Friday, March 16, 2012

Women’s hoops to host first round of NCAA tournament (Page 5) The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916

F R I DAY, M A R C H 16 , 2 012

W W W.O U DA I LY.C O M

2 011 G OL D C ROW N F I N A L I S T

HIGHER EDUCATION

More OU freshmen staying in school University focuses on retention with advising, housing strategies CONNOR SULLIVAN Campus Reporter

University College has reached the highest retention rate for a freshman class in OU’s history.

Doug Gaffin, dean of University College, along with OU President David Boren, helped increase the college’s retention rate from 82.4 percent in fall 2008 to a record

84.9 percent in fall 2010.

The retention rate measures the percentage of first-time OU freshmen who return for their sophomore year at OU, Gaffin said.

“This high retention rate is truly a tribute to the hard work of our faculty, staff and students who give generously of their time and effort to encourage and work with students who might be at risk of leaving the University,” Boren said in an email. “It is even more admirable that such a large

amount of effort comes from volunteers, including students who reach out to help.”

Commonly, the retention rate among universities is a 0.5-percent increase every year, Gaffin said. However, while other universities have seen a decrease in retention rates recently because of the recession, OU saw a 1.8-percent increase between fall 2009 and fall 2010, Gaffin said.

University College has

90

Retention rates for entering fall classes

88

Fall 2004: 84.6% Fall 2005: 84.5% Fall 2006: 83.5%

86

Fall 2007: 83.1% Fall 2008: 82.4% Fall 2009: 83.1%

Fall 2010: 84.9%

84 82 80

2004

SEE FRESHMEN PAGE 2

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

SOURCE: OU ACADEMIC PROVOST; GRAPH BY JAMES CORLEY/THE DAILY

HOUSING & FOOD

STUDENT LIFE

Students request meal changes Group seeks new ways to spend exchange points SARAH MARTIN Campus Reporter

ERIKA PHILBRICK/THE DAILY

Katherine Leavy, pre-nursing sophomore, dances with Kyle Morse, computer science senior, Friday night in Dale Hall. The swing dance group meets at 8 p.m. every Friday to dance to old and contemporary music. The group also offers small lessons, teaching primarily swing dances, as well as a wide range of ballroom dances.

Sooners get Friday Night Fever Dance club provides students opportunity to learn ballroom dance styles on Friday nights MAYA SYKES

Life & Arts Reporter

Each Friday evening, as the remaining students scramble to get off campus to start their weekend, some students return to Dale Hall during precious Friday nights of freedom to continue their education.

This kind of learning does not involve books or papers, but rather enthusiasm to throw off any fears and throw on some dancing shoes.

Dancing in Dale brings students of any dance level together each Friday to share different kinds of dance styles.

Dancing in Dale is an unofficial student dance club that was started four years ago by

now-alumnus Matt Giuliano. dances properly.”

While they learn a variety of ballroom dance Miles said Dancing in Dale is a great way styles, from tango to the waltz, they mostly for beginners to try swing dancing or for the focus on swing dance, memmore-experienced dancers to get ber and photography junior some practice.

Christina Miles said.

There is no set dance instrucGO AND DO Swing dance was a popular tor for the club, so the students Swing dance style the 1920s, but it’s variety of rotate leaders of the two-hour combinations and styles make it session each week, she said.

WHEN: 8 p.m. Fridays perfect for dancing to contemAnother advantage to the inporary music, part of the reason dependent organization is that it WHERE: 116 Dale Hall Giuliano founded the club, Miles doesn’t cost members anything; said. students can just come and She said one of the great things about the dance, Miles said. unofficial club is the collaborative effort each Zoology senior Shaopei Zhang said the stuweek. dent collaboration is part of what makes this “There is no direct leader, and everyone can organization special. come and go as he or she pleases,” Miles said.

“Students teaching students gives the club a “Not having a structure is nice. It lets peoSEE SWING PAGE 2 ple have fun, and not worry about doing the

Students are advocating for more spending options from their meal exchange points.

Residents expressed frustration that they are not able to use all of their meal exchanges some weeks, said John Whitney, Housing Center Student Association food committee chairman.

“There is not enough availability to use their meal plan to its fullest extent,” Whitney said.

Whitney said creating more alternatives to Couch Restaurants for s p e n d i n g e xchang e cre dits will help students use their meal plans to the fullest extent.

The number of meal exchanges that go unused is low, said Charles Weaver, OU Housing and Food Services director.

“That means kids are using up all their meals,” Weaver said.

Though many students may use all their meals, Weaver said he understands extra meal exchanges often will be used all at once on a Sunday night before they are lost.

“When I look at them, they are being used, but I am sure to the individual, they are not being use by ‘me,’” Weaver said.

W h e n Hou si ng a n d Food sets the price of SEE MEALS PAGE 2

OUDaily.com See a list of times and days on-campus restaurants will be open during spring break. oudaily.com/news

EDITORIAL VOL. 97, NO. 123

© 2012 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25 cents Campus ........................

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Requested document and purpose

Nothing dampens travel plans more than a run-in with police or a morning of regret. Believe us, we know. (Page 3)

The number of messages sent between Goddard Health Center doctors and their patients using RelayHealth.com — To learn how often patients use the site to communicate with their doctors.

Non-identifying records of the number of appointments at Goddard Health Center from 2008 to present — To gauge Relay Health’s effect on appointments made with Goddard Health Center.

LIFE & ARTS

Sooners have big plans for Is “The Hunger Games” anticipation killing you? this year’s spring break Feel like vandalizing OSU next week? Some OU students do.

Find out what else people might be doing. (Life & Arts)

The Daily’s open record requests

Take the editors’ advice for a happy spring break

The life & arts desk weighs in on their hopes and concerns for the opening of the popular film adaptation. (Page 6)

CHELSEA LOTT/THE DAILY

Junior Chris Burgess pitches against Arkansas-Pine Bluff during OU’s 9-4 win March 6. The Sooners open Big 12 conference play by hosting Texas for a three-game series this weekend at L. Dale Mitchell Park. (Page 5)

Third-party comments compiled by the university for the Higher Learning Commission — To follow up on the accreditation site visit made to OU by the commission.

Date requested

Tuesday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Visit OUDaily.com/openrecords for a complete list of The Daily’s requests

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• Friday, March 16, 2012

CAMPUS

OUDaily.com ›› The Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage’s OU Undergraduate Society of Fellows is seeking applicants of every major.

Laney Ellisor, campus editor Kathleen Evans, assistant campus editor Chris Miller, assistant campus editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

SWING: Club provides fun, relaxed atmosphere Continued from page 1

TODAY AROUND CAMPUS A benefit concert for the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts featuring Broadway stars Paul Bogaev, Brent Barrett and Teri Bibb will take place at 8 p.m. in the Reynolds Performing Arts Center.

Write Club will host an open mic night from 7 to 9 p.m. at CafĂŠ Plaid. The event will feature OU poets and writers.

A lecture focusing on marriage and slavery in early Islam will be presented by Kecia Ali from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Mary Eddy and Fred Jones Auditorium.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16 A free organ recital featuring Craig Sproat will take place from 8 to 10 p.m. in Catlett Music Center’s Sharp Concert Hall.

The baseball team will compete against the Texas Longhorns at 6:30 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

SATURDAY, MARCH 17 Spring break begins.

The baseball team will compete against the Texas Longhorns at 2 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

The men’s gymnastics team will compete against Air Force and Nebraska at 7 p.m. in McCasland Field House.

SUNDAY, MARCH 18 The baseball team will play Texas at 1 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

The women’s basketball team opens its firstround play in the NCAA tournament against Michigan at 6:30 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center.

MONDAY, MARCH 26 A session for students doing research for their capstone paper will held at 8 a.m. in Bizzell Memorial Library, Room 149D. The session will focus on learning to research more efficiently.

A workshop to help students learn to use the ProQuest Statistical Insight Database will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Bizzell Memorial Library, Room 149D. The database allows individuals access to statistical information produced by U.S. federal agencies, states, private organizations and major intergovernmental organizations.

CORRECTIONS The Oklahoma Daily has a commitment to serve readers with accurate coverage and analysis.

Readers should bring errors to The Daily’s attention by emailing dailynews@ou.edu.

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sense of community,� Zhang said.

The student instructors make learning the dances clear and easy to follow, and the other students constantly remind each other there was no pressure, Zhang said. The relaxed atmosphere made the meeting seem more like a great way to socialize than a lesson at a club meeting, Zhang said.

The group dances to traditional swing music one minute and to songs by pop artists, such as Lady Gaga, the next.

Me chanical engine er sophomore Nathan Shepard has been coming to the club every Friday all year, he said.

Shepard, who is no stranger to dancing, said he joined the club to continue his personal dance education. “Before coming here, I did dance at Tulsa Community College and always wanted to know more about dance,�

Shepard said.

Currently, they are working on mastering two different types of swing: West Coast and East Coast. The basic West Coast swing — a favorite of many of the students — consists of a six-

ERIKA PHILBRICK/THE DAILY

Hannah Joy Cooney, business senior, runs through a new step with another student Friday in Dale Hall.

Cooney and other students meet every Friday night in Dale Hall to learn and practice ballroom dances, including East and West Coast styles of swing dance.

count, and as it gets more advanced it moves to an eight-count, Miles said. It is a smooth dance that mostly moves back and forth, whereas the East Coast

swing has a faster pace and looks more like it could be seen at a 1950s sock hop.

University College freshman Nate Zachary said he looks forward to the dance

club every Friday night. The only thing missing from the club is more attendance by men, he said.

MEALS: Extended food service hours proposed Continued from page 1 meals, it takes into account the missed meal factor, and meals are discounted according to their predictions of how many meals will be missed, Weaver said.

Meals are discounted from the $11 cash value by as much as 50 percent for students with 12 meal exchanges a week or 7 percent for students with six

meal exchanges per week, according to Housing and Food documents.

Students also felt they were having to waste meal exchanges during shorter weeks, like move-in week, or during weeks when there are not classes, like spring break and Thanksgiving break, Whitney said.

While not as many meals are used those weeks, Weaver said it is important that those services are

available, which everyone pays to be available. “It’s kind of like cable; you won’t watch all the channels, but you pay one low price and you get 200 channels,� Weaver said.

Weaver said he, along with Dave Annis — Housing and Food director — will look into more ways for students to use meal exchanges during their regular planning for fall meal plans.

Housing and Food

considers its financial limits when creating options for exchanges and operating hours for meals plans, Weaver said. “You have a limited budget and a market basket of services, and they have to balance,� Weaver said.

Extending operating hours of food service on the south side of campus is one change that will be financially possible and is proposed for next fall, he said.

FRESHMEN: Out-of-state students paired in halls Continued from page 1 developed several programs to help increase the retention rate, he said. “We are doing all kinds of things all over campus, to help with the retention rate,� Gaffin said.

Gaffin said he credits Action Tutoring, one-onone advising, graduation coaching and different housing arrangements for helping students stay at OU. University College helped Housing and Food Services change how freshman dorms are assigned, Gaffin said.

Instead of exclusively placing Oklahoma students with out-of-state residents,

“President (David) Boren is a real tiger when it comes to raising scholarships for students.�

DOUG GAFFIN, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DEAN

coordinators started to place more out-of-state residents with one another or on similar floors. “ We e ke n d s p re s e nt a special challenge since students whose hometowns are within close proximity to Norman sometimes choose to leave campus for the weekend,� said Amy Buchanan, Housing and Food spokeswoman.

However, to preserve diversity, coordinators do not put more than 60 percent of out-of-state students together, Buchanan said.

Housing and Food also s t a r t e d ke e p i n g C o u c h Restaurants open on weeke n d s a n d h av i n g m o re weekend events, she said.

For classes, OU focuses on one-on-one advising, Gaffin said.

Other universities have group advising or student advisers instead.

Boren also created the Sooner Heritage scholarship, geared to help students have money to finish school at OU. “President Boren is a real tiger when it comes to raising scholarships for

students,� Gaffin said.

Another factor contributing to the increased retention and graduation rates is the increased quality of students accepted to OU, Gaffin said.

Every year, OU accepts more students with higher GPAs and better ACT scores, in addition to more National Merit scholars, Gaffin said.

OU also saw an increase in the six-year graduation rate to 67.8 percent.

Boren said he wants to increase the rate to 70 percent now that retention rates have increased. “It’s a really big part of our mission to help students be successful,� Gaffin said. “We believe that you can all be successful.�

Friday, March 16, 2012 •

Reader comment on OUDaily.com ››

OPINION

“Another example of big brother playing nanny to us. our society is moving closer to a society described in an orwell or huxley novel...” (kdbp1213, RE: ‘Editorial: Prescription medication addiction a serious problem for Oklahomans’)

EDITORIAL

Don’t have a vacation nightmare When you get there

Our View: Take it from us — do spring break right.

• Watch out for your friends. You may not want In case you haven’t noticed, spring break starts to be “that guy” or “that girl,” but watch out for tomorrow. If you’re anything like us, you’ve been the people you’re traveling with. Sometimes, just dreaming about your plans for weeks. Whether a simple “Are you sure you want to do that?” can those plans entail a sunny beach or a comfortable save a friend from a bad decision, especially when spot on your couch, we’re sure you agree it’s long drinking. past time for a break.

• If you’re drinking, pace yourself. You have But before you empty your mind of absolutely seven days to enjoy the break, so slow down. everything but directions to the Gulf Coast, Spread out the fun. And make sure to eat we have some tips to help you get through real food and get some sleep in between all The Our View this vacation without any embarrassing is the majority the excitement. Your body will thank you. opinion of calls home — or a police record.

• Drink water — more than you think you The Daily’s We admit, we were reluctant to write an need. Staying hydrated will keep you ennine-member advice editorial. We knew it’d be easy to editorial board ergized, no matter what you’re doing. And regurgitate the same old tips you’ve heard if you’re drinking, drink one glass of water over and over since high school. Or, worse, for each glass of alcohol (or shot) to avoid to sound like your parents. But with a little discus- those unfortunate hangovers. sion, we’ve managed to compile some practical • Don’t be one of the top 10 drunkest people at advice you may have heard before — based on the the party. It’s not a prestigious honor, it just makes real world experiences of editorial board members. you more likely to end up talking to police.

• Leave extra items at home or in the hotel room.

Before you leave You only need some cash and the relevant IDs, so • Make sure someone knows where you’re going. clean out that wallet or purse. Keep cash with you, Give your itinerary to a friend not going with you so but not too much. Guys, carry your wallet in your someone knows where you will be and when. front pocket. Ladies, try not to carry a purse. But if • Call your bank. Let them know where you’ll be you do, carry it with the strap over your shoulder so your charges won’t be flagged as suspicious. and keep it in front of you when you walk. Never • Ask someone to pick up your mail. Piling mail is take it into a club or bar. practically a sign screaming, “Please come rob me!”

• Don’t come home a sex offender. Urinating in • Make photocopies of your passport. If you’re public or revealing yourself might seem funny at going out of the country, make multiple copies. the time. But the police won’t think so.

Keep one set in your bag, one set in the car and one • Use a condom. Sexually transmitted diseases set in your purse or wallet. and pregnancies happen in South Padre too. But • If you’re not traveling, enjoy the quiet campus. condoms don’t protect against all STDs, so choose Check out places you’ve never been. Go to places your experiences (or partners) wisely. that are normally packed, and enjoy having the • Don’t end up alone with a stranger. That man place to yourself. or woman from the bar may seem like your new best friend, but if you just met him or her, you don’t On the road really know him or her. Bringing someone back • Be prepared. Always have a flashlight and duct to your room or going somewhere alone is a huge tape in your car. Bring sunscreen, especially to des- risk. Make the decision to stay with your friends tinations with snow. And bring a map for the region now so you’ll stick to it when you start drinking. you’re visiting — you never know when GPS will fail.

• Call your parents. It might be the last thing on • Don’t drive too long. If you’re on a road trip, your mind, but just let them know you haven’t beshare the driving responsibilities. Use short shifts come one of those horror stories they hear about to keep yourself fresh. And be willing to pull over if on the news. Feel free to leave out the details. your eyes start to droop. It isn’t a weakness to need a break; it’s just smart.

And when it’s all over and you’re heading back, • Don’t travel with illicit substances. It’s just a bad give yourself time to recover. We hate to have to idea, and the penalties for getting caught are steep. remind you, but you will actually need to be back At some point, you will get off the main interstates in class Monday morning. Driving 14 hours on onto state highways, where police officers are just Sunday won’t make that any easier. waiting to catch spring break travelers in speed So go out, have fun, come back in time to be traps. human again Monday and don’t become that story • Know your rights. If you are pulled over, you they will still be telling at your 10-year reunion. don’t have to let the police search your car without probable cause. When in doubt, don’t confess to Comment on this at OUDaily.com anything. You do have the right to remain silent.

COLUMN

GOP has the wrong candidate to win

S

uper Tuesday might OPINION COLUMNIST have been a surprise for many, but it was not to me.

It came as no surprise how well Rick Santorum did — many believe he “speaks the language” of the Republican party better Jennifer Camacho than Mitt Romney, who has jcamacho52292@gmail.com been accused of being too moderate or flip-flopping on issues.

Romney has been labeled the front runner for quite some time, but Santorum came out of nowhere.

Santorum’s plan was always to wait around until the truth came out about Newt Gingrich. Santorum felt that if he waited, the American public would recognize him as the best option, as his record reflects him as a constant strong conservative.

Although Romney is ahead in delegates, with 498 to Santorum’s 239, this does not reflect badly on Santorum.

If anything, it shows he is able to gain momentum quickly, and the Republican party will follow.

After Super Tuesday, Santorum urged Gingrich to step down and allow for a two man race. If this happens, Santorum might gain the nomination. He seems to be doing better in southern states — an area where Romney tends to have some trouble.

This is evident in the Super Tuesday results, where Santorum won Tennessee and Oklahoma. Although Romney won more states, none were Southern states.

This could be a hurdle Romney will not be able to jump.

But even if Romney is able to succeed, he will not be able to succeed when confronting President Barack Obama.

Northern states will give their vote to Obama, so Romney’s strongest support today will not carry through the general election.

The reality is the Republican party is not necessarily the wrong party, but it does have the wrong candidates to have any chance of beating Obama.

Romney has a better chance than Santorum, as his views might gain some moderates who are unhappy with Obama. Even then, the Obama administration will posses a lot of ammunition from the comments Romney has made during the primaries.

Comments about being unemployed, remembering baseball games as a kid sitting in box seats and many more reflect that Romney is out of touch with the daily struggles of the American people.

If Santorum gains the nomination, I believe Obama will win by a landslide. Santorum stands strong to his convictions, but it will not be beneficial. His comments are offensive to voters who are not strong conservatives like himself.

I would like to see Romney win the nomination as it would show America that even a moderately conservative candidate can gain a nomination. This could be a strong stepping stone for the political community.

The only problem is that Romney will more than likely try to fix himself to fit a mold of what the Republican party wants.

Jennifer Camacho is a political science and journalism sophomore.

Mary Stanfield, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

?

» Poll question of the day Are you traveling outside Oklahoma during your time off for spring break?

To cast your vote, log on to COLUMN

Gore preaches climatology in whole new way

L

ast week, former OPINION COLUMNIST vice president and climate activist Al Gore made the startling announcement that he would be putting all his efforts into the formation of a new religion he is calling the Church of Mark Brockway Climatology. mark.d.brockway@ou.edu This revelation came after Gore, while driving his Prius, was visited by two deep-sea creatures named Campbell and Winter. After this visit, Gore saw the futility of his current efforts to convince the population of climate change through science, and decided to devote his efforts to the support of his new spiritual oceanic advisers.

In the press conference held at the San Francisco Aquarium, Gore explained that Campbell and Winter had been driven farther and farther underwater by rising temperatures caused by global warming. Humans, said the sea creatures, had been emitting too many pollutants in the form of carbon dioxide and methane. These pollutants were becoming trapped in harmful particles called “thatens” in the atmosphere.

Thatens are the souls of all the fish that have died as a result of global warming. These lost fish souls wander around the earth, trapped by pollution. Because they cannot escape, they attach themselves to the souls of humans and have many negative impacts on the lives of humans, including suffering and sadness.

The only solution, Gore said, is to eliminate the pollutants in the atmosphere and allow the thatens to escape.

The thatens then can signal their alien sea-creature lord Unex to come and liberate humanity in his ice spaceship.

Until the earth is cooled, though, Unex’s ice ship cannot enter the atmosphere and take humanity away to a heavenly planet in the Andromeda Galaxy.

Gore did not answer any questions at the press conference, but he did expound on his views in an accompanying press kit.

The role of the newly formed church would be to take members through escalating levels of education and cleansing in order to minimize their carbon and pollution footprint and assist in releasing their thatens back through the atmosphere.

Analysis and diagnostic centers will be set up across the country to offer free thaten analysis to potential adherents.

Subjects will be placed in a bath filled with seawater and plankton. In the bath, the plankton adhere to the thatens and when the person is lifted out, the number of plankton still attached to the body will signal the number of thatens attached to the soul.

Depending on the severity of the plankton count, increasingly drastic methods of cleansing are offered at graduated prices.

On the first level, subjects must give up all their gasoline-powered vehicles.

In level two, followers must give up all electricity and plumbing, followed by the prohibition of paper products in level three.

If the committed person is lucky enough to make it through the preliminary stages, he or she may be permitted to enter the “theater of independence” in which subjects are shown how to completely eliminate all methane and carbon dioxide emissions from their body.

Many of the specific techniques remain secret, but it is believed that Gore has developed an apparatus to convert methane into breathable oxygen. The equipment attaches around the person’s waist and connects in the rear. Methane emanations are passed through a tube to a filter. The filter then connects directly to the subject’s face, allowing the individual to “breathe in” all his or her own methane emissions.

Gore researchers also have developed a special backpack with a miniature tree in it to handle carbon dioxide exhaled in the breathing process.

By wearing both the belt and backpack, a person could almost completely eliminate all of his own pollution footprint. In fact, Gore’s own Prius is currently being powered entirely by the hot air that comes out of his mouth.

Already, thousands of people around the country are leaving Starbucks and Whole Foods stores and coming to San Francisco to the religion’s headquarters.

Celebrities who have already joined the religion include Michael Moore, Susan Sarandon, Katie Holmes and all of Brad and Angelina’s adopted children.

Gore is expected to apply for tax recognition from the federal government later this year.

Mark Brockway is a political science junior.

The Oklahoma Daily is a public forum, the University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice and an entirely student-run publication.

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Our View is the voice of the Editorial Board, which consists of nine student editors. The board meets at 5 p.m. Sunday to Thursday in 160 Copeland Hall. Board meetings are open to the public.

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Columnists’ and cartoonists’ opinions are their own and not necessarily the views or opinions of The Oklahoma Daily Editorial Board.

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One free copy of The Daily is available to members of the OU community. Additional copies may be purchased for 25 cents by contacting The Daily business office at 405-325-2522.

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my friend’s got mental illness

Help Wanted ads in The Oklahoma Daily are not to separate as to gender. Advertisers may not discriminate in employment ads based on race, color, religion or gender unless such qualifying factors are essential to a given position.

All ads are subject to acceptance by The Oklahoma Daily. Ad acceptance may be re-evaluated at any time.

To a friend with mental illness, your caring and understanding greatly increases their chance of recovery. Visit whatadifference.samhsa.gov for more information.

Mental Illness – What a difference a friend makes.

Spring Specials

HOROSCOPE

By Bernice Bede Osol

Copyright 2012, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

$445 $515 $440 $510 $700

You are likely to be in a favorable growth pattern in the year ahead, not only financially but personally as well. Your gains may not come in large doses, but they will be consistent, impressive and make an imprint on your personality.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) --If you have some time to devote to a pleasurable pursuit, get out and go someplace where you can meet and mingle with new people. The change will do you good.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) --Get out and mingle while your popularity is at a high point. Even those who might have been a bit standoffish in the past will now orbit around your flame.

Previous Solution

Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard

Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- The best way to be successful is to make sure that your thinking is totally flexible, so that you’ll be able to see things in a completely new light.

Having an open mind is the key.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) --Go with the flow, even if what occurs is far afield from what you were hoping to do. New doors could be opened to you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) --A cooperative spirit will be a major asset in all your relationships and should make you a very popular person to be around. Others will do for you what you do for them.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) --Because life has been a trifle demanding of you lately, try to take a few moments to

engage in something that you really enjoy doing. The most gratifying thing you can do is to be constructive.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Social contacts can be enormously useful at this time, helping you further a special interest. Be sure to make your needs known to your friends as well as your family.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- In order to finalize a matter, you must keep uppermost in your mind what you hope to accomplish. Lock in on a target and you’ll find the results to be extremely gratifying.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) --You should take care of some old business by getting your message out on the Internet or by telephone.

Regardless of the method you use, something fortuitous is likely to come of it.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- You might find that special something you’ve wanted to purchase but always felt was too expensive at a price you’re willing to pay. Grab it: You might not get a chance like this again.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Try to avoid people who have a tendency to tie up your time. Your personal freedom and mobility will be of particular importance at this point.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Feelings of fulfillment and worth will only come from things you do for others, not from what you do for yourself. Now is the time to make good on your promises.

Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker March 16, 2012 ACROSS 1 Hurricane centers 5 Alexander the Great conquered it 11 Pronounce 14 Barrel’s inside diameter 15 Credit and student, e.g.

16 “Honest� president 17 Mount Sinai phenomenon 19 Make into leather 20 Admission requirements, perhaps 21 Do doer 23 Carefree walk 26 Act as a prompter in the theater 28 Type of rug 29 Door-to-door person 31 Entrance halls 33 Amateurs might turn this 34 Accomplish 36 Evidence of a forest fire 41 What snake oil is, supposedly 42 “I don’t get it�

44 Begin liking 47 Retiring place 50 On the ocean 51 Recipe instruction 52 Badtempered woman 53 Letter-writing guide 56 NASA’s Grissom

3/16

57 1 of 100 in D.C. 58 Frosted Lenten pastry 64 “... ___ he drove out of sight ...�

65 Area code 801 resident 66 Attain also-ran status 67 ’60s counterculture hallucinogen 68 Corps member 69 “Good grief!�

DOWN 1 Decline gradually, as a tide 2 “I kid ___ not�

3 Act proverbially human 4 Deteriorating from old age 5 Plays on words 6 Chang’s Siamese twin 7 “Spare� thing at a barbecue 8 AA candidate 9 “Meet Me ___ Louis�

10 Colorless of cheek 11 Sarcastic literature 12 Degrading sort 13 They mind your own business 18 “Beware the ___ of March!�

22 Cake part 23 Adder relative 24 “The War of

the Worlds� planet 25 Alliance of countries 26 Hidden hoard 27 Falling on deaf ears 30 Computer program shortcut 31 Isn’t insensitive 32 Eggs, to a biologist 35 Kept the engine running 37 “... sailed the ___ blue�

38 Boring daily routine 39 Norse god of thunder 40 A dromedary has one 43 “Now, wait just a second!�

44 Dangling ornament 45 Daisylike

flowers 46 Made loud wailing sounds 48 Conclusion starter 49 Big inconvenience 51 “I do� location 54 Fish bait or pal 55 Extremely small amount 56 “... no man has ___ before�

59 ___-town (the Windy City) 60 Wasn’t colorfast 61 Cranberry patch 62 Red, white and blue letters 63 Flanders character in “The Simpsons�

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

3/15

Š 2012 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

FIRE AWAY By Troy Benning

Friday, March 16, 2012 •

SPORTS

OUDaily.com ›› With the indoor season now completed, the OU track and field team turns its attention to the outdoor season, hopes to build off recent success.

Greg Fewell, sports editor Kedric Kitchens, assistant sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

Women’s Golf

Golfer, OU climbing up rankings Oklahoma sophomore Chirapat Jao-Javanil (center) greets her opponent at the final hole after completing the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic on Oct. 17 at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Course.

The sophomore finished in a tie for 19th place at the event. However, since that time, she has been climbing the rankings at a steady pace. With three top-10 individual finishes now under her belt this season, Jao-Javanil currently is ranked as the 71st player in the country by Golfstat.com.

The Sooners also are climbing the leaderboard as a team, currently ranked No. 30.

Sooner puts in hard work to help lead team to nationals Kristen Smith Sports Reporter

The Sooners are nowhere near the top-25 in collegiate women’s golf, but OU aims to prove those rankings wrong by slowly climbing to the top after two tournaments so far this season.

At the beginning of this season, the team was not on the national rankings radar, and few people thought the Sooners would ever be ranked at the conclusion of the season, either.

However, the team has made strides in working its way up and is ranked 30th in the nation, according to Golfweek.com.

“It feels good to be ranked,” coach Veronique Drouin said. “The girls work hard, and I’m glad to see all their hard work pay off.”

The team’s recent success began at practice, well before the tournament season starts. Drouin had the Sooners hone in on their short game to get as close to the pin as possible.

“Most of our practices are focused on the short game,” Drouin said. “We pick certain shots, and we focus from 100 yards in.”

With all the practice the team puts in, Oklahoma has been climbing the national leaderboard. However, with its new predominant ranking, OU faces some pretty powerful teams when they tee up at tournaments.

“Any of the top-five teams in the country are tough to play,” sophomore Chirapat Jao-Javanil said. “UCLA, USC and other top teams are really good.”

OU has not just been

melodie lettkeman/the daily

UP NEXT Clover Cup When: Friday through Sunday Where: Mesa, Ariz.

For a tournament preview, visit oudaily.com/sports

competing against those top teams, though.

In its most recent tournament, the Central District Invitational in Parrish, Fla., the team beat several of the nation’s top-10 on the way to a second-place finish.

That success was largely due to the stellar play of JaoJavanil, who recorded her third top-10 finish to earn Golfweek’s Player of the

Week honors. Because of her recent success, she is ranked as the No. 71 player in the nation by Golfstat.com.

Jao-Javanil, or “Ja” as her friends call her, has had plenty of run-ins with the nation’s top competition this year.

“Ja is great from tee t o g r e e n ,” Drouin said.

“She is a great asset to the team and is very fun to Chirapat watch.”

Even with Jao-Javanil her renowned success this year, Drouin said Jao-Javanil remains humble. The hard work she

puts in undoubtedly is paying off.

However, Jao-Javanil said she is her own biggest critic.

“Mentally, I’m my biggest competition,” Jao-Javanil said. “I think physical skills are easier to acquire with hard work, but mentally, it takes longer.”

In mastering both mental and physical skills, JaoJavanil and her teammates have climbed their way to the top of the golf rankings and are on track to possibly qualify for nationals if they keep playing like they have thus far.

Drouin said she can’t remember the last time an Oklahoma golf team went to nationals.

PLAYER PROFILE Jao-Javanil Year: Sophomore Hometown: Hua-Hin, Thailand Records at OU: • Lowest 18-hole score: 68 • Lowest 54-hole score: 212 • Top-10 finishes: nine • Top-20 finishes: 14 • Best finish: 1st place

So this year, with the team’s overall potential very high, reaching that level is the team’s ultimate goal.

“We would love to qualify to go to nationals,” JaoJavanil said. “Finishing in the top three at regionals and the top five at nationals would be awesome.”

Women’s Basketball

Sooners host Michigan for NCAA tournament UP NEXT vs. Michigan

2 other teams will compete at LNC

When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday

Kedric Kitchens

Assistant Sports Editor

Where: Lloyd Noble Center

The OU women’s basketball team enters the NCAA tournament for the 13th year in a row when it hosts the Michigan Wolverines at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Lloyd Noble Center.

The 20-12 Sooners earned a No. 6 seed in the tournament and will take on the No. 11 seed Wolverines.

Despite having homecourt advantage, Sooner coach Sherri Coale said her squad will not overlook a scary Michigan team.

“They play really, really hard,” Coale said. “The thing that I see in them is that this is really important to them.

They’re very, very excited about this; they’re hungry, they’re motivated. [Teams like that] are very dangerous teams.”

This is the Wolverines’ first appearance in the tournament since the 2001 season. On the other side of the coin, the Sooners have a program legacy to call on for confidence.

“Our guys are young, and yet, they come in with the tradition of ‘This is our 13th

and 4.7 rebounds. Sheffer and the other Wolverine post players will match up with the Sooners’ bigs — sophomore center Nicole Griffin and freshman forward Kaylon Williams.

Williams is the lone freshman in the Sooners’ starting five. She, along with Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year guard Sharane Campbell, are two freshmen who get an abundance of playing time.

The pair are entering their first NCAA tournament, but Coale said she isn’t worried about them.

“With those two (Williams and Campbell), it’s one of those deals that they don’t know any better, so they’ll probably be great,” Coale said. “They’ll probably be great, I really think they will.”

Williams said she’s excited and anxious for the tournament to begin but does feel some pressure to contribute by pulling down rebounds. Although Michigan does have a tough post presence, Williams said she feels

melodie lettkeman/the daily

Freshman guard DaShawn Harden (22) drives past a Kansas defender during a March 4 contest at Lloyd Noble Center, where the Sooners will be a host for the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament.

consecutive NCAA tournament,’” Coale said.

Coale said the Sooners have to meet the Wolverines’ hunger with motivation.

“We really have to make sure we are motivated, prepared and have that intangible piece where it needs to be to match that hunger,” Coale said.

The Wolverines don’t foul and don’t give up layups, Coale said, but the guard-

5

centric Sooners don’t spend much time in the paint, instead running their offense from outside.

“That’s what we do,” Coale said. “We are guard-heavy, and we shoot from the perimeter. I don’t think not being able to get it into the lane will alarm us, but still, at the same time, we gotta make shots.”

Michigan is led by junior forward Rachel Sheffer, who averages 13.1 points per game

confident.

“I think we match up pretty good,” Williams said. “I think we should dominate them on Sunday.”

Coale said she believes the youth and naïvite can provide some energy and levity to some of her older players.

“That goofiness is kind of good; it’s kind of refreshing in a way,” Coale said. “It gives us the balance that we need.”

Lloyd Noble will host three tournament games — two Sunday and one Tuesday.

Before the Sooners face off with the Wolverines, St. John’s will play Creighton at 4 p.m. Sunday, and the winners of each will play at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.

If the Sooners win out, they will head to the Sweet 16 in Fresno, Calif., to take on the winner of the Nashville regional.

Team opens Big 12 slate OU hosts 3-game series with Texas Dillon Phillips Sports Reporter

After blowing a threerun lead in the bottom of the ninth inning to Dallas Baptist on Tuesday, the Sooners’ baseball team looks to get back in the win column when it returns home to begin Big 12 conference play Friday against Texas.

In its loss t o D a l l a s UP NEXT Baptist, OU vs. Texas brought in t y p i c a l l y When: 6:30 solid soph- tonight o m o r e Where: L. Dale Jordan John Mitchell Park to close out the game in the bottom of the ninth, but he blew the save and the game, giving up four earned runs on four hits while walking four.

The 17th-ranked Sooners (11-6) take on the struggling Longhorns (7-8) in a three-game series this weekend for this year’s installment of the Red River Rivalry.

Last season, OU went 1-2 against the fourthranked Longhorns with the only win coming on the arm of sophomore Dillon Overton.

Overton, Oklahoma’s undefeated ace, is expected to take the mound Friday, and sophomore Jonathan Gray and junior Steven Okert are projected to start Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Texas, a team that began the season ranked No. 12, lost seven of its first eleven games this season before turning things around and winning three of its last four.

The Sooners have been hot-and-cold all season.

Their inconsistency and inability to close-out games will be put to the test this weekend in one of the nation’s most highly contested rivalries.

AT A GLANCE March schedule Friday vs. Texas Saturday vs. Texas Sunday vs. Texas Tuesday vs. Air Force Wednesday vs. Air Force March 23 at Texas Tech March 24 at Texas Tech March 25 at Texas Tech March 27 vs. Oral Roberts March 30 vs. Kansas State March 31 vs. Kansas State Bold games are in Norman

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6

• Friday, March 16, 2012

Life&arts

OUDaily.com ›› Gearing up for that glorious week off? The Daily’s life & arts desk dishes out its best advice on the do’s and don’ts of spring break.

Lindsey Ruta, life & arts editor Mariah Webb, assistant life & arts editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

Movie preview

‘Games’ adaptation highly anticipated I

n less than a week, one of the year’s most highly anticipated films opens in theaters nationwide.

“The Hunger Games,” based on the first novel in a best-selling trilogy by Suzanne Collins, premiers March 23. The book series has developed a popular fan-base, a following Lionsgate Studios already has said must translate to the film in order for it to produce the other two in the series, according to the Internet Movie Database.

With the ever-tricky bookto-film balancing act and increasing popularity, there are bound to be concerns beneath all the anticipation.

The Daily’s life & arts staff weighs in on what they hope for and fear for in next week’s release.

Erin Roberts says: I’m pretty excited about “The Hunger Games” movie. I really hope they can get the pace right because that’s always hard to do when turning books into movies, and the pace is one of my favorite things about the book.

Of course, I hope they do the spectacle of the Games themselves justice because they sound really cool in the book, but if they’re represented poorly, I know the book fans at least will be incredibly disappointed.

Erica Alexander says: I’m looking forward to the movie’s opening. From the looks of the trailer, they stayed pretty true to the book.

My biggest concern is the casting of the character, Peeta. He’s an integral

At a glance ‘Hunger Games’

Director: Gary Ross Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks Studio: Lionsgate Release Date: March 23 Rated: PG-13 Run time: 142 minutes photo provided

Effie Trinket (left), played by Elizabeth Banks, announces to District 12 that Katniss Everdeen (right), played by Jennifer Lawrence, will represent them in the Hunger Games. The Games are an annual event that pits a boy and a girl from each district in a fight to the death, and the last “tribute” living is allowed to return home. The film, based on the best-selling trilogy by Suzanne Collins, opens March 23.

character, and I’m already concerned because he doesn’t embody the Peeta I pictured while reading the books.

Maya Sykes says: I will admit, I love “The Hunger Games.” I read the first book in about a day. I hope — no pray — that “The Hunger Games” will translate well into film and does not become one of the “Twilight” movies for me.

However, when I saw the cast lineup, I instantly became worried.

Josh Hutcherson is Peeta.

Will I ever be able to get over his bleached-blond hair?

Liam Hemsworth is Gale. I am sorry, but when I think of Liam, I think of Miley Cyrus, and when I think of Miley, I think of Hannah Montana, which to me is not a good thing.

On the other hand, ever since I saw “Winter’s Bone,” I have loved Jennifer Lawrence’s acting. I am glad she is cast as Katniss, and I know she will do the role its justice.

All in all, I am definitely going to see this movie.

However, I feel like the excitement is in the mystery of how the movie will be executed.

Westlee Parsons says: I’ve read all the books in the trilogy and am very excited to see the movie at the IMAX. The author worked closely with the production, and I am increasingly getting more excited about the cast.

This was one of my biggest fears about the movie — that they didn’t pick the right people for it; but as I’ve seen the trailers, the casting has grown on me. I mean, who

doesn’t love a movie with Woody Harrelson?

However, I’m not that crazy about the soundtrack as of right now.

There is a lot of Taylor Swift on there. The “Twilight” movies at least have killer soundtracks.

Why does a movie that is way more badass have to be littered with Taylor Swift songs?

Nick Williams says: I have to admit, I read “The Hunger Games” mainly due to the hype it was getting and the upcoming movie.

Budget: $100 million (estimated)

The book definitely lived up to the hype ­­— a great plot with bomb drops of suspense. I am actually quite excited for the film.

I think Jennifer Lawrence absolutely is the prime actress to portray Katniss Everdeen, the story’s protagonist.

Her character in “Winter’s Bone,” the performance for which she was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, is strikingly similar to Everdeen.

The Daily’s Life & Arts staff

culture

Take notice of traditional Irish symbols this St. Patrick’s Day Life & Arts Columnist

Mariah Webb mariahwebb@ou.edu

T

omorrow is St. Patrick’s Day, and while most people associate the Irish culture with tiny men, four-leaf clovers and drinking Guinness, in actuality, it includes more rich cultural symbols and traditions.

One in particular is the Claddagh, a Celtic symbol of love that has been celebrated and worn for many generations. Even today, if you glance around the room, from time to time you are likely to spot someone wearing the ring.

Although it’s often passed down as a family heirloom, some still present the ring as a gift or as an engagement ring. The Claddagh icon itself is simple: a heart held by two hands and topped with a crown.

However, the history and tradition behind it is more complex.

It is named after an old fishing town in Western Ireland, where the ring is believed to originate.

It is said that 400 years ago, a man from Claddagh was taken captive and forced into slavery the day after his wedding. He was transported to Turkey and forced to work for a goldsmith.

He began to collect flakes of gold left on the floor, with which he crafted the first Claddagh ring in hopes that he would one day return to his bride.

Eventually, he made his way back to Ireland to find his wife still waiting for him.

During their reunion, he gave her his handcrafted ring. It never left her finger,

and he never left her side.

Traditionally, three ways to wear the Claddagh ring inform others of the wearer’s relationship status: 1. The right fourth finger with the heart facing away from you means your heart is not taken or you are single.

2. The right fourth finger with the heart toward you means you are smitten or in a relationship.

3. The left fourth finger with the heart faced toward you means you have given your heart away permanently or you are married.

This is where the tradition of wearing your wedding ring on the left “ring finger” came from because the Irish believed the blood from this finger was somehow directly connected to the heart.

Though few still wear the ring in this traditional way, the Claddagh ring still is a reminder of true Irish heritage and culture.

Keep an eye out for this Irish symbol during your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Mariah Webb is a University College freshman.

IRISH KEG