The Oklahoma Daily

Page 1

News, 5A

A&E, 2B

SHOP, BABY, SHOP

HAH, HAH! The Thursday Throwdown tackles embarrassing or awkward social moments.

GOP spends $150K outfitting Gov. Sarah Palin THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA’S I NDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE

VOL. 93, NO. 45 FREE — Additional Copies 25¢

THURSDAY, OCT. 23, 2008 © 2008 OU Publications Board

New bonds hinge on economic recovery • Bonds will fund previously approved projects JERRY WOFFORD Daily Staff Writer The OU Board of Regents approved Wednesday more than $63 million dollars in bonds to be taken at the university’s discretion. The funds will go to projects that have already been approved by the board but need additional funding to be completed. The bonds would be taken out when OU officials believe the bond market and the economy improve, OU President David L. Boren said at the meeting in Norman. The other 32 items on the agenda were

CAMPUS PARKING

Meters may go up at Huston Huffman • Students without parking permits may benefit

approved unanimously, including a total budget last year or even last spring. At one point a few weeks ago, the bond marof $76 million for a new chilled water plant and changes to the faculty and staff paid leave ket was non-existent. That put a strain on many governments and institutions and nearly drove policy. the state of California to ask the federal government for a $7 billion loan. Bond issues Now, interest rates, even on highly rated The $63.4 million bond issue would be used bonds are enormous. Boren said OU officials to fund projects that are already in the works or would wait to take the $63 million in bonds until are absolutely necessary for OU to function. those rates improved and money became more However, the bonds will not be sold until OU available. officials believe the time is right. Boren said projects he would like to start “We will not take action to actually sell the now will have to wait until market conditions bonds until there is improvement in the bond improve and more funds are available. markets,” Boren said. “We shouldn’t stop dreaming our dreams and In order for OU to get the money it needs, thinking of ways to be better,” Boren said. “But brokers must be willing to buy the bonds, giving what we do have to realize is that sometimes, OU the money with an expected return including what we intend to do in one year, it may now, interest. Because of the current volatility of the because of financial conditions, be a two-year market, brokers are buying fewer bonds at much higher interest rates than they were this time BONDS Continues on page 2A

College of Education becomes first OU college named after woman Jeannine Rainbolt would have been “very pleased” with state of the College of Education, which now bears her name, her husband said. H.E. Gene Rainbolt, Jeannine’s husband and chairman of BancFirst Corp., thanked the crowd gathered at the OU Board of Regents meeting Wednesday after the board approved naming the College of Education after Jeannine, who died in 2007. This is the first college in OU’s history to be named after a woman. “Jeannine would have been very pleased,” Rainbolt said. Rainbolt’s donations to the college over the years, totaling more than $8 million, has helped fund the renovation to

Norman police receive $100K state grant to fight underage drinking • Money to fund “Too Much to Lose” campaign WILL HOLLAND Daily Staff Writer

T

he Norman Police Department recently received a state grant to improve efforts to stop underage drinking. The Oklahoma Highway Safety Office awarded the department a $108,660 grant that it will use to improve its enforcement of Oklahoma’s “Too Much to Lose” campaign, Norman Police Capt. Leonard Judy said. According to the group’s Web site, the campaign is a statewide

initiative focused on reducing and preventing underage drinking through law enforcement and community efforts, social norms and youth leadership. Most of the grant — $86,160 — is set aside to help the department enforce alcohol laws, according to a Tuesday article in The Oklahoman. Judy said this money will be used to fund sobriety checkpoints, special patrols to target people breaking alcohol laws and compliance checks, where an underage volunteer attempts to purchase alcohol at a Norman business. The remainder — $22,500 — will be used for the department to host two traffic safety schools for 30 law enforcement officers, including at least five Norman officers, the article said. Judy said funding for the grant will begin immediately and run through September.

EDUCATION Continues on page 2A

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Tie-dye is back, and some students have cre taken to creating colorful clothing for themselves. Read our feature in A&E. Page 1B.

SPORTS In an offense full of superstars, Matt Clapp tends to get lost in the shuffle. But the OU coaching st staff is well aware of what he brings to the table table. Page 5B.

CAMPUS BRIEFS CAMPU

CAITLIN HARRISON Daily Staff Writer UOSA is considering replacing up to 10 commuter parking spots with metered spots so students without a parking permit can drive to campus and work out. The meters will be installed in the new parking lot across from the Huston Huffman Center, on the east side of Jenkins Avenue, said Chase Roberts, UOSA director of off-campus living and transportation. He said the UOSA executive branch decided to pursue the project after listening to the concerns of students who live off campus and want to work out at the Huff but do not have parking permits. “We feel like there are a large number of commuter students,” said Roberts, entrepreneurship and finance junior. “The whole Greek community generally doesn’t have commuter passes. They can’t necessarily park [at the Huston Huffman Center].” Benjamin West, entrepreneurship and venture management sophomore, said he usually parks at Lloyd Noble for class but likes to work out in the evening. He purchased a gym membership for $90 a semester at Sooner Fitness because it was cheaper and more convenient than buying a permit that would allow him to park at the Huff. Roberts said UOSA will send an e-mail survey to students to determine how many commuter students would use the meters before they decide to install them. “If we get a pretty good response out of it, then we’ll definitely put them in,” Roberts said. However, he said the initiative would need to be approved by Parking and Transit Services and possibly Graduate Student Senate before the meters are installed. Theta Dempsey, director of Parking and Transit Services, said the depart-

METERS Continues on page 2A

Dress United Friday

Photo Illustration by photos.com

Biologist receives six-figure cancer research grant • Grant to fund three years of breast cancer research MEREDITH MORIAK Daily Staff Writer OU researchers are set to receive part of $100 million in grant money earmarked to finding a cure for breast cancer that will be distributed to scientists across the country. Wei-Qun Ding, a molecular biologist at OU, was awarded a $597,500 grant for research on non-systemic breast cancer therapies by Susan G. Komen for the Cure. “I am very happy to receive this grant,” Ding said. “This is a very competitive and prestigious grant.” Non-systemic therapy focuses on the

specific part of the body affected by the tumors, as opposed to system therapies, which affect the entire body, according to Komen’s Web site. Ding said the grant will fund research for three years and allow him to recruit more scientists to participate in the study. He said he was surprised to receive the grant since it was his first year to apply. His research focuses on metal ionophores, which work as anti-cancer agents, and how effectively they kill breast cancer cells. Ding’s group has been researching metal ionophores for almost seven years and published its initial findings in 2005.

This research is the first of its kind. It demonstrates metal ionophores taking anti-cancer actions in cultured tumor cells and in laboratory experiments. Ding said the ionophores work as anti-cancer agents by bonding to tumors and taking away cancerous cells. He and his team are working with one compound that demonstrates how bringing metal ionophores into tumors can cure them. Ding’s research will develop a way for metal ionophores to be integrated into clinical practice for treatment. It is estimated that 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. during 2008, and 40,480

BIOLOGIST Continues on page 2A

As part of OU’s annual United Way campaign, Friday as been designated as Dress United Day on campus. Students, faculty and members of the community are encouraged to wear matching OU United Way shirts. “The OU United Way Committee hopes to white-out our campus with the official shirt to encourage campus wide awareness and participation,” Josh Davis, campaign committee member said. The shirts are on sale for $10 in the University Bookstores and Student Affairs office in the Union. $6.50 of each sale will be donated to the United Way of Norman. The annual campaign runs through Nov. 7.

TODAY’S INDEX A&E 1B, 2B Campus News 3A Campus Notes 6B Classifieds 4B 4B Crossword Horoscope 5B

Opinion Police Reports Sports State, Nation Sudoku World

4A 6B 3B 5A 5B 6A

WEATHER FORECAST

TODAY LOW 37° HIGH 57°

THURSDAY LOW 36° HIGH 61° Source: Oklahoma Weather Lab


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