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W E D N E S DA Y, S E P T E M B E R 18 , 2 013
FreeOUGreek The process of uncovering the meaning of the hashtag
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unday night, the hashtag #FreeOUGreek began to spread on Twitter, with many members from OU’s greek system contributing to the online conversation. The hashtag raised questions and complaints about Interfraternity Council and Student Conduct’s involvement in regulating fraternities and sororities in regard to OU’s Student Alcohol Policy.
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L&A: The Daily interviews the lead singer of a local folk rock band you should know. (Page 7)
Members of The Oklahoma Daily began to ask questions to its greek staffers Sunday to form an idea of what was going on. Monday, reporters began reaching out to the IFC and Panhellenic Association members, various presidents and leaders in the greek system and members of fraternities and sororities to try and figure out what had caused the hashtag and how it affected them. Multiple calls, emails and Facebook messages to fraternity presidents, sorority officials and IFC and Panhellenic advisers were not returned. Hundreds of tweets with the hashtag have been sent since Sunday. At the end of Monday, the only information The Daily was able to get was a statement from various university, IFC and Panhellenic officials saying there had been no change in Student Conduct’s Student Alcohol Policy. While The Daily still is looking into this issue, here’s the information we’ve gotten so far: Sunday 10:12 p.m. The first #FreeOUGreek tweet was sent out by @YourKainess Monday 12:51 a.m. The Daily received tips from staff members, social media and students on campus as to what caused the #FreeOUGreek movement. The unconfirmed reports include: • IFC stated that if it receives tips about any on or off-campus parties held by fraternities, IFC or Student Conduct is free to go in and demand the identification of partygoers without warning • Campus authorities are in the process of giving eight fraternities strikes. • If IFC or Student Conduct authorities go into a fraternity house and find alcohol and three or more girls from a sorority, that fraternity and the girls’ sorority both will get strikes. • All of the new practices are in place because OU’s sexual misconduct case count has exceeded, in the last month, the total of the preceding 10 years. • Student Conduct director Steve Ashmore is the person in charge of enforcing all the new policies. 1:11 p.m. Mark Stoltz, Beta Theta Pi president, responded to an email by saying: “I’m happy to help where I can, but I’m actually not the most informed on this issue. IFC President Drew Knox is the best source for information, and Skyler Sikes, the IFC chief justice, would be another person you may reach out to.” 1:28 p.m. Joseph Frazey, Kappa Alpha Order
Opinion: Latest gun shooting serves as a reminder to look out for suspicious behavior. (Page 4)
president, responded to an email, saying he’d never heard of the hashtag and that he would ask his fraternity members if they had. “I can ask my members, but it has had ZERO impact on us,” he said. 4 p.m. A trip to the Student Conduct office revealed director Ashmore is out of the office for the week. 5:50 p.m. Clarke Stroud, vice president of Student Affairs and dean of students, responded to the email OU spokesman Michael Nash forwarded him. Stroud said: “Michael Nash forwarded your email to me and asked me to follow up with you. Let me be clear, the safety of our students is paramount to the university. There have been no changes to the alcohol policy. I met with greek leaders last week to reaffirm the alcohol policy and the consequences should it not be adhered to both individually and organizationally. As has been the case since 2005, alcohol is not permitted in fraternities or sororities. Further, the alcohol policy (which can be found online) outlines the manner in which organizations may host off site functions with alcohol both safely and legally. Again, there have been no changes to the policy.” 6:05 p.m. An email to Stroud with more detailed questions regarding changes in IFC practices or policies elicited this response: “Again, there have been no changes. The checks are the same by the same people. We do not send anyone undercover. We have not given warnings that checkers are arriving for several years. We do have on-going investigations, about which it would be inappropriate to comment. Again, I encourage you to review the alcohol policy as it has not been modified.” 10:15 p.m. The Daily received this response from Panhellenic President Hana Johnson: “There have been no changes to OU’s Student Alcohol Policy. This past Friday, the chapter presidents and I had our bimonthly meeting and reviewed the University’s Student Alcohol Policy. Nothing has changed in the policy. OU Panhellenic is in compliance with all of the university’s policies. Panhellenic has not asked our members not to go to fraternity chapter facilities. Drinking under the age of 21 is illegal, and alcohol at fraternity houses is prohibited by the alcohol policy.”
Sports: The soccer team features a few young standouts. (Page 6)
VOL. 99, NO. 22 © 2013 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25¢
INSIDE TODAY Campus......................2 Clas si f ie ds................5 L i f e & A r t s ..................7 O p inio n.....................4 Spor ts........................6 Visit OUDaily.com for more
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• Wednesday, September 18, 2013
CAMPUS
Arianna Pickard, campus editor Paighten Harkins and Molly Evans, assistant editors dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily
VACCINATIONS AT A GLANCE Flu fast facts · The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness and sometimes lead to death. · Symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea.
TODAY AROUND CAMPUS
· Each year in the U.S., an estimated 200,000 people are hospitalized for illnesses associated with seasonal influenza virus infections.
A free concert showcasing pianist Nicole Thompson will take place from noon to 1 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union food court.
· Vaccines are the best way to prevent flu, which should be done before October each year.
A talk from reporter Alfredo Corchado about his book “Midnight in Mexico, will take place at 3:30 p.m. at the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. A tournament of Super Smash Bros. will take place at 6 to 8 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Crossroads Lounge. Just show up and sign up in the beginning of the night to be eligible to play.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 19 A free concert showcasing pianist Tom White will take place from noon to 1 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union food court. A free workshop with Clarissa Thompson, doctor of psychology, will be held at 3 p.m. in Lissa and Cy Wagner Hall, Room 245. Thompson will discuss the psychology involved in learning more efficiently. A screening of the film, “La Vita é Bella (“Life is Beautiful”) will show at 7:30 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union courtyard. A discussion and workshop, “Know Justice, Know Peace: Activism in the Wake of Tragedy” will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union, Frontier Room.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 20 A meet up for graduate students and faculty will take place from 10 a.m. to noon in Wagner Hall, Room 280. Refreshments will be provided. A free screening of “Monsters University” will be shown at 6 p.m., 9 p.m. and midnight in Meacham Auditorium in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. A production from the OU School of Dance will take place at 8 p.m. in the Rupel J. Jones Theatre. The dancers will perform various ballet routines as a part of the Oklahoma Festival Ballet. Do you want to see your organization’s campus event here? Visit OUDaily.com/events/submit to add your entry.
CORRECTIONS The Oklahoma Daily is committed to serving readers with accurate coverage and welcomes your comments about information that may require correction or clarification. To contact us with corrections, email us at dailynews@ou.edu. Visit OUDaily.com/corrections for an archive of our corrections
HOW TO CONTACT US Newsroom office: 405-325-3666
To report news: dailynews@ou.edu
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Letters to the editor: dailyopinion@ou.edu
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· 135-139 million doses of flu vaccine will be shipped out this season. ILLUSTRATION MICAH WORMLEY/THE DAILY
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Goddard Health Center offers free flu shots for students Faculty, staff, students can present OU I.D. for shot JORDAN LARSEN Campus Reporter
Free flu shots will be offered from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at Goddard Health Center as a part of Flu Prevention Week. The vaccinations were also offered Tuesday and approximately 250 people have already taken advantage of the resource, said Maggie Pool, OU Health Services Promotional Coordinator. Flu shots are free for students with presentation of an OU I.D. card and filed for faculty and staff who have OU BlueCross BlueShield insurance. The shots are $25 for OU faculty,
GO AND DO Flu shots When: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday Where: Goddard Health Center Price: Free for students Info: Bring your OU I.D. to receive the free flu shot
staff, dependents and retirees without a BlueCross BlueShield membership card, said Pool. No appointment is necessary, so visitors can simply stop by Goddard to receive their vaccination, Pool said.
Each year, several thousand students and staff members receive the free flu shots from Goddard, Pool said. Vaccination is the most important step you can take to prevent yourself from getting the flu this season, she said. If you cannot make it this week, Goddard will offer free flu shots again within the following months. Jordan Larsen jordan.c.larsen-1@ou.edu