Sept. 25 by MediaOCU

THE CAMPUS page 2

Opinion

Sou�ce: okcu.edu

Letter to the Editor

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page 3

President Martha Burger wrote a letter to the editor about recent incidents at OCU regarding diversity and inclusion.

September 25, 2019 – Volume 113 Issue 5

News

page 4 Lifestyles

Say cheese

Who wants breakfast?

Students have started a new photography and modeling club on campus. They

Students living in Draper and Banning residence halls were surprised with

hope to set up a studio for headshots and professional photoshoots.

free breakfast by their housing director.

Senate passes resolution to suspend Kappa Sigma, Alpha Phi Paul Dower

COPY EDITOR

Editors’ Note: This story contains an uncensored racial slur. A resolution calling for Kappa Sigma and Alpha Phi to disband has been passed by the senate. Resolution 001 was passed in the Sept. 19 senate meeting in a 17-5 vote by the senators. The resolution was created in response to a team name created by a few members from Kappa Sigma and a member from Alpha Phi called “Porch Monkeys,” which is a racial slur for a lazy slave dating back to the pre-Civil War era. The team was created for Alpha Phi’s philanthropy soccer tournament called Alpha Phifa. Sireene Khader, Alpha Phi president, said during the senate meeting that the name was announced once and was changed immediately, and the team played under a different team name. The multicultural coalition, a group consisting of the Black Student Association, Hispanic Student Association and Native American Society, brought the incident to the attention of Sen. (humanities) Leondre Lattimore and Sen. (Greek) Hope Melton who later drafted the resolution. Both houses involved are under investigation by their respective national headquarters. The resolution was passed on to Trae Trousdale, Student Government Association president, to either pass or veto it. Trousdale said his decision to pass or veto must be made by tomorrow. “Until then, there are many, many meetings that will need to be happening, there are many consultations that will be happening and there is a lot of advice and opinions that I will be gathering,” Trousdale said. “Because of the gravity of this situation, I will be taking this of its utmost importance and taking it extremely seriously.” Trousdale said he would meet with different people and groups across campus, including President Martha Burger, Levi Harrel, dean of students, Student Conduct officials, and the student presidents of all the involved organizations. Trousdale said he would direct the resolution to various channels on and off campus if he passes it. “If it is signed, my initial thinking is it will be given to President Burger. It will be given to the dean of students and vice president of student affairs. It will be given to the presidents of both orga-

Getting to see students in action and getting to see them expressing how they feel about certain situations... I think that’s pretty impactful. Abigail Banks vice president SGA

nizations, Alpha Phi and Kappa Sigma, as well as given to both of their national headquarters with a letter from me if it is passed from me,” he said. Matthew Moelling, president of Kappa Sigma, said a lot of people at the senate meeting were unaware or misinformed of the situation. “As we saw through the deliberation here and the questioning, most people, largely, were uninformed of the incident in general and had no knowledge of the intricacies associated with that. I think there was a lot of misinformation on campus and it got construed with something different,” Moelling said. Moelling said he and Kappa Sigma want to be involved in helping the situation. “Whether it comes to pass or is vetoed by President Trousdale, our resolve and action will be the same, and we are looking to create a better solution and be a part of that solution and not be distant from the situation. We want to be active participants,” he said. “And making this campus and the organizations within a safer environment for our underrepresented groups.” Officials said the senate meeting was one of the most attended senate meetings in recent OCU history, with over 100 students from several of the multicultural and Greek Life organizations. “This senate meeting was unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” Trousdale said. “I thought it was a very good time for us to come together as a community and hear both sides of the story.” Abigail Banks, SGA vice president, said presiding over the senate meeting was tough. “I felt like I had a lot of pressure to do well and to make sure

that things didn’t go wrong,” she said. “But overall, getting to see students in action and getting to see them expressing how they feel about certain situations, and ultimately seeing them come together about a decision, I think that’s pretty impactful.” Kaycee Kernell, president of NAS, said it was a joy to see something go in favor of students of color. “We face so much scrutiny on campus, and it’s just hard to speak up for ourselves.” Kernell said. “The one time we all get together, we have power in numbers, and we actually have been heard.” Brianna Miles, president of HSA, said she was optimistic for the future. “I’m optimistic now to know that our senate is listening and that we have this ability to come together and speak on both sides of the aisle,” she said. Jay Williams, religion senior and member of BSA, said students should not hold the entirety of the Greek houses responsible for individual acts. “I think we are largely misunderstanding what happened. I view this as a few members of a fraternity that decided to do this horrible act, versus a whole fraternity whose values don’t at all align with those kind of comments or remarks that were made,” Williams said. Destini Carrington, president of BSA, said the resolution will encourage more students of color to speak out on similar issues. “I think this will empower our students of color to know that they have a right to be on this campus and there is a place for them,” Carrington said. Trousdale said he hopes the resolution will dictate how SGA deals with similar issues in the future. “I think that this resolution is largely symbolic, but I think the weight of its symbolism is phenomenal. This resolution, and any that come forward out of this situation, show that there is an extra layer of accountability for who we are as students from others surrounding us,” Trousdale said. “I think that this resolution shows that OCU students are watching, that it shows that we are policing our own community, and that while we are all individual, sovereign student organizations, there is something to be said for the culture that we are all contributing to that represents all OCU Stars.”

Unknown man attempts to enter Cokesbury Court apartment Luke Barrett

WEB EDITOR A student was recently harassed outside of her apartment on campus. Anna Pylman, senior, said a man knocked on her door on Sept. 16 and attempted to enter her dorm in the Cokesbury Court Apartments. “Someone started knocking on my door, trying to open it pretty forcefully, so I walked over and I looked through the peephole, and it was someone I didn’t know, so I was like, ‘why are you here?’ and he told me that he was my Uber driver, and then I told him that I didn’t call an Uber, and then he told me that my boyfriend called him for me,” Pylman said. “I don’t have a boyfriend, and I was really freaked out because it was someone I didn’t know, and so I told him forcefully to go away, because I didn’t have a boyfriend, and then he left. But yeah, I was nervous he was going to try to break the door down or something like that.” Pylman said she was unsure why it happened to her specifically. “I have pepper spray and an alarm, but that’s it,” she said. “But the police were very quick to respond. I think they took about five minutes to get there, and I called them right away, so they were really quick, and they said they’d put a report in.” Pylman said she spoke to Elizabeth Richardson, associate director of student housing and apartments, who said no other students had experienced something like this all year. Pylman said she had checked the apartments’ security during move-in. “When my mom was here a few weeks ago, we walked around and some of the gates in the back were broken,” Pylman said. She said Richardson told her one of the gates was recently repaired. Pylman said she was studying for an exam that day and had trouble focusing and thinking straight after the incident. “I don’t know if I can really relax in my dorm room anymore because I’m nervous someone’s going to knock on my door and harass me again,” she said. She said she has started being more cautious on campus and avoids walking alone. Pylman said two people had previously knocked on her door on

M MEDIAOCU.com

Aug. 29. She said two women knocked on her door asking to see the layout of her apartment and they seemed intoxicated. During the first incident Pylman called the police non-emergency number, and on Sept. 16 she called the police emergency number. Other residence halls on campus seem more secure than Cokesbury, Pylman said. She also said she thought there were less police patrols around Cokesbury this year than in previous years. Pylman said her mother called Richardson on Sept. 16, and Pylman talked to Richardson on Sept. 17. Pylman said since the incident happened during the day, the man must have come in through the front gate. She said Richardson told her that closing the gates during the day would be less secure, as the code for the apartments would need to be given out to more people. Casey Kreger, director of housing and residence life, said he heard about the incident through Richardson. Kreger said Cokesbury’s security currently includes the surrounding fence, gates requiring codes and the gates being closed outside of weekday university hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. There are also cameras that have 24/7 feeds in the Oklahoma City University Police Department. “On a daily basis, the gates are kept open due to our vendors. The last thing we want to do is hand out security codes to people that are not supposed to be here during off-hours, such as the mail service, UPS, FedEx, any of the contract companies that come out and do any of the repairs down there in any of the apartments, that are hired,” he said. These hours are also set for Cokesbury Club House’s full-time staff and OCUPD patrols in the area, Kreger said. Kreger said the gates at Cokesbury go down sometimes, but they can be fixed by maintenance as long as they are informed the gates are broken. Kreger said maintenance does rounds of the gates every weekday morning, and repairing the gates takes top priority. These rounds include checking each pedestrian and vehicle gate and ensuring the keypads are working. “What I was told was that, after further investigating the situation, it was an Uber driver who came to the property at 10:45 in the morning, so the front gates were open. The Uber driver had went to the wrong apartment from there, knocked on the door, announced that he was an Uber driver, announced that he was there to pick up, that the boyfriend had sent an Uber driver to pick her up, and

obviously the student in that apartment was like, 'This is not my apartment. You shouldn’t be here,' things like that. And then from there, there was no forced entry. Nothing like that happened. And then from there, the person left,” Kreger said. Kreger said he was informed by his staff that Pylman and her mother said the man was an Uber driver and there was no indication of entry or trying the doorknob. Kreger said all reports were turned into OCUPD, and they are investigating further. Pylman said the individual did try to open her door, he seemed aggressive and he did not seem like an actual Uber driver. Kreger said the police investigation will encompass verifying the individual’s identity. The cameras at Cokesbury are monitored 24/7, Kreger said. They have staff on-call 24/7 and the campus police can be reached 24/7, he said. Housing is always looking for opportunities to increase security, and they are always working with their partnership company Campus Living Villages to see what can be done, Kreger said. He said last year a new camera was added to the front gate at Cokesbury to identify cars that pull in. Kreger said students can improve their security by being aware of people who could follow them through gates and coded doors, locking their doors and ensuring their RA on-call phone numbers and the Police Department phone numbers are programmed into their phones. Students who notice any security concerns should inform maintenance or a housing office immediately. “Students have to feel safe to be able to learn on campus. And so, if they don’t feel safe, then we’re not doing our job here being able to equip students enough comfortability within their space to be able to learn,” he said. “They’re the ones that live here 24/7, and so the big thing is to let us know just in case we do miss something.” Kreger said if any students have similar situations, to call the campus police or housing, who will forward it to the police and ensure a report or investigation happens. The OCUPD emergency number is (405) 208-5911. The housing and residence life phone number is (405) 208-6363.

Dear Ms. Marty Pants: A Bad Advice Column

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Stars on Earth

Students start a new environmental club on campus

opinion Editors support participation in diverse student organizations, clubs OCU supports a great variety of student organizations that provide opportunities for students to develop a better sense of community and involvement on campus. The OCU website’s “Organizations” page lists over 90 student organizations active on campus. From multicultural organizations to theatrical production groups to fundraising and outreach groups, there are a variety of opportunities on campus for students to express themselves and become acquainted with their fellow students. The number of organizations on campus is growing every day. Organizations such as the new Stars on Earth, an environmental group, are already making an impact by organizing watch parties of political debates and encouraging participation in events such as the Oklahoma City Youth Climate Strike. See mediaocu.com for more

on the group. Students are also working on creating clubs for their shared interests and investments. Students in the Meinders School of Business are creating a club to support the growth of cryptocurrency in Oklahoma City and improve students’ understanding of and interest in the currency. See page 4 for more on the club. Other students from across majors are working on creating a club for photography, modeling and photoshoots for students on campus. Members have said that no outside experience or equipment is needed to join. See page 3 for more on the club. The presence of so many organizations on campus means that no matter how niche one might view their own interests, there is likely an organization they can find interesting and consider joining. Participation in these organizations is an integral part of the experience at OCU. Though

Talk Back “What is your favorite breakfast food?”

academic tracks are rigorous and demand much of students’ time, the option for students to branch outside of (or delve further into) their career paths allows for a greater sense of self that is not defined by academic work. This involvement creates a sense of fellowship and comradery outside of the individual school of one’s major and allows for a greater sense of self and connection with every part of the OCU constellation. Joining organizations helps students grow in their communication skills, build friendships outside of their major and contribute to the diverse narrative of OCU. For more information on student organizations, visit the “Organizations” page on the OCU website at okcu.edu.

"Oatmeal with granola and berries."

"Bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich."

Sydney Raffellini dance freshman

Shaun Coleman business marketing junior

“Definitely waffles!”

"Breakfast hash."

Jack Becky lighting design sophomore

Abby Peek acting senior

“Can I say toast?”

“Hashbrowns.”

Kaye Swindell lighting design sophomore

Kealon Claybourne mass communications junior

Ms. Marty Pants: A Bad Advice Column As I wrote in an email to the campus community on Friday, it has been a difficult few weeks at OCU. I want to share with you again that the racial slur that was used as a team name, which has been reported about in The Campus, was completely inappropriate and unacceptable. This behavior will not be tolerated on the OCU campus and the student code of conduct process is at work. We have to be intentional at OCU as we work to expand on our commitment to diversity and inclusion. As you know, Diversity and Inclusion is one of the four Core Values that we as a campus commu-

nity established this year. As we move forward, I believe we must come together as a community and exercise the civility, respect and cooperation that are grounded in those institutional values we created. At OCU, we define Diversity and Inclusion as “understanding and embracing our differences and taking action to foster a welcoming and supportive environment for all.” We all – students, faculty, staff and administrators – must take an active role in developing this type of environment. I have communicated via email several diversity and inclusion initiatives on which the university is actively focusing.

Martha Burger university president

We will soon launch a search for the new vice president for diversity and inclusion, which will depend on your engagement, and our diversity council is in the beginning stages of its work. I want you to know that I am deeply committed to the work we have to do together to become a more sensitive, caring and inclusive community. We must do better. And I want us all to be part of the process. Martha A. Burger President

“Dear Ms. Marty Pants, I’m not getting enough sleep. I keep staying up late and waking up early for 8 a.m.’s. What should I do? Sincerely, insomniac” Dear insomniac, You should always turn to medicine when you have trouble sleeping. Lucky for you, we have an Insomnia Cookies less than two miles away from campus! Their cookies have a special ingredient that cures insomnia, hence the bakery’s name. They’re even open until 3 a.m., so insomniacs can get them when they’re most in need. Hope this helps! “Dear Ms. Marty Pants, I didn’t know we had

to get a new parking pass every year, and I got a parking ticket! Do you think I could get out of it? Sincerely, not feeling fine” Dear not feeling fine, I really don’t think there’s anything you could do. It only seems right to pay for parking at a school for which we already pay tuition and housing. We may be required to live on campus until we’re 21, but we’re not entitled to have the luxury of a car. We really don’t deserve any handouts. “Dear Ms. Marty Pants, I have a meal plan but have class and work during both the lunch and dinner hours. Since we can’t use meal swipes in the market anymore, I’ve

been using points and I’m already about to run out. What should I do? Sincerely, hungry student” Dear hungry student, You should definitely be able to use the meal swipes you’re already paying for. My advice is to quit your job and re-arrange your schedule so you can make it to the cafeteria when it’s open! Ms. Marty Pants is an expert on life and loves to give back to the community with her acclaimed problemsolving skills. Email any questions to Ms. Pants’ secretary at fiacovacci@my.okcu.edu.

Columist discusses the redundancy of the word “folk” in modern music genres What do Woody Guthrie and Ed Sheeran have in common? I’ll give you one hint, it’s not the ginger hair. Surprisingly enough, they’re both considered folk artists. Hearing Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land” and Sheeran’s “Shape of You” on the same playlist would be unexpected to say the least. Folk music has such a wide range that some people can’t tell what the defining factor is anymore (and by “some people,” I most definitely mean myself ). While I personally think defining folk music is outdated, there is no denying its cultural impact. By definition, folk music is the music of the people. Traditional folk music originated in popular culture and has been passed down through genera-

tions by oral tradition. A key characteristic of the original genre is that folk songs used to be predominantly of unknown authorship. Mark Twain affirmed this idea when he said “a folk song is a song that nobody ever wrote.” Folk music was made as a collaborative effort where different social groups could band together and develop a group expression through music. Often showcasing plights of the lower class, folk songs commonly depicted stories of wars, revolutions, triumphs, love affairs, and separationsanything representing the “sign of the times” (paying homage to former columnist and alumni Amanda Miller, I will never pass up an opportunity for a Harry Styles reference).

Francesca Iacovacci is a music theater junior from Clearwater, Florida. She loves zoodles, Jeopardy! and a good poop joke.

Nowadays, it would be pretty strange to not know, or at least, not be able to find out who wrote a song. Folk music has transformed from songs by the people to songs written by one person about the people. Another change in the genre lies in the complexity of the songs themselves. Folk songs used to be simple so everyone could participate in creating and singing them easily. Now that artists are composing folk songs, a wider range of tech-

nical and artistic perfection is present. Additionally, an increased access to technology has broadened our cultural exposure, allowing other genres to become increasingly influenced by folk music. Choosing to label just one genre as “the music of the people” therefore seems inaccurate and too exclusive. All songs are technically folk songs. All music is the battle cry of some group or another. Are the worries of particular groups

of people valued more than others? The genre has undoubtedly changed. I think we’ve subconsciously recognized folk as more of a certain sound rather than the sole musical identity of humanity’s struggles. The word “folk” is almost used more as an adjective to describe another genre of music such as folk rock. When I think of folk music now, the first things that come to mind are acoustic instruments and natural voices. Acoustic music seems to sound more authentic, whereas electronically created music is manufactured. In this way, the term “folk” has become synonymous with “acoustic”. I hear the strum of a guitar and immediately think of a

singer performing folk songs in a vintage coffee shop. Last month, I was studying at Full Circle Bookstore’s Garden Cafe while local duo Kestral and Kite was performing. While Brantley Cowan and Amanda Fortney, the bands’ members, describe their sound as acoustic-based indie, I would assume they were a folk group merely because of the authentic quality of their tone. To tell you the truth, I’ve come to think the word “folk” is redundant and confusing. One cannot simply describe a song by calling it “folk” without some other descriptive qualities. It’d be a lot easier if we just rid the word from our vocabularies all together.

Smashcade at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center.

Women's soccer v. Panhandle State at 5 p.m. at Brian Harvey Field.

TUESDAY Hispanic Heritage Month presents Tango Tuesday from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in Student Louge in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University.

Men's soccer v. Panhandle State at 7 p.m. at Brian Harvey Field.

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 Blue-White Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. in the Leichter Room in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. THURSDAY Weekly Play Club meeting from 7 p.m. to midnight in the Honors Lounge in Gold Star Memorial

Building. Weekly chapel service from 1-2 p.m. in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel. FRIDAY “The Music Man” from 8-10:30 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

SATURDAY “The Music Man” from 8-10:30 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center Sibs and Kids from 10 a.m.-8p.m. on the quad lawn. Inflatables and Sno Cones Extravaganza from 1-3 p.m. on the

quad lawn OK All State Choral Prep Day 8 a.m.-5 p.m. in the atrium of Wanda L. Bass School of Music. SUNDAY “The Music Man” from 3-5:30 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts 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.

THE CAMPUS Sept. 25, 2019, Volume 113, Issue 5

Editor-in-chief: Emily Wollenberg Copy Editor: Paul Dower Photo Editor: Clara Foster Community Manager: Jessica Vanek Web Editor: Luke Barrett Ad Director: Maddie Bowes Graphic Designer: Melissa Campbell

Staff Writers: MaKayla Baxter, Ava Cruchon, Maria DeLoera, Erik Hamilton, Francesca Iacovacci, Hope Melton, Shelby O'Brien, Hannah Prentice Columnists: Paul Dower, Francesca Iacovacci, Hope Melton

Wind Philharmonic Concert at 7:30 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Photographers: Clara Foster, Hannah Campbell, Kai Dunn, Katie Gibbs, Hope Melton Faculty Adviser: Ben Felder

The Student Publications staff welcomes unsolicited material and letters 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.

September 25, 2019

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news

Nursing students study healthcare in Mexico Matthew Lavery

STAFF WRITER

Nursing students spent nine days helping communities in Mexico this summer. Ten nursing students traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico to learn professional nursing skills in a real world environment, led by professors Beth Pitman and Pam Melson. “The trip is for community health nursing,” Pitman said. “We actually go down there and study their healthcare delivery system.” The trip involved touring private and public hospitals, a lecture series from anthropologists, speaking with local physicians, and a traditional healing and medicine lecture, which included a trip to a midwifery. The trip culminated in a community service project where the students made and served food to the residents of an estancia who were staying there to see their relatives in the hospital. Pitman said the experience was beneficial for the students. “The students love it; they describe it as life changing,” she said. “A lot of times they have not been out of the country before.” Besides the healthcare aspect of the trip, there were personal changes the students experienced, Pitman said. While experiencing the culture of Oaxaca, the students also gained real world knowledge that they would not have gotten anywhere else.

Yes, things are different. Your city might look different, your hospital might look different, but the people are the same. Beth Pitman Kramer School of Nursing professor

“In nursing, we talk a lot about serving diverse populations,” said Pitman. “There’s not one type that always gets sick.” According to Pitman, this kind of exposure to a culture that was alien to them allowed the students to learn that despite many of them not knowing the language, they could communicate using body language, emotion and even simple gestures such as pointing. Pitman said these communication techniques helped the students find confidence in themselves, knowing they can figure out how to communicate with people without necessarily speaking the same language. “The interesting thing was that even though there aren’t a lot of resources and we think of Oaxaca as being a very poor place, they

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were able to identify that the same equipment we use here at one of our nicest urban hospitals is the same ventilator that they have down there, the same CPAP, the same IV bags, the medications look exactly the same,” Pitman said. According to Pitman, one of the most interesting parts of the trip was when they encountered an American woman who was being taken care of in the very same hospital they were visiting. By seeing an eyewitness compare the two healthcare systems side by side, Pitman said the students saw the care provided in Mexico is the same, if not more attentive, than that in the United States. Pitman said the trip had a positive impact on students’ view of the world. “We are all kind of the same. Yes, things are different. Your city might look different, your hospital might look different, but the people are the same,” Pitman said. Leah Mossman, music theater sophomore, said it is important for students to get experience in their major outside of OCU. “Students being able to study abroad based on their major is really important, because it gives people an opportunity to experience their career in a different part of the world,” she said.

Clara Foster Student Publications

Hit it to the moon Left: Greek Life students play against each other at Gamma Phi Beta's annual Moonball tournament. Moonball is a philanthropy event during Gamma Phi Beta's Building Strong Girls week. The proceeds benefit the Oklahoma chapter of Girls on the Run. The event took place on Sept. 20 in Abe Lemons Area in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. Top: Members of Gamma Phi Beta high five after playing in the Moonball tournament. Members of the sorority also cooked grilled cheese for attendees. The event featured performances from OCU acapella groups Tonal Eclipse and the Ahhx Chords.

Students start club for photography, modeling Francesca Iacovacci

STAFF WRITER

Students started a photography club on campus in hopes to gain creative experience. The club is open to anyone interested in photography or modeling. The club meets at 5:20 p.m. every Tuesday in the Shdeed Lounge in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. The club will host off-campus photography shoots for students in Oklahoma City, said Karenna Mudd, acting sophomore and photography modeling director. “In our meetings, we’ll share the pictures we took and discuss what they mean to us, how we created the idea behind them and how the experience was,” Mudd said. “We’ll also get to explore the Oklahoma City area when we go on the photoshoots, which is great for new students.” Mudd also said photography and modeling help build confidence and creativity. “For me, getting into photography was a big step I took as a

We're all people who want to get together and create. I'm excited to build my portfolio and take some awesome pictures with some awesome people. Sophia Willis film freshman

woman and the person I want to be,” Mudd said. MacKenzie Kern, acting sophomore and photography activities leader, said although the club is new, there are already many creative students who are interested and members who are working on collaborating with all types of majors. “We’re planning to coordinate with students in the design and

production department and have lighting majors help create a professional studio for photoshoots on campus,” Kern said. “Another idea we’re looking into is providing inexpensive headshots for performers to help build our photography portfolios.” Additionally, Kern said no prior experience or camera equipment is needed to join the photography club. “Whether you use an iPhone or have been a professional headshot photographer for years, everyone is welcome,” Kern said. “It’s all about bringing together people with different levels of experience and learning from each other.” Sophia Willis, film freshman, said she joined the photography club with an interest for both photography and modeling. “It was really interesting to put all of our ideas together at the meeting,” Willis said. “We’re all people who want to get together and create. I’m excited to build my portfolio and take some awesome pictures with some awesome people.”

Cross country team ranked first in pre-season polls Matthew Lavery

STAFF WRITER

The cross country team has been ranked highly based on their performance last year. The team is currently ranked number one in the nation in National Collegiate Athletic Association preseason polls. “Basically each summer around the end of July, we have to send off a form saying who is coming back, who we have lost from each team and

how we expect to do,” said Matt Aguero, head coach of men and women's cross country and track and field. “We compete in the Sooner Athletic Conference. Each conference nominates a coach to be one of our rankers, they rank the conference teams, then all the coaches that rank the conference teams rank the national rankings.” According to Aguero, the season started out well in their first and only meet of

We have a few freshmen. Our top runners are all seniors this year.

Matt Aguero head coach men & women's cross country track & field

the season but is expected to pick up. “We have only ran one so far,” Aguero said. “We ran

mostly our young athletes; the first one is always a little smaller.” The team itself was ranked

so highly this season because of their performance in last year’s season. “Well, we won last year,” Aguero said. “And we have a lot of guys coming back. We have almost the majority of our team coming back.” The team is only made up of about 20 runners in total, the top eight being made up of seniors. “We have a few freshmen,” Aguero said. “Our top runners are all seniors this year.”

Max Elkiss, music theater graduate, was excited about the success the team has had so far this year. “I think it’s really cool,” Elkiss said. “It’s awesome to see a sports team representing OCU like this, definitely just seeing the excellence in academics, performance, as well as athletics.” The team's next race will be in Joplin, Missouri on Friday.

Meinders School of Business recognized nationally for ‘high honors’ Shelby O’Brien

STAFF WRITER

The School of Business at OCU received recognition as a high honors chapter. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business nominated Meinders School of Business for three additional categories because of the recent recognition. The new categories include outstanding chapter advisor, business achievement and entrepreneurial achievement. Lynette Martin, director of student services of the School of Business, said these awards are prestigious and a big accomplishment for the School of Business as well as the entirety of OCU. According to Martin, OCU is now able to receive awards and honors in more categories than ever before. Martin said the AACSB sponsors an association at OCU, Beta Gamma Sigma. Beta Gamma Sigma is an international honors society in the September 25, 2019

This is an awesome organization with 100% turnover rate from everyone that is invited.

Lynette Martin Meinders School of Business director of student services

School of Business where only 10% of the upper classmen and graduate students are extended invitations. “This is an awesome organization with 100% turnover rate from everyone that is invited” said Martin. Martin said benefits from participating in this honors organization include a waiver of admissions for some graduate programs. “Students obtain points that lead them to achieve high honors.

All students in the society receive blue and gold cords as well as a gold pin to wear at graduation” said Martin. Jane Goto, business sophomore, said she hadn’t heard too much about the awards, but she said she knows it is a very big deal for the School of Business. Goto said, “I honestly had no idea this was happening, but I am not surprised. The School of Business at OCU is one of the best in the country. It’s why I am here” said Goto. Jared Sutton, business sophomore, said he thinks this is a great accomplishment for the School of Business. “This is a pretty big deal. These honors make us in the top 4.5% of business schools in the world” said Sutton. Sutton said these awards are all because of the faculty at Meinders. “The faculty really worked hard and did a lot of research to achieve these honors,” said Sutton.

lifestyles

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Jessica Vanek Student Publications

There is no planet B Top left: OCU students march at the Youth Climate Strike Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. The Climate Strike took place 12-2 p.m. on Sept. 20. The international Global Climate Strike is Sept. 20-27. The idea of the Climate Strike was started by Greta Thunberg, a Swedish teenage activist. She began striking in Aug. 2018, and called it “FridaysForFuture.” Since then, the strike has grown to be a global cause. Some students skipped class to protest the growing climate issue in the world. Top: OCU students protest in front of the Devon Energy Tower. Their message to Devon officials was that the burning of fossil fuels is one of the leading causes of climate damage. Members of the strike walked half a mile to get to the tower, and ended up marching one mile total.

Bottom left: Nathan May, music theater sophomore, speaks at the Oklahoma Climate Strike. May is a member of Stars on Earth, the new environmental club on campus. The strike featured many young speakers, the youngest being 16. See mediaocu.com for more about Stars on Earth.

Freshmen suprised with free breakfast in dorms Hannah Prentice

STAFF WRITER

As students from Banning and Draper halls awoke for early Friday morning classes on Sept. 6, they were greeted with free food in their lobbies. For the second year in a row, Devin Murphy, resident director for Banning and Draper halls, decided to host a monthly free breakfast for the students living in each building. “I did it last year because a student requested having a group breakfast sometimes, and I was like, ‘yeah sure why not?’ and it actually was a really good event,” Murphy said. “Last year it was treated more like a community event where people sat down and had breakfast together. This year, probably because it was the first one, it was more of a grab and go, but I received positive feedback from the students again this year, so why not continue it?” Stella Seagraves, cell and molecular biology freshman and resident of Banning Hall, said she is excited about this monthly event. “I think it is very nice of Devin for her to be doing this and helps create a community connection for students,” Seagraves said. Though the event is hosted in only Banning and Draper, stu-

I received positive feedback from the students again this year, so why not continue it?

Devin Murphy resident director Banning and Draper halls

dents from outside of those two buildings are welcome to attend the breakfast with friends who live in the building, Murphy said. “So really, you have to be able to have access to the halls to get in so that’s kind of a little bit of a deterrent,” Murphy said. “Some people have brought their friends, and I don’t care. I’m not going to kick anyone out if they don’t live here; they can participate. But typically you will need to know someone who lives here to have access to the building.” Murphy said she plans to diversify the types of food served at

each breakfast and hopes to find ways to accommodate alternate diets at some of the breakfasts. “This time it was vegetarian breakfast burritos and vegan donuts, so that was also a little bit of a learning area,” Murphy said. “I wanted to try and show that students can have a good meal without meat. However, we ran out of food ,and so halfway through I went and got breakfast burritos from Braum’s, and those did have sausage in them, so we kind of stuck with the burrito theme.” Seagraves said she hopes to find one of her favorite breakfast foods at a free breakfast Friday sometime throughout the year. “I would like to have waffles present at the breakfast at some point,” Seagraves said. Murphy said she encourages students to come to future breakfasts. “I hope people really enjoy it,” Murphy said. “I bought enough food for 60 people and 60 people came, so I think it was well attended.”

Business students start bitcoin cryptocurrency club Maxwell McIntire

STAFF WRITER

Students have started a new club focused on cryptocurrency, aiming to spread awareness about a currency known as bitcoin. The first meeting of the cryptocurrency club took place on Sept. 12. Eduardo Lima, business senior and current president of the organization, said bitcoin is not an easy thing to define. “If you asked 100 different people what bitcoin is, you’re likely to get 100 different answers,” Lima said. “To me, first and foremost, bitcoin is a new form of money. And more importantly, it is the best form of money that man has ever seen. I like to call bitcoin the ultimate form of private property.” Lima said he first discovered bitcoin a few years ago. “I first learned about bitcoin in 2014. My first thoughts were that it was ‘cool internet funny-money,’” he said. Lima said bitcoin’s initial intent was as a currency used for darknet sites like the silk road (a shut-down website only accessible via darknet browsers such as Tor). However, bitcoin continued to rise in popularity, becoming more widely used. Lima said there are several things that make bitcoin unique. First, it is entirely digital; there is no such thing as a physical bitcoin. Bitcoins can only be exchanged via applications on com-

What makes them so unique is that only 21 million bitcoins will ever be created, so it is a fixed amount. Mackenzi Fox business administration senior

puters and phones referred to as “bitcoin wallets.” Mackenzi Fox, business administration senior and vice president of the cryptocurrency club, said bitcoin’s value is ensured by limiting the quantity of existing bitcoin. “What makes them so unique is that only 21 million bitcoins will ever be created, so it is a fixed amount. That’s where it gets its value,” Fox said. Fox said the United States dollar is a form of fiat currency, meaning its value is determined by a group of people, not a concrete standard. The United States Treasury can print more dollars at any point in time, but there will never be a bitcoin that exists beyond the 21 million planned.

Members of the club said it has three primary goals: 1. Current members intend to spread awareness and offer education on what bitcoin is and how it works. 2. Advocate for policies and laws within the city and state legislatures to support the growth of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. 3. Discuss potential investment opportunities regarding bitcoin. The club does not have any current plans for events outside of their current meeting schedule, but members are looking to grow the membership of the cryptocurrency club in the meantime. Sonner Mouland, history sophomore, said he is interested in learning more about cryptocurrency. “There are certain things I’d like to know that I don’t understand,” Mouland said. “How does it gain actual, real-world value? How is it spent?” Mouland said he would be interested in going to cryptocurrency presentations. For those interested in learning more about what bitcoin is and how it works, cryptocurrency club officials said students can attend meetings at 6 p.m. biweekly at Sarkeys Science and Math Center.

BA theatre program to begin new student devising organization Maria DeLoera

STAFF WRITER

The interim head of the BA theatre and performance program is creating a group for devising new works. Rick Reeves, interim head of theatre and performance, is holding auditions for a devising company, which is a group for collaborative playwriting. Reeves started as interim head at the beginning of this semester and said he wanted to start a devising company as a place for students to collaborate. Students cast in the company will work on researching, creating, developing, rehearsing, and performing a play. Auditions are open to the entire student body. According to Reeves, students will learn about physical theater, perform for each other and build a network. “That’s kind of the great thing about this process. Once you bring yourself and your ideas into the room, you’re kind of absorbed into the collective of the project,” said Reeves. Students will be able to share their ideas as part of their devising project. September 25, 2019

I think devising is the way of the future. Instead of starting with a script, you begin with just speaking or pictures. Shelby Parker theatre and performance sophomore

Reeves said students have opportunities to express their thoughts and perspectives to the company and work with them. “The biggest advantage of being part of the troupe is that you get to tell stories,” said Reeves. Reeves has worked in devised projects before and said he was excited to work as a lead deviser in the new company. Reeves said this company is the perfect project for students to explore and share input on different ideas, whether it’s in design or writing.

Shelby Parker, theatre and performance sophomore, said students begin a project with equal responsibilities. “At the start of a devising project, you’re all equal and you all work together to come with the idea and where you want it to go,” Parker said. Parker said students also have the opportunity to be innovative. “I think devising is the way of the future,” Parker said. “Instead of starting with a script, you begin with just speaking or pictures.” Between 12 and 18 students will be in the company, and they will rehearse three days a week from September to May. They will perform their play at the Festival of New Works at the new Oklahoma Contemporary Art Museum in May. The performance will be open to the public. Auditions are from 7-10 p.m. on Sept. 23, 25 and 26 in Room 402 in the Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center.