March 28

THE CAMPUS

March 28, 2018 – Volume 111 Issue 22

Trustee Martha Burger chosen as new university president Zoe Travers

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The university will have its first female president beginning this summer.

Trustee Martha Burger was named the 18th university president Sunday.

Burger will take office July 1. She will replace President Robert Henry, who retires June 30.

“I am excited and, understandably, a bit nervous with anticipation and anxious to roll up my sleeves and get into it,” Burger said Monday.

Burger said she’s interested in getting feedback from students and learning what she can do to better the future of the university. She also said she’s excited to interact with students.

“I’m going to be doing a lot of listening,” Burger said. “You know, I have some thoughts, but it comes from the filter of a trustee, and I’m really anxious to continue to get input from everyone.”

Burger said she’s excited to enter a university with student involvement.

“I grew up in the ’60s during a time that’s well-known for student activism, and I see a rebirth of engagement in the big picture,” she said. “I know it’s been happening at universities, but I’m anxious to be a part of that perspective and that energy.”

Making a transition

Ron Norick, chairman of the

board of trustees, sent an email to the campus community Sunday reading: “Martha Burger is the right person to guide OCU forward. I am delighted that she has accepted the position, and I am very excited about the university’s future.”

Burger has served on the board of trustees since 2008.

Norick said this decision was a long process and included feedback from trustees, faculty and administration. The board of trustees received applications from more than 40 candidates and narrowed it down to the top three.

Burger originally was on the presidential search committee but stepped down after she was nominated as a candidate and accepted the nomination.

Breaking the glass ceiling

Burger said she is excited to take on the role as the first female president of OCU. She said she feels humbled and proud to be a woman in power.

Burger has served as senior vice president of human and corporate resources at Chesapeake Energy Corporation. She also co-founded Amethyst Investments LLC and is a member of the board of directors of Tapstone Energy.

“I have sponsored, mentored and developed women who are professionals in the business community for decades. So I think this is one more way that I can pave the way for others after me,” she said.

Burger is also chairwoman of

Submitted Trustee Martha Burger was named Sunday as the new university president.

Burger has been a trustee since 2008.

the OCU audit and finance committee and is an OCU alumna.

Carly Youngberg, English sophomore, said she’s especially excited that Burger will be the university’s first female president.

“That’s exciting for me as a woman too,” Youngberg said.

“I’m excited to see what she can bring to the table, for sure.”

Getting feedback

Students met with Burger on March 19 during a student session. At that event, Burger said

her top priorities as president are to grow and nurture programs at OCU. “What I want to do is to work on growing the university, and I don’t just mean in enrollment, but I mean by being able to invest and nurture programs that we have that are already excellent, but need continued maintenance or additions to make them even better,” she said at the session.

Burger also said she will use her business background to benefit the university economically.

“I come from a finance background, so I talk about things in those kinds of terms, but they translate to the heart of things, not just the numbers around things,” she said. “The university has worked really hard to mind their expenses. We’ve gone through some tough processes and decisions, and we are to a great stable place where we live within our means.”

Blake Lemmons, political science junior, said he thinks Burger will do well at leading the university, despite an initial learning curve.

“I really think that Mrs. Burger’s going to be great for the university because she’d be good at fundraising and everything, and she already has a really good working relationship with the trustees because she was a trustee, and she knows how to be an administrator because that was her role at Chesapeake,” Lemmons said. “I think that she’ll have a bit of a learning curve, but I think all of the candidates were going to have a learning curve in some aspect or another.”

Dr. Karen Youmans, honors program director and associate professor of English, said she’s excited so many students were interested in the process.

“I’m encouraged by the number of students who showed up to ask questions,” Youmans said. “I think that speaks well of our student body.”

and is impressed with her and excited for her time in office.

“Martha is a unique individual,” Henry said. “She is brilliant. She was a female executive in a male-dominated world, and nobody had any doubts as to her skills and strengths.”

Henry said Burger is familiar with the Oklahoma City area, which will be positive for fundraising, and he said he is confident in her management of finances.

“We’ve worked on all sorts of matters from settling lawsuits to handling insurance claim files to working with investments to working with facilities. She just really knows those financial matters,” he said. “I suspect that was something the trustees were interested in.”

Henry said he admires Burger for her ability to constantly read, learn and travel.

“She’s been around to a lot of places and always studies those places and learns about them and brings new thoughts and ideas,” he said. “She’s a lot of fun to be with and very smart and very tough.”

Henry said students will enjoy getting to know Burger.

“I think she will blend right in,” he said.

Contributing: Copy Editor Chandler White

Passing the torch

President Henry said he has spent a lot of time with Burger

Students respond to SGA runoff election, discuss constitutionality Zoe Travers

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Student Government Association election process was delayed due to an unclear interpretation of governing documents.

Some students are questioning the validity of this decision.

The top two candidates for SGA president participated in a runoff election Tuesday.

The candidates who received the most amount of votes were Jordan Tarter, English junior, and Randy Gipson-Black, religion/ political science junior. The original election was March 22-23 among candidates Tarter, Gipson-Black and Rodney Smith, religion/philosophy junior.

The results of the election were not available at presstime.

Joanna Whipple, election commission representative and chief justice of student court, said no candidate received a legal majority of votes. The constitution defines “majority” as more than half when referencing meetings but not when referencing elections.

The election rules read that the candidate who receives the most votes, unless there are four or more candidates, is the winner.

In the event that there are four or more candidates, the election rules read that a majority (50 percent plus one) wins, but the document also reads, “in all other elections, the candidate(s) that receives the most votes shall be declared the victor.”

Whipple refused to comment Monday.

David Hall, music education/sociology sophomore, said he is concerned about transparency during the election. There was a meeting Friday between the chief justice and administrators and another meeting Monday with Tarter’s campaign and student officials. The decision was made to proceed with the runoff election.

Lilly Bermudez, associate dean of students and senate adviser for SGA, said the election commission met Friday to discuss the election. The election rules read: “upon closing of the polls, on the last voting day, the election commission shall convene within 24 hours in order to either validate or invalidate the results of an election.”

Because of this policy, it was decided that the runoff would occur.

“My question is, why keep this information in email, behind closed doors, without administrative oversight supporting, if it’s the right interpretation?” Hall said.

Hall inquired as to why administrators had not publicly stated the conflict between the election rules and the constitution.

“All candidates campaigned on transparency, and, right now, things just don’t feel transparent at all,” he said Sunday. “These are questions the student body deserves to know from all parts of government, including the judicial branch.”

M MEDIAOCU.com

Elina Moon Student Publications

Elina Moon Student Publications

Jordan Tarter, English junior, discusses her campaign platform and presidential goals at the SGA Presidential forum on March 19 in Wanda L. Bass Music Center. Tarter began her speech by saying “I’m here for you” and said she plans to focus on being a voice for the students, bridging the gap between students and administration and continuing discussions about diversity, equality and environmental activism on campus.

Randy Gipson-Black, religion/political science junior gives a speech and answers questions at the Presidential forum on March 19 in Wanda L. Bass Music Center. Gipson-Black had this position for the past year. He discussed campus safety and mental health. Student questions included how candidates will represent students who aren’t a part of student organizations and how SGA will communicate transparency.

Lucas Freeman, political science/history sophomore and public relations secretary, said he can see both sides of the argument, but he thinks student officials should have upheld election rules because it is the most recent legal document.

“The way I’m reading it, whoever had the ‘most votes’ should win,” Freeman said. “But, in the constitution, there is a definition that conflicts with the election rules by stating that the candidate with the ‘majority of the legal votes cast’ wins. I would say that the intent of the writing of the election rules and the acceptance of the Senate of the rules would say that the intent would win over the constitution.”

Freeman also said he understands why student officials decided to uphold the constitution, but he said the intent behind the election rules is more important.

“I’m not an expert or a scholar, but I think the ‘most votes’ was the intent,” he said. “Therefore, the candidate with the most votes should win.”

The SGA constitution also reads that the election should have initially occurred the second week back from Spring Break, rather than the first. The constitution reads: “high officers of the OCUSGA shall be elected annually by paper or electronic ballot by the Oklahoma City University student body in the second week after Spring Break.”

Lesley Black, former associate dean of students, said this came from a mistake in scheduling.

Gipson-Black said Sunday he wasn’t surprised by the news that there would be a runoff election.

“I expected it,” he said. “I expected it mainly because there’s three candidates who are all, in my opinion, well-qualified and

well-connected with the campus. I kind of went into it with the mindset that there was going to be a runoff.”

Gipson-Black said there was a difference between the way students talked about the candidates this year compared to how they talked last year, when Gipson-Black received 75 percent of the vote.

“After talking to people, I realized how many people were being drawn away from me by either Rodney or Jordan,” he said.

Gipson-Black and Tarter said they were not told the official counts of the first election, and they were not made aware of the decision-making process of the runoff. They said they were sent the statements from the constitution stating that there must be a runoff within seven days of the election.

Tarter said she was surprised by the runoff, but she understands the election rules to be an interpretation of the constitution.

“I don’t see them as contradicting, so I’m unsure as to why we are doing the runoff since there were only three candidates,” Tarter said.

Tarter also said she hopes the next administration is diligent in adjusting the phrasing of the rules to make things more clear and less open to interpretation.

Visit MediaOCU.com for more information about the new SGA president.

Editor’s note: Proofreader Tyler Patton is Jordan Tarter’s campaign manager. He did not participate in the writing of this story.

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opinion Clearer SGA constitution needed for smoother election process The Student Government Association presidential election became a runoff election due to a discrepancy between election rules and the SGA constitution.

Candidates Randy Gipson-Black and Jordan Tarter received enough votes to remain in the runoff election.

Because no candidate got the majority of votes, a second election was necessary to get a true majority between the two candidates.

Official numbers for the initial election were not released at presstime.

See Page 1 for more on the SGA election.

Discrepancies with numbers and bylaws are common election issues, but they could be averted easily if the governing documents of SGA were more clear. Officials have different interpretations of the constitution and the election rules, causing problems when students disagree as to whether there should

have been a runoff election.

The constitution defines "majority" as more than half when referencing meetings but not when addressing elections. The election rules state that the rule only applies to elections of four or more people. For elections with three or fewer candidates, the person with the most votes wins the election, according to the election rules.

This can cause confusion between students and officials, whereas simplifying the rules would make it less open to interpretation.

A rule that reads: “The candidate with the highest amount of votes wins, except if there are four or more candidates, then the candidate with 50 percent plus one would win the presidency” would prevent this kind of confusion.

This would require amending the governing document, which can be laborious, but this is a small price for a solid

Talk Back “What’s the best April Fool’s prank you ever pulled or experienced?”

electoral process.

The more loosely the rules are defined, the more students can adjust meanings to skew election results, interfering in the democratic process. This is not a risk worth taking.

Students coming forward saying the rules are unclear or saying that they interpreted it differently isn’t wrong in itself, but, when circumstances make this necessary, it’s a potential problem that could result in more miscommunication in the future if not addressed now.

Students feel secure when they know what’s going on, and there’s less fear that rules are being interpreted to favor certain candidates. Our next SGA administration should tighten these rules to allow for a transparent election process and proper communication to and with students.

“I always wanted to do the Saran Wrap on the toilet.”

“For a senior prank, we camped out overnight in the underclassman parking spots.”

Colton Kastrup music theater senior

Hailey Terrell business management freshman

“In middle school, some kids released chickens inside the school.”

“I saw someone smear pepper juice over a door knob.”

Hannah Cozart acting freshman

Ryan Leatch business finance freshman

“In high school, we went through the school and changed all the calendars to March.”

“I made my house look like it had been robbed to freak out my mom.”

Zechariah Zubia pre-med/music freshman

Jordan Dorsey acting junior

Horror film accomplishes goal, but little further Horror has been used as a means of demonstrating what fear does to society since its birth, as well as the sociological anxieties that eventually lead to division and animosity against fellow human beings.

The themes, which are popular in the current decade, show themselves in unique ways with a 2017 indie film labeled “psychological horror,” “post-apocalyptic horror” and, by some, “boring.”

It Comes at Night is set in a remote location and equally remote time period after a plague has wiped out the majority of the population.

In these bleak circumstances, a family of three lives in the middle of the woods, and, especially after the death of the grandfather, which opens the movie, they’re not keen on strangers. When they reluctantly take in another family, however, things go well for a couple of seconds before paranoia about contagion turns them against one another.

This setup makes for a gorgeously painful Crucibleesque breakdown, and, like the play, there is intentional vagueness as to what’s really going on. On a conceptual level, though, the viewer is able to catch what It Comes at Night puts down. Paranoia

Chandler White is an English junior from Meeker, Oklahoma. He likes gothic horror and good hip-hop.

about the plague seems to be more contagious than the plague itself. The sickness most often appears within nightmares, as if to suggest that the plague is only ever real in the characters’ minds.

Fear lies at the root of all conflict and division throughout the movie, and the only alternative is virtue-driven suicide.

The stakes are perfect for a

cine-masochist like myself.

However, this is not exactly new in Gothic storytelling.

The film’s analysis of fear and human violence is cuttingedge, but this idea is present in leagues of stories all the way from Dracula in 1898 to The Witch in 2016, making this dynamic feel insubstantial on its own.

It’s fascinating to explore

how fear of monsters is what makes us monsters ourselves, and watching the pressure beat down on characters makes for a compelling, cathartic experience, but It Comes at Night is just a little late to the game.

In opposition to the Hollywood addicts calling this movie “boring,” I found this movie chilling and suspenseful, whenever it wanted to be. But, more often than not, It Comes at Night passes up traditional thrill for a sense of infinite anxiety. In a way, it could be called a film without consequences.

Its sole consequence is the endless anticipation of con-

sequence, especially when it comes to its deceptive dream sequences. This approach is neat in itself, but is it really worthwhile? It’s attached to a concept that other films manage to integrate while still bringing something more to the table alongside it.

It Comes at Night accomplishes precisely what it sets out to do, and it’s a worthy experience if only for that.

But, I would have loved to see its strengths integrated into something bigger, more original and all-around less barebones than the reconstruction of an already mastered technique.

Columnist reflects on SGA presidential candidates, runoff election Students were bombarded with information and posts about the Student Government Association presidential election during Spring Break and when we returned to campus. Students posted in Facebook groups, messaged each other and texted friends telling them who to vote for.

I wasn’t sure how to feel about this at first, but it has refreshed me. The 2016 presidential election for the White House was exhausting. Everyone was afraid to even admit who they were voting for because both candidates were so disliked. Well, everyone but

me, who had a bumper sticker on my car that read: “a woman’s place is in the White House.”

The SGA presidential election refreshed me because people care. They care enough about their school and about their government to campaign for candidates and vote. It was refreshing to see the passion of the candidates, as I was fortunate enough to attend a forum-a watered-down version of a debate. All three candidates brought up great issues and argued with poise and professionalism.

This election wasn’t necessarily a nasty one, but tensions

Harrison Langford is an acting junior from Las Vegas who loves golden retrievers and the New York Giants.

are still high with President Randy Gipson-Black’s administration after a movie ticket scandal, in which ticket vouchers disappeared, forcing officials to cancel the remaining Free Movie Nights. The scandal was brought up at the presidential forum, to which Gipson-Black said he was unable to com-

ment because of an ongoing investigation. Is it the president’s fault? Not directly, obviously, but it happened under his administration.

I find myself exhausted again. The election didn’t end when it was supposed to. Last weekend, students were back to campaigning for their preferred

candidate after the runoff election that happened yesterday was announced.

The runoff election was a result of unclear guidelines in the SGA constitution. Not to mention, the election didn’t happen on the correct date. As stated in SGA’s constitution, the election for president is supposed to take place the second week after students return from Spring Break.

As a result of this incorrect election date, it seemed to me that things were unorganized.

Candidates and their supporters didn’t have time to properly campaign. At the forum I

attended, the candidates didn’t even take the opportunity to ask each other questions.

While they were all passionate about their messages, it seemed as though they just wanted to softball each other.

Regardless of who won the runoff yesterday, it’s apparent that changes need to be made.

The SGA constitution needs to be amended or revised for more transparency and specificity. SGA officials need to be aware of and follow the guidelines in their own constitution.

More transparency is needed from the governing body that represents the students.

OCU Out of the Box's The Baseball Play at 8 p.m. at Oklahoma Contemporary, 3000 General Pershing Blvd.

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TODAY Voting for The Campus’s Best of continues via bit.ly/ocubest #OCUTOO Sexual Misconduct, Bystander Intervention Seminar from 5-6 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center THURSDAY Chapel service at 1 p.m. in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel

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Jean Hulsey Gallery in Norick Art Center SATURDAY Natalie Taylor's senior vocal performance recital at 2 p.m. in the Small Rehearsal Hall in Wanda L. Bass Music Center OCU Jewish Stars's Passover Seder from 7-9 p.m. in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center

March 28, 2018, Volume 111, Number 22

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Associate Community Manager: Harrison Langford Web Editor: Nicole Waltman Associate Web Editor: Emily Wollenberg Staff Writers: Rodney Smith, Callie Dewees, Jessica Vanek, Mallory Scheidel

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March 28, 2018

news 10 years in the making Far left: Katy Yates, acting junior; Andrew Wilson, acting freshman, and Mercedes Arndt, acting junior, choose audience member John Metcalf, acting sophomore, to participate during the OCU Improv performance at the OCU Out of the Box 10th anniversary celebration Friday. In this game, Yates, Wilson and Arndt compare their affection for Metcalf, based on audience suggestions. The game is called “our love is like.” OCU Improv’s next show is a musical improv show at 10:30 p.m. April 13-4 in Clara E. Jones Administration Building.

Left: Patty Irwin, music theater/vocal performance junior, sings with her jazz trio at the Out of the Box celebration on the university quad. Irwin was one among many students who performed musical acts and performances during this celebration, which was from 7-10 p.m. Friday.

Hannah Rogers Student Publications

Students, faculty discuss potential Oklahoma teacher walkout Callie Dewees

STAFF WRITER

Many teachers in the state may be walking out to demand a pay increase.

Oklahoma legislators have not passed a pay increase for teachers in a decade. Many teachers set April 1 as a deadline for the state legislature to raise teacher pay. If a pay raise is not passed by this date, many school districts across the state

have made plans to close.

The walkout is scheduled for April 2. Some district officials plan to close for just one week, while others plan to remain closed indefinitely.

“I will definitely be rallying with the teachers if the walkout does happen,” said Sierra Paul, education/theater performance sophomore. “We should be embarrassed that we treat the educators of our country’s future with such contempt.”

The protest is in response to public school teacher’s pay, while a pay increase for college professors would be a separate issue.

The Oklahoma Education Association demanded a $10,000 raise to be implemented over three years. If it passes, public school teachers will make more than some professors at community colleges.

Luke Eddy, instructor of movement and acting, said he does not know of any OCU

faculty planning to participate in the walkout but knows some from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater who are.

The Oklahoma Senate passed a bill March 14 supporting pay raises for teachers that was contingent on a revenue bill passing to provide funding for the pay raises, but the revenue bill failed.

The university sent out a survey March 12 to students and faculty to gauge how the walkout would impact the school.

“Childcare issues for students and employees with children in metro public schools and student teacher assignments for OCU education students are the primary concerns,” said Leslie Berger, senior director of university communications.

“Employees and supervisors were encouraged to begin discussing flexible scheduling in the event that area public schools suspend classes.”

Legislators revealed a poten-

tial plan that would raise state gross production, cigarette, and fuel taxes to bring in about $922 million. Teachers and state employees would get $670 million toward a pay increase, school supplies and healthcare.

This would leave around $252 million in additional revenue for the state.

State program recognizes OCU as ‘Certified Healthy Campus’ Mallory Scheidel

STAFF WRITER

The university was recognized as a “Certified Healthy Campus” by the Certified Healthy Oklahoma Program.

“Certified Healthy recipients are recognized for promoting health and wellness where Oklahomans live, work, learn, and play,” according to the program’s website, certifiedhealthyok.com.

Businesses, campuses, communities, congregations, early childhood programs, restaurants, and schools can be recognized by showing commitment to environmental and policy change, according to the website.

The Certified Healthy Campus category of Certified Healthy Oklahoma was created in 2011. Any college, university or career technology center, public or private, can apply, but only if their campus is smokeand tobacco-free. Campus size is not a factor.

Recipients attend an award luncheon and gain recognition, according to the website.

Other benefits the Certified Healthy Oklahoma website claims are: - healthier and thus more productive employees, - an enhanced campus image, - increased credibility, and - the ability to use this certification as a recruitment and retention strategy.

There are three levels of certification: Basic, Merit and Excellence. OCU achieved Merit level certification, which is one level higher than what was earned in 2016.

The health benefits that students enjoy on OCU’s campus are fitness center access, a tobacco-free campus and a 1.3-mile marked walking path that winds through campus, according to the university’s website, okcu. edu.

Employees can benefit from quarterly fitness and health behavior challenges, diabetes prevention programs, medical plan incentives, stress management groups, free on-campus health screenings, and 60 minutes of wellness time each week

to be used in support of an on-campus wellness-related activity.

OCU makes a conscious effort to integrate health into its functions, according to President Robert Henry in an article on the university website.

“We have worked toward developing and implementing wellness programming aimed at fostering a visibly healthy culture that recognizes and embraces the importance of well-being as an integral part of our institutional values,” President Henry was quoted as saying.

OCU is honored to receive this recognition, Henry said.

“At Oklahoma City University, we are committed to the

health and wellness of our students, faculty and staff as well as to the community,” President Henry was quoted as saying in the article.

One of the criteria judged in awarding this certificate is “Stress and Mental Health Issues.” Mindy Windholz, director of university counseling, said the university manages mental health well.

“I think this campus has a good understanding of the importance of mental health and university counseling will work in many ways to support a healthy standard of care and education,” Windholz said.

Addison Pollard, acting sophomore, said students still need a better understanding

of when they need help with mental health.

“I think we are a compassionate school when we look out for other people and our friends, but I think it’s harder for us to admit when we’re the ones who need help, especially with mental health,” Pollard said. “I feel like we understand, in a general sense, diseases like depression and anxiety and different mental health issues like that, but I don’t think we understand how personal they are and when they’re actually affecting us.”

Hannah Rogers Student Publications

Sing it out!

Right: Andrew Tompkins, acting freshman, and Blayne Childers, acting sophomore, sing during Spring Sing at 8 p.m.

March 21 in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. Tompkins and Childers performed with their fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha. Their performance was about a father telling his son about his time at OCU. Above: Members of Alpha Chi Omega perform in Spring Sing. Five greek organizations participated in the competition.

Alpha Chi Omega sorority took first place, Phi Mu sorority took second and Alpha Phi sorority came in third pace. Blue Key Honor Society hosted the event. This year marked the 71st annual Spring Sing competition.

Students express opinions on university acronym change Caroline Hawthorne

STAFF WRITER

The university is going through a trial period on changing its official acronym.

The media relations staff is marketing OCU as “OKCU” to incoming freshmen and transfer students. Depending on how well the term is received by incoming students, officials will determine whether the acronym change should be permanent.

The university has used the acronym “OCU” since 1924. So far, officials have experimented with the new term for six months.

The proposed acronym change came from prospective students being confused by the name, said Leslie Berger, senior communications director.

“The acronym ‘OKCU’ is in our web address, in the student’s March 28, 2018

email address and in our social media,” Berger said. “Prospective students would come in and call it ‘OKCU,’ so we started using it in our prospective student communication.”

Feedback on the acronym is informal at this point since it’s still in a trial run and test phase, Berger said. She said an acronym change clears up some confusion for students who may not be familiar with the school.

“It’s pretty early to tell,” she said. “2018 will be interesting, because it will be the first year that the freshman class will not be familiar at all with the old acronym.”

The plan for the trial phase is to test it for two years, then make the decision on whether or not it will be kept. There is no specific end date planned yet.

“I’m not entirely sure how we will test it,” Berger said. “We will decide that when it gets planned.”

Some freshmen expressed mixed feelings about which acronym is better. “‘OCU’ is easier to use in convenient conversation,” said Maxwell McIntire, acting freshman. “For more formal stuff, like applications, I prefer ‘OKCU.’” McIntire said he prefers ‘OKCU’ to be the final choice.

“It makes it clearer for people outside of the university and people inside the university can still use the original acronym if they want,” he said.

Others disapprove of the new acronym.

“I feel it’s unnecessary,” said Simón Gómez, music composition/music theater freshman. “‘OCU’ just has a nicer ring to it.”

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news SHINING STAR

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Nursing senior works toward goal of becoming dean

Submitted Rachael Bachhofer, nursing senior, delivers a fake baby as part of a simulation lab in the Kramer School of Nursing. Bachhofer will return to OCU in the fall to start the nursing education program.

Rachael Bachhofer, nursing senior, prepares for her career by working at two hospitals between classes and clinicals.

Bachhofer will finish her clinicals this week and graduate in May. She will return to OCU for the nursing education program in the fall.

“I’ll get my doctorate and hopefully teach nursing here,” she said. “Eventually, the ultimate goal is to be the dean of the nursing school here.”

Bachhofer’s last clinicals are at St. Anthony’s Hospital, 1000 N. Lee Ave. Clinicals are opportunities for nursing students to apply class work in a practical setting by shadowing and assisting nurses. The number of hours and type of clinical assignment are determined by the student’s class schedule.

Bachhofer started working at St. Anthony’s during her first year of nursing school.

“I started there just to gain experience,” she said. “I’m a nursing assistant in the float pool, which means I work in all the units, whenever they need extra help.”

Officials at Integris Baptist Medical Center, 3300 N.W. Expressway, hired Bachhofer as a nurse extern after she completed clinicals there. Nurse externs are nursing assistants who can do extra clinical skills if a nurse is present. Two semesters of nursing school are required for the job.

“I work in Seven East, the intermediate care unit for liver transplants at Integris Baptist,” Bachhofer said. “I’m responsible for vital signs, basic hygiene and feeding. With a nurse present, I can put in IVs, insert catheters and draw blood.”

Bachhofer was offered a nursing position at Integris Baptist and will work there when she graduates. During school, she said she is in a hospital about 48 hours a week with clinicals and work hours combined.

“I have class Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so if I

I've worked so hard to get to where I'm at, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I love working with people who share the same passions I do.

Rachael Bachhofer nursing senior

don’t have clinicals the next day, I work night shifts,” she said.

“It works well with classes but definitely is hard sometimes.

Since I switched to the night shift, I have a little more time.

If nothing else, it’s motivating me to finish the semester.”

Kelly Pan, nursing junior, said Bachhofer has more passion for the nursing career than anyone she has met.

“Rachael is the best nursing student I know because, not only is she a good student who gets good grades and shows up to class and clinicals on time, but she genuinely cares about each and every patient she meets,” Pan said. “I truly believe she will be the next Florence Nightingale.”

Bachhofer said the best thing about nursing is that she can continue to work shifts at the hospital when she starts teaching.

“Plus, when I assign a clinical, I’ll still be on the floor with my students,” she said.

The hospital is not all fun, but it’s exciting to move on to the next part of life, Bachhofer said.

“Not everyone is nice. That’s just a part of it, though,” she said. “I’ve worked so hard to get to where I’m at, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I love working with people who share the same passions as I do.”

By Associate Editor Sage Tokach

What democracy looks like

Elina Moon Student Publications

Abby Bryan, acting sophomore, and Grace Nettrour, Anna Luczynski and Bri Williams, acting freshmen, show off their signs at March for Our Lives on Saturday March 24 along North Lincoln Boulevard. Participants marched from the Oklahoma City Election Board to the Oklahoma State Capitol to call attention to the need for gun safety and regulation.

Above: Danielle Petersen, violin performance graduate, marches at March for Our Lives. The march in Oklahoma City was one of many around the country organized by student survivors of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. The main event in Washington, D.C. had about 200,000 participants, according to CBS News.

Business school officials to host leadership conference for women Sage Tokach

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Meinders School of Business officials will host the ninth annual Women in Leadership Conference in April.

The conference addresses issues women face in the workforce and positions of leadership. It provides opportunities for networking and is designed to further participants’ professional development through leadership training.

The event will begin with registration at 7:30 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. April 12 at the Cox Convention Center, 1 Myriad Gardens.

The conference began in 2010 with a group of women who wanted to feature professional women and address issues like cultural awareness and the balance of work and family.

Melissa Cory, director of communications and executive and professional education for Meinders, cofounded the conference. She said the theme of this year’s event is “THRIVE." “What does it mean to thrive? How do we help each other thrive? Our speakers will address these questions and offer solutions,” Cory said. “We will feature a panel, March 28, 2018

‘THRIVE in the Workplace,’ in the afternoon, which will address how company culture, policy and procedures help us thrive. Best practices and lessons learned regarding the #metoo campaign will be addressed.”

The #metoo campaign was a movement in 2017 that supported survivors of sexual violence.

This year’s lineup of speakers is: - Dana Hertneky, News 9 anchor and reporter, - Dr. Therese Huston, author and founding director for the Center of Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Seattle University, - Rebecca Minkoff, global fashion designer, - Victoria Naifeh, owner of Naifeh Fine Jewelry, and - Honorable Cindy H. Truong, Oklahoma County district judge.

Presentation topics will include “Women in STEM,” “Championing Others” and “Leadership Advancement Strategies that Work.”

Beatrize Martinez, secondyear law, said she attended the conference before and received new opportunities and mentors.

“It’s beneficial because it crosses party lines in topics and just gives women a pathway to being representatives in

their community,” Martinez said. “Often women aren’t told, ‘You can be a senator, you can be mayor or you can be president.’ Even if they don’t hold those ‘higherup’ leadership positions, it’s important that women offer input on decisions being made that will impact our future generations.”

A $199 fee is required to attend the conference, but Cory said volunteer opportunities and a limited number of student tickets are available at a reduced cost.

Participants earn six CLE bar credits for the day, which are required by practicing lawyers. The state of Oklahoma requires all attorneys 65 and younger to complete 12 CLE credits each year.

The conference is open to all students, regardless of their gender. Students can register at okcwomeninleadership. com/register/.

Students can email Cory at mcory@okcu.edu or follow the conference on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the handle @okcwomen to learn more about the conference and ways to offset the cost of attendance.

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