Student newspaper of the University of Tulsa
graphic by Madeline Woods
April 9, 2018 Issue 23 - Volume 103
Sports
The Collegian: 2
9 April 2018
Crystal (base)ball, NL edition What do you mean the season has already started? Student writers Zane Cawthon and Joe Edmunds lay out the 100 percent accurate National League standings for 2018. NL East 1. New York Mets I’m probably stretching with this pick, too, but at the very least, the Mets will be a far better team than the injury-riddled, underperforming, unlucky squad that cast a gloom over last season. It’s easy to forget that this team was in a World Series only three years ago, but there will be no doubt in anyone’s mind of the caliber of this team once the bullpen really hits its stride. There’s no way Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Yoenis Céspedes and Michael Conforto all get struck with the same unfortunate injuries that plagued this team in 2017. They have effectively the same roster as the squad that nearly won a Wild Card game in 2016, they know how to put plenty of runs on the board and I’m confident they will win more than 82 games. A lot has to go wrong in D.C. for the Mets to win the East pennant, but while most people are looking for the Phillies to make a splash in this division, I’m looking no further than the sunny streets of Queens. 2. Washington Nationals Speaking of things going wrong, the air around Nationals Park is filled with a frantic buzz that has been steadily building in intensity the past few seasons. In 2018, it’s finally reached a fever pitch (pardon my pun). This may be the deepest and most talented overall roster the Nats have ever assembled: Max Scherzer, Adam Eaton, Stephen Strasburg and of course Bryce Harper. However, this team is also under enormous pressure to win the first playoff series in franchise history. They have made four NLDS appearances in the last six years and have won a grand total of zero, including two consecutive Game 5 heartbreakers. Harper will be a free agent at the end of this year, and the outcome of this season will almost certainly decide his fate. If the Nats can finally climb Mt. October and make it to the League Championship Series, Harper and the Nationals could work out a deal to keep him in D.C. But if a playoff curse really has gripped the Nationals firmly by the goat and they lose yet again, what would the motivation be for the best outfielder in baseball to stick around? Teams dogged by a demand for greatness either rise to the occasion or crumble under the weight of their own destiny. I can easily see Washington panicking in June and stumbling to a Wild Card berth. I can also easily see them winning 100 games and taking the NL pennant. Only time will tell. 3. Philadelphia Phillies Fans have raved about Shohei Ohtani and Giancarlo Stanton as the big waves made this offseason, but how about Jake Arrieta and Carlos Santana both finding their way to Philadelphia? I won’t go as far as some people and crown them Wild Card contenders just yet, but they are certainly in a much better position to end leaps and bounds ahead of their 66-96 finish in 2017. Their lineup, led by OF Rhys Hoskins and now anchored by Santana, is fun, young and full of potential. With Arrieta, the rotation finally has some star power. Give them another year to develop a solid rapport and find a couple of more consistent options on the mound, and this team could be downright dangerous. For now, though, I think Phillies fans will be happy with a 74-win season and a bright future. 4. Atlanta Braves This is another team with several young players ready to blossom into superstars, most notably Ronald Acuña, who will continue to rack up experience points in the minors until the front office picks him up, puts him in a uniform, takes a step back, sighs contentedly and whispers, “It’s time.” Just like in the movies. But that won’t happen until the Braves are ready to make a push for the postseason, and with manager Brian Snitker still ironing out the kinks in the bullpen, that magic moment will probably not happen until later this year. Still, expect the 1-2-3 lineup of Ender Inciarte, Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman to produce some fun at-bats and for Atlanta to at least be an interesting team to keep an eye on. 5. Miami Marlins Yikes yikes yikes yikes. Each of those “yikes” stands for a world-class outfielder who was traded away by Miami this offseason for … what was the reason exactly? Was it so CEO Derek Jeter could feel like he was
laying down the law with a fan base that at this point actively hates him? There are less costly ways to proclaim, “It’s my team now, get used to it.” Dee Gordon was the first player to get the axe when Jeter and co-owner Bruce Sherman decided to send him to Seattle to unload his large contract from the payroll. Then came the news that Giancarlo Stanton, THE NATIONAL LEAGUE MVP IN 2017, would be dealt to the New York Yankees. That’s an outrageous move but a defensible one if the Marlins were interested in using him to turn around and flood their farm system with young talent acquired in the trade. But the returns on that trade were meager … and then Marcell Ozuna was traded to the Cardinals for a similarly paltry amount … and then Christian Yelich was traded to the Brewers for almost nothing. Noticing a pattern? All of the massive contracts these players had were wiped off the payroll, so saving money is good, I guess. Never mind the fact that the 2017 outfield was probably one of the best of all time. So what did they do with the influx of cash? Nothing. No pitching improvements, no big-name prospects. It’s sad that a future Hall of Famer allowed greed to get the better of his decision-making skills and turn a oncepromising organization into a raging dumpster fire in less than a year. Now he will have an entire season to sit in the cushy owner’s suite at Marlins Park and wonder if all this was worth it. Oh yeah, in case you didn’t catch on, the Marlins are going to be the absolute worst. They’re going to be the baseball equivalent of sitting inside studying for a test while your friends play Spikeball on the New U. It’ll be a 60-win season at best. My condolences to Marlins fans. No one deserves what they’ve been through this offseason. NL Central 1. Chicago Cubs Another year, another painful prediction that I have to make of the Chicago Cubs winning the NL Central. They had a couple of large changes to the rotation in the offseason, including the signing of free agent Yu Darvish and their ace Jake Arrieta departing for Philadelphia. But with strong pieces still in place all over the roster, it’s hard to see anyone competing for the division title with Chicago this year.
division this year. The only reason I think Cincinnati will finish ahead of Pittsburgh is because they have one of the most similar lineups from last season. Hopefully for them, the consistency will help them improve this year, as they will not need any time to get used to playing together. 5. Pittsburgh Pirates
“Teams dogged by a demand for greatness either rise to the occasion or crumble...” 2. Saint Louis Cardinals I can only hope that the Cardinals have figured out the disaster that was last season and fixed their issues in the offseason. Mike Matheny seems to have a hard time managing his pitching staff, which is strange considering he was a great catcher in his playing days. The core of the rotation remains the same from the past couple of years with Adam Wainright, Carlos Martinez and Michael Wacha, and the addition of outfielder Marcell Ozuna makes the lineup more po-
The Pirates were among the biggest sellers this offseason, dumping their top two players from the past couple of years. Andrew McCutchen was traded to the San Francisco Giants, and Gerrit Cole was traded to the Houston Astros. They picked up a number of pieces from those trades, but almost all of the players are young. The Pirates are going to have to go through both the growing pains of having inexperienced players and the growing pains of those players learning to play together. The sale
“The Dodgers are poised for another deep playoff run.” tent this season. Bad managing from Matheny aside, this team has enough talent to finish second behind Chicago and compete for a wild card spot. 3. Milwaukee Brewers Predicting the Brewers’ season is tough this year. They made a surprising run into playoff contention at the end of last season with a lineup that most would have predicted to find little success. Their pitching staff remains much the same, but they did add a few strong bats to the lineup with Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich. I don’t trust the pitching staff to come up with as strong of a season as last year, so the Brewers likely won’t make the playoffs this season. 4. Cincinnati Reds Between the Reds and the Pirates, it’s a crapshoot for who will finish last in the
of their two starters essentially signaled to the league that they don’t plan on competing this season and want to rebuild around a new, young core. NL West 1. Los Angeles Dodgers After losing the World Series to the Houston Astros last season, the Dodgers are poised for another deep playoff run. Though they lost Yu Darvish to free agency, fans won’t be upset with that because of his woeful performance during the World Series. Staff ace Clayton Kershaw is still there, and he will likely perform close to his past Cy Young form that we are accustomed to seeing. The playoff run last year featured some breakout performances from young players
like Cody Bellinger who will continue to get better as he gains more experience. This Dodgers team is my favorite to win the NL pennant this season. 2. San Francisco Giants The Giants team that finished in the basement of the division last season made some significant moves in the offseason to bolster their roster. Andrew McCutchen arrives from Pittsburgh and Evan Longoria arrives from Tampa Bay to add a few consistent bats to a lineup that scored the second fewest runs in all of baseball last year. Derek Holland is a welcome addition to the pitching staff especially because he will help prop the team up while they wait for ace Madison Bumgarner to return from injury. If they can hold it together while he heals, the Giants will be the most improved team in the league and will compete for a wild card spot. 3. Arizona Diamondbacks The Diamondbacks did little to change their roster from last season, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing: the team managed to claim a wild card spot last season and defeated the Rockies to make it to the divisional round of the playoffs. What you want to watch for with this team is to see if that stagnation hurts them. Did the rest of the division improve too much for them to come back with the same team? They will compete for a wild card spot again and maybe the gel from last season will be enough to make the playoffs again. 4. Colorado Rockies The Rockies lost Greg Holland in the offseason but managed to pick up Wade Davis to replace him. Apart from that, they find themselves in a similar situation to that of the Diamondbacks: returning much of last season’s wild card roster and hoping that they can find success with it again this season. The Rockies will probably fall a few games from last season’s 87 wins and miss the wild card this year. 5. San Diego Padres The Padres are in a pattern of poor seasons currently and this offseason likely did not fix the issues. After finishing at the bottom of the division and making no significant offseason moves, expect a poor season from San Diego once again.
Sports
9 April 2018
The Collegian: 3
The puck drops on the NHL playoffs Lord Stanley’s Cup is once again up for grabs as another NHL regular season draws to a close. Will the two-time defending champion Penguins achieve an elusive three-peat? Or will a newcomer rise up and take the throne? WEST Nashville vs. Colorado Just like last year, the Nashville Predators ripped through the competition this season on their way to the top of the conference. Their incredibly deep offense (led by team captain Filip Forsberg, Craig Smith and former Ottawa center Kyle Turris *chokes back sobs*) is anchored by a formidable defensive back line (led by Ryan Ellis and P.K. Subban). The Avalanche have shining star Nathan McKinnon to thank for their surprising turnaround from their dreadful 2017 campaign, when they placed dead last in the league. The Avs are a much-improved team, but the Preds are simply better in every way. Nashville over Colorado, 4-0. Winnipeg vs. Minnesota The Winnipeg Jets are looking to win their first playoff game since the franchise moved from Atlanta, and they stand a good chance in the matchup against their southern rivals, the Minnesota Wild. Forward Eric Staal is having his best season since he led the Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup championship in 2006, with 42 goals and 34 assists to lead the Wild into the postseason. Meanwhile, Jets winger Patrick Laine is tied for 2nd in the league with 44 goals to his name; Winnipeg is among the top teams in almost every category, including goals for (second), goals against (fifth) and face-off win percentage (fifth). Get your white towels ready, Winnipeggers! Your Jets should be soaring into the second round. Winnipeg over Minnesota, 4-1. Vegas vs. LA Kings Wow. Words don’t come close to describing the amazing inaugural season for Las Vegas’ first “Big Four” sports franchise. The Golden Knights took advantage of an expansion draft stocked with under-appreciated talent and proceeded to absolutely crush the Pacific division in their first season of play. Vegas’ success has truly been a team effort: from walking Hall of Famer goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to hotshot forwards Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson, each member of this team has stepped up and given this city an unforgettable show. The LA Kings have the Rock of Gibraltar (aka goalie Jonathan Quick) and center Anze Kopitar to thank for their wild card berth, but something tells me Vegas has luck on their side. After all, the house always wins. Vegas over LA, 4-1. Anaheim vs. San Jose Two tough California teams will face each other in the postseason for the first time since 2009. The (formerly Mighty) Ducks of Anaheim will face off against the San Jose Sharks in what I am predicting will be the closest series in the Western Conference. The Ducks are led on offense by Ryan Getzlaf and Rickard Rakell (the former of which has 50 assists) but thrive mostly on their defensive prowess (allowing the fourth-fewest goals in the league this season). Normally that would make for an intimidating first round opponent, but the Sharks don’t seem phased: they
Zane Cawthon Student Writer
won three out of four regular season games against their bitter division rivals and have playmakers of their own in Brent Burns and Logan Couture. Both of these teams have been frequent contenders for years: this marks Anaheim’s sixth straight playoffs appearance, and San Jose competed in the Stanley Cup Finals only two seasons ago. But most importantly: they absolutely hate each other. I think the Sharks hold a slight edge, but it will take a full seven games. San Jose over Anaheim, 4-3. EAST Boston vs. New Jersey The seeding for the Eastern Conference playoff bracket has not been finalized by the time this goes to print, so I’m basing my predictions on my assumption that Boston beats the Florida Panthers on Sunday night. To be honest, it would not matter if they lose, because I am picking the Bruins to win in the first round regardless. The New Jersey Devils, this year’s other surprise team (the first, of course, being Vegas), started off hot after finishing last in the Eastern Conference last season. Former Oiler Taylor Hall has taken this
scoring all over the place and running away with the series before Toronto can catch up. Tampa Bay over Toronto, 4-2. Washington vs. Columbus Is this the year the Washington Capitals dig deep inside themselves and make it over their Stanley Cup Playoff woes? My heart says yes, but my head remains a cynic. The Caps have gone out of their way to state that this year is different, and they have the pieces to make it happen. They won the Metropolitan Division with the help of the Dirk Nowitzki of hockey, Alex Ovechkin. He has the second most power play goals of any player this season with 17. The Columbus Blue Jackets rank fifthworst in the league in penalty kill percentage, so it’s easy to see where this could go horribly wrong for the plucky no-nonsense team from Ohio. Columbus is appearing in the postseason for the second consecutive year, which is the first time that has ever happened. Artemi Panarin will keep it competitive, but Columbus will have to wait another year for their first ever playoff series win. Washington over Columbus, 4-1. Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia What a series this will be. If the entire state of Pennsylvania manages to keep itself from burning to the ground, the hockey world will be shoveling popcorn in its mouth during this fierce rivalry between the Penguins and the Flyers. Reigning champion Pittsburgh will come in as seasoned veterans, while Philadelphia will return to the race for Lord Stanley’s Cup after a season’s absence. The Penguins have an opportunity this year to establish themselves as a true dynasty. They have Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel, Patric Hornqvist, and a seemingly endless bench who can score at any time from anywhere, and while the Penguins fans miss having Marc-Andre Fleury in front of the net, the team has not suffered too terribly in his absence. The Flyers should be happy with the production of Claude Giroux (who has 102 points this season) and piece players like winger Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds, but they need to play a near-perfect series to pull off this upset. I’m expecting them to raise some eyebrows and take this series to six games, but that’s as far as I’m willing to stick my journalistic neck out for them. The Penguins swept them in regular season play and are thirsty for another Finals appearance, and it’ll be tough to keep them from accomplishing that. Pittsburgh over Philadelphia, 4-2.
“Something tells me Vegas has luck on their side...the house always wins.” rusty lemon of an offense and turned it into a smooth dragster, racking up 93 scoring points (goals plus assists) along the way. But the Bruins are also a well-oiled machine, ranking third in goals against, fourth in power play success percentage, and third in penalty kill success percentage. Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak form the left and right arms of Boston’s offensive attack, and the young Devils will have a hard time slipping the puck past Tuuka Rask. I think experience beats passion in this matchup. Boston over New Jersey, 4-0. Tampa Bay vs. Toronto The Tampa Bay Lightning are outstanding competitors that I would not bet against regardless of who they faced in the first round. Unfortunately, that involves betting against the Toronto Maple Leafs, whose 50 year championship drought is a curse I would be more than happy to see lifted. To keep it short, Tampa Bay is stacked on offense: Nikita Kucherov (who has 100 points this season), Steven Stamkos (who has 86 points) and Brayden Point (who has 32 goals and 66 total points) make the Lightning a force of nature. There’s a reason they led the entire league in goals scored. In contrast, the Leafs player with the highest points total is Mitchell Marner with 69. That’s a big gap to fill, and while Toronto can rely on Marner and fellow forward Auston Matthews to make it a competitive series, I cannot see a scenario where the Leafs stop the Lightning from
Overall, this playoffs will be one to remember. There’s nothing like Stanley Cup playoff hockey to get the adrenaline going. My personal Finals prediction: The Nashville Predators will avenge last year’s defeat and win the Cup in seven games against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Whoever wins, you better believe I’ll be glued to my laptop watching every game from first puck drop to final horn.
Justin Guglielmetti is…
the
bleacher creature
Possession Arrow Goes to the Jump Ball This may not seem like the timeliest subject in the world now that March Madness is over (SUCK it, Michigan!), but I wanted to weigh in on the possession arrow/jump ball debate after receiving a few dozen fan emails about it. If you’ve read much of my basketball writing in the past, you’ll probably be able to guess which side I come down on when it’s a conflict between college and the pros. But I don’t just support the jump ball because it’s how they do it in the NBA! Getting your hands on the rock and stopping the play is a defensive feat, and it should be rewarded as such, with the guaranteed possibility that your team gets the ball back. It kills me every time I see a team force a tie up, then have to settle right back into their defensive stances like nothing even happened. Proponents of the possession arrow claim that it gives too big an advantage to taller players and better leapers, but since when do we punish height and athleticism in basketball? That’s the name of the game! Golf’s Master(s) and Commander It’s a good thing that Tiger is back, and stop saying it isn’t! (He says yelling at an invisible opponent in the mirror.) There are certainly plenty of other pundits who are lauding the return of the most popular golfer ever to the sport’s biggest stage, but the fact that there are substantial corners of the Internet complaining about this is baffling to me. Yes, I am aware that Woods is not exactly an outstanding role model for our kids with his history of infidelity. Yes, he is a decade past his prime, no longer anywhere near his world-beating peak. But the guy’s mere presence in a major is enough to move the dial to a greater degree than any other golfer in history. Look at TV ratings, tournament purses, equipment, paraphernalia. By just about any metric, never was golf as popular as it was during Tiger’s peak. I suppose I can understand your indignation if you are a purist, because attention is being taken away from young stars like Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Hideki Matsuyama. But a rising tide lifts all boats, right? Anyway, congrats to champion Patrick Reed! The Clapback Last week’s issue got quite a bit of feedback on social media, so I’d like to end this week’s “Bleacher Creature” by addressing a few points. First, there were a couple of sentences in my rant about Michigan that didn’t make any sense. Totally my bad. I uploaded an unedited draft into our software, and I make this solemn promise to my adoring fans that it won’t happen again. Second, in response to some of the accusations made against me after I wrote an Improve TU piece about reconsidering our school’s D1 status, I’d like to clarify that I do, in fact, enjoy sports! Of all the flak that I got online, this is the only thing that furrowed my brow a bit. Some of my favorite memories at this school are tied to football and basketball games, and I don’t think you could read any of my work and come away with the impression that I’m not fairly passionate about athletics. That said, I’m not so selfish as to think that just because I personally enjoy something, it’s automatically the best course of action for everyone else. If TU determined that D1 wasn’t the best course of action for the future, I would still support it, and I would hope other students and alumni would as well! And that’s really all I was advocating, that the school take a closer look at their participation in an increasingly costly business. Finally, all the hullabaloo over my apparently inflammatory article had some angry alumni calling for my head. Well, you guys got your wish. I’ve been ousted, canned, dishonorably discharged, the whole nine yards! Lucky for me, there was a wide-open Editor-in-Chief position just waiting to be filled.
Apr. 9 - Apr. 15 Monday
Tuesday 9
Wednesday 10
Women’s Golf Women’s Golf Dale McNamara Dale McNamara Invitational Invitational Tulsa Country Club
Tulsa Country Club
11
Thursday 12
Men’s Tennis Track & Field Mt. SAC @ Texas Tech Relays 5 p.m.
Friday
Saturday 14
13
Men’s Tennis @ SMU 4:30 p.m.
Women’s Tennis vs. UCF 5 p.m. Softball vs. USF 5 p.m. Track & Field Bryan Clay Invite Track & Field John McDonnell Invitational
Sunday
Softball vs. USF 5 p.m.
Softball vs. USF 5 p.m.
Women’s Soccer Alumni Event
Women’s Golf Palm Coast, Fla.
Rowing @ Clemson
Rowing @ Clemson
News
The Collegian: 4
9 April 2018
Bebe Rexha replaced by Smallpools, Lil Xan, Knox Hamilton
Smallpools (above) and Lil Xan (right) will be playing this year’s Springfest.
After Rexha pulled out of her contract with TU, Springfest underwent some changes. Hannah Kloppenburg Web Manager Plans for this year’s Springfest changed drastically on March 27 when Springfest Director Catherine Aaronson announced on the Student Association Facebook page that headliner Bebe Rexha had cancelled her appearance. In the post, Aaronson explained that Rexha had chosen to pull out of her contract with TU. “While Smallpools will still perform and the art crawl will still go on as expected, we are exploring several additional options both in artists and programming throughout the week to replace this gap,” Aaronson wrote. “On behalf of my team, SA, and all of those that have been involved in the planning [of] Springfest, I ask that you please be patient with us as we work to do what we can.” Smallpools, originally the opening act, were re-designated as the headlining band. SA announced through another post on April 3 that Lil Xan would be joining Smallpools as a second Springfest headliner and Knox Hamilton would be the opening act.
courtesy atwoodmagazine
When asked why Rexha had chosen to pull out of Springfest, Aaronson explained that she “was offered a different opportunity to advance her career,” which she decided to pursue instead. “Any artist is able to pull out of a contract,” she continued. Aaronson said that the Springfest committee chose not to pursue legal action because Rexha offered to still do the show — in the fall semester of next year. The committee chose not to commit to a fall 2018 show, knowing that next year’s Springfest organizers may choose to take the event in a different direction. The Springfest organizers then turned to the challenge at hand — finding a new headliner. A clause in the contract specified that TU would not pay Rexha until after the show, meaning that the portion of Springfest funding intended for Rexha could be put toward another artist. However, “Despite the availability of funds, it was still very difficult to find an artist within our price range [and] time available on such short notice,” Aaronson explained. Aaronson said that the committee explored a variety of genres and “especially looked at artists who would leave us enough leftover budget to have events during the week and expand the art show a bit.” Lil Xan and Knox Hamilton, Aaronson said, fit the bill.
courtesy Wikimedia Commons
“While many were concerned we blew all of the Springfest budget on two concert artists, that is simply not true,” she said. “The production costs, Reynolds Center costs, food for the crew, insurance, all the workers we are legally obligated to hire, housing for the artists, security, setup and cleanup — there is a huge chunk of the budget that we have to consider not available right off the bat. Since we also were originally planning the art show and another event during the week, we had very little left over,” Aaronson said. Aaronson offered some statistics for perspective. She said that artists like Lorde are quoted at $1 million. Any big-name musician (such as Chance the Rapper, Bastille, the Lumineers, Kesha, Passion Pit, MGMT and Post Malone) start at around $100,000 and can reach hundreds of thousands. Lesser known artists like Ben Rector and Galantis can cost between $50,000 and
$100,000. Aaronson said that rap or pop artists typically add more in insurance costs, which is why Springfest hasn’t had a rap or pop artist in a few years. “That’s why we are so excited to bring Lil Xan to Tulsa,” she said. The committee made other minor changes to Springfest as well. They are currently in the selection process that will determine which vendors and artists are present at the pre-concert art crawl. There will be 10 – 15 vendors total, including My Mod Mess and The Soboco, as well as local food trucks. Aaronson said that there are more updates to come, as the Springfest committee has paired with other SA organizing committees and is still working out the details of additional programming.
Education professor Elizabeth Smith talks teacher walkout
courtesy NBC
Teachers and other supporters played music, sang and chanted in protest in front of the Oklahoma capitol building.
While public school teachers walkout for increased salary and funding, Dr. Elizabeth Smith gives her perspective on the walkout and its goals. Emily Every Apprentice Editor Elizabeth Smith and her daughter Grace, who is out of school due to the teacher walkout, marched with 30,000 Oklahoman educators and supporters. As chair of the TU department of education and staunch supporter of increased public school funding in the state, Smith described the atmosphere of the capital during the first day of the walkout as, “very energetic, very hopeful, [...] very uplifting.” Smith recounted a large outpouring of support. A live band played and teachers were joined by students, parents and coverage from national media. Grace, currently in the third grade, carried a sign that read, “Am I worth $2,254 less per year than a student in Kansas?” in reference to the low state budget in Oklahoma for per-pupil funding, which is about $3000 shy of the national average.
Smith said that undercutting the feelings of positivity and support was the knowledge that things still had to be done. “When you talked to one of the legislators, they really emphasized the amount of work left to be done in order to meet the ask from the teachers,” she said. There are several bills that could free up the money needed to meet the funding and salary raises asked for by teachers, including a capital gains exemption bill proposed by the Democrats which would generate about $120 million. However, Smith expressed doubt in the possibility of the bill going through, saying that “it’s gonna take something major for that to be heard.” “I do wonder if it might go beyond what we were thinking,” she said. “I am afraid that because the legislature did act in terms of teacher pay raise, that [the attitude of the legislature is] that ‘we’ve already done everything we can do.’” But teachers, Smith said, “are saying it’s not enough because you forgot about our kids. You’ve cut funding 28 percent percent in the last ten years. The $50 million included in the ask is pennies compared to what we need.” “If you have a kid in a public school, you have seen the cuts,” Smith said. “I see the difference in terms of specials: usually it’s
art they don’t have, sometimes it’s computer class or music. Our kids are missing out on those things.” Grace, who wants to be a scientist when she grows up, misses out on having a STEM lab because her elementary school can’t afford the staff or equipment necessary. Smith said the success of the West Virginia strike was influential to the start of the Oklahoman walkouts. Smith equally attributed the increase of emergency teaching certificates to the rising tensions that led to the walkout. In 2011, only 32 people held emergency teaching certificates in Oklahoma. As of 2018, nearly 2,000 emergency teaching certifications have been licensed in the state. That means that nearly 2,000 teachers in the state are in the classroom without having attended any sort of extended teaching program. Smith commented that “we have teachers teaching without any experience ... and we have more experienced teachers leaving … parents are seeing that their favorite teachers are moving out of state ... parents are seeing that teachers can go work at QuikTrip and make more money. People are starting to feel it.” With the approximately $6,000 pay raise passed when the walkout began, the average teacher’s salary is still below that of bordering states.
Smith asserted that “there are plenty of kids who, if they didn’t have public schools as an option, there would be no other option. If we [Americans] want to claim to be a democracy, if we want to have an educated public, we have to invest in public schools.” While Smith sees the walkout as a fantastic first step, she argued that it won’t immediately solve all of the problems plaguing the public school system. “Whatever we do in the session won’t be enough. We need a long-term revenue solution,” Smith said. Across the nation, enrollment in education programs has declined 25 percent over the last five years alone. However, with proper funding, better paid positions could be made available for teachers. This would in turn naturally reduce class sizes and create room for more diverse subject matters in classrooms, like art and STEM labs. But before any of this can happen, political actions must be taken to guarantee the necessary funding and salaries. Though there is still much to be done, Smith said the continued momentum of the walkout “makes [her] really proud to be an educator.”
News
9 April 2018
The Collegian: 5
Meet your candidates for SA Executive The goals of the Golden Trio
The Golden Trio has established strong experience in SA, and where the organization can grow to benefit the most students. Our goal for next year is to create an atmosphere in SA where students are welcome to bring their ideas and concerns forward. We are all willing to make students our priority and be the voices you need when speaking with administration. We hope to reconnect with our student body and ensure that their voices are heard. As TU goes into a new chapter, we are willing to to create changes that are beneficial for students. We are capable of reaching out to student organizations to see how we can grow into a unified campus. We want to encourage organizations to host larger and impactful events that can educate and move our campus forward. With doing so, we propose to create a time in our Cabinet meetings where any student can come to brainstorm ideas and collaborate with a SA department. This will create more community and a direct line to what students want to see at events. We hope to increasing transparency with the upcoming Financial Guidelines to ensure that students are capable of being creative and intentional with their programs. Being able to offer resources and an area for development for all organizations to promote facetime with students and bring a community feeling to campus.
SA over the past three years as an Associate Director of Springfest, Executive Director of University Events, and most recently as Chief of Staff. In these positions I have formed strong relationships with administration and the TU community. In my time in SA I have repeatedly educated myself on where the organization can grow and how our guidelines affect students. Our campus is starting a new chapter, and I am motivated to create a change that will be beneficial for our students. Student Association should be holding students up while listening to their ideas and encouraging them to push boundaries. As SA moves forward I propose to create a center where organizations can come for development and resources. Also for next year I am proposing that we allocate 15 minutes in our Cabinet so that students can come and brainstorm ideas directly with an SA department. This will allow us to increase engagement with the student body. Being a voice for all of our students, by listening and empathizing, is one of the biggest characteristics it takes to be President, and I am ready to help our campus progress forward. Next year, I want SA to create unity across TU’s campus and bridge the gap between all of our student groups. On this campus we are on one team, and SA should be alongside students. I plan to create a community that our students are proud to be part of, where they are the voice.
My name is Megan Skocdopole and I am running for SA President. I have served in
My name is Dhruv Varshney and I am running for the position of Vice President. I
have been involved with SA since my freshman year, serving as an Associate Director of Community Service, and as the current Deputy Chief of Staff of the Cabinet. As Vice President, I will be responsible for the operations of the Student Senate; your senators are the individuals that are supposed to represent you and your opinions to the administrators through legislation. However, Senate meetings often turn into a series of roundabout, close-minded discussions that disregard the student body at large. As VP, I hope to reconnect the Senate body to the students it serves by giving students a means to express their questions, ideas, and concerns. I plan to host public forums, in which students can come forward and ask their questions and present their ideas to senators; I plan to host more events like the Student Experience Council, in which general members of the student body, student leaders, and University Administration come together to discuss issues concerning the student experience at TU; I plan to utilize SA’s wide network of connections on campus and its resources to gain student input on potential policy changes and to give their feedback to University Administration. In my role as Deputy Chief of Staff, I have already made efforts to work towards these goals; I have planned and hosted two Student Experience Councils this year, and University Administration has acted upon our proposed ideas. Additionally, I have scheduled regular QnA sessions across campus to garner student opinion on several topics. As VP, my other most important goal will be to ensure that the financial allocations process is as efficient as possible. Going into the next fiscal year, the FA guidelines will be modified to reduce the restrictions that they currently contain. The new guidelines will allow all organizations, large and small, to be able to host impactful events. By guaranteeing a minimum of $1000 to each organization, small organizations will continue to be able host successful events. The new guidelines will also eliminate the $6000 allocation limit, allowing large orgs to further enhance their programming and reach even more students. If I am elected as Vice President, I will work towards making sure that your voice is heard by those that can effect change on campus and will act as a responsible steward towards the student activities fee that you
pay—I hope that you’ll vote for me so that we can make TU better together! My name is Michaela Conn. I have been an active member of Student Association for the past three years serving as both an Associate Director and Executive Director of Graphics on Cabinet. Through my time in SA, I have developed a passion for creating a campus environment that is inclusive, open minded, and conducive to an enjoyable college experience. My desire for SA is to be seen as an avenue for students to reach administration and have their visions for their individual organizations and the campus as a whole, heard, debated, and put into action. For many organizations, their only interaction with SA is with Senate during the funding process. This process is often complicated and unclear creating a disconnect between SA and the student body. As Treasurer, I hope to transform SA into an ally for organizations in accomplishing their visions through increased transparency, flexibility and understanding throughout the funding process. Specifically, I plan to work closely with organizations to fully understand their goals for their organization and the campus as a whole. I want to ensure organizations are prepared for the funding process from start to finish, which will be especially important as SA transitions to new funding allocation guidelines. Dedicating time to organizations is crucial in reducing confusion associated with the process and will provide feedback for future improvement. If elected as Treasurer, my primary goal will be to build open relationships between SA and organizations in an effort to reconnect SA with the student body and work towards developing the strong campus community we desire. Visit the SA Polling booths in both the Student Union and the Pat Case dining center on April 11th & 12th. Vote Online by logging onto Harvey and clicking on the Student Association link on the homepage. Vote for Megan Skocdopole, Dhruv Varshney, and Michaela Conn!
Beatty looks to improve TU
My name is Lauren Beatty, and I am running to be your next SA Vice President. I am dedicated to making your lives better both as members of the student body and of TU’s wonderful organizations. I have the experience necessary to do this job well. Previously, I was a member of the Cabinet’s Public Relations department and I am currently serving as a Senator and the chair of the University Improvements Committee. I am here to advocate for us, the students, to the campus’ leaders and Administration. Do you want to see improvements in campus living? Stronger connections between TU and the community? I want to work for the changes we need in order for us to have the best experience possible here at TU, and I have learned how to advocate for the students through my work as a Senator. I understand the challenges that we face when seeking help from SA, and as VP I intend to create easier ways for students to understand SA and its guidelines. To do this, I will work to create resources on the SA website to help you understand what Senate does and how it impacts our lives as students and as members of campus organizations. These resources should including short videos so students can visualize how Senate meetings work and know what to expect before attending a meeting. TU, help me make your lives easier, and make this campus an even better place.
Bender aims to brings initiative My name is Conner Bender, an Accelerated Master’s student in the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences, and I am running to be your next SA President. I currently serve as SA Secretary, an Executive position. Previously, I have served in Technological Services and on the University Student Conduct Board. Lastly, I have chartered my own service organization and am a board member for a local non-profit. With this experience, I can jump right into making SA a place that makes us better people, neighbors, and students. I want to continually listen to your questions and concerns about SA. I believe that we can always improve from feedback and that in order to accomplish goals we must work with others. I take initiative. I created a meal swipe program where financially capable students can anonymously donate unused swipes to food-insecure students. I want the money you give us in the student activity fee annually to go toward beneficial productions. My action plan consists of:
Ross has change in mind The Student Association has the fiscal and temporal resources needed to effectively serve the greater student body of the University of Tulsa. The only thing missing is a willingness to do so. Since attending the university and working within SA, I’ve been disappointed by the “we’ve always done it this way” culture that has stifled change and prioritized the wrong ideas. I’m not interested in spending your student association fee on events to “hear your voice” or “communicate with the student body.” Your voice is heard each time you host an event and have to trudge your way through financial allocations. Your voice is heard each time you are handed a “free” t-shirt and then never wear it again. Your voice is heard when you vote for your executive representatives. So this Wednesday and Thursday, I am asking you to write-in me, Ross, for the office of President of the Student Association. I hope to cultivate greater participation from the student body by leveraging our organizations with the highest aspirations. This means that the Student Association will use the resources of our tech services, graphics, and PR departments to partner with existing student organizations and promote these events. It also means that we would offer greater financial resources to meet the needs of our organizations. Rather than allowing the cabinet to operate as its own club, without the oversight of any outside organization, we would prioritize the ideas and events that excite and inspire students all across our campus. I won’t accept the status quo, and I hope you will not either. Make Ross SA’s boss. These are the candidates who responded by press time. Other candidates are Megan Sinik and Maddie Pickett.
Create a new Cabinet Department of Innovation Increase funds for the International Student Relations Department Reduce the number of times to request funding in Senate Generate bigger events that appeal to more people Connect alumni with the student body Establish an International contingency in Senate Integrate technology for communication Partner with the city of Tulsa Collaborate with University departments I want SA to practice and promote more sustainable efforts, such as: Building a model of sharing bikes as a part of the TU Rider Network Facilitating the emergency food pantry to bring food to True Blue Neighbors Upholding SA events to not use single-use plastic and styrofoam cups Installing a campus-wide thrift store for the free exchange of clothes, homeware, electronics, and small furniture Allotting money toward Campus Security vehicles becoming handicap accessible and constructing a large hammock/canopy circle area are some other ways to improve the campus. How will this get funded? There is money in the Beneficial Change/Capital Expenditures section of the budget that we can tap into. To help with funding, the Department of Finance will work directly with the Business Office to absorb some of their workload—and avoid overlap—in order for organizations to get their money faster. Also say goodbye to SA website outages because the server will be migrated off of the OrgSpace system this summer. ore efficiency and catalyze events and real estate that promote diversity, personal/skill development, networking, awareness, and align with the TU Strategic Plan. Thank you for exercising your right to vote and taking the time to learn more about my ideas. Stay Golden and Reign Cane!
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News
9 April 2018
Students take back the night
At the “Take Back the Night” event, crowds showed up to support victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse. Madison Connell Apprentice Editor
Last Wednesday night, around 80 people attended Take Back the Night. This night historically ties in with marches that began back in the 1970s through Europe and America to protest violence against women. It was the first time in a couple of years that it has occurred on the TU campus. Speaker Dee Jakubowski started the event on the steps of McFarlin Library at 8 p.m. Jakubowski is a hospital advocate from Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS). In her speech, she used a “Wizard of Oz” analogy where Dorothy was a sexual assault survivor who relied on her friends, family and community to get back to “Kansas,” or a state of feeling more secure with herself and her past. At the end of her speech, Jakubowski adapted the popular “Winnie the Pooh” quote in saying, “she’s braver than she believes, she’s stronger than she seems and she’s tougher than she thought.” The march stopped at about six places around campus before its final destination at Hardesty Plaza. Kelsey Hancock guided the large group with relevant facts along the way. Alexander Health Center was the first stop on the march. Hancock said the counseling center that could see survivors of multiple forms of violence, as well as direct those it could not see to other resources. It can also be a place to report these incidents, as well as Campus Security. DVIS was again mentioned as a resource to use after hours. Next, the crowd stopped in front of United Campus Ministries, more commonly known as The Little Blue House. Hancock informed the marchers that the Little Blue House houses many clubs on campus, such as Pride (the LGBTQ+ friendly group on campus), Students for Gender Equality, Headstrong: Student Advocates for Mental Health and Earth Matters. They have Veg-
gie Lunches at noon on Wednesdays and are usually open as a safe space for students. Hancock briefly pointed out the Collins Fitness Center. There, Campus Security offers a brief class called Rape Aggression Defense. She told the group that people have “body autonomy” and thus “have the right to take up space.” Collins Hall was next on the route. Matthew Warren, Title IX Coordinator, works there, said Hancock. Another special guest in attendance spoke up. “Is there, uh, anyone else in there?” spoke Gerald Clancy, tugging on his ear. Audiences chuckled at the president’s joke. Hancock added that Clancy is also housed in Collins, and that both have an open-door policy. Campus Security was mentioned again while passing by it as a safe place to report any violence on campus. The crowds advanced by the Greek life housing on its path. Kyla Sloan shouted chants, created by Maureen Haynes, including, “hey hey, ho ho, victim blaming has got to go,” up sorority row, and, “what do we want, consent! When do we want it, always!” down fraternity row. Finally, the march made it to it’s last destination at the Hardesty Plaza. T-shirts made by students on campus lined the procession on the wheelchair ramp. The messages ranged from show of support to stories from survivors. Dean of Students Mike Mills briefly spoke at the end of the march. “Take back tomorrow night, and the next night and keep going,” he concluded. “Take Back the Night” finished with cookies, soda and general merriment as friends sang along to songs from “Wicked” and others discussed relevant topics. Even a dog was in attendance and accepted pets from most of the crowd at one point or another. While the mood was generally cheerful, no one forgot the general mission behind the occasion. “We are really looking to make this an annual event,” stated Hancock. Despite the cold, Take Back the Night was powerful and informative.
Administration changes at TU Kayleigh Thesenvitz Editor-in-Chief Two significant changes to TU’s academic staff were announced via email last week. The first is that Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Janet Levit, formerly dean of TU Law, will be replacing Roger Blais as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. Blais has served TU since 1977 in the capacity of a physics professor, chair of the physics department, vice provost and provost. When asked about his plans after retiring, he said he was not exactly sure yet, but “I know spending time with my grandkids is high on the priority list.” President Clancy sent the following email April 3, announcing the transition: “After an extensive national search and with the unanimous support of the leadership of the TU Board of Trustees, it is with great excitement that I announce Janet Levit, the university’s vice president for strategic initiatives, has been selected to become TU’s next provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, effective May 7. She will be moving into the role currently held by Roger Blais, who is retiring after more than 40 years at The University of Tulsa and will be greatly missed. The two will begin working together immediately to ensure a smooth transition. Janet has proven herself a driven leader who sees the big picture and knows how to operationalize ideas and build effective teams. Prior to her role as vice president of strategic initiatives, which began in January 2017, she served as the first female dean of the TU College of Law, where she continues as a professor. During the past year, Janet has successfully structured and garnered board approval for TU’s five-year strategic plan, charting the next phase in the evolution of the university. The adoption of the plan highlights Janet’s strengths in stakeholder engagement, educational innovation, strategic data analysis and powerful communication skills. Indeed, one of the brightest moments from our recent HLC visit was when we received praise for the strategic plan, which creates a clear path forward for the institution. . . . Please join me in congratulating Janet. Her scholarly résumé and administration experience make her the ideal fit for this critical job. Plans are being made for Janet to meet with faculty, staff and students as she embraces her new role. I look forward to collaborat-
ing with her and each of you as we continue to position TU to meet the challenges of higher education in the 21st century and welcome the opportunities of educating future generations of creative and thoughtful leaders. I would like to show my appreciation for the members of the provost search committee and Chair Kalpana Misra for their work throughout this process. I also thank Roger who has helped transform TU from a largely commuter college to a Top 100 residential research university. All of TU’s past advances and future successes would not be possible without incredible commitment from faculty, staff and alumni and engagement from talented students. Together, we will write even greater stories.” Two days later, Provost Blais sent an email announcing that Dean Gale Sullenberger of the Collins College of Business will be leaving TU effective July 31, 2018. He will be on sabbatical during the 201819 academic year. An interim dean will be named soon pending a search for a new permanent dean. In the email Blais wrote: “Gale has served the college with wisdom and grace for 19 years. During that time, the college has made enormous strides in reputation, endowed faculty positions, scholarly productivity, improvements to the building and technology, academic reputation and – above all – the remarkable achievements of the students and alumni. Gale has provided a steady hand during this entire period, constantly maintaining a course of growing excellence. He has been a valuable contributor to the Deans’ Council, not only through teamwork and service, but through thoughtful advice on matters that have benefited the entire university. He has made a lasting mark. I know you will all join me in congratulating Gale on his service and thanking him for all he has accomplished.”
courtesy Take Back the Night
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9 April 2018
underage alcohol consumption. The persons present were a mix of TU students and non students. Officers contacted Housing, confiscated the drugs and drug paraphernalia, and made the TU affiliates dispose of the alcohol.
Mar. 9 6:10 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to Dietler Commons for a report of individuals consuming alcohol in public view. Officers located the individuals, who were all TU students, and confiscated the remaining alcohol. The students were informed that they would be receiving a student misconduct for the violation of the university alcohol policy. 11:15 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers responded to a noise complaint in the Mayo Village Apartments. A University of Tulsa student was having a party. Officers advised the student to keep the music and guests quiet. The student agreed to turn down the music. A Campus Housing Contact Card was completed. Mar. 11 12:00 a.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to a noise complaint in the University Square Apartments West. Upon arrival, officers detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the subject apartment of the noise complaint. Officers made entry into the apartment and discovered contraband drugs, drug paraphernalia, and
Mar. 12 5:00 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers encountered a student driving in a reckless manner on 8th Street. While operating their vehicle, the student honked their horn at a Security vehicle, yelled at officers when they approached, then sped away from the scene and off campus with no regard for life or property. Mar. 13 5:45 a.m. While on routine patrol, University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers observed a vehicle drive at a high rate of speed down 4th Place. The vehicle also failed to stop at two stops signs. Officers made contact with the individual in the Reynolds Center Lot. Officers identified the driver as a student, and explained the traffic infractions that were committed. 1:10 pm. Campus Security Officers were dispatched to Mabee Gym for a report of an item that was stolen. Officers spoke with the student who stated that an earring was left in a hotel room in Kentucky. The hotel was contacted and mailed the ring back to the student. When the student received the envelope, they noticed that there was an obvious tear in the corner and the ring was not inside. The student has since been in contact with the hotel about the issue.
Emma Palmer Apprentice Editor
Shooting at YouTube Headquarters in California Three people were shot and wounded at the headquarters of YouTube, located in San Bruno, California, last Wednesday. The suspect opened fire with a handgun around lunchtime, shooting three people before taking her own life. The suspect has been identified as Nasim Aghdam, a woman YouTuber whose content ranged from music videos to fitness videos to videos about veganism. She had been reported missing by her family the weekend before the shooting, and eleven hours before her alleged rampage, police found her sleeping in her car and contacted her family to inform them she had been found. Aghdam had been upset with YouTube, claiming that they had censored her videos; on her personal website, she stated, “There is no equal growth opportunity on YouTube or any other video sharing site.” Aghdam had no personal connection to any of the employees injured. Four people were admitted to the hospital after the shooting, three for gun wounds, and one for an injury sustained while exiting the building.
Deaths in Kashmir lead to protests Demonstrations have erupted in Southern Kashmir after the killing of at least 12 militants and four civilians in Kashmir, an Indian state bordering Pakistan, on April 1. As opposed to the rest of the primarily Hindu India, the state of Kashmir is predominantly Muslim and has been the center of three previous wars between Pakistan and India, both of whom lay claims to the area. This led to a separatist movement starting in the 1980s that continues today. Hostility in the state has been on the rise, with more deaths from military-related conflict in 2017 than in the past seven years. The deaths of the militants, most of whom were locals, have sparked a massive outcry in Kashmir, with a complete shutdown of schools, universities and shops in protest. Protesters took to the streets, throwing stones and yelling anti-Indian sentiments, and were dispersed by a police force that used tear gas, pellets and stun grenades against the protesters.
The Collegian: 7
Mar. 14 11:00 p.m. Officers were dispatched to Lorton Village Apartments for a report of a suspicious person walking in the area. Officers were unable to locate the individual that was described by the reporting party. Officers then made contact with two students who reported the incident.
Mar. 20 1:05 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority house for a fire alarm. Officers arrived on scene determined there were no signs of smoke or fire. The house was unoccupied at the time. Officers reset the fire panel.
Mar. 15 6:55 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to conduct a welfare check of a TU student in the Mayo Village Apartments. Upon arrival officers met with the student and determined they were safe and in a composed state. The individual informed officers of the reason for the concern, and assured officers they would contact the Alexander Health Center.
Mar. 23 10:25 a.m. While on routine patrol, University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers discovered a broken window to an apartment in the Lorton Village Apartments. Officers determined the apartment was unoccupied and contacted Housing and the Physical Plant to address the issue. Officers entered the apartment in an attempt to fix the window. While inside, officers observed drug paraphernalia in plain view. The paraphernalia was impounded at the Security Office.
Mar. 16 11:40 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers were dispatched to the University Square Apartments West for a noise complaint. Officers located a group of students in an apartment breezeway. The officers requested that the individuals move inside their residence to keep the noise level down. A Housing Contact Card was issued. Mar. 17 4:20 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers responded to a fire alarm at the Allen Chapman Student Union. Upon arrival, officers discovered that there was no fire and canceled the fire department. An issue with the fire suppression system had activated the alarm.
10:30 p.m. University of Tulsa Campus Security Officers responded to a noise complaint in the Norman Village Apartments. The student reported that their neighbor’s bathroom vent was loud and ran constantly through the night. Officers made contact with the resident who agreed to turn off the bathroom vent. The Collegian does not produce or edit the Campus Crime Watch except for content and brevity.
Tuesday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. Lorton Performance Center, Meinig Recital Hall TU Chamber Groups with Harp The University of Tulsa Chamber Groups with Harp presents their Spring Concert featuring a variety of intimate settings with harp, flute, and cello. The performance will include Ravel’s Piece en Forme de Habanera, Persichetti’s Serenade No. 10 for Flute and Harp, Bach’s Air on a G String, Plainte by French composer Louis de Caix d’Hervelois, harp duets and trios and a contemporary composition by alumnus Jack Bussert.
Wednesday, April 11 at 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Student Union, Great Hall B #METOO at TU: Sexual Harassment on College Campuses Graduate Student Association for Students in Psychology (GRASP) invites you to join us to enjoy FREE Elote puffy tacos and Antoinette confections while engaging in a meaningful discussion with a panel of TU administration. Kelsey Hancock: TU’s Violence Prevention Program Coordinator Kathy LaFortune: TU law professor Matthew Warren: TU’s Title IX Coordinator Wednesday, April 11 at 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Helmerich Hall, 213 Student Investment Fund: Security Presentations Hear current SIF analysts review securities and the future of the Student Investment Fund. Food and refreshments are provided.
Thursday, April 12 at 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Student Union, Great Hall B How to Get Great Ideas: Practical Tips from Google and the Standford d.school Learn how to create great game-changing ideas that move the needle for your organization, business or team. This workshop will be fueled by research and practices from the people at Google and Stanford’s design school. Thursday, April 12 at 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Kendall Hall, Chapman Theatre A Tribute to Sam Shepard TU Theatre presents two of Sam Shepard’s one-act plays directed by senior students. One of the late Sam Shepard’s hidden gems, Action tells the story of a group of individuals attempting to celebrate the holidays in a desolate world that no longer resembles our own. A western for our time, Fool for Love follows two anguished lovers as they navigate the dangers of locking lips and locking hearts in this critically acclaimed script.
Knife attacks in London indicative of larger problem Five separate knifings in London that happened within twenty-four hours of each other indicate the rise of knife attacks in the city. The incidents left six people, five of them teens, in the hospital, and led to the arrest of a man who is being charged with attempted murder, along with three teens who are suspected to be connected to one of the knifings. These knifings come on the heels of the murders of over 50 people in London since January, most from stabbing. The attacks have not been centered on any particular part of London and have led to widespread protests and calls for peace around the city. Knife crimes in general are on the rise in England, with the biggest spike being knives used for sexual assault, along with being the most used weapon in homicides. However, crime overall has gone down in the past few years.
Friday, April 13 at 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Oliphant Hall, North of building Planting the Future TU Theatre presents two of Sam Shepard’s one-act plays directed by senior students. One of the late Sam Shepard’s hidden gems, Action tells the story of a group of individuals attempting to celebrate the holidays in a desolate world that no longer resembles our own. A western for our time, Fool for Love follows two anguished lovers as they navigate the dangers of locking lips and locking hearts in this critically acclaimed script.
The Collegian does not produce all event descriptions in the Community Calendar. Contact us at news@tucollegian.org with events.
9 April 2018
Commentary
The Collegian: 8
News needlessly Reading news vital to community clutters life Being perfectly informed isn’t feasible, but not following any news should prohibit you from discussions on current events. Justin Guglielmetti Sports Editor We all have that one friend, or 20, who proudly abstains from any sort of political discussion because they just can’t muster up the time and energy to actively follow the news. If you are someone who likes to think of themselves as informed — and since you’re flipping through an obscure college newspaper, it’s safe to assume that you are — you probably want to smack these people upside the head when you hear such nonsense. But if you were looking for this piece to be a validation of your righteous indignation, you’ve got another thing coming. I’m here to tell you that your oh-so-ignorant friends may have a point.
don’t. With all the potential information that exists and the countless unique perspectives of which we remain oblivious, we are all hilariously ignorant. Even the best informed of us are only looking through a miniscule window at any particular issue. Furthermore, people have to be free to pursue whatever they are personally interested in (obviously within the bounds of the law), and if that’s not keeping up with the news, so be it. It doesn’t necessarily make a person an irresponsible citizen to not be super informed — it’s simply a matter of preference. This may seem antithetical idea to that Jeffersonian ideal of a well-informed electorate, but again, those who would cast aspersions on the ignorant should make sure their own houses are in order first. How do you decide which topics are most deserving of one’s attention? When people speak of being well-informed with regard to politics, they are almost always referring to knowing the goings-on at a national level. Yet in their everyday lives, US citizens are indisputably more affected by state and local politics. Why don’t people care about the latter? Well, there is only so much time in a day, and you have to budget your time with what you choose to care about. City council elections aren’t as sexy, or as publicized, as presidential ones, so naturally, they don’t possess as devoted a following. Still, you might be saying, paying attention to national and global news is at least
“Even the best informed of us are only looking through a miniscule window at any particular issue.” At this point, you should be frantically checking to see that you are in fact in the commentary section and not “The StateRun Media.” I’ll give you a second to be sure … all good? Yes, this is a writer from an actual news publication telling you that following current events is overrated. Or if you would prefer to restate it this way, failure to do so is not some grave moral sin. It’s simply a personal choice that every individual is entitled to make. I don’t mean that in a platitudinous sense either! Obviously, nobody is out there suggesting that we create a law requiring citizens to spend X amount of time reading newspapers or watching CNN, so I think just about everyone agrees that you can’t force a person to pay attention. But what I mean is something a step further: that there is nothing inherently wrong with it. A person telling you that they don’t follow politics should be just as acceptable as saying you don’t like sports, movies, weightlifting, etc. To suggest otherwise doesn’t make you more enlightened. It just means you have a higher opinion of yourself than you probably deserve. If you feel attacked by that last statement, don’t! It probably applies to about 99.99 percent of the world’s population, and it’s something that we are all susceptible to. The truth of the matter? None of us have any idea what’s going on. Sure there are degrees of ignorance, I’m not denying that! The Civil War buff who has read 10 books on the subject knows a hell of a lot more than the guy who skimmed four paragraphs in his APUSH textbook. But if you ever catch yourself thinking you know all there is to know about something, stop. You
something. Even if Donald Trump’s tweets aren’t super impactful in our everyday lives, they still matter on some level. The only problem with that is everything is important on some level! Take sports, for example. Does it make an ounce of material difference in your life if your favorite team wins or loses on any particular night? Unless you’re gambling on it, no. But we still care because on an emotional level, we feel a legit connection to these teams, one that gives us a kick of dopamine if they perform well and a bout of misery if they don’t. For millions of people, this sensation really does mean more than the doldrums of politics do. Who are we in the media to tell them otherwise? There is a caveat to all this, and it’s one that all the news-shunners out there probably don’t want to hear. Up to this point, they’ve probably been nodding along happily, content to keep looking the other way when it comes to topics like gun control, abortion or immigration. But here’s the rub: if you don’t follow what’s going on in the world, then you’ve got no business talking to anybody else about it. This is where the issue of responsibility comes into play. Should you choose to be a more active participant in our democracy, you should at the very least have the common courtesy to develop an informed opinion so as not to sully the dialogue. It’s worth repeating that there are degrees of ignorance. And not judging others for their individual interests is not the same thing as agreeing that everyone’s opinion is equally valid, regardless of their involvement
With many news sources available, you shouldn’t alienate yourself from the news and your community. Raven Fawcett Commentary Editor Oklahoma consistently turns out some of the fewest voters in the states. In fact, just 32.3 percent of eligible voters turned out for the 2014 midterm elections. Tulsa is a city of just over 400,000 people. It’s a relatively small place with even fewer engaged voters. With so few people, I’d think that more people would be engaged with their government and their community. Somehow, though, people consider it a point of pride to not pay attention to the news. They’ll point out that they focus on alleged better things that matter more to them. That would make sense if they were talking about how much they prefer reading up on Byzantine history instead of Trump’s latest disaster. I can accept that dealing with the grim realities of the world — the ethnic cleansing in Myanmar, civil war in Syria and people suffering inside our own borders — all take a toll on a person’s ability to cope with the world. That doesn’t excuse people from engaging in local news and local problems. It is everyone’s responsibility to vote for the people who most affect their community, from city councilors to the string of robberies in their neighborhood. It’s about being a conscientious citizen, about protecting oneself, about living in their own world and inhabiting their own skin. Reading the news and keeping up with current events is a way to participate in the world.
loving homes just because they live differently than how society thinks they should. Consider people of color, who are faced with continued police brutality and wait to see if the law will finally take their side and give offending officers any kind of repercussion. Consider anyone with a uterus, who, because we live in a world that makes birth control difficult to acquire and dangerous, need to know if they will have access to safe and legal abortions should they need one. The list goes on and on. It’s arrogant to assume that people exist separately from the news. Even if people aren’t affected by any of the issues that the news would need to relay, they certainly have friends whom the news matters to. We exist in a world that is connected by a thousand strings, and the news picks up on those strings and illuminates them to readers. The news shows a connection between individuals and society. Consider the teachers’ strike. Too many teachers were paid too little for too long, and they realized that they could unite to demand better. Their actions affect students, who in turn affect their parents, affecting coworkers and friends. It’s impossible to isolate actions from the whole. There’s a lot of news out there, and more appears every day as the Internet unfolds. It can feel overwhelming to think about all of the awful things in the world. There is so much misery and a myriad of conflicting opinions. People can feel that they don’t know where to start, or what to care about or how much they should follow the news. But no one needs to read every story by every paper or even a singular article from several papers. It’s enough to scan for topics people care about and create an ongoing social awareness about what’s important to them. It’s enough to get a general feel for the issues facing others, even if they don’t understand it all. There is no shame in not knowing enough and admitting that a need for someone to explain something further. What is a shame is not taking the time to take an interest in the world, in the country or — most important — in the community. People can check in every few days or once a week. They can get apps that cover important events — my go-to app is the As-
“We exist in a world that is connected by a thousand strings, and the news ... illuminates them to readers.” It’s an exercise in empathy and critical thinking as well. People who read the news must think about where the news is coming from and create their own opinion when confronted with the facts. They are asked to think about the consequences of their actions, the actions of the government and anyone else who makes decisions. When people proudly ignore the news, they are doing more than protecting themselves from disheartening stories. They are announcing that they are so privileged that nothing in the news can be important enough that they’d need to pay attention to it. Consider members of the LGBT+ community, who have to stay vigilant about laws that will discriminate against them or deliver them new rights. A recent law would have allowed adoption agencies in Oklahoma to discriminate against LGBT+ families and children, keeping children from
sociated Press app, which gives summaries of events with little fanfare. If news is too boring, people can check op-eds (like this commentary section!), which contain more opinion than facts but give readers a jumping-off point for facts to look for and articles to read that are related to their interests. Reading the news is vital to living in a connected world. It doesn’t have to be a monumental effort, and it doesn’t require people to spend hours upon hours catching up with every single thing that happened in the world. But it is an important exercise in participating in brain-building skills, empathy and people’s communities. No one is too important or too privileged to read the news. Think of how much more dynamic Tulsa would be, with its low voting rate and 400,000 people, if everyone sought out ways to be more mindful of their surroundings and fellow people.
graphic by Madeline Woods People have a personal stake in whether they allow the newscycle to affect their lives and consume their time.
The Collegian: 9
Commentary
9 April 2018
The Legislative Digest is your weekly look at the happenings of Oklahoma’s state legislature, and the bills and politics you need to know. Raven Fawcett Commentary Editor
To cheer us all up from the impending horror that is finals and, worse, all the projects and homework due before finals, here is your reminder that if legislation can pass through government, then you can pass your classes. The following bills were passed in both chambers and have been sent to Governor Fallin to be signed. SB279: This bill adds a clause allowing county sheriffs to contract with public or private transportation companies for the care of prisoners and detainees. On the one hand, sometimes you need more help than the government can give you. On the other, for-profit incarceration and associated services is the least sexy kind of capitalism. Of course, there’s a big difference between legislation and the application of the law, so time will tell how this move works out. SB939: This bill also updates existing law. It adds more detail to a controlled substance methylphenidate, which can be used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy, specifying that its “salts, isomers and salts of isomers” are included in the substances’ inclusion on the list. I’m no chemistry major, but that makes sense. SB937: Access to information relevant to the Anti-Drug Diversion Act has been extended to tribal law enforcement authorities and their legal counterparts under this act. I am, as ever, baffled on how tribal authorities were left out of this in the first place, but I’m not surprised. This seems like an important amendment to keep tribal authorities in the information loop. HB3576: The State Safety Oversight Program was a short bill passed by both chambers. It will oversee all “rail fixed-guideway public transportation systems statewide that are not administered by the federal Railroad Administration.” This doesn’t seem like a pressing concern in the sense that I don’t know how many railroads could not be overseen by the federal Railroad Administration, but to be fair, even one does seem like too many. HB2592: Immediate family of law enforcement would have the same opt-in privacy rights from the State Election Board of other law enforcement personnel. The family would have to legally be considered family (biological or adopted children, spouses, etc.). It’s not only a kind gesture, but further protects the address and other information that the law enforcement officer would like to remain private. HB2935: This bill adds information to the Electrical Licensing Act. “Electrical work” is given an exacting definition, and guidelines for circuits and their exemptions from certain rules. Which … is helpful to electrical workers and very few other people. Still, helpful legislation is helpful legislation, and the bill is at least clear in its changes.
Social media self-censorship needed in evolving digital age
Digital footprints are available to potential employers, so it’s important to monitor your online presense. Alex Garoffolo Student Writer You are responsible for your online reputation. While yes, the first amendment guarantees freedom of speech (at least on American servers), you must use discretion when putting something online. Anything you put on the Internet will likely be there a very long time, if not forever. Friends see it. Employers see it. Hackers see it. A 2013 report based on a sample of 3.9 million Facebook users revealed that a full 71 percent of them engaged in some kind of self-censorship on the social media platform. For the purposes of this study, selfcensorship was defined as typing more than five characters into a social media input box before deleting them, never to be posted at all. According to this method of measurement, one-third of all Facebook posts at the time were self-censored, although the researchers warned they likely captured quite a few false positives. In an earlier study, researchers found five main reasons people censor what they post online:
1. Aversion to sparking an argument 2. Concern that the post would offend someone 3. Feelings that the post was boring or repetitive 4. Deciding the post undermined “their desired self-presentation” 5. Unable to post due to a technological constraint. I can easily add another one to this list: desire to land a salaried job. Increasingly, employers use social media to dig through personal history and find out much more about you than you likely thought. Remember those dumb posts in middle school? No? Well, employers see them. Or that time you had a fight with the ex on somebody’s feed? Yep, employers see that too. I even had an interview once where the interviewer asked me about a nickname I’d used during a high school campaign for senior class treasurer. “Mr. Garoffolo, what can you tell me about ‘The Italian $tallion’ campaign?” Some questions you really don’t want to answer when a salaried job is on the line. Luckily for me, that was a fairly harmless situation. But that’s not always the case. Especially considering the recent news story regarding Facebook’s data sharing with Cambridge Analytica, one must be extra cautious when putting anything online that’s connected to one’s name. While the outrage over Facebook is quite understandable, let’s not forget that each and every person whose information was “leaked” put that information online voluntarily. In our efforts to become more connected with each other, we’ve voluntarily given up assumptions to complete privacy. This is what astounds me every time people are up in arms about Facebook’s security flaws. Whether it’s your inability to screen who sees your newsfeed or inability to make
sure your information is hidden from nonfriends, you decided to put that information online. When you decide to put your personal information on the technological super highway that is the world wide web, you have to accept that no matter what preferences you lock in on Facebook, your data is still vulnerable to somebody. Recent hacks highlight the problem. Target paid out $18.5 million for its 2013 data breach that affected the personal information of 41 million shoppers. In 2011, Sony
gardless of if it’s meant to stay private or not. You are responsible for your own digital footprint. Are VenMo and CashApp convenient? Of course! Are they likely susceptible to hackers? Absolutely! Uber suffered; likely Lyft is no different. Each company can learn from the mistakes of the other, but it’s like trying to keep a vaccine ahead of an ever more intelligent virus. Each time we update the vaccine, the virus only grows stronger and evolves to beat it. Hackers will continue to evolve.
“In our efforts to become more connected ... we’ve voluntarily given up assumptions to complete privacy.” suffered a breach in its PlayStation Network that led to the theft of names, addresses and even credit card information belonging to 77 million users. Equifax was hacked in 2017, exposing the birthdates, social security numbers, and driver’s license numbers of 143 million consumers; 209,000 had their credit card information exposed as well. In 2016, Uber suffered a breach that it took a year to make public, even paying the hackers $100,000 to destroy the stolen data without any proof that they actually did so. And the list goes on. All that to say: the Internet is not a 100 percent, ironclad, secure place. There are inherent risks each time you put any of your personal information onto the Internet, re-
If you put something online, do so with caution. Be aware that there is no perfect system. Self-censorship is a smart plan, especially with social media networks that make your entire digital history available to potential employers. If you posted dumb stuff as a teenager (and who didn’t?), at least go back through and clean it up. Nothing is worse than getting all the way to an interview, thinking you’re about to land the job and execute the final handshake when your interviewer asks: “One last thing … about this picture of you in Padre last year doing what appears to be a ‘boob luge’…” Some things just don’t need to be shared, folks.
tucollegian@tucollegian.org editor-in-chief
Kayleigh Thesenvitz managing editor
Michaela Flonard news editor
Trenton Gibbons sports editor
Justin Guglielmetti variety editor
Ethan Veenker commentary editor
Raven Fawcett satire editor
Adam Lux photo & graphics editor
Madeline Woods
business & advertising manager
Brian Kwiecinski
social media & web manager
Hannah Kloppenburg distribution managers
Amber Bunnag-Stoner Katelyn Baker and Nathan Gibbons graphic by Madeline Woods People can try to take down sensitive content on social media, but what’s posted online is forever and available to future employers.
copy editor
Bryant Loney
@TUCollegian
The Collegian is the 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. 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 accomodation of disabilities may be addressed to the university’s 504 Coordinator, Dr. Tawny Rigsby, (918)631-3814. To ensure availability of an interpeter, five to seven days notice is needed; 48 hours is recommended for all other accomodations. 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 advertising@tucollegian.org. The deadline for advertising is noon on the Friday proir to publication. Letter Policy: Letters to the editor must be less than 500 words and can be sent to tucollegian@tucollegian.org. 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 Friday prior to 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 opions of the Collegian staff, the administrative policies of the University of Tulsa, the views of the student body or our advertisers.
The Collegian: 10
Variety
9 April 2018
Heller Theatre puts on triple feature The Nightingale Theater hosted three plays from local playwrights, with mixed results. Brennen Gray Apprentice Editor Local theatre fans have something to cheer about this month. Heller Theatre Company invited Tulsans to Nightingale Theater for a triple feature last weekend. HTC planned two additional showings for April 13 and 14. TU’s own Michael Wright wrote the first play of the evening, a one act comedy called “Going Out of Business.” It did not disappoint. It began with a character breaking a handful of glass objects on stage, and from that point on I knew we were dealing with an experienced writer. The initial dialogue set up the story, and each character introduction went smoothly. The plot centered around a handful of restaurant workers just informed that the restaurant will be closing forever. They lingered about waiting for their last paycheck so they could move on with their lives, delivering short and mildly funny dialogue. One of the characters made a reference to “Waiting for Godot” that I found appropriate. The plot, however, interested me less than the characters; for me, this is a good thing. Michelle Collum played Tanya Luisa O’Reilley, a middle-aged character who struggles with her father having Alzheimer’s. Austin Reid played Dwight Eddie Cochran, a young musician getting nowhere in life despite his talents. Alissa Monroe played a very funny Shelley Keating, a natural poet with a goofy personality. Laurel George played Marcie Thorne, an outraged chef who plots ways to kill the bosses who shut down her restaurant. I knew what each main character wanted and what stopped them from getting it. The end was satisfying. It had a few good reveals and a fun final shot of Tanya, Dwight and Alissa toasting the end of this phase of their lives. Archer Williams’s “Speak with Dead” came next. This play was the weakest of the three. Despite a strong start, the play faltered in its middle and end. Alex, played by Karen Klein, ate a banana for over a full minute while “O Fortuna” played in the background. Classic. Alex slipped on the banana peel and then met an angel, Sam, played by Nichole Martin, who told her she is dead. Keeping the play’s tone in mind, this is acceptable, but it bothered me a little that the inciting incident was a slipping-on-a-banana-peel cliché to set up the plot of someone waking up to an angel telling them they are dead. I have seen that story many times before.
Plot clichés aside, this production shined in stage production. After Alex died, she asked Sam who she is. Sam raised her arms in the air, and the lighting turned to a serious dim tone with only a weak yellow light as she spoke in a low voice claiming to be the Archangel of Death. That was hilarious. Later on, the play would end with “Don’t Fear the Reaper” playing in the background. The plot went something like this: Alex and Sam developed a relationship, they found out Alex died because her guardian angel was off to get tacos and not paying attention, then Sam decided she likes Alex enough to let her play chess for a chance to win her life back. The acting was over done, though I imagine that was intentional to play up the humor, and the lines were delivered well when they weren’t too exaggerated. All in all, it was charming. The main event, “Four Ways to Die” by David Blakely, came after intermission. Blakely adapted the play from the novel “The Deaths of Sybil Bolton,” a tale about the Osage Native American murders. Steve Barker delivered a fantastic performance as Denny, the story’s main character. The only critique I have with the production is its endless monologues. Nevertheless, Barker’s Denny delivered each one well, with a beer in hand, his voice carrying confidently outward. Danielle Balleto played Denny’s mother. Her performance complemented Barker’s well and was almost just as good. Quinn Blakely, Andy Axewell, Sophie Kimery and Kathryn Hartney all played various extras throughout the play. Special recognition to Blakley for his Funeral Director character, who made the audience laugh even in the most serious of parts. The acting was strongest in the third play, as was the plot. It played out like a murder mystery; Denny found out his grandmother may have been murdered instead of dying of natural causes, and so he then spent the rest of the play uncovering clues to find the truth. He interrogated different characters, some of which were not physically there but instead pieces of information that entered his conscientiousness. The low point came about when Denny pulled open the door behind which he stored the beers he drank and what looked like 200 empty beer cans came out. He announced that he failed. A couple of minutes later, Denny and Mom cornered the culprit and revealed his whole plan to murder a list of people. The play revealed a part of history that should be remembered. It commented on racism against Native Americans, and it did so in a compelling and interesting way. Any Tulsan who likes theater should come out to the Nightingale this weekend to see these productions. While admission is $12, this sort of production is priceless.
photos by Brennen Gray Highlights of the night included Denny, played by Steve Barker, finding himself surrounded by beer cans. Cons included indulgence in the banana slip trope.
Heartland Gaming Expo improves on past iterations This year’s Expo predominantly featured VR setups and video games in development. Conner Maggio Apprentice Editor Heartland Gaming Expo continued to gather game developers from local communities and those who are equally as passionate about gaming for remarkable presentations. Heartland had a more impressive showing than in previous years, as well as more to show than ever before, with attendance and content. What was good about Heartland continued, and all that was bad got improved.
Branching out from previous years, there was increased diversity among booths, inviting artists and researchers. They still held competitions, as they do every year, separated into traditional games, elementary games, code jam, VR and the gallery show. A variety of local artists and gamers served as judges. One of the coolest things about Heartland this year was the number of virtual reality games available There were about six setups in total for people to try out, each blocked off with black tape to avoid any accidents. It was cool seeing a new trend in gaming taken up by new developers almost immediately — and with successful results. These were among the busiest showcases because
people were interested to see what VR is capable of in the hands of these developers. Additionally, several booths detailed future ideas for board games, video games and sound design. Although most were incomplete, some had proof of concepts. Others just had the idea of what they wanted the concept to be, but all had art in some form for what visual style they wanted for their game. Brian Kwiecinski, the announcer for the expo, said “the Heartland Gaming Expo is a great opportunity for aspiring developers to network and test out their latest games. The potential benefits to these programmers and designers from interacting with such a diverse group of individuals is a wonder-
Attendance was up this year at the Heartland Gaming Expo along with a greater variety of booths, including Digico (pictured right).
ful way the university is giving back to the community.” The improvement and growth of Heartland is important for those interested in game development because it supports our local programmers and developers on their creative endeavors. Those who wish to show off their skills are provided the means to do so, and those who want to gain new ideas also have their place at the expo. With the University of Tulsa’s growing computer simulation and gaming major, the need for this conference is apparent. It inspires students who are interested in this field to create work to show off their ability.
photos by Conner Maggio
9 April 2018
Variety
The Collegian: 11
Gussman Exhibition shines light on student art In the art department’s biggest annual event, students showcase talent in a variety of mediums. Emma Palmer Apprentice Editor TU students needn’t travel to New York City to see a gallery cultivated by professionals from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In fact, students needn’t even travel off campus. The Gussman Exhibition, an annual art installation at Phillips Hall comprised entirely of student work, has been selected this year by Ronda Kasl, The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Curator of Latin American Art. Kasl herself is a TU alum, having graduated with a BA in Art in 1978. Teresa Valero, the director of the School of Art, said in choosing this year’s juror,: “I knew about her and I also knew that the 50th anniversary [of the exhibition] needed to be something special. Ronda has been so successful, and this demonstrates that TU students can go anywhere; they are writing their future now.” It is obvious from viewing the gallery
that the curatorial process was a labor of love. In her Juror Statement, Kasl recalled how she participated in the Gussman Exhibition during her undergraduate degree. “Even though it’s been many years since I last set foot in Phillips Hall,” Kasl said, “I still recognize its studios and classrooms and fondly recall the faculty and fellow students who challenged me to think and inspire.” This year’s exhibition stands as a testament to the legacy of the Gussman that a former participant returned as a curator in the midst of a successful career. The talent and legacy within the School of Art is in full force at the Gussman, demonstrated by the full range of work within the gallery; from screenprints to sculpture andto painting, the selected works illustrate the vast amount of talent possessed by the developing artists in The School of Art. Valero spoke of the praise Kasl had for the students. “Normally, we give the traveling juror an honorarium,” Valero said. “However, she chose to not accept it.” Instead, “Kasl chose to give an additional ‘Best of Show’ award, along with twelve extra ‘Merit Awards.’” In her Jurors Statement, Kasl remarked, “I feel
a kinship with [the students] and am grateful to them for having the chance to know some of them through their art.” She praised the talent within the school and selected pieces that “are original and insightful and [pose] a strong distinctive voice.” The range of awards offered at the Gussman this year is broad, with four major undergraduate awards, four graduate awards, and many awards in various media and levels. One student in particular received special recognition from Kasl for her work. Devin Howell, a Cuban-American graduate student, earned a special Juror’s Award for her bright oil paintings. Valero recalled that during the judging process, Kasl “kept taking photos [of Howell’s work] and sending them to all these Instagram curators and telling them this is the next big thing.” Indeed, when one views the exhibition, it is easy to see why. Howell’s work is dynamic and magnetic, drawing the viewer in further. Of course, not every submission made it into the gallery. “The task of reviewing the approximately 300 works submitted for the exhibitions was as daunting as it was pleasurable,” said Kasl. “The Alexander Hogue
Gallery seemed to grow smaller by the hour.” Many pieces not accepted have been put on display throughout the Phillips building, and it is astounding to see the amount of talent in even the rejected art. It speaks to the daunting task faced by every juror, and how important personal style is to the judging process. From the walls of art, Paula Clancy selected ten10 pieces to be put on view at the president’s house for the course of a year. The students whose work was selected will be honored with a tea party reception at Skelly Mansion. The Gussman Exhibition will be on view for all students at Phillips Hall until April 19th. Valero, when posed the question of why a non-art student should visit the Gussman, remarked that “art is the reflection of culture, art questions the world, and that might give them another view that they didn’t even consider.” After a pause, she reflected that, in the education world, “it is no longer called STEM, but STEAM. You have to have arts in your background, regardless of your major. You have to have the arts.”
photos by Emma Palmer
Ronda Kasl faced the task of narrowing down the 300 works submitted to the about 100 now on display in the gallery.
First Friday succeeds despite inclement weather
On the first Friday of every month, the Tulsa Arts District comes to life with a slew of new galleries. Madison Connell Apprentice Editor
Local art lovers braved almost-freezing temperatures and strong winds to see this month’s First Friday Art Crawl. The art crawl, around for over ten years, has become a staple of Tulsa. It is a free art experience for those of all ages in the Tulsa Arts District. While temperatures were unpleasant at best, the crowds went undeterred. The Guthrie Green stage remained unused last Friday night and very few street performers attended, but it was probably for the best, given most people were bustling between art venues. The Philbrook Downtown was my first stop of the night. The two main events were Rena Detrixhe’s “Red Dirt Rug” and the exhibit “Spider Woman Was Here.” “Spider Woman Was Here” featured different artists, mostly from the last century or so, of Diné (also known as Navajo) cultural origin. There was a blurb on the wall about how, to their people, weaving is a spiritual act in the pursuit of balance, beauty and harmony. One aspect of this exhibit that set it apart from others concentrating on textiles or weaving is that there was a wall of patches of textile on a keyring for viewers to feel while walking through the room. It made it so much more interactive, and it satisfied the crawler’s desire to reach out and feel everything, especially for the children in attendance. Even though the interactive aspect of “Spider Woman Was Here” interested crowds, the piece in the next room, “Red Dirt Rug” stole the spotlight. Detrixhe created her piece by sifting through the famous
red dirt of Oklahoma and working on little patches of her piece until it covered the entire area of the large gallery floor in Philbrook Downtown. Her piece used the soles of tennis shoes to make the intricate designs, symbolic of significant Oklahoman events such as the Trail of Tears and the Dust Bowl. It was stimulating to the native Oklahomans in the room. The second gallery of the night was 108 Contemporary. Their gallery was called “Variations on the Theme of Loss: Emily Chase and Tali Weinberg.” For a second exhibit in a row, I saw Weinberg battle with textiles, although not as successfully as the exhibit prior. Beside each of her works, she listed facts of how she made the textile and facts about the world, such as “137 years annual average temperature for the globe,” which somehow worked into her pieces but wasn’t evident whatsoever in its composition. The muted colors faded into the environment and overall evoked no emotion. The second half of the exhibit, however, was one of the better parts of the night. Chase presented sculptures created out of paper, well put by 108 Contemporary in that she “explore[s] ideas about the growth and disintegration of memory and identity.” One of my favorites of hers was “Until (Seeds).” It featured a red hoodie with sunflowers peeking out of the hood as well as the elongated pocket. “Until (Seeds)” brought an image of a transgender girl trying to come to terms with her identity, maybe attempting to hide it with the sunflowers or her femininity overgrowing and demanding to be let known. Another popular piece, “Everyday Dress (Chronic),” reused a disposable hospital gown to make this beautiful blue dress with white flowers embroidered on it with roots and thorns shooting out of the top. This sculpture represented someone that is chronically sick and is in pain below her pretty little adaptation to the often-hideous
required hospital attire, despite her trying her best to make everything look fine from the outside. I definitely related to this piece more than most of the pieces last Friday night because I too suffer with chronic illnesses and know how it feels to live day to day with it externally shown, like the symbol of the hospital gown. Henry Zarrow Center for Art and Education housed work by Daniel W. Coburn in his “From the Hereditary Estate” collection. Each piece was a black and white picture. The vast majority of these were portraits. They ranged from clear despair to wonder and enjoyment. One impressive picture illustrated this sheet, seemingly held up by a ghost. It appeared organic, not just held up by invisible strings. I can’t imagine how many times it would take to either prop it or throw it up in such a way to make it look the way it did. The white sheet appeared to almost be alive, jumping back in fright away from a keyboard and the negative impact of technology and society as a whole. Living Arts of Tulsa showcased two exhibits: “Impasse” by Megan Mosholder and “Nature, Fashion & War” by Julie Peppito. Mosholder’s neon work was underwhelming by itself, but with a group of friends could potentially be interesting for a fun few minutes to admire the bright colors created with the black lights while laying on some pillows set on the ground. On the other hand, Peppito’s work had the opposite effect. The vast majority of her work featured a bright array of colors in 3D. Living Arts said that her exhibit “draw[s] connections between the human desire to want more of everything versus the destructive impact our consumerism has on the environment and the survival of our species.” Peppito’s work looked as if a rainbow and the toy aisle at a supermarket threw up on a 3D campus. Although her work was a little out there and hard to understand, it drew some of the most attention. The numerous
children’s items and tapestries worked together in a frantic but organic manner. The few black and white 2D pieces of Peppito’s work ended up receiving more attention because of the stark contrast between the two styles, as well as because they were much easier to discern what was happening in them. The 2D works exposed more of Peppito’s political opinion, such as one where a politician is seen saying in speech bubbles that “your safe drinking water and clean air are in the way of my freedom to lie, cheat, and get rich.” I last viewed the galleries at the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa Hardesty Arts Center and their intriguing interactive exhibits. The most interesting of these was three different school desks that allowed the crawlers to chew a piece of gum and stick it onto the bottoms of these pieces of furniture. It was a blast for most to be able to satisfy that rebellious desire to do such without a destructive purpose. The pieces couldn’t have come at a better time with the teacher strikes, so it made it that much more personal to those around it. With so many galleries to choose from, it is almost impossible to hit all of them in a single First Friday. Some I did not manage to hit include the Brady Artists Studio, Colors of Etnika, Made, Mainline Art Bar, TAF Refinery and the Woody Guthrie Center. Several restaurants and bars in the area also have minor art showings such as Bar 46, Chimera, Gypsy Coffeehouse and Cyber Cafe and Hey Mambo. While the experience of weaving in and out of different buildings while freezing rain poured down on me was slightly miserable, I am happy I attended the First Friday Art Crawl to see so many unique perspectives of these Oklahomans. To those who have never been to this event, I would highly recommend going with a group of friends and making a night out of it, exploring parts of downtown you have never visited before.
Julie Peppito’s work (left) blends 2D and children’s toys in “Nature, Fashion & War,” and Emily Chase’s “Until (Seeds)” (right) reflects on the difficulties faced by transgender individuals.
photos by Madison Connell
The State-Run Media
9 April 2018
the
State-Run media Still uses Myspace.
CoolMath.com corrupted After a quiet but devious acquisition by Electronic Arts, CoolMath.com has fallen from their pedestal of internet purity. Adam Lux Head Propagandist It’s 2005. You’re in the 4th grade and just about to start computer class. The teacher, having already made you take “Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing” and taught you how to use Microsoft Word and Excel, has exhausted her knowledge of computers, so she tells you to play educational games on the Internet. The whole class cheers as everyone simultaneously hops onto CoolMath.com to play some “Space Invaders” rip-off. Many of you have probably had experiences similar to the one described above. The Internet was a simpler, more wholesome place back then. MySpace was the social medium of choice, “RuneScape” was actually fun, and nobody was racist or sexist at all … right? This Web 2.0 wonderland wasn’t meant to last though. As with all great things, we humans must ruin it. Today, we are so use to a ruined Internet that we barely bat an eye when Facebook sells our information to Cambridge University or whoever it was. Throughout this downfall, a few good websites fought against the tides of crap. One of these majestic websites was CoolMath.com, a site dedicated into tricking kids into learning math by offering free online games. A sad day is upon us, however, as CoolMath.com, the last bastion of Internet purity and innocence, has fallen into the tide of horrible websites. It all started after a quiet but important acquisition of CoolMath.com by the games company Electronic Arts (EA). At first, no
An IBM drone at work.
one was worried, as EA has a fantastic reputation for not ruining games. Then users of CoolMath.com started to notice some minor, frightening changes. First, some of the more popular games on the website saw a 1,000 percent increase in ads. Next, microtransactions started to pop up all over the site. Want to learn algebra: that will be $3.99 per lesson. Want to play a game: $0.99 per play. This model of microtransactions has been criticized by some consumers as being greedy and anti-consumer. Moreover, CoolMath.com has started implementing long and confusing user agreements that flash on the screen every time you log onto the website. The entire agreement is, like, 100,000 words, and the text box is, like, four lines tall, meaning to actually read the entire document, a user would have to scroll down for,, like,, 10 minutes. Basically, the site just wants you to agree to the document without actually reading it. A portion of the agreement is as follows: “Any and all users of this website agree to have any information collected by the site sold to foreign governments, including but not limited to: People’s Republic of China, the Federal Republic of Somalia and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. “All users of CoolMath.com are losers, haha.” Now that CoolMath.com has turned to the dark side, it appears there is no hope left for the Internet. Not a single wholesome site remains. This reporter personally think that it’s time to give up on this whole “Internet” thing and go back to the good ol’ days when kids use to play with rocks and sticks and hoops or whatever, instead of playing apparently “educational” games on the computer during class.
graphic by Madeline Woods
An actual photo of Mark Zuckerbread.
graphic by Madeline Woods
Which tech CEO looks most like this piece of bread? An objective report on the breadiness of each major tech CEO. Brennen Gray Mark Zuckerbread’s #1 Fan 10. Coming in last place is Safra Catz, CEO of Oracle. She looks nothing like this piece of bread. She lacks sufficient sponginess, square-facedness and general breadiness. She would hardly be able to pass for any sort of pastry. Not to mention the hair. To be fair, she may be disadvantaged on account of not being a white man. 9. Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, lacks most bread-like qualities. He does not exude particularly un-bready qualities, but the competition this year is stiff. Most Tech CEOs actually look quite a bit like this piece of bread. 8. Staying out of the bottom two, but still ranked pretty low, is Jeff Bezos. The Amazon CEO looks quite a bit like a piece of bread in a few ways. However, he lacks hair, and his face is rather round. The hair is necessary to resemble the thick crust on top of the bread. Also, we need square faces here. 7. Satya Nadello, CEO of Microsoft, has very similar external qualities to Bezos. However, internally, he exudes breadness. He has a rounded face and no hair, but every single one of his speeches comes off as very bready. 6. Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!, is this year’s Cinderella story. She really cannot be said to be that much more bready that any of the CEOs she beat out. However, Yahoo! has the most bread-like qualities of any company in America. 5. Getting into the top half, Apple CEO Tim Cook performs well here. The man has
a square face, a small amount of hair, and is an older white guy. However, he has very few other qualities that would help him to rank higher. 4. Brian Krzanich, CEO of Intel, earns his rank with authority. The man looks much like this piece of bread. Beyond that, Krzanich seems like a stale piece of bread, but not too stale to eat. He is a little hard, but some people may like it that way. 3. Getting into the real contenders here, Patrick P. Gelsinger, CEO of VMware, clinches a top three finish. He has the head shape, the bread, the hair, the look, the right tan and the persona. He is a bread-force to be reckoned with. His fans have been gathering, and he will probably finish second or even first next year. 2. Eric Schmidt served as CEO of Google up until 2018. This means Schmidt competes for the last time this year, and what a year he has had. Schmidt has improved upon his breadiness with relentless endurance. He has risen to the occasion with his yeast working overtime. In the warm heart of his moist center, Eric Schmidt will remain in our hearts forever as one of the breadiest CEOs in history. God bless you, man. 1. Two words: Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg has every quality of this piece of bread. The curly hair exudes top-crust perfection. His skin has the perfect texture of a nice slice of bread. His face-shape models the perfect contours for maximum bread. That smile smells like homemade, fresh out of the oven, Sunday afternoon love. The Facebook CEO takes away this year’s “CEO who looks most like this piece of bread” award for the tenth year in a row. Congrats, Zuck. May the bread be with you.
IBM releases brain-eating drones, and that’s a good thing The former tech giant accidently reveals what it has been working on lately. Brennen Gray Thinks IBM is a fast food joint In a stunning turn of events, International Business Machines has finally shown the public what it actually does. Since creating Watson in 2011, no one knows what IBM does anymore. The three most influential investigators in American politics — the FBI, CIA and KGB — all have failed to find what IBM does in their office buildings leftover from when people still bought desktop computers. After their stock underperformed since investors have no way of knowing what they are purchasing, the former tech giant has wallowed in loneliness. But on April 1, 2018, all that changed for the better. A hoard of over 10,000 brain-eating drones blocked out the sun that morning. Each robot was programmed to devour any
civilian’s brain on sight. For unknown reasons, Apple product users were more frequently targeted. Of course, the American public cheered the onslaught of devilish automatons. After many dark years of living in ignorance, people have found what they have been doing
Ginny Rometty, CEO of IBM, commented on the affair. “We went through many phases to design these machines. We originally had them attached with speakers to play Bruno Mars music. But we figured that would violate restrictions on cruel and unusual punishment,
“A hoard of over 10,000 brain-eating drones blocked out the sun that morning.” all this time. We spoke to one ecstatic civilian, Sue Smith. “This is fantastic! These things are so cool! And imagine all the jobs that will be created to clean this mess up! Also, think of the military applications! Oh, and don’t forget about … aaaaahh!” Smith tragically met her end toward the end of the interview as a drone sank its titanium teeth deep into her cranium. She looked happy.
so we went with brain-eating.” When asked whether the affair was an accident, Rometty remained calm. “Did this increase our stock? Yes. Was that worth the human lives sacrificed? Of course. But no. Releasing them was an accident of an intern.” The intern she spoke of, Superninja6969, has been promoted to CIO. Meg Whitman, CEO of Hewlett-Packard, expressed her frustration on the matter. “How did they beat us to it? Now what
do we do with our thousands of flesh-eating robots disguised as toasters? You know how hard it was to convince the public that HP was making toasters in the first place?” Some say the drones could positively affect the economy as well. With fewer brains in the market, the market for intelligent jobs would remove its glut. This event may open doors for other tech companies to accidently release their secret products for the betterment of humanity as well. Tesla may lose its giant death robot, for example. Apple might release its iPhone 15, which it probably developed a few years ago and will hold so they can continue making each iPhone only slightly better than the last so they can sell a new phone each year. As the sun sets over the carnage of what used to be Tulsa, humanity rejoiced in hopeful song. Millennials, though dying, can have comfort in another tech company producing overpriced goods that border on the unethical.