Friday, April 28, 2023
SGA raises concerns about campus safety and security
Bella Casey Staff Reporter Security cameras are nowhere to be seen as students walk to their cars in the dim lighting of OSU’s parking garages. A card swiper greets students who live on campus as they enter their dorms, but there are no security cameras to monitor their walk back to their rooms. Other students walk back to their cars in the darkness because the lights in the parking garage aren’t bright enough to cast a shadow. The Student Government Association passed legislation that recommends ways to alleviate these issues. The bill recommends OSU improve
lighting across campus, that I personally would like to install security camsee on campus,” Steele said. eras in residence halls SGA’s university comand campus parking mittee passed the bill, grantlots, replace blue light ing it presentation to SGA’s emergency phones with a senate. The Senate passed the more sustainable system and bill. increase promotion of the Vance Rice, OSRAVE Guardian App. UPD’s director of Luke Urbane, a gradupublic safety, said ate student at OSU working when SGA passes on safety research, brought a bill, it shows the solutions to SGA’s attenthe administration. Urbane approached SGA tion the issues with solutions to pressing campus students find security issues he found through important. OSU research. hired Rice in FebUrbane and two SGA senaruary, and Rice said tors, Mackenzie Steele and Ty he is still assessing Sam Beebe McLaughlin, collaborated in the current state of OSU’s writing a bill that voiced Urbane’s campus security. campus security concerns and “One of the things solutions. that I’m studying and really looking “Whenever Luke brought these at hard is access control and video concerns to us, I really related to it and management,” Rice said. “I would I felt like they were definitely changes like to see a lot more cameras across
campus.” Rice said security cameras may not prevent every crime, but they do help solve crimes. Criminals may be less likely to commit a crime in an area they know has camera surveillance. In the event of a false reporting of an incident such as the one the University of Oklahoma experienced in early April, Rice said security cameras can evaluate the legitimacy of a report. If a student reports a shooting in an area with cameras, OSUPD can view the area through security cameras to determine if the report is true. Housing and Residential Life has cameras in place at Iba, Parker and University Commons. Sherry Fletcher, the Department of Housing and Residential Life’s communication coordinator, said more security cameras will be installed as Residential Life works with the Residence Hall Association. See Security on 5A
Bittersweet relocation for Fire Station No. 2
Jaiden Daughty Jinah Mickens-Malik prays at Ed al-Fitr, a celebration marking the end of Ramadan. Mickens-Malik is a Muslim sophomore runner for the Cowgirls cross country and track team. This was the third Ramadan she observed.
Fast Track
How Muslim OSU athletes manage Ramadan
Ashton Slaughter Staff Reporter Jinah Mickens-Malik browsed through Netflix’s extensive catalog, eventually landing on “The Hunger Games.” It was the early morning of March 23 and Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims across the world, began the night prior. Mickens-Malik, a sophomore runner for the Cowgirls cross country and track teams, woke up before sunrise to pray and then eat a hearty breakfast: eggs, a bagel, ginger tea and a half-gallon of water. She was participating in Ramadan, for the third time. The morning prayer, Fajr, is one of the five mandatory prayers those observing Ramadan must complete. Fajr can be performed from the beginning moment of dawn until sunrise. Mickens-Malik’s early breakfast was deliberate too, as those observing Ramadan fast throughout the day, not consuming any food or liquid from sunrise
to sunset. household before moving This is the daily to Little Elm, Texas. routine for the more than Although his family 1.5 billion Muslims who is nearly 5,000 miles away participate in Ramadan, now, his Stillwater Muslim with an objective of not brothers and sisters -– inonly strengthening their cluding teammates Fouad community, but primarily, Messaoudi, Hafz Mahadi their faith. and Mickens-Malik -– supFor athletes, notably port him during Ramadan. collegiate athletes balanc“I mean, it’s different ing classwork and practice, because I don’t have my this month is especially parents and I have like a lot challenging. Whether inof family,” Yanouri said. season or out-of-season, the “But since I’m with Fouad lessened sleep, the fasting (Messaoudi), he’s also a and daily requirements to Moroccan guy, and Hafz complete are burdensome. (Mahadi), he’s the guy Nonetheless, Ramadan is from Qatar, we share like for a greater purpose, they the same cultures. know that; it’s why they “So, we like to pray participate. together, we eat together. Now, Mickens-Malik, So, it’s kind of it’s the hoping to avoid falling same; we still have that back asleep, laid in bed, brotherhood.” submerged under her blue Yanouri’s junior seabed sheet. The only light son and first year at OSU in her room came from her didn’t faze him. When iPhone. Ramadan came around this “I just laid in my March it was business as bed, and I watched all The usual. Hunger Games, literally,” “I’m used to it, it’s Mickens-Malik said. “’Til kind of easy,” Yanouri said. like, 11 o’clock, cause I Mickens-Malik couldn’t fall back asleep.” also grew up in a Muslim This is the life of household. Her father folOSU athletes observing lowed Islam, and his father Ramadan. is an Imam, the prime worship figure in a mosque. ***** She didn’t fast until her senior year of high Mehdi Yanouri has school, the spring of 2021. fasted since he was 13. With COVID-19 shiftYanouri, a distance ing her final year of high runner for OSU, is origischool fully online, Micknally from Morocco, and ens-Malik had a strenuous grew up in a Muslim first-time Ramadan experiSee Ramadan on 7A
a new fire station with modern features that really focuses on the health and safety of our firefighters,” Essary said. The current station lacks insulation, making for cold Stephanie Landaverde winters and hot summers, Essary said. He also said sleeping Staff Reporter at the station can be challenging due to the close campus Firefighters at Fire Station location. There is only one No. 2 will soon say goodbye to shower and parking is limited. There is no tornado shelter, but a Stillwater historic site. “You hate to see it go, but there is access into the steam we’re excited at the same time,” tunnels that run underneath campus. Essary said. “That would be one opLast spring, Stillwater residents passed a general obli- tion, is to actually go to the gation bond to build a new Fire steam tunnels, which could be problematic for other reasons,” Station No. 2. Essary said. “Or they’ll get in Currently, Fire Station their trucks and get out of the No. 2 is located on University Avenue, across the street from way of the storm if they have Hideaway Pizza. The new sta- enough time, preferably.” Reagan Caram, the caption will be located on Western tain of Fire Station No. 2, has Road, between McElroy and been at the station for six years Airport roads, said Terry Esand said being in an area with sary, the Stillwater fire chief. high traffic and many pedesEssary has worked at trians causes problems for the Fire Station No. 2 and said its firefighters during the school proximity to campus makes it year and especially on game a fun station to work at, but it is an outdated building for the days. The new location will not have this problem, and it will firefighters. Essary said the be modernized to meet the starelocation is bittersweet, but there is excitement for the new tion’s needs. The plan for the new stastation. tion is currently in its design The station is under the phase, and there is not an National Register of Historic Places because the first fire pro- established date for when the tection program in the U.S. was move will take place. After the building is designed, it will go developed in it and therefore out to bid and construction will will not be torn down. begin. “It was built in 1938, so it’s time to move on and build See Relocation on 4A
Jaiden Daughty Stillwater is building a new Fire Station No. 2 on Western road.