WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2009
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Read about the he return of Mexican food favorite vorite Pepe Delgado’s in Life & Arts. PAGE 9
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Jermaine Gresham’s Gre arthroscopic surgery will keep the star tight the entire end out for th season. Find out the inside. full details in PAGE PA GE 7
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Student Congress passes legislation, seeks recruits
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Passed bills includes petition for day off before OU-Texas game
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CAMPUS BRIEFS COUCH RESTAURANTS TO CELEBRATE RENOVATIONS A ribbon cutting and dedication of the newly renovated Couch Restaurants is scheduled for tonight. Renovations of the Couch Restaurants include new flooring, wall covering, seating, tables and a stateof-the-art media center with eight 52-inch flat screens and more than a dozen 8-inch LCD screens. Couch Restaurants now has 14 different restaurant selections, including options for vegan/vegetarian and allergy-specific choices. Guest speakers for the dedication include OU president David Boren, vice president for Student Affairs Clarke Stroud, director of Housing & Food Dave Annis and UOSA President Katie Fox. Speakers will begin at 6 p.m. at Couch Restaurants, 333 Third St.
RICKY MARANON The Oklahoma Daily
Student Congress passed a bill Tuesday that asks for the Friday before OU-Texas weekend to be declared a school holiday. The bill, known as the OU-Texas Act, asks Vice President and Provost Nancy Mergler to designate Friday, Oct. 16 as a day off from school. “It is tradition for us to ask the provost for the day off,” said John Jennings, UOSA Student Congress Chair. The bill was passed unanimously, and now waits for action by the Provost’s office. Other legislation that was passed were appointments of UOSA General Counsel for 20092010.
“We’re already off to a busy year,” UOSA the application deadline has not even passed yet,” said Spencer Pittman, UOSA Student General Counselor Mike J. Davis said. Davis explained to members of Congress Congress spokesman. Pittman said the newly rewhat the judicial branch of cruited freshmen are already UOSA did and what they FILLING VACANCIES being trained on procedure, are already working on this Who: Freshmen who want to writing laws and the by-laws of semester. The final bill approved be appointed to fill vacancies Student Congress, and there is a Tuesday was a bill appointing in the UOSA Student Congress Congressional retreat next Sunday where new and old members will members of Congress to individual committees that ana- Where: The Conoco Student meet and discuss the fall 2009 and lyze bills that are put before the Leadership Center in the spring 2010 semesters. Oklahoma Memorial Union “[The newly recruited memCongress. bers] are already learning what Student Congress has six committees to examine leg- When: Applications must be they need to know to be a member of Congress,” Pittman said. “We’d islation before it is presented received by Sept. 16 still like more people to sign up as legislation before the entire though. It is not too late.” voting body. He said the deadline for freshmen to fill vaStudent Congress is also still attempting to fill vacancies left by the spring 2009 election by cancies in the Student Congress is Sept. 16. recruiting freshmen to open positions. Those that sign up will be appointed to the “We have recruited 15 freshmen so far and Congress after the deadline has passed.
THINK FAST DURING RAMADAN Muslim Student Association hosts event to teach Islamic culture NATASHA GOODELL The Oklahoma Daily
-Hannah Rieger/The Daily
LAST CHANCE TO PICK UP IDAHO STATE GAME TICKETS Students who have not yet picked up or printed off their tickets for this Saturday’s football game against Idaho State need to do so by 5 p.m. today. The athletic ticket office is located on the east side of the stadium under the Asp Avenue parking garage and will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday for students to pick up their tickets. Students need to bring their OU student ID in order to receive their ticket, said Kenneth Mossman, associate athletic director for communications. Students are encouraged to print off their tickets following the instructions sent out via e-mail to student season ticket holders, Mossman said. If you have questions regarding your ticket, call the athletic ticket office at 325-2424.
MICHELLE GRAY/THE DAILY
(Left to Right) Holli Anne Bruce, linguistics senior, sits with Samirah Mohamad, University College freshman, after breaking their sunrise-to-sunset fast in honor of the Ramadan month of fasting. The Think Fast event took place in the Oklahoma Memorial Union Ballroom Tuesday evening.
Growing up in Bartlesville, University College freshman Samirah Mohamad was one of the few to wear a Muslim head scarf, called a hijab. But since coming to OU, Mohamad has found herself surrounded by other Muslims and participated in Tuesday evening’s Think Fast event. “Coming here is almost a culture shock [being surrounded by so many Muslims],” Mohamad said, who was raised in the only Muslim family in Bartlesville. Mohamad said she was surprised by the number of people who attended the event, sponsored by the Muslim Student Association. “[I like] the camaraderie of being around all these people and knowing we’re getting a good message across about Islam,” Mohamad said. Think Fast is a campus event that was created by MSA to invite all students on campus to be a part of a day of fasting. “I think, just like prayer, fasting is something that is a part of many faiths,” said Khadeeja Elyazgi, professional writing junior and MSA public relations officer. “It’s something that brings us together and allows us to learn more about each other through community.” At the end of the day, all students were invited to attend Think Fast at 7 p.m. for a free dinner and a cultural learning experience about Ramadan RAMADAN CONTINUES ON PAGE 2
Elements of Thunander’s past resurface years later
Buildings on campus becoming more energy efficient
Alumnus accused of child molestation and possession of child pornography
Lighting upgrades and motion sensor technology added
redemption not just once, but twice. After a devastating hit during the 2000 OU-Texas game that would cause many problems throughout the season, he would learn in the offseason that his career as a defensive end was over. PETER DAVIS The Oklahoma Daily According to his book, when Thunander returned home to Kansas City that sumEric Thunander stepped on campus mer, he married and divorced in a short for the first time in June 1999 as a football span of time. He eventually hit a new perplayer. After years of dealing with mul- sonal low and attempted suicide. tiple forms of abuse, he wanted to change Thunander reached out for help, conperceptions about hearing-impaired tacting coach Brent Venables. Almost a athletes. week later, coach Bob Stoops called and In “Silent Thunder,” a book Thunander offered Thunander a chance to return to wrote in 2008, he claimed to have been school with his support. emotionally, physically and sexually “We’ll do anything for you, Eric,” Stoops abused by his first stepfather. He had been said, according to Thunander’s book. “You forced to participate in child pornography are important to us. Anything I can do, I and forced to clean up a homicide scene will do.” Thunander accepted Stoops’ offer he claimed his stepfather had commit- and returned, graduating in 2007 with a ted. Coming to OU was bachelor’s degree in supposed to be the new THUNANDER MEETS IN COURT communication. beginning he was hopHe stayed in the Eric Thunander met with members of the area after graduation ing for. Flash forward to a Cleveland County District Attorney’s office a n d b e ga n w o rklittle more than 10 years Tuesday. Details of the meeting were not ing on his book and later, and he is now available at press time. doing motivational being accused by the speaking. He also reCleveland County District Attorney’s of- searched the quality of education for deaf fice of child molestation and possession of students in rural America and how to imchild pornography. prove it out of personal interest. In the book, he detailed many of his In May 2008, he finished writing and own accounts of being abused. In one in- publishing his book and it looked like stance, he described a childhood exploi- Thunander was on the path to a better tation with another young female child in life. vivid detail. OU offered Thunander a chance at ELEMENTS CONTINUES ON PAGE 2
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photoluminescent ones, will be completed in phases during the next year and a half, Hearn said. The current phase involves a variety of BREIA BRISSEY lighting upgrades. The wattage of some exteThe Oklahoma Daily rior lights around campus has been reduced by approximately 50 percent. Inside, upgrades In an effort to increase sustainability and include lower-wattage fluorescent bulbs and lower costs, OU’s Physical Plant has partnered occupancy sensors to determine an area’s with Johnson Controls, Inc. to upgrade sev- use. Hearn said if a room is no longer in use, eral academic buildings on campus to better the lights will automatically turn off. conserve energy. These renovations include Laura Knoll, membership director at everything from motion sensors for office KGOU, works on the third floor of Copeland lighting and vending machines Hall. She said her motion to photoluminescent exit signs LOOKING FORWARD sensor light was installed and low-flow toilets. • Currently the Physical Plant is about a month ago. Amanda Hearn, Physical focusing on lighting upgrades “Sometimes the light turns Plant spokeswoman, said after and will focus on water con- off on me when I’m working,” all the renovations are com- servation next. she said. “But it’s worth it if plete, the annual energy savings [OU] can save some energy. for upgrades will be equivalent • New low-flow toilets will It’s definitely a good thing.” to having more than 1,800 fewer reduce water use from approxTo minimize inconvecars in Norman. nience, most of the upgrades imately six gallons per minute “Reductions in utility costs to 1.6 gallons per minute. are being performed at night. and energy use from this projHearn also said Physical Plant ect will continue to benefit the is making a special effort to Source: Amanda Hearn, university for years to come,” physical plant spokeswoman notify building occupants of Hearn stated in an e-mail. any changes. These changes can be found Chris Applegate, the presieverywhere from Copeland Hall and Sarkeys dent of the student-lead organization OUr Energy Center to Bizzell Memorial Library Earth, said these changes are really important and Cross Center. Hearn said the reason some steps in making the university more green. buildings have seen these upgrades before “While OU is behind on these initiatives others is because the technology required we are really gearing up to really push these to make a cost-effective upgrade has already initiatives at a quicker rate,” he said. “I look been reached in some newer buildings. forward to collaborating with OU to pursue The entire project, which started with the these initiatives and creating awareness of replacement of electric powered exit signs to these issues with the OU community.”
© 2009 OU PUBLICATIONS BOARD
VOL. 95, NO. 15