Feb. 6

THE“CAMPUS

February 6, 2019 – Volume 112 Issue 16

Campus Health Clinic changes frustrate students Nicole Waltman

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jackson Holtkamp had a sore throat, but the Campus Health Clinic couldn’t help him. The vocal performance junior called the clinic for an appointment, but was told he couldn’t be seen for two days.

Holtkamp posted on the OCU Facebook page, saying he was frustrated because he needed a doctor’s note to miss class that day and didn’t want to spread whatever he had.

Clinic officials recommended Holtkamp go to an urgent care, where he tested positive for strep throat.

“For me, that works, but I found that to be kind of frustrating because a lot of people don’t have great insurance and those urgent care clinics can be so expensive,” Holtkamp said.

It was not the first time Holtkamp was turned away from the Campus Health Clinic, and he said he hears other students complain about it too.

“At the bare minimum there needs to be a provider available at the clinic during all of the hours that it’s open,” Holtkamp said.

“A lot of the students pay for their insurance through the school, so it’s kind of ridiculous.”

Holtkamp isn’t the only student who’s been turned away from the campus clinic. The clinic has undergone many changes since May 2018, said Tanja Pittman, director of campus health.

Pittman became director in May 2018 after Dr. Daniel McNeill, former director of the Physician Assistant program, left the university. Since then, the clinic updated its medical records system, added new positions and changed its billing company.

The clinic also lost a supervising physician during that time, a position officials hope to fill soon.

To address student needs, clinic officials implemented a new “on call” service. If someone in the clinic can’t see a student within 24 hours, the office manager calls Pittman at her full-time, offcampus job. The patient is triaged over the phone or in person, and Pittman decides whether or not the patient should be seen right away or if they can wait a day for a provider. If the student needs to be seen that day, Pittman comes to the clinic and treats the student herself, she said. If an illness is more than can be treated at the clinic, they recommend the student go to an emergency room or urgent care. Pittman treated six patients after hours in January, she said.

“We need the students to know that we’re there for them,” Pittman said. “We don’t want to turn anyone away.”

There are two full-time staff members who work in the clinic,

At the bare minimum there needs to be a provider available at the clinic during all of the hours that it's open.

Jackson Holtkamp vocal performance junior

unable to accommodate walk-in appointments, according to okcu.edu. To schedule an appointment, students may call 405-208-5090.

Pittman said current employees deserve support through this difficult time, and the clinic as a whole will be in a much better place later this semester.

“We just need the campus community to know that we are on top of things,” she said. “I care deeply about the program.”

If students have questions, they may email Pittman at tapittman@okcu.edu.

an office manager and a nurse, but most of the clinic’s providers are volunteers.

Clinic officials can treat students with any insurance, but the clinic only gets paid for those with university insurance, said Alyson Dent, clinic office manager. Pittman said the insurance credentialing process, which clinic providers have been going through since May, is the reason there aren’t enough full-time employees in the clinic. Once the credentialing process is complete, this shouldn’t be an issue anymore, she said.

“We’re waiting on that process, so we have to limit the amount of money that goes toward this one employee that we do pay, and then we have to work around the schedules of the other providers who are volunteering their time,” Pittman said.

Pittman said the insurance credentialing issue needed to be addressed for a while. She said the change in directors was the perfect time to do it, but it has been challenging.

“We can’t cater to everyone, but we’re going to do our darndest to get everybody taken care of,” Pittman said. “I think we’ll have a lot of growth and more confidence in this area than we’ve seen before after we get through credentialing.”

Once money is coming in from insurance companies, clinic officials hope to hire more full- or part-time employees, Pittman said.

OCU owns the clinic, which falls under auxiliary services. Lori Walker, director of auxiliary services, assists Pittman with making the clinic’s services better.

“Unfortunately, when you’re running on a skeleton crew and you’re still trying to provide the same service level to students, there are going to be some pains in meeting that need, but we’re trying to meet that need as best as we can,” Walker said.

There is usually not a provider available at the clinic on Thursdays this semester, Walker said. The clinic provider schedule can be found on the OCU Facebook page.

Appointment availability is temporarily limited, so they are

“

Batting the best Left: Senior Outfielder Elliott Cary swings the bat in the baseball game at 3:30 p.m.

Saturday against York College at Jim Wade Stadium. The Stars beat the team 7-1.

Earlier that day, the Stars defeated Grand View University, 8-2.

Far left: Junior Left-hand Pitcher Jake Patterson pitches the ball in the game against York College. The next home game is at 2 p.m. Friday at Jim Wade Stadium. The Stars’ record is 3-0, and they are ranked eighth in the NAIA, according to ocusports.com.

Carolann Stout Student Publications

Security camera installed at Cokesbury Court Apartments Luke Barrett

STAFF WRITER

A new security camera was recently installed outside of Cokesbury Court Apartments.

The camera faces inward toward the gate at the front entrance of the apartment complex.

The camera was installed Jan. 17 and is pointed to capture license plates of vehicles entering the facility, said Liz Richardson, associate director for housing and residence life.

“Anytime we have a better idea of who is coming in, when we can capture a specific license plate, I think that can be helpful,” she said.

Richardson said there was no specific budget set aside for the continued maintenance of the camera, but it will be maintained like the other cameras in Cokesbury.

“We can see if they’re not working, and so then we just address them if we think that they’re getting too old or something like that, but all of our cameras in Cokesbury are only a few years old. I don’t believe that we’ve had a ton of issues with any of the cameras here,” she said.

Jordan Tarter, English senior and Student Government Association president, said she planned this addition since before she was elected.

“We’ve had some pretty unfortunate events at Cokes, like break-ins and kidnap attempts, and all we have is like, ‘a black truck drove in,’ and just, you know, basic apartment crimes in the area, and seeing people’s license plates would help so much,” Tarter said.

Tarter said she began working with officials from the Office of Housing and Residence Life and the OCU Police Department

M MEDIAOCU.com

Hopefully we don't have unfor tunate incidences at Cokes anymore, but, should something happen, I think this will contribute a lot.

Jordan Tarter

SGA president English senior

before last summer to discuss adding more safety measures to the apartment complex.

The funds for the new camera came from SGA’s summer budget, but delays in finding and selecting a camera led to the money returning to the student government’s reserves, Tarter said. Once housing officials chose a camera, Tarter submitted a request to move the money from the reserve fund.

The reserve committee determined that it was a viable action, and the decision went to Student Senate, where it was passed.

The camera chosen cost more than expected, so housing officials paid for the excess cost.

The camera cost about $3,026, according to an invoice from Convergint Technologies.

Tarter said that SGA paid about $2,144 of the cost.

“Once they were ready, I had to put in a reserve fund request to get that money back out, and I think it was agreed upon because this feels like SGA’s contribution to the campus. We really want to be part of the community and be a part of what’s keeping everyone safe, even though it’s not our job or listed anywhere in

the Constitution,” she said.

Tarter said SGA members view their contribution as a means to promote positive relationships.

“Everyone saw it as a really good way to keep the relationship between the student body and the administration, establish that cooperation and trust, showing them that we wanted to take the initiative as well,” she said.

Tarter said OCUPD has access to the footage and can review it in case of an incident.

“I think it’ll be helpful. Hopefully we don’t have unfortunate incidences at Cokes anymore, but, should something happen, I think this will contribute a lot,” she said.

Though they were not directly informed of it, students in Cokesbury have noticed the camera.

Cozy Cozart, acting sophomore and Cokesbury resident, said she was one of these students.

“I guess it’s a good thing, with Cokes’s history of people not always being super safe here, so if there’s a way to monitor that in an emergency situation, that could be beneficial,” she said.

Stephen Jackson, film production sophomore and Cokesbury resident, also said he saw the camera without hearing about it, but he felt safer that there was a record of vehicles entering and leaving.

“I think it’ll be useful if something does happen, somebody comes into the complex who’s not supposed to be here. They’ll have a record of who it was, and they can identify them,” he said.

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opinion Campus community encouraged to support health clinic Students are upset about their experiences with the Campus Health Clinic.

Students frequently are turned away from the clinic or asked to “wait a few days” before they can be seen.

It’s unfair for students to be turned away from the only medical service available on campus, but changes happening in the clinic are the cause.

Read more about the changes on Page 1.

The sheer amount of “new” the clinic is experiencing is enough to spark confusion and frustration from the campus community. This frustration is warranted. It shouldn’t be so difficult to be seen for a sore throat, but for students to see a change in the way clinic providers have handled things, they must remain patient.

Lashing out or being disrespectful to the employees and volunteers who run the clinic is not an effective way to handle the issue. Plus, if the new “on

call” system they’re implementing works, fewer students—or hopefully, no students at all— will have to be turned away from the clinic.

The “on call” system requires the director of campus health to come to campus after working her full-time, off-campus job if a student cannot wait 24 hours to be seen and needs assistance.

While this system may work as a temporary solution, asking a professional to work additional hours after a day working a full-time job to tend to students’ needs, is not a sustainable fix to the problem.

It is university officials’ responsibility to ensure they continue to search for alternative solutions and improve the clinic. Students are paying for medical insurance through the university, and the health and wellness of the campus should be a priority. The clinic cannot operate without additional resources and assistance from the university. Students must

Talk Back “What feedback would you give Student Government Association?”

continue to be patient as university officials search for a longterm solution to these issues.

All campus departments go through changes. All of these changes require time, support and understanding as well.

It’s annoying and it’s inconvenient, but if these changes will improve every student’s Campus Health Clinic experiences for the future, it’s worth it.

The people who work in the clinic genuinely want to help students, they just don’t have the means to do so right now.

But that doesn’t mean that they aren’t willing to give students medical advice or help them find the best solution to their ailments. They want what’s best for students, but they also have to be realistic about what kind of treatment they can provide.

They are trying their best with what they have and need everyone’s support at this time.

"I miss the individual recycling bins outside residents' rooms in Methodist Hall."

"There isn't much feedback to give.

They're all doing great in their positions."

Mallory Seidlitz entertainment business junior

R.J. Walker criminal justice sophomore

"I wish that there was more open communication with the rest of the student body."

"If I understood what SGA does, then I think myself and others could appreciate their work."

Tessa Neeno theater and performance sophomore

Katherine Reller dance junior

"I would like Free Movie Nights to happen again."

"There should be more transparency when it comes to organization allotments."

Julia Lyall dance junior

Maridith Grimsley entertainment business senior

Grammy nominations fail to recognize outstanding artist The 61st annual Grammys will be Feb. 10. Frequently appearing names on the nominations list include Cardi B, Drake, Brandi Carlile, Kacey Musgraves, Janelle Monáe, and Post Malone. Upon first seeing the nominations, I felt disappointed not to see Mitski’s Be the Cowboy in various categories. All of this started a month of thinking about just what one of these awards mean… high profile recognition? More money and supporters? But can an award ever replace the genuine connection that someone feels?

Mitski, a singer-songwriter who has released albums since 2012, has gained recognition for her alternative pop songs that make a listener want to cry out of joy and sad-

ness, occasionally at the same time. Since its Aug. 17 release, her most recent album Be the Cowboy has received the honor of being the longest running No. 1 album on the North American College and Community chart, a listing of the top albums being played by college and university radio stations in North America.

Additionally, the album was included on lists of the best albums of 2018 by publications such as Billboard, The New York Times, Pitchfork, and NPR. When the Grammy nominations came out, however, Mitski’s sole nomination for the awards program is for “Best Recording Package.” If won, this award would actually be given to Mary Banas, a designer and art director who

Amanda Miller is an English senior from Kansas City. She likes pop culture, glitter and iced coffee.

created the visual presentation of Mitski’s album.

Clearly the Recording Academy didn’t know that I listened to Be the Cowboy exclusively on a 33-hour travel journey from Cambridge, England, back to Oklahoma City. Maybe they didn’t know that one of the most important inspirations in my life is an August 2015 Mitski tweet, immortalized on my Methodist Hall kitchen wall, that reads, “fuck effortlessness. fuck that. try really

hard and let everyone see.”

In a research attempt, I spent hours scrolling through Mitski’s Twitter, looking for the perfect tweet to represent her. But what I found instead was a depiction of an incredibly dynamic woman who cannot be fully understood solely within the lens of a column.

In October 2017, she wrote, “hope i never forget to make ugly music about ugly feelings.”

She shares controversial astrological advice that continues to

be controversial (don’t worry, I checked with some Libras, the sign in question). When she is challenged by users, she responds eloquently, clarifying her position on topics. And when she makes mistakes, she’s quick to say that she is learning to understand her misstep and actively working to fix it.

Mitski is most definitely an artist I admire.

So, maybe we’ve put too much emphasis on winning awards. To be nominated in a strangely specific category is surely an honor, but isn’t it enough of a feat that an artist devoted their life to writing, performing or producing music? After all, it was Mitski herself who tweeted, “you learn your craft as much as you can so that when the magic comes

swimming down the river you have the net to catch it.” In her typical inadvertent, understated way, she encouraged online followers to continue their work and their craft, regardless of who is recognizing them.

On the evening of Jan. 28, a “leaked” list of Grammy winners circulated on the Grammys’ home page and on Twitter. The Recording Academy, who hosts the program, was quick to make a statement. A spokesperson for the group said “There is no legitimacy to this. Grammy Awards results are not shared, even with Recording Academy staff members, until the day of the Grammy Awards ceremony…”

In the leaked list, Be the Cowboy won its category.

Glass shows serious waste of potential, lacks effective direction Glass is the third and final movie in M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable/Split trilogy.

The film was about 19 years in the making ever since the first movie in the trilogy, Unbreakable, came out in 2000 and a surprise end credit scene in 2016’s Split revealed that the two movies shared the same universe. This also revealed that a confirmed sequel to both of these movies was coming.

A lot of fans of the original Unbreakable, along with the new Split fans, were excited for the sequel, myself being one of them. Admittedly, I have never seen Split, but as a fan of Unbreakable, I was highly anticipating the sequel to the exciting psychological thriller.

What a disappointment.

Shyamalan made his debut with his classic movie The Sixth Sense, which is arguably his best movie to date. His well-crafted stories and patented Shyamalan twist made for a promising film career, with many calling him “The Next Spielberg.” Shyamalan then went on to direct Unbreakable, Signs and The Village, all of which were pretty decent thrillers.

So what happened?

The releases of Lady in the Water, The Happening, The Last Airbender, and After Earth began a dip in his career that branded him for the rest of his life. His patented twist became more of a crutch, and his eye for direction and storytelling became weak, to say the least.

Though recently he had a come-

Paul Dower is a film production freshman from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He likes squishy toys, hoodies and Stanley Kubrick.

back with the releases of The Visit and Split, the once great director never truly bounced back from his previous colossal failures.

Then came Glass.

Let’s start with the good.

The performance from James McAvoy as “Kevin Wendell Crumb” is quite stellar. The ability to successfully pull off playing a tortured man with 24 personalities is something to behold. McAvoy commands

every scene he is in by keeping the audience on their toes with his unpredictability and commitment to the characters.

Samuel L. Jackson reprises his role as the titular “Mr. Glass” and puts on a “Samuel L. Jackson-esque” performance that we have all come to know and love. The cinematography is also satisfying with its uses of color to differentiate the three main characters.

Too bad that can’t save the

rest of the movie.

The whole structure of the movie is unbalanced, and the pacing has a slow start. The first act feels as if it repeats the same information over and over again—patients are locked up in an asylum but don’t want to be, patients are convinced they don't have superpowers, Mr. Glass is hiding something. It takes the movie about an hour to explain this information. The last thing a movie should make an audience member do is say to themselves “yeah, I get it,” and this movie will make you think that for half of its runtime. The ending is infuriating due to a forced “Shyamalan-patented” twist that, along with the popcorn, leaves a bad taste in your mouth as you leave the theater.

Then there are the other performances.

Although the performances from Jackson and McAvoy were great, the rest of the cast was not good. Sarah Paulson, playing “Dr. Ellie Staple,” phones in her performance with weak character choices.

The supporting cast of characters’ performances all range from ‘meh’ to bad once the third act gets into full swing.

Glass is a boring mess that tries to shatter your expectations but insteads breaks down the more you think about it.

This movie proves that Shyamalan is not quite out of his funk, and he may never make it out. Watching this movie is about as fun as picking up shards of glass.

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 Listening Session with President Martha Burger from noon to 1 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center THURSDAY Gamma Phi Beta's National Ovarian Cancer Coalition

Slice with the Sigs at 7 p.m. at the Kappa Sigma House

SATURDAY Gamma Phi Beta's NOCC week: Pancake Palooza from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Gamma Phi Beta House

FRIDAY Baseball vs. Cumberland University at 2 p.m. at Jim Wade Stadium

Women's basketball vs. Texas Wesleyan University at 2 p.m. in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity

week: Big Truck Tacos from 5-10 p.m. at 530 N.W. 23rd St.

Center

Stadium

Men's basketball vs. Texas Wesleyan University at 3:45 p.m. in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center

TUESDAY Baseball vs. Southwestern College at 2 p.m. at Jim Wade Stadium

Baseball vs. Mount Mercy University at 2:30 p.m. at Jim Wade

THE CAMPUS

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Web Editor: Jessica Vanek Staff Writers: Luke Barrett, Callie Dewees, Erik Hamilton, Dru Norton, Hope Melton Columnists: Caroline Hawthorne, Amanda Miller Photographers: Carolann Stout, Kylie Sullivan, Hope Melton, Clara Foster

Tarter is an English senior and Patton is a mass communications senior.

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.

Feb. 6 2019, Volume 112, Issue 16

Editor-in-chief: Nicole Waltman Associate Editor: Emily Wollenberg Copy Editor: Chandler White Associate Copy Editor: Paul Dower Photo Editor: Elina Moon Community Manager: Maddie Bowes

Project 21: Five! Six! Seven! Eight! at 7:30 p.m. in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center

Jordan Tarter and Tyler Patton were incorrectly identified, and Austin Gipson-Black’s name was mispelled in the Jan. 30 issue of The Campus.

The Student Publications staff welcomes unsolicited material and let-

Videographer: Emily Haan Ad Director: Emily Jones Faculty Adviser: Kenna Griffin

ters to the editor. All letters must be signed and include the writer’s phone number, address, major, and classification. The staff reserves the right to edit all letters. The staff also reserves the right to refuse letters without explanation. Letters can be sent online at mediaocu.com, emailed to stupub@ okcu.edu or dropped off at the Newsroom in Walker Center for Arts and Sciences. Submitted items may appear on MediaOCU and in the print edition.

The first issue of The Campus is free. Each additional issue costs 25 cents. Contents copyright, 2019. All rights reserved.

February 6, 2019

a&e

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Clara Foster Student Publications

Feeling spooky The principal cast members of OCU Stripped’s production of The Addams Family perform When You’re an Addams.

The musical is based on the television show of the same name and centers around “Wednesday Addams” and her relationship with a “normal” boy. She invites his family to dinner to announce their wedding engagement.

Above: The ensemble of The Addams Family performs Live Before We Die. The production had performances at 8 p.m.

Jan. 1-2 in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center.

School of music to present classic fairy tale opera Erik Hamilton

STAFF WRITER

OCU’s mainstage opera this semester will be a French version of the Cinderella fairytale.

Cendrillon will be performed at 8 p.m. Feb. 22-23 and at 3 p.m. on Feb. 24 in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. It has music by Jules Massenet and libretto by Henri Cain, and it will be performed in English.

Karen Coe Miller, assistant director of opera and music theater and director of Cendrillon, said it is based on the French Cinderella story by Charles Perrault. Miller also said Perrault’s version of the fairy tale was the first to feature a pumpkin carriage and the fairy godmother.

“It’s a lot gentler than the Grimm version of the tale,” Miller said. “Still the stepsisters, still the mistreatment. This is the one that has the glass slipper and the fairy godmother.”

Miller said Cendrillon is a good show for the Wanda L. Bass School of Music’s season because it has a lot of leading female roles while still having minor roles for men. She said the music

It's almost a little bit of a flip on the underdog female being saved by the prince. In this case, Cinderella saves the prince at the end.

Karen Coe Miller

assistant director opera and music theater

school has a higher female student population than male, and it is good to provide these women with opportunities.

Miller also said the show makes a lot of room for exploration of technical aspects and provides designers the opportunity to stretch their abilities. She also said the story of Cendrillon is different from many Cinderella incarnations.

“The longing of the prince matches the longing of Cinderella,” Miller said. “It’s not really the prince saving Cinderella from the

circumstances. It has more of a sense of these two soulmates coming together. It’s almost a little bit of a flip on the underdog female being saved by the prince. In this case, Cinderella saves the prince at the end.”

Solveig Neseth, opera performance graduate, portrays “La Fée,” the fairy godmother. Neseth said the show will appeal to a wide range of audiences.

“This is a really classic fairy tale that everybody’s really familiar with,” Neseth said. “It’s going to be really accessible. We’re doing it in English, so the language barrier is not as much of an issue for people who are maybe not as comfortable seeing opera.”

Editor’s note: Photo Editor Elina Moon and Web Editor Jessica Vanek are in the production. They did not participate in the writing or editing of this story.

Students, professor cast in off-campus play about autism Paul Dower

STAFF WRITER

An OCU professor and students were cast in CityRep’s production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

The show will take place at 1:30 p.m. April 6-7 and 7:30 p.m. April 4-7 in the Freede Little Theatre at the Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave. CityRep is the first theater in Oklahoma City to earn membership in the Theatre Communications Group, the national association of leading professional theaters, according to their website,

cityrep.com.

Cameron Law, acting sophomore, portrays “Christopher Boone” in the play.

“Basically, the show follows Christopher,” Law said. “He discovers this dead dog, and he decides to write a book investigating who killed ‘Wellington,’ the name of the dog.”

Law said the show becomes more about Chris than the investigation, due to the character’s personal struggles with autism.

“It becomes a lot bigger than that because he is on the spectrum,” he said. “It’s more about kind of how we are all different. It really becomes more about that than the dog.”

I think it's got an important message for everyone, and it's just really fun.

Cameron Law

acting sophomore

Law said portraying “Christopher” is difficult and freeing.

“It presents some interesting situations that you wouldn’t normally get in a different role,” he said. “He doesn’t respond or understand things the same way. He doesn’t pick up on social cues and things

like that. You don’t have as much to worry about because he’s mainly focused on facts.”

Luke Eddy, assistant professor of movement, was cast as “Ed Boone,” Christopher’s father. He said this is the first father-focused role he has played since becoming a father.

“

“I am really excited about it,” Eddy said. “I mean, I played ‘Leontes’ for Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park a few summers ago, and there are some thematic elements of parenthood that go through that show, but it’s not central.”

“This character is the first father that I’ve played where that is the main role he plays in this production, and that combined with the intensity of the interactions between my character and Christopher, the main boy, are beautiful and broken and redemptive.”

Dawson MacLeod, acting senior, and Kaylila Pasha, acting sophomore, also are in the production as part of the

ensemble. They both play multiple roles throughout the show.

Law said he hopes many people will see the show.

“I would encourage everyone to try and come see it, because I think it’s got an important message for everyone, and it’s just really fun,” Law said.

For more information on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, students may visit cityrep.com.

We are the Wolves Far left: Bailey Huerta, acting junior; Olivia White, acting sophomore, and Dani Pike, acting senior, argue in TheatreOCU’s production of The Wolves. The play is about young women on an indoor soccer team growing up.

Left: Emma Grey, acting sophomore, plays “#8” in The Wolves. The production had performances Jan. 31 to Feb. 3 in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. The next mainstage theater production is Picnic and has performances April 4-7 in Burg Theatre.

Elina Moon Student Publications

Movement professor makes directorial debut at university Dru Norton

STAFF WRITER

Luke Eddy, assistant professor of movement, is directing the next Stage II production of the spring season, and his first production at OCU. Gloria by Branden Jacob-Jenkins will be performed at 8 p.m.

Feb. 14-16 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 17 in Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music Center.

Eddy said the play was chosen last year by a former faculty member who left OCU in the summer. Gloria is the first play Eddy has directed in his five years at OCU. “It was sort of a natural fit for me to step into the director’s position, and I couldn’t be happier that I did. It’s been a really fantastic process getting to work with students I’ve had in class, and some that I haven’t,” Eddy said. “Everybody seems to have come together into this tight-knit ensemble. They’ve been doing a fantastic job.”

Eddy said the play is about balancing life and ambition.

“The story is one that deals a lot with personal ambition and characters that are striving to find their place in the world but aren’t quite sure how to go about doing that in a healthy way,” Eddy said. “This play pulls back the curtain on a lot of people February 6, 2019

I hope that people will be able to see a part of themselves in the play, for better or for worse.

Luke Eddy

assistant professor movement

who feel that tug of ambition but don’t know how to balance it with the rest of their lives.”

Many of the actors play multiple characters, Eddy said.

Freia Pamintuan, acting freshman, portrays “Kendra” in the play.

“The story takes place in a publishing firm at an office,” Pamintuan said. “I don’t want to give too much away, but there is a huge twist right before the second act. It escalates because every character in the show has inclinations to write stories about this tragedy that happened in the office. So, the question is, whose story is it to tell?”

LilyAna Nowicki, acting junior, portrays “Ana,” “Sasha” and “Callie” in the play. Nowicki said the message of the play is to take in and enjoy what’s around you before it’s gone.

“I think going to see it as an audience member, it’s going to be heavy to watch. It’s supposed to make you think,” Nowicki said. “You have to listen closely to what the characters are saying, because the message is inside.”

Nowicki said the rehearsal process feels open and non-judgmental.

“The process has been fun, I’ve gotten to know everyone so well,” Nowicki said. “Luke Eddy is a phenomenal director. The rehearsal space is very open, so you feel like you can make bold choices, and you’re not going to be laughed at or told ‘no.’”

Tickets are $5 and can be purchased in advance. All tickets will be available through the ticket office in the Edith Kinney Gaylord Center. There are only 66 seats per performance.

Eddy said the audience should learn something from the play.

“I hope that people will be able to see a part of themselves in the play, for better or for worse,” Eddy said. “Maybe they will walk away from it with a clearer sense of how to care for one another.”

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news SHINING STAR Biomedical science senior works at two hospitals Most students don’t attend classes, work at two hospitals and remain involved with more than four extracurriculars, but Abbey Renner does.

Renner, a biomedical science senior, works at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center, 3300 N.W. Expressway, as well as Mercy Hospital, 4300 W. Memorial Road.

Renner has worked at INTEGRIS in the post-anesthesia care unit as a transporter since the beginning of her junior year.

“I take patients to their rooms and help out the nurses,” she said.

Renner is also a scribe at Mercy Hospital in the emergency room, where she takes notes on patient-physician interactions.

“I just got the position two weeks ago, and I’m really excited about it,” she said.

A career in science has always been her goal, Renner said.

“Initially, I thought I wanted to go to PA school, but then with more shadowing experience, I decided that the medical field had more of what I wanted to do,” she said.

Renner will take a gap year after graduation to apply for medical school, and she will take her Medical College Admission Test in May. Renner said she took these jobs to get experience for medical school.

“I think just working in the job that I have at a hospital has really humbled me and kind of directed my path,” she said.

Renner said time management is important with her tight schedule.

Submitted Abbey Renner, biomedical science senior, works at two hospitals as a transporter and a scribe. She is planning to take the MCAT in May and apply for medical school after taking a gap year.

“It’s been a struggle,” she said. “I’ve found a way to be really involved on campus, but I live out of my planner and learned how to set priorities and pick where my time goes to.”

Renner has on-campus obligations, as well as off-campus.

“I’ve been involved in honors, Tri Beta, New Student Orientation, Gamma Phi Beta, and dabbled in other things here and there,” she said. “Those are the things that really made an impact on my

time at OCU.” Renner said the biology department at OCU prepared her for post-grad life.

“I love OCU, and I am really thankful for everything it’s given me, but it feels like it’s time to move on,” she said. “But that’s because OCU has prepared me so well that I feel ready to go out and take on the real world."

Dr. Helen Gaudin, associate dean of and professor of biology, and Dr. Anthony Stancampiano, associate professor of biology, impacted Renner’s education, she said.

“Dr. Gaudin’s biochemistry class has been one of the most challenging courses I’ve ever had, but it’s been really rewarding,” she said. “And I’ve traveled around with Dr. Stancampiano to Yellowstone and Alaska, and he inspired me to think about science besides medicine.”

Renner said students should appreciate their time in college.

“If you take advantage of your time here, you will get the most out of it,” she said.

Dominique Kopecky, cell and molecular biology senior, said she has a lot of respect for Renner.

“A serious student and a sweet person,” Kopecky said. “She has been someone who I have felt to be more accepting of me than any other student within our major field.”

By Web Editor Jessica Vanek Contributing: Nicole Waltman, Editor-in-chief

BSA plans campus events for Black History Month Dru Norton

STAFF WRITER

February is Black History Month, and the Black Student Association has organized events to celebrate.

The events planned include an African dance and music workshop, a movie night, a hip-hop dance workshop, a game night featuring Black Jeopardy, and a talk about mental health in the black community.

Kanika Brown, BSA adviser and assistant director of career services, said her favorite event is the Black History Celebration planned for 7 p.m. Friday in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center.

“The celebration is the kickoff, and it allows students to express themselves through different talents such as singing, dancing, poetry, and more,” Brown said. “It will give students an opportunity to learn about different aspects of black culture.”

The events are open for all students to attend, Brown said.

“Black History Month is not only for black people, it is for all people,” Brown said. “It is important for every student to learn about the contributions that black people have given to this country.”

Mikel Kendrick, nursing freshman, said he is most looking forward to the OCU Talks event addressing mental health in the black community at 1 p.m. Feb. 19 in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center.

“In our world, mental health in the black community is something that is pushed under the rug and never really talked about,” Kendrick said. “This event will give me a chance to listen and talk with my people about this issue.”

Kendrick encouraged all students to attend the events and celebrate black history.

“Students need to get involved to see the beauty of black culture because some people who aren’t black hardly ever get to see or experience that,” Kendrick said. “They only see what’s in the news or read about us in the newspaper and base their prejudices about us from there.”

Leondre Lattimore, studio art junior and BSA president, said Black History Month gives a great opportunity to share AfricanAmerican culture with the rest of the world.

“Our purpose at BSA is not only to provide a safe haven for students to feel welcomed, but to also share our culture and history with others as well,” Lattimore said. “I believe it is important for us to experience and learn about different cultures because these experiences help us bridge the gap of racial division that has taken over our country.”

Students that would like to participate in the Black History Celebration as a singer, dancer, poet, musician, or other performer may sign up by emailing Kanika Brown at kbrown2@okcu.edu.

Government shutdown affects students, families Callie Dewees

STAFF WRITER

Students and their families are still dealing with the consequences of the longest government shutdown in history.

The shutdown began Dec. 22 after Congress and President Donald Trump disagreed on an appropriations bill to fund government operations or on a continuing resolution to extend the deadline for passing the bill. The disagreement came after Trump said he would not sign any bill that didn’t include $5.7 billion to fund a wall along the U.S. Mexico border.

A partial shutdown means essential government operations such as Transportation Security Administration continue, but without pay. While federal government employees were not paid during the shutdown, those who worked will receive back pay, and some furloughed employees will receive compensation for days they would have worked.

Onnika Hanson, acting senior, said her father, who works for the Department of Interior, was forced to use his vacation days and will not be paid back for the days he couldn’t work.

“Since my dad is retired, he’s on a contracting schedule, so my dad was using his vacation time,” Hanson said. “First, he was using his paid vacation time, but then he had to use his non-paid vacation time, so, at this point, he has no vacation time for the rest of the year, and unlike other government workers, he will not get paid back for a single day that he did not work. Luckily, he’s back now, but we’ll see what happens in three weeks.”

Trump said in a Jan. 25 speech that he agreed to sign a stopgap bill that would reopen the government so negotiations on the appropriations bill could continue. This decision came after federal government employees missed their second paychecks, and all flights in and out of LaGuardia Airport in New York, the 20th busiest airport in the country, were shut down due to staff shortages.

“If we don’t get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shut down on Feb. 15 again, or I will use the powers afforded to me under the laws and the Constitution of the United States to address this emergency,” Trump said in the speech.

The shutdown is still affecting the country. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the economy lost $11 billion,

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national parks and other protected areas were not patrolled and the National Hurricane Center was unable to conduct the first two of their three training programs to prepare officials in hurricane-prone areas and may have to cancel the third.

Cate Kurtz, history/English junior, said she and her family were affected by the shutdown in October 2013.

“There’s a sense of fear and dread that circulates among families because you don’t know how you’re going to pay bills, you can’t celebrate holidays with your families,” Kurtz said. “It kind of impedes on the American dream.”

Kurtz said these kinds of governmental issues dramatically affect citizens directly.

“My family put everything on credit cards, and we had to pay it off for months after,” she said. “The process of trying to provide for the country in the future has a negative effect on those living there now.”

Men’s golf coach resigns from university, goes into private business Jessica Vanek

WEB EDITOR

Kyle Blaser, head men’s golf coach, resigned from the university after being inducted into the OCU Athletics Hall of Fame and denying that he was leaving.

Blaser is leaving OCU after more than two decades to take a job in the private business sector, according to an email from athletics.

The email was sent Saturday, the same night Blaser was inducted into the university’s athletics hall of fame.

Blaser told Student Publications on Jan. 28 that he did not intend to leave the university.

“I’ve been there 23 years, so I don’t see anything changing, really,” Blaser said.

Blaser resigned to make things easier for his family, according to ocusports.com.

“This was the toughest decision I’ve ever made,” he said. “It was an opportunity that was fair to my wife and my family. I feel like I’ve been selfish with all the travel and gone all the time.”

Officials will conduct a national search to find a replacement, according to ocusports.com.

During his tenure at OCU, Blaser’s teams won 11 national championships and 114 tournaments. He was the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics “National Coach of the Year” February 6, 2019

This was the toughest decision I've ever made. It was an opportunity that was fair to my wife and my family.

Kyle Blaser

head coach men's golf

10 times. His 2017-18 team won their 11th NAIA championship, the most won under a coach.

Blaser was inducted into the OCU Athletics’s Hall of Fame alongside Alumnus Kameron Gray, two-time NAIA Division I men’s basketball tournament’s most valuable player, and Alumna Sydney Cox, winner of the individual women’s golf national championship.

Athletic Director Jim Abbott said he wishes Blaser the best in his future endeavors, according to ocusports.com.

“Kyle Blaser has left an incredible legacy in his 23 years as our men’s golf coach,” Abbott said in the press release. “We are grateful for the positive impact that he has made on our university, OCU athletics, and the men and women who have had the opportunity

to play for his teams. He has distinguished himself as a coach and brought honor to Oklahoma City.”

Junior Golfer David Meyers said Blaser’s results are “highly impressive.”

“He’s made history in the college golf ranks and 11 national championships is unheard of,” Meyers said.

Marty McCauley, head women’s golf coach, wrote about his admiration for Blaser in a Facebook post.

“Coach Blaser, I owe you absolutely everything that I have been afforded in my professional career,” McCauley wrote. “You gave me an opportunity to become a coach and more importantly, supported me every single day for the last 15 years.”

Blaser said the men’s golf team has a long future ahead of it.

“There’s a pretty good foundation for these guys, and it’s a pretty good system set up for them, so I expect them to be competitive for a long, long time,” he said.

Contributing: Nicole Waltman, Editor-in-chief, and Copy Editor Chandler White

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