Oct. 3 by MediaOCU

THE“CAMPUS October 3, 2018 – Volume 112 Issue 6

Officials discuss extending caf hours, updating meal plans Emily Wollenberg

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Some students want dining officials to consider extended dinner hours in the caf. Some students have night classes, rehearsals and athletic practices that conflict with dinner time, which is from 5-7 p.m. Many dancers have conflicts that keep them from getting meals at the caf during its open hours, said Megan Turner, dance management senior. “You have company from 4 to 5:15, and some people have a night class after that, so they’re not done until like 7:30 or even 8:40,” she said. “If the caf doesn’t coordinate, you’re left with Chick-fil-A. I love Chick-fil-A, but there definitely is a limit.” Brennyn Seagler, mass communications junior, said her basketball practice and class schedule conflict with dinner time at the caf. “My Mondays and Wednesdays, we have practice and then I have class from 6 to 7:30, so I have to go eat at Chick-fil-A. I can’t eat in the cafeteria since it’s closed,” Seagler said. If the dinner hours were extended until 8 p.m., more students would have the opportunity to eat in the caf, said Savannah Michalek, dance management senior. It would be beneficial if they served items as simple as vegetables and chicken in the extended hours, she said. Emily Anderson, director of dining services, said extending caf hours is something she would have to discuss with officials, but it could potentially be a possibility. “We look at our financial side to see what kind of impact that would have for us, then see where it goes from there,” she said. “We want to make sure that we always take care of the students.” Students can use the to-go option at the caf if they need to get a meal quickly. They swipe in at the caf and receive a to-go container to fill at any station during open hours. The container Nicole Waltman must be brought back each time, or students have to buy another EDITOR-IN-CHIEF one. But, the to-go option isn’t available if the caf isn’t open. The hours for the caf, Chick-fil-A and The Market at Alvin’s are not listed on the university website. On the dining website, dineoncampus.com, only the hours of the locations that are open are visible. Anderson said she will work to update OCU’s website to display the hours for the caf, Chick-fil-A and The Market at

My Mondays and Wednesdays, we have practice and then I have class from 6 to 7:30, so I have to go eat at Chick-fil-A. I can't eat in the cafeteria since it's closed. Brennyn Seagler

mass communications junior

Alvin’s consistently. Despite conflict with hours, Seagler said she enjoys eating in the caf. “I think the caf is very good compared to my last school,” she said. University officials also may change meal plans to accommodate students’ dining needs. Jordan Tarter, English/philosophy senior and Student Government Association president, said Lori Walker, director of auxiliary services, reached out to her about being a liaison between students and administrators concerning meal plans. Officials led focus groups last year to determine what students look for in meal plans. After receiving the results of the focus groups, officials conducted research on the best meal plans for college students and created a model of meal plans different from the current plans. After Tarter brings back opinions from the students, officials will update the new meal plans to reflect their requested changes, she said. “It’s just not confirmed yet until they get more information on how the student body feels,” Tarter said. Tarter posted on the OCU Facebook group asking students to comment or message her with their opinions and requests regarding meal plans. “What I’m doing is gathering as much information as I can in order to accurately advocate and represent,” she said. Maridith Grimsley, entertainment business senior, commented on the post requesting cheaper meal plans for students living in Cokesbury Court Apartments. “I would like the opportunity to go in the caf some, but with

middle options, we wind up having to choose all or nothing,” she said. “Most schools have meal plans for upperclassmen that are around $800 to $1,000 and scale back the guidelines of a freshman meal plan.” Tarter said she plans to work on a meal plan that will help Cokesbury residents. “So far, the flexibility within choosing the number of meal swipes and where those meal swipes go is what I’m working on,” she said. There is not a set date when the new meal plans will go into effect, Tarter said. Students may email Tarter at jatarter@my.okcu.edu for more information or to give feedback. For more information on caf hours and menus, students can go to dineoncampus.com/ocudining or get the app available for iOS and Android.

Caf Hours: Mon – Fri Breakfast: 7 – 9:30 a.m. 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast Includes: waffle station, yogurt, salad, cereal bars, and grill. Lunch: 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 1:30 – 5 p.m. Continental Lunch Includes: deli bar, salad bar, grill, and waffle station. Dinner: 5 – 7 p.m. Sat – Sun: Brunch: 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dinner: 5 – 7 p.m.

Students express concern about leaks in Methodist Hall Caroline Hawthorne

STAFF WRITER

Students experienced problems with water leakage last month in United Methodist Hall. “We have a few holes in the hallways to repair some tub drains for students,” said Kevin Culbertson, director of Methodist Hall. “If maintenance has to repair a tub drain, they do have to cut a hole in the wall from the hallway to be able to get to it. But it’s not the whole wall, typically just a 12-inch diameter.” Daniel Etti-Williams, acting senior and Methodist RA, said he is aware of students’ concerns about the leaking and the construction in the dorm. “It’s no secret that Methodist was hastily constructed, so some of the pipes have issues,” Etti-Williams said. “This is compounded by students’ heavy use of the pipes.” Methodist Hall opened in 2007 after 12 months of construction. Students moved into a partially constructed dormitory in Fall 2007, according to Student Publications archives.

Jessica Vanek Student Publications Officials have put holes in walls to fix leaks in United Methodist Hall. This hole is on the fourth floor.

Sophie Pritzkau, acting sophomore, lives in a double in Methodist Hall. She experienced leaking from her ceiling and put in a work order. “I came to my room the next day and there was a maintenance guy in there,” Pritzkau said. “They looked at my pipes and told me they were fine.” Pritzkau said the problems continued the following day.

“I called the emergency number, and he came in and opened the gray box on the ceiling and said that it was coming from the bathroom above us,” she said. Pritzkau said the leaking occurred because the bathroom in the room above hers was not draining water properly. Alison Sloan, acting junior, said maintenance had to go into her room to fix leaks in Pritzkau’s room. “They told me that they had to tear down a wall and then ended up only cutting a large chunk out,” she said. Pritzkau said she hopes that officials continue to fix maintenance problems in Methodist Hall. “I feel that Methodist has a lot of issues,” she said. “If they’re having constant problems with pipes and leaks, do something about it. People’s stuff gets ruined. They’re losing their own money.”

Officials give free show tickets, extra funding to theater students Dru Norton

STAFF WRITER

New financial opportunities are arising for students in the School of Theater. Theater students will receive more financial assistance for traveling to showcases, which are opportunities to perform for agents in the industry, starting this year. Officials also plan to provide more masterclasses and guest speakers. These opportunities are due to a slight increase in student fees, said Brian Parsons, associate dean of the school of theater. Student Publications was unable to determine the amount of the fee increase on Monday. “The main indicator that we needed to revise our fees was when other schools around us were doing the same,” Parsons said. “We took a close look at

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our fee structure and decided we needed to change some things.” Parsons said he wanted the fees to help every student gain access to opportunities they may not have been able to afford if they had to pay in one go. Theater students will receive a complimentary ticket for one mainstage and Stage II show. These will help students attend more productions, said Hannah Kimball, design and production sophomore. “It’s a much better way to help students stay involved in the theater community,” she said. The fee increase will allow students more opportunities for guest artists to visit the school. “There will be more masterclasses and guest speakers than ever before,” Parsons said. “These things won’t happen straight away, but that will happen during this academic year.” Theater students also can

receive financial support with showcases. “If someone was to get into the showcase in Chicago, for example, and they didn’t have the funds to fly there, they could apply for a grant,” Parsons said. “If the grant is successful, we would buy your plane ticket.” Walker Northcutt, acting senior, said he enjoys the new masterclass opportunities. “It’s been really cool to get more insight from people that aren’t the faculty and see things in a different light,” Northcutt said. Parsons said the most important part about the fee increase is that it will expand access to bigger and better opportunities. “Now we have the funds to put our dreams into practice,” Parsons said.

Hope Melton Student Publications Piper Kerman, author of the memoir Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison, gives a free lecture at 7 p.m. Sept. 25 in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. The lecture was part of the Martha Jean Lemon Distinguished Speaker Series. Kerman spoke about her experience in prison and reform in the federal justice system. She said Oklahoma has the highest female incarceration rate in the country. More than a thousand people from the school and the community attended the event.

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opinion Officials need to practice stronger, consistent communication Communication between university officials and students is a consistent problem at OCU. Whether it involves staff and faculty transitions, events for students on campus or financial changes within the school, students need to be made aware of things that are happening around them. When G.O. OKCU, a half-day leadership conference for students, was rescheduled, a general notification was sent out on OrgSync, but not through email. Some students were confused about the rescheduling and felt they did not receive enough notice. Often, students feel student engagement events are advertised too late. Some students also feel uncomfortable when they are unaware of officials leaving or joining the school. Many of these faculty members are

professors who students have become familiar and comfortable with, making it a shock when they suddenly aren’t there anymore. University officials should take action to be proactive, timely and transparent with these issues. OCU is a busy school. Students feel their time should be respected, and officials should give reasonable notice of events happening or transitions within the school. But sometimes too much information can be overwhelming. Developing a streamlined method of communication would help students filter information. If students could select what activity emails they receive, they could better determine which events they wish to attend. If a student is more concerned with specific changes in the school, they should have the option to receive informa-

Talk Back “What’s the best way to reach you with campus communications?”

tion concerning that topic or, alternatively, the option not to receive those emails. Communication is reliant on the efforts of both parties. Students should check their email often to ensure they don’t miss important meetings or events they might be interested in. Stay up to date with OCU’s Facebook page and the social media accounts in individual schools. Keep a calendar handy to remind yourself of upcoming events and activities. Speak to professors or university officials if you continue to have concerns about communication on campus. University officials must continue to provide transparency and readily-available information to the campus community.

"Text. I get spammed with Blue Notes and never check them anymore."

"Facebook"

Taylor Stephens music theater junior

Shelby Ward dance performance senior

"I'd say I'm more likely to respond to a text than an email."

"OCU Facebook"

Johnny Richards film senior

Tyler Berge accounting senior

"Text"

"Email. I check my email multiple times a day."

Evelyn Wasson dance sophomore

Natalia Botello music junior

‘Black Swan’ chosen for October screening at local art museum The 21c Museum Hotel partners with the OKC Film Society and deadCenter Film to host a monthly film series “Filmography.” They will kick off the notorious month of spookiness Oct. 19 with one of my favorite films of all time and what may be the classiest horror film ever made—Black Swan. Director Darren Aronofsky, also known for Requiem for a Dream and mother!, still has yet to top this masterpiece he birthed in 2010, and the Academy agrees. With five Oscar nominations, including “Best Picture” and “Best Actress,” Black Swan is Aronofsky’s only Oscar-nominated film. Alongside The Silence of the Lambs, The Exorcist and few others, it is also among the slim ranks of Best Picture nominees

from the horror genre. The film has taken up a place deep in my black heart, getting deeper every time I watch it. Black Swan centers around struggling ballet dancer “Nina Sayers,” played by Natalie Portman, winner of the aforementioned “Best Actress” nomination. Cast as the “Swan Queen” in the ballet Swan Lake, Nina pushes herself increasingly harder toward perfection, fighting to master a role that is double-cast as the innocent “White Swan” and the sensual “Black Swan.” Things are not helped by the arrival of “Lily” (Mila Kunis), a rebellious and risqué dancer who perfectly embodies the Black Swan, the half of the role that Nina struggles to portray. As opening night approaches, youthful and innocent Nina enters a living

In response to the editorial “Parking pass regulation system confusing, unfairly enforced,” by Harrison Langford in the September 12, 2018 edition of The Campus, I would like to take exception with several premises the author presents as fact. Mr. Langford states that the process for obtaining a permit is laborious and time consuming. as a staff member, am required to pay the full price for a permit and go through the same process for obtaining one as students. I found the process streamlined and simple to understand. Permits can easily be obtained by utilizing the online application on the university’s website at: https:// www.okcu.edu/financialaid/parking-permit. From this site, I was quickly able to choose the type of permit I needed, answer eight questions, electronically sign and choose a payment option. It literally takes less than five minutes to complete. After completing the online registration, the applicant can go and pick up the permit at their convenience at the administration building on the third floor. No waiting. As to being confused after receiving his permit, they are usually issued with a map of parking areas, the map is also available online here: https://www.okcu.edu/police/parking-map . If you

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

nightmare of psychological and physical deformation alternating with trips and hallucinations, all to master the role of the Black Swan and ensure Lily doesn’t steal it. The first thing the viewer notices is the constant juxtaposition of black and white in the costuming, representing visually the difference between Nina and others, purity beside impurity. If that wasn’t interesting enough for the aesthetic, Aronofsky does what he always

does and mixes stripped-back realism with unwarned flashes of surrealism that could happen at any moment. These usually come in quick glimpses of cinematography—a picture moving by itself, a face suddenly morphing into a different one or Nina’s reflection acting differently than she is. This makes Black Swan a piñata of cinematography, filled with visual metaphors and subtle plays on the psyche that may not be noticed until the third

fill out your application online, you will be emailed the parking regulations, a map, and OCU crime statistics for the preceding year. Each lot also has a sign posted at the entrance showing exactly what permits are allowed in that particular lot. Mr. Langford says he likes to park close to buildings where he has rehearsals, which is understandable, but the entire campus covers just four square city blocks. As a campus police officer, I routinely walk the entire campus multiple times per shift. I understand the convenience of parking within a few feet of your classroom, but if I, as a middle aged man with a creaky left knee, can walk from one side of the campus to the other in a matter of minutes, I would think our youthful dancers, athletes, actors, and musicians can as well. Mr. Langford then goes on to imply that the OCU campus has a high rate of criminal activity when nothing could be further from the truth. The campus, thanks to proactive patrols 24 hours a day and an engaged campus police force led by Chief Jennifer Rodgers, has an incredibly low crime rate, especially in comparison to the neighborhoods that border us and the city overall. The jurisdiction covered by OCUPD, maintains and has kept a consistently low rate of crime since its founding in 2006. Ironically, one of the ways this is accomplished is by active vehicle, foot, and bicycle patrols which, in turn, locates parking violators and results in tickets issued, some to Mr. Langford. The majority of citations are written for parking without any permit, parking in an area the issued permit does not cover, and parking in handicapped space (my personal peeve). We understand parking rules take a while for some to understand, thus an amnesty

or fourth viewing. The second thing the viewer will notice is the score, cut straight from Swan Lake itself, forcing the viewer to see the events through the lens of a greater, metaphorical story. This classical score, however, is interspersed with scenes whose only sound backing is bizarre whispers and sound distortion, and, in some chilling moments, these two types of scoring mix together to create an eerie, dissonant sensation. Thematically, Black Swan hits so many different conceptual notes that the number of possible interpretations is almost indefinable. Aronofksy strikes a perfect balance between ambiguity so loose and trippy as to be unenjoyable (as in Requiem for a Dream) and a theme so preoccupied with a

single idea that it becomes restrictive (as in mother!). Gender roles and perceptions, the evolution of an artist’s psyche, society’s tendency to set women up for failure, and the point where embracing oneself becomes destroying oneself are all captured under Black Swan’s umbrella. The experience of Black Swan is the full metamorphosis of a character in symbolic and literal terms, whether it’s simply through the story itself or grotesque physical transformation of birdlike features. The arc this creates for Nina’s character and the overall story is immaculate, resulting in one of the most memorable endings to any film that I have ever seen. Okay. Love letter over. Now go see it.

period is given at the start of the new semester. In my experience, 90 out of 100 park correctly, utilizing the proper permit. But a minority will try to get away with parking where they know they aren’t supposed to, in visitors, handicapped, or an incorrect lot. So 90% of the students, faculty, and staff are somehow able to understand the confusing, unfair, and punitive parking system correctly, park in their designated lot, and not violate the written (and easily accessible) policy, thereby avoiding the additional expense of parking citations, while 10% seem to be unable or unwilling to follow the same rules. I am proud of the police department on this campus. We strive to keep the students, staff, and faculty safe by proactive high visibility patrol, by stopping and questioning people who don’t appear to be part of the campus community, by providing services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for students including vehicle jumps, opening locked cars, helping fix flats, escorts any time of the day or night, and, yes, enforcing the campus rules and regulations fairly and impartially. This includes parking regulations. When I issue a citation to someone for parking in a lot they don’t have a permit for, it’s not to make the university money, it’s to insure the people who paid for their permit and are following the rules have space available for them. The vast majority of people who receive citations aren’t suffering “harassment,” as Mr. Langford posits, they are suffering from their own inability to follow rules and regulations. Officer Steven Vincent

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 Fourth annual Faculty Scholarship Forum from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center Symphony Orchestra Concert from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

THURSDAY United Way Extravaganza 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center Uncommon Women and Others at 8 p.m. in Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music Center FRIDAY Uncommon Women and Others

at 8 p.m. in Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music Center The Spitfire Grill from 8-10 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center SATURDAY Uncommon Women and Others at 8 p.m. in Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music Center

The Spitfire Grill from 8-10 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center SUNDAY Uncommon Women and Others at 2 p.m. in Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music Center MONDAY Jazz Band Concert from 7:30-

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

TUESDAY Women's soccer vs. Bacone College at 5 p.m. on Stars Field Doctor of Psychology Program Advising Session 5-6 p.m. in Ann Lacy Admissions and Visitor Center

Graduate Open House from 5-6:30 p.m. in Kramer School of Nursing Men's soccer vs. Bacone College at 7 p.m. on Stars Field Volleyball vs. Langston University at 7:30 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. 3, 2018, Volume 112, Issue 6

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

9:30 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

The Student Publications staff welcomes unsolicited material and let-

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

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

October 3, 2018

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news

Star Corps arranges volunteering opportunities Sarah Muscarella

STAFF WRITER

The Student Civic Engagement Committee launched a new volunteering hub this semester called Star Corps. Star Corps connects students with volunteer opportunities that suit their interests and fit in their schedules. “We’re doing all the ground work for you, and you just have to say, ‘Yeah that fits my schedule, I want to go,’” said Ellie Roth, finance junior and volunteer coordinator of the Student Civic Engagement Committee. Star Corps aims to help

students who are looking for a quick, low-commitment way to participate in community outreach. There is no minimum service hour requirement to join the group. Star Corps welcomes students whether they volunteer once a week or once a year, said Levi Harrel, director of student engagement. “We want to add your name to our list because we understand that students are busy and are balancing multiple commitments, so we understand that maybe you’re going to volunteer every week, maybe you’re going to volunteer once a semester or once an academic year, that’s okay,” Harrel said.

We determined that it was important to put not only students as the focus of our work, but at the center of our work. Levi Harrel

student engagement director

Star Corps also acts as a connection between OCU and off-campus organizations. Elementary schools, for example, can reach out to Star Corps to gather volunteers for a fall carnival, Roth said. Before Star Corps, Harrel

coordinated volunteer opportunities. Unlike previous civic engagement efforts, Stars Corps is purely student run. “We determined that it was important to put not only students as the focus of our work, but at the center of our work,”

Harrel said. Roth said students leading Star Corps is unique. “I think sometimes young people get a bad rep,” Roth said. “These are things we feel led to do, and they’re things we want to do, and I think that having it student-led shows that to the greater campus community, and it shows that we care about these things.” Roth said Stars Corps is setting up social media pages, but primarily relies on wordof-mouth to find volunteers. Students may follow @ocustudentaffairs on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to get Star Corps updates.

Students may also email Ellie Roth at evroth@my.okcu. edu for information about organizations and events related to their personal passions. Harrel said giving back to Oklahoma City is crucial for student growth and the wellbeing of citizens off campus. “By being involved in community and civic engagement opportunities, by volunteering, those students are taking a vested interest in not only in their future, but in the future of our community,” he said.

Exchange student partakes in American culture on campus Callie Dewees

STAFF WRITER

An exchange student from Taiwan is experiencing America through OCU’s campus. Ryan Lu is an exchange student from Soochow University in Taipei, Taiwan, who is participating in the exchange program between SU and OCU. Lu majors in political science and minors in Japanese at SU, but at OCU he can take any class he’s interested in. “I take four classes here— TV studio production, governance in America, politics of the Middle East, and entrepreneurial environment,” Lu said. The program between SU and OCU is a semester-long exchange. Lu will return to Taiwan in December after finals. Like OCU, SU is a private university founded by Methodists.

“The university has grown and become f u l l y accredited, turning into Ryan Lu one of exchange student the most prestigious private universities on the island, complete with six colleges, 23 departments, 22 masteral programs, and six doctoral programs,” according to the SU’s website, www-en.scu.edu. tw. “SU was the first westernstyle university in China. The school became the first private university in Taiwan.” The exchange program waives tuition for the host school of the exchange student so they only pay for housing and food. Lu lives on campus in Cokesbury Court Apartments

and has a meal plan for the caf. Mary Benner, director of global engagement, said OCU typically gets about one or two students from SU every year. “They are fantastic students,” Benner said. “My experience with students from Taiwan is that they’re very friendly, they’re very adventurous. They really just want to get to know other students on campus.” Lu said he enjoys the sociability of OCU and feels welcome on campus. “I wanted to experience the different culture and work on my English,” Lu said. “I like it here. I like that people smile at you even though they don’t know you.” Kylie Sullivan Student Publications

Make a touchdown R.J. Walker, exercise science sophomore, prepares to throw the ball at the intramural flag football game Sunday. The two teams were students from the School of Law and students from the wrestling team. The wrestling team won the game 30-27. The next intramural football game is 2 p.m. this Saturday on the intramural field.

Abandoned car in Methodist parking garage removed Jessica Vanek

WEB EDITOR

A car parked in the United Methodist Hall parking lot since last academic year was removed recently. A red Pontiac Grand Prix was on the second level of the Methodist parking garage since the 2017-18 academic year. The car was covered in dust that students wrote messages in. Tanner Loveless, criminal justice junior, is the owner of the car. The car was placed in the garage last school year after

it broke down and had repairs done on it there. The car was unable to be fixed, so it was left in a parking spot for the remainder of the school year, through the summer and into the 2018-19 school year. OCU Police Chief Jennifer Rodgers said she had been unaware of the car’s existence. “I sent one of my guys over to the lot and told him to look for a red Pontiac,” Rodgers said. “They sent me a message and said it was caked with dirt, no one had been driving it. It was just left there.” The officer sent by Rodgers

Jessica Vanek Student Publications A Pontiac Grand Prix was parked in the Methodist Hall parking garage since last school year after it broke down. It was removed.

issued a citation to the owner for an expired permit. Loveless was given three days to move his

car before OCUPD towed it. “It just got lost in the shuffle,” Rodgers said. “I guess

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officers don’t go in that area as much as they should.” Loveless had received permission from a former campus police officer to leave the car in the garage with an expired 2017-18 parking pass. The car had not received any parking tickets. Rodgers said the officer shouldn’t have given Loveless permission in the first place. “It wasn’t ethical to do that,” Rodgers said. “Had I had any idea, I would have towed the car myself.” The car is no longer in the Methodist parking lot.

Megan Cheng, music sophomore, said she enjoyed seeing the red Pontiac in the parking lot every day. “It seems like it would be a pain trying to tow it out of there,” Cheng said. “We always have extra spaces in the lot, and I don’t feel like his car being there was hindering anybody. It was actually kind of a tourist attraction.” Loveless was unavailable to comment last week.

Students to create ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ club on campus Erik Hamilton

STAFF WRITER

Carolann Stout Student Publications

Staying focused Sophomore Defender Hailey Terrell kicks the ball during the women’s soccer game Sept. 25 against The University of Science and Arts Oklahoma. The Stars won 3-2. The next home game is against Randall University at 5 p.m. Thursday on Stars Field.

October 3, 2018

An official Dungeons & Dragons club is in the works at OCU. Dungeons & Dragons, commonly known as D&D, is a roleplaying game where players create their own characters in a selfmade fictional world. One person follows official guidelines set forth by the players who create the game and organizes a quest tailored to the other players. The game is played by millions of players all over the world, according to it's website, dnd.wizards. com/dungeons-and-dragons/what-is-dd. “This inspiration became the first fantasy role-playing game, in which players are characters in an ongoing fantasy story,” the website reads. “This new kind of game has become immensely popular over the years, and D&D has grown to include many new ways to vividly experience worlds of heroic fantasy.” Once the club becomes official, members will try to meet every other week, said Maxwell McIntire, acting sophomore and the club’s founder. “I started playing D&D and getting really, really into it last year,” McIntire said. “But I was finding myself a little bit frustrated at how hard it was to actually get a group together and find people and spread the word.” McIntire said he asked around to gauge interest on the creation of an official D&D club and received a sizeable amount of interest. There are about 10 people officially on the roster for the organization, but McIntire said he expects it to grow. Lance Marsh, professor of acting and head of performance, is slated as the faculty adviser. Ben Roberts, English senior, was one of the first members on the roster. Roberts has experience as a “dungeon master,” also known as the “DM.” “I know how to DM, which is something that takes a lot of

Being able to play and have this really open atmosphere with a bunch of other people is really fun. Maxwell McIntire

acting sophomore

work,” Roberts said. “Whenever you play Dungeons & Dragons, you usually have a group of people. And together you try to tell the story. The DM is the one who kind of has the narrative constraints of that. He’s going to tell you what monsters you fight, what kind of places you go, and also kind of serves as the rules arbitrator.” Carlos Sanchez, English senior, said D&D is how he made the majority of his college friends. He also said he based much of his English senior capstone project off of the game. “It’s also how I work when I’m not at work, because there’s game shops that are just like, ‘hey, be our DM and we’ll give you money,’” Sanchez said. McIntire said he likes D&D because of the storytelling aspects and the lack of constraints placed on the player by the game itself. “Being able to play and have this really open atmosphere with a bunch of other people is really fun,” McIntire said. “It’s an opportunity to craft your own character and play them as you see fit.”

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a&e

Student musical theater group presents folk musical Elina Moon

There's probably going to be a lot of things that people haven' t seen Stripped do before, so I think that will be exciting.

PHOTO EDITOR

OCU Stripped, a student-run music theater group, will present its first production of the year this week. The Spitfire Grill will perform at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. Admission is free. The Spitfire Grill, based on the 1996 movie of the same name, follows the story of “Percy,” a woman who moves to Gilead, Wisconsin, after being released from prison. Percy starts working at a grill and gives the town new hope. Stripped shows are produced with minimal sets and costumes provided by students. The Spitfire Grill differs from past productions because of the amount of props, said Rachel Weisbart, music theater senior and the show’s director. “I would venture to guess that we’re setting a Stripped record for the amount of props in this show,” Weisbart said. “It’s supposed to be a stripped show, but I didn’t want to sacrifice the integrity of the show.” Weisbart said Megan Carpenter, music theater senior and artistic director of Stripped, introduced her to the show. Weisbart said she was drawn to it because it isn’t well-known, the cast is small and the score is grounded in folk music. “I love folk musicals. I heard it, and I immediately had a vision for it in my head,” Weisbart said. “There’s probably going to be a

Rachel Weisbart music theater senior

lot of things that people haven’t seen Stripped do before, so I think that will be exciting.” Weisbart said the cast is multitalented, and the audience can expect a few musical surprises. Max Elkiss, music theater graduate, plays “Caleb” in the show. It will be his first performance at OCU. “I was pleasantly surprised that getting together a group of students, completely student-run, could be so professional,” Elkiss said. “Everybody has high expectations for each other. It’s been very supporting and efficient. I’ve loved every minute of it so far.” Gabrielle Browdy, music theater junior, plays “Percy” and was in the Stripped production of Seussical: The Musical last fall. She said this experience is different because of the subject matter. “The material this semester is extremely heavy, which has created

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a safe bond and environment with the cast and artistic team,” she said. “It is very, very special.” Weisbart formerly directed The Vagina Monologues for Out of the Box, a student-run organization that produces plays, in Spring 2017. She said directing a musical, though more challenging, is rewarding because of the teamwork. “There’s a lot more collaboration, which I love,” Weisbart said. “I love working with other people, and I find that so much of the time we’ve been so in-sync with our ideas.” Audiences should get a positive message from the show, Weisbart said. “It’s that hope is never really gone,” she said. “We just have to know where to look for it. And oftentimes, that is within the people around us and within ourselves.” Elkiss said the message is relevant to today’s social climate. “We live in a time where a lot of people are down, very lost, very confused, angry, sad, all these different ideas and negative thoughts, and I think if people focused on the positive and the hopeful side of things, then things will get better,” he said. “And not only that, but also acting on it. I think that’ll make a big difference.”

Hannah Rogers Student Publications

Attached at the hip

Celina James and Claire Greenberg, music theater juniors, play “Daisy” and “Violet” in Wanda L. Bass

School of Music’s production of Side Show. The musical is based on the true story of the Hilton twins, who were conjoined at the hip and transitioned from performing at a sideshow to vaudeville to Hollywood.

Above: Jordan Andrews, opera performance graduate; Maddie Riggin and Connor McLaury, music theater juniors, and Jordan Wilkes, music theater senior, sing “The Devil You Know” in Side Show. The musical had performances Friday through Saturday in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. The next musical is Little Women, which will be performed Nov. 2-4 in Burg Theater.

Comedy club to create educational opportunity for students Paul Dower

STAFF WRITER

Two theater students are co-founding a new comedy club on campus. Anastasia Pellar, theater and performance sophomore, and Lisi Levy, acting sophomore, said they want to create an all-inclusive club for people to discuss, practice, write, and perform comedy. “We’re going to study it. We’re going to look at it and discuss things—what made this video funny, what made this one not funny, what made this skit good, what made this skit bad,” Pellar said. “Then we are going to practice it with exercises.” There will be three main focuses in the group: stand-up comedy, sketch comedy and improv comedy, Pellar said. “We’ll do one or two days throughout the year that is kind of like masterclass,” she said. “It just focuses on musical comedy or digital shorts and things like that.” The club differentiates from the rest of the comedy-oriented clubs on campus because of the educational aspect, Levy said. “I think you can never get better if you don’t know what you’re doing onstage and why it has the effect that it has,” Levy said. “So if you do this really hilarious scene and the crowd loved it, and

If someone wants to try something or if they need a place where they can shoot out ideas and try different things, this is the space. Anastasia Pellar

theater and performance sophomore

then you go on a week later doing sketch comedy and it is not as funny, and the audience isn’t loving it, and there is a low energy and nobody is really responding to it, why is that happening?” Pellar and Levy said the meeting times will be based on where they can book space, but an average meeting would last 60-90 minutes. “We would have some sort of an introduction, where we talk about what we will talk about that day,” Pellar said. “And then we will go over, not really a lesson, but just kind of something we want to focus on for that day. So, for example, if we’re focusing on

sketch, then something we’d focus on is maybe comedic timing.” One of Pellar and Levy’s main goals is for the club to be allinclusive and open for everyone to join. “I just think there are a lot of people out there that have a lot of thoughts and a lot of good ideas that maybe don’t have a place to be heard, or they’ve maybe have always wanted to try it but never gotten the chance,” Pellar said. “We do have two or three comedy groups on campus, but they’re very small, which I understand because sometimes it is harder to focus on performance in such a big group. But I think if someone wants to try something or if they need a place where they can shoot out ideas and try different things, this is the space.” Pellar and Levy said they want to create a safe space for people to be able to perform, practice and hone their comedic skills to create more love for comedy performance and writing. “I love sketch comedy, and I love improv,” Levy said. “My mom was always like, ‘You have such great comic timing,’ and I was like, ‘Mom go away.’”

School of Visual Arts officials hire sculptor as artist-in-residence Hope Melton

STAFF WRITER

The School of Visual Arts has a new artist-in-residence for the academic year. Morgan Robinson is a sculptor from Stillwater, Oklahoma, who specializes in large-scale sculptures. He has worked as a professional artist for nine years and exhibited his art in Oklahoma, Colorado and Japan. Robinson will teach sculpting classes and host presentations about working professionally in the arts throughout the year. These presentations are free and open to the public. The first presentation in the series took place Sept. 13, titled “Blurring the Lines of Possibilities.” His next presentation will be from 5-8 p.m. Oct. 11 and is titled “Committing to a Creative Life.” Robinson will talk about how to maintain creativity as a visual artist and in other creative fields as well. “These will be great for dance majors, music majors or anybody that will be working in a creative field,” said Heather Lunsford, director of the School of Visual Arts. Robinson also is bringing new resources and skills to the School of Visual Arts. “We haven’t had a sculptor teaching here in a long time, so he’s helping us to revamp our sculpture studio, getting it in working order and bringing in a metal chopper,” Lunsford said. “He will be teaching our students how to weld and bend metal. And he will be discussing powder coating and working with wood.” Lunsford said she hopes having working artists on campus will give valuable insight to students who want to work in creative October 3, 2018

It is really important for our students to be able to learn from his success, learn from his mistakes and just learn from his life experience. Heather Lunsford

director school of visual arts

fields. “It is really important for our students to be able to learn from his success, learn from his mistakes and just learn from his life experience,” Lunsford said. Anastasia Conyers, studio art junior, attended Robinson’s first presentation. “I don’t think enough people are attending his things,” she said. “Only a handful of people showed up to his first presentation. But hopefully his spring semester class will be a good size.” Robinson also will place his works throughout campus during the year and is working on a large metal sculpture to be placed permanently outside of Norick Arts Center. Robinson was unavailable for comment. Elina Moon Student Publications

Morgan Robinson, artist-in-residence for the School of Visual Arts, has sculptures placed around campus, including in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center and Wilson House.