Oct. 24 by MediaOCU

THE CAMPUS October 24, 2018 – Volume 112 Issue 8

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Elina Moon Student Publications

Isn't she lovely?

Cosette Smith, music theater junior, is crowned Miss OCU 2019 at the 38th annual scholarship competition on Oct. 20 in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. Miss OCU 2018 Maggie Bond crowned Smith, who will compete in the Miss Oklahoma pageant in June.

Above: Smith sings “Vanilla Ice Cream” for the talent portion of the Miss OCU competition. Smith was the 38th student to win the title of Miss OCU. Cerena Chaney, dance pedagogy junior, was awarded first runner-up, and Kaylila Pasha, acting sophomore, was awarded Miss Congeniality.

Music theater student crowned Miss OCU Jessica Vanek

WEB EDITOR

A music theater student was chosen to represent OCU in the Miss Oklahoma pageant in June. Cosette Smith, music theater junior, was crowned Miss OCU 2019, and the winner of Miss OCU’s Outstanding Teen was Arriah Herrin. Both winners will be granted two semesters of tuition at OCU. Cerena Chaney, dance junior, won first runner-up and People’s Choice and Kaylila Pasha, acting sophomore, won Miss Congeniality. The other Miss OCU contestants this year were Mary Donelly, dance sophomore, and Caton Sullivan, entertainment business sophomore. Smith said she credits the victory to having a strong support system. “It was all thanks to the support of my friends and family that I am Miss OCU,” Smith said. “This was my first pageant I have ever competed in. I devoted a lot of time to prepare, stay up-todate on current events and social issues and raise awareness for my platform of epilepsy.”

I have already met so many amazing young women who empower me to be the best version of myself.

Cosette Smith

Miss OCU 2019

The Miss OCU and Miss OCU’s Outstanding Teen pageant is an annual event hosted at OCU that provides scholarships for students. The pageants were at 6 p.m. Oct. 20 in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. Darwina Marshall, president and executive director of Miss OCU, said the score is divided between five categories. Private interview is 25 percent, talent is 30 percent, lifestyle and fitness is 10 percent, evening wear is 15 percent, and the onstage question is 20 percent, Marshall said. Maggie Bond, economics/music senior, won the Miss OCU 2018 title alongside Gabrielle Gore, Miss OCU’s Outstanding Teen 2018.

“It’s a really wonderful experience and a wonderful year,” Bond said. “You get to grow a lot and meet great people. It’s not so hard to leave the title as much as the people.” Bond was crowned Miss Broken Arrow on Oct. 14 and will return to Miss Oklahoma in June, where she was a semifinalist last year. Smith will also compete in the state competition. “I feel so honored to get to represent my university on the Miss Oklahoma stage,” Smith said. “I cannot wait to compete alongside so many other OCU students who are local title holders. I have already met so many amazing young women who empower me to be the best version of myself.” Bond said she is excited for Smith. “Get ready for the best year of your life. It’s going to be a lot, but it’s going to be the best time,” Bond said.

Visit MediaOCU.com to see more photos from the Miss OCU pageant.

MEDIAOCU.com

Campus police report shows increased liquor law violations Emily Wollenberg

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The annual crime report shows an increase in alcohol violations, officials say. OCU Police Chief Jennifer Rodgers released the annual 2018 Security and Fire Report in an Oct. 1 email to the campus community. The report is required by The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, a consumer protection law passed in 1990 that requires all universities that receive federal funding to share information about crime on campus through an annual security report, according to clerycenter.org. The report shows statistics for 2015, 2016 and 2017. For the past three years, statistics are included for certain types of crimes that were reported to have occurred on campus, at off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the school and on public property within or immediately adjacent to the campus,” Rodgers’s email reads. Across the board, most of the statistics decreased or stayed the same, except for liquor law violation referrals. The number of referrals was six in 2016 and rose to 25 in 2017. Forcible sex offenses rose from two to three, burglary decreased from seven to four, motor vehicle theft dropped from three to zero, stalking dropped from one to zero, and drug law violation referrals dropped from 14 to 10. Robbery is defined as something being stolen off of one’s person. Burglary is defined as someone stealing something from their place of dwelling. A campus liquor law violation referral is defined as a student being found intoxicated or in possession of intoxicants by campus police, Rodgers said. Rodgers said she doesn’t think more students were drinking in 2017, but that more were caught by police officers. “During 2017, there were two officers working night shift

M MEDIAOCU.com

Students are getting themselves into awkward positions where they’re in vehicles with other students that have alcohol in them. Jennifer Rodgers

chief police

that were very young officers, very energetic, very self-motivated, and they were into everything,” she said. “I think that probably made a difference—that they were available, they reported correctly when it happened.” Neither officer works for campus police anymore, Rodgers said. “I have new guys now, and they are just as dynamic as the ones that were here,” she said. Rusty Pyle was hired to be the assistant police chief, and started work Monday. He began in the lieutenant position and will attend chiefs training school at the end of the month, then transition into assistant, Rodgers said. “He’s going to be my right-hand man,” Rodgers said. “I’m excited, because I work 60-hour weeks right now and having him will allow me to delegate more. He’s going to fill a void that’s been there for a few months.” Adan Viloria is entering the field-training program with campus police after serving six months as a dispatcher. Viloria graduated from the police academy Oct. 5 after requesting he be sent to train as an officer. Viloria signed a two-year contract with OCUPD. As part of the field-training program, he will shadow a senior officer.

“He will have someone with him until he’s ready to go on his own,” Rodgers said. “He loves police work. He loves riding with officers. “I’m really proud of him, because he’s kind of home-grown.” Olivia Sargent, music theater freshman, said having more officers on campus makes her feel safer. “I think it’s great, especially with how the world is now,” she said. “It’s good to have more officers that can deal with things and have more people to call.” When it comes to alcohol on campus, Rodgers advised students not to bring alcohol on campus or get into vehicles with alcohol in them. “Students are getting themselves into awkward positions where they’re in vehicles with other students that have alcohol in them,” she said. “If you know alcohol is in that vehicle, don’t get in it or stay in it.” Many of the referrals were related to students being in possession of liquor in their rooms, and most of them occurred in United Methodist Hall, Rodgers said. The university prohibits the use, possession or sale of alcoholic beverages, including under-age drinking, on universityowned or controlled property. Any student that violates this policy is subject to university discipline, including suspension or expulsion, cccording to the Security and Fire Report Campus police are not permitted to conduct random room checks, but Resident Assistants have the right to do so and report to campus police. “We treat the rooms like we would any citizen,” she said. “We have no legal authority to walk into anybody’s dorm room. The RA has complete opportunity to go in and search any of the rooms, but we do not.” Visit MediaOCU.com for the full security report.

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Et tu, Brute?

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opinion SGA needs to reform oncampus recycling program Recycling has yet to be implemented in a functional way on campus. On-campus recycling began in Fall 2009 when university officials installed paper, plastic and cardboard bins in several major buildings as part of the Blue Goes Green initiative. The initiative later was replaced by former Student Government Association President Randy Gipson-Black’s “Blue Initiative,” which passed a recycling bill by Alumnus Ken Williams, former president of the Repurposing Club, in Spring 2017. The bill asked for money to purchase recycling bins and place them in each United Methodist Hall room. When the bill passed in Fall 2018, money was transferred to Young Democrats to purchase the bins because the Repurposing Club was left without leadership when Williams graduated. And yet, despite these efforts, many students have

to travel off campus to recycle. See Page 3 for more on the status of OCU’s recycling program. There are alternatives that would make recycling more accessible for students. The central recycling location in Cokesbury Court Apartments only accepts paper and plastic. Oklahoma City’s refurbished curbside recycling system uses a “Single Stream” process where paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, aluminum, and paperboard cartons all may be deposited in the same bin, which then is collected by city workers. Using a similar system in campus housing would decrease waste and streamline campus recycling. Another problem with the current recycling programs is the lack of knowledge students have about what should be recycled in the existing bins. Because certain materials can’t be recycled in different bins in different locations, appropriate recycling is confusing and

Talk Back “What superfoods or healthy options would you like to see at The Market at Alvins?”

unlikely to succeed. If SGA can’t implement the “Big Green” recycling bins that match the city’s curbside recycling process, they should at least work to simplify the recycling system itself. This could be as simple as issuing an updated statement on which recyclables may be deposited in each location or creating better signage on the bins themselves. Students also should make sure they follow city compliances by not recycling wet paper products or food-contaminated paper/cardboard items. Until these adjustments are made, students may be better off recycling at off-campus locations that accept a wider variety of items, such as at Target. For campus recycling to work at OCU, guidelines need to be made clear so students know what to recycle, where to recycle it and how to do so.

"Vegan and vegetarian meals"

Megan Berning acting sophomore

"I would love strawberries or even yogurt."

"Tiger Milk bars and more fresh fruit"

Arianna Muennich dance sophomore

"Homemade orange juice from oranges from Valencia"

Natalia Botello music junior

Madelyn Parker English senior

"Hummus cups"

"Açaí bowls"

Matthew Schouten dance performance junior

Katelyn Curtin university studies sophomore

Columnist disappointed by state of Trump’s foreign policy “Foreign policy” is a phrase most of us remember learning when we memorized the definition for middle school history quizzes. It is interesting to me that middle schoolers know the meaning of the phrase, but our president does not. This administration has been reckless and careless with its foreign policy strategy. President Donald Trump is quicker to tweet about the investigation in Saudi Arabia and defend guilty men than he is to tweet condolences to the McCain family upon the death of Sen. John McCain in August.

Perhaps Trump knows what foreign policy means, but he doesn’t understand how it works. His dealings with other countries have been horrible thus far, whether it’s a wall on the border of Mexico, or offensive name-calling to Haiti and African nations. Remember when he told his cult followers that America was the laughing stock of the world? We weren’t. We were leading the world in climate change awareness, changing our health care system to benefit middle and lower-class citizens and working on criminal justice reform. Now

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

that a majority of the Obamaera legislation is being reversed, the United Nations is literally laughing at us. Trump is quicker to listen to foreign dictators, despots and murderers than listen to his own intelligence agencies. He tweets nonsense for the world to see before his

security forces can separate fact from fiction for him. Hypocrisy is alive and well in the United States. During his presidency, many people were upset with former President Barack Obama for not dealing with Russia in a tougher manner. Those same people

were quick to turn their heads when Trump went on worldwide television and said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin over his own people regarding Russia’s alleged 2016 election interference. People were mad at Obama for the Iran Nuclear Deal, saying it would not keep us safe. Those same people were quick to turn their heads when Trump left the process unchecked in protest of the deal itself. People cheered Trump for his strong opposition toward Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Jong-un. Those

same people were quick to turn their heads when the President decided to invite Kim to the White House. We’re taking the side of the rhetoric of North Korea, Russia and Saudi-Arabia, all while being rude to our German allies, pulling out of the Paris Agreement and criticizing NATO. Somebody in the Trump Administration needs to get wise and inform the leader of the free world that his foreign policy is laughable. The history books will remember this time and its rhetoric harshly.

American anime adaptation fails to live up to original content There are few animes I enjoy. When I hear the word, there’s really only one show that comes to mind with any favor—Death Note. It’s a classic, dark story of mass murder, moral confusion and an otherworldly notebook that brings death upon anyone whose name is written in it. Young, grade-A student “Light Yagami” finds the notebook and, confronted by god of death and the book’s owner “Ryuk,” decides to use its power to eliminate all criminals on the planet, creating an ideal, perfect, morally utopic world. What a show. Unfortunately for you, that’s not what I’m reviewing this week. Instead I want to take a look at the American-made, Netflix-original, live-action

Death Note movie. While Japanese filmmakers have been making live-action Death Note films for more than a decade, this was the first real attempt by American filmmakers to cash in on the anime’s adoring fanbase. With The Naked Brothers Band member Nat Wolff cast as Light, and eternal “Green Goblin” Willem Dafoe cast as Ryuk, the film was released in August 2017 to the universal nausea of critics and fans. Let’s start with the positives. Dafoe was undoubtedly a perfect casting choice, something fans agreed on from the start. The man is basically a human cretin, and even without the CGI monster-face and devilwings, I’d have no problem believing his face to be that of a god of death. The casting direc-

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

tor made another perfect call in choosing actor/rapper Lakeith Stanfield as “L,” the ingenious detective tasked with chasing down Light. For one thing, it’s interesting to see L played by a POC, and Stanfield’s performance is by far the strongest in the film, taking L’s character to new places while still keeping anchored to the mannerisms fans know and love. Other characters, however, are not so lucky. “Light Turner” is nowhere near the cold-blood-

ed genius that Light Yagami was, and with his character responsible for some of the most laughable moments in the movie, taking him seriously is impossible from the get-go. “Mia Sutton,” Light’s girlfriend and attempted recreation of “Misa Amane,” comes out as a hackneyed “Lady Macbeth”esque character, but with no motive other than teen angst. Even the well-done characters still come out half-botched. While Ryuk’s performance is

stellar, his persona is hindered by the fact that the filmmakers never fully reveal his face. They relentlessly hint and tease the viewer with small, shadowy glimpses, as if to build up to an amazing moment of revelation, but it never comes, making the whole game pointless. Even L has his share of faulty moments as he becomes increasingly hostile, lashing out with random bursts of aggression that shatter the cool, levelheaded composure that made L so interesting to begin with. Squeezing a 37-episode show into a 100-minute movie is an unwinnable game. Why Director Adam Wingard set himself up for this failure is beyond me. What the plastic acting and misguided portrayals don’t ruin is finished off by the impracti-

cality of the plot itself. Death Note always was known for its dense and detailed rules that make its plot intricate and immersive—something that simply can’t be done inside one feature film. As a result, the 2017 Death Note watches like a thin, gutless attempt to recreate the dramatic heights of a show that extends miles and miles past the movie. One should not approach a film adaptation with the expectation that it should 100 percent match the original source material. But, in an attempt at something new, Death Note leaves behind all the things that made the original show so cool in the first place and, replacing it with filler, plot holes and excessive gore, fails in the process.

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

THURSDAY Julius Caesar from 8-10 p.m. in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center OCU Project 21 Concert from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in Medium Rehearsal Hall in Wanda L. Bass Music Center

p.m. on the Quad Hall of Honor luncheon hosted by Meinders School of Business from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cox Convention Center, 1 Myriad Gardens

Walker Hall Trick-or-Treat at 6 p.m. in Walker Hall Dormitory

FRIDAY Julius Caesar from 8-10 p.m. in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Trick-or-Treat Movie Night at 8

Vibes Against Violence: Alpha

Chi Omega Domestic Violence Awareness Week from 8-11 p.m. at the AXO House

Dual Piano Recital from 4-5:30 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Guest Artist Anthony Plog masterclasses at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and forum at noon in Medium Rehearsal Hall in Wanda L. Bass Music Center

SUNDAY Julius Caesar from 2-4 p.m. in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

SATURDAY Julius Caesar from 8-10 p.m. in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

MONDAY OCU Flute Choir in conjunction with El Sistema flutes from 7-9 p.m. at OKC First Presbyterian Church, 1001 N.W. 25th St.

THE CAMPUS

Staff Writers: Callie Dewees, Erik Hamilton, Paul Dower, Amanda Miller, Dru Norton, Sarah Muscarella, Hope Melton Columnist: Caroline Hawthorne Photographers: Carolann Stout, Hannah Rogers, Kylie Sullivan, Ethan Tate, Hope Melton

Men's soccer vs. Southwestern Christian University at 7 p.m. at Stars Field

Counseling services provides free counseling for students, but not for faculty or staff.

Men's wrestling vs. Oklahoma Wesleyan University at 7 p.m. in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center

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.

Oct. 10, 2018, Volume 112, Issue 8

Editor-in-chief: Nicole Waltman Associate Editor: Emily Wollenberg Copy Editor: Chandler White Photo Editor: Elina Moon Community Manager: Harrison Langford Web Editor: Jessica Vanek

TUESDAY Women's soccer vs. Southwestern Christian University at 5 p.m. at Stars Field

The OCU Counseling policy was incorrectly written in the Oct. 10 issue of The Campus.

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.

October 24, 2018

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Theater faculty to lead two summer study abroad trips Callie Dewees

STAFF WRITER

Theater students will have the opportunity to attend an additional study abroad program next summer. In the past, the summer theater faculty-led study abroad trips to Paris and London have taken place on alternating summers. Applications filled up so quickly for this past summer’s trip to London that theater officials decided to repeat the trip for an additional summer. Applications are available for both trips. The fee for this application, which is usually $75, was waived for this year. The application is due Nov. 15, and students can visit okcu. abroadoffice.net to create an account and apply. The London trip, which is scheduled for June 27 to Aug. 3, will be led by Lance Marsh, theater professor and head of performance, and includes an advanced Shakespeare class, and introduction

to the London stage class. It also includes trips to Bath, Stonehenge, Stratford-upon-Avon, two Royal Shakespeare Company shows, and a chance to watch a show at Shakespeare’s Globe theater. Students also have the option to attend the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland until Aug. 11 and perform in a play devised throughout the trip. The Paris trip, which is scheduled for June 2 to July 6, will be led by Tim Fall, professor of on-camera acting for the School of Theater, and offers courses in on-camera acting and French classes at the Alliance Française. The trip includes excursions to Versailles, Claude Monet’s garden at Giverny, tours of the Louvre and the Orsay, as well as walking tours through Parisienne neighborhoods. The program’s final project will be a film created by the students. “I like doing the class in a concentrated five-week burst,” Fall said. “I find it energizing to be in Paris and have that city as the backdrop around you.

Studying abroad was definitely the best experience of my life.

Adelaide Ross acting senior

It’s energizing to be there and to take that class in that sort of context. Also, if you take it during the summer, it frees up a chunk of time your senior year. It’s smart when you’re able to get a required class like that out of the way.” Students who studied in Paris in 2017 were unable to get their foreign language credits from the Alliance Française to transfer. “I think what happened was, at the end of classes, they didn’t do a test,” Fall said. “They test to show you’ve done this course, but, from what I understand, the students who were there

are being given the chance to take the equivalent of that test through our French department at OCU to formalize them getting the credit hours.” Fall said the students will take their evaluation during the last week of classes in May, which will finalize the class credit and transfer the credit to OCU. The Paris trip is open to students who will be juniors and seniors in Fall 2019. The program is for acting, theater and performance, and film production students, but anyone may apply. Priority will be given to acting and film students

who have on-camera acting as a requirement. This past summer, Marsh took 24 students to London, and Fall took seven students to Paris. But, the cap on both trips now is set at 12 students. The trips share an application whereby students specify which trip is their first choice and which is their second. Students may apply for scholarships for the trips. The Paris trip offers a $1,500 scholarship for a student who will be a production assistant for the trip. The student should have some experience working with film equipment. The London trip offers two scholarships for a stage manager and an assistant director who work on the show performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. An honors scholarship is available for honors students. The early scholarship decision deadline is Nov. 15. State and federal aid is available for students who qualify, which can come in the from of grants or

loans. A full list of scholarships is available on the university website. “Studying abroad was definitely the best experience of my life,” said Adelaide Ross, acting senior who attended the 2017 Paris trip. “I would encourage it to everyone because it’s really valuable for us to learn about other cultures. You’ll have experiences in another country that you could never have in OKC.” Jordan Kilgore, acting senior, attended the Advanced Shakespeare trip in London last summer. “Being abroad not only gave me good in-classroom learning experiences, but also finding my own way in a foreign country sent me back to the states with newfound confidence and independence,” he said. Mary Benner, director of global engagement, was unavailable last week for comment.

Students concerned about dead pigeons around Methodist Hall Paul Dower

STAFF WRITER

Students have been finding dead pigeons in and around United Methodist Hall for the last few weeks. MaKayla Baxter, music theater freshman and Methodist Hall resident, said she saw a headless pigeon corpse in the hall’s lobby a few weeks ago. “I saw a decapitated pigeon on the bottom of the stairs outside of the main entrance,” Baxter said. “I definitely would have much rather not seen the one that I saw.” Baxter said most residents are upset by the pigeons’ presence. “I just heard about them being inside the lobby and outside the doors, and I don’t know what really is happening to them,” Baxter said. “I just hear about dead pigeons everywhere, and people would really rather not see that. It makes them uncomfortable,

and it makes them sad.” Baxter said she wants to know why this is happening and what is being done to prevent it. “I think if there is any way to prevent that, it would be ideal,” she said. “Not only for our comfort’s sake, but for the pigeons. I, personally, don’t know what exactly is happening to them, but I think it’s really unfortunate because it’s happened several times.” Baxter said the issue could be a health concern for the residents of Methodist Hall. “As far as I know, the pigeons have been left for long periods of time,” she said. “I think that if that pattern keeps up, it could get to a point where it’s a health concern.” Dayton Drummonds, film production freshman and Methodist Hall resident, said he saw two dead pigeons in the courtyard. Although Drummonds saw the two dead pigeons, he said he has not seen any since. “When I saw the pigeons, I wasn’t immediately concerned,”

Drummonds said. “It seems like it’s been better since the first few weeks of school.” Andy Wiley, associate director of facilities, said the dead pigeons are mostly being killed by local hawks. “Most of the dead pigeons around Methodist are due to the native hawks in the area,” Wiley said. Baxter said her heart goes out to all of the pigeons that die due to this issue. “I just feel bad for the pigeons. I feel really bad for the pigeons. I don’t know what’s happening to them,” she said. “It just makes me sad.” If students find dead pigeons around or inside Methodist Hall, Wiley said they should call facilities or housekeeping at (405) 208-5383.

SGA president works to repair recycling Jessica Vanek

WEB EDITOR

Elina Moon Student Publications

Running with the Wolfepack Julian Ibarra and Ethan Gowin, acting freshmen, perform in The Shadow Collective show Off the Air. Shadow Collective is a student-run, devised theater organization. It was directed by Kelsey Bray, acting sophomore. The show follows a YouTube personality named “McCarthy Wolfe” who gets famous by pretending to overcome homelessness. Gowin played “Lester Calloway” and Ibarra played “John Edgar,” both characters who work for Wolfe. The Shadow Collective’s next event will be the Playwright’s Festival during the spring semester.

Student Government Association is making efforts to reimplement a functional recycling program on campus. University officials began a partnership in Fall 2009 with the “Blue Goes Green” initiative, a recycling program for college campuses. Workers placed 120 recycle bins around campus to recycle paper, plastic and cardboard at that time, according to the university’s website, okcu.edu. They also planned to add aluminum cans, printer cartridges and light bulbs to the collection list, the website reads. Dr. Adam Ryburn, professor of biology, said this addition was never made on a university level. Alumnus Ken Williams, former president of the Repurposing Club, wrote a bill in Spring 2017 asking for money to purchase 200 recycling bins to be placed in each United Methodist Hall room. The bill later passed with a smaller

amount of bins under former SGA President Randy Gipson-Black’s Blue Initiative, a replacement of the Blue Goes Green initiative. Money was transferred to Young Democrats to purchase the bins, the Repurposing Club having been left without leadership. The organization purchased 180 bins, and SGA members placed recycling bins in Methodist Hall last year. Those bins are no longer out for use, SGA President Jordan Tarter said. “We had a pilot program for recycling, which was our tiny bins in each room,” Tarter said. “It was a student job to collect them. And I’ve noticed that, since then, those bins are not in rooms anymore, they’re in the basement.” Tarter said staffing changes in housing and administration might be connected to the pause on recycling. “I understand that things take time whenever you have a transition,” she said. “There’s so much shift in housing and administration.” Tarter met Tuesday with

President Martha Burger to discuss the Blue Goes Green initiative and other policies. “I’m trying to do my job and be that immediate connection from the student body to administration,” she said. Tarter said she hopes to bring reusable, recyclable and biodegradable products to campus. “One of my plans is to expand our green campus,” she said. “Paper straws, more recycling, and just really focusing on the green initiative.” Kyle Copp, cell and molecular biology senior, said bringing recycling back to campus is important in the preservation of a clean campus. “Bringing recycling back to OCU can definitely have an impact in reducing the amount of waste going to landfills, as well as reduce the use of natural resources we have, because they won’t last forever,” Copp said.

Students revive Art Club, invite others Amanda Miller

STAFF WRITER

The university Art Club reactivated this year and is seeking additional members. Students said the club had low participation last year, but is more organized this semester and is searching for members. The first meeting was scheduled Tuesday in the main studio of Norick Art Center. Current members planned to discuss perspective members, meeting dates and convenient meeting times at the club’s first meeting, said Paris Thomas, studio art freshman. Thomas said the club welcomes anyone who enjoys art. “I like being part of the Art Club because it gives me the October 24, 2018

chance to meet new people who also enjoy doing art as a hobby,” Thomas said. “We are a club for people of all majors to get together to discuss and create art together. I hope that Art Club will grow and be something that gives people a chance to have a bit of fun during the week.” Shakurah Maynard, studio art junior, is also a member of the club. Maynard served as president last year and plans to remain a member this year. “I’m looking forward to making collaborative artwork that’s more visible on campus,” Maynard said. “The art building is really tucked away, so the art students don’t get to show off as much as other, more centralized majors. A lot of our talent here goes under the radar.”

Heather Lunsford, director of the School of Visual Arts, was newly named the club’s adviser. Lunsford said she hopes to see more campus involvement with the art school. “I hope the Art Club helps promote all of our artist engagement, our gallery experience, and I also hope they bring in people to have art experiences,” Lunsford said. “Sometimes the kids on campus don’t notice that it’s happening over here.” Lunsford said she encourages everyone to join Art Club, regardless of grade or major. Students can email Lunsford at hklunsford@okcu.edu for more information.

Elina Moon Student Publications

Sharing spooky stories Bailey Huerta, acting junior; Isaac Sorell, acting sophomore; Maddie Reese, music theater sophomore, and Blake Sauceda, acting junior, perform at the OCU Improv show Oct. 19 in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. The show was themed around Halloween and featured improvisers performing scenes based on scary stories submitted by students and audience members. About 100 people attended the performance.

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news

Student Philanthropy Committee to host roundtable Hope Melton

STAFF WRITER

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The Student Philanthropy Committee will host its first Philanthropy Roundtable this month. Trae Trousdale, mass communications sophomore and president of Student Philanthropy Committee, said the idea for the roundtable came from a freshman on the committee. The Philanthropy Roundtable will be at 4 p.m. Thursday in the Ann Lacy Admissions and Visitor Center and is open to all students. The event will feature three speakers who fundraise professionally. They are Christi Jeffreys, development officer for the Ann Lacy School of Dance and Entertainment, the Wanda L. Bass School of Music and the School of Theater; Stephanie Reid, dance marathon coordinator for Children’s Hospital Foundation, and Carly Johnson, development and special events coordinator for Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma County. Jeffreys and Reid are OCU alumnae. Reid Powell, programming and educational outreach chairman of the committee, said the professionals will be great at bringing in outsider perspectives on philanthropy.

Giving is a need on campus and an area where we need to step up.

Trae Trousdale

mass communications sophomore

“They’re going to be able to bring in opinions from outside the OCU community,” Powell said. “These outside opinions can help us to better run philanthropy events and fundraise around campus.” Trousdale said the event will be a great fit for OCU. “This goes right in line with the committee’s mission and with OCU as a nonprofit. Giving is a need on campus and an area where we need to step up,” Trousdale said. Carrie Sauer, director of annual giving, said students who attend can learn a lot about their own fundraising. “The idea is to talk about what works and what doesn’t work

when fundraising on campus, like for a sorority or any type of club,” Sauer said. Sauer said she is most excited to see what ideas are brought to the event. “It’s great to have experts come, but I’m excited to see what the students bring,” Sauer said. “We have newer students, like freshmen, who probably don’t have a lot of experience when it comes to campus fundraising, so it will be great for them to come and learn and to see what they can come up with.” Mackenzie Jones, dance senior and committee member, said the event will be beneficial for students who have questions or thoughts about fundraising. “Any student or student organization will gain valuable information about how to run a successful fundraising campaign,” Jones said. Trousdale said it’s important to hear diverse perspectives. “Hearing different views on philanthropy allows us to see our campus as a whole,” Trousdale said. No registration is required, and the roundtable is free to attend.

Volleyball team undefeated in tournament Sarah Muscarella

STAFF WRITER

The volleyball team played an undefeated tournament earlier this month with six new active freshmen. The team won four out of four games at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy Eutectics Classic on Oct. 12-13 in St. Louis, Missouri. The starting lineup included three out of the six active freshman on the team’s roster. “We played some very tough competition and beat all three teams 3-0 and the last team 3-1, and I thought we did a very good job as a team and we grew and got better,” Coach Santiago Restrepo said. Freshman Middle Blocker Kenady Bertling said the tournament games were some of the team’s best yet. “From preseason to the point we’re at now, I think everything’s just connecting and clicking within our team,” Bertling said. OCU volleyball stands with

From preseason to the point we’re at now, I think everything’s just connecting and clicking within our team. Kenady Bertling

middle blocker freshman

a season record of 21-2. The team trains up to three hours every day that there isn’t a game. Balancing the practice schedule with schoolwork has not proved overwhelming, Bertling said. “School comes first. We always talk about stuff like that,” Bertling said. Bertling said OCU’s small size keeps her from feeling overwhelmed when she plays. “I can’t imagine how freshman feel at big schools, big, big schools, because that’s a lot of pressure, and you have a lot of eyes watching you, so I think I’d be nervous,” she said. “But here, you know everybody.”

Bertling said, even people who are not interested in volleyball, end up loving it after watching a game. “It’s not a complicated game to understand, and it’s also so exciting to watch,” Bertling said. Bertling said her inspiration comes from the team dynamic and mindset. “I like being able to be a part of the team and being able not to play for myself, but being able to play for other people,” she said. Freshman Middle Blocker Olivia Nutter said she’s never experienced an atmosphere like OCU’s volleyball team. “I’ve never really had a team

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where everybody collectively was on the same page, and everybody wanted to win, and I think that this is one of the only teams that I’ve been on where everybody just gets along with each other really well,” Nutter said. Senior Setter Sophia Salak said she gets a decent amount of playing time considering she does not start, but what motivates her is the team, not time on the court. “I find my strength in leadership and supporting my teammates and just seeing my team do well, even though I’m not an all-star starting setter. I love to see my teammates improve,” Salak said. The volleyball team’s next home game is against Panhandle State at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2 in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center.

Carolann Stout Student Publications Junior Right Side Hitter Marijana Bjelobrk spikes the ball in OCU’s recent game against Langston University. OCU won 3-0. The next home game is against Panhandle State at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2 in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center.

Acapella groups host benefit concert to fund professional recordings Erik Hamilton

STAFF WRITER

Caroline Hawthorne

STAFF WRITER

OCU’s two acapella groups will host a benefit concert together at a local restaurant. Tonal Eclipse, formerly known as OCUpella, and the Ahhx Chords, are performing the concert from 6:30-9 p.m. Oct. 27 in the plaza backyard of Aurora Breakfast, Bar & Backyard, 1704 NW 16th St. The concert’s purpose is to raise money for the groups’ future recording sessions with Voices Only, a professional acapella producer. Jeffrey Laughrun, music theater senior, and Joshua Kelly, music theater junior, are in charge of Tonal Eclipse. “We wanted to take people to a new level, so to speak, so we rebooted the group with a fresh slate and fresh auditions at the beginning of the semester,” Laughrun said. “The reason we had to do that was because we wanted to make the group smaller, around 13. Last year it was about 20.” Brandon Stalling, acting senior, is in charge of the Ahhx Chords, an all-male acapella group. He said the group started

When you got T-shirts with your name on it, you’re solid. You’re an acapella group.

Brandon Stalling the Ahhx Chords music director

when he was at Webster University located in St. Louis, Missouri. “I wanted to bring this group here when I felt like my creativity was being stifled. I wanted to bring something I loved, which is acapella music,” he said. Stalling said he started the group his sophomore year, but it fell apart. “I tried again in my junior year and took on more responsibility,” he said. “It was way more successful. Here we are this year, and we

have a really strong and dynamic group. We love each other, we work hard, and we have matching T-shirts. When you got T-shirts with your name on it, you’re solid. You’re an acapella group. I’m really happy about where it’s come.” Attendees of the event can purchase pastries, lattes and specialty coffees as well as a cash bar for those 21 years or older. Attendance is free. The money donated will be split between Tonal Eclipse and the Ahhhx Chords, and will go toward professional recording sessions. Each group will perform separate sets with featured soloists. Tonal Eclipse will feature Kelly and Raymond Allred, musical theater sophomore, beatboxing together, as well as Stalling in the song “Sober” by Childish Gambino, and Laughrun and Kelly will be featured in solos as well. The Ahhx Chords will feature Fritz Hager III, music theater freshman, and Julian Ibarra, acting freshman. “Come out and support,” Stalling said. “We’ll just be there listening to one another and collaborating.”

Housing officials to host ‘Spookfest’ event Erik Hamilton

STAFF WRITER

Hope Melton Student Publications

Eating for a cause Maddie Gustitis, acting junior, makes mac n’ cheese for Phi Mu’s Miracle Mac on Oct. 19. Admission was $5 for allyou-can-eat mac n’ cheese to support the Children’s Miracle Network. Phi Mu members raised more than $3,000. Lambda Chi Alpha donated the most money to the philanthropy.

October 24, 2018

Housing officials will host a carnival-like event to celebrate Halloween. The event, “Spookfest,” will be from 7-10 p.m. Thursday. It is open to all students, living on or off campus. It is slated to include food trucks, live music and costume contests, among other festivities. The event will be in partnership with Student Activities Council. SAC will also host pumpkin painting, pumpkin donuts and the film Hocus Pocus on the quad. Spookfest was established last fall by Addison Pollard, theater and performance junior, and Amie Reardon, music junior. “It’s laid back and spooky,” Pollard said. “The housing office has worked hard to make the events fun for anyone who wants to get their spook on.”

Some students who attended the event last year said they will return to Spookfest again. “That was lit as heck,” said Maddy Donatelli, acting junior. “I’ll be there. Let the record show, I will 5,000 percent be there.” Reardon said Spookfest began as a celebration aimed specifically at United Methodist Hall residents. “I feel like they get forgotten a lot, and we wanted to throw a big thing to bring all of them together,” Reardon said. “Methodist is special because it doesn’t have any common spaces, really.” Reardon said they decided to open the event to all students and had about 200 people attend. She said she thinks more people will attend this year due to more open communication with organizations running other events on campus, and a date that does not overlap with the Homecoming schedule.

Reardon said there also is slated to be a spooky, yet silly tour through Methodist Hall, but the bulk of the festivities will take place on the Team One Pavilion. Joey Witten, acting sophomore, said he is interested in the activities that will take place in the pavilion. “Usually, I feel like when they try to do Methodist events, it just doesn’t work out,” Witten said. “Because they try to do them in Methodist, but no one wants to go. Because you could just be at home.” Students are encouraged to dress up for Spookfest. There will be several costume contests, including funniest costume and best couple costumes. There will be prizes, which will be high-end technology, Reardon said.