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Thursday, September 30, 2010
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GPS technology informs riders of bus location Route-tracking service provides CART riders with real-time updates via text messaging, Web browser CHASE COOK The Oklahoma Daily
Instead of waiting out in hot or cold weather, students and bus riders can use Cleveland Area Rapid Transit’s new GPS system to find out when their bus will arrive at their stop. To access the system, passengers log onto www.CARTgps.com through their computer or phone browser. Then they can select an overall view of the route and the bus’
position, or they can select a specific bus and stop to see how long until its arrival. Passengers can also text their stop number to “41411” and get the information by text. New signs are being added displaying stop numbers throughout Norman. Cody Ponder, CART planner and grant specialist, said in an e-mail the new program will help bring accurate information to passengers so they don’t have to wait outside in inclement weather. The information is generated in real time, so if the bus is delayed students will know when it happens. “This real-time bus-tracking information just reinforces our commitment to OU students and the Norman community,”
Douglas Myers, director of OU Parking and Transportation Services, said in a press release. “CARTgps.com is the latest step in meeting the needs of today’s university community.” The website is operated by Synchromatics, a company that specializes in bus tracking and route analytics, and boasts other features such as passenger counts detailing the amount of people getting on and off at particular stops. While Synchromatics operates the website, a CART dispatcher monitors it, Ponder said. The program cost $110,000 to implement and was possible through the Job Access Reverse Commute and New Freedom
federal grant. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation distributes the money, which must be used for new services. CART has received $274,000 from the grant and the GPS service cost $87,907.20, Ponder said. Adrian Elam, history senior, rides the CART buses everyday. He said he has never had a problem with their punctuality, but he is excited for the new system. “To be able to know for sure where you are at and when you need and where you need to be,” Elam said. “I think it sounds perfect.” CART’s next plan is updating www.rideCART.com to coincide with www.CARTgps. com, Ponder said.
MONEY | PRICES INFLATED AT ON-CAMPUS CONVENIENCE STORE
Gay-rights defender calls for equality Activist attorney of OU gay advocacy group recognition case tells his story TREVOR SHOFNER The Oklahoma Daily
DUKE GOULDEN/THE DAILY
Students purchase items Sept. 22 from Walker Tower’s Xcetera convenience store. The store’s prices are often higher than surrounding competitors.
Xcetera prices higher due to meal point use, Housing and Food director says Prices at Xcetera set to recoup costs; allow Housing and Food Services to break even
for $3.40 or 32-ounce Powerades at $2.79. Students using cash could get these at Tornado Alley or Campus Corner Market for $4.79, $2.99 or $1.89 respectively. Annis said Xcetera is provided as a conveCHASE COOK The Oklahoma Daily nience for students with meal plans and its primary source of income is meal points. Xcetera convenience store, located in Andrew Rangitsch, chemical engineering Walker Tower, has raised prices as a direct re- sophomore, said he lives in the dorms and sult of it accepting meal points from the stu- shops at Xcetera but avoids using cash. dent meal plans. “There is no way I would spend real money “The things we can buy cheaper, like the here,” Rangitsch said. waters and soda, we have pricing that is comAnnis said Housing and Food Services deparable, and sometimes even bated whether or not the store [cheaper],” said David Annis, should take the meal points or There is no way I Housing and Food Services diaccept cash only, which would would spend real rector. “On items we can’t, the make the prices cheaper. They pricing is higher.” eventually decided against money here.” Housing and Food Services cash only or requiring cash on has been expanding students’ specific items. He said in hind— ANDREW RANGITSCH, meal plans for use at the stahe may have decided CHEMICAL ENGINEERING sight dium, Cate Center and Couch against letting the meal plan SOPHOMORE Restaurants, but these expaninto Xcetera. sions mean students are using “If you had a chance to stop up all of their points. That means prices at and look back ... I probably would have done Xcetera must be set to recoup costs or at least this differently 10 years ago,” Annis said. “But break even, Annis said. at the time, you are responding to what stu“Everything on campus is tied together,” dents are asking for. You’re trying to give them he said. “It’s important to make money at the as many options as you can.” convenience store to help support a lot of Students that don’t want to spend the extra these other operations.” These higher prices take form in gallons SEE PRICES PAGE 2 of milk priced at $6.50, small Lunchables
A LOOK AT WHAT’S NEW AT Visit the multimedia section to watch video of Othello’s comedy night
Product price comparison Xcetera vs. Tornado Alley and Campus Corner Market
$6.50
$4.79
$3.40
$2.99
$2.79
$1.89
THE OKLAHOMA DAILY VOL. 96, NO. 31 © 2010 OU Publications Board www.facebook.com/OUDaily www.twitter.com/OUDaily
In 1976, young attorney Glenn Rawdon was asked to represent Gay Activists Alliance, a student group denied official organization status by Student Congress despite fulfilling necessary requirements. Rawdon recounted the tale of the case to a group of more than 40 on Wednesday evening at the OU College of Law. “At that point I had represented murderers and rapists and robbers and everybody like that, and nobody had ever said anything to me about it,” Rawdon said. “As soon as we took on the Gay Activists Alliance case and filed a lawsuit and started getting active in the case, I suddenly started getting death threats. It’s amazing that kind of animus existed.” Rawdon and the group brought their case to the Judicial Tribunal first, which sent the case back to Student Congress with the direction to look at the application and recognize it as a student group. Again though, the Student Congress refused recognition. After being denied a third time before the Board of Regents, the group decided to file a lawsuit, first in state court and then in federal court. “Everything that the group wanted to do revolved around advocacy,” Rawdon said. “To lobby and promote the repeal of the laws and promote the self-worth of their lifestyle so that they weren’t discriminated against and that they weren’t second-class citizens ... so this gave us the crux of our argument.” The result was a five-year process that finally resulted in a ruling declaring that the denial of the group’s recognition was inconsistent with the constitutional principle of the Student Congress constitution. Tying in the tribulation and perseverance of the group’s journey, Rawdon opened the floor to questions, which led to pleas for advocacy by students and discussion of the current status of gay marriage. “It’s not a new right,” Rawdon said. “We’re not trying to extend new rights to a group that didn’t previously have them. We’re looking at rights that are supposed to be accessible to all people and making sure that happens.” The event was organized by
SEE RIGHTS PAGE 2
INDEX Campus .............. 2 Classifieds .......... 6 Life & Arts ........... 5 Opinion .............. 4 Sports ................ 7
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