Sports
C-USA and Mountain West merge p. 4
Variety
“Eat, Pray, Love” sequel review p. 6
Opinion
a student newspaper of the university of tulsa
New international house isolates foreign students p. 8
february 21, 2012 issue 18 ~ volume 97
Voter turnout:
2% Uncontested Senators take office This semester’s SA Senate elections boasted a voter turnout of just 88, out of 4,092 students enrolled. This uncontested election places the representative qualities of the Senate in a questionable light. J. Christopher Proctor Sports Editor
T
his week, nine bright-eyed new senators begin their first tasks as representatives of the University of Tulsa’s student body. With the 2012 national elections in full swing, voters have come to expect long, competitive and sometimes nasty campaigns. TU’s student elections, however, are a far cry from the barb-trad-
ing of U.S. politicians. In fact, the voting on Feb. 9 came and went not with a bang, but a whimper. In the Student Association’s spring Senate election, every candidate who entered the race was admitted to the legislative body. Of these, six ran uncontested for their seats. All eight candidates were informed that they were running unopposed. Due to a communication error, however, the Greek Housing seat was actually contested, with Emily Stern defeating Matthew Kniowski 15 votes to six. Though he lost the race, Kniowski was immediately appointed to an open seat by SA Vice President Kyra McNamara, and confirmed by a consensus of the Senate, a fairly common practice following contested elections.
Another senator who decided not to run in the general election was also appointed in this manner, bringing the total number of students joining—or rejoining—SA Senate to nine. In all, fewer than 100 TU students voted, at a university with over 4,000 enrolled. “I think that I’m a pretty accurate representation of the student body in the fact that I don’t know anybody who did vote,” said freshman Joe Daniel. Also on the ballot was a proposed constitutional amendment that would have given the vice president the power to recommend the removal of senators, and given the Senate the power to expel members for “malfeasance or misfeasance.” While the amendment had over
90 percent support—with a vote of 80 to 8—it failed to pass, as the total voter turnout for the amendment fell far short of the 10 percent of the student body required by the SA constitution. After an effectively uncontested election with an abysmal turnout—roughly two percent of the student body—it may be fair to ask just how well SA Senate represents the views of the student. A Senator’s Story I was one of the uncontested candidates in this race, and was elected by 29 votes to represent the College of Arts and Sciences. With no one opposing my election and fewer than 30 people voting for me, it is hard to fully convince myself that I truly represent
more than my own thoughts and interests. After experiencing the formality of a process by which TU chooses its senators, I began to doubt that the body is a “legislative representative” of the students, as the SA Constitution indicates, but rather a club that is open to anyone with an interest in joining. There seem to be two factors that minimize competition in elections: a lack of interested individuals and an excess of available seats. Returning Senator Ben Chong touched on the first problem after a three-hour Senate meeting, saying, “We’d like to see more (involvement), but it’s a matter of the interest actually being there.” “I think it’s the responsibility
See Senate on page 3
NEWS
21 FEBRUARY 2012
Eye on the world:
Jinan ElSabbagh Student Writer
Africa CAMEROON Over 200 elephants in Bouba Ndjida National Park were killed by Sudanese poachers in a matter of five weeks, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare. The group is urging Cameroonian officials to find the culprits, and help save the orphaned calves that were left behind. If the calves continue to be left in fear, the group says, they will likely die from hunger, thirst and stress.
Asia
safety policy and that regulators were more interested in producing energy than ensuring the safety of Japanese citizens. After the devastating tsunami a year ago and the related nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, a Parliamentary investigative committee has been investigating the meltdown, which caused the evacuation of 160,000 people. Madarame’s testimony comes as the Japanese government aims to reopen idle reactors. Currently only three of the country’s 54 are in use.
Central America HONDURAS
JAPAN Japan’s Nuclear Safety Chief, Haruki Madarame, has admitted that the government had a lax nuclear
A massive prison fire in Honduras has killed at least 300 inmates on Feb. 15. The fire, which officials believe started after an inmate set his mat-
tress on fire, brought public attention to the issues of overcrowding, rioting and abuse in Honduran prisons. The country is a hub for drug trafficking and has the highest murder rate in the world, averaging 82.1 per 100,000 people, almost twelve times the average global rate, according to the United Nations. Many of the prisoners were jailed on drug and murder-related charges. “He may have deserved to be punished, but he did not deserve this,” the daughter of one of the victims said. The majority of the prisoners were apparently killed by smoke inhalation as guards escaped and left the prisoners trapped in their cells until rescue workers arrived. Some prisoners managed to escape through the roof and are now fugitives.
THE COLLEGIAN : 2
Talent show entertains prospective students
Europe ITALY The Italian government says it will pass legislation taxing the Roman Catholic Church for its commercial buildings. Prime Minister Mario Monti and his administration estimate that income from the measure would increase national revenue by $650 million to $2.6 billion. While churches across Europe enjoy tax-exempt status, Italy’s example could be followed by other struggling countries, such as
Allec Wallace / Collegian
TU junior Julian Frazier performs at Sunday’s talent show. He and Steven King took second place at the event, held to welcome “Tulsa Time” prospective students on Sunday.
Greece and Spain, where people have grown weary of tax exemptions for religious institutions. Monti’s proposal, which will be drafted and likely passed through Parliament, comes as 130,000 people signed an online petition calling for the Italian government to revoke the Church’s exempt status.
Middle East SYRIA Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad’s regime has declared a referendum at end of February to vote on a new
See World page 3
LET’S SERVE OUR CITY.
FEB. 25
SERVICE DAY2012
Collins Fitness Center. 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Breakfast, Snacks and Lunch provided. Register by Feb. 15 and receive a free t-shirt.
SIGN UP AS A TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL AT UTULSA.EDU/SA TODAY. SUN 2/26:
THU 2/23: FRI 2/24: Adventures in American Music of the 21st Century
Cain’s Ballroom Hosts Reverend Horton Heat
Phi Mu Alpha and Sigma Alpha Iota present a special event featuring guest pianist/composer Keith Kirchoff. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Lorton PAC’s Gussman Concert Hall. Event is free and open to the public.
Singer/guitarist Jim Heath and his “psychobiliy” trio will be taking over Cain’s with their upbeat blend unique music. Tickets are $21 in advance and $23 at the door. Show starts at 8 p.m., doors at 7 p.m.
Vagina Monologues opens Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 p.m. (doors at 7). Sunday performance at 3 p.m., doors at 2:30. Tickets are $5 for the public and TU students and $10 for TU faculty. Tickets may be reserved in advanced by e-mailing TUVaginaMonologues2012@gmail. com. Please specify specific date and number of tickets.
International Banquet in ACAC
Jeff Dunham Comedy Show at BOK
The International Student Association hosts a formal event with Asian cuisine, a cultural fashion show and various performances from around the world. The event is in the great hall from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Come early as tickets are limited to 400.
Ventriloquist/comedian Jeff Dunham is set to provide plenty of laughs at the BOK Center along with “Achmed the Dead Terrorist,” “Little Jeff,” and more. Show starts at 5 p.m. Tickets start at $45.
NEWS
THE COLLEGIAN : 3
21 FEBRUARY 2011
“Monologues” returns to TU, spreads anti-abuse message Lorton Performing Arts Center will host a fresh perspective on persistent issues of violence and abuse against women. Emily Callen Staff Writer
One out of every eight women living in Tulsa county has been raped at some point in her life, according to a report by the National Violence Against Women Prevention Research Center. “The Vagina Monologues,” written by Eve Ensler in 1994, seeks to bring attention to violence against women. The play will be performed on February 24, 25 and 26 at the University of Tulsa’s Lorton Performing Arts Center. In 1998, Ensler founded the V-Day Campaign to raise awareness of sexual violence around the world. The campaign allows campus and community groups to use
the script of “The Vagina Monologues” without paying normal fees for rights. The proceeds from each performance support community groups, with a small portion of funds going back to V-Day. This particular TU showing will support Domestic Violence Information Services. DVIS provides a shelter and counseling services for women who have been victims of domestic violence and their children. The center also provides counseling to perpetrators of domestic violence as part of its effort to break the cycle of abuse. Zachary Harvat is co-directing the show. He is pursuing a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, so he came to the show with knowledge about how persistent and prevalent violence against women remains. Being involved with the show gave him a different perspective, Harvat said: “This could be my
See Vagina page 7
Anna Bennett / Collegian
Beth Geatches rehearses her monologue entitled “The Vagina Workshop” in preparation for the upcoming show. Geatches, a junior, had to perfect a British accent for her performance. “Everyone was very invested in the show,” Geatches said.
From Senate on cover SA Constitution allots two senate tee of the Communist Party in of the people that are complaining about (Senate) to take an interest and maybe run,” said new Senator Colin Lehman. However, due to TU’s small size, finding interest in student government may not be a simple matter of stirring a sedentary student body. TU psychology professor Bradley Brummel addressed this problem, saying that the “primary issue is that a TU student’s life is busy. When you say, get involved, how many things can you truly be involved in?”
seats for each of the academic colleges, two seats for the graduate school, and five for the student body at large. Senators also represent each residential community on campus, including dorms, apartments, Greek housing and commuters. Each residential community may elect one senator for each 100 members, with a minimum of one and a limit of five. According to these guidelines, there are 10 academic senate seats, five at-large seats and up to 20 residential seats, according to the total number of residents in each
China or to the Polit Bureau in the old Soviet Union,” Mosher said. “The people who win these quoteon-quote elections ... have been recruited by higher-ups.” Brummel observed that such elections can actually disenfranchise people. “If you’re a politically-minded introvert who knows that you can’t run against somebody who’s in a big frat, because SA elections are notoriously small in terms of the number of people who vote,” he said, “all it’s about is having 200 friends or being able to coerce that many people to vote—so if you’re
“Does being a part of student government align with what students are trying to accomplish? For so many of them, the answer is, ‘not really’” Brummel said that students do not run for office because other activities are higher on their list. “Does being a part of student government align with what students are trying to accomplish? For so many of them, the answer is, not really,” Brummel said. Freshman Kevin Buettner said that most students are poorly informed about SA’s function and elections, but that this was not necessarily a problem. “I feel like SA has done a good enough job with the funds allocated already,” he said. The size of the Senate also affects the outcome of elections. The
Feb. 14 11:45 a.m. Campus Security received information that an employee may have carried a concealed weapon on campus. There were multiple witnesses that provided statements. An interview was set up with the alleged subject. Security officials met with the subject and determined that a weapon had not been carried on campus. It was concluded that the subject was wearing a back brace which may resemble a pistol holster. 6:08 p.m. An officer on patrol was dispatched to Norman Village to the report of a suspicious person. Upon arrival, the officer met with a student who stated that she had heard her door knob jiggling and got up to see who was at the door. She did not recognize the person and vocalized to the individual through the door. The subject fled on foot. Officers surveyed the area but were unable to make contact.
Feb. 13 4:30 p.m. An officer was dispatched to the Pat Case Dining Center to the re-
community. The Senate’s typical membership is usually far fewer than these 35 seats, meaning that in most cases anyone interested in joining can either run uncontested or receive an appointment to an empty seat. Political Apathy Political science professor Michael Mosher said that when elections are uncontested, people are often encouraged to join by current members of the legislative body. “You sometimes think about elections to the Central Commitport of an injured student. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the student who stated that he was walking up the stairs and his crutches slipped out from under him. EMSA was contacted. EMSA arrived and assessed the student and recommended to be transported. The student refused.
Feb. 6
12:23 p.m. An officer was dispatched to meet with a student who stated that she had received a death threat. Upon contact, the student stated that she was walking and a truck pulled up beside her and made the threat. There were witnesses present that provided a vehicle description and direction of travel. Officers were not able to locate that vehicle.
Feb. 4
12:03 a.m. Officers were dispatched to the LPC lot to the report of four suspicious males throwing rocks at vehicles. Upon arrival, an officer attempted to make contact with the subjects. The subjects loaded into a vehicle and left campus. Witnesses identified the subjects as non-students. License plate and vehicle information was recorded. 3:35 a.m. An officer on patrol observed skid marks on South Tucker Drive leading to a damaged sign. The officer investigated the area and determined a car was driving at
not that person, you might say, ‘What’s the point?’” Senior Georgia Brooks said that she has never voted in an SA election. “Not that I don’t think they’re doing anything,” she said, “but it doesn’t seem to affect me.” With so many single-candidate elections, there may be no practical way for students to deny membership to those they feel unqualified to express their views, the Senate runs the risk of becoming unrepresentative. “I feel like if it’s uncontested then it’s just like another club,” Brooks said. an unsafe speed and locked up the brakes, striking the sign. There was a Toyota hubcap in the area.
Feb. 3
7:01 p.m. An officer was dispatched to the Lorton Lot which has been controlled by Manhattan Construction Company. A witness observed a male attempting to tear down the gate to remove his vehicle from the restricted area. Upon arrival, the gate had been removed. Officers located a vehicle matching the description provided by the witness. The vehicle was registered to a student.
Feb. 1
10:32 a.m. An Officer on patrol observed a vehicle with body damage and a flat tire near USA South. The vehicle pulled in to the USA South lot. After making contact, the officer believed the driver to be intoxicated. The driver was a nonstudent and contacted a friend to get her. Due to the location and the incapacitation of the vehicle, Security contacted Allied Towing to have the vehicle removed. 12:00 p.m. While on routine patrol, an officer observed a vehicle exit Norman Village and rapidly accelerate eastbound on 4th street, which was populated with heavy pedestrian traffic. The officer contacted the student. A moving violation was issued.
From World page 2 tional provision which made al-
constitution. The new constitution would give the president no more than two seven-year terms. The state news agency Sana has reported that the constitution, when ratified, “guarantees the dignity of the Syrian citizen and secures his basic rights,” and “turns Syria into an example to follow in terms of public freedoms and political plurality.” The constitution would also eliminate the previous constitu-
Assad’s Baath Party the exclusive leader of both politics and society. In response to the impending referendum, Anas al-Abdah, a member of the opposing Syrian National Council said that, “The main problem is not the constitution, but the fact that the state has complete control over the army and security forces. As long as you keep that, everything else is just empty promises.”
International Banquet celebrates culture
Local and foreign students alike are invited to a formal event with good company and vibrant performances. Staff Report
On Feb. 26, ACAC will host the international banquet in the great hall from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. This formal red carpet event will provide plenty of fun photo ops and is limited to 400 guests (tickets usually run out within two hours). Twelve different countries will be represented in the performance and Asian cuisine will be served. “Between international students it is a big event,” said Aidar Svyatov, President of the Association of International Students. “Everybody wants to participate … way at the beginning of the semester, we already had the performance
stuff set up.” Presentations have varied from traditional dancing, to standup, to musical performances, and this year, Kazakh students will return to put on a comedic piece entitled “From Kazakhstan with Love.” TU student Adreia Franco described how her group from Angola is sure to be an up-beat favorite: “Our songs are with drums, shaking … and there’s no way to stop. We are just active and our performances are like that.” Franco encouraged students of all nationalities to join on Sunday. “I want American people to know about us … and have conversations,” she said. “I would like to have more American people participating so that they can start to see that we are not too different from them.”
SA Senate allocates over $15,000 in latest session Spring Bill 12: Allocates $1715 to the Wesley Foundation for Friday Noon Lunch every Friday at the Wesley Foundation at noon. Spring Bill 29: Allocates $140 to Tri Beta for Tri Beta Initiation on 7 Feb 12. Spring Bill 34: Allocates $2000 to Kappa Delta for Shamrock on 27 Feb 12 in the Mayo SAC from 5pm to 7pm. Spring Bill 39: Allocates $330 to Delta Sigma Theta for Founders’ Day Banquet on 18 Feb 12. Spring Bill 47: Allocates $220 to TU Global Network for Bama Pie Speaker & Lunch on 24 Feb 12 at noon in Helmerich Hall 219. Spring Bill 48: Allocates $4105 to Association of International Students and Kazakh Student Association for International Night on 26 Feb 12 in ACAC Great Hall from 6pm to 9pm. Spring Bill 49: Allocates $147 to Coalition for Women’s Issues for Have a Safe Valentine’s Day on 14 Feb 12. Spring Bill 50: Allocates $3555.77 to ENS Council for E-Week from 20-24 Feb 12 in Keplinger Hall, ACAC, and elsewhere. Spring Bill 51: Allocates $240 to Exercise and Sports Science Club for travel to NSCA Oklahoma State Clinic in Oklahoma City on 3 Mar 12. Spring Bill 52: Allocates $1250 to Kappa Kappa Gamma for Kappaccino Philanthropy Brunch in the KKG House on 18 Feb 12. Spring Bill 54: Allocates $115 to Psi Chi Psychology Honors Society for a screening of Waiting for Superman on 1 Mar 12 in Lorton Hall 207 at 7pm. Spring Bill 55: Allocates $150 to Society of Physics Students for February Meeting on 22 Feb 12 in Keplinger Hall U3 at 12pm. Spring Bill 56: Allocates $360 to St. Theresa’s Women’s Group for a Mini-Retreat on 18 Feb 12 at the TU Catholic Newman Center. Spring Bill 58: Allocates $400 to Tabletop Gaming Society for travel to VisionCon in Springfield, MO from 17 Feb 12 to 19 Feb 12. Spring Bill 59: Allocates $100 to Tau Beta Pi for Tau Beta Pi February meeting on 27 Feb 12 at noon in Keplinger Hall M8. Spring Bill 60: Allocates $320 to Wesley Foundation for travel to All Wesley Regional Conference at Crosspoint Camp in Kingston, OK from 17 Feb 12 to 19 Feb 12.
Sports
21 FEBRUARY 2012
THE COLLEGIAN : 4
Looming superconference: C-USA and Mountain West merge Out of a year’s worth of college athletic conference drama emerges a “superconference” whose effect on TU’s future remains unclear. John Lepine Staff Writer
Last October, Conference USA and Mountain West Conference officials announced a 22-team football partnership beginning in the 2012–2013 school year. After additional shake-ups in conference realignment, the CUSA and MWC have decided to form an entirely new superconference for all sports, beginning as early as 2013–2014. “This is a very positive and exciting step for TU athletics,” remarked Athletic Director Ross Parmley, who was formally announced as the University of Tulsa’s replacement for Bubba Cunningham in January. “We’re positioning ourselves in a conference that provides stability and competition between likeminded institutions.” “Stability” is the key word for Tulsa and the other schools that will form this new conference of
18-24 teams. This academic year has seen the Mountain West Conference lose the high-profile TCU and Boise State programs to the Big 12 and Big East, respectively. Starting in 2013–2014, the Big East also plans to add San Diego State from the MWC and Houston, SMU, Memphis and Central Florida from the C-USA. The Mountain West has also faced the loss of 12-year members Brigham Young University and the University of Utah. BYU is in its first year of Notre Damestyle independence, while Utah is now a member of the Pac12 Conference. Before the announcement of this as-yet unnamed superconference, the loss of Houston, SMU, Memphis and UCF threatened the long-term future of the C-USA. Houston, SMU and UCF combine for seven of 14 appearances in the C-USA football championship game since the last realignment in 2005. Tulsa, Southern Miss and East Carolina claim the other seven appearances (including a majority of the wins), but are located in much smaller television markets than the schools invited to the Big East.
According to the Nielsen Company, Dallas-Ft. Worth is the fifth largest TV market in the United States, with Houston 10th and the Orlando metropolitan area 19th. Memphis, though not a football power, touted its men’s basketball success in campaigning for a Big East invitation. Memphis has won five C-USA men’s basketball championships since 2005, with seven appearances in the NCAA tournament in the past decade, including three trips
conference, however. The new conference, which hopes to host football semi-finals and a championship game, would be on the cutting edge of college football, which seems to be moving away from the BCS system and towards a four- or eight-team playoff. The overall victor of a 24-team conference would be much likelier to receive an invitation to a BCS bowl or college football playoff than the winner of an eightteam C-USA or MWC. A large, innovative, coast-tocoast conference would also command more clout in TV contracts and bowl tie-ins. “TV is the driving force behind athletics right now,” acknowledged AD Parmely. With the scheduled addition of Hawaii, Nevada and Fresno State to the Mountain West, there are currently eight teams expected to join the new conference. The C-USA brings with it Tulsa, UTEP, Tulane, Rice, Marshall, East Carolina, Southern Miss and UAB, while UNLV, New Mexico, Colorado State, Air Force and Wyoming are the current MWC teams that have not yet
“We’re positioning ourselves in a conference that provides stability” to the elite eight and a (vacated) runner-up performance in the 2008 national championship. Memphis is also the 48th largest TV market in the US. Tulsa, which has won more C-USA conference championships than any other school since joining the conference in 2005, is 61st. The C-USA’s loss of four successful athletic programs located in favorable media markets and the continual hemorrhaging of conference champions from the Mountain West is only part of the impetus for creating a new
announced departures. The new conference, which is seeking to add two to six members, would likely be split into four divisions. Potential candidates for expansion include western schools like Utah State, New Mexico State and San Jose State, as well southern teams like North Texas, Louisiana Tech, the University of Texas at San Antonio (which just played its first season in Division I football), and east coast schools like Florida International, Temple and Appalachian State. Of the 16 current members, Tulsa’s closest rival is Rice University in Houston. The addition of UNT in Denton, Texas, would give TU at least one close geographical rival. The Golden Hurricane football program has won 11 straight matches against North Texas, with the most recent loss dating back to 1969. While it is hard to predict how this vast geographical super-conference will effect Tulsa in the coming years, hopefully it will give the Hurricane a greater degree of stability and more opportunities than the current, depleted C-USA.
Hurricane too much Tulsa rebounds with rout of Rice for rival Razorbacks After suffering a heartbreaking overtime loss to Souther Miss, the Golden Hurricane defeated the Rice Owls to stay in the hunt for the C-USA title. Zak Patterson Student Writer
Logan Miller / Collegian
Tulsa duo Clifford Marsland and Ashley Watling celebrate during their 6–1 victory over the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. The pair, ranked No. 3 in the nation, are 18–4 overall and have won their last 7 contests.
GAIM FAYCE!!!@!
Logan Miller / Collegian
No matter who they are, athletes around the world understand that their “game faces” are not always under their control. This weekly column celebrates the sweat, the pain, the strain and the grace that goes into competing as a college athlete. This week’s Game Face is from the Men’s victory against Rice on Saturday. Have a submission for Game Face? Email collegian@utulsa.edu, subject: Game Face
The University of Tulsa men’s basketball team got back on track with a convincing 69–50 win over Rice Saturday night. The victory took place before the largest Reynolds center crowd this season of 5,511. The win came after a devastating loss at conference-leader Southern Miss. Although the Golden Hurricane fought from 15 points down to take a 66–63 lead with six seconds remaining, Coach Doug Wojcik decided not to foul to prevent a three: a decision that proved costly. The Golden Eagles made a three to send it into overtime, and then dominated the overtime session. TU has been resilient all season, however, and that did not change Saturday night against Rice. Sophomore Jordan Clarkson kept his stellar play up, going 5–6 from the three-point line and finishing with 23 points. Senior Steven Idlet continued his recent run of inspired play, coming off the bench to contribute 18 points and five rebounds. Rice’s top-scorer and leadingrebounder Arsalan Kazemi was held in check by the Tulsa postdefenders. He went 0–5 from the field and finished with only 2 points. While the match stayed within reach for the Owls for the majority of the game, they were not able to recapture the lead after the early minutes. TU took a 33–29 lead at halftime then closed the game on a
Logan Miller / Collegian
Junior Scottie Haralson makes an aerial pass over the Rice defenders as Tulsa defeated the Owls 69–50.
20–3 run, which featured several jaw-dropping Clarkson plays, including a double-clutch threepointer. Jordan Clarkson has grown into the closer role for the Golden Hurricane, and his late-game heroics have duplicated what Justin Hurtt was able to do last year. If Clarkson keeps up the pace he has been on his freshman and now sophomore season, he may go down as one of the Tulsa basketball greats.
With three games left in the regular season schedule, TU is in third-place in the Conference USA standings, trailing Southern Miss and Memphis by one game in the loss column. The next two games for the Golden Hurricane are road tests against Tulane and UAB. TU will then conclude the regular season at home with a March 3 showdown against Memphis. The game will be aired on CBS.
Sports
THE COLLEGIAN : 5
21 FEBRUARY 2011
Miners dig up victory in match-up with Hurricane women
Sam Morton Student Writer
According to Miami Marlins’ manager Ozzie Guillen, all-star shortstop Hanley Ramirez is not yet 100 percent on board with playing third base for the fish in the 2012 season. Ramirez is, of course, being moved to third because of the Marlins’ recent acquisition of all-star shortstop Jose Reyes from the New York Mets. In his defense, Ramirez has had a good career so far with the Marlins. He had an off year in 2011, but realistically, a rookie of the year award, an National League batting title and three All-Star nominations should be enough to earn some job security. The Ramirez/Reyes shortstop debate coupled with Ozzie Guillen and Carlos Zambrano inhabiting the same dugout should bring enough drama and Venezuelan rage to keep us interested in the Marlins the whole year.
Photo courtesy Dominican Sports
Although Ramiez my be cool, he is certainly not cool with being supplanted by Jose Reyes.
Don Banks of SI.com reports that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has actually had not three, but four neck surgeries in the past two years. Furthermore, Manning has developed bone spurs in his neck that may require another surgery before he could play again. The common thought around the NFL has been that Manning would be traded to a team that needed a quarterback such as the Redskins or Cardinals. This emerging news, however, makes it seem more likely by the day that the 35 year old Peyton Manning could be forced into an early retirement. This would run very much against the strange, persistent pattern of all-star quarterbacks that get traded or released to different teams to finish their careers out. Johnny Unitas finished his career as a Charger, Joe Montana finished his career as a Chief and Brett Favre finished his career as a Viking. (That last one makes us shudder a little bit.) Though we hate to see a man as talented as Manning being forced to retire, at least we know that the last time he played he was at the top of his game.
Photo courtesy Los That Sports Blog
Will Peyton’s boyish good looks ever grace the football field again?
In case you haven’t caught on to Linsanity yet, the New York Knicks’ Harvard-graduate, undrafted point guard, Jeremy Lin, is taking the NBA by storm. In an epic stretch of 6 games, Lin averaged 26.8 points and 8.5 assists-per-game as he led the Knicks to six consecutive wins. In that same stretch, Lin hit a game winning three-pointer against the Raptors and executed what will perhaps live up to be history’s sickest crossover against John Wall in the Knicks’ win against the Wizards. Though he has only had a few games to show his skill, Lin has been phenomenal. Considering his humble beginnings in the NBA, Jeremy’s success could be called a true Linderella story.
Photo courtesy ESPN
This is likely the first and last time a Harvard jersey will appear in the Bleacher Creature. Thank you, Jeremy Lin.
As the season winds down, TU women’s basketball tries to break from the pack and obtain a higher seed in the conference tournament following the season. Amanda Schenk Student Writer
The University of Tulsa women’s basketball team fell 64–54 to UTEP this past Thursday night in the Reynolds Center. Strong play by the Golden Hurricane was not enough to stop the Miners, who boast a 23–2 overall record. While UTEP dominated most of the game, TU’s women went on timely scoring runs to remind the Miners that, in true Golden Hurricane fashion, they are always chasing the win. TU responded to UTEP’s 17-point lead with 10:55 left in the half by going on a run of their own, scoring 8 of the last 9 baskets in the half and closing the game to within 10 points. Further efforts by the Tulsa women put them at just one point behind the Miners with 12:47 left in the game. The 44–43 score did not last for long, however, and the Miners eventually claimed victory by a 10-point margin. The hard work necessary to stay in a game against such a challenging opponent was echoed in Head Coach Matilda Mossman’s comments after the game. She said, “Our kids did what they needed to do … I am really proud of our team, the way we fought and the way we guarded, particularly in the second half.”
Allie Stewart / Collegian
Junior Jessica McQuin tries to dribble around a Miners defender as Tulsa falls to league leading UTEP Thursday night at the Reynolds Center.
Junior Taleya Mayberry and sophomore Taylor Hooker both played a large role in the fight, scoring 18 and 13 points respectively. Leading in steals—with the Golden Hurricane’s 9 to the Miners’ 4—also helped the team close in on UTEP throughout the game. The loss gave the women a 10-13 record on the season, and at 5–7 in C-USA play, tied them with both Marshall and Southern Methodist University, whom TU will take on at the Reynolds Center on March
1. As the season pulls to a close with only three games remaining in the regular season schedule, wins against strong opponents will be crucial in order to finish up the season with a higher conference ranking. Sunday, the women got a boost to their chances of a higher conference finish by defeating East Carolina 75–70 TU’s women’s basketball will travel to Tulane on Feb. 23 to take on the Green Wave, which is 8–4 in conference play and 19–6 overall.
Tulsa runner Chris O’Hare dominates Tulsa junior Chris O’Hare has already rewritten Tulsa’s record books, and is looking to defend his conference titles as he heads to Birmingham this weekend. John Lepine Staff Writer
TU’s third All-American track runner in school history may not be American-born, but that has not stopped him from tearing up the Conference USA and smashing school records on the side. Junior Chris O’Hare heads to Birmingham this weekend to compete for his third consecutive conference championship in the mile and second consecutive title in the 800 meter race. O’Hare’s journey to becoming one of the top runners in the NCAA begins all the way back in his hometown of Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland (on cold days, he still sports a University of Edinburgh sweatshirt underneath his Tulsa gear). “I had heard that Tulsa was a great school,” O’Hare said, mentioning the success enjoyed by English athletes Lewis Timmins and John Beattie at TU. “It was a program that works well with the British training mode.” He has not regretted his choice. “The more I go through my career at TU, it’s becoming more like a family, because you get to know quite a few sports,” he said. “You don’t get that as much at a big school.” O’Hare is fond of mentioning the “family” feel of TU athletics, which is especially important for student-athletes who are far away from their blood relatives. He may not miss the bleak Scottish weather, but “not getting to see (family) every day” is tough, as is “not getting to come home from a hard training session and just lay on the sofa and have my dogs just mold around me” (O’Hare has two wirehair fox terriers in Scotland). O’Hare Skypes with his family every Sunday, and the camaraderie he has found at Tulsa has kept him from feeling out of place. “Now I really feel like this is actually my home—that I go on holiday to Scotland—which I think is probably part of the whole family community at TU,” he said. He may be part of a tight-knit community, but more often than not on the racetrack, O’Hare finds himself in the loneliest place—first. He won eight of the nine races he competed in last season, his only slip being a second place win at the NCAA indoor mile national championship. Miles Batty of BYU edged him by .13 seconds at that meet. O’Hare’s most recent result was a sixthplace finish in the Wanamaker Mile at the 105th Millrose Games. In what he calls the “best experience I’ve ever witnessed” in his running career, O’Hare finished third among collegiate racers with a 3:56.63 mile. That result qualifies him for the NCAA national championships, but it is not good
Photo courtesy Hurricane Athletics
Chris O’Hare competes in prestigious Millrose Games in New York where he finished third among collegiates and sixth overall. The race was broadcast live on the Reynolds Center scoreboard after the Hurricane’s victory over Houston.
enough in his book. “I’m not happy with how the race ended up,” he said. “I feel like I could’ve run faster, I feel like I was ready to run faster. ... I think I let the big stage get to me a little bit.” But O’Hare recognizes that, scarcely 21 years old, he still has plenty of time to improve. “I’ve watched the race, like, 10 times and written down every single mistake that I made and every single positive that everybody else made,” he said. “There’s so many little things that went wrong, and in a big race, all those little things just add up, and you end up sixth. I don’t normally sit down and write them down, but I feel like I had to this time. ... And if I’m the only one doing it, then that’s good!” Though he did not break the NCAA record for an indoor mile at the Millrose Games, O’Hare has rewritten the Tulsa record books. His sophomore year, he broke the TU records for the mile, the 1,500 meter
and the 1,000 meter, and as a freshman he was part of TU’s fastest ever 4x1,600 relay. He is also two-time defending C-USA champion in the mile and the 1,000 meter and won last year in the 800 meter race. The C-USA championship this weekend is his next race, and he is ready to defend his mile and 800m titles. “I think losing a race and going into the next race is better than winning the previous race, because you’re just ready to tear their heads off.” Asked how much free time there is in the life of a student-athlete, O’Hare responds with a grin: “None when you’re awake.” He typically sleeps six hours a night, and picks his class schedule to allow for a one or two hour nap in the middle of the day to rest up between morning and evening runs. Between TU’s rigorous academics and his athletic training, he has little time for more than sleep. “Free time is overrated anyway, right?”
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21 FEBRUARY 2012
Spiked Punch Lines Improv presents: The Worst Parts of Valentine’s Day Anna Bennett
Photo/Graphics Editor
Once again, Valentine’s Day has decided to make an appearance at the University of Tulsa. This phenomenon is causing a state of twiterpation in many students, and we have not seen this much-impaired judgment since the last Kappa Sig shindig. “Lovedrunkness” is unfortunately keeping many of its victims from seeing the darker side of this warm-n-fuzzy holiday. Luckily, we at SPL have taken off our heart-shape, rose-colored glasses, and we have seen the very worst parts of Valentine’s Day including: 1. The ravenous Valentine Wallaby who only eats candy hearts. 2. Candy hearts in the first place 3. How they changed the candy heart recipe 4. Boys 5. Girls
variety
“Committed” a stimulating and intense work
6. The date itself 7. Lonely People 8. All the girls clamoring to be my date 9. Buying chocolates for myself 10. Its very existence 11. The ride home 12. All of it So next time you feel like frolicking through a meadow of cupcake flowers with your sweetie-pie/poopsie/ preciousssssss, remember that February 14th is not all red roses and naked winged babies. After all, people die on Valentine’s Day too. Now, we at SPL do not condone pointless negativity—unless of course it is funny. If you enjoy whining under the guise of comedy, join us every Monday and Wednesday at 8 pm in Kendall Hall room 110. We will be your Valentine— unless you are ugly.
THE COLLEGIAN : 6
The sequel to “Eat, Pray, Love” is introspective and highly enjoyable. Helen Patterson Student Writer
In “Eat, Pray, Love,” Elizabeth Gilbert chronicles her quest to pull herself—and her life—together following an excruciatingly painful divorce. At the end of this book, she meets and falls in love with Felipe, another survivor of divorce, who is just as mistrustful of the institution of marriage as she is. However, in a twist good enough to be fiction, their plans to remain together (but unmarried) are dashed when Felipe, a Brazilian-born citizen of Australia, is barred from entering the country unless he and Gilbert marry. “Committed” follows Gilbert’s
physical, personal, and intellectual journey as she attempts to come to terms with her approaching marriage. Gilbert is frank about her own liberal views. This may put some readers off, but it is unfair to write the work off because of her views. She examines a bewildering number of different perspectives on marriage as it varies across place and time. She considers and respects the opinions and decisions of others while still remaining true to her own beliefs. Gilbert did her research. Her book is not an egoistic rehashing of her own personal feelings. It is not a traditional romance. It is a genuine attempt to understand the historical, scientific, philosophical, religious, sociological and literary tradition of an ancient and deeply human institution and how she personally fits into it as a 21st century woman. Throughout the work, she addresses the potentiality for great joy, and devastating sorrow, that defines one of the most intimate relationships that men and women can have. The book is a beautiful narrative
about the boundaries of the private and the public self, the duties of the individual and the citizen and how marriage bridges the private and public sectors of life. In addition, Gilbert’s amusing anecdotes and illuminating analysis help keep up the pace. From the start, the reader knows that the book will end with her marriage to Felipe. Yet, she allows the energy and anxiety created of her doubts and worries to permeate the text, giving the work an emotional charge from the first page to the last. Ultimately, Gilbert’s deeply personal and exhaustive scrutiny of matrimony and her own psyche gives her strength to accept her marriage to the man she loves. Though she is weary and battlescarred from her first marriage, she finds a way to weave herself into the ancient tapestry of love and marriage. She chooses to regard her marriage as a “place of quiet subversion” in the midst of a demanding and controlling world in which she and Felipe can have “a little bit of privacy in which to practice love.”
“Extremely Loud” deeply emotional
“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” depicts the tragedy of 9/11 through the eyes of a young boy with a mysterious key. Rich Huxtable Guest Writer
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Anyone who has seen the preview for “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” may be under the impression that this movie rests on the star power of two of America’s favorites, Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock. The truth is that the success of this movie lies squarely on the shoulders of young Thomas Horn, who plays Oskar Schell, a young boy who once shared a solid bond with his father (Hanks) as they enjoyed each other’s company playing games and coming up with adventures together. After the tragedy of 9/11, Oskar loses his dad who is in the World Trade Center when the planes hit. In the aftermath of this tragedy, Oskar and his mom (Bullock) are unable to move on with life. In fact, it seems as if neither of them is even in the same room at the same time. Oskar’s grandmother lives in the apartment across the street, but she and Oskar have most of their conversations over walkie-talkies. Dad seems to have been the glue in this family. After a year without healing, Oskar decides to go into his
Photo courtesy Paramount Pictures
Upon finding an envelope hidden within a vase, Oskar Schell, played by Thomas Horn, departs on an adventure in order to undercover the final mystery his father left behind.
father’s closet. While looking around he accidently drops a vase on the floor. Within the pieces of broken vase he finds a key inside an envelope inscribed simply with “Black.” Convinced that this is a clue from his departed father for an adventure, Oskar tries to find out what this key will open. He decides to interview everyone in the five boroughs of New York with the last name of Black. Soon after, a mysterious boarder arrives and rents out the apartment next to Oskar’s grandmother. He is referred to only as the Renter, and Oskar decides to ask him if he would like to help him find what the key fits. But the Renter (Max Von Sydow) either cannot talk or will not talk.
Throughout the rest of the movie, we watch Oskar and the Renter meet people by the name of Black, to see if they have any idea what the key opens. The film’s pace picks up as this relationship plays out. Max Von Sydow earned an Academy Award nomination for his silent portrayal of the Renter. The climax has a definite emotional payoff. Although the film drags a bit at the beginning, the end made up for what the movie might have been lacking up to that point. The plot became much more interesting once the Renter entered the action. While this movie is not one of the best of this year’s crop of Academy Award nominees, it is one you should see.
THE COLLEGIAN : 7
Variety
21 FEBRUARY 2012
By Cory Bys
Best Cards to Get in Apples to Apples 1. Helen Keller—Definitely the Apples to Apples wild card. 2. Adolf Hitler—Play with any negative adjective for an instant victory. 3. Women—Chau off your creative word associations! Photo courtesy Studio Ghibli
The lives of both Arrietty, played by Bridgit Mendler, and Shawn, portrayed by David Henrie, change drastically once Shawn discovers his mysterious housemate one evening.
Studio Ghibli film a visual delight
4. “Schindler’s List”—Too soon? 5. Aids—Definitely too soon. 6. My body—Obviously. 7. Witch hunts—Play with
Helen Patterson Student Writer
From Vagina page 3
mother, it could be my grandmother, it could be my younger sister. The show puts a face to statistics, makes it more personal, makes the problem more real.” It has been four years since “The Vagina Monologues,” has been performed at TU. The show has traditionally been sponsored by the Women’s and Gender Studies program. Professor Jan Wilson encouraged Harvat, who has theatre experience, to direct, telling him it was time for another performance on campus. At first, Harvat had qualms about directing “The Vagina Monologues” because he was concerned about authenticity: He does not have a vagina. When Caitlin Dryke offered to co-direct, those worries were laid to rest. “I’m really impressed at everything that Zach has put together,” Dryke said, “He’s done most of the leg work.” Eighteen actresses will perform in the show, which is based on Ensler’s interviews with real women. Talking about vaginas on stage before an audience of peers is not easy, and is not being undertaken lightly. “Zach and I are very impressed with the level of talent and professionalism of the cast, even those with no theatre experience. It’s been a pleasure to see how into their roles everybody has gotten.” Coordinating more than twenty schedules has been challenging, but cast members have made rehearsals a priority. According to Dryke, at many campuses “The Vagina Monologues” is old hat, but at TU the message remains urgent and relevant. “The war on women going on in public discourse makes this message more important than it’s ever been,” she said. Harvat had another perspective on the
8. Anne Frank—Best played with ‘irresistible’ and ‘charming’. 9. Girl scouts—If played correctly this yields the best results. 10. Beer bellies—This is the underdog of apples to apples, definitely the most underrated card. Charlie Spears and Will Brierre contributed to this TU Ten.
Action-packed “Chronicle” bound to grab attention
“The Secret World of Arrietty” is slow, but worth seeing.
“The Secret World of Arrietty” is the latest film from Studio Ghibli. It is loosely based off the novel “The Borrowers” by Mary Norton. The film centers on the young and vivacious borrower, Arrietty, and the human boy with a heart condition that she befriends, Shawn. The score is entrancing, and the visuals are incredibly lush and beautiful when coupled with the film’s almost tangible delight in playing with perspectives. The only unfortunate thing is that the scenery occasionally seems out of focus when the camera zooms out. Whether this is the fault of the movie theater or the film is hard to tell. The viewer is given beautiful close-ups of flowers, plants and everyday household objects. A nearly magical quality infuses these familiar, yet alien images. When Arrietty sees a human kitchen for the first time, she is too overwhelmed by the sheer size of it even to know what it is. Insects are also humorously used to remind the viewer of the change in size. The two main characters, Arrietty and Shawn, must grapple with how to live their own lives in a world that can be cruel. Arrietty’s size makes day to day survival a serious affair. Shawn’s heart condition forces isolation and confrontation of his own mortality that makes him too wise too
‘exhausting’ and ‘informative’.
Photo courtesy Studio Ghibli
Aside from carrying out ‘covert operations’ to borrow supplies from their unsuspecting housemates, Arrietty and her family go unnoticed and remain hidden from view in a suburban garden home.
young. While the coming-of-age theme is delicately and subtly handled, there is also a bitter edge to it, as both characters must accept the way the world is with their own limitations, at an early age. But humor is also prominent. A wonderful cast of secondary characters, comic animals and clever, sometimes bizarre dialogue add a lot to the film. Yet, there is something lacking. The film is not long, but it feels slow in some places. The very things that strengthened it—the realistic characters, the measured pacing— also make it dragging at times. It is hard to suspend disbelief throughout the movie. The ending also seems a little abrupt and unsatisfying. The movie is definitely worth seeing, but it will not hold the attention of younger viewers. purpose of the show: “As one of the monologues says, ‘women secretly love to talk about their vaginas because no one ever asks them.’ Why shouldn’t they be able to (talk about their vaginas)?” From abuse victims to a dominatrix, the monologues are given from a variety of perspectives. “The biggest message is variety,” Dryke said, “it’s not ‘all women are like this’ but ‘women need a voice.’” Harvat and Dryke both hope that the audience will include many groups from the TU campus and surrounding community. “We hope the audience extends beyond the usual suspects,” Dryke said. Each year the V-Day Campaign includes a spotlight monologue. This year, the spotlight calls attention to the violence faced by women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, and New Orleans. The monologue highlights the universality of this problem. “Because of national issue, women’s issues and women’s rights (in these places) kind of get pushed down,” Harvat said, “it’s not about feeling bad for these women.” Instead, the monologue sends an empowering message: despite all that these women have been through, whether natural disaster or civil war, they are still carrying on. The show will run for about an hour and a half. The Friday and Saturday performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. and doors will open at 7 p.m. The Sunday performance is at 3 p.m., doors at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for the public and TU students and $10 for TU faculty (Harvat notes that this was Dr. Wilson’s idea). The third performance was added because of a high level of interest, and tickets may be reserved in advanced. To reserve tickets, e-mail TUVaginaMonologues2012@gmail.com. Be sure to include the date of the performance and the number of tickets to be reserved.
Director Josh Trank’s “Chronicle” is full of special effects that become more incredible as the film progresses. Rich Huxtable Guest Writer
Give the movie “Chronicle” credit for one thing: it never has a dull moment. Dane DeHaan stars as Andrew Detmer, a high school student from Seattle without a lot of positives in his life. His mother is ill. His dad is an abusive alcoholic. He is the recipient of a lot of bullying at school. For reasons that only make sense to Andrew, he starts to video record his entire life. In fact this first-person perspective frames the entire film, much like the iconic styles of the “Blair Witch Project” or “Cloverfield”. Andrew’s cousin Matt Garrety (played by Alex Russell) convinces Andrew to go a high school rave. Andrew begrudgingly accepts the offer but is soon kicked out of the party, because people do not like his constant filming. Outside the party, Andrew runs into Matt’s friend Steve Montgomery (played by Michael B. Jordan). Matt and Steve have made a discovery outside and want Andrew to get it on video. They take Andrew back behind the party where there is a huge hole in the ground. Steve drops into the hole and the other two follow. They keep climbing down further and further and no one is really sure what it is they see in the end.
The next day the three teenagers realize they have gained strange powers of telekinesis, and the movie kicks into high gear. As the boys continue to expand on what they can do with their powers, the movie gets wilder and crazier. Luckily, Andrew is able to capture it all with his camera always at his side (and sometimes floating from creative perspectives in the air). There are many exciting scenes throughout “Chronicle.” And, the final third of the movie packs a real special effects wallop. Every once in a while an unknown director and some unknown actors put together a movie worth spending your money on. “Chronicle” is that kind of movie.
Opinion
21 FEBRUARY 2012
THE COLLEGIAN : 8
Brown’s presence at Grammys disturbing Inviting Chris Brown back to the Grammys implies that domestic violence is of little consequence and subtly condoned by American society. Patrick Creedon
Student Writer
On Feb. 9, 2009, famous American entertainer Chris Brown turned himself into the Los Angeles Police Department for domestic assault. Brown beat his then-girlfriend Rihanna into an unrecognizable state. The aftermath of this event is baffling. Three years later, Brown and Rihanna performed on the same stage. It should have been clear to anyone at the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences that this was not a good idea. In August of 2009, Brown was sentenced to five years of probation and 180 hours of community service after pleading guilty to the felony charge.
That means he should be on probation until 2014. Despite this, Brown was kept off the Grammys’ guest list for only two years. This is not to suggest that Brown needs to have the rest of his life ruined for what he claims was a onetime mistake. It certainly could be a singular regrettable loss of control. However, it would help if the man seemed the least bit repentant. On his Twitter feed after getting the Grammy Award for best R&B album, he wrote “HATE ALL U WANT BECUZ I GOT A GRAMMY Now! That’s the ultimate F*** OFF.” Now, the man seems to have confused people greatly disliking his music with greatly disliking him for having violently assaulted another person. Something similar happened in 2004 with the backlash against Kobe Bryant in the face of rape allegations. Bryant later went on to make a commercial asking people to “hate him because (he’s) a hard worker.” It is this apparent lack of awareness of the gravity of these violent assaults by celebrities that is so disturbing. Brown still behaves aggressively when the situation is brought up. The most notable example being his outburst while offstage on Good Morning, America when he threw an object through a window
before marching into Time Square without a shirt. This seems to suggest that his rage was not a onetime thing, making the situation all the more unsettling. Perhaps the most distressing part of Chris Brown’s seemingly innocuous return is the lack of mainstream media attention. Apart from a rather on-point indictment by Fox News’s Andy Levy, not much has been reported except through various blogs on the internet. This is not to say that the world has forgotten what Chris Brown has done. Various image captures of trending topic on Twitter #chrisbrown found a large multitude of young women saying they would allow the R&B singer to beat them because of how good looking and good at singing he is. This blatant acceptance of such a horrid act is disturbing. It implies that our society will permit a man to beat a woman because he is entertaining to watch. Even more damning is the response from the Grammy producers. When confirming that Chris Brown would be performing, producer Ken Ehrlich said, “We’re glad to have him back. I think people deserve a second chance, you know. If you’ll note, he has not been on the Grammys for the
Photo courtesy Timeless Trance
past few years, and it may have taken us a while to kind of get over the fact that we were the victim of what happened.” This man appears to be claiming that the Grammys were the victim of Brown’s actions, not Rihanna. This whole situation is an acute reminder of a chronic problem in America. Women’s concerns are
constantly being deflated by a society taught that violence against women is excusable when the perpetrator is famous. This sends the devastating message that such violence is subtly accepted by society, especially when so few people have come to Rihanna’s defense.
New housing plan presents problems Housing’s new International Living Community initiative, while a welcome attempt, will further divide domestic and international students by keeping large portions of the international population in one place. Connor Fellin
Student Writer
Back when I was searching for a college, I recall receiving a variety of forms from my high school guidance department asking me to clarify my priorities in selecting a school. The broad categories that these forms considered never really changed, and—alongside “academic strength,” “location” and “size”—they always included “diversity.” The implication was that you wanted college to be an experience that would expose you to new and challenging ideas by encountering diverse cultures. Despite how little the University of Tulsa plays it up during the admissions process, it has a healthy amount of diversity, most of which comes from the many international students attracted by our strong engineering programs. The attitude with which the average TU student approaches the international students among them, however, does not appear to be one of exploration. Though they attend classes, eat in the cafeteria, and live in residence halls, most of us have not had more than a few brief words with a foreign exchange student. More often than not, we keep to ourselves unless forced to, leaving
Graphic by Lucas Forsythe
an overwhelming majority of international students with no choice but likewise to keep to themselves. Into this self-inflicted division comes the TU Housing’s newest initiative, the International Living Community. According to the student life section on TU’s website,
shake up the status quo when it comes to international students. That being said, the International Living Community is exactly the wrong thing to do. It gives the TU community at large an opportunity to exacerbate the division between domestic and internation-
Perhaps those who are already reaching out to international students will have an opportunity to further engage the various cultures they represent, but the student body has a whole will grow even more out of touch. American students, however,
“Perhaps the best answer is the simplest one—get up and get to know the people who live across the hall from you.” the International Living Community would consist of LaFortune House and 7th Street House and would seek to include “a balanced population of domestic and international students.” Now, kudos to TU Housing for doing something—anything—to
al students. Now instead of having cliques of international students within diverse dorms, the international population of TU will be conveniently concentrated within—though certainly not limited to—their own section of campus.
will not be the only ones who lose if international students become more isolated form the student body. Much more so than the average American student, the international students are in college to learn about themselves through others
different from then. They need contact with Americans to really understand American expectations or grow more fluent in English. When we are too preoccupied with our own cliques to engage them in dialogue, we cheat both ourselves and them of this experience. And nothing breaks off the opportunity for dialog like separate housing. I admit that I am a part of the problem. I occupy my time with my own cliques that only occasionally come into contact with international students. But that doesn’t mean we can not improve as a community. Perhaps the best answer to the diversity problem is the simplest one—get up and take the time to really get to know the people who sit in front of you in class or live across the hall from you. You may live amongst Americans like you for the rest of your life; now’s the time to explore.
opinion
THE COLLEGIAN : 9
21 FEBRUARY 2012
Scientific fact is not a matter of political opinion America’s conservative elements continue to disregard known scientific fact, portray scientists as corrupt and tear down higher education—all without any real authority in those matters. Lily Clough Student Writer
For example, Rick Santorum has waged a war on higher education, claiming that it liberalizes young people and makes them stray from their faith—that is, universities are corrupting the nation. Never mind that he went to law school. He also calls climate change a “hoax” and does not “believe in” evolution. Michelle Bachmann, an early GOP contender, believed that certain vaccinations were absolutely the cause of mental retardation in many children. She, of course, held similar views of climate change and evolution. Mainstream American conservatism is
lectualism. This perspective, if it becomes widespread, will hinder scientists and doctors from being able to perform their jobs, and it will severely cripple the ability of teachers to educate, meaning America will continue to fall steadily behind the rest of the world in its ability to educate its citizens. To believe, as many GOP frontrunners do do, that American public schools need to incorporate alternate teachings in the science classroom and let the students decide which is true implies that there is not a real answer. In the realm of science, a scientific theory, having gone through the rigorous work-
At times, modern conservatism could almost be defined as the belief in the absurd. Analyzing various quotes from the GOP nominees regarding topics such as climate change, evolution, the validity of science and the ability of Nobel Prize winning economists paints a dark and dismal picture of the Republican Party. Science, of all things, should have no place in the realm of political rhetoric, for science resides in the realm of factual data. Yet, conservatives frequently take positions that are scientifically unsound (and somehow, still find a following in the public.)
frighteningly detached from reality. The most public conservative figures, the GOP nomination contenders, seem to entirely reject the use of facts in their political arguments. They have succeeded in convincing many people that scientists are liars and manipulators of data. This is an extremely damaging viewpoint, and one that puts the entire country in grave peril of becoming dominated by anti-intel-
up of the scientific method and the process of peer-review, is as solid as the facts it is based on. Amongst such theories are Einstein’s theory of relativity, nuclear theory, atomic theory, Newton’s theory of gravitation, the theory of evolution and climate change theory. The existence of space and time, nuclear science, the existence of atoms, the existence of gravity, the validity of evolution
“The existence of space and time, atoms and gravity are not subjects of political opinion.”
Engagement necessary to preservation of democracy tions beyond simplistic sound bites of “lower taxes” or “change.” Such simplification fails to adequately address the complexity of the problems we face the magnitude of the solutions we need. An informed, engaged individual should make a good-faith effort in understanding the economic forces that shape the world. One has to look no further than President Obama’s proposed spending cuts and tax burdens in his new 2013 budget to see how Washington decision-making affects the very fabric of our lives. If we proceed with a parochially narrow outlook and disregard the sobering problems our generation will inherit, then we will fail to take responsibility for our individual and societal well-being. It has been suggested that our society simply needs a moon shot, some sort of unifying challenge, that wakes us up from the distracting, pervasive chatter and inspires us to a higher, productive mission. Such thinking, however, is nothing but a convenient excuse. Big, real challenges already exist, yet we refuse to focus and remain attentive to the problems directly in front of us. The Supreme Court ruling on Citizens United, the concomittant rise of the “Super PAC,” inevitable Medicare reforms, and fiscal and monetary policy are certainly large extant challenges. These problems will affect young taxpayers and elderly entitlement beneficiaries. To say America lacks challenges is clearly false. The experiment of American self-governance has worked remarkably well in the past due to our capacity to rise to the moment, intelligently engage with the political sphere and enact meaningful reforms. A return to a vibrant, renewing democracy is still possible. The proper question is: Will our attention turn to Kim Kardashian’s divorce proceedings or something more consequential? The answer will reveal which direction our nation is headed.
The inability to effectively gather and process important information threatens the efficacy of American self-goernance. Neal Sharma Student Writer
America’s fascination in keeping up with all things Kardashian serves as a test case for our democratic potential. Why does our culture allow for empty stories, such as Kim’s 72-day marriage, to dominate conversation instead of more pressing concerns? Our Adderall-laden society is now directly in the midst of an attention crisis. The fundamental problem lies in our collective inability to focus and deal with growing complexity. The public thirsts for simplistic, vacuous news stories over substantive information that requires deep concentration. With the vast number of resources readily available, individuals are now capable of informing themselves about virtually any topic. Unfortunately, discerning information that is both important and true is proving troublesome. Even former Republican presidential contender Herman Cain, when interviewed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, could hardly articulate a coherent assessment of America’s position on Libya because he “got all this stuff twirling around in (his) head.” Our struggle to think linearly—organize information, place it in perspective and analyze it critically—is precisely the reason the foundations of American democracy are disintegrating. Our nation has trouble formulating solu-
and the validity of climate change are not subjects of political opinion. Furthermore, Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachmann, Mitt Romney or other politicians are egregiously under-qualified to be contradicting and offering their “opinions” of these scientific facts. Often we find that science is at odds with mainstream religious beliefs. We know that Galileo Galilei was persecuted by the church for publishing his findings concerning the orbits of the planets and the earth in the solar system. What is happening with climate change and evolution is no different. Sometimes we are presented with indisputable data that directly contradicts what we previously believed to be true. That does not change the validity of such facts, nor does it change the fact that scientific theories should not be issues for political platforms. For the sake of the Republican Party, conservatives should think logically about what their nominees are trying to convince them of—that science is not real, and that theological beliefs supersede and are more valid than science and law. This is indeed a party that urgently needs its constituents to speak out about issues that are debatable and relevant, and to urge their leaders to put away their tinfoil hats about issues that are not.
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(collegian@utulsa
upcoming events at
Sharp Chapel Monday: Fair Trade Coffee: Learn more about the fair trade mission and grab some free coffee and tasty chocolate in the Atrium from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Lunch with Calvin: Reading and discussion over John Calvin with lunch at 12 p.m. in the upstairs conference room. Wednesday: WOW (Worship on Wednesday): Uplifting praise music and a chapel service in the main sanctuary at 12 p.m. followed by lunch. Thursday: Apologetics for Lunch: Reading and discussion over John Scott’s writings with lunch at 12 p.m. in the Atrium. Gateway Late-Night Worship: Fellowship, a message and great student-led worship at 9 p.m. in the Atrium. Friday: PLS Lunch: Come learn more about PLS (Presbyterian Leaders and Scholars) and hear a message from a different fellow student each week at 12 p.m. in the Atrium.
ts rsity of State ormation.
MAR CH 1
, 2012
Each year, up to $500,000 is awarded to student majoring in petroleum-related fields at the University of Oklahoma, the University of Tulsa and Okla homa State University. Visit oerb.com/scholarships for more information. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2012.
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1/27/12 2:51 PM
21 FEBRUARY 2012
Opinion
“Living on campus, you are exposed to so many organizations and activities and people, there is never a dull moment.” - Travis Brachtenbach - Class of 2014
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