Carlee Roethlisberger trades nets to stay on the court (Page B1) The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916
M o n day, Aug u s t 2 2 , 2 011
w w w.o u da i ly.c o m
2 010 G ol d C row n W i n n e r
Class of 2015
Howdy Week ’11
President David Boren announces record scores for incoming freshmen
Events start off year
OU tops national ACT average Laney Ellisor
Assistant Managing Editor
The average ACT score of the 2011 freshman class is a 26.1, more than five points higher than the Oklahoma
average of 20.7. OU’s freshman average is also exactly five points higher than the national average of 21.1. Academically, that
number makes it the highest-ranked freshman class in both university and state history at a public university, President David Boren said at New Sooner Convocation on Thursday. Oklahoma residents m u s t h av e a m i n i m u m composite score of 24 to be
automatically admitted to OU; non-residents must have a 26, according to the OU Institutional Research and Reporting 2011 Factbook. The 2011 freshman class surpassed both of those minimum requirements. One explanation for such a high average is the number
of OU students who are nonresidents and were required to have a composite score of 26. In 2010, almost 37 percent of first-time students were non-residents, according to the 2011 Factbook. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Free food, activities meant for all students
back to school
Angela To
Campus Reporter
University Bookstore’s director. However, Peterson said she does believe that compared to last year, there has been an increase in students renting textbooks at her store as well. By opting for loaners, students have an opportunity to save money by renting their textbooks as long as they take care of them and send them back on time, otherwise they will be charged additional fees. A complication that arises when renting textbooks is that some textbooks are used for more than one class level. For instance, Elementary
As students flock back to campus Monday from summer vacation, they will be greeted with open arms to Howdy Week, a weeklong event full of free food and activities for OU students. The first activity of the school year sponsored by the Campus Activities Council, “Time of yOUr L i f e,” w i l l t a k e p l a c e Monday through Friday. The event’s purpose is to help facilitate students’ — especially freshmen — transition from home to college during the first week of school, said event chairwoman Beth Huggins, chemical engineering junior. “I worked really hard this year to really focus on uniting (the students),” Huggins said. “One is to make those connections and help them find their place at OU.” Free food from restaurants such as Papa John’s, Jimmy John’s, Raising Cane’s and In the Raw will be provided every day of next week. The festivities will kick off Monday w ith several smaller events, one being the Watermelon Bash which harkens back to Howdy Week’s roots. The week is a school tradition that dates back to the 1970s when it started as a watermelon feed in which watermelons were distributed to students. As it gained popularity, it transformed into a party in the 1980s known as Watermelon Bash and finally to what we know today as Howdy Week. Workers and volunteers for Howdy Week have been publicizing the event through T-shirts, posters, banners, fliers and social media. University College freshman Lanchi Le first heard about Howdy Week at Camp Crimson, a summer orientation for incoming freshmen.
see books page 2
see HOWDY page 2
Aubrie Hill/The Daily
University College freshman Katie Hagen gets help finding her next book at Beat the Bookstore on Lindsey Street. Students can buy or rent textbooks at similar local stores.
Purchasing options plentiful for books Blake Hightower Campus Reporter
College students all too familiar with the hassle of finding the right textbooks for each class can find doing so on time an even more formidable challenge. Luckily, there are numerous options depending on a student’s priorities, whether those be convenience, time of day or looking to buy or to rent. If long lines make you cringe, then taking your business to a place like Ratcliffe Textbooks might be a welcome alternative. Ratcliffe Textbooks is near the dorms and is not as busy as some other stores, which
Sooners may find textbooks to rent or buy at campus bookstores, online vendors makes information and availability much less of a problem. Unlike Ratcliffe’s, the University Bookstore, located under the Asp Avenue Parking Facility, is one of the busiest bookstores. Lines at the University Bookstore can become long and students may spend half an hour waiting in line. But sometimes long lines have their advantages. The University Bookstore gives students the option to preorder books so they will
be ready and waiting. It is a convenient perk that students are picking up on. Zack Splittstoesser, a University Bookstore employee who works with online orders, said the number of students preordering their texts online has nearly doubled this year compared to last. Lines and wait time could lengthen as the first week of school kicks off, but online orders may reduce some stress. For customers looking to save a little money, quick
and easy isn’t always the best way to shop for books. Renting textbooks is becoming increasingly popular around campus. Ratcliffe Textbooks itself has seen about a 50-percent increase in the number of students renting textbooks as opposed to buying them, said Lauren Eidson, an employee at the store. The University Bookstore, having just begun its rental program, has no comparative information from last year, said Tina Peterson, the
PARKING VOL. 97, NO. 4 © 2011 OU Publications Board www.OUDaily.com www.facebook.com/OUDaily www.twitter.com/OUDaily
Returning students face continued parking problems Victoria Garten Campus Reporter
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Life & Arts Learn about art outside of campus Norman offers plenty of cooking, art and music classes. (Page A5)
A not-so-friendly line may greet students making a lastminute trip to the OU Parking and Transit Services office, but buying the parking permit is only part of a student’s parking dilemma. For thousands of students, back-to-school isn’t complete until they spend nearly $200 to be able to park on campus. However, the next step for students is the task of figuring out where to park. University College freshman Kyle Oldham said his parking experience was hectic
due to the lack of spaces. “I’ve been having to park way out in the hot sun,” Oldham said. “They need more parking spots.” Despite complaints about the lack of parking, OU Parking and Transit Services spokeswoman Vicky Holland said there should be space. There are 10,148 parking permits available to students each year, Holland said. Although there are 4,000 freshman this year, there have not been changes to parking yet. There are never more students than parking permits, she said.
“We still have the same number of parking spots,” Holland said. Some students have their own ideas for fixing the parking situation. “ T h e y n e e d a p a r king garage for each dorm,” University College freshman Nicholas Curry said. Curry said in his short time on campus, he is often scouting for a spot and parking a hundred yards or more away from his destination. Holland said finding a good space on campus is all about being proactive. “If your class starts early,
around 8 a.m., I’d buy a parking permit and probably park in one of the parking garages where your car is safe from the weather,” Holland said. Holland advised using the CART bus services for students arriving on campus in the afternoon to avoid searching for parking spaces. Students can park atLloyd Noble Center’s 1,200 spaces and ride the CART at no additional cost. And paying for a permit has its perks. Students can look forward to free gameday parking for anyone with an OU parking permit. All others will be
charged a $15 fee. Avoiding parking citations remains a concern for any student overwhelmed by where not to park or how much to pay a meter. Students do have the option to appeal or waive citations on a first offense. Students may view a “hot spot” map available on the OU Parking Services Web page to find an appropriate lot. And though it is a longer walk for many, Holland assures students with a permit may always park at the Duck Pond and Jenkins Avenue parking lot if nowhere else.