April 20 issue

“ THE CAMPUS

April 20, 2016– Volume 110 Issue 25

Greek life opens organizations to transgender students Emily Wiley ASSOCIATE EDITOR

T

he national governing bodies of Greek life have taken a step toward opening organizations to transgender persons.

The National Panhellenic Conference and the Interfraternal Council decided this year to allow transgender students to participate in recruitment. The decision is left to the individual sororities and fraternities and their national or international headquarters as to whether or not local chapters can extend a bid for membership.

“We cannot tell an organization to change their own rules, but we can be as inclusive as possible when dealing with recruitment,” said Chandler Hardy, OCU Panhellenic president. “We are starting to see more and more organizations starting the conversation as to

if they will or will not extend membership because of this decision.”

One Greek organizations on campus has a policy regarding transgender members.

Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity’s policy states that “a college ‘man,’ for purposes of our fraternity laws, is any individual who, at the time both of his association and his initiation, self-identifies as male, regardless of his assigned sex at birth or his expression or the perceived expression of his gender,” according to an email from Tad Lichtenauer, national director of communications for Lambda Chi Alpha.

Gamma Phi Beta also allows students to join, based on how they identify.

“We believe that it is about bonding with your sisters and having experiences that make your college experience the best it can be,” said Natalie Dexeus, OCU’s Gamma Phi Beta presi-

No matter what, you are going to get people who don’t agree.

But, if there is a place for this to happen, it is OCU. Billy Speed

Interfraternal Council president

dent. “We follow the same guidelines as Panhellenic regarding transgender members.”

Another sorority on campus is in the process of creating a policy.

“Phi Mu seeks to recruit members who contribute to our mission within their local chapter and for the national organization,” said Jackie Isaacson,

national director of communications for Phi Mu. “The National Council of Phi Mu Fraternity is in discussions to determine our policy on transgender members.”

Another campus fraternity doesn’t have a policy, but is open to allowing transgender members.

“We have always prided ourselves in having a diverse

member pool and are open to any lifestyle they choose,” said Zach Travers, OCU’s Kappa Sigma fraternity president.

Representatives from Alpha Phi sorority, Alpha Chi Omega sorority and Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) fraternity were not available for comment at presstime.

Levi Harrel, assistant director of student development, said he thinks all people deserve a chance at the best possible college experience.

“It is my job to make sure that they get that chance,” he said.

When a person decides to go Greek, they can enter fraternity or sorority recruitment. They should fill out the form for the organization they identify with.

There is no other form to fill out regarding gender, Harrel said.

“All the forms come to me, so if there is one that I think was filled out by mistake, then I will contact the student and ask,” Harrel said.

OCU has not had an issue with any transgender student wanting to join an organization and not being accepted.

Billy Speed, IFC president for OCU, said he is glad the discussion is happening.

“I wouldn’t say that it will be easier for us here because, no matter what, you are going to get people who don’t agree.

But, if there is a place for this to happen, it is OCU,” he said.

Finding their place

Academic awards no longer gender-based Miguel Rios EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

G

ender-based university awards will be phased out to promote gender inclusivity.

The Letzeiser Medal goes to a male and female student each year. The award is the highest GPA award for seniors.

One of those students to receive the award this academic year didn’t identify as the gender they will receive the award as.

The deans from Petree College of Arts and Sciences brought the issue to the dean’s council, where they unanimously voted to get rid of the gender stipulation, said Dr. Helen Gaudin, acting associate dean of Petree College of Arts and Sciences.

“If the Letzeiser Medals are strictly based on GPA, we suggested ‘can we not just compare

GPA to GPA,’” she said. “We don’t have to compare boys to boys and girls to girls.

“I haven’t heard any arguments for keeping it, other than ‘that’s the way we’ve always done it,’ which I don’t consider a very compelling argument.”

The gender stipulation could cause discomfort and/or pain to students who are transgender, Gaudin said. She said people should be sensitive that all of our actions can impact other people in painful ways.

Each college typically chooses a top senior male and female in different ways. For Petree, it’s a combination of GPA, other activities and a vote of the faculty, Gaudin said.

“What we know in 2016 is that gender isn’t always as simple as they might’ve thought it was in 1950,” she said. “People’s legal gender doesn’t always correspond with the gender they identify

“

with. In my opinion, they never needed to be gender-based awards.”

Dr. Amy Ayres, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, supervises the Campus Leadership Awards, which recently were awarded to students.

Student affairs developed a Greek Member of the Year award rather than a Greek “Woman” or “Man” of the Year award to be more inclusive, she said.

A look into Transgender Inclusivity across campus “This was an intentional effort to drive our recognition away from being tied to any form of gender identity,” she said.

Zack Travers, business administration junior, was one of the recipients of the award. He said the title was a move in the right direction.

“It has always been more important to me that someone is

a good person before being a good man or woman. OCU continues to be on the frontlines as far as inclusion goes,” he said.

This is the last year awards will be given according to the rules in place for Petree and the Letzeiser Medal. In the future, the gender aspect will be abolished.

“Surely we’re all smart enough

to deal with things in a good, professional and caring way, but that’s why we said, with these awards, it’s a no-brainer. It’s really simple, just stop it,” Gaudin said.

Transgender student talks about campus experiences Maleyia Vaughn WEB EDITOR

O

ne transgender student said he appreciates how open the campus community is, but there are still aspects of campus life that can be improved to help the LGBTQ community.

Rileigh Darby-McClure, cell and molecular biology senior, was born female, but said he knew he was male from the time he was a young child.

“I had a sense that I was different than the other kids around me,” Darby-McClure said. “I didn’t even know there were other people that felt like me until I was in high school, and then it took me a couple of years to come to terms and realize that’s how I wanted to interact with the world.”

He grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which he said was conservative, so he didn’t know anyone else like him until he moved to Oklahoma City.

When Darby-McClure first came to OCU, he chose “female” on his housing form because he said he wasn’t comfortable being out.

During his first semester, Darby-McClure lived in Banning Hall.

In his second semester, he lived in Walker Hall. After that, he moved to Cokesbury Court Apartments, where he’s been ever since.

Darby-McClure said Banning Hall was fine because it was co-ed, but Walker Hall was problematic because it was all female.

“A lot of times, when I went in, they would try to ask me for my ID card, which was always really awkward,” he said. “I would usually come in and make a mad dash for the elevator or the stairs and they’d be hollering after me, but I’d just try to ignore them.”

He pursued non-traditional housing one semester because a nonbinary student needed a roommate. Non-binary means they didn’t identify as male or female. Darby-McClure asked his roommates if they would be okay with living with them, and they each had to send an email to housing stating their approval. Although both of his roommates said they were okay with it, one moved out after the non-binary student moved in.

M MEDIAOCU.com

Bathrooms are a big deal for transgender people because you would get adverse reactions going in either bathroom.

I get it everywhere I go.

Rileigh Darby-McClure cell and molecular biology senior

“The fact that OCU is such a small school makes it easy to work with the people that are in charge of housing,” he said. “I would definitely feel comfortable going up and asking them.”

The University of Oklahoma in Norman switched to gender-inclusive housing in 2012 to help the LGBTQ community. Darby-McClure said he wishes Cokesbury would be more gender-inclusive. If he were living off campus, he could live with any gender. He said he also wishes all university forms would ask “female,” “male” or “other” with a place to write something in, instead of just giving two options.

Dr. Amy Ayres, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, said there is no plan in place to be more gender-inclusive, but officials always work to improve things.

“While no housing policy currently exists in regards to genderinclusive housing, the university continues to evaluate and assess how we can be more inclusive of all of our students, even beyond housing,” Ayres said. “There will be future conversations and thoughtful considerations as we work toward providing an environment that is the most welcoming and inclusive for all students, regardless of gender identity or any other form of expression.”

Another aspect of campus life Darby-McClure said needs improvment is campus restrooms. He said, when he first came to OCU, there was only one gender-neutral restroom on the first floor of the library.

Now there are two more outside the caf in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center, but there still aren’t many options.

He said he would like to see a gender-neutral restroom in every building because he finds himself rushing to his apartment or trying to decide how long he can wait to use the bathroom so he won’t be late to classes.

“Bathrooms are a big deal for transgender people because you would get adverse reactions going in either bathroom,” DarbyMcClure said. “I get it everywhere I go. It’s not like it’s only on campus.

If I go in the women’s restroom, then obviously people are like ‘What is this guy doing in here?’”

He said it’ll take time for people to catch up. He also said there was a Title IX meeting on campus a couple of years ago to discuss how to improve aspects of campus to help LGBTQ students and that helped a lot.

Darby-McClure hasn’t undergone the surgery to transition because he’s on the women’s track team and would lose his scholarship, but said he’s going to look into it after he graduates.

He said he appreciates days on campus like Love Not Hate Day and weeks like Better Together because they promote equality.

People are so afraid to ask about someone’s gender, so they don’t and it makes an elephant in the room, but if people would just ask they would learn a lot from transgender people, Darby-McClure said.

“What happens a lot is most people just assume I’m gay, like a gay female. They think I’m a lesbian, and I know that happened, and still happens, but I’m definitely a guy.

“I went to the east coast for an internship once and what struck me over there is that people actually ask you ‘What pronouns do you prefer?’ And there’s not just he and she. There’s they, their, ze, zir, there are a lot of pronouns people might prefer. People here, it sometimes doesn’t seem like they’re there yet or they don’t feel comfortable asking yet.”

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opinion Editors express concern about number of students affected by prioritization Class and program cancellations, terminated professors, and budget cuts were a result of the prioritization process, which began in April 2014.

Prioritization allowed university officials to see where money was spent and determine if programs should change.

Officials released the prioritization report in April 2015.

The report estimated the phasing out or elimination of certain programs would impact fewer than 35 students. It also stated that officials would contact affected students individually and provide individual advisement.

Students then were told in August their classes were canceled because officials thought enrollment may increase. More should’ve been done to warn students earlier than a week before school.

As prioritization recommendations continue to be implemented, intermediate French courses for Fall 2016 were canceled. Officials said they didn’t have enough beginning French students to justify keeping the courses.

See Page 3 for more about language classes.

Students were not told about course changes until right before enrollment. Students already planning on enrolling in intermediate French were left scrambling to find other classes to fill their schedules. Now students who took French for two semesters must ask for permission to take another foreign language.

Students’ graduation plans won’t be disturbed, but this isn’t an ideal situation.

Officials said intermediate French courses could return in the future, if enrollment numbers are high enough. But that

Talk Back “How have university budget cuts affected you?”

also means other classes could be canceled if enrollment numbers are low. Spanish are the only language courses guaranteed.

It’s hard to be enthusiastic about taking a language course you know might not be offered next semester.

It’s also difficult to say that prioritization affected fewer than 35 students, since it seems like most students have either dealt with a canceled class or program, budget cuts in their programs or the loss of a professor.

Prioritization is necessary and we hope it will help the university in the long run, but it’s affecting more students than officials initially said. Inconveniencing current students by canceling required gen-ed classes while trying to better the university seems counter-productive.

“I’m financially unable to live on campus because of scholarship cuts.”

“I’m getting less cottage cheese in my to-go lunches.”

Tomorrow Denton cell and molecular biology sophomore

Onnika Hanson acting freshman

“I live in constant fear of being prioritized.”

Laura Jardine cell and molecular biology sophomore

“I am dying internally.”

Ross Ferris university studies freshman

“I’m very oblivious to what’s going on, but I’m sure they’ve affected me somehow.”

“They cut some teachers in my department, which sucked.”

Atticus Dellinger cell and molecular biology senior

Emily Baker studio art junior

Editor thanks OCU for an ‘interesting, exciting’ four years Thanks, OCU. I have said that a lot in my last four years here, often in the same tone one thanks Obama for the cheese falling off their pizza.

The smell of sewage drifting over the lawn by Oklahoma United Methodist Hall reminds me of empty dreams and broken promises.... Thanks, OCU. Sprinklers turning on in the rain to water the rocks... Thanks, OCU. The cheese falling off my

Sodexo pizza... Thanks, OCU. But, all quirks aside, I truly am thankful for my time at OCU. From Stars 101 to now, OCU has been a good fit for me. I grew up in a small town, so I felt at home in the small classes and at a place where gossip spreads like wildfire.

My religion classes are interesting and engaging. I also am thankful for the opportunity I had to step out of the religion school into the world of mass communications.

John Hiller is a religion senior from Ringling, Okla.

He enjoys running, spending time with his fiancé, Hannah, and sarcasm.

As disappointed as I get with OCU at times, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

I remember my first class

freshman year. It was governance in America with Dr. Mohamed Daadaoui. He gave me the best piece of advice I received in col-

lege, “read the damn syllabus.”

I have learned a lot since then, like what equity points are and that sometimes, in the Hebrew Bible, “feet” means “penis.”

As I write this during Stars 101, I think about incoming freshmen who have no idea what the next four years will bring. Seniors, would you as a freshman recognize where you are now? Freshmen, isn’t it amazing how far you have come in just one year?

I wonder what the next four years will bring. A wedding, a move to a different state, a new job, and a new grad school lie ahead for me, but that’s just the next three months. Whatever happens next, I know I am prepared for it because of my time here... Thanks, OCU. Thank you to everyone who read my column for the last year.

I hope you enjoyed it. Good luck in whatever is next for you.

Veronica Battersby’s senior music theater recital at 2 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

torium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Campus Calendar Calendar items must be received in the Newsroom or stupub@okcu.edu by noon Friday for inclusion in the following Wednesday issue.

WEDNESDAY Dylan Evans’s junior trumpet recital at 6 p.m. in the small rehearsal hall in Wanda L. Bass Music Center THURSDAY Chapel with Olivia Coil, youth ministry senior, as speaker at 1 p.m. in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel Softball vs. Southwestern Christian at 2 p.m. at Ann Lacy Stadium

Hannah Davis’s senior voice recital at 6 p.m. in the small rehearsal hall in Wanda L. Bass Music Center

torium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Brooke Bradley’s senior music theater recital at 8 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

SATURDAY Gold Star Climb at 10 a.m. at the Gold Star Memorial Building

FRIDAY Baseball vs. Wayland Baptists (Texas) at 4 p.m. at Jim Wade Stadium Evita at 8 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Audi-

Alumni 30 Under 30 Brunch at 10 a.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center Caitlin Crabill’s graduate opera recital at noon in Petree Recital

Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center Colin Briskey’s senior music theater recital at noon in the small rehearsal hall in Wanda L. Bass Music Center Baseball vs. Wayland Baptist (Texas) at 1 p.m. at Jim Wade Stadium Softball vs. Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) at 2 p.m. at Ann Lacy Stadium

Cole Neese’s senior music theater recital at 4 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center Distinguished Alumni Dinner at 5:30 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center Evita at 8 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Audi-

SUNDAY Evita at 3 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center OCU Jazz Ensemble Concert at 8 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center TUESDAY Baseball vs. Dallas Christian at 3 p.m. at Jim Wade Stadium

Critic finds film difficult to describe, still ‘worth seeing’ The downside of a good science fiction story is that it can sometimes be difficult to follow for an average moviegoer.

The more complicated the premise, the greater the possibility of losing the audience’s attention, even if the writing and plot are great.

When a filmmaker is able to put together an interesting sci-fi film in a way that doesn’t lose the audience, it’s quite an

accomplishment.

Written and directed by Rian Johnson, Looper stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, and Jeff Daniels.

Looper sets up its premise early and clearly, a necessity due to its complicated concept. Set in Kansas during the year 2044, the film follows Gordon-Levitt’s character “Joe,” a hitman for the mob known as a “Looper.” Thirty years in the future, the mob

Danielle Petersen is a music theater senior from San Jose, Calif. She likes playing the violin, playing with her cat and watching films.

begins using time travel to send people they want killed back to Joe’s time period, where he and other loopers kill and dispose of the bodies. Things become

complicated when the person Joe is supposed to kill turns out to be his future self, played by Willis.

As difficult as the plot can be to explain, it makes more sense

watching it on screen. Once settled in, you can spend the rest of the film enjoying the excellent performances, including one of Willis’s best roles since Die Hard.

Gordon-Levitt and Blunt are their usual fantastic selves.

The real star here is writer and director Johnson, whose previous works include the underrated film Brick and a couple of the best episodes of Breaking Bad. As a reward for his work he’ll be writing and

directing the upcoming sequel to Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

His directing in Looper keeps the tension building. The story is original and difficult to predict, and the characters feel fully formed and real.

It’s refreshing to see original ideas in this time of sequels and reboots. Looper may not be the easiest film to describe to your friends, it’s one well worth seeing.

Columnist requests respect, support for campus police I have heard several students complain about campus police since I came to college. Campus police officers are no less law enforcement officials than city police.

If I get a ticket from campus police, it’s my fault. I can’t blame them for doing their job.

I am thankful to have campus police who make me feel safe and protected.

Police officers have a responsibility to enforce laws in a fair

and equitable manner, and we have a responsibility to educate ourselves about those laws and respect the authorities who work to enforce them.

Media are partially responsible for our inability to recognize law enforcement as regular people. Most news stories regarding police officers include horrible events that should not represent the profession as a whole.

We need to remember that

Tatum Nelson is a mass communications/religion sophomore from Tulsa, Okla. She enjoys spending time with her sister and eating tacos. !

media often only recount stories of rare events and mistakes, and rarely focuses on stories that give a more accurate portrayal of law enforcement because it’s not newsworthy.

It is ridiculous to clump all

officers in the same “bad-cop” category due to the questionable actions of a few.

The inability to accurately portray officers has allowed us to envision law enforcement as a malicious establishment, which

THE CAMPUS

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Photographers: Danielle Frost, Donovan Lawson, Andrew Robling Staff Writers: Prisca Lynch, Elina Moon, Taylor Rey Columnists: Tatum Nelson, Madelyn Parker Film Critic: Danielle Petersen

person, to change the negative attitude most of society has against them.

We should spread the word when we hear of officers going above and beyond expectations when serving the community.

When we hear people vocalizing hatred for the police force or disrespecting an officer, we need to show our support for them as both public officials and human beings who want to protect our community.

The Campus has served the Oklahoma City University community since 1907. It is published Wednesday during the academic year, with the exception of holidays and exam periods.

April 20, 2016, Volume 110, Number 25

Editor-in-chief: Miguel Rios Associate Editor: Emily Wiley Web Editor: Maleyia Vaughn Lifestyles Editor: Sage Tokach Photo Editor: Ali Wonderly Copy Editor: John Hiller Community Manager: Lauren Berlingeri

has led to violent actions against the people who are supposed to protect us.

We should not tolerate or add to these acts of disrespect against police. There should no longer be a citizen-versus-police mentality, and that includes campus police.

The longer we allow it, the more we alienate a profession that works to support and protect our community.

People should actively support the police, online and in

The Student Publications staff welcomes unsolicited material and letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and include the writer’s phone

Ad and Marketing Director: number, address, major, and classification. The staff reserves the right to Ashten Vincent edit all letters. The staff also reserves the right to refuse letters without exDigitally signed by Newsroom Circulation Director: planation.

Letters can be sent online at mediaocu.com, emailed to stupub@ DN: cn=Newsroom, o, ou, Allie Glazner email=ehwiley@my.okcu.edu, okcu.edu or dropped off at the Newsroom in Walker Center for Arts and SciFaculty Adviser: Kenna Griffin c=US

Newsroom

ences. Submitted items may appear on MediaOCU and in the print edition.

Date: 2016.01.09 13:22:47 -06'00'

The first issue of The Campus is free. Each additional issue costs 25 cents. Contents copyright, 2016. All rights reserved.

April 20, 2016

“

news

Intermediate French courses canceled, officials offer solution Elina Moon STAFF WRITER

Students who need intermediate French classes will have to take a different language class to satisfy the requirement after officials canceled the courses for Fall 2016.

There weren’t enough students to justify keeping the course on the schedule based on the number of beginning French students who needed the intermediate course, said Dr. Helen Gaudin, acting associate dean for Petree College of Arts and Sciences.

“Based on prioritization, the cabinet of the university wants at least 10 students in a lower-level course and eight in

an upper-level course,” she said.

“You need a certain number of students in the class for it to be economically sound, since you’re paying the faculty to teach.”

Prioritization allowed officials to see where university money was spent and determine if changes should be made to academic and support programs. It resulted in budget cuts across campus.

Visit MediaOCU.com for more on prioritization.

Taking the French class off the schedule was a proactive measure to cause as little disturbance as possible, Gaudin said. Students can make accommodations now, instead of finding out there weren’t enough students for the class when they

It’s certain that students will be taken care of. It’s not going to mess up anyone’s degree plan.

Helen Gaudin

acting associate dean Petree College for Arts and Science

return in the fall.

Any students who need the additional year of foreign language can petition to do another language in replacement of the ones not offered.

The requirement for many students is four semesters of the same language, but if the university can’t offer the remaining classes, then students can take

four semesters total in two different languages.

“It’s certain that students will be taken care of,” Gaudin said. “It’s not going to mess up anyone’s degree plan.”

One student said the process of getting permission to take Spanish instead is not a big deal.

“My adviser apparently

talked to administration and they made an exception,” said Natalie Chapman, mass communications junior. “It wasn’t too bad, but I am disappointed I can’t finish French. I’m glad I can take another language course at OCU instead of having to go to another university.”

The class cancellation does not mean the end of French classes at OCU. “This is simply class scheduling based on what we perceive to be student demand,” Gaudin said. “We’re optimistic that the university enrollment numbers are looking good for next year, so there could be more students, and we could have a French III the following year.”

The only language guaran-

tees for all four semesters is Spanish.

“Students who haven’t star ted language credits shouldn’t be discouraged from taking French,” Gaudin said.

“If students start French, it’s possible that intermediate French will be back by their junior year. It’s not risky because students will be taken care of either way.”

Chinese (Beginning I and II and Intermediate I), Elementary French I, Beginning German I, Beginning Arabic I, and all levels of Spanish language courses are offered in the Fall 2016 semester.

“

Donovan Lawson Student Publications

Lemurs, spiders, foxes... oh my!

Phillip Giandiletti, dance performance junior, hangs out with a lemur during his break from classes Thursday on the quad. OCU Housing staff invited a petting zoo to provide fun entertainment in the afternoon. Animals included a crocodile, spiders, a kangaroo, and a fox.

Meagan Chew, acting junior, and Julie Graff, dance performance senior, make four-legged friends. The petting zoo was open to the surrounding Oklahoma City community and used as a recruitment event for the university.

Campus store no longer sells personal items due to cost Elina Moon STAFF WRITER

Many personal items, including food and toiletries, are no longer sold in the campus store.

The university operated the bookstore in previous academic years. Tree of Life leased the space in June 2015.

The company pays the university rent and gives them a commission on sales.

“The transition gave us an opportunity to look at the products we were selling, and the price point, and look at what students really need,” Bookstore Manager Christina

Chapman said. “We looked at the budget and said ‘OK, at what point does it become less cost efficient to have these items here?’”

Some of the items that were sold, such as toothpaste and food, were marked down when it got close to their expiration dates. The bookstore took losses on those items, Chapman said.

Food sales were stopped because Alvin’s and the caf offered more food items.

“Personal items weren’t very popular,” Chapman said. “Sales varied, depending on the time of the year.

“At the beginning of the

“

Personal items weren’t very popular. At the beginning of the year, students would buy things that they had forgotten at home, then sales would pick back up at the end of the year when students started losing those types of items again.

Christina Chapman bookstore manager

year, students would buy things that they had forgotten at home, then sales would pick back up at the end of the year when students started losing those types of items again. It wasn’t consistent enough to justify keeping it in the store.

Items with no expiration date, like hairbrushes and bobby pins, were in stock for years.

Medicine, a more popular item, was discontinued to avoid competition with the Campus Health Center, Chapman said.

All items left over after the transition were boxed up and donated to the health center and Oklahoma United Methodist Hall.

It’s not completely out of the picture to bring these types of items back, Chapman said.

“I’m open to any suggestions as long as I can find the products and it’s something more than one person is asking for,” she said. “It has to be what we agree is an affordable price.

I don’t want to bring in a little thing of toothpaste and sell it for $3 because it’s not fair to students to put a product out there with an unreasonable price.”

Barrett Cahalen, dance freshman, said he is interested in bringing back personal items to the store, but showed a similar concern about price.

“It would save us the trip to a store somewhere else,” he said. “However, if it’s over priced, like most things on this campus, then there would be no point.”

Chapman said she invites students to talk to her about items they’d like to see or bring back, either by visiting the store or by emailing clchapman@okcu.edu.

Students, officials pleased with new enrollment system Taylor Rey STAFF WRITER

University officials said students successfully registered for next semester’s classes with the new registration system.

The system was implemented this semester because students had trouble getting into the classes they needed to graduate. The new system split registration into five days instead of two, as in previous years, and students registered on a different day depending on the number of credit hours they had.

Visit MediaOCU.com for more information on the new system.

“The biggest problem last semester was with methods of scientific inquiry,” Registrar Charlie Monnot said. “The class filled up in under two minutes, and students who needed it to graduate were not able to get in.”

April 20, 2016

I really liked the way it was set up this time, it was a lot less panicked since there were fewer students.

Jennifer Morris music theater junior

The time registration opened each day changed from 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.

“The biggest problem we encountered this time was people did not realize we moved the registration time back half an hour,” Monnot said. “We tried to get the word out with emails and posters, but we hope students will get the hang of it in the future.”

Monnot said registrar employees were happy with the results from registration. Breaking the schedule up in this way evenly distributed the number of students who registered per day.

Monnot said they will continue to break up the schedule in the future semesters.

Jennifer Morris, music the-

ater junior, agreed that the new system improved registration.

“I really liked the way it was set up this time, it was a lot less panicked since there were fewer students,” she said. “I usually feel like the classes would fill up without you knowing and I would have to change my entire schedule because there were so many people registering at once.”

Monnot said his office is open to suggestions from students on how to enhance their registration experience.

For more information or to make suggestions email Monnot at cmonnot@okcu.edu.

Welcome, Mr. President

Ali Wonderly Student Publications

Nic Rhodes president of Student Government Association; Holly Randall, vice president of SGA, and Shannon Beshears, vice president of Student Activities Council, celebrate as they are inaugurated as the new 2016-17 SGA Executive Board. Randall and Beshears ran uncontested, while Rhodes beat Daniel McClain, economics/finance junior, with 62 percent of the votes. Rhodes previously served as vice president of SGA.

3

news Music school prepares for season’s final musical Tatum Nelson STAFF WRITER

A rags-to-riches tale of scandalous acts and a rise to fame and fortune is brought to life in OCU’s season finale musical, Evita.

Evita depicts the life of Eva Peron, the iconic first lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952. Written

by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the production was the first British show to win a Tony Award for Best Musical.

“Peron,” who talks her way to Buenos Aires, strategically makes her way up the social ladder from a fatherless child to a celebrated actress. She then becomes a powerful wife and first lady of Argentina when her lover is elected president. In the end, she

questions the path she took with her life.

Madeline Grace Smith, music theater senior, who plays the role of “Peron’s mistress,” said the production will be her seventh and final show at OCU. “I think this is the largest cast I have been a part of during my time at OCU,” she said. “This production is different because we have a phenomenal dance ensemble in addition to our crazy talented chorus.”

Students began music rehearsals the week before Spring Break and started staging the show as soon as they returned, with the direction of Dr. David Herendeen, director of opera and music theater.

The production features a 34-piece orchestra and a cast

of 40.

“Everyone is doing such an amazing job and it’s amazing that Dr. Herendeen can fit everyone on stage,” Smith said.

Gabriella Ottersberg, music theater freshman, is part of the ensemble and said she is grateful to be part of such a talented cast.

“I love working with the cast, Dr. H and the entire artistic team,” she said. “My favorite part would have to be developing the story and the relationships from rehearsal to rehearsal until it all comes together in a beautiful musical piece.”

The music score features Latin rhythms, military marches and wistful ballads as “Evita” ascends to fame, fights off critics and attains near-sainthood after her death.

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Andrew Robling Student Publications Cast members of Evita rehearse the dinner scene Friday in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. The show tells the story of Eva Peron, the iconic first lady of Argentina. Performances are Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Alex Hebert and Sarah Feist, music theater juniors, share the title role of “Eva Peron.”

“I really love watching our ‘Evas’ sing ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,’” Smith said. “It’s such an iconic song and they

give me goose-bumps every time.”

The performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and a 3 p.m. matinee Sunday in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center.

Tickets range from $12 to $25 and are available at www.okcu.edu/tickets or 405-208-5227.

Unauthorized political chalking found on school property Maleyia Vaughn WEB EDITOR

Some students are expressing their political opinions by chalking university property.

The chalk appeared earlier this month on the concrete wall outside Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. There was also chalk on the north side of the pavilion, the sidewalk between Draper Hall and Cokesbury Court Apartments, and

by Loeffler Science and Mathematics Center. The chalk focused on presidential candidates Donald Trump, R–NY, and Bernie Sanders, I–Vt. The university’s chalking policy requires that LaVetra Ray, assistant director of student activities, approve all chalking.

Chalk is only allowed on sidewalks and is prohibited on all other surfaces, including building exteriors, furniture, patio cobblestones, and outside dormitories.

Students may not chalk anywhere within 20 feet of building entrances.

Even though it’s freedom of speech and whatnot, there should be a limit, and chalking the university itself should be the limit.

Evie Simons political science junior

“It’s unfortunate,” Ray said. “It’s vandalism. We can police these groups, but we don’t know who it is.”

Ray said she encourages any students who know who is doing it to inform the students they shouldn’t because there are consequences.

Individuals or organizations who break the policy are subject to a $200 fine and are required to clean the area with power washers provided by the facilities department. Ray also said it’s a dean of

students issue if they get caught because it would be disciplinary.

Dr. Amy Ayres, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, was unavailable Friday for comment.

Ray works with housekeeping to get the chalk cleaned up in a timely manner.

“A lot of new students are coming on campus, and it’s a bad impression of the university,” Ray said. “It’s the last thing we want them to think OCU is like.”

One student said the chalking is disrespectful.

“Even though it’s freedom of speech and whatnot, there should be a limit, and chalking the university itself should be the limit,” said Evie Simons, political science junior. “You don’t know how people are going to respond to things like that.

By chalking with the purpose of expressing your political beliefs, it’s disrespectful not only to the university but to those who have to read it, especially if they disagree with it.”

Adjunct theater professor hosts directing masterclass Prisca Lynch STAFF WRITER

Maleyia Vaughn Student Publications

Stars in the sky

Lauren Greb, dance management junior, goes through the SandRidge Sky Trail adventure course in the Boathouse District, 725 S. Lincoln Blvd., during Big Event on April 12. Big Event is an annual celebration hosted for students

by Student Activities Council. Past Big Events were hosted at Frontier City, in Bricktown and on campus.

Stephen Wrentmore, adjunct professor of theater, will host a directing masterclass.

The masterclass will be an active and practical workshop that explores techniques and strategies to approach text and performance. The workshop will include collaboration with actors, writers and designers to explain how to create a story with these partnerships.

“It’s also an opportunity to debunk and celebrate the idea of the director and the process of making any piece of art,” Wrentmore said.

“It will look at dealing with actors, designers, writers, and other collaborators that exist

in the process. Students will discover how understanding the director’s role can help you Stephen become a Wrentmore better actor or designer.”

Wrentmore began his career in London as an assistant and a director. He worked for the National Theatre in London, national theaters in Europe, BAM Harvey Theater in New York City, and various theatres in the U.S. The directing masterclass is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m.

Saturday in the Black Box Theatre

in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center.

The masterclass is open but with limited space.

A student sign up is posted in Room 267 on the second floor of the Gold Star Memorial Building.

“I was fortunate enough to work with Stephen as his assistant director in As You Like It,” said Hannah McCue, acting senior. “His directing style is very collaborative and he leaves the actor a lot of room to play. I signed up for his masterclass to learn more about why he directs the way he does.”

For more information, email Wrentmore at swrentmore@ okcu.edu.

Students earn competitive internships with industry-leading companies Sage Tokach LIFESTYLES EDITOR

Two students will intern for major companies in their career fields this summer.

Spencer Gualdoni, music theater junior, has a casting internship with Telsey + Company in New York City. Hudson Moore, mass communications sophomore, has a buying internship with Anthropologie in Philadelphia.

Telsey + Company is a New York-based casting agency. Gualdoni will work as an assistant in their Times Square office.

“Telsey is currently casting Hamilton, The Color Purple, The King and I, you name a Broadway show, and they’re probably casting it,” he said. “The amount of connections I will gain is incredible.”

The internship will last from mid-May to mid-August. Gualdoni is one of five unpaid interns selected to work for the summer.

His duties include attending casting sessions as a reader, collecting headshots and resumes, making Starbucks runs for various directors, and general administrative duties.

“I’m most excited to sit in on casting sessions and see what real Broadway auditions are like,” Gualdoni said. “My job description isn’t very specific, so I can’t wait to meet people and find out exactly what I’ll be doing.”

After sending in a coverletter and resume, Gualdoni was selected for a Skype interview. The interview was short, lasting only 10 minutes, he said.

“They wanted to make sure I knew a lot about the industry, April 20, 2016

so they asked about my current two favorite actors on Broadway,” he said. “I said Brian Darcy James, who is currently starring in Something Rotten, because he’s humble, and I admire actors who are the same on stage and off. I also said John Tartaglia, who was “Pinocchio” in Shrek and “Rod” in Avenue Q because he’s my type. I was immediately going to say Kelli O’ Hara, but they said actors, so I Spencer thought maybe they wanted guys.”

Gualdoni Telsey + Company will provide Gualdoni with a small stipend, which he will use for travel expenses. He plans to sublet an apartment from a music theater alum.

The internship and a chance to live in New York City are invaluable to a theater career, Gualdoni said.

“My dream is to perform, but I truly have a love for the management side as well,” Gualdoni said. “It’s hard when your heart splits right down the middle. We’ll see where God tells me to go and where my heart is pulling me. You never know, after this summer, I might decide casting is my dream.”

In Anthropologie Corporate Office Headquarters, Moore will sit in on corporate meetings where staff select product for future seasons.

“It’s all very group-oriented, and that’s what’s fun about their corporate offices,” Moore said. “There are no walls, and the CEO sits in the same room as the workers. They have an open dog policy.

People bring their dogs to work, and it’s super casual.”

Moore discovered the internship while looking for job oppor-

tunities in August with Career Services staff.

Initially, he sent in a video explaining his style: historic pieces with a modern twist. Then, he went to the corporate office to interview in January, where he presented a portfolio and created an inspiration look for Fall 2017.

“The lady actually asked to see my Pinterest, so I pulled out my phone, and we went through it,” Moore said. “It was like speed Hudson dating. They had me meet a lot of the buying Moore team.”

Anthropologie often hires corporate positions from the pool of previous interns, Moore said. His interviewer was an intern once.

“This buying internship is exactly what I want to do,” Moore said. “Being in a store is so exciting for me, and I love the idea of curating that feeling for a shopper.”

The internship pays a full-time salary and lasts from June to mid-August. Moore had to find his own housing, which he said he plans to fully decorate like he did for his room at home and dorm at school.

“I’m very excited but nervous about being in a big city for that long by myself,” Moore said. “I can’t wait for the new adventures.”

If students have summer internships or jobs they would like to share, please email Student Publications at stupub@okcu.edu.

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