Nov 15 by MediaOCU

THE CAMPUS

November 15, 2017 – Volume 111 Issue 11

Police chief resigns, department receives new oversight Miguel Rios

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The campus police department is undergoing personnel changes. Bradd Brown resigned as police chief, but will continue in his role through Dec. 31. President Robert Henry announced Brown’s resignation in a Nov. 8 email to the campus community, saying it was for “personal reasons.” Henry wrote in the email that Brown has “provided exceptional leadership to the OCUPD and the university.” Leslie Berger, senior director of university communications, said she does not have additional information but echoes Henry’s statements about Brown.

“He has provided outstanding leadership to the campus police department,” she said. “The steps he took to move the department forward will serve the university well into the future.” Brown served as chief since 2014. Before his university appointment, Brown served in law enforcement on patrol, planning and research, hostage negotiations team, special events, and dignitary protection. He was also commander of a helicopter unit and commander of an information technology unit. He retired as a captain with Oklahoma City Police Department, according to the Oklahoma College Public Relations Association. With more than 30 years on the force, Brown received

various awards from the Oklahoma City Police Department, including the Murrah Bombing Service Award for service during the 1995 bombing recovery. Brown has degrees in police science and organizational leadership, as well as a masters of business administration from Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond where he graduated with honors. During his tenure at OCU, Brown: - implemented software to facilitate better tracking and reporting for Clery Act compliance, - revised the emergency operations plan, - worked with Oklahoma City police to conduct joint emergency preparedness exer-

cises, and - oversaw the department’s move to its current location, according to the Nov. Bradd Brown 8 email. police Brown chief said he didn’t have any information to add to Henry’s announcement. David Hall, music education/sociology senior, said Brown spoke to students often. “Chief Brown was one of the more involved officers and was always willing to speak to students about problems they had, police-related or not,” he said. Henry wrote that he will

Scholarships offered to St. Gregory’s students University officials are attempting to help St. Gregory’s University’s displaced students. St. Gregory’s, a private liberal arts school in Shawnee, Oklahoma and the state’s only Catholic university, will close at the end of the semester. Officials announced its closure Nov. 8 due to financial issues, and the decision was finalized after the denial of a loan application from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to The Tulsa World. St. Gregory’s enrollment was about 700 students, according to U.S. News & World Report. OCU started a social media campaign offering those students discounted prices to transfer and a free application fee. All undergraduate programs are accepting St. Gregory’s transfer students who meet the admissions requirements, and scholarships are available, according to okcu.edu. Officials posted a chart of transfer scholarship amounts on the university website. Increased academic scholarships are available for some St. Gregory’s transfers: - Students with a 3.6 to 4.0 GPA will receive a $7,000 presidential scholarship as well as an $8,000 transfer scholarship. - Students with a 3.3-3.59 GPA will receive the $5,500 university scholarship as well as another $5,500 transfer scholarship. - Transfers with a 3.0 to 3.29 GPA will receive the $5,000 achievement scholarship and the $4,000 transfer scholarship. St. Gregory’s first-year students are eligible for “freshman” academic and departmental scholarships by contacting admissions and providing required documents. Though the Kramer School of Nursing application deadline passed, St. Gregory’s transfer students will have an extended deadline to apply for next semester. Ashleigh Robinson, music theater junior, said her brother went to St. Gregory’s for two years because they had the only collegiate lacrosse program in the state. She said she was surprised but not shocked about the school’s closure. “My brother had mentioned that the university was having financial issues before he left the school,” Robinson said. Robinson said she would be upset if the same thing ever happened at OCU.

“I love our university, and I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else,” she said. “But, at the end of the day, I’d settle for another school to finish my education at.” Lauren Miller is in the nursing program at St. Gregory’s with three semesters left to graduate. She said she applied to OCU’s program and would love to attend. “My sister is an OCU alum. She graduted with a biomedical degree, and she has said nothing but great things,” Miller said. “I would love to have the same great experience that she had.” Lena Samilton, a graduate student at St. Gregory’s, is working toward a master’s in counseling and psychology. She said she’s already in debt with St. Gregory’s and has not yet considered all her options. “I’m a single mother with three children and my schedule is not as flexible. Plus, I work full-time, so St. Gregory’s program and setup worked perfectly,” she said. “Seeing what OCU has to offer is one option.” OCU officials will attend St. Gregory’s college fair this week to represent the university and give students information on how transferring would work. By Associate Editor Sage Tokach

Student

St. Gregory’s

“ with 30 or more hours

Nursing

tuition per year

$26,550

Arts & Sciences

St. Gregory’s transfer net cost per year, by type of scholarship

Nursing Students Presidential: University: Achievement:

$18,576 $22,576 $24,576

Arts & Sciences Students Presidential: University: Achievement:

$15,726 $19,726 $21,726

OCU

$33,576

undergraduate

$22,050

what Henry announced, but updates will be provided about the search for a new police chief as it develops. Hall said students, faculty, staff, and officers should have discussions about what they want to see the new chief and the department do. “I would also ask that we all push to keep Ms. Croslin in a supervisory role so that students feel as though the university is not just waiting until there is a problem to provide oversight,” he said.

tuition per year

Business and

use this time of transition to realign the reporting structure for campus police. “It is important to me that the OCUPD has the appropriate cabinet-level leadership support,” he wrote. Joey Croslin, former chief human resources officer, will receive the title of vice president for human resources. Henry also appointed her to be the OCUPD supervisor and to lead the search for the next chief of police, according to the email. “I am confident that Ms. Croslin will serve the department well and keep me advised of ways that I may be supportive of department priorities,” he wrote. Croslin said there is no additional information beyond

$30,726

Undergraduate Business Students Presidential: University: Achievement:

$15,726 $19,726 $21,726

Miguel Rios Student Publications

Above right: The table shows the estimated rate St. Gregory’s students will pay if they transfer to OCU, based on their GPA. St. Gregory’s transfer students will receive thousands of dollars in scholarships. Depending on their GPA, they will receive the presidential, university or achievement scholarship in addition to a St. Gregory’s/OCU Transfer scholarship. Students with a 3.0-3.29 receive $9,000. Students with a 3.3-3.59 receive $11,000. And students with a 3.6-4.0 GPA receive $15,000. Students must have 30 or more hours when transferring. Full-time enrollment still is required to receive the scholarships, so transfer students will need to enroll in at least 12 hours per semester. Transfer students from St. Gregory’s also will get the application fee waived. St Gregory’s University will host college fairs this week, which OCU officials will attend to give students information on how transferring would work. Above left: The estimated net tuition rate for St. Gregory’s University is about $8,000 less than OCU’s tuition rate for nursing, business and arts and sciences programs. University officials started a social media campaign targeting students from St. Gregory’s University, which will close at the end of this semester. Applications to enroll for the nursing programs for next semester was extended for St. Gregory’s transfer students. A deadline has not yet been set.

New Interfraternity Council adviser aims to create more structure Nicole Waltman

WEB EDITOR

The Interfraternity Council is changing processes under new leadership. Levi Harrel, assistant director of student development, is now in charge of both Panhellenic and IFC affairs. IFC is the umbrella organization for the campus fraternities. The Panhellenic Council is the sorority equivalent. Formal recruitment and IFC outreach and advertising will change moving forward. “Fraternity formal recruitment and sorority formal

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recruitment will actually be happening in conjunction,” Harrel said. “We really are adding quite a bit more structure to the IFC recruitment process. We’re also putting it right in the middle of Stars Week.” IFC recruitment dates haven’t been consistent over the past years, Harrel said. “Our hope is that by having it early in the semester, by having it at the exact same time as Panhellenic formal recruitment, that we’ll get the maximum number of interested young men who want to join a fraternity,” Harrel said. Dates have not yet been set

Fraternity formal recruitment and sorority formal recruitment will actually be happening in conjunction. Levi Harrel assistant director student development

for formal recruitment. Panhellenic’s informal recruitment will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 28. Fraternities also will extend recruitment efforts in the spring, Harrel said.

“Although we are absolutely putting all of our time, efforts and energy into formal recruitment in the fall, students can also expect to see recruitment efforts from fraternities in the spring,” he said.

Officials also plan to expand the marketing campaign to incoming freshmen, said IFC President Blake Lemmons. “In years past, we haven’t had postcards to send out to people,” Lemmons said. “Now part of the letters that go out to potential new members is going to be about male Greek Life so that they can see what’s going on and be more aware of it.” IFC leadership will also be organized like Panhellenic leadership, meaning that positions rotate each year between fraternities. New officers for the next year will be elected on individual

dates within each fraternity. A member from each fraternity will serve on IFC in some way. IFC officer positions include president, vice president, secretary/treasurer, and director of recruitment. IFC also has an executive committee, which is made up of the presidents for each fraternity. Lambda Chi Alpha’s Trae Trousdale, education/history freshman, was elected to be the next IFC President.

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Picking unlikely candidates

Read an opinion piece on possible new university presidents

opinion New university president needs personable qualities Since President Robert Henry announced his plan to step down as president in June 2018, many are wondering who will fill his role. The presidential search committee conducted focus groups to get a sense of the qualities and characteristics students, faculty and staff are looking for in the next president. The committee will narrow down the search to one to three candidates for approval before the decision goes to the board of trustees. Board Chairman Ron Norick also chairs the search committee. He said a candidate probably will be chosen by April 18. The role can be daunting, so the new president has to be ready. Candidates need to be comfortable talking to students, faculty, staff, and

trustees of all ages and from all backgrounds. OCU is a unique, diverse campus, and the new president should be able to lead this community and bring people together. Candidates also should be active on campus and interact with the student community often. When Henry won The Campus Best Of’s “Best Administrator” designation, students commented about how approachable he is. “He talks to students like they’re the most important people,” said Carly Youngberg, English sophomore, in the Best Of edition. The new president should be able to make students feel the same way. Candidates must understand the student community and listen to what students have to say. When students

Talk Back “What are you thankful for this holiday season?”

take a stand and voice their opinions, the president should listen, rather than silencing them. Open communication is the best way to foster a healthy relationship between students and administration. Aside from being personable, the president also must be good with money. Candidates need to know about handling finances and hire people who will manage money well-connections with donors and people from the community are definitely a plus. University president is a large, demanding position. The new president should have practical and personable skills and connections they will use to benefit students.

“I'm thankful for my family.”

“Pizza”

Matthew Moelling biology sophomore

KC Curry religion sophomore

“Kappa Sigma”

“I'm thankful for all my friends.”

Evan Couch vocal performance freshman

Suzy Newsom university studies sophomore

“All the amazing OCU people that go here”

“My professors because they actually know what they're talking about”

Erin McDermitt dance performance senior

Katie Vaughn human performance junior

Columnist discusses health, music in the holiday season It’s that special time of year. The air gets cold, we all dress up and we have to start taking care of ourselves. Yes, the Halloween and Thanksgiving seasons are great leads to the Christmas season, but it’s super important to stay aware of your health. I was recently cast in Company here on campus. It was an excellent experience full of wonderful people and learning opportunities. But almost every person in the cast was hit with a horrible sickness. This is why it is important to stay clean this holiday season.

Make sure you sanitize your hands as much as possible and be sure to bundle up when it’s cold outside. Don’t be the person walking to class in shorts when it’s 30 degrees. Your peers’ health is just as important as your own, so do what you can to keep yourself and those around you healthy. Other than sickness during the holiday season, Thanksgiving approaches after spooks during Halloween. So let’s start this great debate of the proper time to start celebrating the Christmas season and when we can start listening to Christmas

Harrison Langford is an acting junior from Las Vegas, Nevada, who loves golden retrievers and the New York Giants.

music. If you’re anything like me, you’re listening to Christmas music the day after Halloween. I know that some of you probably are mumbling nasty words under your breath, but I have to come clean. Christmas music is

my favorite kind of music. Not only are there different genres of Christmas music, but there are a number of artists who all do the same songs in different ways. It keeps the music fresh and does a great job of getting me into the spirit of

the giving season. All of that being said, I’m a little more conservative than most when it comes to Christmas music. I know some students on campus who have been listening to Christmas music since Oct. 1. To those people, I must scoff. Halloween ends up getting nearly overlooked, and listening to Christmas music that early can make you get used to it. You don’t want to be sick of the Christmas season before it gets here. If you find yourself struggling to find some good Christ-

mas music, I have the best artists that I think you’ll enjoy. Try listening to Michael Bublé, The Carpenters, Pentatonix, Seth Macfarlane, and The Beach Boys. Those are all of my favorites to listen to during Christmas time. They’re a little old school, I know, but still good. As the Christmas season approaches, don’t forget that we still have Thanksgiving. Yes, it’s fun to get into the Christmas season, but don’t forget to be thankful as we get closer to the holiday for thankfulness.

Traditional Netflix horror still scares viewers Netflix has proven itself the home of indie horror films that are so deep in eeriness and art-house style that critics are afraid to call them anything but “psychological thrillers.” One of the more recent entries into this expanding range of horror films is 2016’s I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, directed by Osgood “Oz” Perkins. The movie centers around “Lily Saylor” (Ruth Wilson), a live-in hospice nurse hired to take care of “Iris Blum” (Paula Prentiss), an elderly dementia patient and former horror writer. Lily lives in Blum’s house for almost a year before some of

the tell-tale signs of a spook begin to show up in the rickety old house—unexplained bumping sounds at night and walls growing mold from no apparent source. Strongest of all, there is a correlation between the spooky signs and a book Blum wrote about “Polly Parsons,” a girl who was murdered in macabre fashion and, to no surprise, begins to appear before Lily in sideways glances and mirror reflections. The movie has all the classic elements of a good Halloween flick—an old, shadow-riddled house, dark and uncomfortable camera work and Poe-esque scenarios. But, all these appeals,

Chandler White is an English junior from Meeker, Oklahoma. He likes gothic horror and good hip-hop.

pronounced as they are, will doubtlessly fall flat for many viewers simply because of how familiar they are. It’s nothing new to have a scary house with a dark history or a ghost figure that invisibly prowls the place at night. Several of the moments in this film border on melodrama with excessive buildup that all leads up to something the viewer probably saw coming three minutes

before. It all can feel on the nose sometimes, and the occasional strange, difficultto-believe behaviors of the protagonist aren’t helpful either. All of this being said, where Pretty Thing might fail in shock value, it succeeds tenfold in tension and thematic material. I never have been so tense during a film since Lynch’s Mulholland Drive, and this is thanks

to Perkins’ dread-inducing, Kubrick-esque cinematography, a hollow-sounding and atmospheric score that resembles a broken Steinway piano being played from the bottom of the ocean and, though familiar, a nevertheless genuinely haunting story. Thematically, the movie is preoccupied with the terrors of womanhood in a world that relentlessly antagonizes the feminine, and it repeatedly forces such questions upon the viewer. The three women–Lily, Iris and Polly–all have unmistakable parallels between them that defy time, space and the worlds of the living and dead. The ghostly forces that

define these relations are as unsettling and difficult to ignore as the anxieties of gender in modern society, and they force the viewer to look at the female characters in relation to the male characters who abandon, exploit or murder them. This film is not the most revolutionary horror film to come out in recent years, and many will find it too slow and cliché to really have a good experience. But, for those who enjoy long, slow-building tension, value stimulating and thought-provoking material and are suckers for things that go bump in the night, I will recommend this movie to the grave.

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 H1-B Visa information session from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Room 314 in Meinders School of Business Students of Arts Management speaker meeting: Daniel Billingsly at 7:30 p.m. in Tucker Hall in Meinders School of Business THURSDAY Weekly chapel service from 1-2 p.m. in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel Alpha Sings at 8 p.m. at the Alpha Phi house in Nellie R.

Melton Panhellenic Quadrangle Week ly Play Club meeting at 10:30 p.m. in the Honor's Lounge in the Gold Star Memorial Building FRIDAY Get Psyched! Spend a day with Psychology from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Lacy Admissions and Visitor Center

in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center SATURDAY Hannah Bach's junior recital at 2 p.m. in Wimberly Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

SUNDAY Student Philanthropy Committee presents: Where is My Money Going? at 2 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center

Senior Stargazing at 8 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center

Women's basketball vs. Loyola at 3 p.m. in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center

The Marriage of Figaro at 3 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

The Marriage of Figaro at 8 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Jeffrey Laughrun's junior recital at 8 p.m. in Wimberly Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Women's basketball vs. Langston at 8 p.m. in Abe Lemons Arena

North Central Honor's Orchestra at 8 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in

Vision Wilkes-Davis's senior recital at 8 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall

November 15, 2017, Volume 111, Number 11

Staff Writers: McAlyn Forbes, Emily Wollenberg, Sophia Babb, Grace Babb, Rodney Smith Photographers: Maridith Grimsley, Hannah Rogers Columnist: Caroline Hawthorne, Harrison Langford Film Critic: Mary McLain

OCU Jazz Band concert at 8 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center TUESDAY Canterbury Youth Children's Concert at 8 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Resolution 001 was incorrectly attributed in the Nov. 8 issue of The Campus. Sen. Jordan Tarter (humanities) is the only author listed on the resolution. Lori Walker, director of auxiliary services, was incorrectly quoted in the Nov. 8 issue of The Campus. Chick-fil-A will open in the spring, according to Walker.

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 Editor-in-chief: Miguel Rios Associate Editor: Sage Tokach Copy Editor: Chandler White News Editor: Zoe Travers Photo Editor: Elina Moon Community Manager: Lauren Berlingeri Web Editor: Nicole Waltman

MONDAY Evensong Worship at 8 p.m. in Watson Lounge in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel

The Student Publications staff welcomes unsolicited material and let-

Videographer: Emily Haan Ad/Marketing Director: Madison Clark Circulation Director: Brianna Demuth 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.

November 15, 2017

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We are the champions Right: Senior Setter Sanja Vojnovic sets up the ball for Senior Middle Blocker Holly Randall at the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament championship game. Vojnovic is a student from Bosnia. She became SAC’s Most Value Player and Setter of the Year. She was honored as Setter of the Week twice this season and ranks among the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics’s Top 10 in aces, aces per set and assists per set, according to OCUsports.com. “I’m happy for Sanja and her accomplishments,” Coach Jason Muñoz told OCUsports. “It is a great honor, and she earned it with her consistent play this year.” Above: The Stars faced Texas Wesleyan University for the SAC Tournament championship game Nov. 11 in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. The Stars won the championship, 3-0, making this their second consecutive SAC tournament win. “The team played great volleyball this week,” Coach Jason Muñoz told OCUsports. “It was great to be at home, and we are looking forward to the opening round.” The team now prepares for the NAIA championships, which are Nov. 28 Elina Moon Student Publications

through Dec. 2 in Sioux City, Iowa. The opening round will be Saturday at various campuses across the nation.

Religious life officials make donation to hurricane disaster relief Chandler White

COPY EDITOR

Officials collected donations and contributed to hurricane relief efforts through the United Methodist Church. Religious life officials collected several thousand supply donations through September and October. Donation efforts started after Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Houston as a Category 4 hurricane. Donation efforts were extended when Hurricane Irma hit Florida. The Rev. Elizabeth Horton-Ware, director of religious life, worked with trustee the Rev. David Wilson and Dr. Charles Neff, vice president for university-church relations, to initiate the donations drive. About 400 items were taken Oct. 31 to the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist where they will be shipped to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and distributed from there. UMCOR is a nonprofit organization forming the humanitarian relief and development arm of the United Methodist Church,

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according to www.umcor.org. They control disaster relief donations made through Methodist churches and channel them to relief institutions in affected areas. The university’s contribution to UMCOR totaled about $1,500. Horton-Ware said the decision to start the donations drive partially came in response to interest from the student body. “It became pretty clear that there was a lot of people here who had been impacted or people they love had been impacted, so we started getting people saying ‘I’ll take stuff’ or ‘Can I help?’” she said. The remaining items collected at the university are being packaged to be sent to other relief organizations. Officials are looking for agencies and organizations in Houston to which they can send the remainder of the donations. Horton-Ware said the volume of donation from all departments of the university shows a strong level of charity from the campus. Callie Michaud, costume design and production senior, is from Houston and said the university’s response is comforting to her. “My family, personally, got very lucky in the whole situation, but I know a lot of OCU students weren’t as lucky with their homes being flooded,” Michaud said. “It’s been so great just seeing everyone come

together about this one issue.” Sarah Hallett, nursing senior, is president of the Nursing Student Association and worked to station donation bins in Kramer School of Nursing and at the college’s Duncan campus. “Our bin was just overflowing. It’s nice when people come together like that to help other communities that are in a different area that need help,” she said. “If you think about it, these people lost everything, so what little we could do to help is a big impact on what’s going on in their lives at that moment.” Horton-Ware said religious life officials are no longer collecting donations, and the only way for students to support hurricane relief through them is to help cover the shipping costs of donations or to donate boxes for donations to be shipped in. Students may email Horton-Ware at erhortonware@okcu. edu if they want to help. She encourages students who want to help the UMCOR to visit the donation page at umcor.org/ search-for-projects.

Campus apartment roofs repaired from April storm Zoe Travers

NEWS EDITOR

Cokesbury Court Apartment residents have new roofs after a week’s worth of construction. Work on the roofs began on Oct. 31 and ended last week, though the repairs were for damage sustained in April. Mark Chaszar, Cokesbury general manager, said crews were working to repair roof damage caused by a storm. The storm happened in April,when the winds hit about 80 mph and blew the soccer bleachers onto nearby homes. “ We suffered enough damage that it hit every single roof,” Chaszar said. The construction took

November 15, 2017

longer, he said, because of the work he and his office had to do with the insurance company. A contractor came to look at the damage, which involved several damaged shingles as well as the structure underneath. Officials spoke with insurance companies to decide the best approach after that. The estimated cost of the damage was $460,000, Chaszar said. It didn’t cost the university anything since Cokesbury is owned by a third party. Construction began after supplies were delivered at the end of October. Crews worked from 8 a.m. to sundown daily to finish the work as quickly as possible, Chaszar said. Some students expressed frustration with the process,

I’m still flabbergasted that it took this long from a storm this year.

Emily Diaz acting senior

reporting falling debris, little parking availability and loud noises. Kathryn Sugianto, business administration sophomore and Cokesbury resident, said she was hit by some falling debris. “It’s concerning that I literally left my apartment, and there’s chunks of the roof falling,” Sugianto said.

Crews had to place wood pallets on certain spots to stop students from parking in unsafe spaces, Chaszar said. “When we put cones, students will move the cones and park their car,” he said. Workers used a magnetic machine to pick up nails and debris to prevent injuries or car damage, Chaszar said.

Despite the precautions, Chaszar said he noticed some safety concerns. “Everywhere I walk I see a shingle on the ground or something that’s fallen off, and it’s like ‘can we get these guys to hurry up?’” he said. “I expressed multiple times there are some safety concerns that if they don’t get this crap done, something’s going to happen.” Emily Diaz, acting senior and Cokesbury resident, said she’s confused about why construction didn’t happen in the summer. “I’m still flabbergasted that it took this long from a storm this year,” she said. Kelly Pan, nursing junior and Cokesbury resident, said the construction annoyed her,

but the workers were polite. “The workers are really nice,” Pan said. “At the same time, though, I don’t understand why they’re doing it.” Devin Murphy, administrative assistant for housing and residence life, said she wanted the construction to be done sooner. “We tried to have it done in the summer, but, unfortunately, it didn’t go according to plan,” Murphy said. Murphy said RAs sent out emails to their residents. “If students were surprised, I’m hoping that they checked their student email,” she said.

lifestyles Theater masterclasses focus on creating new work Emily Wollenberg

STAFF WRITER

The final guest for the Bachelor of Arts Theater and Performance (BATAP) Guest Artist Series will discuss “acting professionally.” Julia Gibson, acting professor at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will lead the discussion from 12:30-2 p.m. Nov. 27 in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. The first masterclass, “original cast exploring,” was taught by Joseph Megel, the artist in residence at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill department of communication Nov. 9. A masterclass is similar to a workshop where a professional teaches the class. The masterclass was designed to help students navigate and understand the development of new works and maximize their opportunities for audi-

tions and networking. BATAP Director Greg DeCandia said the class helped teach students how to read content that has never been created before. “Having Joseph here is just a wonderful way to start creating a relationship with someone if you have works in the future that you want to be able to do,” DeCandia said. Erik Hamilton, acting sophomore, said he appreciated this masterclass because, as artistic director of Shadow Collective, an organization that produces student-written plays, he knows how difficult working with original theater can be. “The art of original theater is something that is a little underexplored at OCU. I definitely wish there were something along the lines of a playwriting minor so we could get more experience in that sort of thing,” Hamilton said. “But I definitely have a lot of respect for the craft, and it’s

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Elina Moon Student Publications

Greg DeCandia, director of the Bachelor of Arts Theater and Performance program, performs his verbatim theater play, Silhouettes of Service, on Nov. 11 at Oklahoma Contemporary, 3000 General Pershing Blvd. in Oklahoma City. The play is composed of interviews he did with war veterans. Throughout the play, he portrayed a variety of people, male and female, and covered topics such as post-traumatic stress disorder, sexual assault and discrimination of sexuality.

wonderful that so many people are getting the opportunity to do it through this masterclass.” “Projecting control,” taught by Dominic Abbenante, resident media designer of Play-

makers’ Repertory Co., was Friday at Oklahoma Contemporary, a local arts center. The masterclass explored the technical aspects of theater, including analyzing software

in live entertainment. Students got hands-on experience working with the design elements of Silhouettes of Service, a verbatim theater play created by DeCandia, and witnessed the execution in the live performance. “Usually, we have people come into masterclasses and talk about the work that they do, and we wanted to make sure that we could see the work they do as well,” DeCandia said. Gibson’s class will focus on being an actor in New York City, auditioning, working with agents, and “keeping one’s spirit afloat amidst the ups and downs of ‘the biz,’” according to event posters. DeCandia said Gibson was his former professor at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has voiced more than 150 books and worked in television, film and stage. “She has a really wide breadth of the different things you can do,” DeCandia said. The BATAP degree program

focuses on creating new work, DeCandia said, which is why he wanted to make these masterclasses available to students. He also said he was able to get each of the presenters to come because he knows them from his graduate study at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. All students in DeCandia’s audition technique class are required to attend the masterclasses. DeCandia said all the masterclasses are open to anyone of any major and students will not have to prepare anything to attend the masterclasses. “We ask that they just come with an open mind and some questions,” he said. To attend the final masterclass, students can sign up on the design and production bulletin board on the third floor of Gold Star Memorial Building.

Officials to commemorate World AIDS Day Sage Tokach

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Officials will create a digital quilt to commemorate loved ones who have suffered from AIDS. Russ Tallchief, director of student engagement, inclusion and multicultural programs, organized the quilt in recognition of World AIDS Day and the 30th anniversary of the inaugural AIDS quilt. World AIDS Day, a national day of recognition for those suffering from AIDS, is Dec. 1. Founded in 1988, it was the first global health day ever created. The memorial AIDS quilt was created in 1987 by five women in San Francisco who wanted to memorialize the people in their life affected by AIDS. People from major cities across the U.S. sent quilt panels that named their loved ones to San Francisco, where the quilt was compiled. The completed quilt consisted of 1,920 panels, and 500,000 people saw its display at the National Mall in Washington D.C. Volunteers toured the quilt across the U.S., adding panels and earning $500,000 in donations for AIDS service organizations. The quilt grew to 6,000 panels by the end of the tour, according to aidsquilt.org. “It was profound to read the names the panels were made in honor of,” Tallchief said. “I wanted to do something to memori-

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This is a way for us to build support in a beautiful, artistic kind of way.

Russ Tallchief student engagament director

alize those of us on a local level who have lost someone to AIDS, but I knew there were limitations to creating physical quilt panels.” Tallchief encourages students, faculty and staff to send in panels to include in the digital quilt. They can design their own square panel as a digital file or submit a name, and staff from the campus graphics design department will create a panel that places the name over a red AIDS ribbon. Personally-designed panels can include pictures, quotes, art, or anything else that commemorates that person. All submissions go through okcu.formstack.com/forms/ aids_memorial_digital_quilt. Tallchief said he came up with this idea in an effort to continue spreading awareness and support for AIDS, though the epidemic peaked in the ’90s.

“Sadly, it’s losing some momentum in the public eye,” he said. “People are still battling it and losing, so this is a way for us to build support in a beautiful, artistic kind of way.” Tallchief said the creation of his panel was a cathartic experience. “When I made mine for my friend, it brought back that loss and pain that I felt when I lost him,” he said. “It’s still there, but it’s part of the catharsis of healing. Sometimes we have to go back and remember those people and the impact they had.” Alanah Hosford, cell and molecular biology senior, said the quilt will help people remember the impact AIDS had and continues to have on peoples lives. “I think a lot of people know the AIDS crisis in the ’80s was bad, but I don’t think they know the magnitude of it,” Hosford said. “The LGBT community had to be pretty tight-knit at that time. Just imagine that one day all your friends around you are dying. It must have been horrible, but I think this quilt is a good way to commemorate that.” Submissions are open and are not limited to the OCU community. Tallchief said he hopes to launch the digital quilt online and send a link to the campus community Dec. 1. Officials want to reach 30 panels by Nov. 30.

There are a few digital panels that have already been designed. Officials recommend that anyone interested use canva.com or postermywall.com if they want to create a custom panel for the university's AIDS Memorial Digital Quilt. Their goal is to get 30 panels before World AIDS Day on Dec. 1.

Film department creates annual festival for high school students Sophia Babb

STAFF WRITER

Film department officials are hosting a high school film festival, offering scholarships and awards of recognition for selected student films. This is the first year for the festival. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 15. Bryan Cardinale-Powell, assistant professor and acting film chairman, said he’s excited to see the movies high school students make. “The films can be fiction shorts, documentaries, experimental, or animation,” Cardinale-Powell said. “The key is to submit movies that have something to say and that say it with style.” High school students from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Texas are eligible to enter. Cardinale-Powell said the School of Visual Arts plans to make this an annual event. “It’s hard to anticipate how many entries we’ll receive since this is the first year of the festival, but we’re excited November 15, 2017

I think the festival can encourage creativity and also show incoming students that there is value in art. Ashley Kinard film production senior

to promote the work of young filmmakers. We also hope to show off what OKCU can offer in terms of learning about film,” he said. There will be a $500 cash prize provided by Nathan Gardocki Films, a local equipment rental house founded by Alumnus Nathan Gardocki, along with $5,000 scholarships for filmmakers who enroll at OCU. Cardinale-Powell said students will help review entries and set up for the screening. “Keep an eye out for notices about volunteers needed for the event. And consider letting friends in high school know about the event, they might just be interested in entering,” he said. Ashley Kinard, film produc-

tion senior, said she wished she had the opportunity to enter the film festival while she was in high school. “It could have provided me with a much-needed scholarship and an excuse to really try to make something worthwhile,” Kinard said. Kinard said she probably would have entered a short narrative film. “I knew I wanted to study film, but I had never tried to make a real project. I’d mostly just messed around and goofed off with a camera,” she said. “I think the festival can encourage creativity and also show incoming students that there is value in art, whether that be in the form of scholarship, monetary prizes or even

just a sense of accomplishment.” The screening night coincides with the Plaza District's Second Friday Art Walk, when local businesses stay open late and feature live music and artists, so attendees can participate in the Art Walk activities as well, Cardinale-Powell said. Winners will be screened at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12 at The Venue, 1757 N.W. 16th St. An award ceremony will immediately follow the screening. For more information, visit goo.gl/BxLQAV. For current students who want to get more involved, the department offers weekly film screenings in the screening room in the east wing of Dawson-Loeffler Science and Mathematics Center. “Film majors curate Tuesday night screenings that start around 8 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Professor Billy Palumbo hosts screenings of experimental films,” CardinalePowell said.

Elina Moon Student Publications

Shots fired Keziah Williamson, acting senior, reacts to a gunshot in Fefu and Her Friends, a play about relations between eight women in the 1930s. The play had performances Nov. 9-12 in Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music Center. The next Stage II production is Pterodactyls, which will have performances Nov. 30-Dec. 3. Tickets will be $5 cash.