Sept 20

THE CAMPUS

September 20, 2017 – Volume 110 Issue 57

Student senators pass budget at emergency meeting Miguel Rios

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Student Government Association budget was approved last week after a constitutional violation.

An emergency meeting was called to pass the SGA budget, which wasn’t presented to Student Senate in time.

Student Senate has until the fourth week of classes to approve the budget, according to the SGA bylaws. But the SGA president must submit the budget proposal to Student Senate within the first two weeks of the semester, according to the SGA constitution.

This didn’t happen.

“In the past, if there have been issues where people feel like the constitution was violated, then it could be members that say ‘we feel like this is a problem,’” said Lesley Black, associate dean of students and Senate adviser.

SGA President Randy Gipson-Black said he was unable to submit the $152,763 budget proposal on time because enrollment numbers from the School of Law were not finalized.

The Student Bar Association is the law school’s SGA counterpart. SGA provides them with a financial allocation based on a formula that requires the number of law student credit hours.

“They have their own registrar, so, therefore, they calculate their own numbers,” GipsonBlack said.

The wrong numbers were used last semester, causing a misallocation of funds in which SGA gave the law school an extra $1,492, Gipson-Black said.

“We have to wait on them in order to figure out their allocation correctly,” he said. “We

wanted to get the most accurate, up-to-date numbers, and they weren’t finalized.”

Since it took so long to get the final numbers from the law school, an emergency meeting had to be called to vote on the budget.

“It had to happen now,” Gipson-Black said. “It couldn’t wait longer.”

Black said the Student Activities Council asked for the budget to be approved because they need funding for their events.

SAC’s Free Movie Night is scheduled Thursday and tickets needed to be purchased.

Amending the budget A steering committee met Sept. 11 to discuss the budget.

Gipson-Black presented a breakdown of the budget before discussion and voting took place.

SBA received $29,554 for the academic year.

The SAC budget received the most cuts.

Last year, SAC had a budget of $11,500 for Homecoming.

This year’s Homecoming budget is $6,000.

SAC’s sports tailgates were implemented last year to increase attendance at sporting events.

The budget for these tailgates was cut from $4,000 to $2,000.

SAC’s union events included Stress Relief Week, Midnight Breakfast and “other.” The “other” line item was $1,000 and was cut. SAC’s discretionary budget also was lowered from $5,500 to $4,000.

The salary for Monica Hiller, SAC vice president, was lowered from $2,000 to $1,600.

The president and vice president are not taking a salary this year because they want the money to go to other areas.

Hiller said she went in with an ideal budget, which she knew would likely get cut.

“I find no harm in really

2017-18 Student Government Association Budget SGA $96,126

Student Senate Allocations $21,000 Student Senate Allotments $12,000 Student Activities Council $63,126

Young Democrats buy recycling bins for Methodist Hall

Executive Salaries $1,850

Chief Justice Secretary of Policies and Initiatives Public Relations Chief Financial Officer

$800 $350 $350 $350

Office Supplies $2,200

Printer maintenance and supplies $500 Office supplies $200 PrintStar $1,500

Special Projects $6,539 Discretionary Budgets $950 President $500 Vice President of Senate $450

Set Expenses $40,848

Student Bar Association American SGA conference Oklahoman SGA conference Reserve Summer Budget

$29,554 $300 $300 $7,638 $3,056

Miscellaneous $4,250 TOTAL $152,763 The 2017-18 SGA budget was passed Sept. 12 at an emergency meeting. The president and vice president are not taking a salary this year because they want the money to go to other areas. “Miscellaneous” is different from “special projects” because “projects need to be voted on by the executive [cabinet] in order to receive funding,” according to the budget.

laying it out there and saying ‘this exactly what I want, this is what would be absolutely ideal,’ but I also realize that’s not reality,” she said. “I expected there to be cuts on the final numbers.”

Hiller said she also didn’t account for the SBA allocation when creating the SAC budget.

“Forgetting about that is a big reason why I think it was cut so much,” she said. “I don’t think students are going to notice. I think we’re going to get really creative in our spending.”

SAC members will try to get more sponsors and donors this year to help with the cost of events, Hiller said. She also said students probably would not be affected by the SAC budget cuts.

“We’re still doing all those things that everybody comes to expect as OCU students,

“

and we’re adding a couple more things this year,” she said.

Money for later Once amendments and adjustments were made, $5,250 was left over. The “Student Senate Allocations” line item received $1,000. Senate allocations can be given to student organizations that attend Senate meetings and present a bill that requests funding.

Members agreed to create a “miscellaneous” line with the remaining $4,250. This funding can only be accessed by the president, vice president or SAC vice president. Randy Gipson-Black must give approval to withdraw the funds.

Methodist Hall residents soon will have an easy way to recycle.

Student Government Association passed the Repurposing Club’s bill to fund recycling bins last year, but the bins were not purchased until Friday.

Alumnus Ken Williams, former president of the Repurposing Club, wrote the bill, which asked for money to purchase 200 recycling bins to be placed in each Methodist Hall room. Senators approved the bill, but the former SGA president vetoed it, saying senators needed more time to discuss concerns of practicality.

The bill passed with a smaller amount of bins later by new SGA President Randy Gipson-Black and money was placed into an OrgSync account so the Repurposing Club could purchase the bins.

Williams graduated in the spring before any bins were purchased, so the money sat in the OrgSync account of an organization with no president.

SGA had two options: find new leadership for the club or allow Young Democrats to purchase the bins.

The Repurposing Club and Young Democrats were co-authors on the bill, said Austin Gipson-Black, SGA vice president and Young Democrats president.

Officials decided the Young Democrats should make the purchase. The money was transferred to their account, and the organization purchased 180 bins Friday. There’s no estimated arrival date, Austin Gipson-Black said.

“I’m very excited for OCU as a whole as we’re making a big step in the right direction toward being a more green campus,” he said.

Mary Margaret Dutcher, dance sophomore, said she is thankful that OCU is making this step.

“I’m just so grateful to the people that set this in motion because it’s definitely something that everyone on campus is excited about,” said Dutcher, a member of Repurposing Club. “It’s so beneficial to build these habits while we’re in college, and these bins will make that so easy.”

By Web Editor Nicole Waltman

Students encounter, report strangers on campus McAlyn Forbes

STAFF WRITER

Students reported some unknown people on campus earlier this month.

Daniel Etti-Williams, acting junior, said he found a homeless man outside his window performing a lewd act. EttiWilliams called OCU Police, who informed him that they had seen the man on campus before and were attempting to locate him.

Etti-Williams said, as a Methodist Hall RA, he frequently encounters homeless people on campus. He has

dealt with two homeless people in Methodist Hall this semester and one last academic year in Walker Hall.

“He was walking into girls’ dorms, just asking for an iPhone or something,” Etti-Williams said.

Students also have encountered unknown religious groups on campus.

Ben Hild, vocal performance junior, said he encountered a group of people earlier this semester who attempted to tell him about accepting Jesus to appease a jealous God. “I explained to them that the God that I believe in is pure love,

We really depend on our community of faculty and staff and students to be our eyes and ears and report to us if they see somebody that doesn’t belong or they don’t think belongs on campus.

Bradd Brown campus police chief

and jealousy simply cannot exist in the same space,” Hild said.

Any religion-related visitors on campus must seek approval through the Office of Religious Life, according to the student handbook. Other entities on

campus must go through an approval process and follow a set of rules to be allowed on campus, according to Student Publications archives.

OCUPD has a security system to help keep the campus safe.

They have a collection of video cameras, numbering about 150 between the main and law school campuses. There are two highpower cameras on top of Gold Star Memorial Building that can zoom into almost any area on campus.

Nineteen blue emergency phones also are located around both campuses for students to use in cases of immediate emergency.

Bradd Brown, chief of police, encourages students to report anybody they think should not be on campus.

“We only have a limited number of officers, and we can’t see everything,” Brown said.

Campus police is made up of three supervisors, including Brown, five officers, and three members of the telecommunications team, according to okcu.edu.

“We really depend on our community of faculty and staff and students to be our eyes and ears and report to us if they see somebody that doesn’t belong or they don’t think belongs on campus,” Brown said.

The OCUPD emergency number is 405-208-5911 and the non-emergency number is 405-208-5001.

Search committee begins process to find university president’s replacement Sage Tokach

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The presidential search committee has begun the process of selecting a new university president, who is scheduled to take office July 1.

President Robert Henry announced his retirement in a June 8 email, saying he planned to step down officially in June 2018 after his eighth year in the position. After his announcement, he took a medical leave that began Aug. 8. Henry is back in Oklahoma City and is again the university’s acting president.

Committee members had two meetings during Henry’s absence this semester, one to plan search efforts and another to interview search firms. The search firm will sort through potential candidates for a few months before providing the committee with the initial pool of candidates. The committee will interview selected candidates from that pool.

“The search firm will provide us with an undetermined number of

M MEDIAOCU.com

candidates, probably around a half-dozen,” said Ron Norick, chairman of the board of trustees.

Norick chairs the search committee, and Kelli Rhodes-Stevens, dance professor, serves as vice chairwoman. Trustees on the committee are Martha Burger, Phil G. Busey Sr., Jane Jayroe Gamble, Gary Homsey, Ann Johnstone, Bill Junk, and Bishop Jimmy Nunn.

Full-time faculty members on the committee are nursing Professor Diana Blackmon, theater Professor Jason Foreman, business Professor Meredith Wegner, and religion Professor Leslie Long.

General Counsel Casey Ross, nursing Dean Lois Salmeron and Joey Croslin, chief human resources officer, make up the rest of the committee.

Once the committee is happy with their selections, they will submit one to three candidates to the executive committee for final approval before the decision goes to the board of trustees. A candidate probably will be chosen by April 18, Norick said.

“Everything we do is confidential because our candidates are probably currently employed,” Norick said.

Successful applicants must be an age at which they can fulfill the role well. Other necessary qualities include experience in another academic position and the ability to run a large institution and fundraise, Norick said.

Students have their own requests for new presidential candidates.

“I want someone who can think in the long-term and the shortterm future,” said John Metcalf, acting sophomore.

Quinn Weedon, English senior, said she wants someone innovative and present.

“I want a new president who isn’t afraid to come talk to students and engage in their interests and concerns,” she said.

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opinion Call campus police with any potential safety concerns A stranger in Methodist Hall made some students uncomfortable at the beginning of this month. After seeing an unknown person in the hallways, a student brought up her concerns to others. They decided to alert OCU police.

The stranger was actually another student’s parent, who was bringing the student food.

It turned out to be nothing, but the students did the right thing by calling campus police.

OCUPD encourages any student to call them if they see someone on campus who they don’t think belongs. As minor as it might seem, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. No students should feel silly for calling campus police. They’re here to make sure everyone is safe.

See Page 1 for more on campus strangers.

The safest schools are typically small, private universities, according to CollegeChoice.net.

This isn’t only because of increased officer awareness, but because more students report things that deviate from normality.

Campus police escorted a man off campus who was seen performing a lewd act under the Team One Pavilion earlier this month because a student quickly reported him.

Off-campus groups or organizations are allowed on campus only if they go through an approval process and follow a set of rules.

Religious entities or solicitors must seek approval through the Office of Religious Life. Typically, they’re allowed to distribute Bibles, but must not approach or pressure any students.

Some religious solicitors were aggressive last year to the point where the Rev. Dr. Charles Neff sent out an email telling students those solicitors weren’t allowed to pressure them. He encouraged students to report any situations like that to campus police, as

Talk Back “If you could pick anyone, dead or alive, to be the next OCU president, who would it be?”

should be done in the case of any unknown individual disrupting a student’s sense of peace.

OCU is a private university and students are entitled to feel safe and comfortable. Making a phone call about a potential threat is not overreacting or being a coward. It’s smart and responsible.

Students should never feel afraid to protect themselves and their peers. Chances are, if one person feels uneasy about someone, another person probably feels the same way. Students can remain anonymous, so no one will ever know who it was that notified authorities.

It is essential that students report suspicious things for the sake of the entire campus’ safety.

The emergency number for campus police is 405-208-5911 and the non-emergency number is 405-208-5001.

“Probably Theodore Roosevelt. I like his attitude and his policies.”

“I would pick Barack Obama because he would bring some needed representation to this campus."

Coulton Parker accounting senior

Jeanene Smith biomedical science sophomore

“I'd probably go with Bill Clinton. That could be cool.”

“I would choose someone who knows the school really well, like Dean Steven Agee."

Taylor Glaspie psychology junior

Matt Landgraff economics junior

“I'd pick Abraham Lincoln because OCU could use someone who brings a lot of people together.”

“I'd like to see a Hispanic president, so Vicente Fox.”

Kayla McKenna mass communications senior

Alondra Ramirez biomedical science sophomore

Columnist questions America’s identity under Trump For those of you who are friends with me on Facebook, you may know that I tend to go a little over the edge with the political side of life.

In college, it is easy to just forget the outside world and hang out until you graduate.

The problem is that you have to graduate someday, and you’ll be taking over the world as a Generation Y. When my class graduates in 2019, President Donald Trump will be finishing his first term and continuing the reflection process-I say “continuing” because he started the day he was elected.

What has the President succeeding in doing? From a legislative standpoint, not much. But the President recently decided to end the Deferred Action for

Childhood Arrivals program (DACA).

DACA is the result of an executive memorandum signed

by President Barack Obama on June 15, 2012. It defends those from foreign countries who were brought to America before their 16th birthday. A few of these people, now aging from preteens to young adults, don’t even know they’re not citizens of the United States until it’s too late. They find out by applying for a job, the military, a driver’s license, etc. What do they do when they find out they’re not legal citizens? They can’t leave the country, because America is the only country they’ve ever known. Hence DACA. In simple terms, DACA is an exchange of rights. The Dreamers, those benefitting

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

from DACA, give all of their information to the government, including family, address and occupations. In exchange, the government gives them immunity from deportation or any other kind of discrimination.

President Trump, since 2012, has exclaimed that DACA needs to end. He said in an interview with Chuck Todd that all Dreamers must be deported.

But, in 2017, when he did end DACA, he claimed that his heart was with the Dreamers.

He declared that he will do everything he can to ensure their safety and ways of life. How did he do this? He left it up to Congress.

Now, Congress must, within a six-month time period, pass legislation that decides the fate of these Dreamers, be it deportation or continued immunity. Congress has a 16 percent approval rating in August 2017, according to a Gallup poll, and this unpopularity is because of its inability to get anything

done.

Democrats and Republicans causing gridlock is not likely to change. So, now that DACA is gone, the Dreamers have six months to figure out what to do.

Congress has yet to announce any plans.

This is important to keep an eye on. This affects all of us here at OCU. In Oklahoma alone, there are almost 7,000 Dreamers. We need to defend these people.

Of the 800,000 Dreamers across the U.S., 91 percent work.

They contribute to our economy and likely work just as hard as anyone else. Our economy is just now getting back on its feet, and the last thing we need, as students, is another hurdle to jump.

Say what you will about President Trump, but this is

the narrative that defines his administration and his role as President. This move was purely political, rolling back on Obama-era policies. This move did not and will not improve the lives of average Americans.

It hurts our economy and sends a message of instability, discrimination and lack of compassion to the rest of the world.

When 2020 comes, hopefully we will be casting our votes for the next President of the United States. You must stop and ask yourself whether this is the kind of person we want making these vital decisions. Is America a country of borders, nationalism and racial degradation? Or is America a country of dreamers, liberty for all and the American Dream?

Brigsby Bear deserves students' unadulterated attention Every person reading this article should take the next suggestion seriously.

Drop everything you are doing, buy a ticket to the movie Brigsby Bear, and avoid any plot spoilers or details possible. This review will attempt to avoid any spoiling details, but I still recommend as blind a viewing as possible.

Brigsby Bear premiered in January at Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews and hit American theaters in late July.

Directed by Dave

McCary, the movie stars an all-star cast including Mark Hamill, Claire Danes, Greg Kinnear, Matt Walsh, Michaela Watkins, and Kyle Mooney. Mooney stars as the film’s main character, “James Mitchum,” as he goes through a paradigm shift of extreme proportions.

Mooney, known mostly for his performance on Saturday Night Live since 2013, holds his own in a bold way next to his A-list Brigsby costars. Mooney’s characters in his sketch comedy are often heartbreakingly sin-

Mary McLain is a film production junior from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who loves sandwiches and social media.

cere young men who lack a certain social agility, making their on-screen interactions hilarious and difficult to watch. This unmoving ability of Mooney to stare the audience down and force them to absorb the awkward seamlessly fits into his per-

formance as James in Brigsby Bear.

In every scene of the film, the actors perfectly balance the sincerity of the characters with the humor and absurdity of the circumstances. The film focuses on a family in distress as they try

to make the right choices for their adult son, but his perspective and interests force the conversation to be consistently silly and difficult.

Every on-screen moment has an undertone of unabashed love and honesty.

By refusing to make the social interactions in Brigsby Bear any easier to watch, the film provides the audience with an exciting role as a spectator. Though the first third of the film merits mostly cringes and whimpers from the audience, as Mooney’s character grows,

so too does the sympathy of the viewer. The cringes slowly turn into smiles, which turn into laughter, which turns into tears.

Because the movie’s deepest struggle is a purely emotional journey, the viewing experience ends up being one of exhilarating catharsis without the overt feel-good tropes of most block-busting emotional modern movies.

Now get to a theater and let your eyes feast on their work of art before it’s too late.

SUNDAY The Film Institute presents: The Look of Silence free film screening at 2 p.m. in Kerr-McGee Auditorium in Meinders School of Business

TUESDAY Voter registration drive picnic from 5-8 p.m. on the quad

7-on-7 flag football at 2 p.m. on the intramural field

Men's soccer vs. St. Gregory's at 7 p.m. at Stars Field

MONDAY Evensong week ly worship service at 8 p.m. in Watson Lounge in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel

Let's Talk About it, Oklahoma Book Club: Across the Wide Missouri from 7-9 p.m. in Room 151 in Walker Center for Arts and Sciences

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 We Got Y'all student involvement discussion luncheon from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Watson Lounge in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel Gamma Phi Beta's Cane's Night from 3-10 p.m. at Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, 2036 N.W. 23rd Street Second City interview workshop for acting students from 4-5:30 p.m. in the Great Hall

in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center

Honor's Lounge in Gold Star Memorial Building

Women's soccer vs. Bethany at 5 p.m. at Stars Field

FRIDAY Peace Corps panel at noon in the Honors Hall in Gold Star Memorial Building

THURSDAY Chapel service from 1-2 p.m. in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel Free Movie night from 7-11 p.m. at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas 16, 150 E. Reno Ave. Play Club at 10:30 p.m. in the

G.O. OKCU leadership conference from 1-5 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center SATURDAY Volleyball vs. Central Christian

at 3 p.m. in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center Women's soccer vs. Kansas Wesleyan at 4 p.m. at Stars Field Men's soccer vs. Kansas Wesleyan at 6 p.m. at Stars Field Gamma Phi Beta's Building Strong Girls Philanthropy Week Moonball event from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Team One Pavilion

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

September 20, 2017, Volume 110, Number 57

Editor-in-chief: Miguel Rios Associate Editor: Sage Tokach Copy Editor: Chandler White News Editor: Zoe Travers Photo Editor: Elina Moon Community Manager: Lauren Berlingeri Web Editor: Nicole Waltman

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Staff Writers: McAlyn Forbes, Harrison Langford, Emily Wollenberg, Sophia Babb, Grace Babb Columnist: Caroline Hawthorne Photographer: Karlye Price Film Critic: Mary McLain Videographer: Emily Haan

Women's soccer vs. St. Gregory's at 5 p.m. at Stars Field

The Student Publications staff welcomes unsolicited material and let-

Ad/Marketing Director: Madison Clark Circulation Director: Brianna Demuth 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, 2017. All rights reserved.

September 20, 2017

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news

Athletic department to host golf tournament, fundraiser Zoe Travers

NEWS EDITOR

The athletic department will host a golf tournament to raise money for the upcoming season.

The 14th annual Abe Lemmons Golf Classic is scheduled for 8 a.m. Sept.

30 at the Lincoln Park Golf Course, 4001 N.E. Grand Blvd. in Oklahoma City.

T h e m o n e y f ro m t h e event will go toward athletic scholarships and facilities for the university’s 21 athletic teams.

Students can pay to create a team in the tournament.

“This is one of the main

ways the athletic department reaches out to the community,” Athletic Director Jim Abbott said.

He said the department relies on these types of fundraisers to afford competitions.

“We need more money because our budget doesn’t cover national championships,” Abbott said.

Ju n i o r g o l f e r R u p e r t Kaminski has participated in the event in years past and said he enjoyed it.

“It’s more casual than a regular golf tournament, and you can enjoy it more and relax,” he said.

Kaminski said several members of the golf team plan

It raises a lot of money for not just the golf team, but all athletics, and I think it’s a great way for us to meet people who support us.

Rupert Kaminski golf junior

to participate this year, and he said he encourages students to participate and volunteer, even if they aren’t golfers.

“It raises a lot of money for not just the golf team, but all athletics, and I think it’s a great way for us to meet

people who support us,” he said.

Kaminski said students should support athletics by participating in the event.

“It’s important so that we can go to places and compete, and it gives us an opportu-

nity to perform at our best by giving us a lot of equipment that we need,” he said.

Nathan Doll, assistant soccer coach, said he plans to put together a team of soccer alumni to compete in this year’s tournament.

“We’re not expecting to win or anything,” he said.

“We’re just trying to have some fun.”

Doll said he looks forward to the event because it’s one of the only events the athletics department hosts.

“Everyone is kind of out there for the same reason,” he said. “It’s a way to give back without just writing a check.”

Abbott said he is looking

forward to the next year of athletics. “ We w e r e g i v e n t h e Director’s Cup, which is given to the best athletic program in the country,” he said. “So that really speaks to the excellence of OCU athletics.”

Students interested in creating a team or volunteering for the golf classic may contact Abbott at (405) 2085301 or jabbott@okcu.edu.

Shelly A. Perkins

Taking a stand

has joined

Resolution Legal Group.

Students march together around the quad Thursday as a response to the recent events involving white supremacists in Charlottesville. The event, Stars Stand for Peace, orga-

Ms. Perkins practices in the areas of non-profit organizations, estate planning and general corporate and employment law.

nized by Celia Tedde, music theater/ vocal performance junior, was a way to promote love, tolerance and acceptance on campus and help students feel safer. It featured several speakers, including rabbis from local synagogues, Imam Imad Enchassi, professor of Islamic studies; Leondre Lattimore, studio art sophomore and Black Student Association president, and other students from the OCU Jewish Stars and the Wesley Center.

Elina Moon Student Publications

Athletes to undergo new drug testing procedure Sophia Babb

STAFF WRITER

Athletes will undergo a new drug testing process in accordance with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics protocol.

The NAIA wants to ensure that the health and well-being of all student athletes is on the forefront, and drug testing is one of the ways they do this, said Kelly Perry, assistant athletic director.

This is the first year the NAIA has implemented the tests. Athletes will be tested annually at the national championship tournament for any and all drugs that can alter their athletic performance, Perry said.

“If a student tests positive, they may lose a season of competition and have to sit out for a year as well. This would be the final action if a student did not have documentation or an appeal was denied,” she said.

Junior Forward Abbey

Renner said the new drug tests are both good and bad.

“It’s a bad idea because it’ll be annoying and just one more thing to do, but also a good thing because I personally don’t believe in drug use,” the women’s basketball player said.

If athletes know drug tests are coming, the tests will be preventative, Renner said.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate on the collegiate level if you’re using any kind of drug to enhance your performance,” she said.

If one of her teammates tested positive for a drug test, it would be difficult to deal with, Renner said.

“Of course I love all of my teammates and I want the best for them, but they know these drug tests are coming, and if they test positive, it’ll be by their own doing. I think they would know that they would be letting their teammates down if that happened,” she said.

Senior Midfielder Keeley Brewer said she feels similarly.

“They would be letting the team down and putting the entire season at risk. They would also be risking the reputation of the OCU athletic department, their team and themselves,” the women’s soccer player said.

Brewer was informed about the new drug test procedure in early August, and she said she doesn’t see any harm in drug testing the athletes.

Every team goes through a meeting at the beginning of the semester with Athletic Director Jim Abbott in which everyone is told the athletic department’s stance on drugs, Brewer said.

“We all sign contracts with our coaches that agree to certain rules regarding substance abuse. I don’t see a harm in testing our athletes for things we all know we shouldn’t be doing,” Brewer said.

Kickin’ it Freshman Midfielder Bailey Webb steals the ball at the women’s soccer game against Houston-Victoria on Sept. 17 at Stars Field. OCU won the game, 3-1. The next home game for the Stars is at 5 p.m. today on Stars Field against Bethany.

Elina Moon Student Publications

September 20, 2017

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a&e Out of the Box celebrates 10th anniversary Emily Wollenberg

STAFF WRITER

Out of the Box, a theater troupe produced, directed and performed entirely by students, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary.

OOTB performs more than six shows each semester and puts on various events for students throughout the year.

An artistic decade To celebrate the 10-year anniversary, Co-artistic Directors Amanda Miller, design and production junior, and Dawson MacLeod, acting junior, are planning an off-campus event for spring. It will feature actors from OCU and previous artistic directors of OOTB in a cabaret.

Miller said OOTB will cast performers for the cabaret during the spring semester’s round of auditions.

“So many people have been involved in Out of the Box, whether they were in a show,

directed a show or saw a show that changed them as an actor.

We want to celebrate the impact that we’ve had and make a commitment to students that we are going to keep doing that,” she said.

Evolving over time OOTB started as an organization of people who wanted to create their own work, Miller said. It created opportunities for movement pieces, devised works and other artistic theater outlets. Throughout the years, OOTB began producing more contemporary works in new and interesting ways, which is what the organization focuses on today.

“We have evolved over time.

Out of the Box is not a stagnant organization. Part of the philosophy is that we are always trying to explore new things to do,” MacLeod said.

OOTB is piloting a Playwright in Residence program, in which members choose one student playwright to create an original play. The development

We want to celebrate the impact that we’ve had and make a commitment to students that we are going to keep doing that.

Amanda Miller design and production’ junior

process begins at the start of each school year, leading to the play’s performance the following April.

MacLeod said they have experimented with it for the past few years, but it is now an official part of the organization.

“Out of the Box gives so many people an opportunity to do what they love. We want to continue doing that,” Miller said.

OOTB puts on many events throughout the year besides their season, including “Miscast Cabaret” and a drag show.

Accessible for all MacLeod said OOTB has never had major requirements

for any aspect of involvement.

Students from any discipline can audition for shows, submit to direct a show or be involved with the management of OOTB. “One of the most important people on our committee is not a theater major. She is an entertainment business major, and she has whipped us into shape,” MacLeod said.

Shannon McKenrick, entertainment business senior, is the social media and publicity chairwoman for OOTB. She will help plan the anniversary event.

“It’s going to be awesome. I’m so stoked,” McKenrick said.

Miller agreed with MacLeod

and said McKenrick is the best publicity person she’s ever seen.

MacLeod said one of the goals of OOTB is to be accessible to many different students on campus.

“Our outreach is a lot more than just the art people on campus. It is accessible for anyone, and I think that’s the thing I take most pride in,” MacLeod said.

Miller said OOTB works to keep the shows free.

“We love when someone brings their sorority sisters, or the soccer team comes. To be able to share theater with them is really awesome because it’s not something that everyone sees all the time,” Miller said.

Making it happen MacLeod said OOTB helped him figure out what he wants to do in his career and in his future.

“My goal is to take good ideas that other people will have and make them happen because I have the facilities to make them happen,” MacLeod said.

All OOTB costumes and set pieces are provided by the casts and crews of the shows.

“I’ve seen gorgeous shows with lamps and Christmas lights that someone brought from their dorm and chairs that we found in a basement. I feel so grateful that we get to share such interesting and creative ideas with so many people because you never know who you’re going to inspire to do what,” Miller said.

What’s next Upcoming shows for OOTB include Ride, directed by Adelaide Ross, acting junior, at 8 p.m. Oct. 1 and Shows for Days, directed by Gavin Drew, music theater sophomore, at 10:30 p.m. Oct. 6-7. All shows perform in Room 405 in the Clara E. Jones Administration Building and are free admission.

For more information, visit the OOTB Facebook page.

Elina Moon Student Publications

Oh the things you can think!

Trey Baker, music theater sophomore, and Katie McCollum, music theater freshman, communicate for the first time as “Horton” and “Jojo,” while Adam LaPorte, music theater and composition sophomore, observes as the “Cat in the Hat” in the song, “Alone in the Universe” in OCUStripped’s production of Seussical the Musical.

Above: OCUStripped’s cast of Seussical the Musical performs the opening number. Seussical, a musical based on the books of Dr. Seuss, follows the story of “Horton” the elephant, who saves the citizens of “Whoville,” who live on a speck of dust. The show had performances at 8 p.m. Sept. 15-16 in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center.

The members of OCUStripped have yet to announce the organization’s next production.

OCUpella to perform at off-campus Plaza Festival Grace Babb

STAFF WRITER

A student organization will perform at the Plaza District’s Festival, an annual celebration of local art, music and food.

OCUpella, a student a capella group, will open the festival at 11 a.m. Sept. 30 on the festival’s main stage.

Stephanie Francis, vocal music education senior, has been in OCUpella for four years and said she is happy about the opportunity.

“We were so excited to be selected and look forward to being a part of this amazing community event. I am looking forward to just walking around the Plaza District and taking full advantage of the food vendors,” Francis said.

New material will be showcased, Francis said.

“We will be performing four songs, two that we are reprising from last year and two that are new. One thing that is unique

“

about our music is that almost everything we perform is studentarranged,” she said.

Onnika Hanson, acting junior, said she loves being able to perform with the group outside of theater shows and school events.

“I’m really excited for this event because it’s a chance for us to perform for people other than students,” she said. “We get to broaden our audience, and it really is a fun experience.”

Hanson said she plans to stick around after the performance and check out the local artists.

“I love art, and I always think it’s cool when you can see singers, painters and other artists from the local area,” Hanson said.

Jacob Elliott, music theater senior, said his favorite part about being in OCUpella is the opportunity to learn and grow as an artist.

“We get to write, learn, develop music all the time, and work together to make sure we give a great performance, all without the added accompaniment,” Elliott said.

Most of the group’s performances are on school grounds, so

the upcoming event is a change to look forward to, Elliott said.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to branch out for this group and really let a larger group of people know about the amazing performance group we have at OCU,” Elliott said.

Elliott said he would love to stay and explore the festival, but he has to leave to prepare for another performance later that day.

“Being the busy, super-committed performers we are at OCU, I, along with three other members, have to go directly from the plaza performance to get ready for a performance we have later that afternoon for the Chamber Choir,” he said. “I’m sure that the remaining members of the group will stick around and have a blast at the festival.”

The stage OCUpella will perform on is located on 16th Street in the parking lot between Gatewood and Indiana avenues.

‘Sister Act’ to kick-start opera, music theater season Alison Sloan

STAFF WRITER

Students and faculty of Wanda L. Bass School of Music are preparing to produce the opening show and first mainstage of their 66th season.

Based on the 1992 film of the same name, the musical Sister Act centers around an aspiring night club singer, “Deloris Van Cartier.”

She finds herself wrapped up as a witness in a murder trial, and, after running to the police, is placed in a convent for safekeeping.

“Deloris” will be portrayed by Ashley Arnold and Ashleigh Robinson, music theater juniors. Both women said it is exciting, though overwhelming, to be the leading role.

“I feel like it hasn’t hit me yet,” Arnold said. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s still so much fun. It’s crazy.”

Robinson said the rehearsal process is challenging but rewarding.

“They really make sure we aren’t wasting any time getting into the material,” she said. “That’s hard because everyone is still trying to get into the swing of things for the semester, but you’re in rehearsal for up to 22 hours a week right off the bat. But the music in the show is all funky party music, so rehearsals are a complete blast.”

Both actresses said, even though the rehearsal process has been rushed, they haven’t procrastinated on the amount of character September 20, 2017

Our programs here at OCU are better than the stereotype that people throw at us. This musical declares diversity.

Dr. David Herendeen opera and music theater director

research that it takes to form their role.

“Deloris really does go through a journey,” Arnold said. “I try to come from the approach of wanting to pursue something so badly in your life that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to attain that dream.”

Robinson has a different point of view.

“My take on Deloris is centered around love,” she said. “At the beginning of the show, she is completely in love with herself and an idea of the life she wants. By the end of the show, she realizes that life has no meaning without others to share love with.”

Sister Act is directed by Dr. David Herendeen, director of the opera and music theater program. He said the production has an enormous amount of preparation.

“Our team actually started working on this back in April. There’s a whole lot of thoughtful coordination that’s required between the creative entities,” Herendeen said.

Herendeen also said Sister Act was chosen for a mainstage due to the diverse cast.

“We have a very diverse student performing demographic, and I’m very proud of that,” he said. “Oklahoma has a little bit of a stigma nationally, and our programs here at OCU are better than the stereotype that people throw at us. This musical declares diversity.”

Herendeen said it’s important for the student performers to understand the goal of the show.

“When we get everything done and start building the show, I remind them that they’re ultimately teaching,” he said. “I’m constantly reminding them what lesson the particular scene can teach the viewer.

Performing has always been a very powerful teaching tool.”

Sister Act will be performed at 8 p.m. Sept. 29-30 and 3 p.m.

Oct. 1 in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center.

Ticket prices range from $14 to $28. To purchase tickets, visit the ticket office in Edith Kinney Gaylord Center, call (405) 208-5227 or visit the box office tab on okcu.edu.

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