Feb 7

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THE CAMPUS “ February 8, 2017 – Volume 110 Issue 43

President vetoes dorm recycling bill, suggests smaller pilot program instead Sage Tokach ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Elina Moon Student Publications

Hit and run

Senior Hitter Branden Grieger prepares to hit the ball at the Feb. 5 baseball game against the York College Panthers. The Stars won 7-4. Bottom: Senior Left Fielder Jared Baker and Junior Catcher Joe Lytle fistbump after Lytle’s home run at the Feb. 5 baseball game. Lytle hit two homeruns during the game . The next home game is 2 p.m. Friday in Jim Wade Stadium against the Midamerica Nazarene University Pioneers.

Ken Williams, chemistry senior, started the Repurposing Club on campus to promote individual efforts to improve the environment. The club began last semester but recently presented a bill to Student Senate to kickstart their first project-recycling in dorms. The bill asked for $784. The Repurposing Club’s plan was to purchase 200 recycling bins and distribute one to each room in United Methodist Hall, putting a recycling program into effect by the end of February. “We have to change our consumeristic American lifestyle, but even small things can make a difference,” Williams said. “Recycling in your room isn’t hard, so that will be our first pilot program. Hopefully it will catch on and spread to the other dorms.” The proposition passed in Senate, but SGA President Nic Rhodes vetoed the bill Feb. 2, saying senators needed more time to discuss it to ensure SGA’s budget is spent to best benefit the student body. “The pilot program requires a volunteer base of OCU students to take the recycling out on a regular basis, and the current interest in such a task

is totally unknown,” Rhodes said. “Additionally, the only people that have approached me about the volunteer program are seniors, and, therefore, once we enter into the next school year, there is some concern that the volunteer program will dissipate and the whole effort would have been for naught.” The club’s original proposition said each room in Methodist Hall would receive a bin with an instructional card saying which materials are recyclable and which days they should put their bin outside for pickup. Williams or another member of the club would pick up all of the recycling once a week and dump it in the campus recycling dumpster behind the Caf. “Facilities already said they are willing to get another recycling dumpster if we collect too much for one,” Williams said. “They are willing to help but don’t have enough manpower to pick up recycling separately from trash. This process has to be student-driven.” Rhodes said he suggested a smaller pilot program as an alternative plan to the senators. He wants to test the idea on one floor of Methodist Hall, using a smaller percentage of the budget. “This will allow the Repurposing Club the opportunity

We need everyone, no matter where they fall on the political divide, to come together and address this issue. Recycling bins make it easier for students to do their part at OCU. Paige Konger acting senior

to put together a report of the program and request funding, should it be successful, later in the semester,” Rhodes said. The recycling bins are a great idea, and they need to happen now, said Paige Konger, acting senior. “The natural world is struggling at our hands,” she said. “We need everyone, no matter where they fall on the political divide, to come together and address this issue. Recycling bins make it easier for students to do their part at OCU.” Some students are already reacting to Rhodes’s veto. Arrash Allahyar, cell and molecular biology senior, sent an email to all students in the Honors Program, asking them to email student senators about the veto. He also encouraged students to attend the next Senate meeting at 5:45 p.m. today in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. They hope that, with enough support for the bill, the veto will

be overridden. Senate can accept the veto or override it to pass the bill with 2/3 of the votes from senators. Last October, WalletHub compared America’s 100 largest cities based on 20 “green” indicators. Oklahoma City ranked 99th on the list, according to their results. Williams said he hopes the club’s efforts will help make people more aware of the issue. “Oklahoma City has a bad recycling problem, and it’s so sad that we don’t do more when we have access to the same technology as greener cities,” Williams said. “As a global community, we live at 1.6 times the rate of natural resources. The population won’t drop, so we need to change the way people are living.” Any student can join the Repurposing Club by joining their Facebook group, OCU Repurposing Club.

SGA approves semester budget, plans events for spring Zoe Travers NEWS EDITOR

Student Government Association approved their semester budget during the first meeting of the semester. The budget is $89,860. The Spring 2016 budget was $74,775. The organization receives roughly $165,000 from student fees at the start of the academic year. SAC is in charge of most of the semester’s events, including sport tailgates, which begin a few hours before the games and include food provided by Sodexo dining services. The basketball tailgate was Feb. 4 in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. The softball tailgate will be at 4 p.m April 11

in Ann Lacy Stadium. Stress Relief Week will be March 6-10 and will conclude with Midnight Breakfast from 10 p.m. to midnight March 10 in the Caf in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. Two Free Movie Nights are scheduled this semester. They are 7-11 p.m. Feb. 23 and March 30. at Harkins Bricktown Cinema, 150 E. Reno Ave. Kyla Bruegel, film production sophomore, said she’s excited for Free Movie Nights to continue through the spring semester. “I heard rumors they weren’t going to do Free Movie Nights anymore, which made me upset.” Bruegel said. Nic Rhodes, economics/ finance senior and SGA president, said the budget hasn’t changed

much from previous years except that more money has gone into funding the Big Event, which will be from 7-11 p.m. April 20 at Frontier City, 11501 N. I-35 Service Road. “We’ve done it at Frontier City before, and it’s been super successful,” Rhodes said. “We’re excited to be back again. It should be a great event for us.” Rhodes said it is important for SGA representatives to make the students feel like their hard work is paying off, which is why more funding is being put toward the Big Event. “Students really get to enjoy the fruits of their labor, and so does SGA,” Rhodes said. Big Event has been at Riversport Adventures and Bricktown in the past and is a way for students

to get away from schoolwork. SGA also set aside $300 for repairs to the pool table in Alvin’s Cafe and $400 for microphones in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. Rhodes said it is SGA’s responsibility to fix things for students. “We want to create the best environment through our Student Activities Council,” Rhodes said. Greg Kersgieter, associate director of athletics, approached SGA and asked them to set aside money for microphones since several SGA events take place in Freede, and it’s important that the microphones be of good quality, Rhodes said.

Elias Dominguez Student Publications SGA approved their semester budget at the first Senate meeting of the year. Nearly half of the funds are going to the Student Activities Council, which plans events for students. SAC announced this year’s Big Event will be from 7-11 p.m. April 20 at Frontier City, 11501 N. I-35 Service Road.

House of Atreus causes scheduling issues for cast members Zoe Travers NEWS EDITOR

Students have voiced concerns about scheduling conflicts surrounding the upcoming play House of Atreus. These conflicts mainly stem from the difficulties of having a show with a large cast, spread-out rehearsals and a guest director with a busy schedule. House of Atreus was written by Lance Marsh, professor of acting and head of performance, who condensed four two-hour-long Greek plays and separated those plays into two parts. The original plays follow the “blood curse” put on “Agamemnon” and his children “Electra,” “Iphigenia” and “Orestes.” The two parts are handled by different directors. Part One is directed by world-renowned director Leslie Swackhamer, and Part Two is directed by Marsh. Swackhamer worked with the cast for five days before she had to leave to direct a production of Madama Butterfly. The cast will begin rehearsals when Swackhamer returns in February. Until then, actors were asked to memorize their lines, and stage managers are working on paperwork. Onnika Hanson, acting sophomore and assistant stage manager for the show, said she’s not able to audition for other shows this

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semester because of the time commitment of House of Atreus. Although Hanson needs assistant stage management credit for her stage management minor, she is now unable to find a way to have acting experience during this semester. “It’s kind of annoying because I’m an acting major and not a stage management major,” Hanson said. Each play is set in a different time period, everywhere from the turn of the century to present day. “It’s really cool to go through the different time periods,” Hanson said. “At one point, the Greek Gods come back, and there’s a traditional Greek chorus with ‘Apollo’ and ‘Athena,’ which is so cool.” Luke Eddy, instructor of movement and stage combat and movement director for House of Atreus said he is thankful for the spread-out rehearsals because it gives him an opportunity to work on some of the larger technical aspects of the show like the Greek chorus. “We’re sort of on hiatus right now,” Eddy said. “But I’m focused on making sure the physicalities are appropriate before we get into rehearsals.” Because the story was condensed to fit into two parts, the chorus serves as a way to fill the spaces between plot points. “The Greek chorus is a group of individuals who don’t have a name and are meant to represent the common man,” Eddy said. “They are the lens through which the audience sees the story.”

Eddy said Swackhamer is using the “Viewpoints” method of directing, which deals with movement improvisation, as well as the “Suzuki” method, which draws from martial arts and works to strengthen actors’ cores. Eddy said this production is going to be unlike anything anyone’s seen before because it involves such a huge cast and spans over several time periods. “I think the performance is really going to be a huge flagship of a production,” he said. As frustrated as students are in dealing with scheduling conflicts, many students are excited to see how Marsh’s adaptation will translate on stage. “I think it’s cool how one of our professors wrote his own show, and we’re doing new work instead of just repeating things we’ve already done,” Hanson said. House of Atreus will run 8 p.m March 30 - April 1 and then again April 6 - 8 in Burg Theater in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. Matinee showings will be at 2 p.m. April 1 - 2 and April 8 - 9. Marsh was unavailable Monday for comment.

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