LIFE & ARTS • PAGE 7
Hip-hop, R&B artists collaborate The Roots (shown left) team up with John Legend to release an album of ’60s and ’70s soul covers. Read The Daily’s review of this and other notable releases, including the latest from Robert Plant.
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Tuesday, September 21, 2010
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Alumnus donates $1M to OU energy program Regents also approve cancer institute construction, health center during meeting KATHLEEN EVANS The Oklahoma Daily
An OU alumnus donated $1 million to the Energy Management program in honor of his professor and mentor, V. Ross Brown. Rod Roberts donated the money with the intention of recruiting leaders as teachers in core Energy
Management Studies classes. Roberts’ donation will be used to bring in industry professionals to help students learn about their chosen field. Oil, gas and environmental law; energy production and markets; petroleum geology; petroleum engineering; natural gas marketing and trading; and practical issues in energy are among the classes that will benefit from this gift, according to a press release. President David Boren presented
this gift at the OU Board of Regents meeting Monday in Claremore. “It is always very special when our graduates give back in honor of a professor who made a meaningful difference in their lives,” Boren said in a press release. Also at Monday’s meeting, the regents approved an increase of about $3 million to the OU Cancer Institute construction budget. The money will help complete the building’s fourth and fifth floors, which will include patient exam
rooms and administrative offices, according to the agenda. Currently, construction is estimated to end in May 2011. The board also approved an $11 million budget for construction on the Wayman Tisdale Specialty Health Center in Tulsa, according to the agenda. The center will serve patients in north, east and west Tulsa, where life-expectancy rates are 14 years less than those in other neighborhoods, according to research by
the OU-Tulsa faculty. Care will include treatment for cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Other items on the agenda included choosing a construction firm for repairs to L. Dale Mitchell Baseball Park and the softball facility. Also, the regents approved a design for a new office building on OU’s research campus. — Hillary McLain contributed to this report
Electric Bill creates new motorcycle registration fee vehicles added to OU fleet New $3 fee used to educate, enforce Oklahoma motorcyle safety regulations JUSTIN MAI
The Oklahoma Daily
New cars prove to be more efficient than traditional gas ones; lessen pollution JESSICA WILDER The Oklahoma Daily
Whether it’s delivering and retrieving mail or watering and mowing the lawn, OU’s electrical vehicles carry out some of the most necessary tasks around campus as a part of the university’s green ONLINE AT OUDAILY.COM initiative. Electrical » Link: View vehicles have OU’s Fuel Policy been incorfor reducing gas porated in the consumption Physical Plant’s transportation fleet to conserve fuel and lessen the amount of pollution released. “Electric cars have been used on OU’s campus for years and years. Only in the past couple years has the university increased the purchase rate to keep with the University of Oklahoma’s fuel policy,” Fleet Services Manager Leon Fourcade said. Resembling golf carts, these
OU students that choose to ride motorcycles have to contend with a new $3 registration fee that goes into effect Nov. 1. Originating with House Bill 2264, “Gunner’s Bill,” the $3 registration fee will be used to educate the public about motorcycle safety and fund law enforcement. “Motorcycle accidents are a problem whenever, wherever they happen,” said Lt. Bruce Chan, OU Police Department spokesman. “Thankfully, we don’t have very many of them on campus.” The fee will be added to anyone registering their motorcycle to be used on roads and highways, according to the bill. The fee will be transferred each month to the Department of Public Safety for deposit in the Motorcycle Safety and Education Program Revolving Fund. “I suspect the plan to be put together by the Advisory Committee on Motorcycle Safety and Education will be a combination of training and motorist awareness,” said Kevin Behrens, member of the State Motorcycle Safety Administration. “What I mean by motorist awareness is ‘share the road,’ ‘look twice,’ that kind of thing. This money is going to be used to educate both motorcycle riders and automobile drivers.”
NEIL MCGLOHON/THE DAILY
Several motorcycles are parked outside the McCasland Field House. A new $3 tax, applying to motorcycle drivers in order to fund motorcycle safety training, will take effect Nov. 1.
Petroleum engineering sophomore Avesta Ehsan has been riding motorcycles since he was 13 years old. “I started with a dirt bike really early. Now I’ve had three motorcycles and ride every day. I think the fee is OK as long as it’s just to look out for people,” said Ehsan, who currently rides a black Honda CBR600. Through the funding from the fee, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation will provide training for new and experienced riders, Behrens said.
“The goal is to see a downturn in crashes and fatalities as a result of this,” Behrens said. “The model that we’re basing this on — education and enforcement — has been proven to have an impact on the crashes.” To ensure safety on the roads, Chan said those in motor vehicles should be more aware when motorcyclists are on the road. “Motorcycles are small relative to regular vehicular traffic, so people have to pay extra attention and be sure to give them
the same courtesy and respect as other motor vehicles,” Chan said. “And even though it’s not required by law in Oklahoma to wear a helmet while riding motorcycles, people should still do it.” Behrens said no matter what level of riding expertise one has, more training is always helpful. “Anyone can benefit from getting training in accordance with their level of riding,” Behrens said. “And of course, a helmet is always a good idea.”
SEE ELECTRIC PAGE 2
MONEY
Campus Corner offers Tuesday discounts to entice shoppers Business revenue has increased since starting savings program SABRINA PROSSER The Oklahoma Daily
AME AZIERE/THE DAILY
OU accessories are displayed Thursday afternoon at Blush, 566 Buchanan Ave. Blush is one of several businesses on Campus Corner that offers discounts every Tuesday.
Campus Corner businesses are catering to students and reaching out to new clientele with the Tuesdays on the Corner discount initiative. Tuesdays on the Corner is a one-day-a-week incentive for OU students and the general public to come to Campus Corner to save on shopping and eating, said Helen Wolney, former president of the Campus Corner Merchants’ Association and The Apothem owner. The Campus Corner Merchants’ Association launched the discount in 2009. Wolney said
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businesses and restaurants located on Campus Corner opted into the program to increase revenue. There are six business that participate in the Tuesday discount, and the Campus Corner board is recruiting others to take part, said Barbara Fite, Campus Corner Merchants Association board member and Antique Garden co-owner. The discounts range from 10 percent to 20 percent for the retail stores, while the two restaurants offer discounts on beer pitchers and pints. Students were a focal point in the decision to create the discount day, Fite said. “Students are our biggest shoppers and the discounts entice them to buy things they normally would not purchase,” Fite said.
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The discount was originally offered on Tuesdays to entice shoppers to visit the Corner on a typically low-business day, Fite The following six business said. participate in Tuesdays The idea has worked for some Campus Corner discounts: students, said Mia Cantu, professional writing junior. » Antique Garden “I’m more prone to visiting » Blush these stores now on a Tuesday,” » Melting Pot Cantu said. » The Apothem B u s i n e s s re v e n u e h a s i n » Louie’s creased on Tuesdays since the » FreeBirds World Burrito program began. Fite said she could tell the number of people For more information on the visiting have increased. Tuesday discounts, visit www. Tuesdays on the Corner benoucampuscorner.com. efits the shops in more than one way, Fite said. By advertising the discount in Oklahoma City, “The reason for the discount Campus Corner board members idea was to help bring in outside hope to attract business from outside the OU and Norman business as well as more student business,” Fite said. communities.
Who’s on board
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