Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Halloween movies

to scream for

Life & Arts, Page B1

T u e s d a y , O c to b e r 3 0 , 2 0 1 2

A n O k l a h oma D a i l y s p e c i a l r e p o r t

highway system of decisions For sexual-assault survivors, the quest for justice and support can mean navigating a

A

By C ha se C ook , a s s i s tan t campu s e dito r

About this series

fter a sexual assault occurs, survivors are left staring down a metropolitan-like freeway system of decisions. There are many roads to take, and it can be difficult to determine which path will be best to begin the healing or justice process. ¶ Often, survivors opt not to take any path at all. About 73 percent of rape and sexual assault go unreported to the police, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. ¶ Graduate student Jen Cox is part of that 73 percent.

In 2011, Cox was spending time with an OU professor at his apartment. They had been drinking and were enjoying each other’s company, but when it came down to having sex, the professor became very forceful, and she told him to stop.

He didn’t.

“I was sober enough to know what was happening as it was happening,” she

said. “He was using enough force that I knew I couldn’t stop him.”

Cox was raped and suffered physical and emotional damage. She said her work and school suffered as her mental health deteriorated, so she decided to check herself into Griffin Memorial Hospital for a few days and was placed on suicide watch. Her work and school life suffered, with the latter culminating

in incomplete grades that jeopardized her student loans.

Cox is a survivor of one of the most common types of sexual assault against women on college campuses. Two people who have been drinking consent to some kind of sexual activity and then, when it escalates, one person says “no” see Sex Crimes page A2

sex crimes A special report from The Daily

Addressing sexual assault is complicated because it’s not a black-and-white scenario. The people who commit these crimes don’t always go to prison, and survivors’ needs aren’t always met.

While the university offers resources for support and justice, its systems are not free of problems. This series explores the challenges with reporting and punishing sex crimes when they happen on campus.

• Monday — A spotlight on the issue • Today — Deciding which path to take • Wednesday — What’s next at OU? Visit OUDaily.com/sex-crimes for full coverage

community

Residents try to gain homeless perspective OU student, local pastor to venture on 10-day project

BY THE NUMBERS Homeless statistics

Emma Hamblen

251 314

Campus Reporter

An OU student and local pastor are leaving their homes and hitting the streets for 10 days to gain perspective on the treatment and daily experience of the homeless.

Music education senior Philip Nguyen and Grace Church lead pastor Dustin Buff began the social experiment Sunday.

Buff and Nguyen each only took a sleeping bag, a Bible, two forms of identification, a cell phone and one change of clothes, Nguyen said.

The cell phones will be used as a safety precaution, and Buff will use his to keep in contact with his wife, Nguyen said.

Nguyen seeks to gain perspective on what it’s like to be a homeless college student who has to figure out where to eat and sleep, he said.

Obtaining the everyday homeless person’s perspective is a main focus, Buff said. He can’t completely understand every aspect of being homeless because each person’s story is different, he said. Not knowing where he will sleep at night, how he will find his next meal or how he will get a job, however, will give him some insight into the daily struggle, he said.

Even though he knows his

Opinion: The university should institute a minimum punishment for sexual assault to ensure justice for survivors, curb assaults. (Page A4)

Total sheltered

unsheltered

82

Punishment for sexual assault should be more than education

Total persons

chronically homeless Source: 2010 Point-in-time summary for Norman

Astrud Reed /The daily

Music education senior Philip Nguyen makes camp Sunday afternoon in a secluded, woody area in east Norman as he begins his 10-day Homeless Project in an attempt to build relationships with people living on the streets to better understand their situation and needs.

wife and kids will be taken care of while he’s gone, Buff still will have to face the difficulty of his situation and try to improve it, he said.

Buff has had a passion for helping the homeless for the

past few years, he said. He’s served at soup kitchens and served at a homeless ministry in Nashville. Every time he did something, however, he felt like he was just putting a Band-Aid on the

situation — it wasn’t really fixing anything. It was meeting a need, but people eventually would be hungry again.

“We believe that reallife change happens

relationally,” Buff said. “If we can go and build some relationships, then we can meet that need so much more.”

Relationships help to understand what the real needs are, he said.

“It’s hard to understand the needs if we can’t really relate,” Buff said.

Grace Church plans to have Buff and Nguyen speak about their experience during November. Buff said he has no idea what he will discuss because he has no idea what’s going to happen — maybe it will produce gratitude or inspire dedication.

Whatever it is, he said he won’t know until he’s gone through the experience.

“I just kind of want to let this experience speak to me, hear from God in this time and then share whatever that is,” Buff said.

Men’s basketball team shooting for postseason play Sports: OU held its annual local media day Monday and coach Lon Kruger said he believes his team, with five returning seniors, has what it takes to make it to the big dance. (Page B4)

VOL. 98, NO. 53 © 2012 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25¢

INSIDE TODAY Campus......................A2 Classifieds................B2 Life& Ar ts..................B1 Opinion.....................A4 Sports........................B3 Visit OUDaily.com for more

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A2

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Campus More online at

Tomorrow ››

Lindsey Ruta, campus editor Chase Cook and Jake Morgan, assistant editors dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily

UOSA looks to make it possible for students to be able to vote in Norman with an OU student I.D. instead of other credentials.

| IMAGINE THE FUTURE: The Daily wants your input on how you want to consume campus media — go online for a link to our survey.

Sex crimes: None of arrests led to prison time Continued from page A1

Today around campus Reference assistance will be provided by OU Libraries from 10 a.m. to noon in Gould Hall, Room 275 and 2 to 4 p.m. in Adams Hall, Room 110.

Comedy Fight Night Photoshoot, sponsored by Union Programming Board, will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Oklahoma Memorial Union’s first floor.

A vocal concert by Dolores Leffingwell’s voice studio will be held from noon to 12:30 p.m. in Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Sandy Bell Gallery.

A Student Success Series seminar titled “Emotional Intelligence: Your E-IQ” will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. in Lissa and Cy Wagner Hall, Room 245.

A horn studio recital will be held from 8 to 10 p.m. in Catlett Music Center’s Pitman Recital Hall.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 31 Haunt the Union: OU Scared?, sponsored by Union Programming Board, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in Oklahoma Memorial Union.

Do you want to see your organization’s campus event here?

Visit OUDaily.com/events/submit to add your entry.

Record requests The Oklahoma Daily regularly asks for access to public information from OU officials. Here is a list of the most-recent requests our reporters have submitted to the university.

Requested document and purpose

Date requested

The 2003 purchase and sale agreement between University Northpark LLC and OU — To see the contents and property involved in this purchase agreement

Sept. 24

A database or electronic document of registered vehicles of students, staff and faculty with OU parking permits for Spring 2012 — To see how many people register with OU’s Parking Services

Sept. 24

Contract regarding the purchase of 146 Page St. — To see the details of the contract, such as the price of the purchase, and OU’s plans for the property

Sept. 24

Visit OUDaily.com/openrecords for a full list of requests

Corrections The Oklahoma Daily is committed to serving readers with accurate coverage and welcomes your comments about information that may require correction or clarification. To contact us with corrections, email us at dailynews@ou.edu.

A Monday sports story, “Sooners swept by Longhorns in Norman,” erroneously reported the OU volleyball game against Texas Tech on Wednesday was in Lubbock. The game is at McCasland Field House.

Visit OUDaily.com/corrections for an archive of our corrections

HOW TO CONTACT Us Newsroom office: 405-325-3666

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Letters to the editor: dailyopinion@ou.edu

Business office: 405-325-2521

Editor in chief: dailyeditor@ou.edu

and the other turns to force — either physical or emotional.

About 50 percent of rapes occur in someone’s home and involve the use of alcohol, according to a study published in the Psychology of Women Quarterly. And about 85 percent of attacks on college women are by someone they know, according to the National Institute for Justice.

Cox was a rape-crisis advocate for four years before she was raped. During this time, she said she never saw anyone go to prison. Of rapes that are reported, only 25 percent of attackers are arrested, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. *** When it comes to traditional thoughts of justice, survivors from OU have two primary paths they can take: criminal and university punishment.

The decision isn’t easy, and the paths don’t always result in the outcome survivors might hope for.

Sometimes, survivors are able to obtain no-contact orders or have their attacker expelled through university means. Sometimes, but not often, survivors see their attacker put in prison on felony charges.

And sometimes, nothing happens at all.

If a survivor decides to press criminal charges, it can be a difficult experience retelling the story again and again after an investigation begins, said Kathy Moxley, Women’s Outreach Center director.

Victims could be asked to repeat their story for six months or longer if the case goes to trial, but trials don’t often happen, she said.

In the six arrests associated with the 61 sexual assaults reported to the OU Police Department since 2000, only one person was formally charged with a felony, and that person pleaded guilty to sexual battery and received five years of probation. None of the six arrests resulted in anyone spending any time in prison.

OU police spokesman

OUDaily.com

AT A GLANCE On-campus crime stats These graphs illustrate the types of different crimes on and near campus.

The number of sexual assaults is greater than the number of actual police reports filed because the Sooner Safety and Fire Report takes into consideration sexual assaults that are reported to the university but may not have been reported to OU’s police department.

404 354 278

254

79

5 07

3

3

4

16

08

09

10

11

07

08

09

10

11

SEXUAL ASSAULTS

Liquor law referals

41

45

08

09

43

07

29

35

27

36

41

10

11

07

08

09

BURGLARIES

84

84

10

11

DRUG LAW REFERALS

Source: Sooner Safety and Fire Report 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

AT A GLANCE General resources OU Police Department 405-325-1911 (emergency) 405-325-2864 (non-emergency) Norman Police Department 405-321-1600 or 405-321-1444 Women’s Outreach Center 405-325-4929 Counseling Center 405-325-2911 Counseling Psychology Clinic 405-325-2914 Sexual Assault Hotline 405-701-5660

“I was sober enough to know what was happening as it was happening. He was using enough force that I knew I couldn’t stop him.”

Jen Cox, graduate student

Lt. Bruce Chan said police handle sexual-assault investigations by collecting information from witnesses and survivors. Police submit what they find to the district attorney, who decides whether to pursue charges, he said.

One of the challenges officers face when investigating sexual assault is survivors

Sexual Assault Response Team 405-615-0013 Women’s Resource Center 405-364-9424 Number Nyne Crisis Line 405-325-NYNE Rape Crisis Center 405-701-5660 Sexual Misconduct Officer 405-325-2215 Women’s Shelter for Battered Women 405-701-5540

don’t always come forward immediately. This can limit the availability of evidence and hamper investigations, Chan said.

“The best thing a victim can do is come forward as soon as possible,” he said.

Even if survivors come forward immediately, that still doesn’t mean a sexual-assault case will go to trial. District attorneys don’t automatically pick up every case because the office has to use its limited resources on cases district attorneys think they can win, said Andrew Coats, former Oklahoma County district attorney and OU College of Law dean from 1996 to 2010.

Winning cases helps deter future criminals, while losing cases may make them think

See complete coverage of this series, including stories, maps, videos, documents and more. oudaily.com/sex-crimes

they can get away with that crime, he said.

“You have to get in your mind what the jury will think when they have been presented the evidence,” Coats said.

“You have to try and help as many victims as you can.”

The toughest cases to prosecute are the ones that commonly happen on college campuses: The survivor and alleged attacker know each other or have mutual friends.

When this is the situation — and there is no physical evidence, such as bruises or genital damage — it can result in a he-said-she-said scenario, he said.

Survivors need to report what happened to them immediately and seek help at a hospital where physical damage can be documented, although Coats said he understood that isn’t an easy process for survivors.

“It’s difficult to do that,” he said. “A lot of women have the courage to do it, and thank God for them, and I’m proud of them.”

There has been a change that might help survivors come forward more often in criminal cases, Coats said.

Lawyers can no longer ask questions about survivors’ past sexual history — something that can exacerbate the traumatic situation of testifying about what happened.

While working as a rapecrisis advocate, Cox said she became familiar with police practices that were sometimes insensitive. Police wouldn’t always believe survivors’ claims or would override their decisions — making the process more difficult for survivors, she said.

“There were many times where I would see a lot of really bad things happening to victims,” Cox said. “I would see cops belittle or doubt victims when they tell their stories. ... I got jaded real fast working in that system.”

Chan defended the police’s see sex crimes page A3

what to expect when reporting assault If you are reporting a sexual assault to university officials, you may be expected to do the following:

If you are reporting a sexual assault to law enforcement, you may be expected to do the following:

• Tell the story to the sexual misconduct officer. The officer may also request evidence such as documents (emails, texts) and interview witnesses.

• Tell your story to the police officer. The officer may also interview witnesses and collect physical evidence.

• Be granted anonymity from outside sources since university investigation records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. • Survivors may be able to dictate the punishment given to the attacker depending on the circumstances. An example of this could be the survivor requesting a no-contact order or an emergency room change.

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• Provide a name of the attacker if you knew him/her. Or give a description of the attacker if you did not know him/her.

• A rape kit can be necessary if the assault is reported in a timely manner. A rape kit is the collection of forensic evidence by a trained individual. It could include blood, semen and saliva and articles of clothing. There may be photo documentation of physical injuries.

Chase Cook, Assistant Campus Editor

Campus

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 •

A3

Sex crimes: University punishment options are easier to administer Continued from page A2 investigation tactics. Officers are trained to gather as much information as possible — both forensic and informational — while being sensitive to survivors’ needs, he said.

Survivors can be referred to counseling and other services offered by the university if they need it.

It’s difficult to check Cox’s and Chan’s claims without watching an investigation in action. However, OUPD does fill out supplemental and follow-up reports that contain more detailed investigation information that would help provide a context for how officers handle sexual-assault investigations.

But these documents aren’t subject to Oklahoma’s open records laws, and the university refused to release the

information even with survivors’ names redacted. *** Some survivors may choose to take the university-punishment path due to the system’s anonymity and other benefits, such as a quicker process, said Laura Palk, Institutional Equity and Title IX Office director.

In February, the university established that office to serve as a central location for handling its policies for sexual assault and misconduct. This office handles complaints regarding OU’s sexual-misconduct policy.

Once someone comes forward with a sexual-assault complaint, officials begin an investigation as best as they can without forcing the survivor to be re-victimized, Palk said.

BACKGROUND Institutional Equity Office This office was created in January to handle genderspecific and sexualharassment issues. There are two smaller offices within it.

Institutional Equity and Title IX handles

Officials, such as sexualmisconduct officer Kathleen Smith, determine whether a violation has occurred based on witness information and other collected evidence.

Smith, who previously handled sex crimes as an attorney, conducts interviews and gathers evidence. She said she strives to be as sensitive as possible while also remaining objective.

“It isn’t easy for them to tell me the intimate details

sexual misconduct, discrimination, harassment and genderequity issues.

Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action handles affirmative action and discrimination claims.

of what happened to them,” Smith said. “I keep tissues and chocolate on my desk.

I have to remain objective; it’s a learned skill. But it’s not to say I’m not empathetic or sympathetic.”

There are two main differences between this process and the criminal process: • Survivors and alleged attackers remain anonymous due to the Family Education Right and Privacy Act. • The office only needs a

preponderance of evidence — or about 51-percent proof a violation occurred — to administer punishment.

Criminal trials require evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.

The university has issued sanctions in 11 out of 16 student-conduct incidents related to sexual assault since 2000, according to documents from the Student Affairs office. These punishments range from no-contact orders for non-consensual sexual intercourse to expulsion for sexual coercion.

“It is only when the university has full cooperation and knowledge of the facts that it is able to take action,” Palk said.

When survivors decide not to press charges, Palk said her office still guides them to other resources, such as counseling or support groups.

It’s a balancing act between Moxley’s office — which focuses on advocacy and the emotional health of survivors — and Palk’s office, which tries to ensure the community is protected. If there is evidence someone is assaulting people and is a threat to the community, Palk said the two offices work together to collect as much information as possible.

But ultimately, what’s most important is the survivor has control of the situation and can choose the path they want to take, Moxley said.

“With sexual assault, it’s all about power and control,” Moxley said. “That’s why it’s really critical that the person that was assaulted leads the process.”

Chase Cook chaseacook@gmail.com

clery act requires university policies to be published

C

lery Act requirements: The university must disclose particular policies, practices and procedures.

It must also report statistics on criminal offenses such as murder, forcible and nonforcible sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, manslaughter, arrests or persons referred for liquor law violations, drug-related violations and weapons possession and profiling.

However, the Clery Act does not require university law enforcement to provide narrative details in its reports. On top of sexual assault survivors not always giving out every detail, this can lead to inconsistent narrative depth

between different police reports.

These images are part of the 61 sexual assault reports taken by OUPD in the last 12 years. The blown up sections are narrative sections written by OU police officers and these have been chosen to highlight the inconsistencies.

The university also is required to issue timely warnings or emergency notifications as appropriate to keep campus informed about safety and security issues. These warnings are given in an effort to prevent future crimes.

OU issues a report with all of these policies, statistics and other information in the Sooner Safety and Fire Report, which is released each year.

“An OU student reported unwanted communications, visits at her dorm room and physical contact with another OU student. The student wanted to report the incidents to the Police for documentation.”

“I contacted 2 female cadets of the Naval ROTC who were working the elevators at the OU v. Miami football game. One victim stated that she was cornered inside the elevator by defendant, and he kissed her on the cheek and then on the lips using his tongue. He then struck her on the buttocks with his hand. The other victim stated that the defendant tried several times to grab her arm and pull her into the elevator by themselves. The second victim was able to avoid his attempts. The defendant was arrested and transported to CCDC for Sexual Battery and Simple Battery.”

“Victim reported that on 08-28-00 the suspect made unwanted advances toward her. It continued despite her telling him no.

The victim stated that he forced her to have sex. The incident occured [sic] in her dorm room and was not reported until 09-03-00.”

(No details provided.)

“OUPD was notified about a possible rape that occurred at Walker Tower. The victim was contacted and reported to have been raped by an ex-boyfriend in her dormroom [sic]. The victim was transported to NRH for exam. The ex-boyfriend was identified and arrested. He was booked into CCDC for Rape.”

“A sexual assault was reported to OUPD.”

“I contacted V in regards [sic] to an attempted sexual assault near the Sooner Hotel Cottages. V stated that she was jogging in the area (by herself), when an unknown male subject approached her. V advised that the subject asked for directions then grabbed her arm dragging her behind the cottages. V stated that she tripped over a branch or tree root and fell to the ground. V advised that the male subject then pinned her to the ground. V was able to escape when a white colored SUV drove by on Maple and possibly frightened off the subject.”

“The victim stated that on 02-27-02 between approx [sic] 0300-0400 hours she was sexually assaulted by an identified individual. The victim stated that the non-consensual sex occurred in her dorm room. She further stated that she had been dating the individual for approximately one month and that the two of them had not had sex previously. The victim would like to press charges for rape.

“The victim was given a victim’s rights card, and both domestic abuse and VPO information. I also advised the victim of the OU phone numbers and persons to contact.”

A4

Reader comment on OUDaily.com ››

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012

“OU looks at GPA and ACT scores, why not give a psych evaluation for admittance? If someone is a potential threat, don’t admit them.” (lolworthy, RE: ‘EDITORIAL: University officials can do more to reduce sexual assault’)

OPINION

Mary Stanfield, opinion editor Kayley Gillespie, assistant editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/opinion • Twitter: @OUDailyOpinion

QUOTABLE: “With sexual assault, it’s all about power and control ... it’s really critical that [the survivor] leads the process,” said Kathey Moxley, Women’s Outreach Center director. (Page A1)

editorial

Weak sexual assault punishments not enough Current discipline options

Our View: Sexual assault warrants a minimum punishment.

1. A verbal warning to cease the behavior.

2. A written warning that stays on the student’s disThe Daily’s sexual assault series has established ciplinary record for a certain amount of time. that the criminal justice system can cause serious 3. Disciplinary probation for a set period of time, stress for survivors without achieving results. And, which can include exclusion from university-affiliatwhile the university punishment system is more reli- ed entities and activities, such as student organizaable at achieving justice, the punishments passed on tions. If this probation is violated by further student to attackers can be disappointing. code violations, more serious punishment may So, should OU institute minimum punishments result. for those found guilty of sexual misconduct?

4. Educational programs, such as community Minimum sentences in criminal justice are not al- service, a reflective paper, a class or lecture on the ways the best way to achieve justice. They subject, counseling sessions or other similar may fail to fit the individual circumstances activities.

The Our View of every case.

5. Payment of restitution for damages or is the majority And if these punishments are too harsh, loss of property. opinion of they may keep survivors from reporting 6.

An administrative fee to pay for mandaThe Daily’s (especially in the more than half of cases in tory educational programs or costs related to nine-member editorial board the policy that is violated, charged directly to which the survivor knows the attacker, according to the Department of Justice). the student’s Bursar account.

They may even make juries — or hearing 7. Assignment to a different university panels — less likely to find attackers guilty, even with housing unit or exclusion from university housing. good evidence.

8. An administrative trespass, which bars the stuHowever, the lack of minimum punishments at dent from part or all of campus except for during the university level leads to a dangerous situation. limited periods and for specific activities.

When confirmed attackers received light punish9. Suspension of the student for a specific period ments, it seems as though they got away with the of time, after which the student will be able to enroll crime. OU fails to send a strong message that it does again. not tolerate sexual assault.

10. Expulsion of the student from OU and all affiliSuch punishments do nothing to curb the rate of ated campuses indefinitely. assaults on campus and even may encourage more 11. Restriction or denial of specific university assaults through the impression that attackers face services. no serious consequences.

12. A delay in issuing a student’s degree for a specThis is a problem across the country. A study by ified period.

The Center for Public Integrity showed universities Of the 11 OU students found guilty of sexual asacross the country fail to assign serious punishments sault since 2000, only six faced suspension or expulin the majority of confirmed sexual-assault cases. sion. Other punishments included no-contact orAt OU, the panel that hears student-on-student ders and educational requirements. Simply requirsexual-assault cases also decides the punishment in ing the student not to contact the person he or she the case of a guilty finding. attacked is not sufficient punishment for rape.

Despite the fact that the Justice Department encourages campuses benefiting from government grants to train its disciplinary panels to hand down “appropriate sanctions, such as expulsion.” At least 75 percent of disciplinary actions handed out by schools reporting to the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women were minor sanctions.

Though we think expulsion or suspension is the very least a confirmed rapist should face, we understand the negative consequences that could come from making such punishments the required minimum.

But a lesser form of minimum punishment would assure survivors and the OU community that OU takes sexual assault seriously. Particularly in cases of sexual misconduct that involve sexual activity — we exclude things like harassment not because they do not matter, but because they cover a broad range of situations that may be less serious than assault — a minimum punishment is justified.

The minimum punishment 1. A year-long probation including exclusion from all university activities.

2. A semester-long suspension from OU. 3. A mandatory educational program about sexual assault.

4. Reparations paid to the victim for any hospital or counseling fees.

A repeat offense should result in automatic expulsion.

OU must take a firm stance on sexual assault in order to reduce the number of assaults and send a clear message that sexual assault is a serious crime.

How can OU let attackers return to their normal lives — freely moving around campus, going to classes and having a social life — while the survivor likely cannot do the same.

Comment on this on OUDaily.com

column

A Democrat’s vote in Oklahoma goes literally uncounted

I

t’s all about Ohio. opinion columnist In most of the likely scenarios, the 2012 presidential campaign will come down to this pivotal Midwestern state.

The construction of the Electoral College this year dictates that Ohio’s Mark Brockway 18 electoral votes are mark.d.brockway@ou.edu particularly important for Romney, who probably can’t win without them.

The huge effort each candidate is expending on Ohio and other swing states isolates those of us in non-swing states from much of the electoral process. A red state like Oklahoma is a veritable wasteland of electoral attention.

This lack of attention encourages apathy.

Why is it so insanely important for both candidates to spend their last days campaigning in Ohio?

First, Ohio is an incredibly even swing state.

Historically, the presidential elections in Ohio have come down to a few percentages points, meaning either candidate potentially could swing the vote his way in the final days.

Also, Ohio has a large number of electoral votes in relation to other swing states. Only Florida and Pennsylvania have more.

Both these factors motivate candidates to spend significant amounts of time and money campaigning in those states, even compared to swing states with smaller populations. Even less time is spent in non-swing “spectator states.”

I was in Colorado over the summer and saw more campaign ads in one week than I saw in Oklahoma in three months. Residents of spectator states are simply not as exposed to the political process.

This does not just apply to red states. Hawaii, Obama’s home state, had the lowest voter turnout rate in the country in the 2008 election.

Although many other factors are involved, states that have less impact on the election tend to have smaller turnout than swing states.

And why shouldn’t they? As a democrat in Oklahoma, your vote is meaningless. It is literally not counted in the presidential election. Romney will get all of our Electoral College votes and Obama will get none, despite your “OK Obama” sign in the front yard. The same is true for republicans in California.

Fooling ourselves by thinking simple participation in the electoral process can be sufficient is like the ostrich with its head in the sand — nothing will ever change.

Many who defend the Electoral College have made a

Charles Dharapak/AP Photo

Republican presidential candidate and former Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at a campaign event Oct. 28 at Koehler Athletic Complex on the campus of the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio.

similar argument to this Economist blogger: “Does this matter? In the most immediate sense, not so much; the candidate who wins the popular vote nationally almost always wins the election ...”

This attitude, which prevails much of the popular thought on the subject, misses a key distinction. When everyone’s vote is counted, more people will vote. It is incorrect to say that a switch to the system of popular voting would yield no change in voter turnout and thus not swing the election in any way.

If your vote in Oklahoma was counted as much as the vote of a person in Ohio, you would be more likely to vote, even if your candidate was unpopular in your state.

The participation numbers from swing states confirm that in states where votes count, turnout is higher.

The Electoral College was created to guard against

the tyranny of the majority that the founders saw in revolutionary France. Today, thanks to Congress, the executive branch certainly does not need to be “guarded” from the interests of the people.

Quite the opposite is true.

The establishment of a popular national presidential election will increase turnout, count every vote and make the president increasingly responsible to the entire population of the United Sates — not just Ohio.

I believe that in America each person’s right to vote is the most precious expression of their humanity and dignity — a dignity that a huge portion of the population is being denied. A vote that is not counted is not a vote.

Mark Brockway is a political science senior.

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Sooners must refocus after being knocked out of championship hunt (Page B3) Section B • Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Life&arts

Carmen Forman, life & arts editor Westlee Parsons, assistant editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/life&arts • Twitter: @OUDailyArts

halloween|2012

H

alloween is tomorrow, and that means the horror film genre is getting the limelight. Whether you like watching scary movies or not, the genre has a lot to offer to those who would prefer to curl up in front of the television instead of donning a costume for Halloween.

Classic Films Classic horror films like “Psycho,” “The Shining” and “The Exorcist” are all must-see horror films.

They may not be the scariest films in the world, but they all deliver that feeling of sinking dread and suspense.

life & arts columnist

In Theaters Another found-footage movie in theaters this Halloween is “Sinister.” ““Paranormal Activity 4” or “Sinister” will have you digging your fingernails into your armrest in theaters while you watch. A theater with a rowdy audience surely will add intensity to the already-terrifying films.

Brent Stenstrom brent.e.stenstrom-1@ou.edu

Series Films Films, like “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Friday the 13th” or “Halloween” will have you cringing and covering your eyes in horror. The best part is they are all part of a series of movies, so you get the chance to have even more gruesome goodness.

Crime Horror In the crime horror genre, there are great horror films, like “The Silence of the Lambs” and “Se7en.” Both movies follow detectives trying to catch mass murderers, and in one of the films, a cannibal. The catand-mouse game provides constant suspense throughout the fast-paced films.

Columnist’s Pick One movie that plays with the genre as a whole is “The Cabin in the Woods.”

The movie that follows five friends who spend a holiday in an isolated cabin that has a unique spin that will leave you shellshocked at the end.

So if you are not doing anything special Wednesday night, have some friends over and watch some scary movies. These films either will give you a good scare or laughs from the cheesiness of older horror films.

Brent Stenstrom is a broadcast and Found-Footage electronic media junior.

Found-footage movies with substantial portions of video recordings (think “The Blair Witch Project”) also have become a recurring favorite See more Halloween|2012 online in the horror genre. Some foundVisit OUDaily.com footage movies worth watchfor columns on scary comics and video games. ing for Halloween are any of the oudaily.com/l&a “Paranormal Activity” series. photo provided

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B2

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O A X H D Q L N B R S L Q P A Z M Q Z P K I P

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2012 Don’t give up too easily on anything that you’ve worked hard for, just because it still hasn’t come to fruition. The year ahead is a new ball game, in which many happy surprises could be in the offing.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- You’re not apt to be wishy-washy when it comes to making a critical decision.

By letting others know where you stand, you’ll have a big advantage.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -Spend your precious hours working on worthwhile endeavors. If you fail to use your talents and time productively, chances are you’ll suffer feelings of guilt.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- You’re a born organizer, so when you step in to restore order in a chaotic condition created by others, even you’ll be amazed at your performance.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -Although you might be somewhat reluctant to commit yourself, if you fail to use your time wisely, chances are you’ll regret it. Focus your efforts on personal or spiritual advancement.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -Because you’re so well equipped to handle projects of a mental nature, you should be able to see things from a practical yet innovative point of view.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Working to your advantage is your gift for amassing financial or material gain. If you’re forced to

work with intangibles, however, you won’t do as well.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- There are times when it’s prudent to focus on your personal interests at the exclusion of everything else, and it may be one of those days. Help yourself first so you can then assist others.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Certain answers that you’re searching for will not be found using outside sources. Find a quiet place where you can think things out for yourself.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- If you’re in dire need of an attitude adjustment, try to find a new endeavor in which to immerse yourself. The more interesting the project, the more successful you’ll be.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Friends or colleagues might be intimidated by challenges, but you won’t be. There are all kinds of indications that you would welcome a development that could test your mettle.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -Financial matters can be dealt with quite effectively if you keep your cool. Trade on what turned out well in the past, because what worked before should work well again.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Sometimes we’re better at managing the affairs of others than we are our own, which could be the case for you presently. However, helping others out could prove a boon for you, as well.

Q L E B R S L S P A Z & Q Z P K I P W N G D K

W N X O A X H D Q L E F R S L Q P A Z M Q Z P

K I P W N G D K W N X O A X H D Q L E B R S L

Q P A Z M Q Z P K I P U N G D K W A X O A X H

D Q L E B R S L Q R E N T A L S K P P W N G D

K W N X O A X H D Q L D B R S L Q A A Z M Q Z

P K I P W N G D K W N X O A X H D R L E B R S

H D Q L E B R S L Q P A Z M Q Z P M I P W N G

L Q P A Z M Q Z P K I P W N G D K T N X O A X

D K W N X O A X H D Q L E B R S P E T S Z M Q

Z P K I P W N G D K W N X O A X H N Q L E B R

S B I C Y C L E S P K I P W N G D T W N X O A

X H D Q L E B R S L Q P A Z M Q Z S K I P W N

G D K W N X O A X H D Q L E B R S K Q P A Z M

Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker October 30, 2012

ACROSS 1 Inflatable floatable 5 Rose oil 10 Wood-carver’s tool 14 Emerald Isle 15 Put off, at a meeting 16 Lecherous look 17 Wedding party member 19 Ruler in RimskyKorsakov operas 20 IOU component 21 “In the headlights� animal 22 Messages via modem 24 Author Fleming 25 Collect-allthe-cards game 26 Small finch 28 “Tattooed lady� of song 30 Got up from one’s chair 32 Possessive for sharers 33 Stage attire for Madonna 35 ___ it good (is well-off) 36 Having many irons in the fire 37 They have no height requirement 40 Boss Hogg’s deputy 42 Bug killer banned by

10/30

the EPA 43 Word often repeated before “again�

44 Piglet’s mom 45 Sneaker bottom 47 English test segment, perhaps 51 It’s closed by the epiglottis 53 Cockpit approx.

55 Santa ___, Calif.

56 Gets outta Dodge 57 Grad 58 Rocky crag 59 Civil rights hero Parks 60 Like some refrigerators and freezers 63 Varieties or types 64 Thrill to death 65 They could use some refinement 66 “___ From Muskogee�

(Merle Haggard tune) 67 Wabbit hunter 68 Bird’s digs DOWN 1 Heat again, as water 2 Ventilation shaft 3 Crony 4 Williams, the “Splendid Splinter�

5 Serving on a sub, say

6 Lion handlers, in a circus 7 Ski lift component 8 Baba of folklore 9 Add more silt to banks 10 It may have a cross to bear 11 Wanting (with “of�)

12 Gung ho 13 Goof up 18 Kingly name, in Britain 23 Ready to be committed 26 Fly high 27 Humorously ironic 29 Egret relative 31 Eighth Greek letter 34 Letter opener 36 Ottoman Empire dignitaries

37 Stanley in “A Streetcar Named Desire�

38 Brainstorm 39 Extremely attractive 40 Founded (Abbr.)

41 Virginia port city 45 Common article 46 Get rid of, electronically 48 Biting writing 49 Positive electrodes 50 Most dexterous 52 Put a stop to 54 Potato, for one 57 First man 59 “City the sea-o�

61 Down with a bug 62 Boy child

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

10/29

Š 2012 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

TWO FORMS OF ID By Burt Henson

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 •

Sports

OUDaily.com ››

B3

Kedric Kitchens, sports editor Dillon Phillips, assistant editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports

As the regular season ends, Sooner soccer player Renae Cuellar earns multiple Big 12 honors, including conference Offensive Player of the Year.

Football

Moving on

kingsley burns/the daily

Seniors, defensive tackle R.J. Washington (11), linebacker Joseph Ibiloye (5) and safety Javon Harris (30) jump to block a field goal against Notre Dame on Saturday. The Sooners lost the game 13-30, effectively knocking them out of national title contention. The senior class, including Washington, Ibiloye and Harris, are the first class of coach Bob Stoops career at OU to not play for a title.

OU re-evaluating priorities Senior class first to not play for title in Stoops career at OU Tobi Neidy

Sports Reporter

Saturday’s double-digit loss did more than just hurt the ego of an Oklahoma team that was looking to reverse Notre Dame’s past fortune against the Sooners.

For the first time under coach Bob Stoops, a senior class will graduate without playing in a national championship game.

After winning the national championship in 2000, Stoops got the right personnel and a proficient coach staff to make encore appearances in the 2003 and 2004 title games.

Former OU quarterback Sam Bradford managed to keep the streak alive when he led the team to the 2008 national title game against Florida — the last time the Sooners played for it all.

Although the cur rent seniors that redshirted during their first year on campus would have been listed on

the roster when the Sooners faced the Gators, none actually got the opportunity to play in college football’s biggest game.

However, when the Sooners tripped up against Kansas State earlier this season, the road to the top seemed much more treacherous than it was at the beginning of the year.

And Saturday’s loss to Notre Dame all but buried the S ooners’ chance of competing for the crystal ball this season.

“This one hurt a lot,” junior safety Tony Jefferson said.

“But we have to show some character and turn it around because we have five games left to see what we can do.”

It was a consensus among the players after the loss that closing up shop isn’t the answer for this team that still has a chance to play in a respectable bowl game and possibly could slip in as the Big 12 champion if the Wildcats slip up in any of their remaining contests.

But the Sooners admitted they’re only focusing on what

Sooners still have something to play for after loss to Irish

F

or a dejected Sports columnist football team that fell to Notre Dame at home Saturday night, the question hanging heavy in the cool autumn air is: what next?

With the loss, OU effectively eliminated itself Dillon Phillips from the national chamdphillips85@ou.edu pionship hunt and further diminished its once-impressive reputation for defending Owen Field. But it’s not all bad in Norman.

see Goals page B4

see Next pageB4

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B4

Sports

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Next: Sooners not going to quit on team down the stretch Continued from page B3 As unfortunate as the loss may be, OU is still a goodbut-not-great football team.

The Sooners fell just four spots to No. 12 in the BCS standings released Sunday, making them the secondhighest-ranked two-loss team in the country. Not too shabby, considering both of OU’s losses came at home (although it certainly helped that they came against two of the top three teams in the BCS).

The Notre Dame loss also won’t count against the Sooners in conference play, so they’re still tied for second place in the Big 12. Although the chances of Kansas State losing twice down the stretch and giving OU a shot at a Big 12 title are slim-to-none, the Sooners still have plenty to play for, and they know it.

If OU can run the table (and that’s a big “if,” thanks to three remaining road trips and a Bedlam battle in Norman, it could snag a BCS atlarge bid and sneak into a BCS game — which would be its fifth berth in the last seven seasons.

In fact, if the regular season had ended Saturday, the Sooners would’ve clinched the 10th-and-final berth thanks to a Tom provision preventing a conference from Wort sending more than two teams to BCS games (sorry, SEC).

And if there was one positive takeaway from the loss, it’s the Sooners’ determination not to throw in the towel.

“This team is not going to fold,” junior linebacker Tom Wort said. “I haven’t seen our team fold at all. With the rest of the games left, whenever we’ve had a loss, we’ve come back stronger. It’s really disappointing that we lost, but in no way is this team going to quit.”

Wort is right; the Sooners always seem to bounce back after a loss.

In 13 seasons under coach Bob Stoops, OU has lost back-to-back regular season games only once: Stoops’ first season in 1999 when the Sooners lost to Texas one week after dropping a game to none other than Notre Dame.

But Iowa State has all the makings of a trap game, as OU travels to Ames to take on the Cyclones, which have never beaten a Stoops-led Sooner squad.

Something’s got to give, but junior fullback Trey Millard is confident the Sooners will play out the remainder of their schedule.

“We know that we’re not going to quit on this team,” Millard said. “We’re going to be in a fight, and we know that every game is a challenge where we have to come out and execute.”

Dillon Phillips is a journalism junior and assistant sports editor for The Daily.

Follow him on Twitter at @DillonPhillips_.

Goals: OU looks to avoid late-season fumbles Continued from page B3 they can control at this point.

“We have to hope KSU goes down at some point, but we also have to play hard and finish the rest of this conference schedule out,“ junior center Gabe Ikard said. “The conference title is relatively still in reach, but we have to move on.”

Restructuring team goals midway through the season isn’t easy, but winning every game on their schedule has been a priority for the Sooners from day one, and preparation for opponents doesn’t change through the course of a season.

“We have great opponents i n f r o n t o f u s ,” s e n i o r defensive tackle Jamarkus M c F a r l a n d s a i d . “A t

Oklahoma, you’re going to play great opponents week in and week out, so it’s a live and forget moment, and now we have to get ready for the next one.”

But OU hasn’t lost to any run-of-the-mill teams.

If Kansas State wins out, it could be in this year’s national title game.

Notre Dame also is back in the conversation after spending several years trying to find the right coach.

Compared to last season, this year’s losses to undefeated, highly-ranked teams are easier to stomach.

“We lost to the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the country in two good, hard-fought games,” Stoops said.

And knowing that just a couple of plays can affect an outcome gives this team added confidence knowing

Evin Morrison/the daily

Senior quarterback Landry Jones (12) stands up in the pocket in a game against Notre Dame on Saturday.

it still can be the deciders of its own destiny — even if it’s not for the same, preseason goals — in the last half of the season. “ Ma y b e t h e n a t i o n a l championship isn’t in the picture anymore, but we

still have the Big 12 and a bowl game up in front of us,” senior quarterback Landry Jones said.

Tobi Neidy tneidy@gmail.com

men’s basketball

Oklahoma aims for NCAA tournament birth Team has high hopes with five returning seniors Dillon Phillips

Assistant Sports Editor

Men’s basketball coach Lon Kruger and several m e m b e r s o f t h e m e n ’s basketball team met with members of the local media Monday afternoon at Lloyd Noble Center for OU Media Day. A m o n g o t h e r t h i n g s, Kruger expressed the high hopes he had for this year’s team — which returns five seniors — describing the players as “sincere” about taking their game to the next level.

“This group has worked hard,” Kruger said. “I couldn’t be more pleased with what they’ve done in the spring,

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summer and fall, and again, I think one of the motivating factors there is the senior group. They haven’t played in the postseason, and they’ve bonded together, and they’ve got a real purpose.”

B u t O U ’s p o s t s e a s o n drought hasn’t altered the team’s expectations.

“Our goal is … to go play in the NCAA tournament,” Kruger said. “Certainly, you want to compete for conference championships; you want to compete for as high a standing in conference play as possible, but that opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament is the goal for every player, every team in the Big 12.”

OU started off 10-2 last year but won just five games the remainder of the season — finishing 15-16 overall and 5-13 in conference play.

“[We just need to tr y] our best to stay in-tune defensively (to have more success in conference play),” senior forward Romero Osby said. “If you defend, you win games; if you rebound, you win games.”

And although the Sooners should be markedly improved this season, their conference slate will still test their mettle.

“When you think about the Big 12, it’s g oing to b e Romero tough every Osby year,” Kruger said. “I think (it’s) also maybe more balanced topto-bottom than what we’ve had recently, in terms of real quality depth in the league.

You see not a lot of separation

between the top half and the bottom half.”

But with the returning experience and new depth gained from freshman guards Buddy Hield, Je’lon Hornbeak and Isaiah Cousins, OU likes its chances.

“All three of them are going to surprise some people this year because they’re amazing freshmen, and they’re really gelling with us,” senior forward Andrew Fitzgerald said. “Once they get that big-time experience in, they’re really going to be good for this program.”

The Sooners have had two intrasquad scrimmages thus far and will host Washburn in an exhibition at 7 p.m. Friday at Lloyd Noble Center.

Dillon Phillips dphillips85@ou.edu