to include those groups at the executive level, and they’ll have a direct line of communication between SGA, the office of diversity and inclusion, the SGA president, and their organization.” Trousdale said he hopes to make multicultural organizations feel connected and represented. Sen. Caleb Evans (athletics) said there were concerns about whether the new position would interfere with the duties of exist-

ing positions. “There were some talks about whether that would step on the toes of the policies and initiatives commission, but we decided that those two jobs can work hand in hand and it wouldn’t be a problem,” Evans said. Evans said SGA members have had issues communicating with multicultural organizations in the past. “We worked on funding requests for the Black Students Association and the Native American Students Association, and in both of those cases communication with those organization probably could’ve been expressed better,” Evans said. “I think the resolution is great. Everybody’s voice on this campus should be heard, and for this new position to be able to do that is great.” Sen. Cate Kurtz (junior at-large) said the new position will put diversity at the forefront of SGA. “In general in Senate, we promote inclusivity and diversity, but now with this seat we are able to put it on exec so it’s really at the forefront of SGA,” Kurtz said. “Now it’s more of an initiative instead of just assumed.”

New associate head coach hired for men's golf team Dru Norton

STAFF WRITER

A new associate head coach is joining OCU’s golf team. Andy Crabtree was chosen as associate head golf coach because of his experience in coaching, Athletic Director Jim Abbott said. “Andy has experience, he’s been to tournaments and knows the details of what it takes to have a successful team. He’ll be able to help our student athletes play at their highest level,” Abbott said. “He’s also an excellent recruiter, so he’ll be able to go find our next golf team members and bring them to OCU.” The former men’s golf coach, Kyle Blaser, left the university earlier this year to go into private business. Blaser’s departure was after 23 years as the men’s golf coach. Marty McCauley, head coach of women’s golf, took over, making him head coach of both golf teams. Abbott said Crabtree was the first choice for the position of associate head golf coach. “When the former head golf coach told us that he’s going to be resigning to take another position, we posted the associate head coach job as available and tried to get the word out. A good amount of people applied for the job. We brought Andy in for an interview and followed up with his references,” Abbott said. “We had three people that we considered, but Andy was our first choice.” Crabtree has coached golf for 12 years. He previously coached at the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma, Texas A&M University in College Station, Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia,

My first goal as a coach is to see that the team members get a great education and earn a degree. Andy Crabtree associate head coach golf

and, most recently, the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. He has coached men’s and women’s golf teams, but, at OCU, he will work primarily with the men’s team. “I am still happy to help with the women’s team in any way I can, though,” he said. Crabtree grew up in Bixby, Oklahoma, and graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa. He was a member of the golf team at USF and earned his bachelor’s degree in communication. “When I was in college, I knew that coaching college golf is what I wanted to do,” Crabtree said. Crabtree said he was drawn to OCU by the opportunity to return to men’s golf. “In Tulsa, I coached men’s golf for four years. At Texas A&M and UNLV, I coached the women’s team,” Crabtree said. “It’s a bit

of a change for me to get back into men’s golf, which I’m looking forward to.” Crabtree said he wants to ensure that student athletes have a great experience. “My first goal as a coach is to see that the team members get a great education and earn a degree,” Crabtree said. “I also want them to be involved in any way they can in the community and make a difference. And, of course, we want to continue the winning tradition here, too.” Crabtree said he is eager to get to know the members of the team. “Meeting the guys on the team made a real impression on me,” Crabtree said. “I’m excited about getting to know them better and see how far they can go this season.” Junior Golfer Carson Seals said Crabtree will be a great addition to the team. “Coach Crabtree was very professional when I first met him. He struck me as someone who was a very knowledgeable and experienced coach,” Seals said. “He seems dedicated and passionate about winning. We are happy to have him.” Crabtree said he looks forward to his future at OCU. “I love coaching golf, and I’m excited to be a part of the OCU community,” Crabtree said.

University community members propose more humane solutions for campus cats Emily Wollenberg

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The alley cats around campus have some allies looking out for them. Melissa Rice, registrar generalist, said she has been feeding and helping the feral cats around Walker Center for Arts and Sciences. Rice said, after a female cat had kittens, she took the cat family back to her house to improve their health. “I got all of those kittens rounded up, got them fixed and gave them away to homes,” she said. These “community cats,” as Rice calls them, are domesticated and can’t completely live on their own, she said. Rice said other faculty and staff in Walker Center and around campus help feed and care for the cats. Rather than euthanizing the cats, Rice said the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends a system of trap, neuter and return as the best way to control a cat population. “You take them to get them fixed, you bring them back and their ears are tipped so that everyone can recognize that they’ve already been fixed,” she said.

M MEDIAOCU.com

The cats also are given rabies vaccines, she said. “Because they’re in the area and they’re territorial, other cats don’t come in,” she said. “You stop the population and they just kind of live in that area.” Rice said starving the cats doesn’t solve the problem. “If you stop feeding them, it’s inhumane,” Rice said. “If you can get them to live longer, like you have a colony that’s fixed, they live like a regular house cat and they keep other cats from coming in. What every expert has said is that that’s really the way to control the cat population.” If the cats are trapped and relocated or euthanized, the cycle will continue, Rice said. “It’s the vacuum effect. If you get rid of these, if you move them out, 50 more cats will move in,” she said. “But then those aren’t fixed and vaccinated.” Some students witnessed cats running through Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center during rehearsals for the spring dance show, Broadway Revue. “Dancers were standing onstage and getting notes and all of a sudden, dancers on the stage saw a cat come into the pit,” said Morgan Wanamaker, dance junior. “We went in the

pit to try and find it, but it must have gotten in a different hole.” Rice said officials should check the buildings for holes and close them up so the cats can’t get in. The University of Florida in Gainesville conducted a study by sterilizing feral cats in neighborhoods around their campus and found that, after two years of the study, the rate of cats picked up by animal control decreased by 70 percent, according to vetmed. ufl.edu. Rice said some of the misconceptions about the community cats is that they transmit diseases or are dangerous. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown that cats are not that susceptible to rabies,” she said. “Community cats are shy. They’re not dangerous, and they’re not going to attack anybody, unless you corner them.” The cats help control rodent and cockroach populations, she said. The School of Visual Arts partnered with the Central Oklahoma Humane Society last year to provide a class for students to build cat houses for the community cats. Collin Salmonowics, film junior and former student of the cat house class, said it taught him

more about the feral cats around the city. “Before taking the class, I had only occasionally seen them or the food that people sometimes leave out for them,” he said. “But after the class, I learned more about not only the cats, but the efforts made by the OKC Humane Society, namely their catch and release program for spaying and neutering, to ensure the population doesn’t grow too much and that the cats that are on the streets have places to go, especially in the winter.” Rice said she wants to be a voice for the cats and find a more long-term solution. “I don’t have all the answers. I just don’t want the cats to be rounded up and euthanized. It’s inhumane, and I think everyone wants a humane solution for the cats,” she said. If students are interested in helping out with the community cats, they may email Rice at mwrice@okcu.edu. “If you TNR [trap, neuter, return], you stabilize the colony, you save lives, you stop the whole vacuum effect, and it answers the needs of the community,” she said.

Submitted

You should see me in a crown Rachel Barrs, psychology junior, was crowned Miss Indian OCU on March 7. Barrs is a member of the Choctaw Nation and will receive a sash, crown and tuition waiver for the year of her reign. She also will be honored at the Native American Society’s 13th Annual Spring Powwow. The powwow will be from 2 p.m. to midnight April 6 in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center.

Running for the win

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opinion Future SGA leaders must build positive relationships with students Student Government Association has had its fair share of issues, as displayed in the past few weeks and throughout this academic year. From private email meetings to attempted impeachment and bylaw violations, the drama seems unending. Visit MediaOCU.com and see page 3 to read about the issues. SGA has a difficult job. They are supposed to be the governing body for the students, which is no simple task. But the lack of transparency and communication with students is doing the opposite of what is expected. S G A i s by n o m e a n s ruined, but could definitely use improvements at all levels. While no one person is at fault for the negative occurrences, future SGA representatives are responsible for changing the potentially tainted relationship they have with the

campus community. Mending the relationship between SGA and the student body may be taxing, but it’s not impossible and will be worth it. Students can join the effort by exercising their right to vote and attending SGA meetings to let their voices be heard. SGA officials can’t serve the student body if the student body isn’t open and honest with them. With elections for new SGA officeholders taking place Thursday and Friday, students should pay close attention to who they vote into power. Voting for someone just because they’re your friend is not the best practice. Vote for SGA representatives that will lead with transparency and integrity, while still keeping the student body’s best interests first. Elections should not be a popularity contest—they should be taken seriously by students. This includes doing your own research and making

Talk Back “Where is the weirdest place you've seen a feral cat on campus?”

educated choices. No one can be a perfect leader, and if you expect that, you’ll always end up disappointed. It is important to keep an open mind for all candidates and what they could do for the student body. Things can’t get accomplished as quickly or effectively if a governing body is more preoccupied with copious amounts of internal issues than they are with the people they aim to serve. All hope is not lost and SGA is not a failing organization. Their new diversity and inclusion officer position shows promise for their future, starting an upcoming administration with a positive move. But, without more improvements to the way it will operate in the future, the organization’s prospects will continue to suffer.

"By the chapel at midnight"

"On the rocks between the fitness center and Methodist"

Torie Brown entertainment business freshman

Ally Zahringer music junior

"In the pit of the Kirkpatrick"

"In the parking garage of Methodist"

Amy Brokamp dance junior

Katherine Abel acting sophomore

"In a dumpster in Cokes"

"Inside a trash can outside Alvin's"

Lucy Leggett entertainment business junior

Mark Munoz music theater/vocal performance sophomore

Columnist reflects on growth, things learned through the years I think a lot about age; in terms of comparison to other people, at least. With each year I catch myself saying “This person was my age when they did this!” or “I remember soand-so’s senior project.” As the class of 2019 approaches graduation, I look forward to the future, and I think Spring Break, or the weeks surrounding, is the perfect time to reflect on the expectations of growing up. When I look at celebrities, it’s easy to say that they’re much more successful than a current student because they have fame, fortune and well… good timing. I think about how Adele’s first album was written when she was 19 or

how Shawn Mendes is a few years younger than me. I often think about how Lorde, the pop singer from New Zealand known for her dark lyrics and rhythmic dancing, is only one month older than me. On the eve of her 20th birthday, she wrote a beautiful note to herself, detailing the weird feelings that come with growing up. “I started to discover in a profound, scary, blood-aching way who I was when I was alone, what I did when I did things only for myself. I was reckless and graceless and terrifying and tender,” she wrote within the letter, describing the things she has learned on her way to 20 years old. At 20, I read these words

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

over and over, feeling as if Lorde was giving me some sort of permission to be messy, chaotic and emotional. At the time I was about to turn 20, I was constantly afraid of taking up space—being too loud or being all together too much to deal with. Now I’m 22, and I’m excited at the possibility that people will someday listen to all of the opinions and ideas I have to offer. I try not to apolo-

gize for things I cannot control and, instead, thank people for their patience or kindness. I’m not trying to say I have it all figured out—if you’ve seen me recently, you know that I do not have it figured out. Instead, I want to offer those who may be feeling unsure of themselves some words of hope: it will all make sense sooner than you think. The spring semester can

be extra stressful. It feels like it flies by faster than the fall, and there’s an impending sense of doom that summer employment can bring about. It’s important to remember that things don’t have to be perfect immediately. I think all upperclassmen would agree that college takes a lot of figuring out, and if that means that you have to fall a few times, then that’s what the universe has in store. There is no specific day or age when you have to be the perfect version of yourself. You have your whole life to do that. You do not have to be perfect right now. As I write this, I am sitting in a café in New York City. I flew here alone, and during

the next few days I imagine I’ll spend a lot of my time by myself. In a few short days, I will return to Oklahoma City and prepare to do this whole doing-theater-post-graduation thing. After all, my time at OCU is coming to a close, and the same is true for many of my peers. We will soon enter a world outside of the constraints of campus, and, while my experience at OCU has been one that I wouldn’t change, I am excited for the possibility of change in my future. Maybe things won’t go as I plan. Maybe there will be roadblocks. But I’m happy to be reckless, graceless, terrifying, and tender just as the pop singer one month older than I.

Captain Marvel held back by poor writing, uninspired direction Captain Marvel is t he newest movie in the Marvel Ci nemat ic Un iverse a nd chronicles the origins of the superhero “Carol Danvers,” a.k.a. “Captain Marvel,” as well as other characters established in the universe thus far. The movie is the 21st in the MCU and introduces the character of Captain Marvel before Avengers: Endgame hits the scene. I tend to dabble in comics from here to there (mainly stick ing to DC Comics’s Superman and The Flash), but Captain Marvel was never really one to catch my interest. Captain Marvel has had a pretty rough publication history. The character was created by Roy Thomas and artist Gene Colan and debuted in Marvel

Super-Heroes #12 in December of 1967 and started out as an alien named “Mar-Vell.” The character was given his own comic book series, starting with Captain Marvel #1, and was not very successful. The character was rewritten and revamped throughout the years but never seemed to stick with readers. But, after winning a lawsuit against DC over the rights to the name, “Captain Mar vel,” Mar vel couldn’t exactly not use the name, so they had to come up with a plan. Enter “Ms. Marvel.” Ms. Marvel was a spinoff character of “Captain Marvel” that is the now well-known Carol Danvers. Ms. Marvel was a very socially progressive comic for its time, notably popularizing the term “Miss”

playing the “Skrulls” perform well, although they are caked in makeup. Other than that, no other performance really stood out to me. The movie’s script is dull, predictable and done-to-death. The whole, “the character’s powers are directly related to their emotions” plot has been done better in so many films. And, honestly, it would not bother me so much if it wasn’t done so poorly in this movie. Paired with Larson’s wooden acting, the “emotions” subplot does not conclude in any sort of satisfying way. The first act assaults the audience with exposition that goes by so fast and leaves you wondering “What did they just say? What did any of that mean?” The movie tries to get you to feel for the main character

by telling you reasons why the characters have a good relationship, but never truly show their relationship in any of the scenes. The movie feels like an onslaught of bad jokes, rough acting and mediocre dialogue. There were a couple of action scenes in the first half of the movie that felt really fun and exciting. All of the makeup in the movie looked real, and the actors sold the realism well. And... that’s about all I can give it. I'm going to say it; DC did it first and better with Wonder Woman. Captain Marvel is uninspired at best and a huge waste of potential at worst. If you want to get ready for Avenger: Endgame, watch it, but Captain Marvel is a mistake of galactic proportions.

in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center

Guest Artist Vanesa Cunha from 5-7 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

FRIDAY Springbreakers Improv Show at 10:30 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center

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

Phi Mu's Miracle Madness from 8-11:30 p.m. in Abe Lemons Arena

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

into the mainstream, as well as creating a strong female character that could fight the baddies just as well as the men. “Ms. Marvel” was an obvious candidate to take up the mantle of “Captain Marvel” in the comics, and in 2012, she successfully became “Captain Marvel.” But the character of Carol Danvers has not always been fully rea lized and usua lly lacked identity. So, does Captain Marvel successfully translate to the big screen?

Sadly, not really. The performances in Captain Marvel range from fine to wooden. Samuel L. Jackson reprises his role as “Nick Fury,” but since the movie takes place in the 90s, he is more naive and ignorant. The performance he gives is solid as per usual. Brie Larson, playing the titular Captain Marvel, gives a stiff and wooden performance, although the poor performance may be caused by rough writing and directing. The actors and actresses

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 An Evening with Novelist Brandon Hobson at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center Jewish Stars Purim from 5:307:30 p.m. in the Watson Lounge

in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel THURSDAY Weekly Play Club meeting at 7 p.m. in the Honors Lounge in Gold Star Memorial Building Duo Piano Recital: Drs. Sergio

Monteiro and Viviane Taliberti from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center Faculty Brass Quintet Recital from 7:30-9 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts

Center

THE CAMPUS

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.

March 20, 2019, Volume 112, Issue 21

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, Erik Hamilton, Dru Norton, Hope Melton, Francesca Iaccovaci, MaKayla Baxter Columnists: Caroline Hawthorne, Amanda Miller Photographers: Carolann Stout, Kylie Sullivan, Hope Melton, Clara Foster

SATURDAY Wanda L. Bass School of Music Voice Faculty Recital from 8-10 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

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.

March 20, 2019

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news

Senator appeals Student Court's decision not to punish VP Emily Wollenberg

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

A student senator is appealing the decision not to impeach or punish the Student Senate vice president. Sen. Beatrize Martinez (law) submitted the appeal of the decision not to take action against Vice President Austin Gipson-Black to the OCU Student Court on March 15. Martinez appealed based on bias and procedural issues, she wrote in the appeal. Student Court found March 5 that Gipson-Black was not responsible for the impeachment charges brought against him. Gipson-Black was accused of “dereliction of duty,” relating to the Feb. 26 Senate meeting. Senators claimed Gipson-Black was unable to remain neutral or exercise the required “guidance, direction or control” when he ended the meeting abruptly without allowing for objection from senators. Gipson-Black claimed he did nothing wrong and was within the scope of his rights as vice president. Student Government Association advisers will review and decide a verdict based on the appeal, according the SGA bylaws. Dr. Amy Ayres, vice president for student affairs, will make the final decision. Ayres said Monday that there is not a specific timeline in regard to appeals, but she will review it as soon as she returns from a conference. “I will make it a priority to review fully upon my return to campus later this week, with the hope of providing a response by the end of this week or early next week at the latest,” she wrote in

I trust that whatever happens will be in the best interest of SGA.

Beatrize Martinez

Sen. (law) Student Senate

an email to Student Publications. The appeal addressed the Student Court’s decision to drop the Code of Conduct charges based on oversight of governing documents. Martinez wrote that the court used conflicting documents to support dropping the charge. She claimed there was no online version of the Code of Conduct for the court to access, and they received the documents from senators instead. “A few minutes prior to the hearing, a charge was dropped in which witness testimony and evidence had been prepared,” she wrote. Evidence was to be collected by 7:30 p.m. March 3, she wrote, and accepting the Code of Conduct as evidence violated that deadline. “Once the court assumed the charge, and time for evidence had closed, it was reckless for the court to dismiss it without having allowed another hearing separately for the charge,” she wrote.

Martinez said that, in the notice given by Student Court prior to the hearing, they mentioned a neutral faculty member would serve as scribe for the hearing. She said Haley Styles, adviser for Student Activities Council, was present as the scribe instead, which is not a neutral party. Martinez wrote that there is no clear standard for which anyone can be held accountable for their actions because, after hearing Gipson-Black testify to violating his standing rules, the court did not find him responsible for violating his duties. Corinne Prudente, acting junior, submitted a letter in support of the appeal addressing the issues with the Code of Conduct. “The Student Court was well aware that the charges against Gipson-Black directly pertained to the SGA Code of Conduct, yet made no attempts to acquire this document. The Student Court’s lack of preparation to rule on this case should not result in the charges being thrown away, as this is a disservice to SGA and to the student body,” she wrote. Martinez concluded the appeal stating that her recommended punishment for Gipson-Black is written reprimand for violating the standing rules. But, she said she will accept whatever decision is made. “I trust that whatever happens will be in the best interest of SGA,” Martinez said. Read more about this ongoing student government issue at MediaOCU.com.

Caf chef celebrates 13 years of pancake making for students Jessica Vanek

WEB EDITOR

OCU’s iconic pancake man recently celebrated his 13th year of making pancakes in the caf. Willie Butler is the weekend brunch chef at the grill in the caf. “I’ve been doing the same thing I’ve been doing; working on the grill, putting up trucks, catering, same thing,” Butler said. Butler began as a caf chef 13 years ago. Before that, he spent 12 years in the armed forces, fighting in Germany and Saudi Arabia. Butler said being a chef is his retirement job. The reign of crazy pancakes began seven years ago, he said. “It was when I did the first Pancake Palooza,” he said. “After that, we started doing special pancakes more and more. I would ask the students every week what the students would like, and I like doing that. It’s a pleasure.” Pancake Palooza is a philanthropy event hosted by Gamma Phi Beta sorority. Students pay $5 for all-you-can-eat pancakes, and the proceeds go to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. Butler said he looks forward to the weekends. “I would do anything to make people happy,” he said. “I’m just taking it week to week.” Butler has used many different ingredients in his pancakes, from Little Debbie’s cakes to strawberries. Making pancakes is not the craziest thing he’s done, Butler said. “About six years ago, my boss came to me and said, ‘Willie, can I ask you a question? You’ll do anything for these students, right?’

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Student Publications a�chives Willie Butler, weekend brunch chef and Chartwells employee, makes specialty pancakes for Pancake Palooza at the Gamma Phi House in 2016. He is a chef as his retirement job and has worked in the caf for 13 years.

and I said, ‘Of course I would,’ and she said, ‘Good, put this on,’ and handed me a banana costume,” he said. “I walked around in a banana costume during lunch handing out bananas because there was a banana shortage. I ran around singing the peanut butter jelly song. And I’d do it again.” Butler said he buys all of the special ingredients for his pancakes out of pocket. “It’s like taking care of my nieces and nephews. I wouldn’t think twice,” he said.

The students’ happiness makes the costs worthwhile, he said. “That’s priceless,” Butler said. “I enjoy doing it, it’s my way of paying it forward. All that matters is if y’all are happy. I don’t do things to get things in return, and, if I did, that would make me a selfish human.” Butler said he takes pride in knowing what people want on weekends. “I think the biggest thing is when I remember students’ orders,” he said. “When I can blurt it out it makes them feel special. I know what people want just by looking at their face.” Alyssa Snow, design and production freshman, said Butler was nice to her in only her second week at school. “One time I came to brunch after Willie told me he’d make me cookie dough pancakes the previous week,” Snow said. “After I got there, he realized he had forgotten. He literally ran to the back and got cookie dough and made me the pancakes. Who else would do that?” Butler said he treats every day with enthusiasm. “I enjoy every day like it’s the last, that way you have more fun. I’m 55, what can I say,” he said. Butler said he had something to say to the students who enjoy his brunch. “Thank you,” he said. “If we didn’t appreciate each other, things wouldn’t work out the way they do.”

Students plan dance marathon to fundraise for hospitalized children Francesca Iaccovaci

STAFF WRITER

OCU will host a six hour Dance Marathon benefitting the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. The Dance Marathon is OCU’s largest philanthropy event in terms of fundraising. The event will be from 6 p.m. to midnight April 5 in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. This is the first year OCU will partner with the organization by hosting a dance marathon. Miracle Network Dance Marathon is a nonprofit organization that raises funds and awareness for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the country. More than $250 million has been raised to help families fight pediatric illnesses and injuries across America,

We want to not only provide a good experience for the students, but for the kids as well.

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Camryn Sanders

psychology graduate

according to the Miracle Network organization. Preparation for the event began last school year. Camryn Sanders, psychology graduate and director of finance on the organization’s executive board, said they’re preparing by getting people registered for the event, securing sponsorships and planning for the night. “We’ll be hosting children from the Miracle Children’s Hospital the night of the event,” Sanders said. “We want to not

only provide a good experience for the students, but for the kids as well.” Students can get involved by registering for the event, which costs $20. After signing up, students are given an online fundraising page that shows how much they have personally raised. Each participant is asked to raise $62, representing the 62 children admitted to children’s hospitals every minute in the United States, Sanders said. Additionally, the organiza-

tion has partnered with local restaurants to fundraise for the event. Some of these restaurants include Dairy Queen, Chipotlé Mexican Grill, Panera Bread, and an upcoming event with Incredible Pizza the week of the dance marathon. Ally Zahringer, music junior and director of participant registration, said the organization’s goal is to register about 300 students and raise $15,000 for the cause. “It’s hard to get people on board with something that we’ve never done before,” Zahringer said. “It’s a campuswide event. We want all students to sign up.” To register and learn more about the event, students may visit OCU’s page on the Miracle Marathon’s website at events.dancemarathon.com.

Carolann Stout Student Publications

In it to win it Senior Forward Taylor LaCour shoots the ball at a women’s basketball game March 1 in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. The team beat Southwestern Assemblies of God, 82-55. The Stars made the NAIA Fab Four for the 15th time in 25 national tournament appearances after winning 76-72 against Clarke University on March 16. They played against Our Lady of the Lake University at 9 p.m. Monday. The score was not available at presstime.

Spectrum to host dance fundraiser to help end sexual violence Erik Hamilton

STAFF WRITER

The university’s LGBTQIA+ advocacy group is planning an event to raise money for victims of sexual assault, violence and harassment. Spectrum will host a glow dance party from 9 p.m. to midnight Friday in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. Anyone is welcome to attend, not just those affiliated with the university. The event is a collaboration between Spectrum and Take Back the Night, an international nonprofit whose aim is to end sexual violence and domestic violence. Mikel Kendrick, nursing freshman and president of Spectrum, said the campus community should have more events to raise awareness for victims of sexual assault. “It just surprised me that, especially on OCU’s campus where we’ve had issues with sexual assault, that no one besides the sororities have done events to shine a light on those individuals affected by sexual assault,” Kendrick said. Kendrick also said there will be free glow gear provided at March 20, 2019

lege campus because all that happens in universities everywhere.” One student expressed excitement about the event. “It’s great that the university is taking a stand for this kind of ...no one besides the thing,” said Caleb Holmes, film senior. “It makes me so proud sororities have done events of this community.” to shine a light on those Ibarra also said glow parties for Take Back the Night happen individuals affected by at college campuses across the country, but a few components sexual assault. have been added to OCU’s event. “Mikel’s vision is to bring drag queens and to add lip syncing Mikel Kendrick to add more fun and really emulate what Spectrum is all about, nursing and that’s inclusivity,” Ibarra said. freshman Student and non-student drag queens will perform including queens such as Guin Holland, Syren, and OCU’s own Aria and the event, as well as a bake sale. Julian Ibarra, acting freshman and member of Spectrum, said Liza with a D. The event is free to attend, but donations to the charity are the glow gear is symbolic of lighting the darkness and taking encouraged. ownership of the night back from those who use it to commit acts of sexual violence and harassment. “A lot of that happens at night when no one is watching,” Ibarra said. “It’s an event for supporters and also those who have been victims themselves, and I think it’s so appropriate for a col3

news SHINING STAR Nursing senior works night shifts at local hospital Loralisa Summerhays, nursing senior, moved from across the country to get where she is today. Summerhays is from Alaska, but she didn’t initially end up at OCU for college. “I transferred from University of Alaska Anchorage to St. Gregory’s in Shawnee, Oklahoma,” she said. “And during my first semester of nursing school, I found out four weeks before finals that we were about to be shut down.” St. Gregory’s University closed at the end of the Fall 2017 semester due to financial reasons, according to Student Publications archives. Summerhays said the Kramer School of Nursing took her and her classmates in after the school closed. “It’s difficult for the nursing track because you have to go through the state board of nursing, but Oklahoma City University took us all in and aren’t making us take any additional classes,” she said. She and her classmates were given a professor as an adviser to make sure they stayed on track, Summerhays said. “Every single professor has made the transitions easy for us,” she said. Now Summerhays is in her busiest semester yet, she said. “We have lecture Monday through Wednesday, and we’re also doing clinical rotations and working with a preceptor,” she said. Summerhays has an interest in oncology and was paired with a nurse who specializes in it. Summerhays said she has to work six 12-hour shifts and

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Submitted

Loralisa Summerhays, nursing senior, visits the medical simulation lab in the Kramer School of Nursing. She started attending OCU after St. Gregory’s University closed due to financial issues.

two eight-hour shifts for her class credit. “I work the night shift, so I’m there from 7 p.m. Saturday night to 7 a.m. Sunday morning,” she said. Summerhays is studying at INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center, 4401 S. Western Ave., as well as working clinical rota-

tions on Thursdays from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Anthony Hospital, 1000 N. Lee Ave. She began her rotations at the beginning of the semester. “I’m in critical care right now, so my rotation is in the ICU and ER,” she said. “Each week, we get assigned a patient and practice administering drugs with a nurse watching over us.” Summerhays said she doesn’t have a job yet but has been applying for positions. “We work with career services to make sure we get a job by the time we graduate,” she said. Stacy Nelson, nursing senior, met Summerhays in a nursing class and said she is productive and adaptable. “The fact that she transferred and got into two honor societies is crazy, Sigma Theta Tau and Phi Kappa Phi,” Nelson said. “She’s a very bubbly person. I just think she adapts very well, and she’s just doing amazing.” Summerhays might stay in Oklahoma after graduation, or she might go back to Alaska. “I never say ‘never.’ I would like to go home, but wherever offers me work is where I’ll stay,” she said. “They encourage nursing students to get at least two years of experience before graduate school.” Summerhays said students should work hard when pursuing their careers. “Just don’t give up,” she said. “It’s hard to see the end of the road when you’re just beginning, but as this last semester has begun, it just makes you realize it was all worth it.” By Web Editor Jessica Vanek

Students participate in short film contest, screen movies at Harkins Luke Barrett

STAFF WRITER

A student and an alumnus created films that were finalists for the first Pat Presents Oklahoma Student Film Contest. The contest showcased films from students enrolled at Oklahoma high schools, technology centers, colleges, or universities. Oklahoma City Thunder Forward Patrick Patterson started the contest in conjunction with deadCenter, an independent film festival hosted annually in Oklahoma City. Films were required to be 12 minutes or less and produced after Jan. 1, 2017. The contest began accepting submissions Dec. 1, 2018. The judges announced the finalists Feb. 1, and the finalists’ films were screened Feb. 24 at the Harkins Theatres Bricktown, 150 E. Reno Ave. Five finalists were selected from high schoollevel submissions and five were selected from collegiate-level submissions, with a final winner selected from each level at the event. These winners received automatic submission into the deadCenter contest. The OCU participants' films were not selected to go to deadCenter. The The final results of the film festival will be announced in May. Patterson, deadCenter team members and Thunder basketball players Steven Adams and Jerami Grant judged the contest. Ashley Kinard, film production alumna and documentarian, and Colton Tompkins, film production freshman, submitted films that were selected as finalists. Kinard said she submitted her senior capstone project, a documentary entitled Chris, about a man who lives near the Midtown Mutts Dog Park and often goes to the park to play with the dogs. She said people sometimes mistake Chris as homeless.

“It was kind of nerve-wracking because I was very aware that all these people were watching my film and that Steven Adams, It's hard to evaluate your Patrick Patterson and Jerami Grant were sitting in the row behind own work. When you see me, and they were watching it with me, in the same theater. It something that you made, was very nerve-wracking, very surreal, but it was fun.” you're always questioning if Kinard said she plans to submit her film to more film festivals that are specifically for documentaries, where it is more likely it's even good or not. to be appreciated. Tompkins submitted two pieces—a film titled Where You’re Colton Tompkins that he directed in collaboration with classmates for his At film freshman introduction to film class, and a film called The Legend of Buck O’Reilly that he made at the Oklahoma Arts Institute at Quartz Chris also has Asperger Syndrome, Kinard said, and his talk- Mountain the summer after his senior year of high school. The ative nature sometimes makes people uncomfortable. She said Legend of Buck O’Reilly was chosen as a finalist for the contest. “My film was like a mockumentary sort of satire, like survival she noticed people are rude to him or view him as an outsider. “That’s something that really bothered me,” she said. “I would shows, so it just followed this survivalist named ‘Buck O’Reilly’ go to the dog park every day with my dog, so I got to know Chris as he sort of blunders around. He’s just completely inept, and it was a comedy, which is why I think it got picked because in the pretty well.” Kinard said her film was created to critique how people judge college category, mine was the only comedy,” Tompkins said. Tompkins said it was validating to have his personal project others before they know them. “I decided to make my documentary about Chris and, not win. “It’s hard to evaluate your own work. When you see somenecessarily about how people treat him poorly, but I wanted to make a humanizing portrait of him that makes the audience ques- thing that you made, you’re always questioning if it’s even good tion why they make their initial judgments of people,” she said. or not, and to have other people just really enjoying themselves “Why do we judge people before we know them, and should we watching it and cracking up at the jokes was really great,” he said. Bryan Cardinale-Powell, moving image arts chairman and visdo that? It kind of uses Chris to critique that.” Kinard said the film was one of the most difficult things she’s iting associate professor of moving image arts, and Billy Palumbo, visiting professor of film, also attended the film screenings. done, but she was happy with the final product. She traveled to Oklahoma City from Chicago to see the screening. “It was pretty cool. It was the first time that Chris was on the big screen or screened at a theater, it had only screened at OCU before,” she said.

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Speech, Debate team wins state tournament, prepares for nationals MaKayla Baxter

STAFF WRITER

The Speech and Debate team is preparing for nationals in Alabama after being crowned champions at the Oklahoma Interstate Forensics Association state tournament. The team competed in the OIFA tournament, which was hosted Feb. 22-23 on campus, and won the overall competition, naming them state sweepstakes champions. Three members qualified for the American Forensics Association national tournament, which will be April 5-7 at the University of Alabama. Tyler Patton, mass communications senior, will attend the tournament with a com-

munications analysis speech. Blayne Childers, acting junior, will attend for poetry, dramatic interpretation and prose. Lauren Snare, finance/economics freshman, will attend with an informative speech. All three will represent the university at the tournament. Dr. Joshua Young, director of forensics and assistant visiting professor of speech and debate, said he is pleased with how the team performed at the OIFA tournament. “OCU has been consistently dominant at the state tournament, at least for the past two years,” Young said. “We get to host it, and we get to put in all this work, but then we also get to reap the benefits of seeing our students do so well in such

It's just really impressive that OCU could win a tournament like that.

Tyler Patton

mass communications senior

a supportive community.” Patton said he views the team’s success as a great accomplishment. “We cleaned up pretty well,” he said. “This was one of the last tournaments of the season, so it got a lot of attention. It’s just really impressive that OCU could win a tournament like that.”

Two students claimed the only spots as representatives of the state at the Interstate Oratorical Association Tournament, which will be April 27-28 in Pennsylvania. Kate Morton, music freshman, earned first place in persuasive speaking, and Abigail Banks, political science/economics/philosophy freshman,

earned second place, qualifying both to represent Oklahoma at the tournament. “The atmosphere was really competitive, but you could tell everyone was on top of their game and really trying hard, which I think, overall, is a really good thing. That pushes everyone to do their best,” Banks said. Banks said people have offered their support and well wishes. “Everyone wants us to do well at these tournaments and represent OCU in the best light possible,” she said. The Speech and Debate team meets for practices three times a week as students prepare their pieces, work one-on-one with coaches and compete in practice

events. Young said the team has grown significantly, almost doubling in size since he became director in 2018. “When I started last year, I think we had 10 students, and this year we started with around 20,” he said. Patton said the team is growing, not just in size, but in strength. “College tournaments are always pretty big,” Patton said. “OCU winning this tournament back-to-back, both as a team and as individuals, shows that we’re advancing as a program and becoming much stronger.”

Art imitates life Far Left: Jordan Kilgore, acting senior, performs a short play at Workshop Wednesday on March 6. The short plays at this Workshop Wednesday were inspired by the “Oklahoma is Black” art exhibit at the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. Left: Ashley Arnold, music theater senior, and Erika Felix, acting junior, also perform a short play at Workshop Wednesday, which is a monthly event hosted by the theater and performance program. Kylie Sullivan Student Publications

March 20, 2019