21 February 2022

A student newspaper of the University of Tulsa

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The Collegian: 2

News

21 February 2022

Oklahoma executes Donald Grant by lethal injection

Grant’s execution comes with controversy as he was denied the right to be a part of a lawsuit concerning Oklahoma’s lethal injection protocols.

Maddie Walters Social Media & Web Manager

On Jan. 27, Oklahoma executed its third death row inmate, Donald Grant, since resuming capital punishment after the botched executions of Clayton Derrell Lockett and John Marion Grant. Grant was a 46-yearold disabled Black man convicted for the murders of Brenda McElyea and Felicia Su-

ment. Specifically, the use of the sedative midazolam has been called into question as it has caused multiple instances of botched executions. Grant’s attorneys argue that he should have been given a stay of execution until the verdict of the lawsuit.

A small protest gathered outside of the Oklahoma State Penitentiary to object to the execution of Grant. Among this protest was a small group of priests who prayed for Grant, his murder victims and those that work at the prison. This group of priests have hosted these public prayer vigils for decades in hopes of instigating change as death by lethal injection is considered an unnatural death in the eyes of the Catholic Church.

“... midazolam has been called into question as it has caused ... botched executions.” zette Smith in 2001. In an unusual appeal, Grant and Gilbert Postelle requested to die by firing squad, saying that it would be less painful than lethal injection. A federal judge denied Grant’s request.

Grant’s request to join the federal lawsuit concerning Oklahoma’s lethal injection protocols was also denied. Currently, 24 death row inmates are involved in the lawsuit that is scheduled to begin on Feb. 28.

The lawsuit argues that the protocols used in Oklahoma violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punish-

A petition received over 7,000 signatures urging for Grant’s execution to be stopped.

The petition stated, “Donald Grant’s mental illness and congenital and acquired brain damage was so severe that it took five years for Mr Grant to be stabilized where he could somewhat assist his attorneys in his defense.

There was no assurance Mr Grant was even competent to be put on trial, but he was in 2005 and sentenced to death.”

According to Oklahoma Attorney General, John O’Connor, Grant’s execution was carried out with zero complications at 10:16

courtesy Wikimedia Commons There are 24 death row inmates involved in the lawsuit concerning Oklahoma’s lethal injection protocols.

a.m. This makes for the second successful execution since the resumption of the death penalty.

Including the families of his victims, 18 individuals witnessed the death of Grant.

According to eyewitnesses, Grant’s last words were, “yo God I got this, I got this, it’s nothing. I’ve got things to handle, no doubt, no doubt. Brooklyn for life. I’m going to go to the universe, and then I’ll be back. God is here. The true God.” He is reported to have continued speaking until

a prison staff member entered the chamber and turned off the microphone.

Gilbert Postelle was executed this past week on Feb. 17. Postelle was also denied the right to join the federal lawsuit.

Nursing homes suffer Italy’s Mount Etna erupts during COVID-19 surge for the first time this year The Omicron variant is running rampant in long-term care facilities where inhabitants are extremely vulnerable.

Hana Saad Student Writer As of Feb. 18, the Oklahoma State Department of Health reported that there are currently 11,874 active cases of COVID-19 across Oklahoma, based on data from Feb. 6 to 12. This is a 45.6 percent decrease from the week before (Jan. 30 to Feb. 5). The 7-day rolling average for the number of new cases reported is 1,128. There were a total of 39 deaths during the week from Feb. 5 to Feb. 12. The cumulative number of cases in Oklahoma is 1,009,129.

fected by respiratory and other pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2.”

Long-term care facilities have been instructed to take measures to protect staff and residents from contracting COVID-19.

Such guidelines include physical distancing, making alcohol-based hand sanitizer widely available and providing training for staff as well as information on how to reduce the risk of spreading the virus for visitors.

Among Oklahoma long-term care facilities, which include nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities, there were 229 new cases among residents and 15 deaths last week. Among staff, there were 195 new cases and zero deaths reported.

The overall number of cases in Tulsa county has increased throughout January, but began to decrease as of Feb. 1 according

“Long-term care facilities have been instructed to take measures to protect staff and residents ...”

Nursing homes across Oklahoma have been seriously affected by COVID-19, especially with the contagious Omicron variant. The OSDH reported the first case of the Omicron variant on Dec. 21 and a COVID-19 surge on Jan. 20. Long-term care facilities are at higher risk of an outbreak.

As stated by the CDC, “the Omicron variant spreads more easily than the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the Delta variant.” The symptoms are similar to other variants, but the risk of severe illness is lower than other variants. However, the CDC cautions that “some people may still have severe disease, need hospitalization and could die from the infection with this variant.” Hospitals across the country can still become overwhelmed with increased cases of COVID-19, so wearing masks and getting tested if you feel sick is still advised.

The nature of the Omicron variant has caused the CDC to update guidelines for long-term care facilities as of Feb. 2. The CDC states that “older adults living in congregate settings are at high risk of being af-

to data from the Tulsa Health Department.

The cumulative number of COVID-19 deaths in Tulsa county is at 1,948 as of Feb. 15. Nationwide, there have been 78,039,888 cases.

COVID-19 outbreaks put extra strain on long-term care facilities, which have already been impacted by labor shortages.

The CDC reported in US long-term care facilities, the number of COVID-19 cases as of Feb. 6 were estimated to be 21,799.

This is a decline from the previous week, when the number of cases was estimated to be 33,884 (as of Jan. 30) but still higher than numbers reported for Dec. 2021, when the number of reported cases in long-term care facilities were between 4,000 to 6,000.

Long-term care facilities encourage visitors and staff to take steps to prevent spreading COVID-19 to residents and other staff.

The CDC states that “remaining up to date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses is critical to protect both staff and residents.”

Shooting volcanic ash 6 miles into the air, Mount Etna’s most recent eruption brought a volcanic storm with it.

Maddie Walters Social Media & Web Manager On Feb. 10, Europe’s largest and most active volcano, Mount Etna, experienced a major eruption for the fourth time in less than a year, sending a column of ash and smoke nearly six miles into the sky. No injuries or damages have been reported from the most recent eruption, though the airway was reported to have closed briefly. Reportedly, over 25% of Sicily’s population calls the slopes of Mount Etna home. Mount Etna also happens to be the main source of income for the island due to both agriculture and tourism.

Contrasting other events, this most recent eruption also featured a light show caused by a rare volcanic storm that sent bolts of lightning racing across the nighttime Sicily sky. According to Italy’s National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology, volcanic storms are rare but they do tend to occur at particularly violent eruptions as well

courtesy Wikimedia Commons No injuries or damages have been reported, but airways surrounding the area closed briefly.

Located in Catania, Italy, Mount Etna has seen more than 200 major eruptions since 1500 B.C., although the majority of these eruptions have occurred within the last century. The year 2001 was particularly catastrophic as Mount Etna experienced 21 major eruptions in the space of a year.

The largest of Mount Etna’s latest major eruptions occurred in 2018, when the volcano spewed so much ash into the sky that the airspace was forced to close for nearly two days. As a result of the eruption, many towns surrounding Mount Etna experienced a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that caused structural damage and injuries to 28 individuals.

“... a rare volcanic storm ... sent bolts of lightning racing across the nighttime Sicily sky.” as eruptions near the sea – both of which Mount Etna’s eruption satisfies. When volcanic ash particles collide, static electricity is generated and discharged, thus causing the fiery lightning storm around the eruption. The volcano also produced lava fountains with heights up to 600 meters tall.

This stratovolcano received its name from the Greek word “αἴθω,” meaning “I burn.”

In Greek mythology, it is said that the god Zeus trapped the monster Typhon inside the mountain. In ancient times it was believed that the monster’s rage was what caused the volcanic events.

In August 2021, after a series of 50 minor eruptions, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology announced that Mount Etna had grown 100 feet due to the accumulation of lava flows from previous eruptions, making it one of Europe’s largest active volcanoes. It appears that Mount Etna is following a pattern of summit eruptions, which have been occurring over the past 16 years. With this being Mount Etna’s first eruption of the year, time will only tell if the violent pattern of eruptions will continue.

21 February 2022

Sports

The Collegian: 3

Los Angeles Rams win Super Bowl on home field

Sports writer Zach Sabel discusses the last-minute comeback win during the Super Bowl.

The 56th running of the NFL’s Super Bowl promised to give us a great game, and it did not disappoint. It was also a Super Bowl that would make history. For the first time since 1975, when seeding was introduced, we got a Super Bowl not featuring at least a top three seeded team, with both LA and Cincinnati being fourth seeds in their respective conferences. First, let’s see how both teams got here.

The LA Rams finished 12-5 under their head coach Sean McVay and new veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. This acquisition of Stafford and the draft picks given up to get him to show the desperate “win now” mentality the Rams had going into the season. Stafford, for his part, had not won a playoff game going into this year in his prior 11 years with the Detroit Lions, and at his age, it also felt like sort of a mustwin season for the 34-year-old QB. To reach the biggest game in American Football, the Rams had to beat the Arizona Cardinals, the San Francisco 49’ers and the defending Super Bowl champs Tampa Bay. For the Cincinnati Bengals, this was a magical season. Under their second-year star QB Joe Burrow, the Bengals made it to the playoffs with a 10-6 record. In the playoffs, Burrow was able to lead the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1990, ending one of the longest active streaks in major American sports. To make it to the Super Bowl they beat the Las Vegas Raiders, the Tennessee Titans and the Kansas City Chiefs.

This was not a high scoring in-your-face Super Bowl, but one in which the defense would play a major role. Both teams were stuffed early by the opponent’s defense, with LA breaking the tie in the first quarter on a 17-yard pass from Stafford to Odell Beckham Jr. The next score would come a few drives later as Cincinnati marched down the field to the Rams 11-yard line, but were forced to settle for a field goal.

LA would answer next in the second quarter with a touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp.

They would miss the extra point giving them only a ten-point lead. The Bengals would respond quickly, scoring on the next drive and bringing the game to within three points. Neither team would do much before the end of the half with both teams getting stalled by the tough defense. One big thing that happened near the end of this quarter would be Odell Beckham Jr going down with an apparent non-contact injury. He had to leave the game and he wouldn’t return.

This injury would put a lot of focus on Cooper Kupp, leaving him as the only top tier receiver for the Rams.

The first offensive play of the second half would lead to the first lead change, but not without controversy, with Joe Burrow’s pass to Tee Higgins good for an uncontested 75-yard touchdown. Upon further replay, it was obvious that Higgins had a hold of his defender, Jalen Ramsey’s, mask before getting free of him, but the call was missed and the Bengals now held a four point lead.

On the Rams next drive, Stafford threw an interception which eventually led to the Bengals extending their lead to seven points with a field goal. The Rams would then go on to cut the lead back down to four with a 44-yard field goal. Neither team would score another point in the third quarter as each side’s defense showed its grit.

to Cincinnati. They quickly charged to midfield off of two big passes from Burrows, they would then be held to a fourth and one by the dominant Rams defensive line.

Up to this point the Bengals’ run game had been very solid and worked well for them, but rather than relying on this strength they opted to pass the ball, with the great pres-

“For the Cincinnati Bengals, this was a magical season.”

The fourth quarter would display a lot of this grinding football, fighting for short yards, with the Bengals’ run game being strong, while the Rams seemingly could not get anything going from the ground, forcing them to rely on their only real option at this point, Cooper Kupp. Near the end of the game with the Bengals still leading by four, the Rams converted a fourth-and-1 off of a rushing play from their star receiver, Kupp.

They then reached the Bengals red zone off of a series of passes to Kupp. A holding play would give the Rams life and a pass interference call on the defense would bring the Rams to the one-yard line. The Rams then took the lead off of a Kupp touchdown reception going up 23-20 with under two minutes to play. The Bengals seemingly had one last drive to win the game and get the chance to bring the Lombardi trophy back

courtesy @RamsNFL on Twitter

sure put on by Aaron Donald and company.

The pass was incomplete, thus forcing a turnover on downs.

The Rams would go on to run down the clock, giving the city a Super Bowl win in front of their home crowd and finally capping off a legendary career for Matthew Stafford who gives the city of Dallas and North Texas the closest thing it will probably ever get to another Super Bowl trophy.

Cooper Kupp would be named the MVP for his late game heroics being the only real option for the Rams for much of the game. While Joe Burrows and the Bengals were not able to get the final victory they so desired, they showed a lot of heart on the field and I definitely see a contender in the Bengals side for at least the next 10 years if Burrows remains the dominant force he has shown himself to be.

courtesy @RamsNFL on Twitter

NCAA changes rules to allow transgender athletes in championship Sports writer Ben Bowdon discusses Lia Thomas’ journey through NCAA regulations.

The Division 1 NCAA national championship for swimming is fast approaching.

However, much more than simple swimming is on the minds of the competitors. A fierce debate is attracting more attention to this event than normal, thanks to the presence of Lia Thomas from the University of Pennsylvania. Lia Thomas, born male but identifies and now competes as a woman, is transgender. She has the top times in her events and has been shattering meet and pool records over the last few months. There has been a flurry of criticism, praise and everything in between for this swimmer.

a side. This division has spread within the team itself. A group of 16 of Thomas’ teammates headed by Nancy Hogshead-Makar, an Olympic medalist, lodged a formal complaint with the school and the Ivy League, begging them to adopt USA Swimming’s new rules which would ban Thomas from competition. They expressed the unfairness of competing against a biological male to make the women’s team. They also confided that they were forced to cheer for her and to not complain or else they may not get a job.

“This makes the women’s category meaningless,” Hogshead-Makar claims. After this

“A group of 16 of Thomas’ teammates ... lodged a formal complaint with the school and the Ivy League ...”

Currently, Lia Thomas is competing in the Ivy League conference swim meet. On Feb. 17, Thomas broke the pool record for the 500-yard Freestyle, beating out the competition by seven seconds. In December, her 200-yard Freestyle time made her the 17th fastest performer in history. Her best times place her at the top seeds for the championship in March. Despite some misleading headlines, Lia Thomas has not broken any national records yet — only meet and pool records which are broken more often. Her viral race where she beat opponents by 38 seconds was a 15-minute race, not a simple sprint. Still, she is undeniably a fast swimmer and holds the fastest times in the country as of now. Thomas will be allowed to compete in the national competition as long as her sample is below the pre-specified testosterone level of 10 nanomoles per liter, following the NCAA transgender policies from 2010.

Her performance is not without controversy. The nation’s media have used this case as the battlegrounds for a larger debate of trans athletes in sports. Many in the swimming community have been forced to take

document was publicized, more than 300 current and former NCAA and Team USA swimmers released a statement supporting Thomas in opposition to the anonymous letter. They see her as a champion trailblazing the way in face of adversity and discrimination to make a name for herself.

To understand the situation fully, there is a history of rules for transgender athletes that is relevant to this discussion. In 2010, the NCAA released guidelines on what defined a transgender man or woman, and the rules to follow for them to compete. The athlete must have provided proof of hormone therapy for at least a year to be eligible for competitions. Much has changed over the last decade, with different sporting organizations enacting new policies, like the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This prompted the NCAA to update its guidelines. In January of this year, the NCAA released a new policy that mimicked the IOC. They would, from now on, for each sport, defer to the national governing body (NGB) of that sport on transgender rules.

This is where some of the drama originates.

For swimming, the NGB is USA Swim-

ming. They organize the major club swimming as well as the Olympics. In early February, USA Swimming released a harsher rule regarding transgender athletes competing — each transgender female athlete must prove low testosterone levels for three years instead of one. Some believe this is in response to the growing success of Lia Thomas. The NCAA decided not to adopt the rule immediately since it was in the middle of the competitive season.

Amid this blaming, rule-changing and hurt feelings, there is a complicated tug-ofwar between inclusivity and fairness with no simple solution. “Everybody wants to maximize each individual’s opportunity to participate and be as inclusive as possible,” Michael Joyner, a physiologist at the Mayo Clinic, said in an interview. “But how do

courtesy Wikimedia Commons

you balance that inclusion at the individual level with the fairness to the entire field?

That’s really the split-the-baby question.” A D1 swimmer was interviewed and expressed similar concerns, “Swimming has given me the world. Everyone deserves to have it. But her times are not as slow as they should be to be fair. She is performing much better as a female than when she was compared to males before hormone-therapy.”

The nation, and world, will be watching the D1 Championships in March to see how Lia Thomas performs. Her placement will have more consequences than just medaling — there will be a global impact for the future of transgender athletes, possibly informing or inspiring new rules. It is left up to the reader to decide whether these rules will be appropriate.

Sports

The Collegian: 4

21 February 2022

Kamila Valieva tests positive for a performance-enhancing drug

Sports editor Callie Hummel discusses the Olympic figure skater who tested positive for trimetazidine.

The eyes of the world were on Kamila Valieva this Winter Olympics, but not for her gracefulness on the ice, or for being the first woman to master a quadruple spin. Instead, her name is in headlines around the world because once again, a young and successful Russian athlete is involved in a doping scandal — at 15-years-old.

Kamila Valieva is a Russian figure skater who has proven her spot in the skating world, drawing compliments from other competitors around the world. On Feb. 8, four days after the 2022 Games began, Valieva received a positive drug test back from the World Anti-Doping Agency. The test was originally completed on Dec. 25 by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency but after the positive result, they had to send it on for clarification. The agencies claimed the tardiness of the test results was because of COVID. Valieva’s results indicated traces of trimetazidine (TMZ), which confused many professionals since the drug’s enhancing capabilities are limited. TMZ is given to patients dealing with chest pain because of a lack of blood supply and oxygen to the heart. The drug could potentially be used by athletes as performance-enhancing since it helps the body use oxygen, improving stamina and can help ease chest pains. Currently, Valieva’s lawyers are claiming her grandfather takes this medication and she was exposed after drinking from the same water glass. This claim, though, is very flimsy and the scenario is seemingly impossible according to the medical world.

When her test results came back, the Olympic Committee immediately took action to create a fair playing field for the athletes. Still investigating the situation, they allowed Valieva to continue competing but delayed all medal ceremonies that she might be in. On Feb. 17 Valieva, a previous favorite for gold, competed then quickly dropped down in the rankings due to numerous mistakes, falls and a sense of overall anxiety on the ice. She fell from the number one spot down to number four and did not place for a medal. Valieva left the ice bawling, obviously affected by all of the news and controversy swarming around her name. Many might not feel sorry for Valieva, as she was the one to consume a known-illegal drug, and Thuan Le Elston even started off her USA today article with, “I have never wanted a 15-year-old to fail so much in my life.” At 15-years-old, Valieva is plenty old enough to know the differences between right and wrong, and that her actions will have consequences — but is she old enough to stand up for herself against her parents who gave up so much for her and her worldrenowned coaches?

Valieva has always wanted to be great, and that’s what everyone expected from her.

She said during an interview that at the age of four, Valieva told her parents she was going to be an Olympian. From that day forward, her parents did anything they could to help her achieve that dream. When parents sacrifice so much for their child and pay thousands a year for the best coaches, it’s

inevitable that the child might feel the need to repay them with success. If Valieva already felt in debt to her parents and a coach mentioned performance-enhancing drugs could make her great, would Valieva feel an overwhelming pressure to take the drug?

Whether or not it was Valieva’s idea to take TMZ, her coaches, parents, mentors, and other adults in her life should be protecting her and wanting the best for her and letting the 15-year-old consume drugs is definitely not having her best intentions in mind.

At the end of the Winter Olympics, everyone will know Valieva’s name because of the doping scandal. Her social media will, for years after, be flooded with opinions and negative remarks. Her future performances will all be taken with a grain of salt, spectators continuing to entertain the idea she might be on performance-enhancers. However, nobody will remember the lawyer’s name who told her to lie about the medicine being from her grandfather or the coach’s name who pushed Valieva towards doping,

“... letting the 15-year-old consume drugs is definitely not having her best intentions in mind.”

TMZ is not recommended for anyone under the age of 18 and isn’t currently cleared to be used in the United States. While the drug already has a long list of side effects, the reaction for minors is even more prominent and severe, most notably involving dizziness, lightheadedness and loss of balance.

As a skater performing leaps and spins in the air and balancing on a single skinny blade, these side effects could be detrimental, if not fatal, to Valieva if they were to show up while performing. On a normal day, Valieva might not land a jump right and tweak her leg on the way down. If overcome with dizziness and loss of balance, one wrong move could bring her down to the ice causing a more serious injury if she landed on her upper body or head.

or the mentors that turned a blind eye to the drugs. The incident will go on to affect many other young skaters as well, as the Olympic Committee is now looking into pushing back the minimum age to compete in the Games from 15 to 17 to avoid incidents like this. These young athletes have found their passion at a young age and show indisputable levels of disciple and dedication to something. While kids who are working towards their dreams are being punished, the mentors who are allowing things like this to happen are unaffected.

courtesy @Olympics_Russia on Twitter

courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Feb. 21 - Feb. 27 Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday 22

21

23

Thursday

Friday

Saturday 25

24 M Tennis vs. Denver TBD

none

none

M Basketball vs. SMU 7:00 p.m.

W Basketball @ East Carolina 5:00 p.m.

Track & Field American Indoor Championships All Day Softball Texas Classic 11:30 a.m.

Sotball Texas Classic 4:30 p.m.

26

Track & Field American Indoor Championship All Day Softball Texas Classic 9:00 a.m.

Softball Texas Classic 11:30 a.m.

W. Soccer vs. Rogers State 12:00 p.m.

M. Basketball @ ECU 3:00 p.m.

M. Soccer @ North Texas SC 6:30 p.m.

Sunday 27

M Tennis @ Texas Tech TBD Softball Texas Classic 10:00 a.m.

W Tennis vs. Memphis 11:00 a.m.

W Basketball vs. Wichita State 1:00 p.m.

Commentary

21 February 2022

The Collegian: 5

Candida Manion misused funds meant for abuse victims services and train professional advocates for victims of domestic and sexual violence. We have to ask ourselves — how did Manion get away with this corrupt behavior for so long?

Those who felt uncomfortable with the audit and the work environment quit the coalition, including Bond herself. But no one had the bright idea to tell someone working under the federal government what was going on

“This only hurts abuse victims and their chances of obtaining justice and safety.”

A recent audit revealed that money for victims was used for wining and dining instead.

Shelby Hiens News Editor The employees of the Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault work hard to provide victim services to those who need it. Except Candida Manion, who decided to go wine tasting instead of doing her actual job.

Under Manion’s reign as executive director of the nonprofit, $886,495 of the grant money awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women was misused from 2015 to 2020. This consisted of 98% of the federal funds spent by the coalition over that period.

These funds were meant to be used to advocate for victim rights, provide counseling

As Manion controlled the coalition’s annual budget, which was $450,000 to $650,000 according to income tax reports, she was able to persuade board members to look the other way as she squandered the funds by sending them to conferences around the country. Jamie Bond, the former office coordinator for the nonprofit, attested to booking reservations in Orlando for a board member who brought her family and stayed in a hotel at Disney World.

Bond also said that Manion would skip full days of conferences she would attend under the guise of educating herself about working with abuse victims. Manion even reimbursed herself for hotel costs and paid herself $465 more than the hotel invoice indicated in one case. Manion used funds designated to aiding victims for unofficial business on multiple occasions.

Manion was fired in February of 2021 after she was finally caught exploiting her position through federal audits. But honestly, how did Manion’s irresponsible spending not trigger an audit sooner or garner the attention of anyone with their morality intact?

courtesy @CevCoSheriff on Twitter Candida Manion was executive director of the Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault from June 2014 until February 2021.

Feb. 2 9:20 pm University of Tulsa Campus Safety and Security officers dispatched to Lottie Jane Mabee Hall for an injured student. The student requested Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA). The Tulsa Fire Department and EMSA arrived and transported the individual to a local hospital. Copy of report forwarded to Housing an Student Affairs for their review.

Feb. 10 9:15 pm University of Tulsa Campus Safety and Security officers were dispatched to Brown Village to investigate a report of a missing person. Officers determined the missing person was a TU affiliate. Officers contacted known associates of the missing person and were unable to determine the missing person’s whereabouts. Officers were unable to contact all parties who may have known the whereabouts of the missing person. The investigation is ongoing. Copy of report forwarded to Housing and Student Affairs for their review.

10:40 pm While on routine patrol, University of Tulsa Campus Safety and Security officers observed a suspicious vehicle in the McFarlin Lot, driving with its headlights off and driving with open doors. Officers made contact with the driver of the vehicle, who was determined to be a university affiliate. Officers gave a verbal warning. Copy of report forwarded to Student Affairs for their review.

Feb.11 8:50 am University of Tulsa Campus Safety and Security officers were dispatched to a fra-

ternity to investigate a welfare check of a student. Officers were informed a university affiliate had stated suicidal ideations. Officers were unable to locate the individual on campus. Officers discovered evidence which was impounded for safe keeping.

The individual was later detained in another state by Highway Patrol. Copy of report forwarded to Housing and Student Affairs for their review.

10:40 pm University of Tulsa Campus Safety and Security officers dispatched on report from several individuals stating someone had shined a powerful laser pointer into several cars as they drove through the Mayo Village Apartments parking lot. Officers were able to locate the suspect and informed them such actions were a threat to campus safety.

The individual agreed to stop pointing the laser and officers left the scene without further incident. Copy of report forwarded to Housing and Student Affairs for their review.

Feb. 12 12:00 am Sex Offense: Rape Feb.15 9:00 am University of Tulsa Campus Safety and Security officers were dispatched to Brown Village Apartments to assist University of Tulsa staff members in conducting a welfare check. Copy of report forwarded to Housing and Student Affairs for their review.

1:00 pm University of Tulsa Campus Safety and Security was informed of a suspicious person who attempted to contact a university af-

at the nonprofit. No one tried to prevent monies designated to aiding victims from being stolen by the very people supposedly dedicated to assisting them. Manion wasn’t even charged with theft of public funds or fraud, instead she was given two months of severance pay to compensate for the hardship of not going on all-expense trips or stealing money from abuse victims.

Former board members returned to oversee new staff and rebuild the coalition, where hopefully fraud and embezzlement will not be tolerated this time. That is, if the nonprofit can be salvaged after their cred-

ibility has been all but destroyed. New policies that will help board members keep a watchful eye on spending by the new executive director have been approved. However, how effective can these safeguards be when corruption has already spread so far and no one is held liable for their actions?

Manion’s irresponsible actions as well as the coalition members who enabled her to waste most of the budget for five years have jeopardized critical aid for Oklahoma women and children. The Office on Violence Against Women will be reluctant to hand over hundreds of thousands of grant money to such a controversial nonprofit.

This only hurts abuse victims and their chances of obtaining justice and safety. The coalition was responsible for utilizing federal funds correctly and should pay back the money that was wasted on needless travel and hotel expenses. The department will likely reallocate grant money to nonprofits that will actually utilize it for its purpose. At the very least, people will get the assistance they need, whether it comes from the coalition or not.

graphic by Amy Polovich If you or someone you know has experienced violence or abuse, please reach out to the available resources.

filiate on social media. The subject was also seen at the Donald W. Reynolds Center during sporting events. Officers documented the information. Copy of report forwarded to Student Affairs and Athletics for their review.

The reporting party contacted the Communications Center and stated they spoke with the individual and stated there was no concern for the individual’s wellbeing at this time. Copy of report forwarded to Housing and Student Affairs for their review.

Feb. 17 2:45 pm University of Tulsa Campus Safety and Security officers were dispatched to a fraternity house for a welfare check. Officers were unable to make contact with the individual.

The Collegian does not produce or edit the Campus Crime Watch except for content and brevity.

tucollegian@tucollegian.com editor in chief

Justin Klopfer managing editor

Adam Walsh news editor

Shelby Hiens sports editor

Callie Hummel variety editor

Julianne Tran commentary editor

Logan Guthrie satire editor

Anna Johns photo & graphics editor

Amy Polovich

business & advertising manager

Madeleine Goodman social media & web manager

Maddie Walters copy editor

Jihan Aldada

@TUCOLLEGIAN

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The Collegian: 6

“First Draft with Sarah Enni” offers advice and inspiration for writers.

Hana Saad Student Writer This one is for my fellow writers. If you love writing, be it fiction or poetry, then this podcast is for you. “First Draft with Sarah Enni” is a podcast where Enni, a YA writer, has conversations with other authors about writing, publishing and life. Writers from all genres are represented, but the show tends

Variety

to have guests who are authors of young adult, children’s literature and the occasional popular fiction book.

These conversations are illuminating for writers as the episodes go in-depth into different aspects of writing, editing and publishing. The guests on the show also talk about how they achieved success and their careers have changed over the years. Recent episodes include conversations with Jacqueline Woodson, author of “Brown Girl Dreaming” and Swan Huntley, author of “We Could Be Beautiful.” These conversations explore the journeys of the respective writers and how they made it to the point they are at today. It’s very inspiring.

This podcast offers advice and encouragement to those looking to get their work published, especially when it comes to YA fiction. There is a lot of information on the internet and in books geared towards writers about the writing and editing process.

Information about the publishing world is a little bit harder to find. It can feel mysterious, especially towards young writers. That is one of the goals of “First Draft with Sarah Enni.” The show aims to demystify the business aspects of creative work like writing and publishing.

Host Sarah Enni is clear-headed and thorough in her conversations. On top of that, she’s also a writer herself so she understands exactly what kinds of questions to ask the guests on her show. The conversations range anywhere from 60-90 minutes as Enni’s guests are prompted to think deeply about their art and their lives.

Writing can be an isolating task, especially when you do not have any writer friends.

Listening to this podcast makes it feel as if you are a part of a community of writers. It can be motivating to hear how writers navigated difficult hurdles like writer’s block or unruly stories that are hard to write. The show updates biweekly, but there are over 300 episodes for audiences to explore.

21 February 2022

courtesy First Draft Pod This podcast was first released in 2014.

Although “First Draft” is primarily geared towards writers, readers can also appreciate this podcast. Plenty of people love hearing their favorite authors talk about their writing process or how they created a book. The conversations on the show reveal insights into popular authors and how they create the fictional worlds we come to love. Whether you’re a writer, reader or just someone curious about how books get made, this podcast is for you.

This podcast is available on all streaming platforms.

“The Woman In the House, etc” pokes fun at the “girl on the train” trope Kristen Bell stars as an unreliable protagonist in “The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window.”

Maddie Goodman Business & Advertising Manager Kristen Bell stars in this ridiculous dramedy that follows a widowed artist, Anna, who spends her days mixing pills and alcohol whilst spying on her neighbors. In similar fashion to “Girl on the Train,” Anna becomes intrigued by her neighbor’s life and eventually witnesses a brutal murder all from the comfort of her living room.

Fair warning: anyone who invests their time in binging “Woman in the House” without familiarizing themselves with “Girl on the Train” will likely spend their time over-analyzing alleged “clues” and trying to make something of the series that it is not.

I would know — I mean what is with those changing grave readings? I was, however, intrigued enough by the dark drama and ridiculousness of the miniseries to persevere.

It is a tough tightrope to walk; this series aims to include various genres such as crime thriller, dark humor, satire, mystery and romance. My job as an underqualified, self-proclaimed movie critic is to determine whether the balance was struck and whether the absurdity was intelligently conveyed. In short, I am glad I held on. I thought it was

an easy watch and a solid binge — is that not the point of any parodic miniseries? The ever-quirky Kristen Bell was an excellent choice for Anna: the cute, unhinged protagonist.

Critics of the series may cite the spiraling ending — I won’t spoil — as thoughtless or distasteful. Or perhaps they feel the show’s plotline was too nonsensical and therefore lacked focus. To refute a bit, I think that the unevenness of the plot was necessary in order to commit to the show’s mission: poking fun at traditional crime mystery shows. I will say that I could not have completed the series without binging it in a single evening, meaning I created my own momentum for the show. In other words, the show’s plot and character dynamics did not generate enough interest for me to keep coming back.

However, I did not have such expectations for “The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window” because completing an entire television series is exactly how I seek to spend my Saturday nights. During my time with “The Woman in the House,” however short, I found myself feeling a plethora of emotions ranging from joy to confusion to anger. I rooted for Anna, then I questioned whether she was a real human, then I continued rooting for her; this cycle applies to almost every principal character, as well.

Maybe it is my Kristen Bell bias, but I suggest you give this series a try. It is a rather niche category of parody that I would

This eight-episode miniseries was released on January 28.

be interested in seeing more of. Perhaps with more mainstream references, the show would be more recognizably humorous. If nothing else, it is an amusing dramedy that

courtesy Netflix

you can cross off your watch list in a single sit-down.

Super Bowl ads and late-stage capitalism This year’s Super Bowl leaves me wondering why it feels like companies no longer have to fight for our dollar.

Zach Short Student Writer Super Bowl Sunday sits on a throne towering over American consumerism, rivaled only by the excess of Christmas in the states. One can easily spend on hot wings, beer, nachos and the like equal to or more than the cost of a Thanksgiving feast, and all of it surrounds the ritualistic viewing of a single televised event. A single ad space of just thirty seconds costs far more than the average nuclear family will see in their entire combined existence. So why does it feel like they have grown so forgettable?

I watched the Super Bowl in real time, so I will only speak to the ads that I can remember off the top of my head. Why? Be-

Larry David starred in a baffling ad for FTX.

cause if I cannot remember it then it surely did even worse than the ones I remember.

There were a lot of ads to invest in cryptocurrency, including some strange avantgarde bit with a QR code bouncing around the screen and another with Larry David. I will admit, I scanned the code out of interest, only to groan and close the link when I saw what it was for. Larry David’s appearance likewise piqued my interest, only for me to again roll my eyes when I saw that the message was “invest in crypto or forever be remembered as someone unwilling to evolve.” The theme with crypto, which dominated the ad sphere from what I recall, seemed bent on telling America to invest now or regret it forever. It all rings eerily similar to the televangelist pitching tithe like a modern indulgence. If only I had back that money I sent to the TV preacher who was screwing the hockey player. . . (shameless National Lampoon reference).

In other ads, I saw that Will Smith has delivered a new rendition of an old hit with

courtesy Wikimedia Commons

During the Super Bowl, four cryptocurrency ads aired.

Bel-Air and that yet another Jurassic Park movie hits theaters soon. A slew of streaming services also delivered “you won’t want to miss this” pieces with a laundry list of things I think I can live without. Jim Carrey made a return with his classic comedic style to tell us cable is dead (which every streaming service has marketed for years now?) and Kanye did a McDonald’s ad. That last one probably would have been the best had it not been completely overshadowed by Kanye’s present social media presence and bizarre appearance at the Super Bowl itself.

Maybe I am getting older and starting to see through the used car salesman gimmicks employed in these commercials, but I feel like something should have caught my eye.

I mean, I am a man in my early twenties with no children to suck up all my discretionary income. I should be someone’s target audience to say the least. Instead, I saw a bunch of uncreative recycling of the same old techniques. Jim Carrey arrives in a surprise cameo from a man you have not seen much of lately and Kanye makes fast food look cool and hip. Oh, and there are some more cop dramas and girl boss series with dramatic lighting and less than no script amid all the other recycled material available in movies and TV shows right now.

courtesy Wikimedia Commons

These guys avoid original ideas like indoor flies do wide open windows. I am begging for an effort to be made.

The ads were lackluster, but perhaps the products seemed to be too. I do not feel like I found anything fun or memorable or exciting to anticipate this year. There was probably a Taco Bell ad, but I would have gone there anyway. But I remember no puppy monkey baby that made me think of how good a Mountain Dew would taste, or one of those bits where people go crazy for Dorito dust that reminds me how much I really do enjoy those Sweet Chili flavored ones.

I cannot even remember a cool car shown that made me want to make enough money to buy a new car. It was all just subscription services, recycled materials and cryptocurrency get-rich-quick schemes that seemed to expect my money more than they fought for it. Has American consumerism gotten so numb that we cannot even demand good material anymore? Sure, junk food is bad for you, but all the modern iterations of Joe Camel at least made it look fun, and it sure as hell is fun to eat. Maybe I am cynical, but if I am going to live in the most excessive, consumer-driven society the world has ever known, I would at least like to feel like my options are exciting.

21 February 2022

Variety

The Collegian: 7

“The Hand of God” a love letter to home and the past Sorrentino’s film “The Hand of God” tells a coming-of-age story that mirrors his own.

Maddie Walters Social Media & Web Manager

courtesy Netflix “The Hand of God” was released in December 2021.

It is often said that our childhood experiences shape us into the person we become as adults. Paolo Sorrentino’s “The Hand of God” is a prime example of this fact. A modern day “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man,” this coming-of-age story details a young man’s journey to becoming a filmmaker. Inspired by Sorrentino’s — perhaps most well known for his film “The Great Beauty” — teenage years in Naples, this film exists as a brutally honest depiction of tragedy and loss as it tries to answer the question “how do we move on when our world has been turned upside down?”

“The Hand of God” follows Sorrentino’s counterpart, Fabietto Schisa, a curly-headed and Walkman-wearing teen, as he and his tumultuously eccentric family make their way through life. A sister who never leaves the bathroom, a crass older relation who

constantly wears a fur coat while devouring a ball of mozzarella and a mother who loves to play practical jokes — these are just a few examples of the lovably outlandish people who Fabietto calls family. Often exaggerated, these characters are proof that memory does wither with age, leaving us with impressions of what we once lived through; though it’s clear Sorrentino chooses to focus on the abnormalities of each family member, it is never done in bad taste.

After an unexpected tragedy, the life Fabietto has come to love falls apart, leaving him to try and pick up the pieces that haven’t shattered into infinitesimally small shards. One such piece he clings to is the dream of becoming a filmmaker. Fabietto sums it up best when he says, “I want an imaginary life … Reality is lousy. That’s why I want to make films.”

Reminiscent of Federico Fellini’s autobiographical film “Amarcord,” “The Hand of God” ingeniously depicts Sorrentino’s own inspiration from the famous Italian filmmaker. Fellini even makes a brief voice-cameo in the film as Fabietto follows his brother to an acting audition for a new Fellini film. At one moment, the door to the audition room

is held open and for a few precious moments Fabietto can see his future — inspiration comes and immediately changes the course of his entire life.

“The Hand of God” is a love letter to Naples and its many beauties. Despite the deafening storm of emotions that this film puts its viewers through, one emotion remains the same — a love for one’s home.

The film’s lengthy yet deserving opening sequence is a testament to the love Paolo Sorrentino has for Naples — the town that shaped him into the man and filmmaker he is today.

Even though the film has only recently been released, it received quite the Oscar buzz as it was nominated for Best International Feature Film. In 2014, Sorrentino’s “La Grande Bellezza” or “The Great Beauty” received an Academy Award for the same category. Only time will tell if “The Hand of God” will follow in its footsteps.

“The Hand of God” is now streaming on Netflix.

Taste of Tulsa showcases local eats and sweets This SA event was a great chance to try Tulsa favorites as well as explore new local restaurants.

Hana Saad Student Writer Students swept in from the cold gathered in long lines, waiting eagerly for the variety of delicious eats from local Tulsa restaurants. It might have been freezing Thursday night, but inside it was cozy and cheerful as students gathered in small groups, enjoying all manner of foods, sweets and drinks.

Featuring 25 different restaurants from around Tulsa, Taste of Tulsa was a success.

There was a plethora of options that appealed to all kinds of eaters, from vegetarians to meat-lovers. There’s no doubt that many of these restaurants are familiar to those who love exploring good eats around TU, but there were also businesses from the greater Tulsa area that students may have not been exposed to, such as Shawkat’s Grill, which offers Lebanese style dishes; Le Louvre — a French cafe; or Rendang and Co, an Indonesian Bistro.

As a vegetarian, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of options available.

Although it wasn’t as extensive as the meat options, there were still quite a few foods to try, such as the cheese and tomato empanadas from Que Gusto, curry and rice from Bodhi’s Bowl and falafel from Shawkat’s Grill. The falafel was crisp and flavorful.

Que Gusto never disappoints with the empanadas. Other restaurants, however, paled in comparison.

Bodhi’s Bowl could have chosen a better sample to provide the students. Despite the fact that I have greatly enjoyed some of their dishes at Mother Road before, this particular rendition of their curry and rice was lacking in flavor. Elote provided pico bites, which were essentially spicy tortilla chips, but a friend of mine, Heath Fusco, wished that they had brought something more representative of their menu, such as a street taco.

As delicious as the food was, the desserts really stole the show. Le Louvre, Big Baby’s Donuts and Rolls, Onifades, Rose Rock Microcreamery and Sweets & Cream offered a variety of delectable cookies, ice cream and other pastries.

But it was Le Louvre who stole the show.

The pastries were beautifully made, from

Le Louvre provided delicious pain au chocolat for students.

the pain au chocolat to the lemon custard tart. I tried the latter, which struck the right balance of lemon and was decorated with fresh blueberries and a delicate sugar daisy.

There’s something about the combination of sweet treats, a cup of steaming coffee from Topeca and frigid weather that made the experience of trying the pastry so much better.

Taste of Tulsa was a chance to gather with friends and try a variety of free foods from around Tulsa. Although chain restaurants

courtesy Wikimedia Commons

have their appeal, it was nice to try local restaurants and find new favorites. I will definitely be visiting some of these restaurants in-person again! Supporting local restaurants is a great thing to do, especially as the pandemic has placed a burden on small businesses. If you didn’t get a chance to go this time, make sure to check out Taste of Tulsa next year.

the day briefly to evaluate whether I gave myself to the day or not. Irrespective of external feedback, it is a good day if I did and a bad day otherwise.

See Me After Class is a weekly column where a different professor reveals their variety favorites.

Julianne Tran Variety Editor Dr. Sandip Sen is a professor of computer science who received his PhD from the University of Michigan. He is a legend in the Computer Science department, not to mention a thoughtful poet on the side. His work on artificial intelligence is prolific and wellrespected. You can often find him moving class to an arbitrary time or even conducting class from California.

What’s your favorite book? What book would you say all undergrads need to read before they graduate?

Unfortunately, some of my favorite books are in my mother tongue, Bengali, which likely are not accessible to all but a few TU undergraduates. In particular, I view Rabindranath Tagore as perhaps one of the most gifted geniuses that was born anywhere in the world and it is unfortunate that his life work is in Bengali, a language unfamiliar to many parts of the world. His contributions in the diverse fields of literature (all forms including poetry, novel, drama, short stories, essays), music, painting, dance, philosophy, education and others is perhaps unique for mankind. In a sense, he was a one-person renaissance: for Bengalis, he is the equivalent of a Shakespeare, a Beethoven, a Brecht, a Picasso, a Martha Graham, all amalgam-

ated into one. As for his stature and recognition in the Western World, I often say to my students in various CS courses (!), he is the first non-European and the first lyricist to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1913, for “Song Offerings,” a translation of a collection of his poems “Gitanjali” and possibly the least of his literary contributions (it is well-nigh impossible to match the depth, pathos, and nuances of the original). I transliterate (inept renditions of the resonance of his words in my psyche) some of his verses on my website: my tribute to him and my feeble attempt to introduce the western world to his genius and craft. If I were to recommend something in English, I would likely choose from the following: “The Story of Philosophy,” Will Durant (a very accessible and compelling book for any majors that provides a nice perspective of different influential western philosophical masterpieces). I wish, but do not have, a single book to share for corresponding, short summaries of Eastern philosophies.

But I encourage students to read up on the Upanishads (the core philosophy of Indian spiritual traditions), writings of “the enlightened one” Buddha, and the Chinese philosophies of Confucius and Lao Tzu. I strongly believe citizens of the world, and hence the world, would greatly benefit by assimilating the philosophical traditions of both the East and the West.

What’s reading like for you? Is there a specific setting, mood, drink set-up?

To be honest, I read less nowadays and mostly on flights as I travel cross-country regularly. And, for a bit every night before my consciousness goes out! And I reflect on

Is there a movie/show that you always return to?

A couple of Tagore’s 17 volumes are my bedside that I go to most nights. That, more than a movie or show, is my “fixed point,” something I need to return to find understanding/motivation/inspiration/hope. But if I were to name one movie that I think about from time to time, it is “Anand.”

What was the last book/movie/show that you actually found funny?

There was a Bollywood movie “Badhai Ho” that was funny and heart-warming dealing with the cultural taboo in Indian society of a couple expecting a child when their other children are “grown ups!”

What’s your favorite Tulsa restaurant?

Do you have any food/restaurant routines?

“Lanna Thai” (more my “boss’s” favorite and I concur). I savor my wife’s cooking, which extends beyond Bengali cuisine and includes various international cuisines. I enjoy “Mystic Chai” spice tea. I also lately have experimented with a salad recipe: sweet kale salad with hummus as “dressing” and canned boneless, skinless sardines as the protein ingredient.

Is there a media/pop culture/entertainment/music side to you that students wouldn’t expect?

I used to write, direct, act in plays in Bengali in the local community (from 1995 to 2019).

If you had to pick three songs for a Playlist of Your Life, what would they be?

For my personal favorites, in Indian languages, but unfamiliar to TU family: “Akash Bhora Surjyo Tara” by Debabrata Biswas, composed by Tagore, “Anandadhara Bahichhey Bhubone” by Kanika Bandyopadhyay, composed by Tagore and “Aayega Anewala” by Lata Mangeshkar, the most recorded artist in the world between 19481987.

courtesy utulsa.edu Dr. Sen has authored 300 papers on AI research.

And for 3 songs familiar to TU students, my list is: “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong, “Imagine” by John Lennon and the live performance of Adele’s “Set Fire To the Rain” (live at the Royal Albert Hall).

I hear you’re a poet … could you say more?

I write poems in Bengali. Both those and some thoughts/aphorisms I penned in English can be found on my website: http://sandip.ens.utulsa.edu/lekha/ under the “Originals” link.

Here is an excerpt from his “If I Had a Trunk!”: I think I will have it on the top of my head So that I can reach everything all around me I would want it to be white as marble And smooth and a little bit shiny It should not be too small/short, or too large/long Or too narrow, or too wide I think I will like it just the right size!

I can use it as a side pillow if I needed one Or a head pillow if my brother stole mine Or even as a neck pillow for those long distance trips when I cannot fall asleep, an even when I put my head on my mom’s lap, but her neck pillow is too big for me! ...

The State-Run Media

21 February 2022

the

State-Run media It is as the prophecy foretold . . .

The brilliance of TU’s new technology fee After seeing a new fee for TU attendance, most were worried.

Now the truth can pacify.

Taurus — Misery is on its way for the week, Taurus. A man will make you watch a video called “SJWs Getting Owned Compilation,” and you will have to endure its entire 12-minute length. On the plus side, some marijuana dispensaries offer discounts to veterans, so that’s something you can investigate.

Zach Short Tech whiz à la Freddie Benson When many students saw the new technology fee added to their accounts, they met the news with grief, frustration, worry or some combination of the three. Halfway through the first year with this new fee, however, the importance of adding the cost has most people scratching their heads, asking “how did we ever live without this?”

For starters, the technology fee has finally revolutionized the Wi-Fi available on campus. And the transformation has been incredible. No longer do students suffer from blackouts or poor connections, and it has been easier than ever to connect gaming consoles and streaming devices to the network. Of course, without quite as many classes on Zoom and Collaborate, the WiFi would presumably see a great boost to its performance. But this alone does not explain how far it has come. Internet connectivity, at least so far this school year, has continued uninterrupted with higher upload and download speeds than ever before. The flawlessness of campus Wi-Fi alone may atone for the new fee.

And yet, not just the Wi-Fi has seen great change. The technology available to professors across all majors has seen a huge boost, especially with regard to those in Kendall College of Arts and Sciences. The business school still has its outlets and remarkable projector systems of course, but the whiteboards in Chapman Hall shine like crystal and fewer instructors than ever before in the building find themselves still using chalk instead of dry erase. It almost seems as if the university has finally eliminated the resource disparity between departments and colleges. The projector systems in Kendall Hall too have operated like never before, offering incredible ease of use to professors who lecture there with little to no cause for

Gemini — This week greets you with a new gait: heavy, thundering steps, sharpened claws jutting from your feet and a dark, sinister pep to your step. Campus cats will hiss at your skulking figure and flee from your sight. No one will be able to physically best you.

You will be the Accursed Wolfman, and you’ll probably need to contact Student Access to receive some accommodations.

Cancer — You only exist because you assume you do. You are the monster you are hunting. You are the entity you summoned into this realm. Shall we kiss?

graphic by Anna Johns Crowds gather around TU’s Famed Thermostat: behold, it’s the only one that actually functions on campus!

frustration. It has never been easier for professors on campus to deliver their lectures to students and subsequently never easier for students to learn.

In a last change, and one I was personally surprised to see fall under the umbrella of the technology fee, the heating and air systems in campus dormitories have lifted student comfort to arguably the best in the nation. Prior years saw students in campus dormitories complain about climate control in their residences, particularly the heating systems. The usual complaint was that, once it shifted from air conditioning to heating, the system would run rampant and rival the depths of hell in temperature. Students, al-

beit prone to exaggeration, living in places like Fisher West would frequently complain of temperatures as high as the upper eighties! No more, though, because as part of a new initiative from TU problems as pathetically solvable as these no longer plague campus.

Although the new technology fee raised more than a few eyebrows when students first saw it, one can easily identify some places where all the money has gone. All those arguing it was just another cheap way to trickle in a bit more revenue have all stuck their foot in their mouth now. At the University of Tulsa, it really is all about maximizing the student experience.

A love letter to Sodexo

Nowhere at TU can you find a more diverse culture than in the beloved Pat Case dining center. Mold. I am talking about mold.

Kyle Garrison Regularly creates Nestlé CEO fancams Sodexo, known worldwide for its London broil, mediocre at best sushi and private prisons, has run our on-campus dining for as long as anyone cares to remember, or I presume. I didn’t ask anyone. This long-term dedication to the well-being of our students should not go unappreciated.

Rifle Coffee. It tastes like shit, but that is a small price to pay for freedom of speech.

Back before the pandemic, we had The Hurricane Hut and The Pat Case Dining center, which honestly was too many choices for me as a consumer. Because of the pandemic, Sodexo made the sensible choice to minimize chances of infection by concentrating all student dining in the same building. This is Design Thinking at its finest, or so I presume. I didn’t listen in my freshman orientation class. Another positive externality of this great choice is The Hurricane Hut provided the only on-campus access to alcohol, and since its closure not one student has managed to obtain alcohol, eliminating all alcohol-based injuries and completely ridding the campus of hazing.

competent management could they achieve this. The Collins College of Business could learn a few things from them.

Speaking of business, I am sure we all can admire Sodexo’s bold marketing strategy of cornering the market by requiring a meal plan for freshmen and sophomores and by punishing poorer students by making each meal 160% of the base cost in the cheapest plans. Sure, many students go to bed hungry, but all good business plans do that.

While some might argue that they would prefer a food company with fewer torture lawsuits aimed at them, I learned in my business 101 class that morality does not make money. This university has struggled financially in the past few decades. These financial problems have stemmed from one

“... Sodexo made the sensible choice to minimize chances of infection by concentrating all student dining in the same building.”

Only fake TU students eat Chick-Fil-A. Only because they aren’t owned by Sodexo, to be clear. It isn’t the gay thing. Because I support free speech, I make sure to not just give money to those I agree with, but also to those who wish to take away the basic human rights of my loved ones. I am no commie. For this same reason, I only drink Black

Aries — Aries, this week’s prediction is fortuitous! I will be living in your intestines and siphoning your nutrients.

When entering a Sodexo-owned establishment, the workers will always greet you with a smile, as they will be immediately fired otherwise. By firing anyone who even mentions the word “union,” Sodexo ensures that it will be able to maintain its cheap prices, prices comparable to other fine dining establishments in Tulsa. Only through

area: morality. We can no longer afford to give out degrees that do not make weapons for the US military or provide data for the NSA. In that same vein, we cannot let ourselves be held back by a few violations of international law.

Leo — You will wake up in the middle of the night this week, Leo, and find a surprise sitting on the edge of the bed: a woman.

You can pick out enough details to notice her curves, her glistening skin and her gaze frozen upon you, hungry and desiring. She is, of course, an elephant seal during mating season. Booyah!

Virgo — Virgo, you and I both know you’re no penisologist, but this week, you’re obligated to at least take a look.

Libra — Bloody Mary, Medusa, Samara, the mean principal from “Matilda,” The Bride of Frankenstein … They’re all famous female monsters. It’s your assignment to figure this out: what are we doing to our beautiful queens?

Send your report to the Collegian office by the end of the week.

Scorpio — Sportsmanship is a dying value, Scorpio. After class, slap your professor on the ass and tell them, “Good game, bro. Let’s hit the showers.”

Sagittarius — The week ahead will be transformative—literally.

You will wake up as a character in a 90s sitcom. You’ll swear you hear a chorus of laughs after every cheap quip, but no one else will seem to notice. In the bathroom before class, you will be pressured to smoke a cigarette by a group of cool youths. Meanwhile, your best friend Kimberly will be trying makeup for the first time, and it’s going to change her. She’ll join that group of cool youths in the bathroom, and she’ll join their jeers and taunts the next time you go there to piss and are instead corralled by binge-smoking nicotine-pushing teenagers.

Better practice your touching reunion speech for when she learns the errors of her ways and stops wearing that whorish clown paint, Sagittarius!

Capricorn — The Ancient Egyptian sun god Ra weighs your heart on a scale with a feather and decides the weight of your sins. Lay out your offerings this week, Capricorn.

Aquarius — Haters want to see you in a padded cell. You’re the guy bringing back the word “derp” in everyday conversation.

Pisces — Hey, it’s me again, just lovingly pleading you to write for the Collegian. Would it help if I said I am writhing on the floor and your name is the only one I know? Hello? horoscopes by Anna Johns