Nov. 14

THE“CAMPUS

November 14, 2018 – Volume 112 Issue 11

Student Senate discusses, passes bill via email Nicole Waltman

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Some student senators are upset after they say student money was given to an organization in private.

Student Senate voted Nov. 6 to award $1,500 to the Ethics Debate Team, but the vote was taken via email without the student body’s knowledge.

The Student Government Association Constitution requires meetings to be open to members of the university community.

One of the reasons for open meetings is to allow OCU community members to address the governing body, according to the constitution.

Austin Gipson-Black, SGA vice president, called Nov. 4 for the email vote because the Ethics Debate Team submitted the bill after the regular meeting deadline. He wrote that the bill needed to be heard, discussed and voted on via email because of the team’s timeline. A committee amended the bill from $2,071 to $1,500 before the email vote was requested.

Student Senate must receive funding requests by 5 p.m.

Sunday the week of a Senate meeting. The bill was submitted late, meaning the Ethics Debate Team’s request for funds wouldn’t be heard until it was too late for them to attend their conference, Gipson-Black said.

Sen. Joe Wathika (International Students), who is also a member of the Ethics Debate Team, submitted the request.

“I will abstain from casting a vote. As I mentioned this is not a reflection of the Ethics Debate Team but instead a mistake on my part. I take full responsibility and extend my apologies to all for the inconvenience,” Wathika wrote in the email chain.

Gipson-Black is not required to notify SGA President Jordan

Its lack of being public was definitely not ideal. I don't think it was the most transparent way to go because students couldn't come.

Jordan Tarter SGA president

Tarter of virtual meetings or their contents, Tarter said.

“I’ve thought on this a lot,” Tarter said. “If I were VP, I would not have thought to call a meeting this way. However, Austin did his job and brought money to a student organization.”

Tarter said she approved the bill and was happy to see SGA serve a student organization. Transparency was a primary platform in Tarter’s presidential campaign.

“Its lack of being public was definitely not ideal,” Tarter said.

“I don’t think it was the most transparent way to go because students couldn’t come.”

Gipson-Black said there is nothing within the constitution, standing rules or bylaws that prohibits the use of virtual meetings, but he does think it was bad for transparency.

“Transparency is one of the most important aspects when it comes to student funds and relationships with administration,” Gipson-Black said. “I messed up on that.”

Gipson-Black also said he’s experienced full virtual meetings during his time in SGA. “I don’t regret conducting the virtual meeting,” Gipson-Black

“

said. “But, if I could go back, I would’ve CC’d MediaOCU in the email chain.”

Some senators did not agree with the way the virtual meeting was conducted and said it bordered unconstitutionality regarding open meetings.

For a governing body to be transparent, open and accountable to those it serves, all meetings must be public, and all votes must be cast in public, according to the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act. While OCU is a private university and officials are not required to follow the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act, SGA’s Constitution requires the student body’s presence at meetings because SGA is the governing voice of the student body, are elected by students and have control of student funding.

“My main issue was just the fact that it was only senators and our adviser,” Sen. Trae Trousdale (Greek) said. “The intent was not wrong at all. I completely agree with Vice President Gipson-Black in that the organization needed the funds. I just disagreed with who was included on the email.”

Trousdale also said he wishes Student Publications would’ve been CC’d on the email chain to hold SGA accountable.

“Transparency, in theory, is a great thing to run on. In practice, it gets a little muggy,” Trousdale said. “I do feel that if that’s something that’s promised by the executive of the organization, then the entire organization must follow suit.”

Trousdale voted for the bill.

“We run a dangerous risk of setting a precedent,” he said.

“Now we have to be open to any organization that submits a bill late because of this situation.”

Hope Melton Student Publications

Celebrating a milestone

Left: Juliana Wahnee, exercise science freshman representing the Cherokee Nation, performs during the 50th anniversary celebration of Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel at 1 p.m. Nov. 8 in the chapel. Wahnee danced to The Lord’s Prayer by Tamela Mann.

Top: Dr. Amy Oden, religion professor at Saint Paul School of Theology, gave the message at the chapel anniversary service. Ad Astra choir, Spirit of Grace Liturgical Dancers and the OCU Symphony Orchestra also performed.

President Burger reflects on first semester in office Nicole Waltman

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

After having served as university president for her first semester, Martha Burger remains focused on the goals she set when elected.

Burger took office July 1 as the 18th university president and the first female in the office. She was inaugurated Nov. 1.

Burger is close to completing her first semester as president and recently celebrated 100 days in office.

Burger said she tries to do her best for the university in fundraising and making OCU more of a name within the community. She also said her struggle to balance time spent with students, fundraising and having a personal life has been the biggest challenge so far.

Becoming president The formal inauguration ceremony Nov. 1 was followed by a dinner and music on the quad for the campus community.

Almost 400 students attended the dinner, Burger said.

“It went great,” Burger said. “It exceeded my expectations, and it was a great, fun event.

In her inaugural speech, Burger spoke about OCU staying relevant and being attainable for more students.

“I envision an OCU available to all students who are willing to work hard,” she said.

She said she will strive to improve wages for faculty and staff. To do that, she will continue her work with fundraising and community outreach to bring in revenue for the university.

“It is important to compensate people for the work they do,” she said.

Burger said she has a positive outlook for OCU. “The future for OCU is as bright as the brightest star,” she said.

Burger said the music at the event was a positive experience for all.

M MEDIAOCU.com

The future for OCU is as bright as the brighest star.

Martha Burger president

“The music was unbelievably wonderful. There was not a dry eye in the house,” she said.

Burger said she wanted people who knew her but didn’t know OCU to leave the inauguration ceremony knowing that OCU is “something special.”

“It was really just about the unbelievable inclusivity and diversity that we have here, and I love that,” Burger said. “It certainly wasn’t about me, it was just about everybody coming together.”

Being president Burger said the job doesn’t allow her to spend as much time with students as she would like.

“I do a lot of external things that are important and need to be done, but they’re not as fun. They’re mission-driven, but it’s not the same as being around the students,” she said.

Burger said she is proud of the cohesive campus environment she has helped build so far and the way OCU is viewed by the outside community.

“I think we’ve generated and are continuing to generate a lot of excitement and interest in OCU from the community,” Burger said.

Using her time wisely and attempting to attend everything she can while still making time for herself have been the biggest challenges, Burger said.

“I haven’t been surprised by too much,” Burger said. “I’m challenged by just fitting in all of the kind of extra things that aren’t office-related.”

Burger recently judged the Homecoming Lip Sync competition and saw the spotlight musical Little Women on campus. She said living on campus in Wilson House, the university-owned house for the president, makes it easier to attend things on campus.

But her focus has been and will continue to be fundraising, Burger said.

“We have some projects that really need to be funded, and those are exciting to work on,” Burger said.

Some of Burger’s goals revolve around dorm renovations, scholarships, online learning, and laboratory reconstruction. She said a new annual fund initiative just went out, and officials are in the process of hiring a new director of alumni relations.

“That doesn’t sound exciting to other people, but it’s what makes the wheels go ’round. We’ll all be excited with the outcome,” Burger said.

Burger said she wants to attend as many Thunder games as possible, is looking forward to enjoying the Christmas holiday and would like to have some fundraising success before the end of the year.

Natalie Gregg, English/education junior, said she appreciates that Burger is involved in the campus.

“She seems like a really excellent fit for the university,” Gregg said. “She’s got a real emotional connection to OCU.” Contributing: Associate Editor Emily Wollenberg and Web Editor Jessica Vanek.

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opinion

Transparency essential for student government Student Government Association officials promised transparency to students. Recently, this has not happened.

There have been multiple incidents of mistrust in student government recently, such as Student Activity Council’s “Night at the Plaza,” an event that had a higher turnout than expected and ran out of supplies quickly. Students later expressed their irritation with SAC on social media, saying they did not understand certain stipulations of the event, such as needing a special coupon from volunteers at the event to receive free items. SAC members tried to ease tensions, but students were less than impressed.

Another incident of this was a virtual Student Senate meeting last week. To decide on a time-sensitive bill submitted by the Ethics Debate Team, senators voted via email, giving students no way to view the proceedings.

See Page 1 for more on the bill.

While being proactive isn’t a bad thing, it is a breach of transparency to conduct a meeting without the opportunity for students to attend. When a meeting is conducted via email, the student body does not have access to any information being discussed or voted on, causing suspicion of malfeasance. Even if there weren’t any improper proceedings, it still appears shady to the general public if they are not able to see it themselves and ensure accountability.

SGA President Jordan Tarter based her presidential campaign on transparency, and this is the opposite of transparent. If SAC were more transparent about the possibility of not having enough coupons for Night at the Plaza, fewer students would’ve shown up to be disappointed. If Senate hadn’t chosen to conduct a meeting with no students present, there would be less suspicion about senators’ intentions and credibility.

Talk Back “What are you most excited about for Thanksgiving Break?”

While these representatives may have disappointed students, the student body should demonstrate a level of maturity when responding. A failure to live up to promises made to the student body should not be excused, and students need to address this issue in an effective, mature way. While ranting on Facebook may be a good way to temporarily alleviate the irritation caused by miscommunication, a better solution would be to contact officers directly and offer constructive criticism in a helpful and productive tone.

Transparency goes both ways.

Making mistakes is part of improving as an organization, but so is making up for those mistakes. If SGA and SAC want to be trusted by the people they represent, they need to deliver on promises they’ve made to their constituents.

"Seeing my dogs"

Kat Shehan design and production freshman

"Seeing my mom and dog"

"I'm excited to get my wisdom teeth out."

Emorie Masur design and production freshman

"Seeing my brother and my dogs"

Jacob Castro business sophomore

Sarah Tyree university studies freshman

"Having some time away from school before finals"

"Food, all the food"

Michael White psychology senior

Cassidy Jasperson education senior

Graduating columnist reminisces about time at university This is a column that I never realized I’d have to write. My time at OCU is coming to an end, as I’m graduating in December. While I’ve been mostly excited to be done with my undergraduate education, I am sad to leave my peers at Student Publications, and I’m sad to leave the friends and family that I’ve made the last three and a half years.

OCU is in a transition stage.

Buildings are being remodeled, majors are being changed or removed, there is a new president and a new chief of police, and a lot of faculty are transitioning. It’s a difficult time.

I’ve had many issues with this private university since stepping

foot on campus in mid-2015.

Walker Hall was difficult to live in, Gold Star Memorial Building was in bad shape and Student Government Association has been difficult to deal with.

On the flip side, I spent some of the most exciting years of my life on this campus. Everyone on OCU’s campus has their own agenda—it’s a performing arts college, and many performers tend to be internally focused— but most everyone is ready to greet you with a smile and a warm embrace.

I often joke with peers and professors about hating Oklahoma. The weather is disagreeable, the politics are complicated and the roads are treacherous. None

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

of that seems to matter when you meet the people. Oklahomans may be traditional and of a certain breed, but it’s a breed I am proud to say I was a part of for four years. While Las Vegas is a great place to be from, I’ve never met nicer folk than those I’ve met here. Oklahoma isn’t just another of the 50 states—it’s a home. And, while I miss the Las Vegas nightlife, I will miss

the day life in Oklahoma when I leave. Boomer!

Dropping out is something I know a lot of students want to do. It’s something I wanted to do many times. Now that the finish line is in sight, it’s worth it. To anyone having second thoughts about college or OCU, I encourage you to stay.

It’s tough, and it’s scary, but I’ve learned so much from working

through these times. We all make mistakes, but learning from them and moving forward is what makes graduation that much more satisfying. When the assignments pile up, the commitments seem overbearing, the friends aren’t who you thought they were, you miss your parents and your home, you don’t think the professor likes you, and the days feel longer, don’t give up.

The point of college is learning how to become independent and how to deal with the problems adult life is inevitably going to throw at you. Now is the time to laugh at those problems and show them how tough we truly are, and how prepared we are to face every difficult task with

knowledge and strength.

At this point, I’m faced with a perplexing task—figuring out what I’m going to do with my undergraduate degree. I’m also faced with setting goals for my future and discovering how I’ll achieve them. I’m thankful for the many possible futures that OCU has created. To those who helped me realize those goals, thank you. To those who tested me and made me want to quit, thank you. To those who read my columns and told me you liked them or agreed, thank you. To those who hated my columns and disagreed loudly, thank you. And, to those who made my life that much sweeter in Oklahoma City, thank you.

‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ a sufficient, slightly formulaic Queen biopic Of all the spandex-clad, long-haired and leather-sporting musical acts of the 1980s music scene, the one that has perhaps dug its nails deepest into the vinyl of history is Queen. Among the highestselling musical acts of all time, the band has sold 129.1 million records and performed for some of the largest crowds in concert history. Their name is synonymous with catchy and soulful rock-pop tunes that most people know without even being familiar with the band itself.

My generation, unfortunately, didn’t get to share the hype. For me, the 1980s is home to some of the most homogenous, overrated and

nostalgia-tinted sounds the industry has to offer, but there were always two exceptions— Michael Jackson and Queen.

Even Queen, though, was spoiled for me by the bad timing of my birth. By the time I came around in 1997, all of their best hits had been put into the meatgrinder of capitalism, stuffed into television commercials and played incessantly often on the radio. I was fed a summed-up and saturated version of Queen’s original magic, and as a result, when I hear We Will Rock You or We Are the Champions, I only hear whatever product that music is being used for.

For this reason, when I saw the trailer for the band’s first biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody,

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

my ears perked up. It felt like I might actually get to see why the world was so wild about Queen originally, and the movie more or less delivers on this promise.

With Rami Malek cast as lead singer and main subject of the film, Freddie Mercury, Bohemian Rhapsody follows Mercury from his humble beginnings with the band to their historic performance at the 1985 Live

Aid benefit concert. From the long hair and patterned spandex to the mustache and wife beater, the film covers just about every angle of the band’s metamorphosis in a musically and visually enjoyable way.

Almost all the music in the film is dubbed with Mercury’s original vocals rather than covers, which may be a turnoff to some, but, unless you can show me a perfect vocal imper-

sonator and lookalike of Freddie Mercury, I don’t have a problem with it. This approach is also a strong one because most people know a Queen song when they hear it, allowing the viewer to travel song-by-song through Queen’s career, each song an exciting overture to the next chapter of the movie’s plot.

Even with Queen, though, the formula of the biopic comes with hang-ups that no movie in the genre has been able to shake.

When it comes to the story’s debatable accuracy, the viewer is at the mercy of the filmmakers to be honest about the film’s true story. This is a difficult position when Mercury goes from rags to riches at a predictable and hurried pace, and the

actual chronology of Queen’s discography is compromised enough times to be noticeable. And, though this original music is good, it sometimes feels like an attempt to cloud some of these underlying plot weaknesses.

Does Bohemian Rhapsody match the epic heights that it could, and that are typically associated with the rock opera superstars on which it’s based?

No. But it is an enjoyable and engaging look at the band’s most famous moments, and that was enough for me. I left the theater feeling closer to Queen as a band and cultural force, and whether or not you’re a fan, you’ll probably feel the same way.

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 Moving Image Art from 5-8 p.m. in the Nona Jean Hulsey Gallery in Norick Art Center Kramer School of Nursing blood drive from noon to 5 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center THURSDAY Moving Image Art from 5-8 p.m. in the Nona Jean Hulsey Gallery in Norick Art Center

Weekly Play Club from 10:30 p.m. to midnight in basement of Gold Star Memorial Building Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon at 7:30 p.m. in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center FRIDAY Student Philanthropy meeting at noon in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center Moving Image Art from 5-8 p.m.

in the Nona Jean Hulsey Gallery in Norick Art Center

of the Lake University at 2 p.m. in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center

Women's basketball vs. Philander Smith College at 8 p.m. in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center

Volleyball vs. Wiley College at 6 p.m. in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center

Susannah from 8-10 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Susannah from 8-10 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

SATURDAY Women's basketball vs. Our Lady

SUNDAY Susannah from 3-5 p.m. in Kirk-

THE CAMPUS

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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

MONDAY Jazz Band Pre-Thanksgiving Concert from 7:30-9 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center TUESDAY Transgender Day of Remembrance from 1-2 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center

Student Government Association was incorrectly credited with funding the Cokesbury gates in Community Manager Harrison Langford’s column in the Nov. 7 issue of The Campus.

OCU facilities provided the funding.

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.

Nov. 14, 2018, Volume 112, Issue 11

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

patrick Auditorium 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.

The first issue of The Campus is free. Each additional issue costs 25 cents. Contents copyright, 2018. All rights reserved.

November 14, 2018

news Officials update BlueLink, class registration Callie Dewees

STAFF WRITER

BlueLink, the online portal for class registration and grades, is being updated with a new look and altered features.

Illucian, the server that operates BlueLink, will soon stop supporting the current version. The new site is slated to go live this weekend.

“It’s just an upgrade to the system, and there’s really not going to be that much of a difference at first,” Registrar Charlie Monnot said. “When you go into BlueLink, you have all the channels and the tabs—that all is going away, and it’s just going to be the student information portal. It’s just a landing page, but it’s going to encompass everything, which I think will be very helpful.”

The link to the website will still be bluelink.okcu.edu. The website will open to a home page where announcements such as school closings from inclement weather will be, and it will have links to the OCU website, students’ OCU email, SharePoint, D2L, campus resources like the library and campus technology, and the BlueLink page, which Monnot said is the student

“

information portal known as Star Access. This page will contain the employee tab, student financial services and the student tab, which will have links to GradStar, class registration and a new section titled Banner 9.

“Banner 9 will bring up your information,” said Sophia Snider, data systems and reporting specialist for the registrar’s office. “It’ll tell you about yourself, all your addresses, and that way you can go in here and you can change it a lot easier, whether it’s your personal email or your phone number or whatever.”

Monnot said most of the functions of BlueLink should remain the same, such as timesheets for student employees, but some functions will be made more convenient, such as registering for classes. Monnot said it will be similar to a shopping cart in that students will be able to select multiple subjects from a drop-down menu and will be shown every class from those subjects. Students then will be able to select individual classes from the list without having to enter a CRN number, as well as add multiple classes at one time without having to go back or resubmit the form. They then will be able to register for all of those classes at once while viewing their weekly schedule.

“I hate registering for classes, it’s so complicated,” said Hailey Doyle, psychology sophomore. “I’m a huge fan of drop-down boxes. It makes things really easy when you don’t have to scan the whole page for what you’re looking for, and it takes you directly to what you want.”

Doyle is also a website designer. She said a website should be clear and easy and not contain a lot of jumbled text, which can make finding specific things difficult. She said these are all problems with the current BlueLink site, along with links that don’t work, site errors and a lack of clear instructions that make it overwhelming.

But Doyle said what she has seen of the new site looks stronger.

“The first page looks exactly like what I would design a website to be,” Doyle said.

Snider said they want feedback from the students to be able to improve the site. Any suggestions may be emailed to her at ssnider@okcu.edu or to registrar@okcu.edu.

Students express opinions about dance school injury policy Dru Norton

STAFF WRITER

Some dance students have been affected by a policy prohibiting them from dancing with an injury.

The policy reads that, in the case of an injury, the dean of Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment requires that a student be examined by a physician and be cleared before resuming participation in dance classes and activities.

The policy is to prevent students from acquiring a chronic injury, said Melanie Shelley, associate dean of dance.

“All of our policies that we have for our students are to ensure that they are going to have a long career,” Shelley said. “It’s very common with dancers to want to dance when they’re injured, but if they don’t let it heal, a dancer can have something that goes from an acute injury, which is a short-lived injury, to a chronic injury, which is a long-term problem.”

Shelley said some students don’t understand at the time of the injury how serious it is and how it can affect their future career, but later thank dance professors for having forbidden them to dance while injured.

The policy helps dancers safely heal from injuries, said Mackenzie Jones, dance senior.

“I think it’s really helpful because dancers can get caught up in just wanting to dance, but, by forcing them to take the time off, they’re actually helping their bodies,” Jones said.

All of our policies that we have for our students are to ensure that they are going to have a long career.

Melanie Shelley associate dean Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment

Bond Bourquein, dance junior, has been unable to dance since the second week of school due to a back injury.

“When the doctor told me that I can’t dance for the rest of the semester, it broke my heart. I have danced my entire life since I was 4,” Bourquein said. “I have a love/hate relationship when it comes to this policy. I completely understand that our health is No. 1.

However, it is so hard for a dancer to be okay with not dancing.”

Jo Rowan, chairman of the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment, broke her wrist but continues to teach classes.

Rowan was unavailable last week for comment.

Shelley said students are required to follow the policy and not teachers because teachers don’t have to perform or take classes.

“Teachers can talk through the class and modify what he or she is doing,” Shelley said. “Jo is an amazing example of someone

who usually does dance full-out during class, so right now she is not dancing full-out. She is being mindful of what is happening with her wrist.”

Mia Sherlock, dance freshman, suffered a fracture and hyperextended tendon on her foot that left her in a boot and unable to dance for four weeks.

“Overall, the faculty was very understanding of my injury, and there was an overwhelming sense that they wanted to help me heal and get better,” Sherlock said. “Teachers don’t need to be in 100 percent top physical shape in order to teach, so it makes sense that they are allowed to come back at their own discretion.”

Shelley said they have taken preventive measures to help keep students safe from injury.

“We double-cast all our shows for the American Spirit Dance Company so that a student doesn’t feel like they have to dance injured. We also really stress to have students go to orthopedic doctors who deal with dancer and athlete injuries,” Shelley said.

“Everything we do in dance and entertainment is try to help students have a long and healthy career.”

Bourquein said she looks forward to being able to dance again.

“It’s a journey. I have learned to take each day as it is,” she said.

Sorority celebrates fifth birthday with Victory, grows in numbers Sarah Muscarella

STAFF WRITER

Elina Moon Student Publications

Moving on Blake Sauceda, acting junior, and Abigail Munday, acting sophomore, perform in TheatreOCU’s Stage II production of After Ashley about a boy coping with his mother’s death. Dawson MacLeod, acting senior, directed the production, which had performances Nov. 8-11 in Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music Center. The next Stage II production is Phedre and has performances Feb. 24-27.

Phi Mu celebrated its fifth anniversary as a campus sorority Nov. 9.

The sorority’s annual Victory, a celebration for new members, fell on the same date. Hosted at the Barn at the Woods in Edmond, the 1950s-themed dance celebrated the anniversary.

Twenty-eight freshmen joined this semester, giving the sorority 81 members. The chapter started out with only 13 members, so the group has grown considerably, said Emily Pereira, dance performance junior and Phi Mu president.

“In the beginning, we didn’t even have a house, and it was harder to recruit members because it was so new, and people didn’t really know much about it or our values or anything,” Pereira said. “Now I feel like we’re very good with opening up to the campus, and we have so many girls now.”

Phi Mu partners with Chil-

dren’s Miracle Hospital, an organization that raises money for children’s hospitals, and hosts several charity events every semester. Growing awareness of sorority’s philanthropy helped recruitment, Pereira said.

“Everything takes a little bit of time, but I also think that people are starting to see that our philanthropy is very important. Everybody loves kids, so that’s helped us,” she said.

Alyssa Snow, design and production freshman, said she did not consider joining a sorority until she heard about the philanthropy efforts. Snow said she appreciates Phi Mu’s dedication to their cause, which she connects with.

“Our philanthropy is really important to us. That’s kind of the time that everyone comes together,” Snow said.

Phi Mu puts a lot of effort into their service events, and their devotion to their cause will only grow, Snow said.

“There’s steps being taken to make sure that the philanthropy can get bigger and better every

single year,” she said.

Phi Mu’s emphasis on inclusion sets them apart, Pereira said.

“There is a place for everybody. It wouldn’t be the same if somebody wasn’t here, so Phi Mu’s all about diversity and inclusion nationally, all over the country, and trying to spread positivity in such a not positive world,” she said.

Pereira said Phi Mu’s supportive dynamic is unlike anything she’s experienced before.

“I’ve never been a part of something where girls help each other up instead of take each other down, and every single girl in that house will help you and lift you up,” she said.

The sorority will never cease efforts to keep spreading positivity, Pereira said.

“We’ll never stop growing,” she said. “We will just keep going and empowering everybody.”

Alumna receives Oklahoma teaching award Jessica Vanek

WEB EDITOR

An OCU alumna was recently granted a teaching award.

Hailey Couch, 2013 education alumna, was given an award by the Milken Family Foundation for excellence in teaching.

The foundation has been active for 30 years. It is “the Oscars of teaching,” according to Teacher magazine.

Couch said the program is targeted toward early-career educators.

“I had no idea about this program,” Couch said. “They ended up telling me they had been watching and observing my work.”

November 14, 2018

Couch teaches kindergarten at Madison Elementary in Norman, and has been teaching there for four years. She said her nominator was anonymous.

“I just assumed it was a former employer or principal,” Couch said.

The Milken Family Foundation awards $25,000 to 40 educators worldwide. Couch is the only recipient from Oklahoma this year.

“Because I was the only one for the state, I get to go to the Oklahoma State Board meeting in December,” Couch said.

As a separate trip, the 40 award recipients will go to New Orleans for the Milken Educator Awards Forum in March.

Madeline Stevens, education senior, said she’s proud to be from the same program as

Couch.

“It’s definitely inspiring and encouraging as a future educator that good teachers really do make a difference in the education of future generations,” Stevens said.

“I’m proud to be from the same program because I know that the passion and drive I have for teaching has been fostered and supported, just as hers was, by the phenomenal professors in the department.”

Couch said she is grateful for the Milken award.

“I’m really blessed and thankful for the foundation, I hope I don’t let them down,” Couch said.

Kylie Sullivan Student Publications

You got older Kevin Howery, Deanna Cooper and Grant Wilson, acting freshmen, and Sydney Epstein, acting junior, perform in OCU Out of the Box’s production of You Got Older by Claire Barron. The show is a coming of age dark comedy about a woman who comes home to take care of her sick father. The show had performances at 8 p.m. Nov. 10-11 in Studio F in Gold Star Memorial Building. The next production will be Good Kids and will perform Dec. 1-2.

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news

Women's soccer team wins championship Paul Dower

STAFF WRITER

The women’s soccer team won its 14th regular-season championship with a 1-0 win over Southwestern Christian University on Oct. 30.

Senior Forward Natalie Eley scored the only goal of the game in the 77th minute with assists from Freshman Midfielder Madi Caputo and Senior Midfielder Sara Ricks.

The goal was Eley’s fourth of the season. It also marked Caputo’s sixth assist of the season and Ricks’ second assist of the season.

Senior Goalkeeper Kirsten Thomas had one save at the 90th minute of the game. It was her eighth shutout of the season and fourth consecutive shutout.

Thomas said she was proud of her team for winning the championship.

“It was a good experience, for sure,” Thomas said. “I think it just shows how our team is very hardworking, and we work together, and it was a good accomplishment for all

It's so amazing to see all of us come together, because we work so hard during preseason.

To finally see those results now is extremely rewarding.

Annie Bragg defensive midfielder freshman

of us, really.”

The women’s soccer team beat out Southwestern Christian University in shot advantage with 10 shots on the goal to the SCU’s nine. Freshman Center Back Chassiti Oglesby said she was grateful for the victory.

“It was a new experience, especially as a freshman and coming in not knowing what to expect, and then pulling off the conference champions is just a crazy experience to be in,” Oglesby said. “I’m very thankful and grateful to be experiencing it as a freshman.”

Freshman Defensive Midfielder Annie Bragg said it’s satisfying to see the team work together and win.

“It’s really cool because every single person on this team has done something to contribute to it, whether they think so or not,” Bragg said. “It’s so amazing to see all of us come together, because we work so hard during preseason. To finally see those results now is extremely rewarding.”

The women’s soccer team advanced to the playoffs with a 4-1 win against Mid-America Christian University on Nov. 2. They went on to play against the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Nov. 5 and lost 3-0, ending their season at 11-3-2.

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Kylie Sullivan Student Publications Junior Forward Rachel Brantley steals the ball at the women’s soccer game against Southwestern Christian University on Oct. 30 at Stars Field. OCU won 1-0. The team will play in the NAIA Championships on Nov. 26 in Alabama.

English professor retires after nearly 30 years Erik Hamilton

STAFF WRITER

Sarah Muscarella

STAFF WRITER

Dr. Abigail Keegan, English professor, is retiring after 29 years at OCU. Keegan plans to retire after the 2019 spring semester after teaching literature surveys, poetry courses and linguistics for almost three decades. Her published works include three books of poetry and a literary criticism book about Lord Byron. She also served as sponsor for Students Against Sexism in Society.

Keegan said she wants to step aside and make room for the next generation of English professors.

“There are a lot of young faculty out there who are just getting out of grad school who need jobs because there aren’t as many positions in the humanities as there used to be,” she said.

Keegan said she always dreamed of dedicating her life completely to writing and wants to continue poetry once she steps away from teaching. She is working on a poetry collection based on historical and modern female figures. Along with writing, Keegan said she looks forward to reading by the ocean.

“There are reams of things that I want to read, and I also am hoping to move somewhere closer to the sea, another thing I’ve wanted to do my whole life,” she said.

While employed at OCU, Keegan taught a fine arts course in Singapore. She said introducing her foreign students to music and visual art was extremely rewarding, as was watching the city develop.

I hope I've left a legacy behind for people to love learning, to love reading, to love talking about what they learn and what they read.

Dr. Abigail Keegan English professor

“I could introduce them to museums, and to symphonies, and to public sculpture, and to architecture in their city, and it was thrilling for them and it was just as thrilling for me,” she said. “And I also got to watch Singapore grow into this incredibly beautiful, amazing, modern city.”

In addition to teaching abroad, Keegan also worked as a publisher for students and the director of the distinguished scholarship office. In this position, she helped students apply for highly competitive national scholarships.

“That was very intensive work with individuals,” Keegan said.

“In fact, every student that I worked with said that it completely changed the way they thought about themselves as a thinker, a scholar and what they were going to do in the world.”

Keegan said she enjoys the years she’s spent at OCU because of the teaching opportunities she’s had and the close bonds formed

between her and her students.

“I have really enjoyed teaching at OCU because of the kind of variety of teaching that I have been able to do and the kind of students that I’ve had, and also the personal relationships— because it’s a small school—that I’ve been able to develop with students over the years,” Keegan said.

Keegan said she hopes her impact encourages students to be passionate about ideas, reading and discussion.

“I hope I’ve left a legacy behind for people to love learning, to love reading, to love talking about what they learn and what they read,” Keegan said.

Jordan Tarter, English senior, said Keegan’s teaching challenges students to find new perspectives and their own voice.

“She really pushes students to broaden the way we think,” Tarter said. “To include ourselves in our art, to put your journey into the things that you write about.”

Tarter said she reveres Keegan for her values, and she is confident that others share her feelings.

“She’s invaluable—a woman of high moral character and spirit that I look up to and that I know many others do as well,” she said.

University recognized as ‘military friendly’ Hope Melton

STAFF WRITER

Hope Melton Student Publications

Dribble, dribble, shoot Junior Forward Anthony Davis shoots the ball in the men’s basketball team’s Homecoming game against Manhattan Christian University on Nov. 2. OCU won 116-75. David was incorrectly identified in the Nov. 7 issue of The Campus.

OCU was recognized as a good campus for military veterans for the 10th consecutive year.

OCU was designated an official “military friendly” school for 2018-19 by Military Friendly, an organization that measures schools and employers on their commitment to the military community. This means OCU successfully met standards set by Military Friendly in six different categories, including financial aid and assistance, military student support and retention, and culture and commitment.

OCU has made the list since its creation in 2009, according to Student Publications archives.

There are about 70 veterans or active service members on campus who receive benefits.

Heidi DePuy, associate registrar and Department of Veterans Affairs certifying official, said veterans have a lot to offer to the university.

“They bring a different perspective to the classroom setting. They have some experiences and a history that the younger students don’t have, and they bring something different to the table,” DePuy said.

Student veterans at OCU are eligible for a variety of benefits, including the Yellow Ribbon Program, which works in conjunction with a veteran’s Post9/11 VA Education Benefits.

If a veteran’s cost of attendance exceeds their Post-9/11 Benefits, then Yellow Ribbon will take effect, and OCU will waive

a portion of their tuition and fees and the VA will match it.

Specific eligibility requirements for the Yellow Ribbon Program can be found at benefits.va.gov.

DePuy said nearly all Yellow Ribbon recipients have their full tuition and fees covered.

Edward Tuya, liberal studies senior, was a musician in the Marine Corps for four years and was stationed in Japan, California and Virginia, along with deployments around the Pacific.

Tuya does not participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, though he said he thinks highly of the program. He also said OCU could be better at promoting other veteran programs besides Yellow Ribbon.

“There are some vocational opportunities that the VA

offers. For instance, they will pay for any nursing students to take the actual nursing test, and I don’t think a lot of veterans realize that, and I don’t even think OCU realizes that,” Tuya said.

Tuya also said OCU could create more social opportunities for veterans on campus.

“I don’t really hear about any social groups or events around campus that cater to veterans,” he said. “It would be really cool if there was a way for older veterans to get together with younger veterans and offer advice. Things like that are really important from veterans trying to transition from military life to a college campus setting.”

Nursing students collect winter clothing for homeless population Caroline Hawthorne

STAFF WRITER

The Student Nurses Association is running a warm clothing drive for the Homeless Alliance.

The goal is to provide winter gear for the homeless population of Oklahoma City who may not possess it.

Heather Maurer, nursing graduate, is president of SNA. Maurer said the goal of SNA is to help the surrounding community.

“As an SNA officer, you want to get involved in the community in any way possible,” she said. “One of our faculty advisers found a flyer on Facebook and sent it to me. Since then, I’ve been trying to get the word out in any way possible.”

Donations will go to OKC Homeless Alliance, an organization whose goal is to end long-term homelessness in Oklahoma City.

November 14, 2018

They operate several housing programs and make it a primary goal to house veterans, families and chronically homeless people. Their shelters provide food, showers and access to healthcare.

“Here in Oklahoma City, we have a really large homeless population,” Maurer said. “I didn’t realize that until I became involved with the Homeless Alliance. This is the first semester we have been involved with them, and I’m hoping when I leave in December, we can continue this collaboration.”

Maurer said it is going well and they are forming a collaboration with a corporation off campus for help. She also plans to contact Oklahoma City media in hopes of gaining more publicity.

“We already have donations coming in,” Maurer said. “A corporation off-campus is getting involved, too, with their own little drive for us. We’re collecting anything that will keep our homeless population warm.”

Donations for coats, socks and hand warmers are being accepted. Hats, gloves and scarves also are being collected.

Elizabeth Gwartney, biomedical science freshman, said she supports this drive.

“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” she said. “I think it’s a good idea to be giving coats to people who need them.”

Collection bins are located on the second floor break room of Kramer School of Nursing East. Bins also have been added to the Dulaney-Browne Library and set out by the caf. Donations will be accepted until Dec. 10.

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