March 27 by MediaOCU

THE CAMPUS

March 27, 2019 – Volume 112 Issue 22

BOBBY TRAE FOR SGA

New Student Government Association president elected Nicole Waltman

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

student is adding “Student Government Association President” to his long list of leadership positions on campus. Sen. Trae Trousdale (Greek) was elected Sunday as the next SGA president. Trousdale, a mass communications sophomore from Tecumseh, is involved with Student Civic Engagement Committee, the Interfraternity Council, Lambda Chi Alpha, Native American Society, and Student Philanthropy Committee, and he has leadership positions in each organization. Trousdale’s opponent for the presidency was Sen. Cate Kurtz (junior at-large). Voting was Thursday and Friday via an OrgSync form. Undergraduate, graduate and law students were eligible to vote in the election. The new vice president of Student Activities Council is Kalen Castor, cell and molecular biology junior. Her opponent was Morgan Wanamaker, dance junior. The new vice president of Student Senate is Abby Banks, political science freshman. Banks had no student opponent and was automatically elected into the position. Trousdale won the presidency with 259 votes, which was about 72 percent of votes. Kurtz had 103 votes. Trousdale has been on SGA for two years. His platform was based on three words: Create, Collaborate and Community. Trousdale said he wants to change the way that SGA presents itself to the student body, as well as making sure all student organizations and majors are represented within SGA. “What, as SGA president and a cabinet, can we do to make sure that your friends in your department and your college are being represented?” Trousdale said. “It’s sort of like double dipping representation in the legislative branch but also the executive branch.”

Trae Trousdale

Submitted Trae Trousdale, mass communications sophomore, was elected as the next Student Government Association president. He won the election with about 72 percent of the votes. His presidency will begin after he is inaugurated in April.

Trousdale said he has a community renewal plan to create more comradery within the campus. Kurtz said running against Trousdale was a pleasant experience. “It was kind of fun running against Trae because we’re really good friends, so that was kind of cool,” Kurtz said. “It was a pretty enjoyable experience overall.” Trousdale and Kurtz said campaigning was difficult and tiring, but they wouldn’t change the experience. Trousdale plans to help SGA President Jordan Tarter finish her term as president and learn from her before his inauguration. He said he plans to get to work on his presidency right away. “Over the summer, we hope to begin working with the executive committee on getting our retreats down and in the books so we can work throughout the summer getting prepped for new freshmen to be on campus in August and having an SGA-wide retreat,” he said. Inauguration is planned for April, Trousdale said.

Tarter said Trousdale is fit for the job because he cares about the campus community. “He is a very ambitious and loyal student leader,” she said. “I know that Trae cares about the equality of students and the importance of diversity and inclusion on this campus.” His fresh ideas are needed within SGA, Tarter said. “He has so many new and great ideas and fresh blood that exec needs,” she said. Trousdale said he is grateful to the campus community and ready to make progress. “Thank you, first and foremost,” he said. “I’m extremely appreciative to have run against Cate and to have won, that is, to me, honoring and very humbling.” Trousdale said SGA will undergo rebranding from logos to attitudes. “People don’t value SGA because we haven’t been acting as an organization that’s demanding of time or something that’s even worthy of individuals’ time,” he said. “Get ready. I think we’re about to see SGA change a lot.” Trousdale also said he is excited to work with fellow SGA members during this time of change. “I think we’re going to be able to see a more efficient, friendlier, more approachable SGA, and I’m very excited to bring that in with everybody that’s already elected and with Cate, and really just see this new brand of SGA sort of make its premiere over the next few months,” he said. Kurtz said she is excited to watch Trousdale make his ideas come to life. “SGA and the student body are in great hands with Trae,” she said. “I know there will be changes for the better. It will be a really fun process to watch happen, as well as participate in.”

“

Women's basketball team prepares for next season after championship loss Hope Melton

STAFF WRITER

Cou�tesy o� OCUspo�ts.com Freshman Forward Abby Selzer guards the ball in the March 18 game against Our Lady of the Lake. The Stars won 85-70 and advanced to the National Championship, where they finished as runners-up in the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball championship tournament against University of Montana Western with a score of 59-75. Selzer has been named part of the Sooner Athletic Conference first-team and all-SAC Tournament team. She was also a conference player of the week this season.

The women’s basketball team is already looking forward to next season following a National Championship loss. The Stars placed runner-up at the 2019 NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship tournament March 13-19 in Billings, Montana. The Stars went on a four-game winning streak against Arizona Christian University (75-71), Carroll College (60-59), Clarke University (76-72), and Our Lady of the Lake University (85-70) before losing 59-75 against University of Montana Western. This is OCU’s fourth time as national runners-up. The Stars won the national championship nine times. The team is remaining hopeful for next season, said Bo Overton, head women’s basketball coach. “I’m really proud of the team this year,” Overton said. “I really can see on their faces, during this tournament and especially when we lost, that they feel like they can come back and have a great season next year. Overton said much of the team’s success comes from the leadership of Senior Guard Michaela Kay and Senior Forward Taylor LaCour. “I think that the two seniors led the rest of the team on how we’re supposed to work to get ready for a season and a tournament like that,” Overton said. “I really think they showed the other players what was needed to get your work done and lead them in that direction.” Freshman Guard Mallory Lockhart was the top scorer for the Stars in the championship game with 11 points while shooting sevenfor-seven from the free-throw line. Freshman Center Abby Selzer scored 10 points and made the all-tournament first team. Lockhart and Junior Forward Brennyn Seagler made the all-tournament

I just really enjoyed getting to play in the National Championship atmosphere and getting to do it with my best friends. Brennyn Seagler junior forward

second team. Seagler said playing in the championship was a good experience despite the loss. “I just really enjoyed getting to play in the national championship atmosphere and getting to do it with my best friends,” Seagler said. “It was so much fun. Of course I wish we could’ve won that last game, but it was a great experience, and I wouldn’t have wanted to make it that far with anybody else.” The experience should help the team going forward, Seagler said. “We’re a young team, so getting that experience in should help us next year,” Seagler said. The men’s basketball team lost in the second round of the NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship tournament on Friday with an 80-69 loss to Carroll. The tournament was in Kansas City, Missouri. Video of the women’s semi-final win can be downloaded on ocu.sports.com.

Housing selection continues, students advised to choose promptly Dru Norton

STAFF WRITER

Students who filled out housing draft applications should prepare to request specific rooms next week. Casey Kreger, director of housing and residence life, said the housing application is open for returning upperclassmen to retain a room or choose their preference of Cokesbury Court Apartments, Oklahoma United Methodist Hall or Draper Hall. To retain a room, all students must occupy a bed, Kreger said. “You can only retain a space if you can fill all the beds in the room,” Kreger said. “Returning students know that, so they try to figure out who they’re going to live with from there. If not, then they know they can’t retain the room and they have to wait until room selection week to be able to grab a bed there.” All students will be able to select their room Monday, Kreger said. “Every student will log into their portal and select what room they want, as long as it’s open,” Kreger said. “As long as you’ve

M MEDIAOCU.com

done your application, it will allow you to go in there and do your room selection.” Students who haven’t completed their application by March 26 will be a part of the administrative assignment process, Kreger said. “If you haven’t done your application by that last day, you’ll get your room assignment based off your preferences that you had in your application on June 21,” he said. “So, for any late students, students that didn’t want to partake in the room selection process, students that forgot, we’ll end up going with their preferences.” Kreger said the chances of getting your first preference of room depends on a variety of factors. “It’s really up in the air,” he said. “It depends on how many students want to retain their rooms and how many older students have the opportunity to select spaces before your time slot comes.” Each dorm has something different to offer students, Kreger said. “If you want to cook for yourself, Cokesbury is the place to go,” he said. “If you want a full-size bed and something a little bigger, Methodist may be the best option for you. Or, if you want a more

affordable single room to yourself, Draper is the place to go.” It’s important to make sure you submit your application early, Kreger said. “The biggest piece of advice would be, get your application done as soon as possible, during the room retention process, so this week,” he said. Ellie Howell, psychology freshman, said submitting her housing application was simple. “The application was really easy to navigate because the language and layout was clear and also because of the progress bar at the top,” Howell said. “I’m super excited for my future room.” Kreger said his goal is to give returning students as much power as possible. “I think it’s an empowering process for students. We’re not here to tell you what to do,” Kreger said. “We want to be able to put it in your hands and say, ‘Pick what you want.’”

One out of 11 chosen

Film department upgrades

Like us on Facebook at MediaOCU

Read about OCU being named a hub for the United Methodist Church in North America Read about the film department receiving technology upgrades

OSO Paseo

Check out a review for a local business in OKC

opinion Campus community encouraged to participate in future elections A new Student Government Association president has been elected, but with a small voter turnout. Read more about SGA elections on Page 1. Trae Trousdale, mass communications sophomore, won the election by 259 votes out of the 362 votes cast. While it certainly is good that enough students voted to show a clear winner, this voter turnout is pathetically small. On a campus of 2,758 students, this is barely more than a 13 percent turnout, which means there are likely some students who won’t be represented by the new administration. The SGA president is in charge of a variety of universitywide processes, from assisting with campus safety to representing the student body as a unit. Electing the best possible president for the student body means there must

be active participation and representation from the students. Students cannot expect their interests to be cared for if they don’t take the time to vote. It is hypocritical to neglect your greatest chance for input into student government only to complain when the new administration doesn’t represent you. Students must remember that the people who make up SGA are also students. They are only able to help as much as their fellow students will let them, and neglecting to vote is a surefire way to put them at a disadvantage. Graduating seniors may consider voting in the SGA election to be useless because the new administration won’t affect them after they graduate. While this is true, seniors also have to consider how they want the university to be after they leave and whether they’ll still be proud to claim OCU as their

Talk Back “How did the housing draft process go for you? Could anything be improved?” "It was okay, but the housing draft would be much better if you could request a specific room if it's not being retained by the previous renters."

alma mater. If students want anything to improve, they have to be the ones spearheading and effecting that change. Making the effort to directly improve and influence the university and its community is the way to achieve this, rather than complaining and uselessly voicing opinions without action. In the future, students should be more involved in campus elections and stay informed about candidates’ platforms. If students have issues they want addressed in SGA, they should consider getting involved or speaking directly to SGA officials. The only way to improve the university for the whole student body is to have active participation from more students.

Michał Roguski chemistry junior

"I was just retaining, and the process was really long just to retain. It seems like it should be much simpler.”

Payton Millis dance junior

"I would like to live with my friend of the opposite sex, and I wish that was an option."

Mary Donnelly dance sophomore

Columnist examines influence of Shrill on modern body standards I watched Shrill in an airport. And in my living room. And in the second-floor student room in Walker Center for Arts and Sciences. As soon as I finished the limited series, available in six episodes on Hulu, I started watching again from the beginning. Shrill follows the story of “Annie” (Aidy Bryant) as she navigates her complicated job as a writer alongside her personal journey to self-love. Annie argues with her rude boss, attends a pool party, eats spaghetti, and confronts an online troll. Annie lives with an outgoing roommate and a lovable dog and sometimes disagrees with her lazy onagain-off-again boyfriend. She wears really cute dresses

and, oh yeah, I forgot to mention—she’s fat. The show is quick to use that descriptor. Whether it comes from online comments or from Annie herself, she embraces her own body even when it takes some time. In the first minutes of the first episode, Annie is targeted by a personal trainer who assures her that she could be “so pretty” if she lost some weight, but the show is not about Annie struggling with being fat. Instead, she lives a normal life. In no way is Annie funny, embarrassing or noticeable because she’s fat. She’s funny, embarrassing and noticeable because she’s a complex person and she’s allowed to be all of those things at once.

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

In the same week that Shrill was released online, Anthropologie released #APLUSBYANTHROPOLOGIE, a plus-size line exclusive to the elevated fashion store that describes itself as a place for a “creativeminded woman who wants to look like herself.” At this point, the Oklahoma City Anthropologie does not carry the entire A PLUS line. A sales associate told me that they have some items available

in store and are happy to order others if requested, but all items are available for purchase at Anthropologie.com. But what if I don’t want to order items online? It’s the same problem with stores all throughout the city, from Old Navy to Madewell, brands consistently say that they are size-inclusive, yet they don’t carry larger sizes in stores. I remember my junior prom. I fell in love with an Anthropol-

ogie dress months in advance and saved up to afford it. At the time, a 14 was the largest size that Anthropologie sold, and believe me, I searched to find that dress in a 14. The night of the dance, I felt absolutely beautiful wearing the tea-length dress with stripes and sequins that felt like a piece straight out of an Audrey Hepburn movie. And now, about five years later, I know that I can’t fit into that dress anymore. There’s a part of me that wants to be sad about that. I find myself wondering what certain outfits would look like on a thinner version of myself. And there are days when I let myself wallow for a minute or two, overcome with sadness about how I don’t look like

my 16-year-old self. I try to remind myself that nothing good comes from negative nostalgia, especially not when it comes to bodies and physical appearances. After all, I have much more important things to worry about. And that’s why Shrill gave me some hope for the future of women growing up in a society fueled by advertisements and Instagram influencer-culture. It didn’t shame anyone for looking a certain way or wearing a certain thing and most characters allowed their judgments to be made based on character rather than appearance. Shrill gave a fat character a chance to be nothing but herself, and that feels like a fresh breath of air.

Us brings unique suspense, some unsatisfying plot elements Us is a horror movie written, directed and produced by comedian turned horror writer Jordan Peele. Us is Peele’s second film following his successful directorial debut in 2017 with Get Out. The movie follows a family going on vacation, when suddenly doppelgänger versions of themselves start to take over their vacation and hijinx ensue. Of all of the key elements in this movie, the family dynamic is the most essential to pull off. The movie almost does this well, but falls just short of the goal. It seemed that whenever the family was together, there was never rea lly a moment of them just talking. Whenever they would, it felt like Peele was

trying to cram as many jokes between them as he could. Speaking of jokes. A lot of the comedic dialogue in the movie was oneliners and some cheap gags. I’m not one who thinks that all comedy in horror is awful, but the way it was integrated into this movie just rubbed me the wrong way. Much of the dialogue left me thinking to myself, “would they really be saying that right now?” Most of the jokes in the movie that made me laugh were some of the more subtle jokes added in the background. The ending is well set up through the movie, but maybe a little too well. The twist ending is a bit predictable, and so the shock didn’t really hit me. The twist also doesn’t

The idea of having something after you that looks like you, thinks like you, but wants you dead more than anything is a horrifying concept that is utilized well in the film. The way the film is edited and shot is executed perfectly to get the maximum amount of tension possible. The score of this film really gets the audience into the mood to be spooked. The way t he movie turned its main song, I’ve Got 5 On It, into a haunting violin piece and jingle is so cool. This movie also has several scenes throughout with ill-fitting music that keeps the movie so engaging and fun, as well as haunting and tense. The performances in the movie are stellar. The main

actress, Lupita Nyong’o, plays the mother “Adelaide” so well, but also plays the haunting doppelgänger threatening to ruin everything like a pro. The same can be said for the rest of the family, except for some of the youngest children. Evan Alex, the actor who played “Jason,” just does not provide an incredibly interesting performance, and neither does Madison Curry, who played young “Adelaide.” They have their creepy moments, but, overall, I was not impressed by them. Us is a solid horror film with some creepy commentary of the world and terrifying concepts that will keep you up at night. There is no true doppelgänger to this movie.

Activity Center

Center

SATURDAY OPERAtions: Gianni Schicchi at 8 p.m. in Medium Rehearsal Hall in Wanda L. Bass Music Center

SUNDAY OPERAtions: Gianni Schicchi at 8 p.m. in Medium Rehearsal Hall in Wanda L. Bass Music Center

Stars Suit Up from 6-9 p.m. at Penn Square Mall, 1901 N.W. Expressway

Our Town at 8 p.m. in Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music

Our Town at 2 p.m. in Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music

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

change much of the plot. It recontextualizes some of the movie coming before it, but not to the extent that requires any more than a rewatch. It’s not a horrible ending, it just wasn’t very satisfying. Speaking of not satisfying, the explanation Peele gives for the doppelgängers existing is a little difficult to believe. I’m not one for movies giving perfect explanations for their ideas and whatnot, I just want to leave the theater trying

to interpret the meanings or think about the ideas presented, rather than having more questions about the origin of the doppelgängers and how exactly they work. I like having the baddies in a horror movie be unknown, but this feels like a strange attempt to halfheartedly explain things in the story and try to flesh out the metaphor the movie is playing at. But holy moly, the movie is so incredibly suspenseful.

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. Oklahoma Wesleyan University at 2 p.m. at Jim Wade Stadium

Project 21 World Premieres Concert at 7:30 p.m. in Medium Rehearsal Hall in Wanda L. Bass Music Center

FRIDAY Our Town at 8 p.m. in Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music Center

THURSDAY Our Town at 8 p.m. in Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music Center

Sports Spectacular at 6 p.m. at National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 N.E. 63rd St.

Star Summit "Networking As a Student Leader and Beyond" at 2:30 p.m. in the Leichter Room in Henry J. Freede Wellness and

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 March 27, 2019, Volume 112, Issue 22

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

TUESDAY Softball vs. Central Christian from 2-6 p.m. at Ann Lacy Stadium

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 27, 2019

“

news

Committee created to update university values Caroline Hawthorne

STAFF WRITER

Students have the opportunity to help update university values this week. President Martha Burger created an ad hoc committee to revitalize the university’s core values, which have not been updated since 2002. The ad hoc committee came about through meetings in leadership, said Joey Croslin, vice president for human resources and chief human resources officer. “Through a couple of collaborative sessions with President Burger and leadership, it was identified that, as an institution, we needed to codify our core values as an organi-

zation,” she said. “Leadership came together to collaborate about priorities and challenges for the institution, and this is what we came up with.” Croslin said faculty were chosen from each school to help develop these new core values. The method was based on research from other organizations who have worked through establishing core values. Trustees, students and alumni also are involved, making the committee 40 people. “We decided to ensure we had faculty and staff representation from each school and each non-academic unit,” she said. “We had a kickoff meeting Feb. 25. We reviewed a plan of attack on how we would get information to develop core values.”

These focus groups are the initial step to guide us to asking the right questions.

“

The committee is divided into three teams—communications/marketing, data and composition. The communications/marketing team and the data team are working to conduct focus groups to collect information. Sammi Bronow, economics senior, was one of the students chosen for the committee. She

Sammi Bronow economics senior

will lead a focus group for students so they can state what they would like the new core values to be. Faculty members also were trained to lead focus groups by Kelly Williams, director for institutional research. “Basically, we have a script we will be reading from, and we will be asking different questions about campus culture,”

Williams said. “The student reps will be running the student ones, while the faculty will be running their own.” After information is collected from the focus groups, the data team will analyze the results and create a survey, Croslin said. The survey will be distributed to the campus community, alumni and trustees. The composition team will use the information to create a new draft of the university core values. “I think that everyone in the OCU community has a shared sense of values, but the people might articulate them differently,” Croslin said. “This will be a unifying process to decide what these values are and how we engage with each other

through them.” Bronow said the focus groups are important because they will help determine what questions to ask in the survey. “These focus groups are the initial step to guide us to asking the right questions,” she said. Focus groups will be from 12:15-1:15 p.m. today, 7:308:30 p.m. Thursday and 2:303:30 p.m. Friday in Room 214 in Dulaney-Browne Library. Pizza will be provided. President Burger was unavailable for comment at presstime.

Dance company to visit Kansas for recruitment tour Hope Melton

STAFF WRITER

The American Spirit Dance Company will tour in Kansas this spring. The tour will be April 7-13, and the company will go to Olathe, Kansas. In the past, the company has toured in Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Ireland, London, Singapore, Florida, Nashville, and New Mexico. Jo Rowan, chairman of Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment and dance professor, said this tour will include masterclasses for students in Olathe and classes for the company dancers. “Those students are very well trained and very interested in our school and what we do, so we’ll be doing classes for them and then we’ll be doing classes for our own dancers as well to keep them in shape,” Rowan said. Rowan said the most versatile dancers typically are chosen for the tour. “We have to go from around 130 kids in the company to around 25,” Rowan said. “Often the students that are chosen to go on tour are the ones who are the most well-rounded. Many of the dancers have to learn numbers which we had in our Spring Show but they were not involved in. So we have to really rehearse intensely once we get back from Spring Break.” Megan Turner, dance senior, is attending the tour. “They also take into consideration your grades after midterms since we are being taken out of class,” she said. Turner said she is excited to have been selected. “The Ann Lacy School has provided numerous opportunities for me to put in practice what I have learned, so I’m grateful I

It's a fun opportunity for our students to interface with kids, and it's a really cool recruiting opportunity for us as well. Lacey Lewey company manager American Spirit Dance Company

get to squeeze in one more experience before graduation,” she said. The dancers for the tour were hand picked by the dance faculty and were notified after Spring Break. Rowan said she wants the students to have a good experience while on tour. “We make sure the dancers have two people in a room and they’re treated very well, and they’ll get a per diem,” she said. The dancers will perform numbers from their Spring Show, Rowan said. “What I usually do is look at things that would be most appropriate for wherever we go,” Rowan said. “We do choose dances from the Spring Show, but it’s not the exact Spring Show. Instead of about 26 numbers, we might pull that down to about 18, but it’s still a two-hour show.” The show is in Kansas this year because some of the local dancers there are interested in attending OCU, Rowan said. “We have dancers in Kansas that are very well trained that have a specific interest in our school,” Rowan said. “We have a connection with Kansas. Whenever we go on tour, it’s usually to have some

cultural exchange, or we have people request us. We choose to do our performances where we feel we have a connection with the community.” Rowan said the students and staff show great professionalism while on tour. “We really do have a wonderful, professional machine as far as the way our staff handles themselves and the dancers handle themselves,” Rowan said. “It really works very well, but it’s all very professionally done with a lot of responsibility, and it’s joyful but it’s hard work.” Company manager Lacey Lewey said some students will assist with behind the scenes work during the tour. “We have eight students tour with us, and that includes costume crew, lighting crew, sound crew, as well as backstage crew,” Lewey said. “The students that we end up taking with us in terms of crew will be our most versatile. They’re going to have a very wide variety of skills in terms of technical ability. The kids that go with us on tour will be the ones that know lighting, sound, all of that because we’re going to be doing a bit of everything.” Lewey said the crew also will interact with local students while in Kansas. “With us going to Olathe this year, we actually have a really cool opportunity to work with some of their theater students who are also learning about production,” Lewey said. “They will be able to get some hands-on time with us and our equipment to get a better understanding of what we do. It’s a fun opportunity for our students to interface with kids, and it’s a really cool recruiting opportunity for us as well.”

“

Kylie Sullivan Student Publications

Get your glow on

Above: AJ Milunas, music theater junior, performs as “Aria” at the Glow Dance Party on March 22 in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. The dance featured performances by Aria, Liza with a D, Guin Holland, and Syren. Guests also were able to participate in a lip sync competition for the chance to win a free T-shirt. Right: Turner Carson, acting junior, performs as “Liza with a D” at the Glow Dance Party. The event was hosted by Spectrum, the university LGBTQIA+ advocacy group, to raise money for victims of sexual assault, violence and harassment. Spectrum raised almost $200 and will donate it to the YWCA USA.

Theater students to perform classic American play about life, death MaKayla Baxter

STAFF WRITER

The final Stage II production of this year’s School of Theater season will open this weekend. Our Town will be performed at 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music Center. The play, written by Thornton Wilder, centers around a small, fictional town in New Hampshire. The play has three acts which cover different stages of life: daily life, love and marriage, and death and eternity. Jeanie Sholer, adjunct professor of theater, is the director. “The show is very universal,” Sholer said. “The idea is that life is too wonderful for any of us to even realize because we are too busy doing things we feel need to get done, rather than stepping back and noticing how wonderful life really is.” Sholer said the cast is made up of 21 students, which is unusual for a Stage II show. “The cast is quite large for such a little space,” she said. “I wanted it to really feel like a town. I wanted a variety of interesting smaller roles to populate the town and stage.” Adelaide Ross, acting senior and “Emily Webb” in the play, March 27, 2019

I think Our Town has a very powerful message for today's audience, maybe even more so than when it was written. Jeanie Sholer adjunct professor theater

said rehearsals are going well. “The cast is pretty huge, but the process has been really smooth,” Ross said. “It’s almost like an ensemble effort, since there are so many of us. Jeanie likes for all of us to be involved and engaged in every scene, even the ones we aren’t in.” Ross said she has a personal connection with the show. “I did this show in middle school and played the same role,” she said. “It’s been one of my favorite plays ever since. It’s kind of funny. This was one of the first shows I ever did, and now it will be my last ever college play.” Daniel Etti-Williams, acting senior, plays the “Stage Manager.”

“Every time I say I’m playing the Stage Manager people don’t quite understand. They ask me if I’m getting a minor in stage management. I just laugh,” he said. “Really, he’s the narrator of the play. There’s a lot of speaking directly to the audience, so we’re really encouraging people to come.” Etti-Williams said students should try and see as much theater on campus as possible. “We have such an incredible opportunity,” he said. “There’s so much theater here. Something’s going on pretty much every weekend. Taking that for granted would be a huge, huge mistake.” Sholer said, while this is the third time she has directed Our Town, the message still rings clear. “Despite having been written in a different time, about a different time, I think the relevance of this play may be even greater now,” Sholer said. “Particularly now, we have so many electronic devices, and we tune into those devices rather than tuning into each other. I think Our Town has a very powerful message for today’s audience, maybe even more so than when it was written.” Tickets may be purchased in advance through the ticket office in the Edith Kinney Gaylord Center or by calling the ticket office at 405-208-5227.

news SHINING STAR Business administration senior: 'Don't waste your time' A business student is making the most of her time during her college career. Natalie Speer, business administration senior, has filled her schedule with classes, soccer and an internship. Speer got her associate’s degree in French from Rose State College in Midwest City. She then transferred to OCU for business administration and to continue playing soccer. “Coming from Rose, I was able to get a good scholarship to OCU with soccer and transferring into business,” Speer said. “It was difficult finding a school that had business and soccer that wasn’t outrageously expensive.” Speer said her dad inspired her to pursue business. “My dad is in business. Ever since I was a kid, I was intrigued by it, but I never thought it was what I wanted to do,” Speer said. Speer said she hopes her degrees in French and business will allow her to pursue international business. “I’m hoping that French and business will work together in the future,” she said. “I plan on traveling, and I hope wherever I go, the two will be of use to me.” Speer started an internship in February at Paycom, an Oklahoma City business for outsourcing payroll. “So far it’s pretty awesome,” she said. “It’s a rapidly growing company grown in Oklahoma City.” Speer said she worked with her advisers to find the internship. “I had been talking with my HR professor and my advisers about finding an internship that would be flexible with my

“

Carolann Stout Student Publications

Natalie Speer, business administration senior, kicks the ball at a women’s soccer game versus USAO on Sept. 25 at Stars Field.

schedule,” she said. “I also went to some career fairs and went on LinkedIn.” In addition to her internship, Speer acts as treasurer for the on-campus chapter of National Society for Leadership and Success.

She also participated in the Doer’s program, a trip that takes 16 OCU students to Taiwan for two weeks to participate in cultural exchange. “NSLS reached out to me through email. I googled it, and it seemed legit, and once I got involved, I saw the benefits,” she said. “It helps you take that step towards success.” Speer is considering furthering her college education. “If everything goes as planned, I will be working next semester, and I’m thinking about getting my masters,” she said. Speer said she’s grateful for her teachers and advisers, including Lynette Martin, director of student success for the Meinders School of Business. “Lynette Martin is one of my advisers,” Speer said. “From the first time I got here, she really invested into students. She pushed me towards certain scholarships and internships.” Martin said Speer has worked hard to be where she is today. “Natalie, as a transfer student, has taken ownership of her education,” Martin said. “She is the student you want, one who takes advantage of the college experience and becomes an involved student on campus.” Speer said she advises students to work hard. “One of my biggest pieces of advice is to take as many hours as you can,” Speer said. “If you’re struggling in a class, just do your best so you don’t have to drop it. Go to class expecting to learn and expecting to grow from it. And don’t waste your time because it flies.” By Web Editor Jessica Vanek

Students frustrated by broken Walker Hall laundry machines Paul Dower

ASSOCIATE COPY EDITOR

Students are frustrated by laundry machines not working correctly in Walker Hall dormitory. Students say the washing machines cause clothes to be too wet, requiring multiple cycles in the dryers, which fail to dry clothes effectively. Meredith England, acting freshman, said some of the washing machines are not fully operational, and they also have draining issues. “One of them, at least, is always broken, and then they don’t drain the water properly,” she said. “Sometimes, not enough water gets into the washer, so it stains your clothes with the color of the soap. I’ve just had to redo my laundry literally every time.” England said the only time she heard anything from maintenance is when she posted about the laundry issues in the OCU Facebook group. “I’ve put in work orders, and nothing has really happened with them,” she said. “I never heard anything about it until I posted on the Facebook page, and then someone was like, ‘we sent someone out there, and they should be fixed now.’ That’s the only confirmation I’ve ever had is when I publicly made a statement about my discontent.”

We don't know if something is not working or something's broken unless you report it.

“

Casey Kreger director housing and residence life

Sabrina Bartley, psychology freshman, said the washing machines’ water malfunctions waste a lot of time. “There’s always a washer that doesn’t drain, so your clothes come out soaking wet, and so you have to put your clothes through the dryers multiple times,” she said. “It usually just results in lots of time being put into something that shouldn’t take as much time as it is.” Casey Kreger, director of housing and residence life, said he addressed most of the issues with the laundry machines in Walker during Spring Break with the help of a new tech worker from the manufacturing company of the machines. “During Spring Break, while the students were gone, he came out and did all of the vent cleanings in all of the laundry rooms

in all of the residence halls,” he said. “It had not been done in a couple of years, and so it’s about time that we got it to happen.” Kreger said the issues with the machines are equally due to maintenance and operator error. “Some of the issues are mechanical, due to lack of upkeep from the company,” he said. “Some of them were issues with students not loading the machine properly. Some of the students were putting in soap pods into the actual liquid dispenser instead of just throwing it into the machine, and so that was causing issues with clogging the machine up.” If students see an issue, they should send in a work order, Kreger said. “If you have an issue, report it,” he said. “Just report it. We don’t know if something is not working or something’s broken unless you report it. We will do our due diligence to do our rounds and hit what we need to hit, but we may miss something. Just make sure work orders are put in.” If any students notice any maintenance issues, they may go to okcu.edu/campus/residencelife/current-residents/work-order and follow instructions there to put in a work order.

Students concerned about ‘suspicious individual’ in fitness center Luke Barrett

STAFF WRITER

Students are concerned about safety after they say people who may not be associated with the university are using the campus gym. The Aduddell Fitness Center near Oklahoma United Methodist Hall is a private gym for students, faculty and staff. Family members and guests of students, faculty and staff also are allowed to purchase fitness center memberships. All guests must sign in at the front desk while those with a university ID swipe in for entry. Teresa Franks, music theater senior, said these policies aren’t enforced and students have told her that people in the gym are making them uncomfortable. “All I would like to have is just knowing who’s in and out of the gym and maybe having some contact with them when they come in at the front door, just so that we know, and just so that people know that it’s either OCU people coming in or guests,” she said. Franks said she posted on Facebook to see if other people felt similarly, and more than 45 people liked her post. She also said several people have come up to her in person to say they agree with her concerns. Franks said she’s noticed an individual who comes to the gym somewhat frequently and does not swipe in, waiting for the door to the fitness center to be opened. She is unsure if the person is a student or faculty member, but he stares and has made multiple people uncomfortable, she said. Franks said she was going to report the man, but there was no

We take the safety of the OCU community very seriously, and we want to make sure that this is a student gym that all students should feel comfortable in.

“

Josh Hall assistant director student life

one at the front desk during that gym visit. She said she reported him the next time she saw him there. “I told the young lady at the front desk. She said she’d call her boss. He said he couldn’t be there at the time and that was that,” she said. Josh Hall, assistant director of student life, intramural sports and recreation, manages the fitness center. Hall said the fitness center team has been trying to identify the man, but he has not returned. Hall said this is the first incident he’s heard about in relation to safety at the fitness center. “We take the safety of the OCU community very seriously, and we want to make sure that this is a student gym that all students should feel comfortable in,” he said. “I’m appreciative that someone spoke up and said that they felt uncomfortable.” The front desk staff is supposed to turn away people if they are not OCU community members and inform them of the ID card

rule, Hall said. He said a worker should be in the fitness center or at the desk during all open hours. The staff recently was instructed not to let anyone in without an ID card, regardless of their position as a student or faculty member. “We need to know who everyone is in the facility,” Hall said. “It is enforced that we have a card swipe system outside of the fitness center, and students, just like in the dorms, are not supposed to hold open doors for other people.” The fitness center also has a live camera feed streamed to the OCU Police Department, and the swipe system records every user’s B number and name. Hall said anyone noticing suspicious behavior should report it to him or OCUPD. If a student notices someone entering the building without swiping, they can report it to him, the front desk or OCUPD. Hall said other options for reporting incidents include contacting Dr. Amy Ayres, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, or filing a Title IX report. Franks said she thinks officials should be responsible for student safety in the fitness center. “It’s not the students’ responsibility to call OCUPD on every person that makes them feel uncomfortable,” she said. “If I express that to the front desk, they should be the ones to call OCUPD.”

Star Summit provides students with leadership training, skill-building Francesca Iaccovaci

STAFF WRITER

Star Summit gives students the opportunity to practice and assess leadership skills. Star Summit is an annual event and will be from 2:30-5 p.m. Friday in the Leichter Room in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. Star Summit is a half-day student leadership workshop designed to provide students with opportunities to develop stronger leadership skills. The focus of the event changes each year, just as the focus of leaders change, said Levi Harrel, director of student engagement. This year’s theme is “networking as a student leader and beyond.” “It’s going to specifically focus on professional networking and what you can be doing right now as a student leader to navigate and manage relationships and networking opportunities, as well as looking to the future and how you can leverage those opporMarch 27, 2019

It's going to specifically focus on professional networking and what you can be doing right now as a student leader. Levi Harrel director student engagement

tunities and attain the skills necessary to be effective,” Harrel said. Tiffany Smith, director of career services, and Kanika Brown, assistant director of career services, will speak at the event. Kay Robinson, senior director of student and community engagement at University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, will be a guest speaker.

Every student organization should send at least one representative to Star Summit to remain in good standing with the university, but the event is open to all students regardless of affiliation with an organization, Harrel said. Taylor Downey, religion sophomore and Title IX student professional, said the event is open to anyone interested in becoming a better leader for themselves and for their organizations. This will be Downey’s second year attending the workshop. “My biggest takeaway from last year was that anyone can be a leader,” she said. “Even if you’re not elected to be one or you don’t necessarily feel like one, everybody has leadership qualities, so the best thing to do is to work on developing them.” No reservation is required to attend the workshop, and there will be food and beverages provided for attendees, Harrel said.