23 February 2015

a student newspaper of the university of tulsa

february 23, 2015 issue 18 ~ volume 100

Elias Brinkman / Collegian

Assembly hopes to start conversation on sexual violence, gets mixed response Last Tuesday, TU held a program aimed at empowering men to stop sexual violence. The assembly was not a part of the Advocacy Alliance’s original plan, but, when asked, they did help arrange it. The response from students has been varied. Editorial Consultant Nikki Hager reports. A table of students in the Student Union was discussing the University of Tulsa’s program on sexual violence, which was held on Feb. 17. A male athlete at the table, after being playfully pushed by a female friend, responded: “That’s sexual assault. Yeah that’s what I got out of Tuesday’s meeting.” The program, consisting of a presentation from TU staff counselor Dr. Michael McClendon, was geared toward teaching male students how they can help prevent sexual assault on campus. All athletes and at least a majority of fraternities were required to attend. “Yeah, he said that just by being an American male we were ‘this close’ to being a rapist,” the student continued. The students then went back to their lunches. Tuesday’s program was announced on Feb. 13 in a campus wide e-mail from President Upham in response to recent reports of sexual assault at TU. “Recent reports of sexual violence at TU call us to redouble our commitment to a secure and respectful campus environment. It falls to us to affect this shift in culture,” the e-mail read. In this academic year so far, five sexual assaults have been reported, up from four reports in 2013. TU is also currently being sued by a former student for mishandling a sexual assault investigation involving a student athlete. Colleges and universities across the country, from Harvard to OSU, are coming under fire for mishandling sexual assault investigations, required under Title IX of Education Amendments of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The White House has responded by creating a task force aimed at reducing sexual

assault, which issued a report on how to best prevent sexual assault in April 2014. These recommendations include promoting bystander intervention training, conducting campus surveys and the identifying and promoting trained victim advocates. Some three hundred students, mostly men, wrote what organization they were affiliated with as they waited in line for pizza before they took their seats in front of a large-screen projecting a PowerPoint. McClendon’s presentation was critical of cultural expectations of masculinity and used pop references such as advertisements, commercials and songs to demonstrate how U.S. culture promotes violence against women. The powerpoint included statistics about the number of people that would be sexually assaulted, the likelihood of being sexually assaulted in college and the statistically calculated number of women that would be raped during their time at TU. He did not define what sexual assault was, describe how bystanders can intervene or provide the students with information about the resources available on campus. Student responses: a mixed bag Keevan Lucas, a junior football starter, said that prior to Tuesday’s program he “didn’t pay much attention to sexual assault violence on this campus, or any campus for that matter,” and that “this program was meant to challenge men to step up and make a stand for what is right.” However, he did say some of his teammates “were slightly offended by some of the information.” Kappa Alpha fraternity president Noah Roberts said that “it can be extremely valuable to gear sexual assault programming

towards men” and that he would like to see more bystander intervention programming. Other students were more critical. Abby Meaders, a student involved with Student Alliance for Violence Education (SAVE), was concerned that the program did not define sexual assault or provide any ways in which men could be proactive in prevention. She said men might perceive the information as being targeted and accusatory. Gracie Weiderhaft, an education graduate student and the president of the Society of Gender Equality (SGE) agreed. “A lot of men are resistant to sexual assault (programs) geared towards them because they often feel like they’re being accused of being part of the problem,” she said. “I think there’s a mindset of a lot of men who think ‘I’m not a rapist’ and ‘I think rape is wrong’ so I don’t need to be here.” “It needs to be clear that the goal of the program isn’t to point fingers, but to create a campus culture where bystanders know how to recognize potentially dangerous situations and aren’t afraid to intervene,” Weiderhaft concluded. A different plan According to Laura Allen, the chair of the Advocacy Alliance, several TU administrators approached her for assistance in putting together the program about ten days prior to the event. The Advocacy Alliance is TU’s sexual violence prevention and educational programming committee and works in partnership with the Tulsa Institute of Trauma Adversity and iNjustice (TITAN). While Allen and other Advocacy Alliance members arranged the program, it was not part of their planned programming. Furthermore, the Advocacy Alliance

logo did not accompany the flyers or other media promoting the event. Allen said that the Advocacy Alliance has been working on programming aimed to combat sexual violence on campus for over two years, following guidelines put forth by a White House task force. The Advocacy Alliance’s programming is quite different from the program offered on Tuesday. The organization plans to provide an in-depth training workshop for a number of faculty, staff and graduate students put on by We End Violence, an organization developed by leading researchers of sexual violence that trains colleges and universities. The workshop will include sessions about how to teach bystander intervention and how to involve men in sexual assault prevention. In March the Advocacy Alliance will begin offering bystander intervention training to small groups and leaders of larger student organizations. On March 26, We End Violence will offer a campus-wide program addressing sexual violence, consent and changing culture. Jim Scholl, Advocacy Alliance member and the PhD student who was in charge of coordinating the partnership with We End Violence, said that it is incredibly important to use empirically tested best practices when addressing sexual violence. “The bystander intervention program and various other passive and active programs were intentionally designed to aid in the development of basic skills and knowledge,” Scholl said. “The intention has been to gradually begin building on these foundational pieces with programs such as We End Violence, which will examine the cultural ideologies, attitudes and behaviors that allow sexual violence to flourish.”

the Collegian : 2

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Nominations for faculty, students, staff and organizations requested. Nomination Deadline is March 13, 2015 Nomination forms available throughout campus or by calling 918-631-3535 or stop by the True Blue Neighbor Volunteer Center in Sharp Chapel, room 2209

NEWS

23 February 2015

the Collegian : 3

TU Professor gets national recognition for study

Oscar Ho Student Writer

IS targets bombed by Egypt On Monday, Egyptian jets bombed Islamic State targets in the Libyan city of Derna. The strikes were Egypt’s response to a video showing the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians. This video is the first to have originated from outside IS territory in Syria and Iraq. Days later, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that the situation in Libya is a threat to world peace. Libya has been in turmoil since the overthrow of Col. Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The country is currently controlled by rival militias, not the internationally recognized government.

U.S. immigration reform plan halted U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen temporarily halted President Barack Obama’s plans for immigration reform. Portions of Obama’s executive order were to take effect Wednesday. The ruling gives a coalition of 26 conservative states time to challenge the president in court. Under the president’s order, certain undocumented immigrants who were brought to the US as children will be protected from deportation. Republicans, notably Ted Cruz of Texas, have described the policy as “lawless amnesty,” arguing that Obama is exceeding his authority. Courtesy Wiki Commons

Dr. Warren Booth is receiving national attention for research challenging the established ideas on the evolution of the bedbug.

Bedbug study gets recognition in New York Times, reports Sports Writer Wade Crawford. TU biology professor Dr. Warren Booth has garnered national recognition for his work on a bedbug study, in collaboration with many other researchers of various nationalities. Booth co-authored the study, which found its way into “Molecular Ecology” and also was subject of a column by Carl Zimmer, a science writer for the New York Times. Dr. Warren Booth’s study on the difference in bedbug lineages has shed light on the evolutionary process. “The study basically shows that there are two distinct lineages of bed bugs within Europe,” said Booth. “It has long been proposed that bed bugs we find today infesting human properties have evolved from the ectoparasites of cave dwelling mammals, such as bats. Here, the genetic data supports that they simply diverged from bat-associated

bed bugs, likely when humans left shared cave domiciles.” Bedbugs have garnered a lot of attention from researchers in recent years, especially since their resurgence after the widespread use of the pesticide DDT. Booth collaborated with several scientists around the globe, including those at the University of Helsinki (Finland) and Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic). “Well, given the worldwide interest in bed bugs and the broad evolutionary implications of this study, I was not surprised to see some level of global media interest,” said Booth. “When Carl Zimmer (a renowned popular science writer) called, this was the icing on the cake.” Dr. Booth’s other ongoing projects can be seen at www.booth-lab.org.

Guantanamo Bay conviction overturned

A former Guantanamo Bay detainee’s conviction was overturned. As part of a plea deal, Australian David Hicks had pleaded guilty to providing material support to terror in 2007. The US Court of Military Commission Review upended the conviction on a technicality, saying that the charge was not for a war crime and the case should not have been tried in a military court. Speaking in Sydney, Hicks said the decision was a “relief” but added that he was still recovering from the trauma of his detention.

Lunar New Year begins in Asia The Lunar New Year began with family reunions in China and celebrations across the continent. The first day of the New Year is a public holiday in many countries, marked by traditional ceremonies and community festivals. This year is the Year of the Sheep.

Canadian MP leaves Parliament MP Pat Martin excused himself from parliament because of his tight fitting underpants. Martin explained to a confused Speaker that his half-price underpants could not let him sit comfortably for very long. “I did not understand his explanation at the time, and I am not sure I understand it now,” said the Speaker.

Swine flu in India An outbreak of swine flu in India is causing concern from Indian health officials. The H1N1 strain of the influenza virus has killed over 700 people since December. Since last week, the number of cases has doubled to over 11,000. The health ministry urged citizens to remain calm and take preventative measures, insisting that the disease is under control. In other news, Indian officials are insisting that U.S. President Barack Obama’s tree is not dead—it merely looks dead. Obama paid a formal visit to India three weeks ago and planted a peepal tree at the New Delhi memorial to Mohandas Gandhi. It had plenty of leaves at the time, but it is now a single thin stem. Local media have been blasting the government for letting Obama’s tree die while in reality, peepal trees shed their leaves at this time of year. “It will send out shoots within the next 10 days,” said B.C. Katiyar, a government horticulturist summoned to inspect the tree.

Liberia reopens borders The Ebola-stricken nation reopened its borders. The number of new infections in Liberia has declined; 11 new cases were reported during the period between Jan. 28–Feb. 18. However, the rate of decline in new infections in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone has flatlined, says the World Health Organization. WHO’s Dr. Bruce Aylward voiced his concern over the flatline. “This is not what you want to see with Ebola,” he said. Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone have committed to zero Ebola cases within the next two months.

SA throws Mardi Gras bash The Collegian does not produce or edit the Campus Crime Watch except for content and brevity. Feb. 12 5:30 p.m. Officers investigated a suspicious person at Keplinger Hall. Upon arrival officers spoke with a former student who matched the description of the suspicious person. They were disgruntled upon our contact with them and stated that they had done nothing wrong. The person left campus shortly after confirming that they was a former student. Feb. 14 11:00 a.m. Officers made contact with a student working for the campus newspaper, reported the potentially suspicious disappearance of many of the recent editions of the Collegian placed around campus in the past 36 hours. He has reason to believe they were removed due to the “controversial nature” of the cover story. Feb. 15 11:05 a.m. Officers were dispatched to Fisher West for a person breaking into automobiles. Upon arrival, officers searched the area and were unable to locate a suspect. The reporting party stated they confronted the suspect and asked the suspect what they were doing. The reporting party stated the suspect jumped into their car and left the scene. Officers had the reporting party fill out a statement form and advised him that a report would be filed. 12:04 a.m. Officers were dispatched to a noise com-

plaint in Mayo Village Apartments. The complaint was stomping. Responding officers found the residents of the apartment talking at a normal volume. A housing contact card was issued to the residents. 5:30 p.m. Officers were dispatched to Delaware parking lot in reference to a aggressive dog that had attacked a pedestrian’s dog. Upon arrival we saw that there were two dogs and we were able to divert the dogs off campus. The reporting party asked not to be contacted but told dispatch that their dog only sustained a scratch. Tulsa Police Department was also contacted. Feb. 19 12:25 a.m. A sandwich delivery driver was involved in a single vehicle non-injury accident on Tucker Dr. The vehicle veered off the road, struck a light pole and tree causing damage to the vehicle. The driver stated he was looking at his phone when he left the roadway. The vehicle was driven from the scene. 10:15 p.m. At 10:15 PM a student reported being followed by a creepy male around CFC while working out. She left the CFC at 9:50 PM and jogged to her vehicle in the US South lot. She noticed the suspect was jogging behind her and stopped when she drove away. Video footage is being reviewed.

Oscar Ho / Collegian

A student decorates a mask at the Mardi Gras bash. The party, hosted by SA on Feb. 17, included a variety of games, food, and activities.

NEWS

23 February 2015

Courtesy HeadStrong, Pride, and Women’s and Gender Studies organizations

the Collegian : 4

Panel to tackle stigmas surrounding transgender issues Upcoming panel, “Don’t Tell Me I’m Sick,” promises to be enlightening for students interested in transgender recognition. Student Writer Kayleigh Thesenvitz reports. On Thursday, Feb. 26th, HeadStrong, Pride, and Women’s and Gender Studies organizations will be working together to host a panel on Trans Identities and Mental Health. The panel will be held in Chapman Lecture Hall at 7 pm that evening. Tara Grigson is a sophomore and founder of the student organization HeadStrong, which advocates for Mental Health. Grigson worked with undergraduate Kelsey Erwin, graduate student Gracie Weiderhaft and United Campus Ministries director Jennie Wachowski to organize the

panel. Erwin will moderate. “This topic is important to us because transgender people frequently face an incredible amount of injustice, and that is unacceptable. Everyone deserves access to quality health care, including mental health care, regardless of their gender identity,” said Grigson. Panelists will include TU junior and author Katie Hill, history professor Dr. Jan Wilson, student minister of Unitarian Universalists of Bartlesville Steven Williams, GSA Coordinator at Youth Services of Tulsa Vic

11th Street businesses ousted, some fail to recover Sports Writer Wade Crawford checks in on the 11th street businesses who were forced to relocate in 2006 due to TU’s expansion.

Wiener and PhD student Jim Scholl. Hill, who wrote “Rethinking Normal: a Memoir in Transition,” suggested that many students would benefit from attending this panel. “Even though this subject may be difficult to comprehend and perhaps strange to people, the topics of gender, sexuality, gender-expressionism and, in conjunction, the topics of transgenderism and transgender people are real issues that are becoming more and more relevant in our society every day,” Hill said. Dr. Wilson echoed this sentiment, saying

“the purpose of this panel is to remove the silence and stigma surrounding transgender issues.” “Students should attend this panel because it is going to be educational and interesting,” said Grigson. “Our panelists are incredible, and I can’t imagine that anyone will leave the panel without learning something new. If you are an ally, you could consider coming and showing support for your trans peers. If you are not, you should come and learn something new!”

Construction Notice Student Writer Caitlin Woods reports on upcoming construction that may affect TU students. The I-244 highway running through Tulsa is projected to be under construction through the month of March. The construction will affect areas around Lewis running East to West, and around 11th to Pine running North to South. There will be lane and ramp closures on the highway. The project is estimated to cost $36.2

million, and is being done through Duit Construction, Inc. Projected to last through March, the project will close lanes and ramps on I-244 in order to replace the concrete, which is considerably torn-up in its current state. Drivers should expect the 2 miles between Delaware and the highway entrance to be affected.

Tulsa Public Schools bond measures up for vote Tulsans will have the opportunity to vote on four measures that would fund various projects for Tulsa Public Schools. Politics Reporter Brennen VanderVeen reports.

Courtesy pbs.twimg.com The above artwork lines the exterior of Starship’s current location. It depicts the two buildings which formerly housed Starship. These buildings were demolished to make way for the New U.

In 2006, the University of Tulsa bought out property along 11th Street, with the goal of building along the property. This, of course, caused the uprooting of a few businesses along the way. Starship Records and Tapes and Metro Diner were two businesses that were forced to move. Today, these businesses have experienced varied success. Starship Records and Tapes was formerly located on the corner of 11th and Delaware Streets, and served as the premier Tulsa record store. This location on Route 66 was home to Starship for more than 30 years. After TU used eminent domain to force Starship to move in 2005, the store relocated and now sits on the corner of 13th and Lewis. Starship is still in business, its walls decorated with concert posters, tapes and

“tobacco” accessories. While Starship has seen continued success, Metro Diner wasn’t so lucky. The beloved stop of travelers along Route 66 was shut down on November 26, 2006. The business was done for good, with no sign of returning to a new location. Both businesses were ousted when the University of Tulsa bought the property in order to create a new entrance to the university (now known as the “New U”). Students’ reaction to this purchase was negative, with one student quoted as saying, “In order for TU to fill the merchandising hole created by these establishments the visitor center (Collins Hall) will have to start carrying vibrators and gothic T-shirts, and a full assortment of bongs, bubblers, pinch hitters, and pipes.” The owners of Starship Records declined to comment.

Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) may soon have funding for several new projects if four different bond issues pass on March 3. In order to pass, each initiative needs 60 percent support. The first initiative is the largest at $239.74 million. This money would cover improvements for TPS facilities and is divided into 19 items. The largest items, which make up nearly 78 percent of the total, would go towards school additions and renovations; PE facility upgrades; and heating and air-conditioning improvements. Much of the funding for “school additions” would go towards replacing portable classrooms and trailers at elementary schools. If the bond issue passes, the number of trailers and prefabs will be reduced from 123 to 42. The second initiative is for $19.8 million to go towards libraries. Of this, $6.225 million is designated for library books. $8.675 million would be used to build three new libraries and remodel currently existing ones. A third initiative gives $17.025 million for transportation. The vast majority of this is designated for buying new school buses and related equipment.

TPS plans on buying twenty buses a year over a six year period of time. It also plans on equipping the busses “with smart technology for route maintenance and diagnostic assessment.” The fourth and second largest initiative is for textbooks, classroom learning materials and technology at $138.435 million. For textbooks, TPS plans on spending $50 per pupil annually in addition to state funds for both digital and print materials. TPS also plans on spending $16.749 million on network upgrades. The largest item by far in this group is for classroom computers, at $39.4 million. This covers $148 per pupil annually for a six-year period and would cover both computers and tablets. Another item is for the “21st Century Classroom,” which would supply classrooms with “interactive digital display systems, audio enhancement systems for approximately 1500 classrooms, video systems and other technologies.” These bond issues will be funded through property taxes. Taxes won’t be raised beyond their current levels, however. Since current bonds are expiring, current tax levels would just remain in place rather than go down.

NEWS

23 February 2015

the Collegian : 5

Photo Club, months in the making, finally ordained TU recently gained a new photography-oriented club, Apprentice Editor Michaela Flonard reports. TU Photo Club is a newly chartered organization that hopes to spread photography throughout campus and the surrounding neighborhoods. Although the club was only recently made official, Dan Farnum, their faculty advisor, said the club has been in planning since last summer when he and two other students volunteered with Kendall-Whittier Elementary School students. The TU students Jessica Walker and

Shelby Kellam were to later to become part of the club. The primary goal of the club, according to Farnum, is to “create a community of photographers.” Members do not have to be a part of the school of art, as the club only hopes “to be a place where those with a shared interest can meet together.” Last week, the club had a showing of the documentary, “Finding Vivian Maier.” The club also plans to have field and road trips to museums and to lectures about art in Tulsa and nearby cities. Community service is “another big part of the club,” according to Farnum, and is written into their constitution.

Two weeks ago, the club began working with Kendall-Whittier, in partnership with YMP (Youth Mentorship Program). The club gave students a scavenger hunt to complete as part of the YMP after-school program. Farnum said the club provides the students with basic digital cameras, as to not “overload the students with technology.” They worked with students on taking pictures and the importance of subject matter and color. Farnum said the club hopes to move students on to more advanced aspects of photogarphy soon. Farnum found it surprising how quickly the elementary students have taken to photography. “You just point them in the

right direction and give them instructions,” he said. Children “literally see from a different perspective,” he noted. The other goal of the club is an “education component, not just with children.” Some students may not have worked with some cameras available, Farnum said, and the club hopes to expose students to photography. Working at the university has shown Farnum that “people like taking pictures.” “If you don’t want to get an art degree,” Farnum said, “you can still explore photography.” For photos of Farnum, Walker and Kellam’s activities, see page 14.

The Collegian has been around for over one hundred years. Below are some jokes that Distribution Manager Walker Womack discovered in a 1912 issue. If you can figure out what’s funny about these jokes ... well, you’ve got us beat.

Last week, the Collegian ran a letter from the editor. Unfortunately, instead of the text of the intended letter, we ran, for a second time, the text of the article “2012: Court ruled that Student Handbook is not a contract.” Please find the intended text of the letter reprinted below.

Collegian stands by its reporting UPDATED: Policy on Harassment clearly states that Student Code of Conduct still applies The Collegian defends its decision to publish “TU administration suspended student without hearing.” Last Tuesday, Feb. 10, President Steadman Upham sent an email to University of Tulsa students, faculty and staff. In that email, President Upham stated that the Collegian improperly assumed that Trey Barnett’s case was handled under the Student Code of Conduct, when it was actually handled under the Policy on Harassment. The Collegian stands by its reporting in “TU administration suspended student without hearing.” The Policy on Harassment states multiple times that the Student Code of Conduct still applies in harassment cases. Under the section entitled “Formal Complaint Process” the Policy on Harassment states that “investigations, and if appropriate, hearings shall be conducted in accordance with the appropriate governing document.” Under the section “Who is Covered,” it states that the Policy on Harassment “shall be applied and interpreted in conjunction with the following existing documents: … ‘The Student Code of Conduct’ and ‘The University of Tulsa Statement on Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities.’” Finally, “harassment” is included as a violation of the “General Standard of Con-

duct” given in the Student Code of Conduct. As reported in our original story, the Student Code of Conduct reads under Section D.4 Procedures: “In all cases, a student accused of one or more violations of the student code has the right to a hearing.” It further states in Section E.5 Rights of the Accused that “no student shall be found partially/fully responsible for an offense without having been afforded each of the following rights, except with respect of those rights specifically and knowingly waived by the student in writing: … 2. The opportunity at the proceedings to hear all information against the student and to question all the witnesses against the accused student. 3. The opportunity at the proceeding to present relevant information and witnesses on his/her behalf.” TU’s policies unequivocally suggest that a harassment complaint ought to be handled under the joint aegis of the Policy on Harassment and the Student Code of Conduct. As reported in the story, we asked for clarification from the school multiple times. The school declined to comment in each case. Though the Policy on Harassment does bind university officials to confidentiality, it does not prevent them from discussing policies or procedures in the abstract. We received no response from university officials after presenting them our reading of the harassment policy. Kyle Walker Editor-in-Chief

Flags in KEP represent engineering students Flags that decorate Keplinger Hall showcase students’ national diversity, reports Sports Writer Wade Crawford. The heart of Keplinger Hall is decorated with a multitude of flags heralding from countries across the globe as well as a multitude of U.S. states. But a question remains: what do the flags mean? Is it university specific or are they just thrown out there for looks? “The flags represent the countries of students who have majored in the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences,” said Dottie Smith, Senior Assistant to the Dean for Administration and Special Projects. The tradition of these flags was started by Dr. Steven J. Bellovich. Bellovich served as Dean of the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences from 1995 until his death in 2012. Residing over the upper level of Keplinger Hall are the state flags of the

United States, while the bottom level of KEP is decorated with flags that represent the countries of international students. The flags represent an astounding range of countries, from Sweden to Malaysia. Smith said, “The flags are hung without regard to political or religious views, for, as Dean Bellovich put it, ‘Education makes everyone equal.’”

“Education makes everyone equal” The flags around Keplinger Hall serve as a visual representation of the worldwide range of the student body, past and present.

Elias Brinkman / Collegian Flags representing the wide range of countries that ENS majors have come from don the lower level of the Keplinger atrium.

variety

the Collegian : 6

23 February 2015

“Chicago” performance wonderful despite rocky opening number

This week, Theatre Tulsa performed Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse’s “Chicago.” Student Writer Nate Beckemeyer thought the performance was a lovely, multi-faceted work on human nature. Saturday at two o’clock, I went to see “Chicago” the musical at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. The musical started out with the piece “All That Jazz.” All of the individual dancing was good; however, collectively it started out clunky and unsynchronized. Additionally, the projected backdrop flickered noticeably. Not a good start. As the number progressed, though, the synchronicity of the dancing improved. The music and singing were excellent. I had a few personal favorites which included “We Both Reached for the Gun,” sung by Billy Flynn (Scott Gaffen); “Razzle Dazzle,” also sung by Billy; and the finale, sung by Roxie (Blythe Nelson), Velma (Sara Wilemon) and the ensemble. “We Both Reached for the Gun” was not only brilliant for its performance—Billy held Roxie as a ventriloquist would hold a dummy while answering questions directed towards her—but also for its satire. I found the piece greatly amusing and also saddening, as the two of them acted to fool the press into sympathizing with her. “Razzle Dazzle” was similarly brilliant. This one satirized how, as a consequence of jurors’ being human, smoke and mirrors were the only necessary requisites to getting someone free. As Billy said, “It’s all a circus, kid. A three ring

Courtesy Theatre Tulsa

Blythe Nelson plays Roxie, and Sara Wilemon plays Velma in Theatre Tulsa’s performance of “Chicago.” Both are characters who murder their husbands in the beginning of the musical.

circus. These trials—the whole world—all show business.” I particularly liked the glitter on Billy’s suit at this point because it demonstrated in a literal way how gilded and superficial the whole ordeal was. The finale was impressive for its performance overall, with a shocking and exciting confetti blast immediately before the final line of the song. The cast’s singing and dancing of the piece tied the whole musical together well.

Music

Review

Sarah Power / Collegian

LPC cancels concert, pretends it never existed Student Writer Hannah Kloppenburg wanted to review last week’s harp recital, but found no one there and the event page mysteriously missing. In front of me: a sea of glass, impenetrable, double doors rattling only slightly at the push of my trembling hands. At my back: the bitter cold, frigid gusts of wind sweeping my hair around my face and cutting right through to the bone. On my mind: the wasted efforts of a fifteen-minute, scurrying, face-engulfed-by-scarf and shoulders-hunched-up-to-ears trek to the Lorton Performance Center. Inside the LPC: complete silence. I dramatize, but in all seriousness, disappointment met me at the LPC this Friday night. Expecting an enjoyable evening of free harp music, I showed up at 7:30 p.m. and was instead taken aback by eight pairs of locked double doors, a silent performance center, and no people in sight. Half motivated by my desire to see the concert and half by the prospect of avoiding frostbite, I jogged around to the side of the

But the musical was not always funny and lighthearted. The innocent Hungarian woman Hunyak (Susan Nodo), who does not speak English, is hanged for murdering her husband. Her shouts of “Not guilty” (perhaps the only English that she knew) were haunting, and I felt nothing but pain and sorrow for her. She was, in the play, the first woman to be hanged in 47 years. The most impressive performance was the piece “Mister Cel-

lophane,” sung by Amos (David Blakely), Roxie’s husband. As the only self-sacrificing and morally inclined major character in the show, no one ever noticed him. And it was funny at first, until he realized that his wife was just using him. Then he merely appeared heartbroken, and I no longer found it amusing. Blakely played Amos phenomenally. At one point Roxie made the claim “I love my husband,” and hymns of “Alleluia” were sung,

mocking the lack of virtue that Roxie displayed (which is doubly humorous because she and Billy claimed that she was part of a convent for a while). Overall, I thought that “Chicago” was outstanding despite its rocky start, and would highly recommend that everyone go see it if given the chance. The musical was made by its wonderful music, singing, dancing (after the first number), satire and all that jazz.

TU jazz concert swings and hits

Jazz enthusiast Adam Lux is blown away by TU Big Bands and world class trumpeter Walter White.

Last Thursday, Feb. 19, the TU Jazz bands hosted their first big concert of the semester. They were joined by world class trumpeter and composer Walter White. Several of White’s compositions were played by the bands. None of them had anything to do with meth, unfortunately. The atmosphere was relaxed as TU’s Big Band II opened the show with the crowd-pleasing Pink Panther Theme. Mr. White came out to play with Big Band II and blew the audience away (pun intended) with perfect control of his trumpet

that melded seamlessly with the rest of the band. White was musical from a young age but settled on the trumpet by age nine. He practiced his art at institutions such as Interlochen Center for the Arts, The Juilliard School, The University of Miami and the Banff Center. In the early 90s he toured and recorded with his boyhood idol Maynard Ferguson. Big Band I strutted out onto the stage and proceeded to rock the audience, with absolutely breathtaking vocal accompaniment by Sarah Maud. Brilliant solos by the musicians were met with cheers and applause from the crowd. White joined the band once again, playing many of his own composi-

tions. He would perfectly hit notes I previously thought to be beyond the range of a trumpet. After the performance vocalist Sarah Mard stated that singing with White is “always really fun,” and that his personal interaction with the band makes him “more than just a stranger” to the student musicians. Drew Crane, a pianist in Big Band I, said, “At least he wasn’t cooking meth,” and on a more serious note that “it’s really awesome working with the highclass musicians that TU brings in.” The next TU Jazz Concert will be held on Thursday, April 23. For more information on Walter White, and to purchase his newest album “Breaking Good” visit walterwhite.com.

building and managed to slip in through the stairwell. I found that even the doors to the Meinig Recital Hall, where the concert was supposed to be held, were securely locked. The lobby was still lit by the warm light of the chandeliers, completely deserted but for the echoes of my own footsteps. Sighing heavily, I resigned myself to my chilly fate and headed back out into the cold. Upon further investigation, I discovered that the event had been completely removed from the LPC’s events schedule on the TU website, with no indication of whether it had been officially cancelled or not, as if it had never existed. I’m definitely disappointed that the concert was seemingly abandoned with no explanation. Having little familiarity with the harp, I was excited to listen to some beautiful music and experience something new. I can only hope that the LPC will be clearer about their scheduling in the future. In the meantime, I’ll be keeping a hopeful eye out for a rescheduled harp concertand I think I’ll hitch a ride in a nice warm shuttle next time. Answer this for me: if critical thinking is such a valuable life skill, shouldn’t it help you solve this Sudoku?

Courtesy opensky.ca

variety

23 February 2015

the Collegian : 7

“American Denial” tries to portray race relations in America, gets caught up in the past

American Denial is a documentary that portrays race relations in America and asks the viewer important questions about their own experiences. However, the film sometimes gets too caught up in its own premise to answer its questions. Student Writer Trent Gibbons reviews. “American Denial” is a documentary from independent filmmaker Llewellyn Smith, a man undoubtedly familiar with covering the topic of racial tensions in America, having previously contributed to “Africans in America: America’s Journey Through Slavery,” “Race: The Power of an Illusion” and “Forgotten Genius.” In the film’s greatest misstep, the intent of “American Denial” strikes a stark contrast with its actual summary. The documentary, at least in my early perception of it, was supposed to address modern racial tensions in America while presenting the negative consequences of underlying racism, especially those of which have been strewn across national media for what seems like a year of domestic ethnic conflict. Instead it seems to be a biopic relating the life and studies of Gunnar Myrdal, a Swedishborn psychologist, to some stirring modern surveys. Myrdal was tasked with analyzing race relations in 1960s America, eventually resulting in the largely influential and often-cited book “An American Dilemna: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy.” Myrdal had a sincere love for America, a love that only deep-

ened once he realized the citizenry’s own internal struggle to match their actions to their creed of equality “for all.” He’s a multilayered personality with plenty of interesting stories, and the film’s attempt to recount them all results in too little time and footage devoted to the present. Maybe 35 of the 60 minutes are allotted to documenting Myrdal and his study, accompanied by aged, black and white footage of Jim Crow era segregation. Unfortunately, the dated nature of these images lets the audience put distance between itself and the discrimination discussed in the film. Granted, the remaining 25 minutes present plenty of thought-provoking questions for the viewers. “Are all Americans, regardless of race, complicit in the perpetuation of racial biases in our country? Is racism still institutional and systemic in the USA or have we come a long way since the early civil rights era?” To help answer, “Denial” shows the results of a few recent racebased psychological tests. In possibly the most effective scene, young African-American girls are told to choose between a white and black baby doll. More often than not, these girls would indicate the

white doll as being nicer; when asked which doll resembled them, some would cry and ask to leave. It’s genuinely heartbreaking, and the film could have used more content like this to challenge any notion that we live in a post-racial America. Other tests, such as the Implicit Association Test, prove startlingly accurate in measuring a subject’s subconscious racist impulses.

One such study even went so far as to indicate that a white doctor might be inclined to refuse a black patient potentially life-saving medicine. The modern stuff is stirring, but a bit too few and far between. The potency of the film is lessened by its lack of focus on our contemporary society and its didactic attempts to teach the audience some rather simple concepts, such as implicit bias. Overall it’s

worth seeing if you’re interested in the subject of racial tension (or Nobel Laureates). Just don’t expect an in-depth analysis of recent events. Whether or not you see the film, I highly recommend taking the Implicit Association Test, which can be found on the film’s page on PBS.

Courtesy Independent Lens

A still from “American Denial” shows National Guardsmen escorting a man after the East St. Louis race riot.

The Void essay contest: responses When we first published prompts for the Void essay contest, we really didn’t think anyone would reply. To be honest, the prompts are so poorly worded and heavy handed, you’d have to be crazy to take us seriously. None the less, responses were written and they found their way to the Collegian office. Head Propagandist Fraser Kastner responds to the prompt “discuss,” while Student Writer Adam Lux tries to take on every single prompt. Adam Lux: Discuss

Fraser Kastner:

Discuss. I must discuss. But what is there to discuss? Shall I discuss what I had to eat this morning, or the weather, like two old ladies riding the bus together? Perhaps I should discuss current events, but for what purpose? How will I benefit from understanding and discussing the sociopolitical climate in Yemen or the Ukraine, aside from appearing worldly to my contemporaries? And why would I try to impress them, if that’s all it takes to do so? I’m going to be honest with you, reader. I’m only writing this to fulfil an arbitrary word count set by my editor. Oh, look, I just wrote more. And then some more. “Oh, look how lazy this piece is,” you think to yourself. “I bet he thinks he’s clever, breaking the fourth wall and writing directly toward us, the readers.” You may think I’m lazy, unmotivated. You may even look down on me, secretly feeling better about your own life. But how many times have you simply

Elias Brinkman / Collegian

muddled through an assignment at work like I am now? How often have you let your general apathy thwart your ambitions? How many opportunities have you let slip because of a more immediate desire to watch Netflix and eat candy? Here’s a fun challenge: next week, compare your current self to the person you thought you would be by this point in your life. Oh look, I just wrote more words. I am coming painfully close to self-awareness now. Am I just a product of my own laziness? Could I have achieved more if I had really put my mind to it, if I had squashed my instinct to do as little work as possible? Or worse, perhaps this is all I was ever meant to be. Perhaps even to dream of greatness is presuming too much about my capacity for personal achievement. Is it worse to be mediocre by nature, or by concerted effort? All I have left are questions and self doubt. But at least my word count has been reached.

No! Discourse is exactly the mechanism of our demise. Discussion leads to intermixing of ideologies which in turn causes transmutation of actions, (which in and of itself is active in origin and occurrence) slowly accelerating the entropy of the universe. I dare to argue that it will be those who speak, and, maybe more grotesquely, listen to other’s speech whom will be barred from the table of Valhalla and cast into Helheim. I raise my fist and proclaim, “Underlings, keep your ears plugged and tongue betwixt your teeth lest to spit on the shoes of those who defy the gods and the men who stand for the gods!”

In what ways do you feel your individuality being smothered by the herd?

It is funny you should bring up individuality in opposition with the herd. As I see it individuality is the herd. Without herdiness there would be no individuality. It is the group of people which makes each and every member of that group an individual. If you were the only speck of nothingness on earth rather than part of a community which is uncountable and still somehow insig-

nificant, then you would no longer be an individual; you’d be a collection of smaller beings, that is your cells. The same thing could happen with your cells and atoms, atoms and quarks, quarks and the expanse of other meaningless universes within them. And while this lack of individuality due to your collective nature is still truthful in our current reality, it is not so apparent due to the fact that we have a collection of collections of insignificance. So be thankful for the herd, and your individuality, both of which keep you from being a plaything tied to strings held by the gods.

Does the certitude of what we see shackle us to a set of events that uncaring gods ordained eons ago, or is even the existence of our own bodies a tenuous illusion?

You see, that is not a question you ask, but an answer.

Argue either a) that Alterrailgard was doomed to his uncertainty by the blasphemous deeds of his father, and his father before him, and that therefore, any faith in human responsibility is a foolish superstition; or b) that it is not

The Collegian is the independent student newspaper of the University of Tulsa. It is distributed Mondays during the fall and spring semesters except during holidays and final exam weeks. The University of Tulsa does not discriminate on the basis of personal status or group characteristics including but not limited to the classes protected under federal and state law in its programs, services, aids, or benefits. Inquiries regarding implementation of this policy may be addressed to the Office of Human Resources, 800 South Tucker Drive, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104-9700, 918-631-2616. Requests for accommodation of disabilities may be addressed to the University’s 504 Coordinator, Dr. Tawny Taylor, 918-631-3814. To ensure availability of an interpreter, five to seven days notice is needed; 48 hours is recommended for all other accommodations. Advertising Policy: Advertising appearing in this publication does not imply approval or endorsement by the University of Tulsa or the Collegian for the products or services advertised. For advertising information, email the Collegian at collegian@utulsa.edu or jesse-keipp@utulsa.edu. The deadline for advertising is 12 p.m. on the Friday prior to the publication. Editing Policy: The Collegian reserves the right to edit all copy submitted by all writers. This editing may take place in many forms, including grammar corrections, changes in paragraph structure or even the addition or removal of sections of content. Editorial Policy: Columnists are solely responsible for the content of their columns. Opinions expressed in columns may not represent the opinions of the entire Collegian staff, the administrative policies of the University of Tulsa, the views of the student body or our advertisers. Letter Policy: Letters to the editor must be less than 500 words. While we do not require it, letters sent via e-mail to the Collegian are encouraged. Under no circumstances will anonymous letters be published. The name of the person submitting the letter must be published with the letter. We reserve the right to edit or reject all letters. The deadline for letters is 5 p.m. on the Saturday prior to publication.

only the fragility of our fragility that should distress us, but that we must go further to fear even the fragility of the fragility of our fragility, and so on even to higher orders.

I know what you are doing Collegian. Do not think that I am unaware. I know your tricks, “News”paper. You think I am ignorant of the magiks of old, lost to the eons of dry erosion. The names. THE NAMES you wish to gather. But you cannot have them. NOT EVEN ONE. The chosen ones. Ha! Marked for slaughter you wish to see them. They will rise. In the dirt they are, the prophecy speaks it. But in eons of eons, when your evil hands stretch out between the stars they will rise! The Collegian empire will fall. You cannot change that. Demise is certain; you can only slow its journey.

Tell a joke about death.

Find a potato, and strip down to your knickers (these must happen simultaneously). Walk backwards to the nearest full length mirror. Turn around and press the potato up against the glass. Harder … HARDER! Crush its tiny soul. Cry because the potato’s death is meaningful while yours will not be.

editor-in-chief—Kyle Walker managing editor—Conor Fellin news editor—Morgan Krueger sports editor—Matt Rechtien variety editor—Abigail LaBounty commentary & barricade editor—Giselle Willis satire editor—Fraser Kastner photo & graphics editor—Elias Brinkman copy editor—Amanda Hagedorn apprentice editor—Michaela Flonard business & advertising manager—Jesse Keipp distribution manager—Walker Womack, Katie Hill editorial consultant—Nikki Hager web manager—Sam Chott social media manager—Charlie McQuigg

the Collegian: 8

commentary

23 february 2015

Backpedaling on bill proves Oklahomans can influence politics

Courtesy Reclaiming America for Christ

Representative Dan Fisher, author of the bill that could ban APUSH, is a member of the Black Robe Regiment, a group that strives to unite church leaders in resisting progressive agendas that would marginalize Christianity.

Reasoning behind bill is misinformed, fundamentalist

The AP U.S. History course is not a federal imposition onto state schools, but it does provide critical thinking skills. News Editor Morgan Krueger writes. On Monday, Feb. 16, the Common Education Committee looked at House Bill 1380, which is an attempt to examine and possibly revise the guidelines pertaining to AP U.S. History. Backed by Representative Dan Fisher, this bill is specifically an attempt to prevent state funds from being used for the AP U.S. History course. Though the bill targets AP U.S. History, the decision made could affect all AP courses. The AP U.S. History has also come under scrutiny in Georgia, Colorado, South Carolina and Texas for teaching “the bits of our history that might be uncomfortable, unflattering or even shameful...as some politicians call it, ‘unpatriotic,’” according to the Washington Post. The argument here is that AP courses violate Oklahoma’s recent state legislation that repealed Common Core. AP courses might fall under this legislation since AP, similar to Common Core, is a national curriculum that’s being forced on schools. Advanced Placement is nationally recognized. However, students are not required to take AP courses for graduation. It is merely an option for those who want to take more strenuous classes. Also, unlike Common Core, public schools are not required to offer AP courses. Some schools do not.

This already tenuous argument gets even stranger when you look at what Rep. Fisher is saying. According to Fisher, AP U.S. History classes highlight “what is bad about America” and fail to teach students the ideal of “American exceptionalism.” These statements throw up some serious red flags. So students are learning about America’s mistakes instead of being taught that we are in some way superior to the rest of the world? Wait a minute. That’s a bad thing? Has Fisher ever heard that history repeats itself unless we learn from it? Plus his comments on American exceptionalism are far too close to the old idea of Manifest Destiny for my comfort. Whether ethnic or patriotic, no one should be assuming their group is inherently superior to others. And we most certainly should not be teaching our children such ideas. The bill would require that a list of “foundational documents” be taught to students. While most documents on the list, such as the Constitution, are standard, there are a few interesting choices. According to ThinkProgress, two sermons and the Ten Commandments are on the list of required documents, as is a speech given by George W. Bush. The Common Education Committee passed the bill 11–4. All Republicans voted in favor of it, and all Democrats were opposed. Apologies to all high schoolers who want to get ahead and save tuition by taking AP courses for college credit. If this bill stays on its current trajectory, state funding will no longer be allocated to AP courses, specifically history. Despite the bill passing with flying colors, Fisher has recently begun backpedaling due to the public’s outrage over banning an AP course. It is yet uncertain if the bill will continue to move forward. If it does, AP courses might soon be a thing of the past in Oklahoma.

Unfortunately, the attempt to ban AP U.S. History from Oklahoma schools is yet another example of short-sighted state legislature. Fortunately, Oklahomans demonstrated their ability to mobilize when confronted with obviously detrimental legislation. Editorial Consultant Nikki Hager writes.

A lot of TU students were very upset when an Oklahoma legislative committee overwhelmingly voted to move forward a bill that would eliminate AP U.S. History from the curriculum of public Oklahoma high schools for supposedly emphasizing “what is bad about America.” The outrage against the bill was entirely warranted. AP U.S. History encourages critical thinking—critical thinking that pushes students to question the very institutions,

Oklahoma ranks 49th in per pupil spending and has cut more education funding per student than any other state in the last two years. Our infrastructure is crumbling. We incarcerate more women than any other state. Our legislature refuses to make investments in its future while increasing unnecessary tax cuts to the top income bracket and expanding existing tax breaks, ultimately contributing to the $611 million budget shortfall this year. It’s easy to point to the proposal to ban AP U.S. History and say “this is fundamentally screwing over future generations.” It’s a lot harder to look a complicated tax structure and do the same. When our legislature prioritizes its shortterm political interest over the long-term commitment it has to Oklahoma citizens, it fails to meet its obligation to generational fairness. While AP U.S. History is incredibly important, Oklahoma’s failure to meet its obligation is inherently a greater threat to young people than the banning of one high school class. It takes the same kind of critical thinking we were taught in AP U.S. History to see that our generation is really getting screwed. That $611 million budget shortfall is primarily getting filled with one-time funds that cannot be sustained, thus leaving the burden on future generations. While we may have won the battle over

“We need to question our state government in the

exact same manner promoted by AP U.S. History” they, as Americans, have spent whole lives praising and to which they pledge their allegiance to every day. A lot of Oklahomans who value the kind of learning promoted by AP classes acted upon that outrage. They called their legislators; they utilized their networks of families and friends. And guess what? That reaction led Rep. Fisher to backpedal. He says he’s working to fix the bill as it was “very poorly worded and incredibly ambiguous,” and that he’s “very supportive of the AP program.” We need to question our state government in the exact same manner promoted by AP U.S. History. Not only that, but we, as civicminded young people, need to stand up and be active participants in state and local politics. I wish I could say that the kind of closeminded thinking that prioritizes the egos of old politicians over the development of its citizens was isolated. But unfortunately this short-sidedness is a prominent feature of the state we call home.

APUSH, young people are losing the war. However, if the battle over APUSH taught us anything, is that we can mobilize and truly influence policy. We can call our representatives, energize our friends and family, and advocate for generationally responsible policies. That’s what Common Sense Action (CSA), the organization I brought to TU last fall, is working towards. This semester we’re advocating for legislation that prioritizes young people, such as education, infrastructure and sustainable taxing policies. We’re calling and meeting with our representatives, making our voices heard. We’re also working to raise awareness of millennial issues through events, social media campaigns, and petitions. Active awareness of the actions taken by the Oklahoma legislature takes time and effort, as do activism and responsiveness. At the same time, the costs of inaction is even greater. The longer Oklahoma continues this trend, the more millennials will have to pay both now and down the road.

More about House Bill 1380: Students would learn from foundational documents such as the Ten Commandments and two sermons. Three of President Reagan’s speeches are included, but there’s nothing from a Democratic president since Lyndon Johnson. This bill is the most recent in a slew of similar propositions from the states of Colorado, Texas, North Carolina and Georgia. The College Board introduced a new testing framework for AP U.S. History two years ago, and it was then that retired high school history teacher Larry Krieger began the current panic by stating that the new curriculum was too negative and made patriotic heroes look like bigots.

Okla. should repeal its Blaine Amendment Oklahoma’s Blaine Amendment is a vestige of anti-Catholic sentiment and is too restrictive in regards to public policy. Politics Reporter Brennen VanderVeen writes. Americans are largely familiar with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. It provides that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” In common dialogue, that prohibition is generally called the separation of church and state. State constitutions can also offer provisions about the relationship between the government and religion so long as it doesn’t conflict with federal law. Article 2, Section 5 of Oklahoma’s constitution reads as follows: “No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, donated, or used, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or

support of any sect, church, denomination, or system of religion, or for the use, benefit, or support of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher or dignitary, or sectarian institution as such.” The wording may seem like this provision was offered in a spirit of secularism and of ensuring that the divide between church and state would be even wider than the federal constitution requires. However, this is not the case. It’s an example of a “Blaine Amendment.” Blaine Amendments were adopted in several states in response to Catholic immigration. Today, most states have them. In the 19th and early 20th century, it was common for public schools to have teacherled Bible readings. Public schools used to support Protestantism in particular. As the number of Catholic immigrants increased, Catholics started to object. However, Catholic parochial schools were viewed with suspicion by a number of Protestants. In this environment, Republican Speaker of the House James G. Blaine proposed an amendment to the Constitution in 1875 in order to further his presidential ambitions. The amendment would have banned public money used for sectarian purposes. However, a provision was added that stated, “This article shall not be construed to prohibit the

reading of the Bible in any school or institution.” At the time, “sectarian” often meant Catholic. An 1889 senate bill declared both that tax money couldn’t go to “sectarian schools” and that public schools must teach “principles of the Christian faith.” In the 1870s, a committee for the Massachusetts legislature noted that sects included parish, i.e. Catholic, schools, atheism and agnosticism. While the federal amendment failed, most states, including Oklahoma, came to include some variation of a Blaine Amendment. As anti-Catholicism is less pronounced today, Blaine Amendments are more generally used to go well beyond what the First Amendment requires. For instance, when a blind Washington man attempted to use state funds available to him for receiving an education, he was prevented from doing so by the Washington Supreme Court, on the grounds that he wanted to study to be a minister. They based this on the Establishment Clause, but the US Supreme Court unanimously overturned this decision. Yet, he was still ineligible for funding because the Washington Supreme Court later decided that it would violate the state constitution. Oklahoma’s provision has been interpret-

ed to ban the state from simply transporting students to religious schools. This decision was first reached in 1941 in “Gurney v. Ferguson.” Even if one is concerned about tax dollars being used for religious instruction, one must admit that such instruction does not typically take place on a school bus. In contrast to “Gurney”, in 1947 the Supreme Court ruled that public funding of the transportation of students did not violate the First Amendment. This decision, “Everson v. Board of Education,” was not a minor decision. It was a landmark case in which the First Amendment was first held even to apply to the states at all. Yet, in 1963, “Gurney” was upheld because of Oklahoma’s Blaine Amendment. Blaine Amendments are most often invoked to disallow school voucher programs. Oklahoma’s voucher program for disabled students has been challenged on such grounds, as well as the state’s new education savings accounts plan. School vouchers ought to be judged on their own merits. The continued existence of the Blaine Amendments is an embarrassment. The Blaine Amendment of Oklahoma, and those of other states, should be repealed.

Commentary

23 february 2015

the Collegian: 9

Okla. should not neuter Open Records Act

Oklahoma’s House of Representatives currently faces a bill that would allow government officials to be much more selective about which documents the public can view. Managing Editor Conor Fellin writes.

A bill has made it through a committee in the Oklahoma House of Representatives that would allow any public body to refuse to show documents normally made public by the Open Records Act if they deemed that showing those documents “would clearly cause excessive disruption of (its) essential function.” The Open Records Act requires that government documents “be made available for public inspection,” except where

Oklahoma law expressly states otherwise. The government can charge a fee to search for the information, but not if “the release of said documents is in the public interest, including, but not limited to, release to the news media.” In its current form, House Bill 1361, the new amendment to the Open Records Act, is the brainchild of Oklahoma City Republican Mike Christian. Christian told the Tulsa World that he was concerned that the Open Records Act, in its current form, would require police officers to immediately release any evidence they had to the public, without being able to take steps to protect evidence or witnesses. I am not aware of any instances where the Open Records Act has been interpreted this way, but I’ll grant that it’s fair to clarify that police officers should have some reasonable quantity of time to collect evidence before potentially biasing information is shared with the public. HB 1361 is far more expansive than this, however. First and foremost, HB 1361 allows for any public official to decide not to disclose information because doing so would be too disruptive to their work. This could be used as an excuse to not share virtually any

document, and it effectively neuters the Open Records Act. Second, HB 1361 allows public officials far greater latitude in deciding how much to charge for open records requests. Gone is the prohibition against charging for inquiries serving the public interest. High prices would deter the public from asking about public records in the first place. Third, HB 1361 has a long series of specific exemptions regarding videos

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the criminal charges against Pat Swilling, Jr. Over the course of this investigation, we were repeatedly denied the records without reason. We ran in circles from public office to public office in search of answers. We never obtained the documents we wanted. My faith in public officials to share documents they are not expressly required by law to share is low. If the revised Open Records Act gives officials an excuse not to share wide swathes of government

“My faith in public officials to share documents they are not expressly required by law to share is low” taken by the police. Some of these are reasonable, but others, like exemptions for “any information an 1 that 2 could 3 …4constitute 5 unwarranted invasion of personal privacy,” “any information that may interfere with the prosecution of a crime” and “gang involvement,” are overly general and will certainly be abused. While investigating the Title IX suit against the University of Tulsa, the Collegian filed an open records request with the Tulsa Police Department asking for records on

documents, then I suspect that the public will no longer be able to learn about many of the actions of their government body. Oklahomans deserve better. It is fundamental to the American notion of democracy that citizens be able to hold their officials accountable. That means not taking state officials at their word. Unfortunately, if the state shields its operations from its citizens, thinking critically about its operations might get much harder.

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each of which sends several representatives to congress. Then, on election day, each voter ranks the n candidates on the ballot from 1 to n. Let’s look at one district in Flatland. Each party votes as shown in Figure 1. After voting, votes are tallied according to each party’s first choice, similar to first past the post [Figure 2].

In this week’s adventures in Flatland, the shapes take a look at single transferable vote. It might just be a system that makes everybody happy. Student Writer Sam Beckmann writes. The citizens of Flatland, inspired by their new presidential system, decide to revamp how representative elections are done. They do have a slight issue with a straight approval system though: it doesn’t give a way for voters to indicate that certain candidates are preferred to others; voters can only give a candidate approval or not. So to make its new congress as representative as possible, Flatland uses a new system of voting, single transferable vote. The single transferable vote system, or STV, works by having each voter rank the candidates. Implementing a STV system requires a few changes to Flatland, though. Instead of having a bunch of small districts which each elect one representative to congress, the country is refactored in a few large districts,

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second choice. In this case, Square’s voters’ second choice was Parallelogram, so that’s where the extra votes go [Figure 3]. Since not enough candidates have hit the 25 percent threshold yet, we now eliminate the candidate with the least number of votes. In this case, that would be Circle. Circle’s voters’ second choice is Square, who’s already elected, so the votes can’t go there. Instead, we look to their third choice, Parallelogram. The votes are redistributed, and the new distribution is as follows [Figure 4].

Figure 2: Square was the first choice of most voters.

However, simply having the most votes does not guarantee a victory. Since this district sends three representatives to congress, a candidate must have (100 percent / representatives + 1), or 25 percent of the vote, to win. In this election, Square has 35 percent of the vote, so it instantly wins one spot. In traditional first past the post, the other 10 percent of the votes for Square would be wasted. This is not the case in single transferrable vote. Those votes go to the voter’s

Figure 4: Circle, with the least amount of votes, is eliminated. Parallelogram gets those extra votes too.

Parallelogram has now won the second spot, despite starting with only 12 percent of the vote! In fact, getting Circle’s votes pushed it over the boundary, so the extra 6 percent of votes are redistributed to Circle’s next choice, Triangle [Figure 5].

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Figure 1: Each constituent ranks his/her candidate first.

Figure 3: Parallelogram gets Square’s extra votes.

Figure 5: Triangle gets 6 percent of Circle’s votes, wins spot.

This last batch of votes pushes Triangle up over the threshold, so he wins the final spot, thus concluding the election. This election provides a prime example of the qualities single transferable vote lauds. Under STV, it is not as important to cater directly to a smaller group of voters to become its first choice, as is the case under first past the post. Instead, an optimal strategy is to be well liked by all voters. Although Parallelogram had very few direct supporters (ranking second last in this category), it placed fairly highly on the vast majority of voters’ rankings. The merits of this system in practice can be debated. (Will a candidate who wants to please everyone get anything done or just try and maintain the status quo that got them vast support at election time?) But the candidates’ motivations are not the real strength of STV. Single transferable vote radically differs from many current voting criteria in that it does not require tactical voting. In STV, how everyone else votes doesn’t affect how you should vote. A voter does not have to worry about wasting their vote by putting a smaller, less likely to win candidate first: If this candidate doesn’t make it, then the vote is simply transferred to the next candidate on the card. You cannot waste your vote on a minority party, which makes minority parties much more viable than in plurality systems. Similarly, there is no need to “vote against” a certain candidate to make sure he or she is not elected. Simply put him or her at the bottom of your ranking, to ensure your vote goes to people you would rather see in office. In fact, some versions of STV allow voters to stop ranking candidates at any point, thus ensuring that their vote will never go to a candidate that they don’t want in office. Although it initially seems much more complicated than first past the post to a voter, to the informed voter, STV is actually much simpler. You just vote for who you want, without worrying about who everybody else is voting for. All graphics by Sam Beckmann.

Hepatitis C patent in India rightfully denied

In light of the millions that could have cheaper access to vital Hepatitis C medication thanks to a denied patent, it’s time we reformed the patent system to protect the public good. Student Writer Hannah Kloppenburg writes. Sofosbuvir, a medication intended to treat Hepatitis C, was recently denied a patent in India by means of a legal loophole. This means that the medication can be reproduced by third party companies, who can then sell it for a much more affordable price, making it available to thousands more people. Hepatitis C affects approximately 170 million people worldwide. 18 million of those people live in India. It primarily impacts the liver, and while it sometimes causes no symptoms, especially early in life, it can lead to serious long-term complications.

In India, the patent application was denied to a corporation called Gilead on the grounds that the treatment was not sufficiently innovative to justify a new patent. Gilead has signed voluntary license agreements with several companies for production of the drug, but there are no legal boundaries to prevent any third-party companies from creating generic versions of it. These thirdparty companies can subsequently make the treatment available to thousands at a fraction of the previous cost. Sofosbuvir is available in the U.S. and due to licensing is sold by Gilead for $84,000 per treatment course. It’s an exorbitant price even for those who are fairly well off. For someone living with Hepatitis C in India, an overwhelmingly poor country, this price would likely make the treatment completely unattainable. The situation seems particularly cruel when you consider that Sofosbuvir can be produced for just $101 per treatment course. That’s $83,899 which, in the case of many pharmaceutical companies, more often goes back into marketing and advertising efforts than it does into research and development of new treatments. It’s a disgustingly transparent attempt to squeeze as much money out of the sick as possible. The patent problem isn’t unique to India—the issue of patents on medical treat-

ments and procedures has become controversial in the United States as well, a nation with a patent process similar to India’s. In western society, we place a great deal of value in the accomplishments of individuals and giving credit where credit is due. However, in light of the fact that patents on medical procedures and treatments can easily be manipulated solely for the purpose of monetary gain, it’s time to consider banning patents on such inventions, or at the very least, redesigning a patent process for that specific field which is tailored to citizens who are in dire need of affordable medical treatment. The purpose of patents is not only to give credit to inventors but also to promote private investment into research and development. One of the strongest arguments against removing the patent system is that without it, there will be no incentive for the development of new treatments. In recent years, some American economists have suggested a solution to the patent controversy known as the prize system. A system of providing monetary “prizes” to inventors of medical treatments would retain the material incentive for creating new products while still allowing for the distribution of medication at more reasonable prices. In the proposed system, the U.S. government would pay for the rights to FDA-approved treatments, then place those

rights into the public domain. The prize system isn’t flawless, however. The main argument against it is that it’s dangerous to the free market to centralize control of the medical industry and allow the government the power to decide which medications it wants to fund and which it doesn’t—a recipe for corruption. In response, some economists have argued that the “prize” should involve bidding by the government as well as interested private parties. I’m more in favor of this proposal. While I understand the importance of private sector involvement, I can’t reconcile the untreated illness of thousands for the sake of a private corporation’s gain. To further prevent the manipulation of the system, I would suggest the evaluation of the candidates for a “prize” by third-party impartial physicians or medical experts who would have the expertise necessary to determine exactly how valuable a particular treatment is. A system like this one, implemented in India or other countries, would benefit thousands who are dependent on expensive medication for their health or even their daily survival. In the meantime, it’s heartening to know that countless Hepatitis C patients in India now have access to the treatment they need.

Sports

the Collegian : 10

Tulsa bounces back after losing to SMU and Uconn by sinking Pirates and caging Owls

The men’s team returned to Tulsa after a tough showing in UConn to play against East Carolina and Temple with second place in the conference on the line. Sports Writer Joseph Edmunds reports.

The Golden Hurricane men’s basketball team bounced back from their first two conference losses since 2014 to pick up crucial conference wins against East Carolina

and third-place Temple. On Wednesday, forward Brandon Swannegan earned his first career start and led the Golden Hurricane to a win over East Carolina with a career-high 16 points. Tulsa used a 9–0 run midway through the first half to start to take control of the game, as they pushed out to an eight point lead after the run. The Golden Hurricane played well on both offense and defense for the remainder of the half, and took a large lead into the locker room with the score 35–19. For the majority of the second half, the game flowed back and

forth, with the teams exchanging small runs. With eight minutes remaining, Tulsa pushed their lead over twenty, at 58–37. East Carolina went on a 13–4 run to end the game, but came up short as the Golden Hurricane held on to win 69–58. Overall, Tulsa played well on both sides of the ball. Said coach Frank Haith after the game, “It was a very important win for us. I thought our guys had really good energy.” On offense, TU shot 51 percent from

the field, marking the first time in eight games they shot over 50 percent. Temple came to town to face the Golden Hurricane on Sunday. In the first half, the game was tightly contested. Tulsa’s three point shooting kept them just in front of the Owls, whose size in the paint caused some matchup issues early on. TU took a 26–22 lead into halftime. James Woodard, who scored a game-high 16 points, set the tone for the second half scoring a three-pointer early in the half. TU played more zone defense, and shut down the Owls ofGreg Diskin / Collegian fense. The Golden Hurricane

opened the half on a 19–4 run, and led 50– 30 with five minutes remaining in the half. Temple only scored 17 points in the second half, and Tulsa came away with a 55–39 victory. “Obviously it was a great win for us. I thought our guys were dialed in and very focused at the start of this game. Our defense was terrific throughout the whole game. We were really on point with what we needed to do,” Haith said after the win. With only four games left until the conference tournament in Connecticut, Haith talked about fighting to make the NCAA tournament. “You’re always fighting. Until the last game you’re only as good as the previous game. I’m sure this win helps. Temple is a top-40 RPI team.” “I don’t know that we can hang our hat on the fact that we’re in right now. We’ve got to keep playing. Our guys are still competing for a championship. I think we’re focusing on our next opponent. Hopefully we can stay where we need to be and continue competing for a championship.” With the win over Temple, Tulsa gave themselves another game over the third place Owls. Tulsa remains second in the American Athletic Conference behind SMU with a 19–7 (12–2 AAC) record. Temple remains in third place with a record of 19–9 (10–5 AAC). Tulsa’s next game is on Wednesday, Feb. 25 against Tulane at the Reynolds Center before traveling on the road to play against the Memphis Tigers on Saturday.

Women fall to Bulls and top-ranked UConn After being on their best win streak in nine years, the women have lost two in a row, falling to USF on the road and UConn, the top team in the country, at home. Sports Editor Matt Rechtien reports.

After being on their best win streak since 2006, the women’s basketball team traveled to USF to take on the Bulls, only to fall 79– 46. Head coach Matilda Mossman said, “We just couldn’t score. We held them scoreless in the first four possessions, but then we

couldn’t score either.” Tulsa only shot 28 percent from the field, which was not enough to compete with the Bulls 41 percent. USF came into the game with 21 wins on the season and was too strong for TU to overcome. Ashley Clark led the Hurricane with 13 points, eight rebounds and two steals in her 23 minutes of play. Looking to bounce back from the tough loss, the women hosted the top ranked Huskies of UConn on Saturday. Connecticut came into Reynolds undefeated in confer-

ence and only one loss to their name. Unfortunately the Huskies outplayed the Golden Hurricane, winning 92–46, on the strength of points in the paint (44) and points off of turnovers (27). Clark was joined by teammate Kelsee Grovey, in leading the Hurricane’s offense, scoring 13 apiece. The loss puts the Hurricane at 14–12 on the season. They look to put a “W” in the win column on Tuesday when they travel to Memphis to play the Tigers, before returning to Reynolds on Saturday to play their final home game of the season against Tulane.

The biggest moves of the NBA trade deadline

The NBA trade deadline was last week, and some teams, including OKC, made some big moves to push for the playoffs. Student Writer Greg Diskin reports.

Just off the Creek Turnpike between Aspen and Elm in Broken Arrow WarrenTheatres.com

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Movie Line (918) 893-9798

The NBA trade deadline came and passed on Thursday and it was the biggest one in recent memory. A huge amount of players were traded and many teams will feel a shift in culture due to the trades. Some teams traded only for specific role players to help with a strong playoff push, while others traded for players that will become starters on their new teams. Kevin Garnett, who most people assumed would want to retire as a Celtic, agreed to waive his no trade clause and go back to Minnesota where he was a Timberwolf from 1995 to 2007. The Nets got Thaddeus Young in return, who should be starting for them at the four position and will most likely increase their front court production. In perhaps the biggest trade of the deadline, Miami landed brothers Goran and Zoran Dragic from a point-guard-heavy Suns team. Goran will definitely be starting at the point for them and will try to fill the Heat’s star role with Chris Bosh out for the rest of the season due to blood clots in his lungs and Dwyane Wade in a state of perpetual injury. In return, the Suns seemed to be preparing for the future and received Danny Granger, two first round picks and John Salmons. New Orleans got Norris Cole, Justin Hamilton and Shawne Williams who should provide depth to their bench. An extremely happy Reggie Jackson successfully forced his way out of Oklahoma City and got traded to the Detroit Pistons. The Thunder received Enes Kanter, Steve Novak, D.J. Augustin and Kyle Singler. Only Kanter and Augustin should receive significant playing time, and Kanter will help exponentially with the Thunder’s front court situation. The Thunder gave up Kendrick Perkins and Grant Jerrett along with a couple of undisclosed draft picks to the Jazz. The Jazz are expected to release Perkins as soon as they can, and he is expected to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

23 February 2015

Jesse Keipp is…

I hope this isn’t a trend Last week, I mentioned how NASCAR could grab attention only from fights and crashes. I proceeded to bash the NFL for media coverage on its woman-beating ways. Now NASCAR has joined the party by suspending driver Kurt Busch after a hearing involving domestic violence. Admittedly, I wanted to tear into Busch like the vandal who wrote “41 Ray Rice” on Busch’s racing stall. However, after using this revolutionary technique called critical thinking, I found that Busch’s case is a lot blurrier than Rice’s or most of the other infamous cases from the past year. NASCAR’s indefinite suspension of Kurt Busch came down after a restraining order hearing. In the hearing, Busch’s ex-girlfriend claimed Busch strangled her, while Busch claimed he did no such thing. In the trial, the woman cited a picture of bruises on her neck, but nothing was proven to be overwhelmingly conclusive. To err on the side of caution (as is the norm in restraining order cases), the judge granted the woman the restraining order against Busch. After the ruling, NASCAR swiftly descended upon Busch with its arm of punishing justice by suspending him indefinitely. Notably, Busch was never convicted, indicted or even charged with a crime. There was never a civil suit between Busch and his ex. Yet NASCAR condemned Busch for domestic violence. A heartwarming tale If this same case happened a year ago, I imagine that the entire incident would have passed unnoticed by NASCAR or the media. But since Ray Rice’s knockout punch to his wife, American professional sports have been on a witchhunt for woman-beaters. Rightfully so, the public and the media no longer tolerate athletes who strike women. Nonetheless, public perception needs to pay heed to due process. If Kurt Busch is guilty, I hope he never drives around in a circle really fast ever again. But if Kurt Busch is innocent, it’s a shame that his career may be over because of NASCAR’s all-too-swift justice. Without any sort of process, NASCAR suspended Busch immediately because it’s the “cool” thing to do these days. On a far less depressing note, college basketball likes to cheer us up with not only its lack of woman-beating but also a few heartwarming stories. Former TU and current Kansas coach Bill Self rewarded Chris Huey for his work as manager. Huey, who stands at 6’ 7”, is a team manager at Kansas who formerly played NAIA basketball before three instances of a collapsed lung ended his career. In addition to being featured in the game’s programs and on the roster, Huey was cheered by the home crowd as he walked onto the court. The passing of a legend UNC coaching legend Dean Smith passed away on Feb. 7. In a testament to Smith’s greatness, the UNC and Duke men’s basketball teams linked arms before the archrivals’ matchup at Duke. Duke’s Coach K even wore a Carolina blue tie to Smith’s funeral. When UNC returned home on Feb. 21, the team honored Smith by running his trademark “Four Corners” offense for its first possession against Georgia Tech. The formation looks about as odd as you would think, with a player in each corner of the half-court plus one player with the ball. Smith utilized the formation to waste time near the ends of games; Smith’s innovation directly led to the NCAA’s adoption of the shot clock.

Courtesy of coachesclipboard

This is how the first part of the “four corners” offensive plan works. I’m not sure why they made more than just diagram A, because the only thing different between the diagrams is where the basketball is. And I don’t think that desrves new diagrams.

Faking them all out Speaking of which, VCU fans tricked both the refs and the UMass players with a fake shot-clock chant. The fans shaved a couple seconds off the shot clock, forcing a UMass player to take a ridiculous shot, just after the refs charged UMass with a shot-clock violation. Eventually, the whole mess got cleared up, but the incident served as a heart-warming reminder that my ceaseless yelling at the Reynolds Center really does make a difference.

23 February 2015

Sports

the Collegian : 11

Pitchers and catchers report: so what did we miss in the world of baseball?

While everyone was distracted by the football, basketball and hockey storylines, baseball quietly witnessed some big changes. Sports Writer Wade Crawford reports.

With pitchers and catchers reporting for duty in Florida and Arizona, the offseason is pretty much over. This offseason was full of trades and acquisitions, with some big-name stars changing teams. Now that the dust has settled, it’s time to look at the big winners and losers of the baseball offseason. The offseason began with a horrible tragedy, as Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras was killed in a car accident in his native Dominican Republic, on Oct. 26, 2014. Over the next few weeks, details came out that claimed Oscar was under the influence of alcohol when the accident occurred. No matter the details, it was a horrible loss of a player destined for a great MLB career. It was nearly a month later before the first large transaction of the offseason occurred. The Atlanta Braves traded away (as much as it pains me to say it) outfielder Jason Heyward and reliever Jason Walden in exchange for pitcher Shelby Miller and pitching prospect Tyrell Jenkins. The Cardinals strengthened their bullpen and found a suitable replacement for Taveras, while the Braves began their rebuild of

a shallow farm system by getting valuable players for Jason Heyward, who may have left for a different team anyway in the next offseason (he was in the last year of his contract). The American League had a busy November. The Boston Red Sox took a pair of West Coast stars by signing free agents Pablo Sandoval (a former San Francisco Giant) and Hanley Ramirez (a former Los Angeles Dodger). Meanwhile, the Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays swapped third base sluggers, trading Josh Donaldson for Brett Lawrie and a group of prospects. Oakland continued to make deals into December, as they traded Jeff Samardzija to the Chicago White Sox for a slew of prospects. The Miami Marlins improved their rotation for 2015, signing Mat Latos (of Cincinnati Reds fame) and trading for Dan Haren. This decision seemed to backfire, as Haren, wanting to join a team closer to his family in Southern California, threatened to retire rather than pitch for Miami. As of now, Marlins management is “hoping” that Haren will be a Marlin in 2015. Soon after these deals, pitcher Jon Lester signed with the Chicago Cubs, representing the first major pitcher signing of the offseason. The Cubs beat the Red Sox, Giants and Dodgers, giving Lester a six-year, $155 million contract.

The San Diego Padres were a surprise buyer this offseason. They made headlines by looking just two hours north, trading catcher Yasmani Grandal and a pair of prospects to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Matt Kemp. These moves were followed by trading with the Red Sox for Will Middlebrooks and the Braves for Justin Upton. Arguably the biggest free agent this offseason was former Tiger Max Scherzer, and he found a new home in late January. The former AL Cy Young award winner signed with the Washington Nationals in a sevenyear, $210 million contract. However, this large sum is not to be paid by 2021, when the contract is up, but by 2028. Somewhere, Bobby Bonilla is smiling.

lenient policy on sports betting and possible solutions to a lack of offense and slow pace of games. The Padres made the last large move of the offseason, getting the services of James Shields, formerly of the Kansas City Royals. The contract totaled four years and $75 million. So after all of these moves, who came out better and who came out worse? The San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs decided they had enough of being the punching bag of the National League, while the Washington Nationals created a pitching rotation reminiscent of the scary Phillies rotation of 2011. The Red Sox and the Marlins were also able to strengthen their teams through the

January marked another large change in baseball, as Rob Manfred took over as the tenth Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Manfred immediately drew controversy, openly admitting he was willing to listen to talks to ban defensive shifts, in addition to alternating home league for the All-Star Game regardless of home stadium. Other proposed changes include a more

free agent market. The aforementioned Phillies came out the clear loser of the offseason, refusing to trade away old pieces like Cole Hamels, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley to rebuild their struggling franchise. The MLB offseason was extremely busy. The hot stove was as hot as ever, and new leadership turned the page to the next chapter of the history of Major League Baseball.

“The hot stove was as hot as ever, and new leadership turned the page to the next chapter of the history of Major League Baseball”

2.2 billion people are watching ... are you? Most people are familiar with the cricket as a bug, but most Americans only have a passing understanding of the sport of cricket. Student Writer Joey Byron reports on the Cricket World Cup and the sport itself.

The Cricket World Cup attracts the third highest global collection of television viewers behind the FIFA World Cup and the

Softball splits in Waco Softball traveled to Waco, Texas, for the Baylor Invitational this past weekend. In the opening games the 25th-ranked Golden Hurricane played 2nd-ranked Oregon and 7th-ranked Baylor. The Ducks and Bears proved to be more than a match, with Tulsa dropping the first two matches 4–2 and 2–0 respectively. The Hurricane rebounded on Saturday, beating North Texas and Abilene Christian 6–3 and 10– 0. The wins put the Hurricane’s overall record at 9–5 with their next tournament at home this upcoming weekend where they will play Northern Iowa; Creighton, Nebraska; and North Texas. Football schedule announced The University of Tulsa has announced the football schedule for the 2015 fall season, which includes home games against Florida Atlantic, Houston, Louisiana Monroe, Memphis, UCF and Navy. This will be the first season that the American conference uses a two-division set up for football, as Navy will become a football only member. Football season kicks off on Sept. 5 against old Conference-USA foe, Florida Atlantic, who beat the Hurricane last season. Tennis roundup The men’s tennis team traveled to Oklahoma State to play against the 32nd ranked Cowboys, losing narrowly 3–4. After the teams of Carlos Bautista, Alejandro Espejo and Or Ram-Harel, Juan Matias Gonzalez won their matches to take the doubles point, the Golden Hurricane could only take 2 points off the singles matches, while OSU was able to take the first 4 to win the match. Since the men’s Sunday game against Texas A&M was cancelled because of rain, their overall record sits at 6–5. The women also lost a close match 4–3 to OSU, their fourth straight, but bounced back with a dominating 7–0 win against Stephen F. Austin on Sunday afternoon. Golf starts off with a 304 The men’s golf team shot a 304 on the first day of the Puerto Rico Classic, good enough for 15th place on the day. Senior Matt Mabrey leads the Hurricane, shooting a 71 (-1) on the day which was good enough for 11th on the individual side. The next two rounds will be played on Sunday and Monday, before the Golden Hurricane travel to Alabama for the Tiger Invitational. On the women’s side, they will play in the Westbrook Spring Invitational from Sunday–Monday, in Peoria, AZ.

nings used. Even then there are differences that separate the two. For example the bat is different from the round Louisville Slugger that is typically associated with baseball. The cricket bat is flat and looks more like a paddle. There is bowling involved, but this is simply what is meant by one team’s player throwing the ball towards the other team’s player who is up to bat, similar to pitching. There is no “pitching”, but there is a pitch which signifies the piece of field between

en teams each that have been selected as the world’s most elite teams. The top two teams from each group will then move on to the semi-finals. The winners at this point then go on to the final game where the winner is decided. Cricket can seem confusing, but this can be true with anything new. Most citizens of Australasia, South Africa or the United Kingdom could give an in-depth analysis of the sport. There are even cricket fantasy leagues for the sport’s die-hard fans.

Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

One of the many differences between baseball and cricket is the way that the ball is thrown. In baseball we call it pitching, but in cricket the action is called bowling. There are a lot of differences between the two, including being able to run up to bowl in cricket, but not being able to bend your elbow like in baseball.

Summer Olympics. Why is cricket so popular? The Cricket World Cup is currently taking place in Australia and New Zealand. Yes, the game that we typically refer to as, “it’s like baseball, right?” Baseball draws its roots from cricket, but both games are very different. The similarities end at the bat, ball and in-

the bowler and the batter. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is in charge of upholding the laws of cricket. They also decide where to host the World Cup every four years. The first Cricket World Cup was held in England in 1975. It has continued to grow in popularity since then. The tournament initially uses a round robin approach for two subgroups with sev-

There is still a lot to learn about the game of cricket, but now is a good time to acquire the knowledge through the World Cup. The viewership that we contribute would be in good company with over 2 billion other fans. If now is a bad time to learn about a new sport then don’t worry; you have four more years to study up for the next Cricket World Cup which will take place in England in 2019.

Tip of the iceberg: the life of a student athlete

The life of a student athlete can seem completely visible to people, but in reality there is a lot that is left unseen. What everyone sees on game day is just the tip of the iceberg. Student Writer and athlete Joey Byron reports.

Clean jerseys, the smell of popcorn in the air and the fans starting to arrive. This is typically what is seen of a student athlete; the glory of a win and the dismal loss in defeat. However that is only one part of a student athlete’s life. Being a student athlete for the past three years, I know this first hand. Game day is a tremendous rush of adrenaline and excitement. There is an amazing thrill in winning and a crushing feeling when falling short. Either way, these feelings have to be quelled the next day

when workouts resume for the team. The thoughts need to be torn out of your mind in preparation for the following week. There is typically one “off” day given to student athletes. For members of the football team this was on Mondays. This allowed for time to meet with teachers if necessary outside the normal class schedule. Tuesday mornings are greeted with an early morning workout, typically with a crisp warm-up in the cool morning air to wake you up from any past regrets from the prior week’s game. Classes break up the day, followed by a swift return to meetings and the practice field in the afternoon. This schedule is matched the one on Thursdays. The only difference on Wednesday is that there was no morning workout. Fridays would go from prep time/walkthrough to a trip to the hotel for the night before the game on Saturday, the day that

the visible part of the “iceberg” would appear for a short time before receding once more into the sunset for the rest of the week. The limelight and fanfare make being a student athlete a wonderful experience. However, this does not mean that it comes cheap. The payment required is the preparation during the week when a balance of playing the game and keeping up with academics when no one is watching becomes a requirement. Everyone has busy schedules and things that they are dealing with whether they play a sport or not. College is a busy time for anyone involved. This article is meant to shed some light on what goes on during the week for a student athlete and to encourage you to think about the time and effort that goes into playing the sports not only on game day, but also when they really count: when no one is watching.

‘Cane Calendar Feb. 23 – Mar. 1 Monday, Feb. 23 Women’s Golf @ Wisconsin Westbrook Invitational; Peoria, AZ; All Day Men’s Golf @ Puerto Rico Classic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; All Day Tuesday, Feb. 24 Women’s Basketball @ Memphis; Memphis, TN; 7 p.m. Men’s Golf @ Puerto Rico Classic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; All Day Wednesday, Feb. 25 Men’s Basketball vs. Tulane; Reynolds Center; 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 27 Softball vs. Northern Iowa; Collins Family Softball Complex; 2:30 p.m. Softball vs. Creighton; Collins Family Softball Complex; 4:45 p.m. Track @ American Indoor Championships; New York City, NY; All Day Saturday, Feb. 28 Track @ American Indoor Championships; New York City, NY; All Day Women’s Tennis @ Texas Christian University; Fort Worth, TX; 10 a.m.

Softball vs. Nebraska; Collins Family Softball Complex; 12:15 p.m. Men’s Tennis @ USC; Los Angeles, CA; 1 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Tulane; Reynolds Center; 2 p.m. Men’s Basketball @ Memphis; Memphis, TN; 7 p.m.

Sunday, Mar. 1 Softball vs. North Texas; Collins Family Softball Complex; 1 p.m. Women’s Tennis @ North Texas; Denton, TX; 10 a.m. Men’s Tennis @ Pepperdine; Malibu, CA; 3 p.m.

The State-Run Media

23 February 2015

the

State-Run media We do not print crrections.

TU hipsters migrate to more obscure ORU Following the last two weeks of national news attention, TU’s hipster cohort is moving on to more unfashionable pastures. Adam Lux

You’ve Never Heard of Him

Fraser Kastner / Collegian

Local hipster David Wilson contemplates how cool he looks while pretending to read a book. Wilson begins classes at ORU this week. There he will ironically attend chapel, ironically abstain from sexual activity and ironically be in bed by curfew every night.

A strange transition has been underway these past few weeks at the University of Tulsa. As the story about the TU Administration’s totally justified actions to suppress free speech has been picked up by national news outlets, a certain subset of the TU student population has been disappearing. Hipsters, defined by their plaid shirts and distinctive music, among other characteristics, are being spotted less and less around campus. A quick peek into recent transfer records has revealed that almost all of them are transferring to the same place: Oral Roberts University. According to the State Run Media’s resident hipster and noted ORU lover Abi LaBounty, the transfers are being organized by the National Alliance of Hipsters (NAH). “Yeah last week’s NAH newsletter, delivered by carrier pigeon and written on homemade papyrus, told us that we all had to transfer over to Oral if we wanted to keep our Hipster card. It’s what all the cool kids aren’t doing,” stated LaBounty in an interview. “I love it here,” said David Wilson, a newly-transferred

ORU student. “The people here are totally old-school. One guy even told me he prays every night before he goes to bed. How retro is that? At first the NAH refused to answer my questions and threatened to take legal action if I were to publish the article but quickly changed their mind because, “Intimidating journalists is so las t week” They confirmed that the transfers were related to the recent press TU was receiving but informed me that it had nothing to do with the negative nature of that press. “We of the NAH, noticing the recent articles in such publications as The Huffington Post, were worried that the University of Tulsa would be receiving too much attention and that people might have heard of the school when NAH members talk about it,” stated the letter, also on papyrus. John Williams, former TU hipster and current ORU student, stated in an interview that the transition was “going well.” Williams and the other hipsters have found the radical ideology of the school to be “different” and “refreshing.” “I’ve never really been religious, so I was worried about having to convert to Christianity,” said Williams. “But I’ve been really getting into Coptic monasticism. Real first-century stuff, you probably wouldn’t have heard of it.”

Texas annexes Oklahoma Panhandle, claims to protect ethnic Texans On monday, Governor Rick Perry announced his involvement in the recent annexation of the Oklahoma Panhandle by Texan forces. Joe Watkins

More Patriotic Than You Monday saw Texas Governor Rick Perry announce the annexation of the Oklahoma Panhandle. “In our hearts, we know that the Panhandle has always been an inalienable part of Texas,” he said, emphasizing that the most populous of the three counties that make up the Panhandle is even named after Texas. The annexation is the culmination of a crisis that began following Mary Fallin’s reelection to the position of Governor of Oklahoma late last November. On Dec. 6, unmarked cattle ranchers seized control of Guymon Municipal Airport by parking a tractor on the Airport’s single landing strip. Over the course of the following week, these ranchers seized control of Guymon City Hall and the Guymon police department. When asked by a correspondent in the region about their origins and intentions, one of the ranchers advised him to “get down that there road apiece,” before stating that he was “as busy as a hound in flea season.” With the largest city in the Panhandle under their control, the ranchers proceeded to establish cordons at the borders of the Panhandle. For the remainder of December and most of January,

Governor Perry denied any direct involvement with the ranchers. “There are no armed forces, no Texan ‘instructors’ in northwestern Oklahoma. And there never were any,” said Governor Perry. Rather, he expressed concern for the ‘ethnic Texans’ in the Panhandle following Mary Fallin’s election, and commended the ranchers for acting “to protect the Texan population in the Panhandle.” This period of time was marked by an atmosphere of “odd peace.” The ranchers conversed freely with the locals about practically anything except what they aimed to accomplish by occupying the Panhandle. There were several isolated violent incidents, most notably the shooting of a prize pig by one of the ranchers, which resulted in a small riot that dispersed by the next morning. After the actions of the ranchers were condemned by President Obama in late January, Governor Perry admitted his involvement. “Yeah, I gotta take the bullet on this one,” Perry said. “It was me.” Perry stated that the invasion was prompted by his concern that the primarily ethnic Texan population of the Panhandle would be subjected to botched executions. “If I’m sending one of my own people to the chair, and I most definitely am, I want to make sure it’s done and done well, and I just can’t trust Mrs. Fallin with that, not after what happened last year.” Perry’s actions have received widespread condemnation from political leaders both in the United States and abroad. One exception was Russian President Vladimir

Putin, who offered his sympathies to Governor Perry. “I know that sometimes you really just need to annex a large swath of land for no particular reason, so I’m not going to hold this against you, Perry,” he said during a press conference in Moscow. In response to the annexation, Governor Fallin has mobilized State Troopers to what is now the border between Oklahoma and its former Panhandle. In addition, a small online petition has been started, titled ‘Don’t manhandle the Panhandle.’ It has accrued in excess of one dozen signatures.

Sam Beckmann / Collegian

A theoretical map of the Texan invasion of the Oklahoma Panhandle. Texas Governor Rick Perry has directly approved of this plan, because it “is optimally designed for longest possible amount of time spent in Texas.”

TU administrators to put fingers in ears, sing until problems go away Tu administrators have concluded that the best way to solve its recent bad press is to pretend it isn’t there. Abigail LaBounty Didn’t See Nothin’

This week, the State Run Media intercepted a memo from the administration on policies for handling cases of student complaint, particularly recent ones due to lack of adherence to university policies and bogus disciplinary action. The memo states that there is only one clear path for dealing with these complaints. Faculty are to “place their fingers firmly in their ears and sing ‘nananananana’ until the complainant goes away.”

The memo reads “Look guys, I know these policies are glaringly unfair in their suppression of free speech, and the complaints against them are legitimate, but you’ve just got to ignore that. If we ignore the situation long enough, obviously, it will go away.” University Employees were warned not to in any way acknowledge that someone with a complaint about the policies or a question about the recent Trey Barnett case in any way exists and especially not to “look into their hellish judgmental eyes.” In the case that faculty do accidentally look at or acknowledge the existence of a student, they are instructed to “quickly glance away and try to look like you were just

glancing around the room. Like a seventh grader at their first dance.” If asked directly by anyone about the Barnett case or the University’s harassment policy, faculty are to “pretend they said something about the weather or, barring that, allege that the person asking has cooties.” Faculty are cautioned to “in no way acknowledge that these complaints exist. In fact, what are complaints? And what are policies? No one ever complains and policies are made to be broken. No one can prove this is unfair. No one. We dare you to try to prove anything. We double dog dare you.” At press time, the philosophy staff was hard at work on rebuttals to the concepts of fairness and existence.

23 February 2015

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Hey Freshmen! Log on and sign up before the deadline. Freshmen must sign up for campus housing or complete a housing exemption form in order to enroll for fall classes. CHECK OUT YOUR OPTIONS FOR HOUSING NEXT YEAR. n

Keep your current space, if available to retain.

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Enter the housing lottery and select any available housing space.

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Live on Sorority Row.

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Consider the option of the International Living Community. Deadline to enter the lottery is March 4.

Roommate Event with FREE PIZZA

If you are still looking for a roommate for next year, come out and meet other students who are also looking. Pat Case Dining Center Garage Sunday, March 1 at 7:00 p.m.

@TUCampusHousing

Housing Office: 918-631-2516

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23 February 2015

Left and below are photographs taken by Kendall Whittier Elementary students last summer. Through True Blue’s Youth Mentoring Program (YMP), TU students Jessica Walker and Shelby Kellam, as well as Dan Farnum, the current faculty advisor of TU’s Photo Club, worked with YMP kids to teach them photography.

Above is one of the YMP children who learned photography over the summer. According to Farnum, who took the picture, this mentoring occured during the planning stages of TU’s current photo club, which has the goal of “creat(ing) a community of photographers.” Thanks to Dan Farnum for these images

The Chinese New Year was celebrated in ACAC last Friday, Feb. 20. The new year is the Year of the Sheep. Chinese food was served, traditional dances were performed and a raffle was held.

Chuyi Wen / Collegian