L&A: “Little Women” adapted to make a big debut (Page 4)
Opinion: The Daily spoke, and Boren listened. (Page 3)
Sports: Follow Ross’ path to become a top kick returner (Page 5)
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BOREN: PARKING TICKETS ARE OPEN RECORDS PARIS BURRIS NEWS REPORTER @PARISBURRIS
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U President David Boren has released a statement ordering OU parking ticket information to be available to the public and the media in response to a lawsuit against the university led by Daily staff member Joey Stipek. Boren’s statement follows on the heels of a front-page editorial about The Daily’s decision to join and support Stipek in his endeavor, citing that open records are vitally important documents not only for journalists, but for society as a whole. In Boren’s statement that university spokesman Corbin Wallace emailed to Daily editor in chief Blayklee Buchanan, Boren outlines his reasoning for the orders: “While there are differing interpretations of the federal law, I have personally and carefully considered the issue, and I believe that this action does not violate the intent of the federal privacy law. In my opinion, the records in question are traffic violation records, and are not the kind of sensitive student records, which are covered by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. I have directed the General Counsel’s Office and other relevant university officials to take the appropriate steps to implement this decision. I have no reason to believe that there has been any impropriety in the parking ticket program, but I believe that the public has a right to know how it has
president Boren being the kind of leader who listens to students.” This is the first open records-related lawsuit that Stipek’s attorney in the case, Nick Harrison, has handled that has followed through to the In 1997, the University of Maryland end, Harrison said. cited FERPA when it denied its student “[Boren’s decision] is definitely a sign the uninewspaper access to students’ parking tickets. The Maryland Court of Appeals versity is moving in the right direction,” he said. sided with the newspaper and ruled the The only downfall of Boren’s decision is there parking tickets were not protected under will be no legal precedent set as the case will not the act. go to court, but Harrison hopes it will set an informal precedent for other universities to follow. In 2010, when the University of North There is no defined legal procedure that Boren Carolina’s student newspaper was denied must follow to make a decision like this, said Anil access to students’ parking tickets. The Gollahalli, OU Legal Counsel vice president. court sided with the newspaper, ruling The OU Open Records office said Boren’s orthe tickets were not educational records. ders are effective immediately, and the office will fulfill The Daily’s current request for parking ticket information that was originally requested and been implemented.” Stipek sued the university in May 2013 for denied two years ago. withholding records that he deemed to be public under the Oklahoma Open Records Act. “I’m really in shock,” Stipek said. “I wasn’t exParis Burris parisburris@ou.edu pecting this today, truthfully. I’m grateful for
AT A GLANCE Parking Tickets and FERPA
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After a year of pressure from Pride of Oklahoma members and alumni of the program, former Pride director Justin Stolarik resigned from the position, and Brian Britt, the group’s previous director, returned to his old job. Stolarik’s resignation came days after an alumni-funded, student-written fullpage ad appeared in three Oklahoma newspapers over homecoming weekend. Boren also abolished the group’s restrictive media policy, which was the subject of the ads, saying it violated Pride members’ First Amendment rights.
niversity officials listened to The Daily’s concerns Wednesday when OU President David Boren ordered parking tickets be made available to the media and the public. Here are some other instances of university officials listening to student concerns:
Dave Brandon, University of Michigan Athletic Director, resigned on Oct. 31 amidst pressure from students after a Sept. 17 football game, wherein Michigan’s quarterback, Shane Morris, was allowed to stay in the game despite receiving a concussion during the game. Following the game, which Michigan lost 30-14, students held an on-campus rally—complete with signs and T-shirts — calling for Brandon’s removal.
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In March 2012, OU students rallied for gender-neutral housing — a type of housing that would allow members of different biological sexes to live in the same residence hall room — for OU students. In fall 2012, OU compromised and offered 58 first-year students the option of living on a co-ed floor, meaning members on the floor must room with members of the same biological sex even though other members on the floor are of a different biological sex. In fall 2013, the amount of space for freshman on the co-ed floor more than tripled to 186.
COMPETITION
Strong quake shakes OKC OU takes on OSU in blood battle Tremors felt over 150 miles from original source
Oklahoma Blood Insitute drive to begin Monday
Top 10 highest magnitude earthquakes in the area in the past seven days
MIKE BRESTOVANSKY
KATE BERGUM
Assistant News Editor @BrestovanskyM
The U.S. Geological Survey reported an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8 originating approximately 13 miles south of Conway Springs, Kansas. The earthquake was reported to have been felt in Oklahoma City and Norman, despite the intervening distance of over 150 miles. There have cur rently been no reports of damage or injury resulting from the earthquake.
Assistant News Editor @kateclaire_b
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ILLUSTRATION BY CHELSEA BONNETT
WEATHER Partly cloudy today with a high of 36, low of 19. Follow @AndrewGortonWX on Twitter for weather updates.
Students can gear up for the giving season and comp ete against OSU by giving blood this November. The Oklahoma Blood Institute will hold the Bedlam Blood Battle from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 17 to 21 in the ROTC Armory, according to a press release. Students can sign up for appointment times online. The Oklahoma Blood Institute’s goal is to receive 800 units of blood from OU students, said Leslie Gamble, the community relations director.
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GO AND DO Bedlam Blood Battle When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 17 to 21 Where: OU ROTC Armory, North Armory Room Info: Sign up online for a time to donate.
To meet this goal, about 1,000 students will need to sign up to donate because some potential donors inevitably won’t be able to give blood because of sickness or other medical complications, Gamble said. OU students will compete against OSU students during the drive for a trophy and pride, according to a press release from the institute.
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OSU has won the past four fall blood drives, Gamble said. Regardless of who wins the competition, every unit of blood donated can save three lives, Gamble said. While other admirable charitable acts may help feed and clothe others, donating blood may be the difference between life and death, Gamble said. “Someone is not going to be alive if they don’t get the blood they need,” Gamble said. All the blood given at the drive will go directly to Oklahoma hospitals and could possibly help OU students or their families, Gamble said. This drive is particularly important because it falls the week before Thanksgiving, Gamble said. SEE COMPETITION PAGE 2