a student newspaper of the university of tulsa
april 1, 2013 issue 21 ~ volume 98
New AD Gragg hopes to improve compliance after Parmley firing Dr. Derrick Gragg brings high expectations, a history of integrity to TU. Steven Buchele Student Writer
O
n March 22, the University of Tulsa announced that Dr. Derrick Gragg would be the next vice president and director of athletics. Gragg will fill the position left by former Athletic Director Ross Parmley, who was fired in December after being named in an FBI investigation into an Oklahoma City gambling ring. In a press conference introducing him as TU’s new AD, Gragg described himself as a “man of
Courtesy of KRMV
Dr. Derrick Gregg, formerly athletic director at Eastern Michigan University, will replace Ross Parmley as TU’s director of athletics in addition to serving as Vice President.
integrity.” According to TU’s athletic department, Gragg authorized two Title IX studies at Eastern Michigan, bringing the school into better compliance with gender equality rules. “I’m one of the few athletic directors in the country to have that kind of compliance background,” Gragg said of his time at University of Missouri, University of Arkansas and University of Michigan. “(I’ve seen) what kind of damage could be done when you don’t follow the rules.” As the director of intercollegiate athletics at Eastern Michigan University, Gragg oversaw the hiring of ten coaches, the construction of a new indoor athletic practice facility and the development and day-to-day affairs of a Division I athletic program. He has been recognized at events like the NCAA Presidential Summit, Future Coaches Academy, Champions for Athletic Directors and Football Coaches and the NCAA Annual Convention. Gragg has also participated in organizations like the NCAA’s Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, Big Brothers/ Big Sisters, the NCAA Legislative Council and Black Coaches and Administrators. “Anyone that knows me knows that I’m ... student athlete-centered,” Gragg said. He also said he was impressed with TU’s student athletes’ performances both in and out of competition and that he intends to continue that culture of achievement and service.
“We are going to take care of the student athletes,” Gragg said. “In taking care of the student athletes, we expect them to do something and give something back.” As athletic director, Gragg has high expectations—“demands” he
called them—for the students he will be responsible for. “First and foremost,” Gragg said, “require them to go to class, obtain knowledge and earn a degree.” Gragg also expects student
athletes to “train like (champions),” while remaining part of the mainstream campus society. Gragg envisions student athletes being more than “just jocks” and
See Gragg page 3
Imagine Dragons rocks TU
Oscar Ho / Collegian
Imagine Dragons delivered the largest concert in both TU’s recent memory and the history of the band Tuesday at the Reynolds’ Center. In addition to an estimated fifteen hundred students, who were let in half an hour early to take the floor, 5,150 nonstudents purchasing $77,250 worth of tickets attended the concert. For more Springfest coverage, see p. 4.
Delivery truck driver shot at Papa John’s Robert Horton, 53, was killed outside the Papa John’s at 11th and Delaware. Cara Dublin Student Writer
A
s most university students dozed off the memories of Friday night, a far more somber event took place around 6:15 a.m. on March 23 outside the Papa John’s Pizza at 11th and Delaware. Delivery truck driver Robert Horton, age 53, of Arlington, Texas, was shot twice by in what police say was a robbery attempt by three teens, who drove off, leaving Horton on the pavement behind the restaurant. Horton worked for UPS, but he had held a regular subcontract for
eight years to deliver dough and other pizza ingredients to Papa John’s restaurants across Oklahoma and North Texas, based out of Papa John’s distribution center in Grand Prairie, Texas. He and a co-worker from Dallas arrived in a semi truck to complete the standard delivery. His partner was inside the restaurant when he heard a loud crashing noise outside, and thought that Horton had fallen or dropped the pans as he was unloading. Tulsa Police Department Corporal Dan Miller told news sources that there was definitely “some kind of altercation.” The partner ran out the back door to find Horton lying on the ground near the truck, and initially believed that Horton had suffered
Courtesy of Oklahoma News on 6
Robert Horton, pictured with his wife Lisa, left behind two children when he was shot outside the Papa John’s on 11th street.
Courtesy of KRMV
Tragedy struck at the familiar Papa John’s on 11th Street when delivery trucker Robert Horton was shot in the chest while waiting outside. Police have charged teenage boys Jermaine Savoy, Damain Anderson and Frankie Jackson with the murder.
a heart-attack. He called EMS and began giving CPR until the ambulance arrived. At St. John’s Hospital that morning, Horton was pronounced dead after two gunshot wounds were discovered in his chest. A hospital nurse used Horton’s own cell phone to call his wife, Lisa Horton, with whom he had recently celebrated his 30th wedding anniversary. Picking up the phone, Lisa expected to hear Horton’s own voice, but was instead told that her husband had been shot in the chest.
“Is he alive?” Lisa Horton asked. “No, ma’am,” said the nurse, according to Lisa Horton’s account given to media sources. Surveillance videos from nearby businesses revealed a grainy picture of a small, dark-colored SUV which the shooters had driven past the restaurant. Tulsa police put out a watch for the vehicle, and spotted it on Peoria around 1:30 a.m. on March 25. It was apprehended near 41st and Harvard later that morning. The driver was a 15-year-old, who was
interviewed and released. The two 17-year-old passengers and a third teenager of the same age were arrested and taken to the Tulsa county jail. Jermaine Savory, Damian Anderson and Frankie Jackson have been charged with first-degree murder. Each has a prior juvenile arrest record, and none are known to have confirmed gang connections. While media sources and the Tulsa police have theorized that
See Shooting page 4
K-Dub Food Truck Festival Volunteers are needed at the Kendall Whittier Food Truck Festival on April 6th at the corner of Lewis and Admiral. The events start at 9 A.M. for before-event set-up, noon–5 P.M. for during events, and 5 P.M. for after-event tear-down. Kendall-Whittier Testing Kendall-Whittier Elementary will begin state testing soon and many volunteers are needed to monitor class rooms. Volunteers are needed April 10 th, 11th, 12th, & 16th from 8:15–11:30 and April 17th, 18th, & 19th from 8:15–11:30. Children’s Book Drive Reading is the foundation for success in school and life, yet many children do not have books within their homes. April 1st – April 12th we will be collecting books for Pre-K thru 6th grade to benefit the Lighthouse Charter School in north Tulsa. Collection bins will be placed in Chapman Hall, Helmerich Hall, McFarlin Library, McClure Hall, Collins Hall, Oliphant Hall, and Holmes Student Center. Anyone interested in any of these or other volunteer opportunities should contact Kathy Shelton in the True Blue Neighbor Volunteer Center at kathy-shelton@utulsa.edu
News
the Collegian : 2
1 April 2013
So what if Spring Break’s over. You can still go to Mexico. It’s as close as the nearest Taco Cabana. Savor the flavors of Mexico. All made fresh. Right here at Taco Cabana. Don’t forget TC’s $3 Happy Hour. Every day from 4–7pm.
Join the conversation. ValiD THrU 4/30/13
Buy one Breakfast Taco Combo, Get one Breakfast Taco FREE Choose from bean & Cheese, Potato & egg, bacon & egg or Chorizo & egg. barbacoa, brisket and Steak Tacos extra.
VAlId duRIng bReAkfAST houRS only. one coupon per person, per visit. not valid with any other offer. not available for online orders. guest pays all applicable taxes. AT PARTICIPATIng loCATIonS. COUPON CODE 176
ValiD THrU 4/30/13
Two can dine for 9.99 Choice of two plates and two 20 oz. drinks: • flauta Plate • Taco Plate (beef or Chicken, soft and crispy) • Chicken fajita Taco Plate (Steak fajita extra)
one coupon per person, per visit. Alcohol not included. not valid with any other offer. not available for online orders. guest pays all applicable taxes. AT PARTICIPATIng loCATIonS. COUPON CODE 150
ValiD THrU 4/30/13
Buy two Fajita Tacos, Get free
20 oz. Drink and personal Chips & Queso Chicken or Steak
one coupon per person, per visit. Alcohol not included. not valid with any other offer. not available for online orders. guest pays all applicable taxes. AT PARTICIPATIng loCATIonS. COUPON CODE 174
Sports
1 April 2013
the Collegian : 3
Tulsa out-swings UCF in series shutout Sam Morton Student Writer
The Heat’s streak is finally over. Stopped just six games short of the ‘71-72 Lakers’ NBA record of 33 consecutive wins, the Heat fell to the Chicago Bulls last week 101–97. Beating the Heat this year is an impressive feat in itself, but what’s more impressive is that the beat-up Bulls did it without Derrick Rose, without Joakim Noah, without Rip Hamilton and without Marco Belinelli.
Will Bramlett / Collegian
Tulsa senior Lacey Middlebrooks makes a hit in Friday’s series-opener against UCF. Middlebrooks, Samantha Cobb and Julie Kernen each had a home run in Friday’s earlier game, the first of the three Hurricane wins that comprised the series. On Saturday Tulsa pitcher Aimee Creger threw a one-hit game for a 7–0 shutout in Tulsa’s favor.
From Gragg on cover
and developing to a point “where they can be successful after sports.” One of the most important things for Gragg is compliance. “I expect our student athletes, our coaches and everyone else (involved) to follow the rules,” Gragg said. Gragg was hired through Carr Sports Associates, a Gainesville, Fla.-based search firm, which sent the school a list of recommendations for the interview process. In all, more than 200 people applied for the position. “When you see 200 people applied for a job, you need to take a step back,” Gragg said. “The one thing I did say was if anybody did a better job than I did in that interview, they are pretty good.” Gragg graduated from Vanderbilt in 1992 with a bachelor’s in human development, earning a master’s in sports administration from Wayne State University in 1999 and a doctorate in higher education from the University of Arkansas in 2004. “Vanderbilt is in the same academic type of footprint as Tulsa,” Gragg said. “I think ... I can really identify with the student athletes at an institution like this ... I have always been interested in coming to an institution where academics are a priority.” Gragg will face some uncertainty about how the NCAA will respond to the events surrounding Parmley’s dismissal. President Steadman Upham said, “TU has ... a handful of questions (remaining) with regard to NCAA compliance and conference realignment.” However, Upham feels confident that Gragg’s experience will prove beneficial when tackling those questions. Gragg sees TU’s biggest challenges in how the school markets itself. “I think it is about retailing our story. Forty-nine conference championships ... the facilities ... the academic profile of the institution, all of those things are very marketable to prospects and to businesses and other people.”
Traumatic loss for losers Sometimes, the rally, or the hustle or even posting the strongest of strong showings, just isn’t enough to bring home the win. Aubry Midkiff
Sports knowledge goddess With every player’s position filled and every fan’s breath bated, the scoreboard read 34–37 and the climactic game-making turnover score was imminent in the third round of the game on Friday night. Some soundings of the buzzer before, off the bench for the first time this season, Sophomore position pro walk-on Harper Creighton snuck, faster than Zeus’ favorite bolt, toward the minor goal, to figuratively wedge a heel into the cheek-hollow of futilely opposing defenders. The score had just scarce moments to catch its breath at (4–2.3)7 in favor of the opposition before Creighton’s hail-mary dippendopper undercut them beltside, snatching the lead out of their claws for a resultant 7x2–4s lead. The earth-waters-and-heavens-shattering play return brought the home team eons, nay, galaxies ahead of the malicious bloodless opponents, pushing netstats to a relative record-high. A tactical approach of the like hasn’t been recorded in the league’s book of accolation since the unforgettable “Skid Years” of decades past. But this age of glory was to last only a couple short, sweet rounds, rounds which will shine in the memories of fans for days, distracting them amidst their lunchtime hoa-
gies and disrupting their endeavors to double-knot their accident-prone young ones’ shoelaces. For the clock had scarcely swung its hands in greeting of the home team’s resurgence when star athlete Avery Mantley, notorious for bailing on an expected signing with the home team two seasons past to play for more money, fame and, doubtless, druggy sex and sexy drugs with the band of malformed and monstrous soul-sucking diseasebags of the opposition, scored hugely against us and on behalf of those against whom he should have been scored if he had followed through in the original plan on the behalf of the home team. Do you know what I mean? Regardless, the cretinous muscle-enveloped bone-rigged traitor turned the game around 5–3#2^%, 46s77p–2.23tl, yet again, assisted at a fourteen-degree pointlock by fervent teammates. Despite the home team’s virtuous restraint, demonstrated most clearly in its refusal to comply with fans’ cleverly, demurely and justly chanted demands for Mantley’s head on a platter, officials posted calls of foul against every first-string player out there, for trifles like supposed “face elbowing” and “handgun pulling.” With the noble home team stripped down even past its bare-boned meat-and-potatoes essentials, and the opposition dragging the remaining home team players along to the final tick of the clock, much as an eagle caught by its wing in the spokes of a relentlessly turning wagon wheel is dragged by the oxen leading the wagon, we lost.
Women’s basketball makes first round of NCAA Championship
Friendly rivalry just for kicks University of Tulsa students Sam Sethi and Ansh Singh are true fans of Manchester United and Real Madrid, respectively, contributing to the Hurricane’s spirit of international sports enthusiasm.
Photo courtesy WSBtv
Bulls forward Taj Gibson takes on Heat players in the first loss of the most recent 28 games for the Heat.
It doesn’t seem like giving the Heat any sort of tactical advantage would yield good results, but that’s exactly what the Bulls did, and it worked out. Although the Bulls had a few guys out, they devised a strategy that seemed to be pretty successful: foul LeBron hard. Sure, Kirk Hinrich could have tried to draw a charge on the charging beast that is LeBron, but instead he tackled him. You can’t make a layup if you’ve just been tackled; that’s just good basketball IQ. It is also rumored that Michael Jordan stopped by the Bulls locker room before the game to drop off a bottle of his “secret stuff.” After the game, when asked why he didn’t bring any by sooner, Jordan tapped Luol Deng on the chest and said, “You’ve had it in you the whole time.”
Photo courtesy Uptown Magazine
Former Bulls player and basketball icon Michael Jordan may have lent “encouragement” to Bulls forwards on Wednesday.
Every year it seems like we see a true Cinderella story in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, some underdog who wins a few games despite the odds. It’s what makes March Madness so watchable. This year, playing the part of Cinderella with wins over No. 2 seed Georgetown and No. 7 San Diego State, was No. 15-seed Florida Gulf Coast University, whose improbable charge through the tournament ended in a 62–50 loss to Florida Friday.
Beate Hall Staff Writer
The sport known in the U.S. and Canada as soccer, masquerading elsewhere on the globe as “football,” has more fans, teams and players worldwide than any other sport. Two passionate members of this multitude are TU freshmen Ansh Singh and Sam Sethi. Singh and Sethi get along well until they start talking about football. Sethi cheers for Manchester United while Singh cheers for Real Madrid. Neither team would list the other as a top rival per se, but tension between the two centers around one player, Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo was a player for Manchester United until he was transferred to Real Madrid for a record setting 80 million euros. Sethi started watching and cheering for United in high school when his bench mate introduced him to the team. In India, there is a national team, but in Manchester United, Sethi found a team he could believe in and cheer for no matter what. Sethi has gotten to see the team play live, in their stadium, just once. “As I entered the stadium the hairs on my hand kind of rose from the goosebumps,” Sethi said. “It was a dream come true even though we lost.”
Photo courtesy David Gonzales
Hurricane women’s basketball competed against the No. 1 seed Stanford Cardinal in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Championship, competing valiantly for a 24–24 tie at the half and, finally, a 72-56 loss.
Sethi is all about the team. For him, supporting a team means cheering for them through thick and thin—and knowing everything about all their players, managers and coaches. Anyone who switches teams is a glory hunter and not a true fan. “I hate every other team except Manchester United” Sethi said, “Real Madrid is the top of my hate list.” Real Madrid, Singh’s team, is more popular based on game attendance thus far this year. Singh, who is originally from India but grew up in Kuwait, started following Ronaldo after the World Cup in 2004. “They lost; he cried then I cried,” Singh said. “If there’s any club other than Real Madrid that I support, it is Manchester United; it is the club I started watching football with, and they are my second favorite club” said Singh. Singh is more quietly passionate
about his team. He will support Ronaldo no matter where he goes. “Transfers are a huge part of the football game or any game these days,” said Singh. There have been days when the lobby at LaFortune has been full of fans of both teams cheering their hearts out, hoping their team will win. “He’s there every time I’m here. We watch together,“ said Sethi of Singh. Most recently, Real Madrid defeated Manchester United knocking them out of the finals for league play. Singh is focused on what is to come for Real Madrid. “I think that our only competition is with Barcelona, and then there’s another club, Atletico Madrid,” said Singh. Sethi still stands by United. “I let my team do the talking; they’re the greatest team in the world,” he said.
Photo courtesy Universe.byu.edu
Florida Gulf Coast University players celebrate their unprecedented rise in the NCAA Sweet 16 by showering their head coach with bottled water.
Breaking into the sweet 16 was great publicity for a small school and its basketball program, but not everything was positive for FGCU. Making it so far into the tournament was so unexpected that FGCU Athletic Director Ken Kavanagh is just hoping the hotels and travel don’t drain the school’s funds too much. “We still need a lot more resources,” Kavanagh said. “We have to try to make up for the fact that our oldest alum is 37 years old.” This is definitely a humorous contrast to the perennial sports powerhouses that are usually in the tournament. According to bizjournals.com, Duke spends about $14 million on its basketball program per year. Meanwhile, FGCU is trying to figure out how many players it can fit in a hotel room.
1 april 2013
NEWS
the Collegian : 4
Cafeteria inspected, fined for pest control The citation was just one of seven for pest control in the establishment’s recent history. Walker Womack Student Writer
The Pat Case Dining Center, known to University of Tulsa students as “The Caf,” underwent a routine health inspection this February. While the cafeteria passed the overall inspection, there were several reported violations of the Oklahoma Food Code, and the Caf was issued six warnings. Though most of the violations were simple matters of cleanliness, one of the violations fit under the heading of “Priority and Priority Foundation Violations,” and was egregious enough to cause the establishment to be ticketed. The Dining Center earned a “Not in Compliance” rating with a citation in “Insects,
rodents, and other pest control.” The inspector’s commentary indicates that mice droppings were discovered in dry storage, behind bread racks and in the storage area where beverages are located. While the floor was summarily cleaned and a pest control company, Ecolab, scheduled for cleaning, fogging, laying traps and other preventive measures for pests, the inspector still issued a citation. This pest control problem is that it is a repeat violation—one of seven, actually. An October report also noted mice droppings in the dry storage, leading to the formation of a risk control plan and the calling of Ecolab to purge the vicinity. Most of other breaches in last month’s report appeared under the report heading “General Sanitation and Physical Facility Violations,” among the more innocuous of health code infringements. For instance, the inspector noted a gen-
eral lack of cleanliness in the facilities of the dining center. There were 15 usages of the word “dirty” in her commentary, in reference to a variety of things, from “floor drain behind soda machine” to “exterior of waffle machine.” The inspector’s dissatisfaction in this regard was isolated to non-food contact surfaces and the general premises of the facil-
ity, with the exception of a few pans, trays and slicers, the likes of which were corrected during the course of the inspection. During the October inspection, only two warnings were issued. This February that number increased to six, alongside the aforementioned ticket. The university has not responded to requests for comment.
Courtesy Beck Design
The Pat Case Dining Center, renovated three years ago, was cited in a recent health inspection for several minor infractions as well as a fine for pest control.
Disney-themed Springfest to sweep off feet This year’s Springfest will include nearly double the normal events as well as week-long contests. Anna Bennett Staff Writer
It may begin on April Fool’s day, but this year’s Springfest is no joke. Starting today, SA will be putting on a series of free events for the student body as a way of celebrating both the arrival of pleasant weather and the memories and achievements of the academic year. This year’s theme is “The Wonderful World of TU”: all of the events are Disneythemed. “Nobody loves Disney more than me so of course I had to choose it,” said Sarah Mischnick, who was in charge of planning the annual festival. Springfest kicks off from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday on Dietler Commons with the “Alice in Wonderland” Tea Party, which features lawn games as well as tea party fare. The party continues into the night with the “Lilo and Stitch” Luau on Chapman Commons, which goes from 7 to 10 p.m. Monday. There, students will be treated to performances by hula and fire dancers. Students will also be able to play volleyball, sing karaoke and enjoy Hawaiian-themed food—including an entire pig. On Tuesday afternoon, boys and girls will become men at Dietler Commons, which will be transformed into the Mulan Training Camp. Participants can flex their muscles on inflatable challenges, a rock wall and a boxing ring. Students can then head to the Princess and the Frog Mardi Gras on the Chapman Commons on Tuesday night. Carnival games, a magician and a chance to win prizes are the delights of the evening. The event will also include King Cake and gumbo. Things heat up (and cool down) on Wednesday afternoon on Harwell Field, where students can experience the Little Mermaid Water World. Students can get a taste of summer fun with a huge water balloon fight, water tag, inflatables and more. Wednesday night will feature the Toy Story Pizza Arcade in Allen Chapman Activities Center, where students can chill out, play video games and eat pizza. Thursday afternoon is the Cars Route 66 Event on Chapman Commons, featuring car-themed games and activities plus carnival food like Dippin’ Dots and hot dogs. That evening at the same location, a Disney movie marathon will light up the night
Enjoy Springstock!
Oscar Ho / Collegian
Imagine Dragons kicked off this year’s Springfest with their record-breaking concert at the Reynold’s center on Tuesday. This year’s Springfest will include a variety of Disney-themed events, including the Toy Story Pizza Arcade, the Mulan Training Camp and the culminating Cinderella Ball.
on an inflatable screen. On Friday afternoon, Dietler Commons will play host to the Cinderella Carriage Ride. Last but certainly not least is the Cinderella Ball, which will take place from 9 to 11 p.m. on Dietler Commons. The dance will take place under a massive tent, and castle cake will be served. This will also be the night to get the Springfest t-shirt, and see the Springfest King and Queen crowned. Mischnick says that this year’s events differ from those of Springfests past for a number of reasons. First of all, there are twice as many activities as are usually sponsored, since there is a night and day event each day. In addition, there are a number of weeklong events which are totally new. One of these events is the Springfest King and Queen competition, where ten men and women will compete in challenges to win money for themselves and their organizations. “They will be doing goofy contests each night event at 9 p.m. and the students present will get to vote,” said Mischnik. “Whoever has the most votes at the end of the week wins the money.” In addition, there will be a Finding Nemo challenge, in which a Nemo plushie will be hidden on campus each day of the week. Whoever finds him keeps him and wins 100 dollars. If students didn’t get a chance to compete for Springfest King or Queen, they can still vie for big money in the Pirates of the Caribbean Scavenger Hunt. Teams will receive clues from the SA twitter feed (@TUspringfest13) and attempt to finish their 12-piece puzzle based on those clues. First, second and thirdplace teams win $1000, $750 and $500 respectively. In addition, at each event there is a chance for students to enter a raffle for prizes, which include a Flip camera, Beats by Dre headphones, a Garmin global positioning system, a Kindle Fire e-reader, an all-in-one inkjet printer, a Keurig coffee maker, a PlayStation Vita handheld gaming system, an iPod Nano MP3 player and a Windows Surface tablet computer. The winners of all week-long competitions and raffles will be announced at the Cinderella Ball. Unless otherwise noted, all afternoon events are take place from 1 to 4 p.m., and all evening events from 7 to 10 p.m.
Dear Collegian readers, It is with the most bittersweet emotion that I inform you that The Collegian is finished publishing for the year. While many stories remain untold, many scandals unexposed and many students woefully uninformed, we are left with no choice but to shutter our office in Oliphant Hall, bid farewell to our barrels of ink and resume life as ordinary students. The reason for this abrupt termination, you ask? Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that we have reached our printing limit for the semester. By way of explanation, The Collegian is printed entirely on paper drawn from each student writer and editor’s 1,000-page print quota. At the beginning of each semester, we pool our available paper, leaving only a few hundred sheets apiece for personal use. I’d like to take this moment to thank these dedicated students for their self-sacrificing contributions, which in many cases forced them to photocopy class notes at Kinko’s or write term papers on the backs of napkins. Loath to murder more innocent trees than the number so wisely prescribed by TU’s administration, we will be shutting
down our presses, by which we mean the printers in Kep and McFarlin Library. Therefore, these facilities will once again be available for student use between 3 and 6 a.m. on Monday mornings. While I’m at it, I should recognize the heroic 18 freshman interns who saved the Nov. 5 issue after the printers broke down. If you hadn’t worked so tirelessly through the night writing each of those 3,500 copies with fountain pens, thousands of students would have been left wondering who won the U.S. presidential election.* To you, esteemed readers, I would like to offer my undying gratitude for taking the time to read the Campus Crime Watch, recognizing the many hours that our editorial staff put in each week commandeering yellow bikes, pulling fire alarms, breaking and entering and perpetrating countless the little acts of mayhem that make you smile each time you pick up the paper. It has been our great pleasure to serve you this year, and to advance the cause of the free press around the world. Also, if you know anyone who could use several dozen stacks of free newspapers, maybe for an art project or wallpaper or something, e-mail me. While this will be our final issue of the semester, I should also mention that the State-Run Media will continue to be published each week, and that it is a completely credible journalistic source, like North Korea’s glorious Central News Agency. All hail the State-Run Media! May it forever speak words of effervescent truth! May it crush the insidious opposition press into the dust beneath its noble iron heel! All hail! There, I said everything you wanted me to say. Just let my family go now, please. -Kalen Petersen, Editor-in-Chief *Also, it is our official position that the development of carpal tunnel syndrome in 16 of these employees is entirely unrelated to this assignment.
NEWS
the Collegian : 5
Eye on the world:
29 september 1758 lasted for 17 years, and this one could last for 10 if the locusts are not stopped now. A recent cyclone damaged crops and created the wet conditions optimal for grasshopper eggs to thrive. Grasshoppers become locusts when interaction with other young grasshoppers releases a pheromone that alters the physical shape and behavioral patterns of the bugs. Asia CHINA
Witt Womack Student Writer Europe france On Saturday, fourteen hundred sightseers in and around the Eiffel tower were suddenly cleared from the vicinity by police. The evacuation was a protective measure after an unnamed caller threatened to attack the site.
Anti-terrorism police finalized the decision to evacuate, even dismissing security guards from the scene in order to conduct their search. The search lasted several hours and involved sniffer dogs, but was not as disruptive as a similar evacuation of four thousand people in 2011. Africa madagascar
The worst swarm of locusts in memory has been terrorizing Madagascar, devouring Malagasy vegetation and crops in their path. This disruption of agriculture in the country’s poorer regions is worrying to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization, which estimated that 60 percent of the population could go hungry and said that $22 million is needed for recovery. Locust swarms can also be longlasting. One of the worst swarms
Economics professor looks to decrease teacher turnover
The typical TU student has spent somewhere between 13 and 16 years in school. At approximately 39 weeks out of the year in school, five days a week and six hours a day, this yields somewhere between 15,210 and 18,720 hours spent in school. It is no wonder, then, that education is a hotbed policy issue, especially with government funding shortages. If the education citizens receive will determine their ability to contribute to society, how should governments structure their education systems to maximize the effectiveness of taxpayer money? Dr. Matthew Hendricks, an assistant professor of economics at the University of Tulsa, is trying to help school districts answer that question. His research focuses on education and labor economics. His most recent papers discuss
ways schools can use pay scales to boost student performance through teacher retention. Hendricks says he is drawn to economics because of its ability to calmly resolve contentious issues. “It is difficult to achieve consensus in policy debates because opposing sides cling to potentially false assumptions about policy effects,” he says. “Economics provides the tools necessary to sift through the ideology and objectively test assumptions and policy effects.” In his research, Hendricks looks at the teacher turnover rate in various school districts and compares it to teachers’ salaries. By comparing teacher retention rates to salaries and salary incentives, he found that a cheap way to retain teachers, and thus increase the average level of experience among teachers, is to switch to a flat pay schedule. In other words, paying all teachers with the same level of education the same amount of money actually improves teacher retention rate. Hendricks’ results are based on regression analysis, a statistical method in which data is plot-
March 11
observed three subjects climbing down from the roof. Officers made contact with the subjects and found out they were climbing to the roof for fun. There was no damage to university property and no students injured.
Dr. Matthew Hendricks has found that flat pay scales increase teacher retention at a low cost. Kimberly Poff Student Writer
14:45 Officers on patrol were dispatched to Mabee East lot for a TU employee who had backed her vehicle and, struck a parked vehicle. The mirrors busted on both vehicles. March 12 0:10 Officers were dispatched to La Fortune Hall for a fire alarm. As officers entered the hall they were advised that students were lighting candles for a birthday party and that had set off the alarm. 14:00 Officers were called to ACAC for a staff member trapped in an elevator. The call came in as a medical emergency. Officers and a physical plant employee arrived at the same time. This report was approved as information only. The physical plant employee opened the elevator and the staff member was checked by officers. March 14 15:33 Officers were dispatched to Kendall Hall for individuals climbing and running on the roof. Officers contained the building and
22:30 In October 2012 A staff member reported he confronted a suspect who had removed his iPad and ran out of Sharp Chapel. On 14 March 2013, TPD contacted the security department and the suspect has been identified. March 15 1:30 Officers were called to Hardesty Press on E. 11th St for a male loading up bricks (pavers) that were being stored at this off campus site. Officers were unable to locate the suspect. March 22 9:15 A mother of a student had not heard from her daughter in over a week. Officers were sent to her apartment to check on her welfare. Officers were given permission to enter the apartment. The student was located on the campus and contacted her mother. March 23 1:15 Officers were dispatched to US South Lot for a vandalism report. A TU student reported someone had egged his vehicle.
ted and a mathematical relation is found between different variables. Regression analysis allows researchers to look at several variables at once and determine which one has the largest impact on the phenomena in question. It is used in the natural sciences too, but given the difficulty of controlled experiments when analyzing policy decisions, regression enables economists to pull information from existing statistics. Hendricks bases his connection of teacher salary and student achievement on previous research linking teacher retention rate and teacher experience to student achievement. Hendricks said that his research can have broad benefits. “Good education policy, for example, can have a positive impact on a large number of issues,” Hendricks said, “including economic growth, equity, quality of government, crime, etc.” Hendricks received his bachelor’s degree in economics from St. John’s in Minnesota and went on to receive his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.
More than 80 miners working in Tibet were buried by a sudden landslide last Friday. The sheer amount of material— covering up to 1.5 square miles— is enough to severely diminish the likelihood that any of the minors buried are still alive. Rescue attempts were further compounded by the harsh, bitterly cold climate of the Tibetan plateau and altitude sickness. Nearly 2,000 rescue workers and rescue dogs’ efforts were frustrated by the weather as well as the probability of more landslides. The state-owned mine, which primarily produced copper in addition to silver and gold, is one of many in the Tibetan plateau, a region rich in untapped minerals. North America MEXICO The continuing violence of Mexico’s drug wars, claimant of seventy thousand lives in the last six years, has prompted the formation of community vigilante groups tired of waiting for police justice. One such group, composed of a thousand armed men, occupied the town of Tierra Colorada, proclaimed themselves “community police” and confined 12 local police and the police chief. The group accused the police chief of working with gangs and causing the murder of local vigilante Guadalupe Quinones Carbajal. Not until the chief was to be
investigated by authorities did the men leave. Africa CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Rebel forces again fought with the government forces of President Francois Bozize of the Central African Republic. There had been an uneasy peace between the factions since January, but the rebels’ insistence that Bozize had broken their terms led to renewed conflict. The rebellion surged into Bangui, the capital of the CAR, leading Bozize to flee the country last Sunday, possibly to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A spokesman for one of the factions of the Seleka coalition, the rebel group, claimed that Bozize’s flight met the demands of the rebels, who can now hold democratic elections. However, the international response has been wary and looting is rampant. Pope Francis mentioned the attacks in his Easter address, and France has increased its Bangui garrison in order to protect French citizens there. Updates North Korea, Feb. 18: North Korea announced that it was “entering a state of war” with South Korea in its most bellicose announcement in recent months. Technically, the two countries have been at war since the end of the Korean War in 1953 as no peace treaty was ever signed. Kenya, March 11: Uhuru Kenyatta’s narrow presidential victory is being contested by runner-up, Raila Odinga, even after the Supreme Court upheld the results. Odinga has explained his commitment to peaceful means of contestation, though supporters of the two candidates have partaken in violent scuffles.
Collegian staff speaks
March 24 23:02 Security was called by the RA and asked to search a room for marijuana. During the search two caged mice were found and distilled liquor was located. No marijuana was found. March 26 21:20 A backpack was found in the bushes outside of Mabee Gym. The backpack belonged to a TU student. 22:03 Security was called to MLIB for a theft of a WFF golf cart. Officers observed three males running from the golf cart in Norman Village. The suspects were identified and admitted to taking the cart. No charges were filed with TPD and the matter will be handled by the University. March 27 18:30 A WFF supervisor reported a temporary employee was intoxicated and told to go home. The employee became hostile with the supervisor and security was contacted. The drunk subject had left campus prior to officer’s arrival. The Collegian does not produce or edit the Campus Crime Watch except for content and brevity.
Graphic by Jill Graves
When asked for their opinions on this very controversial issue that could potentially affect at least a few TU students, our sample of twelve Collegian staffers and Kevin Buck replied with their typical range and frankness of opinion.
From Shooting on cover
went wrong, no one has been able to confirm that any of Horton’s belongings or anything in the truck’s cab were disarranged or missing. The motive for the murder remains unclear. This is the 20th homicide in Tulsa in 2013, and it has left 11th Street employees on edge and a Texas family grieving a senseless death. An employee at the Subway two buildings down described the situation to interviewers as “scary,” and workers at the Coney I-Lander down the street have adjusted their schedules to accompany one another outside and to minimize danger in the dark hours of the morning and evening. “It doesn’t make the town look good, I’ll put it that way,” said
Ray Jones a manager at the Papa Johns’. Horton is survived by his wife Lisa and two children, a son and a daughter. Horton was a veteran of the U.S. Army’s field artillery. He “loved John Wayne,” according to John Poole, who served with Horton. Business associate Amy Picard said in a comment on a local news article that Horton “always had a smile on his face when he delivered to my store.” Sarica Russell, also a business associate, talked with Horton when he delivered to her store just 12 hours before the shooting. She said that “he will be missed by everyone.” Kalen Petersen contributed to this article.
The deck for the research spotlight in the March 11 issue of the Collegian should begin “Dr. Ruya Ozer.”
variety
1 April 2013
the Collegian : 6
“BioShock Infinite” thrills Set in the floating world of Columbia, in an alternate 1912 America, Irrational Games’ third installment in the “BioShock” series is an exciting steampunk adventure. Elliot Bauman Student Writer
It may be early in the year, but the end of March has already ushered in one of the most anticipated games of 2013. Irrational Games’ “BioShock Infinite” was released on March 26 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. While “Infinite” is not a true sequel to the two previous “Bioshock” installments, it does bring back most of the defining characteristics of the series that fans have come to value, albeit some minor improvements. “Infinite” will whisk players back to 1912 America and put them in control of protagonist Booker DeWitt, a disgraced agent of the Pinkerton detective service. DeWitt is tasked with a straightforward mission: “Bring us the girl, and wipe away the debt.” His objective refers to retrieving a mysterious young woman, named Elizabeth, who is being held in a world known as Columbia. In stark contrast to the dark and dreary underwater city of Rapture—the setting of the first two games—Columbia is just the opposite; a vibrant and advanced metropolis, floating high in the sky. True to the series, the presentation and atmosphere of Columbia is absolutely phenomenal. Fictionally constructed in 1901, the city is gorgeously animated, and appears to be heavily influenced by George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four.” Headed by a Big Brother-like individual, Prophet Comstock, Columbia is a failed utopia filled with
propaganda, racism, ultra-nationalism and strict martial law. While “Infinite” is certainly not an open-world game, there are opportunities to freely explore and interact with the inhabitants of Columbia; this is augmented by the fact that the city feels so alive and engaging to the player. To top it all off, the graphics are impressive, although their full potential can only be realized on the PC. The major attractions of “Infinite” are, without a doubt, the story and character development. Though from a series known for providing top-tier plots, the latest installment outdoes its predecessors, with a story full of twists and turns that keep the players interested. After locating Elizabeth, who has been expertly imagined and implemented, players will have to guide DeWitt as he attempts to escape from Columbia and bring Elizabeth down to the real world. Their efforts are constantly hampered by Columbia’s two major factions, Comstock’s Founders and the Vox Populi, as well as the Songbird, a massive hawk-like machine that serves as a protector of the city. Furthermore, the story of the game is not spoon-fed to gamers through endless scripted cutscenes; rather, in order to fully understand the plot, the player will have to pay careful attention to in-game dialogue and events, in addition to searching for Voxophones and Kinetographs, which are essentially diaries that provide backstory elements and further augment the plot. From start to finish, “Infinite’s” single-player campaign should take between 10 to 15 hours to complete on normal difficulty. There is no multiplayer mode in the latest “BioShock” installment. —co-op, split-screen or competitive games modes. The decision to drop all multiplayer content from “Infinite” was made in order to maximize the single-player experience, and, seeing how well the campaign turned out, was clearly an excellent call. Overall, the lack
of multiplayer does not detract from the title. It is worth mentioning that the latest “BioShock” is definitely a mature game. There is a fair amount of gore and, as per the title’s time setting, an abundance of racism toward non-whites. Sensitive players may want to consider a different game. “Infinite” plays much like its predecessors. Gamers should expect typical first-person shooter mechanics, with the addition of Vigors, special Force-like powers that allow DeWitt to wreak havoc upon his foes. A particularly interesting Vigor, called Murder of Crows, enables the player to summon a swarm of birds to viciously attack enemies. For all of its positives, “Infinite” is not a perfect game. Aside from different difficult levels, there is not much replay value available, although Irrational Games has confirmed that downloadable content will be released in the near future. Additionally, “Infinite” does not allow much player customization, a feature that is growing more and more important in contemporary titles; players are limited to four pieces of gear and a maximum of two weapons at a time. There is a limited upgrade system, but it does not offer much variety. It is unfortunate that Irrational Games did not attempt to incorporate a skill or level system, similar to those available in “Borderlands” or “The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim,” to accommodate more play styles. That being said, “BioShock Infinite” is a monumentally successful and simply fantastic game. Without a doubt the best game released in 2013 thus far, “Infinite” provides an almost unparalleled gaming experience. While the lack of replay value and detailed player customization may slightly detract from the title, it is the excellent story and surreal environment of Columbia that truly define “Infinite.” “BioShock Infinite” earns an 8.5/10 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and an impressive 9/10 on PC.
Reports of spring break greatly exaggerated Spring break may seem as though it consists solely of drinking and partying on the beach, but does it really? Our sources say no. Anna Bennett Staff Writer
According to a recent study, there is now evidence to suggest that many TU students are supplying false or misleading information about the quality and awesomeness of their spring break vacations. One anonymous student spoke with The Collegian about how his spring break consisted of sitting in a Nashville hotel room for four days. “It rained every day, and after the first night I was pretty much out of money,” the student said, “but when my friends asked me about it, I told them that I partied every night and heard a lot of amazing bands and even had a romance with an up-and-coming country singer named Courtney … I don’t know what came over me, it just came out.” In recent years, it seems the very mechanism often used to proliferate lies about one’s social activities, Facebook, is now becoming the undoing of many a would-be spring break exaggerator. Freshman Jasmine Burke posted over 100 pictures of Florida beaches and sunsets over the course of the break. What is not pictured, however, is the small condo she was sharing with her grandparents—not the hotel she claimed she was staying in with her high school friends. Nor was she in Destin, as the photo album claimed, but rather in Apalachicola, where her Nana and Boopboop retired 10 years ago.
This cover-up came to light when Nana Burke, a proud owner of what she calls a “Face-space,” posted a slightly blurry, but still incriminating, photo of the 18-yearold accompanying her grandmother to the antique mall. It is unclear what social consequences will result from this disclosure. Burke could not be reached for comment. Campus-renowned Fisher South creep Jason Saul says that lying about where you are during class breaks is more common than had been previously thought. Saul reports that Steve and Jack from down the hall told him they were going to Arkansas to visit Jack’s family. “But when I tracked down their IP addresses which I stole when they left their dorm room open last month,” said Saul, “I discovered that they were actually in Austin, Texas, not in Conway.” While Saul is puzzled why his “BFFs” didn’t want him to know where they were going, the freelance investigator is aware that this is by no means the only deception going on. Saul’s RA, Melody Graham, told a freshman that she was going to a week-long conference in Omaha. “She packed her bags and left the dorm,” recounts the freshman, “but on Tuesday, I discovered that her car was parked in US South.” Her car would reportedly remain there all week. This phenomenon is not exclusive to those who traveled far from campus. Among students who stayed at TU for the break, it is estimated that a significant 42 percent lied about their experience during small talk and Facebook updates. And while over 100 students boasted that they finished “The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim” over break, secondary reports from incredulous roommates reveal this to
be true only 30 percent of the time. Psychology grad student Isadore Wheedon theorizes that this behavior is a reaction to unattainable expectations of the ideal spring break. “Students see how spring break is depicted by movies and advertisements, and this puts a lot of pressure on them to have similar experiences,” he said. “Thus, when they realize that stuffing nine people into a hotel room isn’t very glamorous, and that there are more old people than hot chicks in Florida, they feel the need to compensate for their experiences—possibly out of a belief that their peers are in some spring break utopia getting free alcohol and having lots of sex.” Wheedon points out the irony in that these peers are actually having similar thoughts about the students crammed in the hotel room. “It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy of endless posturing and ultimate disappointment,” surmised the grad student as he flips his dark locks from his eyes. Based on the finding of Wheedon’s study, it is now estimated that 78 percent of TU students fabricated some portion, however small, of their spring break experience. Of these, 25 percent lied about who they were with, and 10 percent lied about where they were going. Eight percent admitted to photoshopping images from their trip to make them look more exciting. Wheedon hopes that publishing the study will result in a social awakening and a healthier attitude towards the loaded school holiday. He muses darkly, however, that it will probably only make people lie even harder. And it definitely will not get him invited to South Padre next year.
By Anna Bennett
Things to Do Before it Gets Really Disgustingly Hot Outside Winter may have decided to hang around for the entirety of Spring Break, but now that school is in session and summer is fast approaching, there is finally a hint of spring in the air. And it’s beautiful. But if you’ve lived in Oklahoma for any length of time, you know not to get too comfortable with the weather. In about five days, spring will be over and summer will be underway, and you will no longer be able to step outside without shriveling up like a dehydrated man-prune in the sun. So enjoy spring while it lasts …
3. Make out on the U. 4. Convince your professor to have class outside (likelihood of success increases if it’s a theater class). 5. Convince your club president to have meetings outside (if you always meet outside, just trade tears of pain for tears of joy). 6. Actually eat at the tables outside of the Caf and ACAC. 7. Go streaking. 8. Clean off your patio/balcony which you’ve been using to store boxes and random junk on. And then like, do stuff on it.
1. Study on the U. 9. Hold some sort Fall asleep. Or just go of lovely, hippiestraight for the nap. style outdoor event. Improv, ultimate … 2. Wear one layer— something. one outfit for indoors AND out. 10. Stay inside… it’s clearly a trap.
Graphic by Caroline Kohlhagen
Urban Journal
creative
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Alexander Bischoff Student Writer
A protein shake at the local gas station costs $2.50. I looked at my cup holder, which contained exactly 11 quarters. Apart from running late to a morning Tuesday lecture, it was my lucky day. I hurried on over to the beverage windows. “Orange juice … no that’s not what I want,” I thought to myself. Eventually I found the right window. The protein shakes were the third cooler to the left of the cash register, between the bottled water and the toxic energy drinks. Paying in change earned me a dirty look from someone who was running later than myself. After handing Tom the handful of quarters, I wandered out of the store. Seconds before I could unlock my car, a friendly voice caught my ears. It came from a worn-out looking man with a big smile. He had thick brown hair and an ill-fitting jacket.
I introduced myself. As with Tom, he and I were now on a firstname basis. He asked if I could spare any change. I gave him a few coins from my pocket accompanied by a firm handshake. Honestly, I think he enjoyed the handshake more than my measly chump change. Before I could end the brief transaction, he told me a story. My philosophy block class would have to wait a bit longer. The story started with his home. It progressed into his adolescence, and it ended with his name. His words were notes, and his story was a symphony. They hurtled me back in time to an Indian reservation in Arizona and traversed across every major city and small town you can imagine. They crossed an ocean or two, and killed a wild animal. The highlights were everything you ever wanted in a story. The hopes and dreams, the downfalls and the realities; they were all there … waving through the cold air of a bustling parking lot. He told me the story of his life. He told me how he earned the name Wild Bear.
opinion
the Collegian : 7
1 April 2013
Nullification bills not best way to disagree Efforts by Oklahoma legislators to nullify Obamacare waste time and are unconstitutional. Victoria McGouran Staff Writer
House Bill 1021, recently passed by the Oklahoma House of Representatives, states that the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act”—or “Obamacare” as it is commonly known—is “not authorized” by the U.S. Constitution and violates the Constitution’s “true meaning and intent as given by the founders and ratifiers.” It goes on to declare the federal law “null and void” and states that all intents of the law are “specifically rejected” by the state of Oklahoma. It even has a provision to “adopt and enact any and all measures as may be necessary to prevent the enforcement” of Obamacare. This bill represents yet another attempt by states to avoid compliance with federally mandated laws, one of a long line of nullifi-
cation bills that have been enacted by various states, especially in recent months. These bills are attempts to legalize state non-compliance with a variety of federal laws. However, most of them have centered on Obamacare. The real problem with this second American “nullification crisis”
the national or the various state constitutions that enables them to veto federal laws unilaterally. The very core of American democracy is bound up in the U.S. Constitution, and every federal official, state officer and judge is bound by oath to support the Constitution and the laws made in pursuance thereof.
principles should be regarded as inexcusable violations of the law. Moreover, there are already many acceptable ways to challenge federal laws. By ignoring these methods and following a harebrained, unlawful scheme, state legislators are creating an unnecessary and frankly embarrassing crisis.
Graphic by Caroline Kohlhagen
is that the nullification bills are inherently unconstitutional. States cannot overturn federal laws with their own legislation—there is no explicit or implied power in either
The Constitution is unquestionably the supreme law of the land, and any actions made by governmental officials that oppose, ignore or otherwise fail to enact its
It is almost as though these nullification chasers have never read the Constitution. If they had, they would have remembered that it already lays out
the best ways to object to federal laws. The proper way to object to new laws starts by changing governmental opinions and political leadership. If that fails, legislators should defund the law and slow its implementation, change or repeal it or challenge it in the courts. Then, if all other avenues have failed, they should endeavor to amend the Constitution. The Supreme Court has already ruled that Obamacare is constitutional. However, despite that failure, there are still many possible avenues to try before legislators should feel the need to resort to such as stunningly presumptuous idea as nullification. Finally, and most importantly, there already seems to be massive amounts of discord in the government and the nullification crisis is only adding fuel to an already blazing fire. I don’t really want to offer up a hackneyed, cliche, “we are all in this together” monologue, but aren’t we? I do not think I am alone is stating that it is past time for state and federal legislators to move past their petty, adolescent differences and actually solve problems.
Closing tax loopholes can prevent budget crisis Painting a picture of a looming budget crisis is disingenuous when there are easy solutions to implement.
Alexander Bischoff
Student Writer
In December, U.S. House Speaker John Boehner said before the House floor “Washington has a spending problem … to be honest, we are broke.” In the speech, he criticized the Obama administration for failing to present a balanced approach to deficit reduction. Less than two weeks ago, however, during an interview with ABC’s Martha Raddatz, Boehner said, “We do not have an immediate debt crisis.” He went on to say that there is one looming within the next few years, largely due to growing social programs.
By his own words, either John Boehner was doing nothing more than political posturing before Congress went over the recent “fiscal cliff,” or the federal government miraculously postponed its supposed spending Armageddon for several fiscal years. What Boehner said about the looming crisis is a shallow interpretation of the facts. He wants the American public to believe that entitlements are growing at an unsustainable rate, and that all of us are doomed. This can easily be avoided, the argument goes, by slashing away at the social safety net. Fortunately there are more sensible options. The first of these has to do with tax loopholes which limit the total amount of federal revenue every fiscal year. According to NPR contributor Jacob Goldstein, these loopholes totaled over $1 trillion in 2011 alone. Politically speaking, deductions on things like mortgage interest are too popular to gut, but with over a trillion dollars in loopholes, a little reform over a broad number of deductions can go a long way.
Gouging away at the loopholes in a short amount of time will not be feasible economically or politically. However, the cutting could incrementally add up until some of the biggest loopholes, like the $103 billion exclusion for employer-sponsored health insurance, are all but phased out within a decade. Cutting back on tax loopholes makes long-term economic and
highest marginal tax rate of nearly 40 percent. The impact here is that much of the growing budget shortfalls in programs such as Social Security can be met with cuts to growing tax loopholes. According to projections from the Congressional Budget Office, if Washington phases out all tax deductions by 2036, then the over $1 trillion in-
“There are more sensible options to budget solvency than slashing away at the social safety net” political sense. It levels the playing field for free market capitalism by denying indirect subsidization of markets ranging from agriculture to home production. In doing this, it also simplifies the tax code and ensures that high income earners pay their fair share. They will no longer be able hide real income in their stock options and pay a mere 15 percent in capital gains tax, instead of the
crease in annual federal revenue will be able to offset the budget shortfall of Social Security. Unfortunately this does not solve the problem of rising federal health service costs. Congressional Budget Reports illustrate that programs like Medicare will grow, relative to GDP, by over 2 percent between now and the year 2036. However, a recent study by Medicare Trustees shows
that these projections fail to take into account recent and unexpected, savings stemming from hospital reactions to the Affordable Care Act. To summarize, the report found that using a properly adjusted average annual growth rate, current projections for Medicare in the year 2036, were overestimated by $500 billion annually. There has been an unwillingness to consider recent successful attempts to curb the long-term costs of these programs. Additionally, there has been an unjustified reluctance to phase out costly tax loopholes in order to save necessary social programs. In this sense, political rhetoric over entitlements lacks a holistic view. The effect of this has led to widespread fear-mongering. Talk of deficit spending and long-term debt reduction has become eerily similar to something of a Nostradamus prediction. As Boehner put it, “We do not have an immediate debt crisis,” and with easy budgeting practices I argue that there is not one looming around the corner.
Francis a boon for Catholic social justice Despite some characteristic conservatism, the new Pope Francis will be an interesting new direction for Catholics. Patrick Creedon
Opinion Editor
On Feb. 11, Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation from the papacy due to a “lack of strength of mind and body.” About a month later Jorge Mario Borgoglio was instated as Pope Francis, named for St. Francis of Assisi. The excitement about the new pope makes me wonder, though, if the hype is all that warranted. In the interest of full disclosure, I am writing about the new pope as a former Catholic, someone who has considered himself an apostate for a significant amount of time. I went to 12 years of Catholic school, so I have some degree of investment in seeing where my former church’s leadership is headed. I went to an all-male Jesuit high school, so it was natural that many
of my former classmates and I were excited that a Jesuit was appointed to the papacy. At least at my high school, Jesuit meant liberal—at least relative to the other priests. Jesuits are supposed to possess a passion for social justice. One of the primary ideologies in contemporary Jesuit thought has been the concept of making students into “men for others,” students who would be concerned with the welfare of those less fortunate than themselves. However, I realize that I should not be surprised when Francis is not nearly as progressive as my pipe dreams make him. The way that Francis has presented himself has fit Jesuit ideology to a T. He has ignored the extravagance typically associated with traditional Catholic hierar-
ments. He rode the bus instead of using a chauffeured car while he was archbishop of Buenos Aires. When the man who is allegedly closest to God is seen using the public services his constituents need, it shows a desire to live a humble life that can better serve the needy. In fact, when Francis outright said that he wanted to make a “poor church, for the poor,” I was overjoyed. The opulence that has grown around the Catholic service has always seemed counter to its mission of helping others, both in this life and into the next. To see the pope own up to that is a step in the right direction. As I said, I should not be surprised when Francis is not the man who would make the Catholic Church a completely different
that gay adoption was discrimination against children. I completely disagree. There is no other way for me to express
Photo courtesy of The Guardian
that. Even though expecting the pontiff in the 21st century to be
“Francis’s choice to wash the feet of someone from another faith gives him an authenticity in wanting to open interfaith dialogues” chal aesthetics and foregone the miter and gold dressage of Benedict and adopted simple white robes. He chose to live in the Vatican’s guest house, as opposed to the much nicer and larger papal apart-
entity politically. I am still disappointed, though. When Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalize gay marriage, Francis said on record said that such legislation was “an attack on God’s plan” and
more open is naive, statements like Pope Francis’s only point out the growing irrelevance of traditional Catholic thought when a country that is primarily Catholic has passed marriage equality legislation.
To see ideas that do not match up with the all-encompassing nature of God’s love proliferated by the Church even now suggests to me that the current church is not doing what it should to serve the meek, suffering, poor and downtrodden. During his first Holy Thursday as pope, he performed the traditional washing of feet. However, instead of performing it on older men, as is typically done, he washed the feet of twelve adolescents at a Roman correctional facility. Two were girls. One of those girls was a Serbian Muslim. Although I disagree with other things he has said, Francis’s choice to wash these children’s feet and the feet of someone from another faith gives him an authenticity in wanting to open interfaith dialogues. Though Francis is not everything this former Catholic wishes he were, he certainly is pointing the Catholic Church in a healthy direction especially in regards to the poor and meek who make up a significant part of the Church. Francis represents an interesting ideology of the Church, and I cannot wait to see what he does next, good or bad.
Opinion
1 April 2013
the Collegian : 8
Cheating spills crimson truth at Harvard Two cheating scandals harm Harvard’s reputation and cast doubt on “prestigious” education.
Cara Dublin
Student Writer
Traditionally known for exceptional academics, irreproachable class, and age-old American collegiate tradition, Harvard University may have added another byword to its storied reputation: cheaters. In March, an accusation of foul play led to the Harvard Quiz Bowl team being formally stripped of four of its competition titles, won in the years from 2009 to 2011. The national Quiz Bowl organization, NAQT, discovered a glitch in its website which allowed users to view portions of questions that would be used in upcoming tournaments. Harvard’s Quiz Bowl team was placed under investigation after the NAQT’s server logs indicated that Andrew Watkins, then-president of the Harvard team, had accessed the page frequently, most often in the time just before tournaments. Before that, in what has been dubbed the “Harvard Cheating Scandal” of 2012, approximately 125 students were suspected of cheating on the final take-home
exam for a course called Government 1310 and were investigated by the university. In the scandal, 279 students enrolled in the Spring 2012 semester of Government 1310 were assigned a short-answer exam as a take-home final. Though the course was reputed across campus as being an easy A, over 120 students were accused of cheating on the exam, almost 2 percent of the entire undergraduate student body. The first page of the exam bore the statement, “The exam is completely open book, open note, open internet, etc. However ... students may not discuss the exam with others—this includes resident tutors, writing centers, etc.” Eyebrows were raised when many students’ answers closely resembled each other, leading to a charge of mass plagiarism. The administration ended up punishing some students by forcing them to withdraw from Harvard for a time and putting a flag on their transcripts. Certainly these two scandals coming right on the heels of each other have tarnished Harvard’s popular reputation. Yale even designed a T-shirt for the HarvardYale game that would have replaced “Veritas,” Latin for “truth,” in Harvard’s crest with “Cheaters.” The design was rejected as too harsh, but the one that replaced it was only slightly nicer—the back of the approved shirt read “Try cheating your way out of this one!” A blot on Harvard effectively clouds the reputation of the en-
tire Ivy League. The advantages of a posh East Coast education, sometimes already seen as privileged and pretentious, are further called into question by scandals like these, that reflect poorly not
taken. Collaborative work can be an advantage in the business world, which relies on collective over individual knowledge. The test question, however open-book, clearly banned stu-
Graphic by Caroline Kohlhagen
only the authenticity of a Harvard degree but the character of the students that Harvard churns out. The odd fact that the 2012 scandal took place in a supposedly “easy” class suggests a poor work ethic among students, who could not be bothered to exert themselves for an intro-level class. Others have criticized the professor’s original exam question and format, asking how far take-home exams and collaboration can be
dent collaboration, and this is the standard used on most take-home exams. Borrowing word-for-word from the Internet without citation is still plagiarism, technically defined, although borrowing wordfor-word from the textbook would be, too. Mostly, this event just makes Harvard and its students look like slackers who are interested in doing the minimum to get out with their Ivy laurels. This suggests that
the university’s storied name on a resume may loom larger and longer in the minds of future employers than the grades on a transcript. Ivy League students may be profiting from reputation-by-association, while non-Ivy students who actually did the work may start at a disadvantage compared to those who bear the famous names. As for the quiz bowl, the cheating is almost laughable. When quiz bowl becomes something worth staking a career, one’s teammates’ awards and one’s reputation on, there is too much focus on showing off a roll of knowledge and too little emphasis placed on applying that knowledge. A competition became an ultimate goal for one student, and it shamed the whole university. No Harvard student comes out of this situation looking good, and although the administration strove to handle the incidents as gracefully as possible, many students who were embroiled in the 2012 scandal have lingering beefs with how long it took to hand down the verdicts and with the variety of punishments students received. Some claim that a few students were able to argue their way out of deserved retribution. Ultimately, both scandals cast a pall upon Harvard’s intellectual climate, suggesting that poor morals and flashy scholastic prestige outrank deep, devoted scholarship and a concerted effort to build up the whole human being to further society’s gains—more than Harvard’s.
Dogmatic assertions just as valid as argument Entire Staff
People should spend more time reading. People need to be more informed about current events. Why don’t Americans take care of their bodies? It’s kind of stupid and selfish how little time people spend around others who are different from them. Pizza is demonstrably the best culinary creation of humanity. When talking about music, genre is only interesting when used to show how music has changed over time. Comparing trip hop to neobluegrass is like comparing apples to hammers. One of the hardest lessons a per-
son has to learn is that their actions affect people, regardless of intent. Spongebob-shaped Kraft macaroni is at least twice as delicious as the regular macaroni shapes. No one prefers that the toilet paper hang under rather than over. Bed frames are nothing but a foothold for under-the-bed monster infestation. I don’t like it. The recent initiative to map the human brain—proposed by President Obama in his State of the Union address—will come at a cost to basic science research that stands to be more fruitful than a scientific foray into an overlycomplex brain that we can currently only take pictures of and not un-
derstand in any appreciable sense. Bow ties are cool. Walruses are the best animals. Cake is way better than pie. The Oxford comma is wonderful. “The Empire Strikes Back” is the best “Star Wars” movie. Conversely, “Return of the Jedi” is by far the worst. Science reveals not just cold facts about nature, but the intricate, fascinating, magnificent inner workings of life. The Campus Crime Watch really isn’t the most interesting part of The Collegian... right? Students should be able to test out of Writing for the Professions. Artists and designers have very different purposes in life—design-
ers are problem solvers whereas artists, in the current mode of thought, are generally expressing something personal—and I call myself a designer. It’s far easier to be opinionated than right. The Oxford comma is evil. Moths are extra horrible because they are monsters dressed as butterflies. Fructose is the single leading cause of the obesity epidemic in America. Basically everything is more complicated than you’d think. You shouldn’t sacrifice who you are to please others. I hate it when people whine about how busy they are. Our current method of publish-
ing scientific results incentivizes scientists to suppress negative results, tweak their results, and increases the likelihood that falsepositive results will be published in top-tier journals. This is not to impugn all scientists; however, a better method would involve the submission of proposed scientific procedures to journals, which would then accept that study on the merits of its methods and on the importance of its subject. There should be a law against people who write the blurbs on backs of books. And people who argue just to be contrary. And lawyers. And politicians. And my roommate.
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The Collegian is the independent student newspaper of the University of Tulsa. It is distributed Mondays during the fall and spring semesters except during holidays and final exam weeks. The University of Tulsa does not discriminate on the basis of personal status or group characteristics including but not limited to the classes protected under federal and state law in its programs, services, aids, or benefits. Inquiries regarding implementation of this policy may be addressed to the Office of Human Resources, 800 South Tucker Drive, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104-9700, 918-631-2616. Requests for accommodation of disabilities may be addressed to the University’s 504 Coordinator, Dr. Tawny Taylor, 918-631-3814. To ensure availability of an interpreter, five to seven days notice is needed; 48 hours is recommended for all other accommodations. Advertising Policy: Advertising appearing in this publication does not imply approval or endorsement by the University of Tulsa or The Collegian for the products or services advertised. For advertising information, email The Collegian at collegian@utulsa.edu or elizabeth-cohen@utulsa.edu. The deadline for advertising is 5 p.m. on the Thursday prior to the publication. Editing Policy: The Collegian reserves the right to edit all copy submitted by all writers. This editing may take place in many forms, including grammar corrections, changes in paragraph structure or even the addition or removal of sections of content. Editorial Policy: Columnists are solely responsible for the content of their columns. Opinions expressed in columns may not represent the opinions of the entire Collegian staff, the administrative policies of the University of Tulsa, the views of the student body or our advertisers. Letter Policy: Letters to the editor must be less than 500 words. While we do not require it, letters sent via e-mail to the Collegian are encouraged. Under no circumstances will anonymous letters be published. The name of the person submitting the letter must be published with the letter. We reserve the right to edit or reject all letters. The deadline for letters is 5 p.m. on the Saturday prior to publication.
editor-in-chief—Kalen Petersen managing editor—Kyle Walker news editor—Conor Fellin sports editor—Aubry Midkiff variety editor—Stephanie Hice opinion editor—Patrick Creedon satire editor—Tim Nissen photo & graphics editor—Jill Graves staff writers—Anna Bennett, Beate Hall, Oscar Ho, Victoria McGouran, Zhenya Yevtushenko business & advertising manager—Liz Cohen distribution manager—Tyler Magill web editor—Mary Carol Franko adviser—Kendra Blevins
1 april 2013
the state-run media: 2
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1 april 2013
the state-run media
State-Run media Pities no fools.
TU rolls the dice on new athletic director Kalen Petersen
Not playing with a full deck In a press conference Friday, TU’s soon-to-be Athletic Director Derrick Gragg outlined his vision for the University of Tulsa’s sports program. Promising to “up the ante” from last year, Gragg said, “I will go all in on Hurricane athletics.” “The stakes may be high this round, but I won’t fold under pressure,” he said. Gragg expressed gratitude to President Steadman Upham for choosing him. “I know that picking a new AD can be a real crapshoot,” he said. “He could have just hedged his bets and picked someone in-house, but thankfully he decided to take a gamble on me. Well, Stead, this is gonna pay off in a big way.” Throughout the conference, Gragg tried to distance himself from the scandal surrounding the firing of former AD Ross Parmley, saying that his hiring would “deal this program a fresh hand.”
He acknowledged that the firing of Parmley and President Geoffrey Orsak in the same year has been a “bad bet.” However, Gragg said, “I’m not afraid to call a spade a spade; TU picked a losing horse in (Parmley).” Gragg promised more transparency on his watch. “I can tell you right now, as long as I’m AD, there will be nothing going on under the table,” he said. Gragg also highlighted his desire to help underprivileged youth find academic opportunities. “Too many young men and women are just getting lost in the shuffle,” he said. “Life is very often stacked against them. But if we affirm these kids, and if they work hard, success is definitely in the cards for them,” he said. Asked about Tulsa’s impending departure from Conference USA, Gragg said that he “liked our odds in the Big East,” asserting that TU will “bring a lot to the table.” “However, we must be proactive; it’s not enough to just let the chips fall where they may,” he
Graphic by Jill Graves
Newly-hired TU athletic director Dr. Derrick Gragg, pictured with his elite administrative team. “When the chips are down, these are the people I trust,” said Gragg of his colleagues. “Athletics is their strong suit.” Pictured (left to right): Tess Ocean, Terry Benedict, Linus Caldwell, Rusty Ryan, and Dr. Gragg.
said. “We may not be high rollers like (departing teams) Georgetown or Syracuse, but I think we’ve got an ace up our sleeve,” winking broadly at the group of reporters. When asked if he was worried about sanctions from the NCAA
over Parmley, Gragg became combative: “There’s not a chance in a million the NCAA will have the guts to come after us,” he said. “I’m calling their bluff,” he added. While Gragg was still taking questions, a sweating and vis-
ibly shaken Upham took the stage and brought the conference to an abrupt end, saying, “I’d like to thank Geoffrey—er, Dr. Parm— Gragg, I mean. Peggy and I wish him the best of lu—uh, we wish him success.”
Groundbreaking study suggests students’ lives “busy,” “crazy” Anna Bennett Free-time analyst
A recent study published by the Journal of Undergraduate Knowledge (JUnK) found that roughly 90 percent of students describe their lives as “busy,” “crazy,” or “crazy busy.” This number is up 2 percent from last year, though it is unclear whether this increase is a meaningful trend or just a part of the natural cycle. “Every five years or so, undergraduates become slightly more busy on average before regressing several percentage points again,” author May Kittup said. “There may be a correlation between this trend and changes in the economic climate, cultural shifts, or position
of the planets.” Kittup said she hasn’t had time to fully investigate this year’s spike, as the last few months have been “crazy” for her. Another disturbing-yet-intriguing finding of the study is that many students engage in territorial “busy battles” with their peers with the intent of proving that their lives are crazier and busier than their peers’. Kittup described a vicious encounter she witnessed while observing a laboratory study session. During the session, a particularly exuberant mechanical engineering specimen arrived late. Apologizing profusely, saying she had just gotten out of a design meeting, and she had to meet up with her
lab team at nine, and “things had just been crazy today.” Before she had set her books down, a sophomore theater major began complaining, very loudly, about how late rehearsal had gone the night before and about how glad he was to be off tonight so he could do homework, since he was about to be so “busy” with tech week. But before the theater student could finish, the president of the improv club started reminding everyone about how many upcoming shows she was planning and about how on top of it all she had three papers to write by Friday and a presentation on Wednesday and how she “couldn’t believe how she got so crazy busy” this semester.
The session quickly devolved as the engineer remembered to tell everyone how many hours she was working that week, over which the theater major shouted about how he had to learn his lines during trips to the bathroom, to which the improv president replied that she’d “only eaten, like, two granola bars and some coffee today.” All three specimens had to be euthanized by researchers. Respected Undergraduate Anthropologist Gerta Jerb says although many students express a wish for a fabled state of bliss referred to as “free time,” their very natures prevent such a state. “We’ve seen in many cases dropping classes or leaving clubs makes no impact in the student’s
level of busy-ness,” she said. Jerb theorizes that this phenomenon reveals students’ subconscious need to fill every waking moment, making it impossible for their lives to ever be less “crazy” or “busy.” While Jerb insisted she’d like to pursue further inquiry on this topic, she acknowledged that she’s been “way too busy” this year to launch a new study. Besides “crazy” and “busy,” students also describe themselves as “swamped” (4 percent), “exhausted” (5 percent), and as having “more time on my hands than I know what to do with” (1 percent). No one knows who that last guy is, but the other of the 99 percent would reportedly murder him if they only had the time.
State-Run housing selection begins April 1st
What do you love about… State-Run housing?
• Meeting new friends and attending fun parades for King John I • Convenient surveillance in all public AND private areas • Noise complaints addressed swiftly and mercilessly • Curfews • Suites furnished with mouse traps, rat poison • Free access to the State-Run Media • Living mere minutes away from campus, despair • “More time to study, attend campus events, exercise, and simply achieve more than commuter students.” – TU Campus Housing
I ☹ ng tI u m m o C
I really hate the loneliness and isolation of being a commuter. I’d love to live in State-Run Housing and enjoy the safety and fun that only an authoritarian rule can bring. Plus then maybe I could simply achieve something. - Aaron D., Commuter Student Never graduating
Stick around. Or You’ll REGRET it!