The Oklahoma Daily

THURSDAY JANUARY 28, 2010

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STUDENT CONGRESS VIOLATES OPEN MEETINGS ACT UOSA Undergraduate Student Congress fails to list bill on posted agenda TROY WEATHERFORD Daily Staff Writer

The UOSA Undergraduate Student Congress violated the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act Tuesday night.

Student Congress passed a bill 31-3-2 to put controversial constitutional amendments on

the Spring 2010 General Election ballot, but the bill was not listed as an item on the group’s posted agenda in their offices.

The bill was introduced as emergency legislation under Student Congress bylaws and considered as new business at their regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday.

“We were going to consider this legislation through the normal committee process, but after I attended the Superior Court arguments [Monday] night [after Congress’ agenda was posted], I realized the urgency to pass this

legislation as soon as possible. I expressed my concern to Chairman [John] Jennings and he agreed. Thus, I moved to consider this election date legislation as Emergency Legislation under our rules,” Vice-Chair Matt Gress stated in an e-mail.

However, the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act requires all business be listed on the agenda and the act does allow for the consideration of new business under certain circumstances. It defines new business as “any matter not known about or which could not have

been reasonably foreseen prior to the time of posting.”

Because the bill could have been reasonably foreseen prior to the time of the agenda being posted, it was not new business, said Jim Milton, attorney at Doerner Saunders Daniel & Anderson LLP in Tulsa.

“The fact that ‘Joe College’ thought of it just before the meeting does not mean it’s new business,” Milton said. “Assuming the Open Meetings Act applies [to student congress], it seems they violated it,” UOSA CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

Regents approve fee increases OU Board of Regents take action concerning tuition, campus renovations and road construction CHARLES WARD Daily Staff Writer

Icy conditions expected to hit Norman this afternoon; power outages and hazardous road conditions anticipated CASEY PARVIN Daily Staff Writer

WHAT TO EXPECT The storm will be a mixture of ice and sleet.

“The roads warmed up a little bit today, but we can expect that once the freezing rain starts that things will get slick,” said Christine Reily, meteorologist at the Norman National Weather Center. “Thursday morning there will be a rain event, and then that afternoon it will quickly change over to freezing rain. Later into the night, there will be sleet and snow.”

Reily said power outages are expected and winds will not blow as strong as first predicted, but will still be heavy.

She said wind speeds will be between 20 and 30 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

“It will mostly be an ice and sleet event,” Reily said.

Reily said Friday will be mostly overcast and very cold.

“We could see some flurries that morning but it will be dry for the most part of that day,” she said.

ICE CONTINUES ON PAGE 2 LAUREN HARNED/THE DAILY

Students selected for census committee Shayna Daitch, Dewey Bartlett urge students to complete census forms in Norman CASEY PARVIN Daily Staff Writer

Two OU students are reaching out to promote census completion on campus so the city of Norman and the university JEREMY DICKIE/THE DAILY will not lose funds due to an inaccurate count of residents.

Petroleum engineering senior Dewey Bartlett and international security studShayna Daitch, international security studies junior, and ies junior Shayna Daitch talk to students outside the Oklahoma Memorial Dewey Bartlett, petroleum engineering senior, were appointed

by Mayor Cindy Rosenthal to the Norman Census Complete Union about filling out the 2010 census form. For each person who does not Count Committee. Daitch and Bartlett are in charge of inform- fill out a census, the City of Norman loses $750. ing students about the importance of being counted.

Some students do not fill out a census in Norman because they “Mayor Rosenthal contacted someone at the university and feel it is not their home, Daitch said. they recommended us,” Daitch said. “It’s a civic responsibility, like “The way the census works is it counts where you live on April 1,” voting.” she said. “For every person that doesn’t fill out their census, the city Daitch and Bartlett have attended several committee meetings, loses about $750.”

Daitch said.

CENSUS CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

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Some class-specific student fees could increase, while others could be reduced or eliminated based on action taken by the OU Board of Regents at their Wednesday meeting.

The fee changes would affect classes at the OU Health Sciences Center and in OU’s Aviation Program. All colleges at the Health Sciences Center, save for the College of Medicine, would be affected by the changes.

OU President David Boren said 20 fees were either reduced or eliminated against 12 fee increases, Boren said he received about 300 proposals for fee increases from various OU colleges and departments, but did not present most of them to the regents.

“I just felt, given the general situation, for us to come in and raise 300 fees was just not the thing to do right now,” he said.

A proposal for general fee and tuition increases, if needed, will likely not happen until May or June, Boren said. He said it would be difficult to avoid a tuition increase next year, given the budget agreement announced Tuesday by Gov. Brad Henry and leaders of the Oklahoma Legislature, “What I would hope to do is keep any tuition adjustments as low as possible,” he said. “Certainly, keep them in single digits, not the double digits.”

Boren praised what he called the bipartisan nature of the agreement.

He also said the state should look into hedging — taking a guaranteed amount of revenue instead of a fluctuating price — its revenue from energy production and taxation.

“It’s just something to explore,” Boren said. “It may not be feasible.”

Additionally, the OU Regents approved a fee of $13 per credit hour for students who start classes at OU’s Norman Campus or the College of Law in 2010’s fall semester.

This fee is up from a similar $12 per hour fee many students at OU already pay, Boren said. Current students will not be subject to the increase, he said.

The State Regents for Higher Education still must approve the changes for them to go into affect. The state regents’ next scheduled meeting is March 11 in Oklahoma City, according to their Web site.

OU’s regents also approved a proposal to name the construction science division at the College of Architecture The Haskell and Irene Lemon Construction Science Division.

The Lemon family, some of whom operate Haskell Lemon Construction Company in Oklahoma City, donated $3 million to the College of Architecture, Boren said.

The City of Norman and Oklahoma Gas and Electric also received easements from OU to further the city’s planned widening of Lindsey Street between Jenkins Avenue and the railroad tracks.

Boren criticized much of the widening project.

“I’ve never really particularly been for widening Lindsey because I don’t want a divided highway,” he said. “I certainly was totally opposed to it being through the middle of our campus because it would cut our campus in two.

“Given other priorities, it’s not something REGENTS CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

VOL. 95, NO. 87

2A Thursday, January 28, 2010 Caitlin Harrison, managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 325-3666 • fax: 325-6051

OUDAILY.COM » CHECK OUT A VIDEO OF THE OU LATIN DANCE CLUB ONLINE.

Regents Continues from page 1 International business freshman Jordan Powers said he will probably fill his census in Norman to give a better idea of where he is living.

“Mayor Rosenthal showed us a map of the places where students live and the map was red over apartments and the dorms,” Daitch said. “The red meant students there were not being counted.”

Daitch and Bartlett plan to make a push to students in late March so they know all the information regarding the census process.

“The census is April 1 so the government will begin sending out census forms at the end of March,” Bartlett said. “They’ll be mailed, delivered by census personnel, given to [residence advisers] or given to fraternity and sorority presidents. We’ll also have stations around campus so they will be able to pick up a form.”

Daitch said stations would be set up at the Oklahoma Memorial Union, Bizzell Memorial Library, Sarkeys Energy Center and two other locations around campus.

The federal government allocates more than $300 billion based on census data, so the goal for Norman is to be accurately counted since OU students will be in Norman on April 1, Bartlett said.

“The funds go towards roads in town, highways and public schools like OU,” Daitch said.

Business finance sophomore Amy Smith, from Lawton, said her parents are probably going to help her fill out her census form.

“I’ll fill mine out at home because it’s more convenient,” Smith said.

Bartlett and Daitch will be looking for volunteers to help with census stations after spring break, Bartlett said.

“With everyone I’m talking to, I’m trying to tell them how important it is that they fill out their census in Norman for the city of Norman’s self-interest and so the university doesn’t suffer,” Daitch said.

Census

UOSA

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I would have done. I don’t think it should be a priority for the city. That’s my opinion.”

The newly-widened area of Lindsey Street will feature a landscaped median, Boren said. He also said he was in favor of changes to Lindsey Street that improve safety, such as overpasses or underpasses at railroad crossings.

Other action by the OU regents included approving an additional $375,000 of renovations to the former Harold’s warehouse at 705 E. Lindsey St. and the release of $7.95 million of an already-authorized budget of $11.44 million for construction work on the new building for the School of Social Work — Zarrow Hall.

Boren also recognized OU’s scholarship athletes for earning a cumulative 3.01 grade point average for the fall semester. It is the first time in 20 years OU’s scholarship athletes have earned a GPA higher than 3.0, he said.

John Jennings, UOSA Student Congress chairman, said UOSA is subject to the act, but he defended UOSA’s passage of the bill.

He said UOSA has acted on new business before and there hasn’t been a problem.

“It falls to opinion whether or not [the bill] was unforeseen, but the body voted almost unanimously that it qualified as new business,” Jennings said.

He said the bill was an attempt to show the court UOSA was trying to set a date for the amendments.

“I don’t want the court to have a constitutional dilemma ... there’s no way we could have passed the thing earlier,” Jennings said. “This is our way of showing that we did what we

9

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OU Number Nyne Crisis Line 8 p.m.-4 a.m. every day except OU holidays and breaks

Ice Continues from page 1

will remain open and equipment checkout for pingpong and pool tables will be available.

“If OU shuts down due to weather, students will be able to utilize Huston Huffman from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.,” Royston stated.

WHAT TO DO FOR FOOD AND FUN Couch Restaurants and the Huston Huffman Center will remain open if OU closes due to weather today, Housing and Food Marketing and Public Relations Director Lauren Royston stated in an e-mail.

“During this inclement winter weather, the first dining priority for Housing and Food Services is to open Couch Restaurants based on available staff,” Royston stated.

Royston stated additional food service operations might be open depending on the severity of the weather conditions and the amount of available staff.

Crossroads manager April BuchananSandlin said, as of now, Crossroads will remain open if the university closes due to inclement weather.

Common areas in the residence halls

could to get [the amendments] on the ballot.”

Jennings said the bill was written after he received a subpoena from the UOSA Superior Court on Tuesday afternoon.

“If they had told me Monday that they were subpoenaing me than it could have been on the ‘items to be considered,’” Jennings said. “We’re trying to do the right thing here and set a date.”

Assistant Oklahoma Attorney General Debra Schwartz said she could not comment on specific cases but said it did not sound as if the bill qualified as new business.

Schwartz said new business is considered as an unforeseen emergency type situation that occurs between the time the agenda is posted to the beginning of the meeting.

“Under the Open Meetings Act, an emergency is considered to be things like tornadoes and other natural disasters

and that is the only time I’ve seen it used,” Schwartz said.

Gress attended the UOSA Superior Court hearing Monday night. He said the judges rhetoric made clear the urgency of the bill. “ The court made clear Monday night that they were not too happy with the election not taking place,” Gress said.

Gress said he felt the bill he brought to the floor was an emergency because he thought the Superior Court was displeased with the legislature.

But the language of the bill passed in Student Congress states the group was aware of the Superior Court’s Nov. 10 ruling that demanded the controversial petitions be put to a student vote.

“The UOSA Constitution requires approved amendments to be voted “as soon as practicable.”

HOW TO GET PREPARED Housing and Food Services is committed to the safety and wellness of its residents, Royston stated.

“While a power outage is not expected for on-campus residential committees, we encourage residents to make use of winter weather clothing they may have, as well as blankets and other linens to stay warm,” Royston stated.

Xcetera evening supervisor Michele Hummingbird said the on-campus store is selling out of merchandise, especially food items students can cook in a microwave oven.

“People are buying bread, milk, cereal, ramen and water,” Hummingbird said.

“Students are just making sure they have what they need in case they can’t get out.”

Thursday, January 28, 2010

3A

PARKING SPACE LOSS LEAVES STUDENTS ANGRY Construction of utility plant leads to lack of parking behind the Huston Huffman Center DANA SWANN Daily Staff Writer

Recent construction of a utility plant in the Huston Huffman Center parking lot is leaving many OU students angry about lack of parking.

Construction of the plant will require a loss of about 350 parking spaces. Kathleen Sandefer, Architectural and Engineering Services assistant director, stated in an e-mail the loss of parking is temporary and the spaces will be returned to use after the plant is completed.

Austin Kolakowski, management information systems and accounting

sophomore, said the construction has caused her problems.

“It’s so hard to find parking that I’m late to class unless I get there an hour early,” Kolakowski said.

Students who drive to class aren’t the only ones worrying about the limited space.

Jackie Ragan, health and exercise sciences sophomore, said she exercises at night in the Huston Huffman Center and also has trouble finding parking.

“The lots are always full around 7 [p.m.] when I want to work out,” Ragan said. “It’s too dark to walk across campus to the gym alone.”

Sandefer stated 135 parking spaces will reopen once the utility plant construction is complete. In anticipation of the utility plant, a new lot containing 235 spaces was constructed east of the Huston Huffman

CART plans expansion, looks to service community Partnerships with OU, Norman allow transit system to broaden its reach HAILEY R. BRANSON Daily Staff Writer

The year was 1980, and a familiar beast terrorized the OU campus.

The Oklahoma Daily year dubbed it the “Parking Menace, a beast that plagues students and administrators alike.”

The beast prompted the creation of Cleveland Area Rapid Transit.

The Daily called the $360,000 bus and trolley system that debuted Aug. 25, 1980 the “Knight in

Shining Armor” with one mission: “destroy the parking menace and make OU safe once again for the auto-bound commuter.”

Now in its 30th year, CART is expanding its role beyond the OU campus and extending routes into Norman and outlying areas.

EXPANDING GOALS The 1980 campaign for CART was almost entirely focused alleviating the campus parking problems, said Kris Glenn, CART spokesman.

That year, Glenn said, hundreds of new parking spaces were added near the Lloyd Noble Center, where many students parked to catch one of the two trolleys or five buses.

Center in fall 2008.

Sandefer stated Utility Plant No. 4 will provide chilled water, steam and electricity needed for the expanding campus facilities. The project has been in planning since early 2006.

Final plans were approved by the Board of Regents earlier this year and Utility Plant No. 4 should be fully operational by fall 2011.

WHAT’S CHANGING Utility Plant No. 4 requires a temporary loss of 350 parking spaces behind the Huston Huffman Center.

135 spots will be returned when the plant is finished in 2011.

A new lot was constructed in fall 2008 to replace 235 more spots.

Today, CART aims to become the entire community’s public transportation system, Glenn said.

“Our biggest reach is to the community,” he said.

“CART has a lot of routes that are student-centered but we also want it to be part of Norman.”

The system that began by running a loop between the Lloyd Noble Center and just north of the Bizzell Memorial Library now has five city routes, three campus routes and service to Moore, Noble, Lexington and Oklahoma City.

It currently operates 15 transit buses, four trolleys and 12 paratransit vans that provide service to the elderly and to people with disabilities.

“People still consider Norman a small town but it’s an urban area of 110,000 people with a very viable public transportation system,” Glenn said.

FUTURE GROWTH CART has been able to form a number of partnerships that have allowed

JEREMY DICKIE/THE DAILY

Construction crews work on the new water tower being built behind the Huston Huffman Center Wednesday morning. The construction has caused a significant decrease in the already slim number of parking spaces for students.

it to continue to expand, even in the midst of a national recession, said Cody Ponder, CART planning and growth manager.

The system has partnerships with the university, the City of Norman and has been able to receive grants from the federal and state transportation departments, “We have been able to take advantage of this,” Ponder said.

Ten new CART routes are planned through the Norman Long-Range Public Transportation Plan (in partnership with the City of Norman) for whenever funding is available.

The new routes will expand ser vice in Norman and make more links between existing routes.

In October, CART introduced the West Norman Link, its first new route in more than 16 years. The 30-minute route — which serves northwest Norman — is the first route that does not begin on the OU campus.

“It’s really allowing regular riders to go places they’ve never been and it’s attracting

new riders,” Glenn said.

THE 30TH YEAR This fall, CART will introduce five new transit buses that will operate on compressed natural gas, adding to the three CNG buses CART already operates.

The buses, which will cost $1.8 million, will be p u rc h a s e d w i t h f u n d ing through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 — the national stimulus package. CART qualified for the funding because the stimulus package designated money for public transportation.

“Our fleets are getting older,” Glenn said. “It’s time to get these newer buses in.”

The buses have not yet been purchased but are under contract and being manufactured, Glenn said.

In about a month, CART will unveil another new initiative: GPS tracking on its buses.

The $126,000 implementation is being paid for through a Federal Transit Administration grant.

When the GPS systems

are in place, potential riders will be able to see on CART’s Web site (cart.ou.edu) where the buses are moving in real time and subscribe to text messages and e-mail alerts that can inform them when the buses arrive.

“I think it’s important for the university community and the community as a whole to be informed about the buses,” Glenn said. “If they know how easy it is to use, they’ll ride it.”

Kayla Spaulding, multidisciplinary studies and science senior, said she always enjoys riding the CART buses, which she sometimes catches at the Lloyd Noble Center.

Spaulding said she enjoys the ease with which she can get to campus without finding parking and she likes the atmosphere on the buses.

“When I ride the bus they are amazing and really nice,” Spaulding said.

“They wanted to be efficient and be on time but they would also wait for that student who was running for the bus. A lot of times that is me.”

POLICE REPORTS

WILLIAM BRYNE/THE DAILY

Students load onto a CART bus on the top of the South Oval on Wednesday afternoon. CART is celebrating its 30th year in service.

CAMPUS NEWS TODAY A Welcome Back to Science and Engineering party will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Lawrence G. Rawl Practice Facility.

FRIDAY Mo Pair at Michelangelo’s will be held from 6:30 to 10 p.m. in Michelanglo’s on Main Street.

Note: To post a campus event to be published in The Daily, click on the “Submit Event” tab underneath the calendar on OUDaily.com. All events postings are subject to approval of The Daily Editorial Board.

There will be a Student Oklahoma Education Association, Kappa Delta Pi, and Student Council for Exceptional Students collaborative meeting on

Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 7:30 pm.

The meeting will be located in the Regents Room, at the OU Memorial Union. The meeting will feature a teacher panel that consists of Secondary, Elementary, Early Childhood, and Special Education teachers.

Come ask our teachers questions to help you become more familiar with our future teaching career! We will have free food! All pre-service teachers and education majors are encouraged to come.

The following is a list of arrests and citations, not convictions. The information given is compiled from the Norman and OU Police Departments. At times, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department and the Oklahoma City FBI will contribute to these reports. All those listed are innocent until proven guilty.

POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA Quincy James Lee Davis, 19, Vicksburg Avenue, Tuesday, also littering AGGRAVATED DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE Brandon Joseph Robinson, 26, Welston Circle, Monday, also possession of a firearm while intoxicated and transporting an open container

MUNICIPAL WARRANT Coy Melvin Ward, 38, 1205 E. Lindsey St., Tuesday DISTURBING THE PEACE Joshua Ellis Ellis, 18, 426 Castro St., Sunday Christopher Ryan Schnurr, 20, 426 Castro St., Sunday Kevin Wiltz Vandagriff, 47, 4221 Willowisp Drive, Monday PUBLIC INTOXICATION

Vaughn Roy Jones, 27, Welston Circle, Monday, also possession of a firearm while intoxicated Michael Melvin Patterson, 26, Vicksburg Circle, Monday, also molesting property PROTECTIVE ORDER VIOLATION Robert John Miller, 44, 1817 N. Crawford Ave., Monday BURGLARY-FIRST DEGREE Curtis Anthony Williams, 25, 1918 Burnt Oak Drive, Tuesday, also malicious injury/ destruction and county warrant

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Thursday, January 28, 2010

COMMENT OF THE DAY »

Max Avery, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 325-7630 • fax: 325-6051

Several letters to the editor can be found online at:

OUDAILY.COM

In response to Matt Bruenig’s column on dorm room exemptions for poor students

“The problem is that it’s unfair for only poor people to be exempt from otherwise mandatory housing. Where will you draw the line? Should it be based on some sort of financial aid credit directed at the poor?

YOU CAN COMMENT AT OUDAILY.COM

-JJANOWIAK

OUR VIEW

STUDENT CONGRESS NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY UOSA Undergraduate Student Congress broke the law, see page one for details.

Perhaps if Student Congress updated its Web site they would not be getting into this sort of trouble.

This gives students who are outraged their student body is breaking the law four obvious alternatives — you may call for a recall, vote them out in the next election, meet with your representatives and express disgust or run against them in the next election.

It has been said students don’t pay enough attention to Student Congress, as evidenced by their meeting attendance

and knowledge of their representatives. Since not enough people are paying attention we have to wonder what and why are they hiding?

Now that our Student Congress has broken the law, perhaps the student body will pay more attention.

The laws may be complicated, thus not everyone can have a job in Student Congress. Yet somehow we elected people who don’t understand open government; they don’t understand transparency.

We have people representing us who seem to not understand the laws that govern them.

If you don’t understand the laws, why are you doing the job? If we at The Daily didn’t understand libel, we would suffer consequences for breaking the law — and we’d get a bit of press out of it.

The individuals in Student Congress are to serve the law — not lord over it.

They are supposed to be our leaders, our examples. It is unfortunate this is the example they chose to set.

Student Congress, if you’re going to play dress up and act like legislators, you should be prepared to take responsibility when you break the law.

STAFF COLUMN

STAFF CARTOON

Add drop button the easy way out

Mark Potts is a broadcast graduate student.

STAFF COLUMN

When the ‘Invisible Hand’ gives you the finger At the beginning of the fall semester, I published a column explaining the fear that America is actually in danger of becoming a socialist regime is completely baseless and idiotic.

The U.S. government owns about 0.21% of corporate and business assets. If you studied math in school at all, it is abundantly clear we are a capitalist society. And we will remain a capitalist society. Americans understand the profit incentive provided by the free market has provided this country with the vast majority of the great things we enjoy every day.

But, I am starting to wonder when it became “American” to only do things for the sake of generating profit. We used to care about more than just money.

Now we have become so brainwashed by capitalist rhetoric, we are on the verge of allowing it to consume our other values entirely.

I am not a socialist by any stretch of the imagination, but I believe there are certain things that are sacrosanct. Certain things have an importance that far surpasses whether they are lucrative or not. War, media and healthcare are a few areas in which it might TRAVIS be useful to consider whether or not profit incentive GROGAN alone can really provide us with the society that we want to live in.

the House Oversight Committee asks you questions about the urine and feces that literally cover the crumbling walls just say “Hey, I have to turn a profit don’t I?”

WAR There was a time in this country when profiting off of the struggle and death of armed conflict was considered thoroughly immoral and entirely unthinkable for most.

Now, we’ve reached a point where “war-profiteer” is no longer an insult, but a compliment. But how do you generate profit from war?

Well, if you’re C&D Distributors in South Carolina then you do what every good business does and figure out how to exploit systematic loopholes. In their case, C&D figured out if it put a “priority” stamp on shipments that were destined for either U.S. military bases or combat zones, then the invoices were automatically paid. So, with every concern for the wellbeing of their shareholders, the company shipped two washers valued at 38 cents for $998,798.

You could also take the route of Earnest Robbins. He was contracted to build a police college in Baghdad. If you want to generate profit, first get yourself a “cost-plus” contract, where you get paid 3 percent of what you spend, regardless of what you spend. The more you spend, the more you make!

But if you really want to be business savvy, you can just throw a decrepit shed together and say you spent $72 million. When

HEALTH CARE I think we can all agree there is something wrong with our current system. People intuitively understand the insurance company practice of “recision,” where they hire expert bureaucrats to find a way to screw people out of coverage based on things like typos, is wrong. It is wrong that the market has only provided us a health care system ranked 37th in the world, behind Costa Rica and just above Cuba. Americans deserve better, whether it is profitable or not.

It is not socialist to decry the presence of capitalism in everything. When elected politicians like “Der Fuehrer” Andre Bauer can advocate the starvation of poor people.

We have let our money fetish go far enough. We must rediscover the value of the world beyond the spreadsheet. We should ask ourselves if we want a society that sees war as profitable. We should ask ourselves if civic responsibility is more important to us than advertising revenue. We should ask ourselves if boundless capitalist idealism, is not a panacea, but perhaps the source of many grave problems.

Remember, just because we can’t see it, doesn’t mean the invisible hand isn’t giving us the finger.

MEDIA Our lifetimes have seen the death of William S. Paley, and the rise of Rupert Murdoch. It was considered a given by Paley that the news division of CBS was going to lose money. He didn’t care. He made more than enough money elsewhere.

He saw himself as fulfilling the civic duty of the fourth estate.

Fast forward to 2010. It is now considered a given that news divisions will make money, and Murdoch now owns somewhere between 35 and 50 percent of the English media. Where once the allegiance was to the people, now it is to advertising. The profit incentive has turned the news corporations from reporters of fact into advocates of policy (which Murdoch has admitted was his goal at the World Economic Forum).

Instead of questioning those in power, we speculate about rumors surrounding Tiger Woods’ marriage. At least someone is making a buck though.

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Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Assignment Editor Presentation Editor Opinion Editor Photo Editor Assistant Photo Editor

Renee Selanders, Amanda Turner News Editors James Lovett Online Editor Mark Potts Multimedia Editor Aaron Colen Sports Editor Joshua Boydston Life & Arts Editor Judy Gibbs Robinson Editorial Adviser Thad Baker Advertising Manager

160 Copeland Hall, 860 Van Vleet Oval Norman, OK 73019-0270

Gina Circelli is a broadcast journalism and film studies sophomore.

Travis Grogan is a political science and communications senior.

T=: O@A6=DB6 D6>AN Jamie Hughes Caitlin Harrison Ricky Maranon Lisa Phan Max Avery Michelle Gray Marcin Rutkowski

You are thinking about it. You so badly want to drop that seemingly impossible-to-pass class — the one where the professor immediately assigned an in-depth paper and five chapters to read. There is no way you could possibly complete all the assignments on the syllabus, and even if you do, your grade point average will pay the price.

So why not drop it? You could always take it later when you have an easier schedule. You could take it during intercession. You could even take the course’s equivalent at a community college.

The “add/drop” button (for those lucky enough to spot it on oZONE) has become a crutch for students. When a class seems intimidating, we hardly hesitate GINA to consider if dropping the class CIRCELLI would lighten our burden.

Why not just drop the challenging courses then? Because you can handle them!

Think about it. How many times have you enrolled in a class that seemed intimidating for the first two weeks but ended up being one of the easiest classes you’ve taken? Often you need to go to a class for a few weeks to see if it’s as difficult as it seems.

Although dropping a class after first-week jitters has become common practice among college students, this action is often unnecessary. Students should keep in mind that Feb. 1 is the final day to drop a class with a full refund so they still have a few days to find out if that class really is as difficult as it seems. Students should ask around, talk to the professor and do whatever it takes to see if they can handle the course load.

Furthermore, many students forget to consider most classes are purposely intimidating for the first two weeks. Professors want small classes full of students who have an interest in the course not just a general education requirement to get out of the way.

Succumbing to these professors’ scare tactics only cheats capable students out of an interesting course.

Realistically, most classes simply require students to manage their time well. These courses are initially overwhelming only because students are presented with a hefty list of the assignments that will be due throughout the semester. Key word: throughout!

Every semester you have about two weeks to evaluate the course load and figure out if you are up to the challenge. If the class is an elective, dropping the course is not as detrimental in completing your course requirements. However, if your major requires you to take a specific class it would be best just to get it out of the way.

Another aspect to consider is your own academic integrity. There comes a point when students should strive to reach a higher level of achievement and to no longer search for the easy way out. Daring to achieve more makes for long-term success, even if it means working hard because you are in a challenging class. In the long run, the hard work will pay off in the form of knowledge in a subject you actually care about.

Students should take their time when considering if a class will be too much work in one semester. They should research the class and professor and consider whether better time management can help them succeed in the course. Most importantly, students should remember the key to success in any class is a desire to learn about a specific subject (whether it has to do with your major or not). The drive to challenge yourself and, likewise, gain more knowledge is enough to get you through even the most difficult courses.

If nothing else has convinced you, consider that by not dropping a course, you get to spend less time using oZONE, a process more difficult to get through than any class on campus.

phone: 405-325-3666

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Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and should be fewer than 250 words, typed, double spaced and signed by the author(s). Letters will be cut to fit. Students must list their major and classification. OU staff and faculty must list their title. All letters must include a daytime phone number. Authors submitting letters in person must present photo identification.

Submit letters Sunday through Thursday, in 160 Copeland Hall. Letters can also be submitted via e-mail to dailyopinion@ ou.edu.

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The board meets Sunday through Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in 160 Copeland Hall.

Columnists’ and cartoonists’ opinions are not necessarily the opinions of The Daily Editorial Board.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

5A

Aaron Colen sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 325-7630 • fax: 325-6051

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SOCCER

«

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Maryland transfer raises expectations Sooners look to build on last year’s success with new additions AARON COLEN Sports Editor

Sophomore forward and recent OU transfer Caitlin Mooney grew up in Oklahoma, but had dreams of playing soccer at an east coast school.

“I had committed to Villanova for about a year and a half, but then the coach resigned,” Mooney said. “So I started having to look for another school.”

Mooney said she wanted to play in the ACC because she loved the cold weather and the atmosphere, which led her to Maryland, where she played for only a year before growing discontent CAITLIN with the situation.

MOONEY “Initially when I visited, I loved the coaches, loved the school, loved the players,” Mooney said. “But when I got there, it was different than what I was told it would be.”

Despite the unfilled expectations of the school itself, Mooney had a productive freshman season on the field.

Mooney appeared in all but one of her team’s games last season, scoring four goals which was tied for fourth on the team. Her contributions helped the Terrapins reach the Sweet 16.

After the season, Mooney said she talked with family and her former coach about her future.

“I talked to my parents over Thanksgiving, and I told them I was really just unhappy with the situation at Maryland,” Mooney said. “We just decided it would be best if I came back here.”

Although Mooney ended up here at OU, there was a possibility that she could’ve ended up on the other side of the Bedlam rivalry.

“I was thinking about OU and Oklahoma State,” Mooney said. “Me and my parents sat down and weighed the pros and cons. OSU is obviously a really good school too, but OU just seemed like the place that would benefit me better and that I would enjoy.”

One of the factors that brought Mooney to Norman was OU head coach Nicole Nelson. While Nelson was at the University of Texas, she recruited Mooney.

“We had established a relationship during the recruiting process,” Nelson said.

Mooney was also very familiar with a current OU player, fellow sophomore forward Dria Hampton. The two played club soccer together, and also both trained with the U.S. National team.

“Me and Dria have played together for a really long time, and we combine really well,” Mooney said.

Mooney said the transition to the school this semester has been very smooth.

“It’s been awesome,” Mooney said. “All the girls have reached out to me, Nicole [Nelson] has reached out to me.

It’s been really easy actually.”

Nelson agreed that Mooney seemed to be right at home at the OU campus.

“It has been effortless,” Nelson said of the transfer.

“She’s very comfortable, and it seems like she is happy to be home.”

The addition of Mooney, combined with Hampton and star senior Whitney Palmer, give the Sooners the potential for a big season next year.

“We have a lot of great returning players, not to mention the great recruiting class that we’ll have,” Nelson said.

“The expectations with Mooney are now higher, anytime you can add another goal-scorer to your team, it increases your chances of winning.”

Mooney too has high hopes for the upcoming season.

“We’re going to be really good,” Mooney said. “I feel like they’re going to build off of last year, and I’m just here to help build off of it. The goal is to win the conference championship, and even the national championship.”

NOTICE OF PUBLIC ACCESS During the Regular Meeting Of The University of Oklahoma PUBLICATIONS BOARD Friday at 12:30 p.m.

Copeland Hall, Room 146

Students, staff, faculty and others in the community are invited to express their views concerning The Oklahoma Daily or Sooner yearbook to the Publications Board.

NEIL MCGLOHON/THE DAILY

Junior guard Danielle Robinson drives between two defenders during a game against Oklahoma Christian on Nov. 10.

Cyclones blow away Sooners in Ames Poor shooting, rebounding contribute to upset road loss for OU women ANNELISE RUSSELL Daily Staff Writer

It was a night to forget for the OU women’s basketball team as the No. 13 Sooners lost 63-56 to the No. 22 Iowa State Cyclones.

Senior center Abi Olajuwon scored the first two points for the Sooners in what would be an uphill contest with the Cyclones.

OU and Iowa State traded baskets through the first timeout.

Both teams tried to establish themselves from the perimeter early on, with OU going 2-7. Iowa State, known for shooting downtown, faired slightly better at 3-7 midway through the half.

OU’s woes began when it wound up in early foul trouble with four out of the five starters picking up two fouls with eight minutes still left in the first half.

As the half began to wind down, OU began to fade and allowed Iowa State to score quickly.

The Cyclones opened up an 11 point lead on OU and junior point guard Danielle Robinson picked up her third foul with five minutes

remaining in the half.

Nyeshia Stevenson led the Sooners in the first half with nine points, no surprise though after the senior guard finished as the Sooners leading scorer in their last game.

Despite the contributions of Stevenson, OU shot abysmally in the first half at just 25 percent compared to Iowa State at 37.5 percent.

More importantly, the Cyclones went 6-11 from three, shooting 54.5 percent.

The Sooners could not close the gap Iowa State had established and headed into the locker room down 33-21.

Fouls were an early problem for OU and it continued throughout the first half when freshman center Joanna McFarland also got into foul trouble with three.

Rebounding also proved problematic for OU as the Sooners fell behind 14-23.

Senior for ward Amanda Thompson knocked down a jump shot that looked like it might be a spark, but OU only cut the deficit by one 38-27 at the first timeout.

Coming out of the timeout, OU slowly began to dig themselves out of the offensive slump, but at the same time Robinson and Olajuwon picked up their fourth fouls.

With 10:28 remaining, Thompson cut the Cyclone lead to three, the first time since the middle of the first half OU was within a possession.

OU hung around throughout much of the second half, but ultimately could not overcome the hole it dug during the first half.

Olajuwon fouled out with two minutes remaining to finish the game with nine points and six rebounds.

Stevenson led the Sooners on a night of offensive struggles with 14 points and Robinson ended the night with 10 after also fouling out.

Thompson finished the game with 12 points and 10 rebounds, most of that coming in the second half.

The Sooners ended the game shooting 34.6 percent from the field and 23.8 percent from beyond the arc.

OU was also outrebounded 3736, a key element of the game that OU said it wanted to continue improving going into Iowa.

Head coach Sherri Coale’s team will have a chance to rebound from the top-25 loss when it heads south Saturday to take on Texas Tech. OU took the first matchup of the season at home 73-58.

6A

Thursday, January 28, 2010

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

SOONER MEN CONTINUE HOME SUCCESS CLARK FOY Daily Staff Writer

With Tony Crocker and Willie Warren both out with injuries, OU was in dire need of somebody to step up at home Wednesday against the Iowa State Cyclones in place of their top two scorers.

However, one did not. Two did.

Bruised and beaten, the ailing Sooners were able to get the best of ISU, downing the Cyclones in a blowout-turned-home-scare 89-84.

Young gun Tommy Mason-Griffin was first to shine, hitting the first eight Sooner points. Mason-Griffin ended the half with 18 points off of 7-9 shooting from the field, 4-5 from the three point arc.

Renown this season for his relentless hustle and heart, junior guard Cade Davis stepped in to compliment Mason-Griffin’s hot start.

Davis shot the lights out as well, shooting 5-10 from the field and 2-4 from the threepoint arc, good for 14 first-half points. He also added three steals.

As a team, the Sooners shot often throughout the first half and shot well, a deadly combination when a team shoots as many three pointers as OU does. The team finished the first half shooting 50 percent from the field and 8-15 (53 percent) from the three-point line.

The deadeye shooting led to a 19-7 OU run that plagued the Cyclones from the 12 minute mark until under eight minutes left in the half.

Capel’s crew enjoyed a healthy 48-32 lead at half. On the season, the Sooners have averaged a Big 12 best eight three-pointers per contest, equal to what they had in Wednesday night’s first half.

While their defense was a bit under par, ISU did not play an all around poor first half.

As a team, the Cyclones were shooting an efficient 13-24 (54 percent) from the field and 4-6 from three point range.

ISU standout forwards Craig Brackins and Marquis Gilstrap had just five and four firsthalf points respectively. The duo has averaged over 31 combined points throughout all of their regular season games before their

loss in Norman.

Mason-Griffin was the go to guy coming out of the locker room for the second half, hitting the Sooners first five.

Young teams are thought to be streaky, however, and OU is no exception.

After being on the wrong end of a 16-point game after the first half, the Cyclones came out hustling and were able to trim the lead down to seven points with eight and a half minutes remaining in the game.

The Sooners were almost left without three of their starters when Davis hit the floor hard after a rare double-foul call. He would leave the court briefly, heading right over to the scoring table and subbing back in.

With five minutes left, the Sooners were up by a mere three points. The Cyclones had traded buckets and gone on many short-runs to slowly but surely chip the lead down and were right on the verge of taking the lead.

Despite not seeing the bench for a single minute of game play, Mason-Griffin could not be denied. He put up nine points in the final five minutes along with fellow-freshmen Tiny Gallon’s five to barely hold the Cyclones off till the end.

Mason-Griffin set a new career high for the third week straight with 38 points. He also added six assists, two steals and nailed five shots from three-point range.

Davis would finish with 24 points, while freshman big man Tiny Gallon would finish with nine, seven of which came in the second half, and six rebounds.

While they dominated in the first, the second half clearly was a different story, other than the play of Mason-Griffin and Davis, who combined for 60 of OU’s 89 points.

OU hit just three from downtown after hitting eight in the first. They were outscored 52-41 by the Cyclones, who turned the ball over just four times in the second after coughing it up 14 times in the first.

Lucky for the Sooners, basketball is a two half effort, and they were able to hang on to win in the last few minutes of the game.

OU takes on Nebraska at 12:30 p.m. in Lincoln on Saturday. Right now, the return of Crocker and Warren is uncertain.

NEIL MCGLOHON/THE DAILY

Cade Davis saves the ball from going out of bounds in the game Wednesday night against Iowa State. The Sooners won by a score of 89-84.

Mason-Griffin keeps improving JORDAN MARKS Daily Staf Writer

To be only a freshman, Tommy MasonGriffin has seen his fair share of the court to say the least.

Having been on the court 86.2 percent of the Sooners season, this young man has yet to hit the proverbial wall. He leads all Sooners in total minutes played.

He again seemed to amaze the crowd by opening the game Wednesday night by scoring the Sooners first eight points, and finishing the half with 18 while going 7-9 from the field and 4-5 from beyond the arc.

He went on the finish the game with a career high 38 points. “Iron Man” shot 62% from the field (13-21) and 50 percent from the three point line (5-10).

Mason Griffin did all of this while playing the entire 40 minutes on four days rest for the second straight game.

NEIL MCGLOHON/THE DAILY

Freshman guard Tommy Mason-Griffin crosses over against a defender in Wednesday night’s game against Iowa State.

Mason-Griffin does not seem plagued by fatigue, and is always willing to make that key hustle play and the big bucket. He has stepped up in the absence of the two stars to score at least 20 points in his last three games, setting and breaking his career high each time.

Seeing how the offense seems to run through his hands, especially with the absence of Willie Warren and Tony Crocker, it will be interesting to see how head coach Jeff Capel uses his freshman’s legs for the rest of the season.

The Sooner faithful are looking forward to seeing “Iron Man” finish his first year off strong, and help lead the Sooners to a strong Big 12 finish, and ultimately a NCAA Tournament berth.

Only time will tell how the how much more Mason-Griffin can endure, but it seems as if “Iron Man” will never stop.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

1B

Joshua Boydston, L&A editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 325-5189 • fax: 325-6051

ON THE ROAD TOWARD BROADWAY DUSTY SOMERS

The piece, which also functions as her capstone, features vines hung above the stage and carried the added hurdle of making the dancers’ movements seem animal-like, she Students in the School of Dance will see their cre- said. ations come alive tonight at the opening of the Young “[I] always want to do something the audience has never Choreographers’ Showcase, a blend of ballet and modern seen,” Marchand said. “It’s difficult.” dance conceived, choreographed and performed entirely Because the showcase is student-centric, and being the by students. choreographer means you’re the one pushing someone to Prospective student choreographers go through a rigor- excellence rather than being pushed yourself, it presents a ous adjudicating process where faculty unique opportunity for dance students, determines which pieces have the merit she said.

YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHERS’ to be performed, but beyond that, stu“I think you learn a lot about yourSHOWCASE DETAILS dents are given free reign to pursue their self,” Marchand said. creativity.

Kerri Lambert, a second year gradu8 p.m. tonight, Friday and Saturday “It’s students showcasing their talate student in ballet, said the opportu3 p.m. Sunday ent beyond what their major is,” said nity to practice the craft is important for Cameron Lee, an alumnus who graduatstudents.

Reynolds Performing Arts Center ed in December and has choreographed “It’s so vital to your growth as a chore560 Parrington Oval in Norman for the showcase four times. ographer,” she said.

Tonight, he’ll also be performing in Lambert, who did her undergraduate Tickets: the dance he helped choreograph, a conwork in dance at Brenau University in $14 — Student temporary piece titled “Beyond Pash.”

Georgia and is choreographing for the $22 — Adult It’s his first time working collaborashowcase for the second time, said altively on a piece, he said, but stretching though ballet is often considered more to do new things is part of the process. technically rigid than modern dance, “This is a chance to show the faculty and our friends and there is plenty of room for innovation. family what we have inside,” Lee said. “They like to see what “Ballet is a living art, and it’s done with living bodies,” we have to offer.”

MARCIN RUTKOWSKI/THE DAILY she said.

For Lindsey Marchand, a modern dance performance Lambert drew inspiration for her choreography from the Two dancers rehearse a ballet number in the Young senior, the showcase is an opportunity to present some- music — a Vivaldi piece that is energetic and dynamic, she Choreographers’ Showcase. thing near to her heart. said. The dance is an abstract celebration of lines, space Marchand, who almost opted to be a zoology major, and shape, and the way the body can produce these things.

The Young Choreographers’ Showcase opens at 8 tonight choreographed a modern piece titled “Lives Cut Short” Whatever preconceptions people come into the showabout deforestation and its negative impact on endangered case with about ballet, contemporary or dance in general, in the Reynolds Performing Arts Center, and runs through species. they will see something they’ve never seen before, she said. Sunday.

Daily Staff Writer

A back to old-school bash RYAN QUERBACH

Daily Staff writer

In a state with a lack of a huge hip hop scene, HiPoP! offers a refreshing surprise for local fans.

The group, which is set to perform Friday night at La Luna, consists of political science senior Spencer Livingston-Gainey, Tinker air force base employee Marcus Dixon and OU graduates Zach Miller and Jess Roberts. Livingston-Gainey and Dixon are the rappers of the group, while Miller

and Roberts are the producer and DJ, respectively.

Dixon and Livingston-Gainey met through Miller about two years ago. The rhyming duo cite many influences, with Dixon mentioning the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan and Nas, while Livingston-Gainey cites Outkast, the Roots and the Beach Boys, among others.

Their music combines smooth, often sampled beats, with laid back flow and rhyming techniques.

Their lyrics are often socially conscious, mentioning many issues in the states and abroad, but still with a fun twist.

BASH CONTINUES ON PAGE 2B

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Hi-Pop!’s performance Friday night at La Luna (529 Buchanan Avenue) on Campus Corner.

The show will also feature Oklahoma City

classic rock band the SweetWater.

It is a free show, and is set to kick off at 10:45.

2B

Thursday, January 28, 2010

BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE A LAUGH? Cameron Buchholtz had been a comedy addict for years, but stepping up to the mic created a whole other monster

“In some form comedy will be my career, “Buchholtz said. “I might write or do radio, which is an option that is pretty common.”

Since then, Buchholtz has started CB Radio, a podcast of his own that is available on CAITLIN TURNER iTunes, and Feb. 11 he will be recording his first live show at the Speakeasy. It was through Daily Staff Writer his podcast he got to meet his mentor-from-a-distance, Jimmy Pardo, as well as Web Soup writer, Jonah Ray. The podcasts have a simple format, essentially an hour of conversation Cameron Buchholtz was never the class clown. He was the kid in the back of the class- between a few interesting people. room making fun of the class clown.

His comedy has taken on a particularly foul-mouthed tone as well. He rarely writes Not everyone has the opportunity to translate a childhood passion into an adult career. jokes about himself and focuses more on pop culture and somewhat observational humor.

For Buchholtz, comedy was first a passion and later a When something funny occurs to him he jots it down in profession. his phone and fleshes it out later. “ I follow comedy like other people follow sports or “My style is sort of an amalgamation of several differmusic, which isn’t very common, even among comedient comics,” Buchholtz said. “Paul F. Tompkins is amazans,” Buchholtz said. ing and recently I have been into Moshe Kasher.”

In Norman, comedians are not common either. But Watching other comedians has helped him develop every Tuesday at Othello’s, an Italian restaurant and bar his own stand-up skills. One of his biggest and, conseon Campus Corner, the microphone is open for anyone quently, least successful shows was last year at Norman looking to impart their comedic skill on an audience.

Music Festival in front of an audience at The Red Room The humorists arrive around 9 p.m. to sign up for the at maximum capacity. show which starts at about 10 p.m. Buchholtz performs Some of his jokes were, well, let’s just say a little off every week along with a few other regulars who range color and were not received too well. There comes a from graduate students to senior citizens. point in every live show in which a laugh doesn’t follow On this particular Tuesday night, the place is full of a joke, but what is the protocol for this situation? people, but only about half of them are listening and “You can’t ignore the fact that people aren’t laughlaughing. It doesn’t bother Buchholtz, though — he sees ing,” Buchholtz said. You have to build off of the Othello’s as a place to test new material and perfect the awkwardness.” material he takes out on the road.

Comedy isn’t always about laughing. Buchholtz adFor about a year and a half he has been travelmitted to having an emotional reaction to one of his CAITLIN TURNER/THE DAILY favorite comedians passing away when he was in high ing to Austin, Little Rock and, occasionally, Atlanta to Comedian Cameron Buchholtz takes the stage at Othello’s open mic perform. school.

He’s Okie-bred though, and regularly gets up in night.

“I remember I started crying in my computer class front of crowds at the Loony Bin and the Speakeasy in when I found out that Mitch Hedberg died,” Buchholtz Oklahoma City. He’s become somewhat of an Oklahoma comedy veteran, but it took him said. “I cry easily, but I don’t cry about real things. I cry about T.V. shows, I had to stop awhile to take a stab at something he has loved for awhile now. watching reality shows because even their heartfelt montages make me cry.”

The comedy bug bit him after he started watching Comedy Central Presents in middle Hopefully, Buchholtz will be moving to Austin in August and continue on his quest for school, around his sixth grade year. a career in comedy. Austin is just a “stepping stone” city from which he will launch himself “I watched it just because it was dirty, and in sixth grade that was cool,” Buchholtz said. into Los Angeles.

After years of following the Los Angeles comedy scene it was a podcast from one of his “I don’t want to be super famous. I would rather just be successful and make a living favorite comedians, Jimmy Pardo, that inspired him to start performing. doing what I love,” Buchholtz said.

Bash Continues from page 1B “Hi-PoP! is about being alive, being fun,” Livingston-Gainey said. “But still realizing that there’s things going on in this world that aren’t right, and we need to talk about them.”

Dixon, who has been rhyming for more than 15 years, has a similar outlook on their music.

“My vibe is usually just experiences that I’ve gone through in life, and things that I hope to achieve, and hopefully I can help somebody within their situations with stuff that I’ve gone through.”

Livingston-Gainey and Dixon are also optimistic about the future of hip hop, mentioning that the current state of the genre, with a heavy electronic/ auto-tune presence, is not likely to last.

The group dropped its first CD, “The Duct Tapes” (available as a free download at hipoprecords.blogspot.com) late last year, and is excited about its next project, a play on the unreleased Beach Boys album “Smile.”

“It’s three mini albums in one,” Livingston-

Gainey said. “The first is about Oklahoma history, the second is about growing up and youthfulness and the third one is about the themes of the earth.”

The album, “The Illegal Smile,” features samples from the instrumentals for the unreleased Beach Boys album, as well as a similar concept to what the album would’ve been.

Although their excitement for the album is clear, they admit that making it has not been an easy task.

“This is the most difficult album I’ve ever had to write on,” Dixon said. “But I like that; it grew on me.”

This album, which they expect to release within the next couple months,also will be a free download, and the group expects to drop a third and perhaps even fourth album before the year is done, and they also hope to perform as many shows as possible.

LIKE CHOCOLATE?

LIKE AVATAR?

Running through sleet, snow, ice or shine will be The Firehouse Art Center’s 28th annual Chocolate Festival in Norman.

Participants in this year’s festival are of a wide variety, ranging from La Baguette and Sugar to “O” Asian Fusion and Pink Elephant.

Regular chocolate tasting sessions will take place in halfhour intervals from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m with tickets costing $20.

A premiere chocolate tasting session will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., tickets costing $30.

The event will be held Saturday at The Forum at OU, a change from its previous location at Norman North High School.

Then you will love a new exhibit that is debuting at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art tonight.

The first exhibit of the museum’s NEW FRONTIERS: Series for Contemporary Art will be Jason Peters’ “Anti.Gravity.

Material.Light.,” featuring sculptural that utilize bright colors, abstract forms and lighted structures.

The exhibit runs through April 11.

-Daily staff reports

Undergraduate Research Day 2010

-Daily staff reports

OU Honors College

This is an annual event for undergraduate students to present their papers and creative works. Topics include the natural sciences, performance art, life sciences, business, engineering, social sciences, critical studies in ancient or modern literature, and the humanities. Prose and poetry submissions and other forms of creative activity are also encouraged.

Each participant will have a 10-15 minute period for presentation.

A Call For Proposals

xWHEN? Saturday, March 27, 2010 xWHERE? OCCE Thurman J. White Forum Building 1704 Asp Ave xWHY PARTICIPATE? 3 Gain valuable experience while presenting your work in a supportive environment.

3 Participate in research and creative activity and build a more competitive resume.

3 Demonstrate your excellent scholarship to OU’s academic community.

3 Win cash prizes! Prizes are awarded to the best presentations in various categories.

Who Can Apply?

Deadline for submission is February 10, 2010

All undergraduate students at OU are eligible to apply. Students who have received Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program grants are required to present at some time before they leave OU. You need not be a member of the Honors College to participate. Apply online at http://www.ou.edu/ honors/SRPD-application.html

Thursday, January 28, 2010

3B

SOON TO BE ROCKING YOUR HEADPHONES The Daily’s Matt Carney reveals the hottest albums coming out in early 2010 LIL WAYNE: “REBIRTH” The move is curious, but so is everything else about the cough syrup-guzzling, prison sentence for criminal possession of a weapon-awaiting, self-proclaimed “best rapper alive.” It’s hyped as a foray into rock, and judging by the lead single “Prom Queen” and the fact that its release date was delayed (again), the only person likely to be entertained here is the artist. Hopefully Wayne will luck out on that possible prison sentence and get to work on Tha Carter IV — soon. Album due out Feb. 2.

MATT CARNEY

LIFEHOUSE: “SMOKE AND MIRRORS” These LA optimism-rockers have proven consistent hitmakers since “Hanging by a Moment” beat out industry big names for the 2001 Billboard Hot 100 Single of the Year. “Halfway Gone” is the first single from the forthcoming Smoke and Mirrors, and it sounds right at home among their catalog. Coupled with popular American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry and slots on the right movie soundtracks, and 2010 could prove a big year for Lifehouse. Album due out Feb. 23.

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM: “UNTITLED” James Murphy announced a March release date for his sorta-one-mandance-disco-punkish act’s third album, currently under construction in an LA mansion.

Known for hilarious (“Daft Punk is Playing at My House”) satirical (“Losing My Edge”) and downright touching (“Someone Great”) (“All My Friends”) songs, Murphy’s admitted to a new one called “Why Do You Hate Music?” Scenesters beware, March may come with mocking electronic disco-punk. Album due out in March.

MGMT: “CONGRATULATIONS,” SPRING Collaborations with The Flaming Lips, Beck and Kid Cudi, roughly 999,000 festival appearances, a couple of Grammy nods and the slickest song in recent memory (“Electric Feel”) all add up to a colossal breakthrough for Brooklyn indiee duo Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser. High hopes are in order for Congratulations, gratulations, and NME is reporting the possibility of [double-take] a Paul McCartney collaboration? They opened for Macca in Boston in August — so who knows? It may just be ‘time to pretend’ that ‘baby you can drivee my car?’ couldn t resist. Album due out this spring.

Sorry, couldn’t

impressive cast has been confirmed for the pop-heavy Plastic Beach; Lou Reed, Mos Def, Barry Gibb (Barry Gibb?) and Snoop Dogg (Snoop Dogg!) are all on board. With a formula like that, Gorillaz could have their biggest year since their 2001 debut album moved seven million copies. Album due out March 9.

ARCADE FIRE: “UNTITLED” Earth’s most famous Canadian septet recorded two of the noughties’ finest in Funeral (2004) and Neon Bible (2007). Sources say the band’s been locked in the studio for seven months with producer Markus Dravs who served as a sound engineer on “Neon Bible” and claims the new songs are “better.” A tour and top festival slots are expected to follow. Album due out May. OUTKAST AND SOLO PROJECTS: “SIR LUCIOUS LEFT FOOT: THE SON OF CHICO DUSTY,” “UNTITLED,” “UNTITLED” Big Boi bragged to MTV in late 2008 that he and bandmate Andre 3000 would release a solo album each and a collaborative effort the following year, but it looks like the trio of albums were sidetracked by individual pursuits in television and film. Andre’s and the duo’s records still lack titles, but set the bar high for “Sir Lucious,” which features Andre and Raekwon on “Royal Flush” and Gucci Mane’s smooth-as-the-hood-of-his-Cadillac assist on “Shine Blockas.” The albums are due out early 2010.

OF MONTREAL: “FALSE PRIEST” Norman Music Festival alums of Montreal are seeking to facilitate a more theatrical live show with their forthcoming album, according to indie music blog Stereogum. Huh? Apparently their excessive stage shenanigans (riding horses in the semi-nude, faked hangings) just haven’t been cutting it for weirdo frontman Kevin Barnes, who says “False Priest” will sound much different from 2008’s acclaimed “Skeletal Lamping.” Expect a record heavy on the funk and R&B. Album due out early fall.

Matt Carney is a professional writing junior.

B GORILLAZ: “PLASTIC BEACH” singeer Damon Albarn Blur singer b 201 has a busy 20100 ahead, with reslaated for both his digital leases slated d the reunification reun nification of his band and acttual one. actual Gorilllaz are depenGorillaz dant on guest-appearaances, pearances, and an

THIS WEEKEND AT YOUR UNIVERSITY Thursday, Jan. 28

Intramural Update | Pres-season basketball today through Saturday!

For more information visit recservices.ou.edu or call Jonathan Dewhirst, (405) 325-3053.

Free Hot Chocolate | 11:30 a.m. in the first floor lobby of the Oklahoma Memorial Union. Presented by the Union Programming Board, There’s Always Something at the Union, www.ou.edu/upb.

POSTPONED: Discussion with Author Daphne Oz | due to the possibility of inclement weather, the discussion and book signing with author Daphne Oz has been postponed until March 10 at 7 p.m. in Beaird Lounge, OMU. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Friday, Jan. 29

Back-2-School BINGO | 8 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union Food Court. It’s time to win some of those back-2-school essentials for the classroom, dorm and apartment at Back-2-School BINGO! Presented by the Union Programming Board, There’s Always Something at the Union, www.ou.edu/upb.

Saturday, Jan. 30 Men’s Gymnastics: OU vs. Texas | 7 p.m. at the McCasland Field House. Visit soonersports.com for ticket information.

Young Choreographers’ Showcase | 8 p.m. in the Donald W. Reynolds Performing Arts Center.

Free Candy and Spring Movie Schedules | 11:30 a.m. in the first floor lobby. Get some FREE candy and a schedule of the movies that the Union Programming Board and CAC Film Series will be showing in Meacham Auditorium this semester.

Sutton Concert Series: Kim Josephson and Bradley William – Voice | 8 p.m. in the Morris R. Pitman Recital Hall, Catlett Music Center. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students, faculty/staff and senior adults. Please call the Box Office at (405) 325-4101 for more information.

Free Movie: “Where the Wild Things Are” | free screenings at 4, 7, 10 p.m. and midnight in Meacham Auditorium, Oklahoma Memorial Union. Presented by the Union Programming Board and Campus Activities Council Film Series. ALWAYS SOMETHING at the union!

Sunday, Jan. 31

Art After Hours, Limited Edition: The WPA Print Making Program | 6 p.m. in the Dee Dee and Jon R. Stuart Classroom, Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. Sponsored by Arvest Bank. Visit www.ou.edu/fjjma for more information.

Young Choreographers’ Showcase | 8 p.m. in the Donald W. Reynolds Performing Arts Center. The University of Oklahoma School of Dance, in conjunction with University Theatre, present “Young Choreographers’ Showcase,” opening Thursday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m., in the Donald W. Reynolds Performing Arts Center, 560 Parrington Oval in Norman. The production will continue at 8 p.m., Jan. 29 and 30, and at 3 p.m., Jan. 31. Enjoy fresh and creative styles, brought to life by our dancers recruited from across the country, in an evening of inspired original works. Tickets are $22 for adults, $18 for seniors and OU faculty/staff and $14 for OU students. Call the Fine Arts Box Office for more information, (405) 325-4101.

Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art Family Days | 1-4 p.m. in the Dee Dee and Jon R. Stuart Classroom, Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. Visit www.ou.edu/fjjma for more information.

Sunday Science Film Series: “Chain Reaction” | 2-4 p.m. at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. (1996) Starring Keanu Reaves as Eddie Kasalivich, an undergraduate at the University of Chicago who works as a technician for a scientific team that discovers an alternative, low-cost, pollution-free fuel source. When one of the chief scientists is murdered and the invention stolen, Eddie and physicist Lily Sinclair are framed for it and have to flee for their lives, with the FBI, CIA and other involved parties in close pursuit. Rated PG-13. Free with paid museum admission.

Young Choreographers’ Showcase | 3 p.m. in the Donald W. Reynolds Performing Arts Center.

This University in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid and educational services. For accommodations on the basis of disability, please contact the sponsoring department of any program or event.

4B Thursday, January 28, 2010 Thad Baker, advertising manager classifieds@ou.edu • phone: 325-2521 • fax: 325-7517

C Transportation

PLACE AN AD Phone: 405-325-2521 E-mail: classifieds@ou.edu

Fax: 405-325-7517 Campus Address: COH 149A

Auto Insurance Quotations Anytime Foreign Students Welcomed Jim Holmes Insurance, 321-4664

Line Ad ..................................................................................3 days prior Place your line ad no later than 9:00 a.m. 3 days prior to publication.

Display Ad ............................................................................3 days prior Classified Display or Classified Card Ad

Employment

Place your display, classified display or classified card ads no later than 5:00 p.m. 3 days prior to publication.

HELP WANTED

PAYMENT s r

r

TUTORS WANTED!!!

Available positions in the OU Athletics department!!! Junior, Senior, Graduate, and Post-graduate applicants only!!!

MATH - All Levels!!!

Hiring for Spring 2010. Call 325-0554 for

TM

Payment is required at the time the ad is placed. Credit cards, cash, money orders or local checks accepted.

more info!!!

RATES

NOW HIRING for the Darkhorse Grille & Icehouse, Newcastle! Hiring all positions!

Apply in person, 3-6pm, M-F. Phone 3874505

Line Ad

There is a 2 line minimum charge; approximately 42 characters per line, including spaces and punctuation.

(Cost = Days x # lines x $/line) 1 day ..................$4.25/line 2 days ................$2.50/line 3-4 days.............$2.00/line 5-9 days.............$1.50/line

Sandy Beaches needing 2 Nail Techs @ OU dorm location ASAP! Call 364-7344 or visit sandybeachesok.com

10-14 days.........$1.15/line 15-19 days.........$1.00/line 20-29 days........$ .90/line 30+ days ........ $ .85/line

2 col (3.25 in) x 2.25 inches

ENGLISH TUTORS WANTED!!!

Available positions in the OU Athletics Department!!! Junior, Senior, Graduate, and Post-graduate applicants only!!!

Hiring for Spring 2010. Call (405) 325-

Crossword ........$515/month

8376 for more info!!!

Contact an Acct Executive for details at 325-2521.

CLASS MONITORS WANTED!!!

Available positions in the OU Athletics Department!!! Junior, Senior, Graduate, and Post-graduate applicants only!!! Hiring for Spring 2010. Call 325-8453 for more info!!!

STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid survey takers needed in Norman 100% FREE to join. Click on Surveys.

Autographs Sports bar, located inside Riverwind Casino in Norman, OK, currently has COOK, SERVER, HOST and KITCHEN MANAGER positions available. Please apply in person at Traditions Spirits Corporate OfďŹ ce.

Directions: Follow Highway 9 West past Riverwind Casino, travel 2 miles, turn right on Pennsylvania, take an immediate left onto the service road 2813 SE 44th Norman, OK 405-392-4550, or online at www.traditionsspirits.com.

TUTORS WANTED!!!

Available positions in the OU Athletics Department!!! Junior, Senior, Graduate, and Post-graduate applicants only!!!

ALL SUBJECTS!!!

Hiring for Spring 2010. Call (405) 3254828 for more info!!!

$5,000-$45,000

MISAL OF INDIA BISTRO Now accepting applications for waitstaff.

Apply in person at 580 Ed Noble Pkwy, across from Barnes & Noble, 579-5600.

Classified Display, Classified Card Ad or Game Sponsorship 2 col (3.25 in) x 2 inches Sudoku ..............$760/month Boggle ...............$760/month Horoscope ........$760/month

HELP WANTED

AUTO INSURANCE

DEADLINES

Employment

Bartending! Up to $300/day. No exp nec.

Training provided. 1-800-965-6520 x133.

POLICY

PAID EGG DONORS up to 9 donations, + Exps, non-smokers, Ages 19-29, SAT>1100/ACT>24/GPA>3.00 Contact: info@eggdonorcenter.com PART-TIME LEASING AGENT Needed for MWF and every third Saturday.

Can be exible thru the week. Saturdays mandatory. $8/hr. Call 405-360-7744

APTS. FURNISHED $400, bills paid, efďŹ ciency LOFT apartments, downtown over Mister Robert Furniture, 109 E Main, ďŹ re sprinkler, no pets, smoke-free. Inquire store ofďŹ ce.

APTS. FURNISHED

ROOMS FURNISHED

1 bdr furnished apt near campus, $425 + electric, $200 deposit, no pets - 886-6709

NEAR OU, privacy, $230, bills paid includes cable, neat, clean, parking. Prefer male student. Call 329-0143.

APTS. UNFURNISHED SPECIAL! NEAR OU, 1012 S College $295/mo. 360-2873 / 306-1970.

1/2 OFF 1st Month Rent* $99 Deposit / 6 Month Free Fitness 1 & 2 bed $425-$570 Pets Welcome! Large Floor Plans! *Some Restrictions Apply Models open 8a-8p Everyday!

360-6624 or www.elite2900.com

CONDOS UNFURNISHED

/

THE EDGE-1 room avail in 4 bd condo, full ba, walk-in closet, appl, full kitchen, $425 incld internet, cable & util. 4733957

HOUSES UNFURNISHED 515 S Ponca: 3 bd, 2.5 ba, CH/A, W/D hookups, gas FP, close to OU, $850/mo + deposit.

829 Miller: 1 bd, 1 ba apt, near OU, CH/A, appliances, carpet, $400/mo + deposit.

Norman Campus Properties 305 S Peters, 329-1922 AVAILABLE IN MAY A short walk to OU, 1-5 blks west of OU, nice brick homes, wood oors, CH/A, W/D, disposal, good parking.

3 bdrm $990-$1,500 2 bdrm $700-$900 1 bdrm $420-$500 Bob, MISTER ROBERT FURNITURE 321-1818

ROOMMATES WANTED

&+ "%&- &- *& ( * *& * !( )* $ ** ")

( ) &- *& '( , %* * $

&( $&( !% &($ *!&% #& &%*& --- %& ** ") &( &( ## .&+( & *&(

Take over this lease at THE COTTAGES OF NORMAN! $450, all bills paid, 3 F roommates, avail Feb 1st. 903-821-4257

The Oklahoma Daily is responsible for one day’s incorrect advertising.

If your ad appears incorrectly, or if you wish to cancel your ad call 3252521, before the deadline for cancellation in the next issue. Errors not the fault of the advertiser will be adjusted. Refunds will not be issued for late cancellations.

small step no. 34

The Oklahoma Daily will not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religious preference, national origin or sexual orientation. Violations of this policy should be reported to The Oklahoma Daily Business Office at 325-2521.

FETCH THIS PAPER YOURSELF

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.

TAKE A SMALL STEP TO GET HEALTHY www.smallstep.gov

Previous Solution

8 4 2 3 7 7 4 5 5 8

7 9

5 1 1

8 2 9 8 5

7 6 7 9 3

5 9 8 2 7 1 4 3 6

2 7 4 3 6 8 1 9 5

6 3 1 4 9 5 8 2 7

3 2 5 1 8 7 6 4 9

1 8 7 6 4 9 2 5 3

9 4 6 5 2 3 7 8 1

7 6 3 8 5 2 9 1 4

8 5 9 7 1 4 3 6 2

4 1 2 9 3 6 5 7 8

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

6 4 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.

Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker January 28, 2010

HOROSCOPE

By Bernice Bede Osol

Copyright 2008, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010 AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- You’ll have no trouble being spurred into action when you learn another’s arrangement can directly affect your plans. You’ll make sure that everything turns out to your satisfaction.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- You’re not likely to wait for fate or Lady Luck to make things happen. You will take the bull by the horns and ride it out until all resistance stops and you get your way.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Someone you don’t know well may step forward and offer to do a favor. This sudden act of kindness will warm your heart and let you know that all’s well with the world.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Don’t avoid making a quick judgment or decision if you believe you have the answer because of a past experience.

Chances are your memory will be right on the mark.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -You’re never reluctant to stand up for your rights, and woe to the person who thinks he or she can run all over you. Chances are this person will never try to deceive you again.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- You’re not being presumptuous; you’re merely drawing on instant memory to provide the immediate answers you need to accomplish your aims.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Recognize that an adjustment is required regarding a joint arrangement with friends, and handling it properly may be a task dropped into your lap.

You’ll do just fine.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Even though you might prefer to keep out of a situation that arises between two friends, if you believe you can mediate to each person’s satisfaction, step in and offer advice.

Previous Answers

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- There is no one better than you to arouse a few lethargic companions to take action with regard to an arrangement in which everyone is waiting for them to launch. Do your thing.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -Even though you rarely bargain when purchasing a costly item, you might just give it a try on a whim. To your surprise, you’re likely to get the price down.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Good things in general are likely to happen spontaneously with regard to your wants and desires. However, don’t take Lady Luck for granted. It’s a momentary thing.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- When you find yourself involved in a challenging situation, all indifference on your part will suddenly vanish.

Your enthusiasm will be easily aroused, and you’ll play to win.

ACROSS 1 One attracted to a flame 5 Flower garden plots 9 Church brothers and sisters 14 “Do as I say�

15 Word for 9-Across 16 Participate in a shouting match 17 “Cheers� habitue 18 Bigwig’s ride 19 Certain subatomic particles 20 Newburgs at Wimbledon?

23 Eeyore’s outburst 24 D.C. dealmaker 25 Protagonists 28 “Sack� lead-in 30 Aron Trask’s brother in “East of Eden�

33 Hunter of the skies 34 Dates frequently 35 ___-fly pie 36 Goalies who drive players?

39 Plays for a sucker 40 Word that gets under a grammarian’s skin 41 Babble 42 Terre’s counterpart

43 Boots one 44 One might be picked at a concert 45 “All in favor� word 46 Actor Baldwin of “The Departed�

47 Crooked lawyers looking for photo-ops?

54 Pesto ingredient 55 Far from shallow 56 “... deliver us from ___�

57 Cordial flavoring 58 Asian nursemaid 59 Words before “trap�

60 Bread machine add-in 61 USNA students 62 Hardly a large diamond DOWN 1 ___ Blanc (highest peak in the Alps) 2 English horn relative 3 Fork-tailed gull-like bird 4 Church staples 5 Corkwood trees 6 Poet Dickinson 7 “Graphic� opening 8 Belittling sort

9 Wi-Fi device 10 Disney’s little mermaid 11 “Young Frankenstein� flunky 12 Wine casks 13 Fist-pumper’s cry 21 Sherlock’s lady friend 22 Involuntary jerk 25 Sound of boredom 26 Irregular, as leaf edges 27 Chef’s utensil 28 Laments audibly 29 Unmixed, as a drink 30 Get an A dishonestly 31 Circulatory system trunk 32 Habitual failure 34 ___-crazy (restless)

35 Most authoritarian 37 More maneuverable at sea 38 Gushes forth (Var.) 43 Shoelace hole 44 Relief carvings 45 Somewhat off 46 In first place 47 Hobbler’s support 48 Bangladesh’s location 49 Ant who sings 50 “___Charmed Life�

51 “How can I ___ thank you?�

52 Time-honored practice 53 Have ‘em rolling in the aisles 54 Howl like a hound

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

Š 2010 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

QUIPSTER by Henry Quarters

Thursday, January 28, 2010

5B

Obama addresses college Future of Boynton-Moton students’ financial concerns School District questioned President’s first State of the Union address encompasses education WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said in the State of the Union address that college students should only have to devote 10 percent of their postcollege income to repaying student loans.

Obama also called on Congress to finish work on a measure to revitalize community colleges. He called for a $10,000 tax credit to families for four years of college and an increase in Pell Grants.

Obama will ask Congress to boost federal spending on education by as much as $4 billion in the coming 2011 budget year, said Arne Duncan, Education Secretary.

“To make college more affordable, this bill will finally end the unwarranted taxpayer subsidies that go to banks for student loans,” Obama said. “Instead, let’s take that money and give families a $10,000 tax credit for four years of college and increase Pell Grants. And let’s tell another 1 million students that when they graduate, they will be required to pay only 10 percent of their income on student loans, and all of their debt will be forgiven after 20 years — and forgiven after 10 years if they choose a career in public service. Because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they chose to go to college.”

Of the total, $3 billion is slated for elementary and secondary education programs ranging from teacher quality to student safety.

The sum also includes $1.35 billion for Obama’s “Race to the Top” competitive grant program, which was created last year using $4.35 billion from the economic stimulus bill.

States must compete for a share of the money and, for some, that means changing education laws and striking deals with teacher unions to bring their systems in line

with Obama’s vision of education reform.

The first round of Race to the Top awards are expected to be announced in April.

With the additional $1.35 billion, states not awarded money in the first round would get another chance to compete. Local school districts also would be allowed to apply.

The rest of the money for K-12 education would become available after Congress overhauls the No Child Left Behind education law, which is due for a rewrite. Duncan said he hopes that process will be completed by August.

Obama called for the overhaul in his State of the Union address Wednesday night.

The request for $4 billion would increase federal education spending by about 6 percent.

The Education Department also wants to eliminate six programs, deeming them duplicative or ineffective. The agency would consolidate 38 other programs into 11 programs to eliminate bureaucracy and red tape.

Duncan said Obama’s decision to boost education spending, at the same time he is expected to call for a freeze on other federal spending, shows how important the issue is to the president.

“Given how tough the economy is now, having a 6 percent increase at this point is extraordinary,” Duncan said. “You’re not seeing that happen anyplace else.”

Obama is expected to send his budget proposal to Capitol Hill next Tuesday.

As he prepares to ask Congress for billions of dollars in new spending for education, President Barack Obama is urging the spread of school reforms across the country. He says a student’s success can’t depend on where he or she is growing up.

Obama says the nation’s students need to be inspired to exceed in math and science, and that failing schools need to be turned around.

-AP

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCURACY The Daily has a long-standing commitment to serve readers by providing accurate coverage and analysis. Errors are corrected as they are identified. Readers should bring errors to the attention of the editorial board for further investigation.

The cheerleaders shown in Wednesday’s edition of The Daily were misidentified. They are members of the Norman High School Pom Squad.

In Wednesday’s coverage of the incoming winter storm, OU Health Sciences Center Spokeswoman Diane Clay’s name was misspelled and information was incorrectly attributed to her. Blood Pressure Expert Zhongjie Sun should have been attributed to the facts given.

The Daily incorrectly stated the OU Regents meeting was cancelled. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education cancelled their meeting, not the OU Board of Regents.

BOYNTON, Okla. — The future of an east- the general fund budget and $10,633 in the ern Oklahoma school district is in question building fund budget. because of budget cuts.

Williams said the district has a stack of bills Boynton-Moton Superintendent Shelbie that have not yet been paid.

Williams said during a special school board Earlier on Monday, board member Albert meeting that the district has been battered Joe Cherry, whose resignation was accepted by statewide education cutbacks and ques- during Monday night’s meeting, expressed tions about child nutrition fund doubts the district could surirregularities and attendance “We cut salaries, vive until the end of the school records. year. services without “We have been cut till we going to the bone “Why spend money you bleed, and we are way past don’t have, to put a burden on blame,” Williams said during and marrow. Last the taxpayers,” Cherry said. month, we did all the meeting Monday.

“You can’t have enough Williams called Monday we can do to make bean suppers and pie suppers a day of reckoning, because payments.” to keep the school open.” the district faces state cuts of Earlier this month, state $100,000.

Department of Education offiSHELBIE WILLIAMS, From August to December, cials examined school records Boynton-Moton received SUPERINTENDENT looking for potential irregulari$183,650 in state aid, $9,632 ties in the child nutrition fund. less than it would have. The midterm adjust- They also checked academic and attendance ment for the total state aid was down by 6.9 records for compliance with state regulators. percent.

At the time, State Superintendent Sandy “We cut salaries, services without going to Garrett said she may call in more auditors. the bone and marrow,” she said. “Last month, She also said then that the state was trying to we did all we can do to make payments.” determine if the school has funding to comRita Lawson, listed as the school budget plete the year. director, said the school has $10,891.02 in —AP

STATE BRIEFS OKLAHOMA MAN GUILTY OF UNLAWFUL FILM COPYING DALLAS — An Oklahoma man faces up to five years in prison over the unlawful copying of more than 150 films while he worked at a movie store in Dallas.

Prosecutors say 26-year-old Robert Campbell Jr. of Tulsa pleaded guilty Wednesday to copyright infringement and aiding and abetting.

Campbell, with no sentencing date set, remains free on a personal recognizance bond. He also could be fined $250,000 and required to make restitution.

The FBI in February 2008 raided a store called Movies and CDs. Prosecutors say Campbell unlawfully burned copies of movies, while customers waited, charging $5 per DVD. Campbell admitted pirating at least 151 movies, including recently released films such as

“Beowolf,” ‘’27 Dresses” and “Mad Money.”

The store owner faces trial in March on similar charges.

PHOTOS OF GERONIMO MURDER SUSPECT, VICTIM FOUND Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents have found surveillance video of a murder suspect and the victim just hours before the victim was killed.

OSBI spokeswoman Jessica Brown said Wednesday that the video of 46-year-old Lester Hobbs and 37-year-old Tonya Hobbs was taken at a Wal-Mart in Lawton about 5:15 p.m. Saturday.

Tonya Hobbs was found beaten to death Sunday in her motor home in Geronimo and her 7-year-old daughter Aja (AY’-zhah) is missing.

Lester Hobbs is now wanted on first-degree murder and kidnapping charges.

—AP

Don’t Miss the Chance to Nominate an OU Professor, Staff Member or Student for a $20,000 prize!

All undergraduate, graduate and professional students as well as full-time faculty and staff members on OU’s Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa campuses are eligible to be nominated for the $20,000 Otis Sullivant Award. Only members of the OU community are eligible to be considered for the prize.

The award is funded by a $500,000 endowment established by Edith Kinney Gaylord of Oklahoma City shortly before her death in 2001. It is named in honor of the late Otis Sullivant, the chief political writer for the Daily Oklahoman who for 40 years was one of the state’s most influential journalists.

Nominees should exhibit intuitiveness, instant comprehension and empathy, be observant and interpret from their experience. The benefit to society and the broader community, which comes from the nominee’s insight, also will be considered.

Nominations for the Sullivant Award may be made by calling Sherry Evans at the President’s Office at 325-3916, writing to Evans at the Office of the President, 660 Parrington Oval, Room 110, Norman, OK 73019-0390, or by picking up forms at the President’s Office. Applications must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16.

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution.

- THE IMPACT OF EXCELLENCE