Feb 20, 2015 Print Edition

Oral Roberts University · Feb. 20, 2015 Tulsa, Oklahoma · Vol 49, No. 10 www.oruoracle.com @oruoracle @oruoraclesports

The Conscription South Korean students transition from military life while some prepare for enlistment. PAGE 6

Battle of the Bands Review of this year’s winners PAGE 8

Jose Trevino Up close with Texas Rangers’ prospect PAGE 13

Oracle Investigates How ORU student loan debt stacks up PAGES 10-11

NEWS Laura Dester Shelter doors set to close PAGE 3

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Tennis team records individual accomplishments PAGE 14

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Baseball team opens season with wins PAGE 12

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SCENE Spotify loses several artists PAGE 17

News

Photo by Audrey Gray

Laura Dester Children’s Center will close in six to nine months. The center is an emergency shelter for abused, neglected and traumatized children from infancy to the age of 18. It has come under criticism for acting as a long-term facility for children rather than being transitional.

Tulsa’s only children’s shelter announces closing Sydney Ilg Staff Writer Laura Dester Children’s Center, the only state-licensed child welfare facility in Tulsa County, recently announced its impending closure.

Laura Dester opened in December 2010 to fanfare, excitement and optimism. The $12.4 million project was an impactful step for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services [DHS] and would give refuge to 63 children who had faced trauma, neglect and abuse.

Now, barely four years after moving to their new location, the shelter, located on 619 S. Quincy Ave., will close as a child welfare shelter.

“A lot of students are really upset and super discouraged,” said ORU Missions and Outreach Coordinator Nicole Hopkins.

Hopkins has volunteered at Laura Dester since ORU partnered with the shelter in 2009. She said the Laura Dester Outreach is the most popular outreach among students.

The closing comes in the wake of a federal class-action lawsuit filed in 2008. Children’s Rights sued the Oklahoma DHS on behalf of nine

plaintiffs and more than 10,000 children under the state’s care. Both parties settled in 2012.

Under the settlement, DHS claimed it would “stop use of shelters for all children under the age of 13” and eventually terminate all shelter use.

This was a part of The Pinnacle Plan, a 15-step plan to improve the foster system in Oklahoma. DHS is currently in the third year of the five-year plan to execute these improvements.

The closure is due to “recent improvements in child welfare systems including foster care recruitment and decline in shelter use,” DHS Director Ed Lake said to the Tulsa World.

Last year, 14,172 children were confirmed to be victims of neglect and abuse, according to DHS’s 2014 annual report. DHS must recruit 75 new foster homes monthly to attain their goal of closing all child welfare shelters.

Critics of the plan say the state’s goal seems daunting and nearly impossible. But Hopkins insists it’s a good thing.

“There are some things outside of our tool belts the kids need,” she said.

“These kids don’t need ORU; they need Jesus.”

Hopkins said students should remain positive about the shelter closing and look toward plugging into other areas of outreach to continue helping the community.

“Laura Dester is closing, but that doesn’t mean your outreach is over,” said Hopkins.

In the case against DHS, Children’s

Rights wrote, “Oklahoma owes no higher duty than to stop victimizing her foster children.” Officials said the closure of state shelters is a step in the right direction.

“Children need to be in family settings or as close to family settings as possible,” Lake said. “It’s time to come together and figure out what to do next.

Campus News Briefs Monday, Feb. 23 - Group Advisement Students can plan their schedules for next semester with help from their advisers.

Look for posters around campus for meeting locations.

Monday, Feb. 26 - Throwback Thursday The Hammer Center will host Sega Genesis Free Play on the Big Screen. Festivities are from 8-9 p.m.

Thursday, March 5 - Kari Jobe Concert ORU alumna Kari Jobe will perform at the Mabee Center during College Weekend.

Go to page 15 to get more information.

Thursday-Saturday, March 5-7 - College Weekend High school students will invade the ORU campus for department tours, scholarship interviews and events.

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015 • 3

Senior nursing tradition in Mexico is reinstated Morgan Redding Staff Writer

Seven senior nursing students started off their semester by serving in Mexico, a nursing tradition that was put on hold for four years.

Due to safety concerns, ORU cancelled the annual nursing leadership trip to Mexico in 2009. It hadn’t taken place since—until now.

“We were able to petition that decision this year and were granted leave to send students this year as long as they took certain safety precautions,” said Assistant Professor of Nursing Cheryl Swanson.

The seniors got back to Tulsa on Feb. 14. They stayed in homes of families on the Roca Blanca Mission Base in Oaxaca, Mexico. The base was founded in 1990 by graduates of Victory Bible Institute.

An alumna from the ORU Anna Vaughn College of Nursing established a clinic in addition to the mission base during the ‘90s.

“That nurse still resides there and continues to run the clinic,” said

Swanson. “She also works as an adjunct instructor for ORU AVCON when we send the senior nursing students down there for the three to four weeks.”

During their month stay in Mexico, the students got hands-on experience interacting with patients on the base and in surrounding villages.

“We are working with doctors at the clinic on base; it’s kind of like an Urgent Care,” said nursing student Ashton Loehr. “We take vitals and help with medical consults. We do whatever skills are needed.”

In addition to serving at the clinic, the students also earn class credit. Each student raised their own funds to make their trip possible.

Loehr said the trip opened her eyes to the quality of healthcare available in other countries. “[The trip has] given me a reference point for how healthcare works in other countries and shown me how great of a need there is,” she said. “I think it has also shown me how much of a difference my nursing education can make.”

Courtesy Photo Nursing majors Ashton Loehr and Danielle Pettygrove are pictured after a long day providing medical care to hundreds in Mexico. Loehr said on the first day they saw 93 patients and 100 on the second. “People waited hours to be seen by a doctor and we still had to turn hundreds away,” she said.

“What a humbling experience and one that I will not soon forget.”

Triple threat

Athletes gear up for indoor triathlon Alyssa LaCourse Staff Writer

Courtesy Photo Daniel Fowler competes in the Aerobics Center during a previous Whole Person Triathlon.

4 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015

Competitors forced registration to close early for the 6th Annual Whole Person Indoor Triathlon due to the increased number of athletes signing up.

The triathlon’s purpose is to “promote wellness in the community,” said Aerobics Center Director Julie Dunn.

According to Dunn, 175 individuals registered for this triathlon making it ORU’s most successful triathlon yet.

“The majority of the competitors are first-time triathletes because this is a super-sprint triathlon,” Dunn said.

Individuals and teams will race to complete a 400-meter swim, 6.2-

mile bike ride and 1.5-mile run. These are the shortest distances offered in a triathlon compared to other triathlon races like the “IRONMAN” triathlon.

Individuals will compete tomorrow beginning at 8 a.m. Heats will begin every 20 minutes until 5:40 p.m. Nine teams will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22. Heats will begin every 30 minutes until 5:30 p.m.

The individual division prizes will go to to the top overall male and female, best swim, best bike, best run and top athletes in different age groups.

There will be three members in each team: runner, biker and swimmer.

Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third places.

Cultural event offers international perspective Event director looking for student chefs Kaylin Thompson

for the past five years. She returns with enthusiasm and high expectations for this year’s event.

ORU will host the 16th annual cultural event: A “The event has gotten bigger and better every year.

Global Celebration on Feb. 27.

I’m amazed at what people will do when given the op“In this event we have the opportunity for the portunity. The cultural event gives people the chance whole community to celebrate diversity. This is not to share culture, heritage and celebrate God’s creativiabout having one month or time of the year allocatty all in one place,” Tapp said. “I consider it a launching ed for celebration,” said ORU International Center pad for important discussions that we need to have, based Director Marcela Chaván. “It’s about celebrating the in a foundation of love, acceptance, peace and unity.” manifestation of processes that happen throughout Tapp is receiving support from Chaván, Student the year and appreciating the richness of cultures.”

Experience Director Aaron Brown, Student Associ“Although it may seem distant throughout our dai- ation President Zay Williams and students from the ly lives, in our daily interactions, we are involved in the colleges of nursing and education. global scene with different elements from economics, Tapp said she still needs volunteers, especially in the politics and culture,” said Chaván. area of international cuisine.

The event begins at 6 p.m. It will be a night full “One of the things we stress in the event is for peoof food, performance and interaction demonstrating ple having the opportunity to taste and sample foods cultural appreciation. from literally all over the world,” said Tapp. “We have Dr. Sherri Jones Tapp, professor in the ORU Grad- food coming [from] students from the Caribbean, uate School of Education, has orchestrated the event German food, Mexican food, Chinese food, Burmese Staff Writer

food, Thai food and much more. We still have room for more food.”

The Global Celebration is open to everyone in the Tulsa community.

“We have international praise teams coming from Victory International and Native praise teams from the Muskogee Creek Nation,” Tapp said.

ORU students will attend in their native attire, and individuals from the community are encouraged to don their own cultural dress for the event.

ORU students may have the opportunity to receive extra credit for attending, and dependent on professors.

“For the first time this year, we will have door prizes available to those who attend from movie theaters, restaurants. Come see what else,” Tapp said. “I would encourage people who really want to see what it looks like when all God’s people of different hues and talents, gifts and abilities come together for one night of joyful celebration in a place that’s not scary.”

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THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015 • 5

FEATURES

Citizen, soldier South Korean students transition from military life while some prepare for enlistment Dominique Johnson Staff Writer

Yoel Kim had one mission: search the Demilitarized Zone for land mines.

He and his comrades searched the ground intently. His eyes were so focused that he didn’t notice he wandered too far—into North Korea.

His heart began to race when he realized his mistake; he stood on a land untouched by most of the world. He ran a few steps back to his home country, unnoticed by anyone.

Kim, a sophomore at ORU, completed his military service at the Joint Security Area (JSA), the portion of the Korean DMZ where North and South Koreans literally face each other. He served as a sniper to protect tourists.

All South Korean men must serve in the military, an act known as conscription, mandated by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea.

Many Korean students have completed their service while some plan to serve within the next few years.

“The war is not finished,” said sophomore Min Woo Joo. “We’re taking a rest. During the creation of North and South Korea, we signed a document [armistice].”

The Korean War ended in an armistice, which stopped combat between the two nations. To this day, the war hasn’t reached a formal finish but rather a ceasefire. The armistice was signed 6 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015

in a village named Panmunjom that now sits near the JSA where Kim was stationed.

Joo plans to serve in the military within the next two years. He was scheduled to start his service in April but postponed it to attend college in the U.S., studying business administration.

“Before I came to the U.S., I thought [conscription] was a dumb thing,” Joo said. “I really didn’t want to go.”

He says he found more appreciation for his country after coming to America.

He realized why he had to serve. Living in the states made him miss his home.

“By sacrificing our soldier’s freedom, we protect other people’s freedom,” Joo said.

Conscripts serve anywhere from 21 to 36 months. South Korea has one of the longest service periods in the world. Most of Joo’s friends have already started their service, ranking as sergeants or second privates.

“Some people might think ‘Ah, I wasted two years.’ But I actually believe you can learn something from the military service,” Joo said.

When Kim served in the army, he had to stand for 10 hours each day, monitoring the Panmunjon.

“Before I served in the army, I did not have a future for my life,” Kim said.

“During my military services, I could think about my future. When I stood guard at the Joint Security Area, I had time to look at myself. I also was able to

Illustration by Christy Kaneta

“By sacrificing our freedom, we protect other people’s freedom.”

- Min Woo Joo solidify my faith. There were many hard times in the military service such as punishment, physical difficulty and so on. I depended on God through prayer.”

Kim had to pass extensive tests on his mental health, physical stamina and family life to serve in the JSA. JSA soldiers must also be “more handsome” because the Panmunjon attracts many tourists, Kim said.

“I don’t think people know soldiers’ sacrifice,” Kim said. “Although soldiers earn only $130 per month, they dedicate [their] lives to protect their country and nations. I want that people know our effort.”

Most of the world has never made contact with North Korea. Kim felt proud to serve in the JSA where he stood in close proximity with North Koreans. He felt he was protecting his homeland directly.

Tensions run high between North and South Korea both politically and socially, but Joo’s family shares a close history with North Korea.

“My family received the gospel by the North Korean Christians,” he said.

During the Korean War, Joo’s grandmother and great-grandmother met a North Korean woman on a grassy field. His grandmother gave the hungry woman some food.

“The woman thanked my family,” Joo said. “She started talking about heaven. And then my grandmother and mother heard the gospel and accepted Jesus.”

Kim said North Korean soldiers looked strong, which intimidated him at first. Even though they technically oppose each other, both Kim and Joo said they don’t perceive the North Koreans as the enemy.

“People ask me about North Korea a lot, whether or not I hate them,” Joo said. “To tell you the truth, Korea is Korea. It became divided by ideology. I really love North Koreans.”

Joo believes North Koreans are victims of the government, subject to poverty and oppression. One day, he hopes to become a missionary and bring the gospel to North Korea—just like North Korea brought the gospel to his family.

Royal Court The 2014-2015 Homecoming Court was crowned on Valentine’s Day during the men’s basketball game against the University of South Dakota.

Along with the king and queen, the senior court included Jordan Comfort, Jennica Demailig, Zach Smith and McKensie Garber.

Students voted for the top two individuals from each class through a Google Doc on Student Association’s Facebook page.

Freshman Prince & Princess: John Voth and Isabella Harrison _______________________________ Sophomore Prince & Princess: Daniel Wagner and Elaine Gibson _______________________________ Junior Prince & Princess: David Brandt and Anna Cevallos _______________________________ Royal Court King & Queen: Joy Stark and Christian Vaughan

Photo by Nick Conroy Seniors Joy Stark and Christian Vaughan were voted royal court king and queen by their peers.

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015 • 7

Battle of the Bands

For more photos visit oruoracle.com

‘The Roommates’ take first Rachel Anderson Managing Editor

Six bands fought for a title, two survived as runner ups, but only one band was crowned victorious at Student Association’s Battle of the Bands Tuesday.

First Place: The Roommates Members Zach Holderness, Isaac Liston, Geoffrey Graff, David Ahrens, Jak Parker, Dalton Malone and Samuel Prithiv wowed the crowd. Their first song “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon brought audience members running from their seats to the front of the stage. The crowd went wild yet again when the band played Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” and “Living on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi.

“We chose songs people could sing along to,” said Holderness. “We wanted to have fun while highlighting each members’ talents. If we had to pick a favorite it would definitely be Tarzan’s ‘You’ll Be in my Heart,’” said Ahrens.

The crowd’s excitement and energy lasted throughout the entire set.

Second Place: Fishgang Members B.J. Fisher, Sheldon Young, Dein-rené Amazan, Luke Lewis, David Collins and Josh Nanna performed hits such as “Sober” by Childish Gambino, “7/11” by Beyoncé and an original song “Wasting Your Time.” Young said they wanted to pick songs to make a statement.

“Our favorite part though was the stuff we didn’t plan, like jumping in the crowd. That was awesome,” said Fisher.

It was evident the crowd enjoyed Fishgang. Audience members sang along and danced at the front of the stage. Fishgang members have been together since their freshman year and have enjoyed playing together, but this was the band’s last performance.

Many of the members are graduating or transferring at the end of the semester, Nanna said.

Third Place: Gibraltar Members Seth Reese, Seth Turner, Scott Miner and Morgan Sprouse performed for the first time at Battle of the Bands. They impressed the audience with their acoustic tone and song choices including an original song written by Reese, “Nina” by Ed Sheeran and “Wasteland” by Needtobreathe.

“My favorite part was getting to create the entire set and make it unique,” said Sprouse.

Despite coming in third place, the group of young men remained optimistic about future performances. Keep an eye out for more from Gibraltar.

8 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015

Photos by Cassandra Van Dam Top: David Ahrens plays guitar with his band The Roommates, the winner of this year’s Battle of the Bands. Bottom left: Audience members film frontman B.J. Fisher sing with Fishgang. Bottom right: Seth Reese brings his guitar and vocals to the stage.

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015 • 9

ORU student debt higher than U.S. average so, I have $10,000 that I have to pay out-of-pocket or borrow every semester,” said Eden Miller, ORU sophomore online student.

Miller, who moved back home to Virginia in December due to lack of finances, hopes to return to full-time status in the fall.

“Having to figure out how to pay that every semester is frustrating and stressful. I am constantly worried about finances,” she said.

Miller’s situation isn’t unique. Undergraduates at ORU collectively owe more than $18 million in federal loans.

The average federal debt for an ORU graduate in 2013 was $36,827, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The national student debt average stands at around $28,400. Oklahoma ranks at $22, 174, around 60 percent of ORU’s average.

As ORU senior students begin the transition from college to career, they’ll be taking with them more than a recovered mortar cap and universitiy diploma. Most will graduate with sizable student debt, double that of borrowers graduating 20 years ago.

Kristy Sturgill Editor-In-Chief The first day of college for an incoming freshman is enchanting, surrounded by grand architecture, a sea of new faces and lots of “firsts.” Surely, this will be a four-year home, and absolutely nothing can stand in the way of a calling; nothing except an incomplete registration.

A visit to Student Accounts and Financial Aid the week before adddrop day finally brings reality back to the forefront. One week to pay $5,000 or pack the dorm room and head home.

The easiest solution is to take out a loan. What is one loan anyway?

The question is asked each year until graduation’s happy celebration is followed by the weight of student debt.

Nationally rising tuition costs continue to force students into taking out more loans to earn a college degree, or worse, force students to drop out of school altogether.

“I honestly was given a pretty generous amount of financial aid. I have a Whole Person Scholarship, a dance talent scholarship and a grant. Even

The problem ORU students face is not unique, but one found nationally. 70 percent of students earning a bachelor’s degree will leave school with debt, according to Edvisors Senior Vice President and Publisher Mark Kantrowitz.

“What some students see is this big number, and they think there is no way they can do anything about it, but students need to have integrity and pride, and not blow off loan repayment,” said Genevieve Delaune, student service group represtentative, who works in ORU’s Office of Financial Aid. Financial aid counselors coach students to be money wise, but each semester students are at odds on how to pay for school.

“Some students come into my office and cannot afford to come here. They have run out every loan; they cannot get a Parent Plus loan or find a cosigner. But God wants them to be here. It breaks my heart because they really struggle,” said Delaune.

Some students graduate and struggle to repay loan debt. Almost 12 percent (11.8) of ORU students default

on student loans, which is higher than the 9.1 percent national average.

Kantrowitz, Edvisors senior vice president, suggests these economic hardships create compromises for graduates.

“Students may be able to manage for a few years using economic hardship deferment or forbearances, but eventually the reality of the student loan debt forces [graduates] to get higher-paying jobs in the private sector,” Kantrowitz said in a recent article titled “Student Loan Forgiveness.”

These kinds of compromises would keep many ORU graduates from pursuing public service careers such as working for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations, in ministries, as teachers, social workers and in other public service positions.

The Oracle staff has vowed to focus on student debt challenges and offer helpful suggestions this spring. Follow #PayForORU on Facebook and Twitter for strategies, scholarships and more.

Graduation is not the time to start planning. The challenge begins in earlier years.

Nearly 1 in 8 students default Default Stats: 833 students entered into loan repayment in 2009. After three years, 99 of those were in default.

U.S. Department of Education 10 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015

Total Amount of ORU Aid Received

2012-2013

Percentage of ORU Students Receiving Aid by Aid Type

Percentage of Student Loan Defaults, and Comparisons

Find Scholarships at #PayForORU Fraser Institute Student Essay Contest

Engineering for you two – Video Contest

From “Failure to Promise” Essay Contest

Project Yellow Light Scholarship

Deadline: June 1 Award $1,500 An essay scholarship available to both undergraduate and graduate students. The essay topic is “National Security and the Role of Government: Safety vs. Privacy in a Technological Age.”

Deadline: March 2 Award $25,000 Review the NAE’s 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering, then create a video that shows how achieving one or more of the NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering will lead to a more sustainable, healthy, secure and/or joyous world.

Deadline: June 1 Award $10,000 Answer one of three available responses related to the book “From Failure to Promise,” a autobiography that shares a 20-year journey, espousing how God transformed the author from a college flunk-out to an engineer and, ultimately, a university professor and dean.

Video Contest Deadline April 1 Award $5,000 Create a video based on guidelines. Open to college students who are legal residents of the United States. The winning video will be turned into an Ad Council PSA and distributed nationally to 1,600 TV stations.

Davis-Putter Scholarship Essay Contest Deadline April 1 Award $10,000 Students who are active in movements for social and/or economic justice are encouraged to apply for this needbased scholarship. Open to undergraduate students, U.S. citizenship is not required.

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015 • 11

SPORTS

@oruoraclesports

Top: Noah Cummings runs the bases after a hit during Friday’s game against Memphis. Bottom: Starter Guillermo Trujillo threw four strikeouts through seven innings in Friday’s game. Right: Dean Wilson played all three games at short stop without comitting an error.

Photos by Mike Giammarino

Baseball beats weather, Memphis in opener

David Sauer Sports Editor The ORU baseball team opened their 2015 season over Valentine’s Day weekend by defeating Memphis two-games-to-one.

The Golden Eagles won the opener Friday afternoon, 3-1. The teams played a double-header on Saturday with possible inclement weather impending on the scheduled Sunday game.

ORU capitalized on a four-run first inning to win game one of the double-header 6-3.

“In the first game we created more opportunities,” Head Coach Ryan Folmar said. “We had a big first inning and created opportunities by drawing some walks and getting a hit batter and getting some timely hits.”

Redshirt freshman Noah Cummings broke from anonymity in the early Saturday game with the first homerun of the 2015 season; a solo shot to left field.

12 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015

He finished with three RBIs and a run in the game.

ORU struggled to produce base runners in the final game of the series and lost 6-1.

“We got lost there in the middle of the game again,” Folmar said. “It’s something we’re going to have to address. You’ve got to beat pitchers like that.

He had a good arm and good stuff. We’ve got to find a way to create some offense there.”

It was the first opening series win for the Golden Eagles since 2009.

“It adds a little bit of confidence anytime you can beat a good club and win a series,” Folmar said. “But none of them carry over, and we understand we have to be back to work on Monday.”

Anthony Sequeira had a strong weekend at the plate. The senior went 6-for-10 with two RBIs and a pair of doubles.

Guillermo Trujillo got the opening day start and went seven innings, giving up four hits and one run.

Kurt Giller went 6.2 innings and had five strikeouts in game two. He was credited with the win.

Xavier Altamirano gave up two earned runs on six hits in the game three loss.

Closer Kyler Stout entered in the ninth inning of game one and the eighth inning of game two. He recorded saves in both games, retiring all eight batters he faced. The effort earned him Summit League Pitcher of the Week Honors.

“We’re a work in progress,” Folmar said. “I think you see some good things from the weekend. You also see a lot of things where we can improve on. The good sign is we have a lot of areas to improve. But we beat a good club twice, so that’s a good part of it.”

The Golden Eagles start a home series against SIU Edwardsville today with game one starting at 2 p.m. Game two follows at 5 p.m. Saturday’s game begins at 2 p.m. with all games at J.L Johnson Stadium.

Q&A: Jose Trevino talks success and baseball Russell Dorsey Sports Writer

As he gave hugs and said hello to people at the First Watch restaurant he often frequented as a player at ORU, one thing was apparent. Being drafted and being paid to play the sport that he loves hasn’t changed him at all. This is the same guy; he’s still smiling and making jokes as he’s always done.

Jose Trevino made a significant impact as an ORU baseball player with a .290 career batting average, 31 homeruns and 137 RBIs. His success as a Golden Eagle led the Texas Rangers to draft him in the sixth round of the 2014 First Year Player Draft.

Trevino got off to a blistering start to his pro career by hitting .309 with nine homeruns the first half of the season for the Spokane Indians. He was named to the Northwest League All-Star team.

As baseball season opens for his former team Trevino took the time to remember the things of his recent past, look at his present and ponder what the future holds.

Russell Dorsey: Last time we spoke you were on the way to sign your first contract. What was the whole draft experience like for you?

Jose Trevino: “(Laughing) Yeah. I was at my mom’s job in Alice, Texas. We were there hanging out watching the draft on TV. I was getting a lot of calls [from teams]. The fourth round came around I got a call saying ‘Hey, we’re going to go with somebody else.’ Fifth round comes around, get a call saying, ‘Not this round, but hopefully you’re there for us in the next round.’ Finally I get a call from Bobby Crook of the Texas Rangers in the sixth round and he said, ‘I see you haven’t been taken off the board.’ I said, ‘Nope.’ He said, ‘You ready to be a Texas Ranger?’ and I said, ‘Yes sir.’ Five seconds later we see it on the TV - Texas Rangers select Jose Trevino from Oral Roberts University. Family went crazy. I started getting phone calls from people. It was just exciting.”

RD: It’s a big decision to leave school early and go pro, but you obviously had a plan and the people around you needed to be successful.

JT: “As soon as I walked on campus I told them I didn’t want to be here for four years. My goal is to be drafted my third year and get out of here. So the coaching staff knew my plan. I had a plan and stuck to it. Since day one, I’ve worked hard for it, and it’s worked out.”

RD: The Texas Rangers drafted your friend and former teammate Alex “Chi-Chi” Gonzalez in the first round in 2013, and then the Rangers make

you their sixth round selection in 2014. What’s it like to be drafted by the same team as your friend “Cheech,” and to see him doing so well?

down inside they wanted what was best for me. That’s part of why I chose this school, because these people were good.”

JT: “It was really good to see that. I’m pretty sure he had some input on it. He’s helped me out a lot. It’s really good to see how good he’s doing. I’m proud of him. It felt like we all made it when he got drafted. I wanted that to be the same for me. When I got drafted and my teammates were saying, ‘Congratulations, you did it.’ I was like, ‘Nah man, WE did it. Without y’all I wouldn’t have a team.’”

RD: You get drafted and now you’re getting paid to play the sport you love. Did you ever worry about people hanging on because you were getting paid or have to cut people off?

RD: Out of all the challenges you faced in your first year, what was the hardest part about playing professionally?

JT: “Honestly, it’s a grind. Seriously, it really is. You wake up every day to play, especially being a catcher.

Your body goes through a lot of stuff. You’re going to get beat up a little bit more. You have to take care of yourself. You never know that one day you twist your ankle or hurt your finger, and a dude comes up, takes your spot and you’ll never see the field again.”

RD: What is your favorite pro ball moment up to this point? Was it your first game, first home run, being named to the NWL All Star Team?

JT: “I’d have to say the fourth of July. I hit a couple of homeruns, had a really good game. Took a pie to the face, my jersey sold really well. Actually scratch that. Another one, the day that we clinched the first-half championship. Oh my gosh. Probably the funnest day of my life. That was just unreal. I’ve had a lot of fun pro ball moments so far.”

RD: If somebody wanted to become a professional at something whether it’s as an athlete, singer, dancer, etc., what should they know?

JT: “You’ve got to have fun. If you’re not having fun doing it, you shouldn’t be doing it. And surround yourself with good people. You have your family, your foundation, your faith and put people around you who are going to care about you. By now, at this point in your life you should know who those people are. I’m glad I was here with these guys, because I knew that deep

JT: “No. When I was in high school, I already did that. I always surrounded myself with good people.

You’re never going to catch me with a bad group of people. If I’m hanging out with them they’re not a bad group. I never had to cut anybody off or anything like that. I did all that before I came to college.”

RD: Looking back at your journey last year going from playing college ball for ORU, to getting drafted in June, to playing professional baseball, what did you learn?

JT: “If you give a helping hand to somebody, someone is going to help you in the future. I saw that here at ORU. There were never any problems, people were always nice. When you surround yourself with nice people like that, it’s going to rub off on you. And you’ve got to be generous. You’ve got to be willing to give when others don’t have something. If a kid doesn’t have Sodexo [bucks] or money for lunch, help them out. Same for us on the team, if a guy didn’t have money, we would cover him. That’s something people always did here.”

Trevino is preparing for minor league camp with the Texas Rangers and his first full season as a pro. Regardless of where he ends up and the success he has, one thing remains consistent about Trevino; when he walks into a room the same old smile walks in with him, because the guy behind it hasn’t changed.

Courtesy Photo

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015 • 13

Tennis team records individual winning streaks Jovana Poljasevic and David Sauer Sports Writer and Sports Editor

Photos by Austin St. John

Australian Ciaran Lavers (top) dives for a volley during practice. He and doubles teammate Amar Saletovic (bottom left), from Bosnia and Herzegovina, won Saturday and are 3-2 overall. Croatian freshman Jan Pehnec (bottom right) won four straight matches before Sunday. He and fellow freshman Alejandro Capdequi, from Greece, are on a three-match winning streak in doubles play.

14 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015

The ORU men’s tennis team lost back-to-back matches this past weekend, but not without several individuals setting personal winning streaks.

ORU fell 4-3 against St. Louis University on Saturday night. The team lost to SIU-Edwardsville, 5-1, on Sunday morning.

Freshman Jan Pehnec won Saturday in three sets to give him a four-match winning streak.

“I’m playing much better, and I feel better on the court than last semester,” Pehnec said. “Those four wins in a row are a big thing for me but team success is more important so I don’t give any attention to that.”

That streak snapped Sunday in a three-set match.

Pehnec won the first set 6-3, but dropped the last two. He is on a three-match winning streak with teammate Alejandro Capdequi in doubles play. The duo won both matches last weekend.

The doubles team of Ciaran Lavers and Amar Saletovic is creating success of its own.

They won a third straight doubles match on Saturday, but lost on Sunday, placing their record at 3-2 this season.

“We played just solid doubles, no silly errors on the net and made every ball count especially when it came to returning,” Lavers said of their Saturday victory. “I think if we keep this style up we should do very well as a pair this season.”

The duo is playing aggressive tennis and are attacking opponents from the net.

“Amar and I have been really working on our combination and improving on our control at the net with moving forward and doing what we need to in order to win a point,” Lavers said. “We have tried really hard to transfer that idea into our matches, and this is what I think has been really important to our doubles success.”

The Golden Eagles won two doubles matches on Saturday to strike first. St. Louis fought back to win four singles matches and take the overall victory.

Capdequi lost a three-set-match as the No. 2 seed.

He claimed the second set 6-3, but lost the first and third sets.

Michael Sosnowski took a straight-sets victory, 6-4, 7-6, to give ORU its third point of the day.

The Golden Eagles had a rough time Sunday.

Saletovic won the No. 2 singles match, 6-3, 6-3, for his third win of the season.

Pehnec and Capdequi grabbed the only other win in the No. 1 doubles match.

Next up for ORU is a match against Kansas City this afternoon. The team will play at the Shadow Mountain Racquet Club in Tulsa at 2:30 p.m.

SCENE

New band seeks to involve culture in worship Rachel Anderson Managing Editor

The International Music Band is seeking recruits to bring an international perspective to worship.

Auditions will be held on Thursday, Feb. 26 from 8-11 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 28 from 2-5 p.m. in the Timko-Barton Hall jazz combo room.

The International Music Band is more than your average worship band.

It allows students from numerous cultures and backgrounds to come together and blend different instruments, rhythms and tunes. Through this melting-pot process, the band will create music that allows unique expressions of faith to come alive.

“We understand that worship is a very intimate relationship. When it is allowed to come through a culturally familiar set of instruments and rhythms, that sense of intimacy grows

and becomes richer,” said Dr. Marcela Chaván, the director of the International Center.

Students can expect to perform variations of worship and secular music from different cultures.

Music Director Pablo Valencia wants to find students who are simply passionate about music. He is seeking out all types of musicians. There is a spot for people who play instruments of every kind, whether it’s a ukulele, triangle or a voice box. The main goal is worship, Valencia stressed.

“We not only need excellent musicians, but we need excellent worshippers as well,” he said.

Students can schedule an audition time by emailing Valencia. Through this correspondence students will be told how to prepare and what to expect.

Contact Valencia at pablo_valencia04@oru.edu.

Photo by Audrey Gray Music Director Pablo Valencia leads worship during an international prayer set with Danielle Huwa, Alvaro Contreras and Julian Gomez.

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THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015 • 15

Jack White visits OU: A story gone bananas Victoria Atterberry Scene Editor

William Morris Entertainment allegedly blacklisted the University of Oklahoma’s student newspaper for publishing award-winning artist Jack White’s tour rider.

The university invited White to perform at the McCasland Field House on Feb. 2. Before the concert, the OU student newspaper the Oklahoma Daily ran an article that revealed his contract with the university, requiring a ban on bananas in the entire building and a detailed recipe for fresh, homemade guacamole.

White’s management and booking agency did not respond well to the incident and showed their disapproval of the newspaper’s actions.

White and his representation declined an interview with the Oracle, but when asked about the incident the disapproval seemed to come from the leaked information regarding the $80,000 pricetag for the show and the way the rider was portrayed.

“The incidents with the Oklahoma Daily student newspaper reporting the financial terms of the show, the private tour rider information, along with unsolicited photographers from their staff were

16 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015

unfortunate, unprofessional and very unwelcoming,” White’s management team later said in a statement.

OU responded by saying the rider was public information that anyone could gain access to. The editors insisted that they were free to publish the information due to the Freedom of Information Act. The reason for the banana ban and guacamole requests is hard to say, but tour riders in general do serve a specific purpose.

“The rider includes all the requirements in a show. It’s the appendix to the contract,” said Ian Courtney, staff writer for “Celebrity Access.”

White’s rider is not the only one that requires strange requests. Van Halen famously requests M&M’s with the brown ones removed. Jennifer Lopez is rumored to request her coffee stirred counter clockwise, and Prince makes the unusual request for a doctor to administer a vitamin B-12 shot before every show.

Most of the time artists like to keep their riders private and out of the public eye.

“Never in my 20 years of playing shows has my contract and tour rider been published in the paper that I recall,” White said in a letter to the media.

The incident concerning OU’s release of White’s rider may have ruffled the feathers of his booking

Courtesy photo

Jack White performs at the University of Oklahoma in Norman on Feb. 2.

agency, but it didn’t seem to deter him from coming back. White’s management team indicated that they hope those who attended the concert will “maintain their good memories from the experience,” and White said he looks forward to performing for his OU fans again.

Artists say goodbye to Spotify Rachel Anderson Managing Editor

Multiple artists have waved farewell to Spotify, a popular online music streaming site. Due to a decrease in album sales, artists continue to pull their music to increase revenue.

Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Beyoncé, Justin Moore, Brantley Gilbert and Garth Brooks are part of the growing army of artists removing their music from Spotify. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Swift explains her reasoning.

“Piracy, file sharing and streaming have shrunk the numbers of paid album sales drastically, and every artist has handled this blow differently,” wrote Swift.

“Music is art, and art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for. It’s my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album’s price point is.”

Album sales have significantly decreased in recent years. The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) reports album sales for 2014 dipped to 289.4 million units, which is an 8.4 percent reduction from the previous year.

While albums sales plummeted, streaming services grew in 2014.

According to data from Nielsen SoundScan, a system that tracks sales of music, listeners in the United States streamed 70.3 billion songs in the first half of 2014. This was an increase of 42 percent from the first half of 2013.

The increase in streaming directly decreased album sales. That’s why artists like Swift and Aldean removed their music from Spotify. Swift pulled all of her music, but not all artists took the same approach.

Aldean refrained from adding his new album, “Old Boots, New Dirt” to Spotify.

“The debate the whole music industry is having on streaming is complicated,” Aldean said in a statement. “And while I’m definitely paying attention to the business side of things, I am first and foremost an artist. I’m an artist whose career has been built by the songwriters, publishers, producers and engineers that line Music Row in Nashville.”

“What they do has value, and I want everyone who is involved in making my music to be paid fairly,” Aldean said. “This is about trying to do what is right for the people who have given me a great life.”

Like Aldean, artists like Beyoncé, Justin Moore and Brantley Gilbert have only pulled their latest work.

Like Swift, Garth Brooks has removed his music from all streaming sites.

It’s hard to protect music from piracy. Artists like Swift and many others have put countless hours into the music they produce and expect to be compensated for it. As a way to combat the issue, Spotify created their online streaming site with paid membership opportunities and royalties each time a song is played.

Artists receive less than a penny (between $0.006 and $0.0084) each time one of their songs is streamed on Spotify, according to spotifyartists.com.

Spotify pays out approximately 70 percent of their total revenue to rights holders. A rights holder can be a label, publisher, distributor or independent artists.

The 70 percent is split between the rights holders and the artist. The rights holder allocates the royalties to each artist.

MIDIA Research, an analysis and consulting firm focused on digital music, found that 23 percent of streaming customers previously bought multiple albums a month.

Instead of a customer making multiple payments of $10-plus payments every 30 days, they are spending $9.99 on a streaming subscription.

Artists like Swift and Aldean have made their decision and have stuck with it despite criticism.

“There are many people who predict the downfall of music sales and the irrelevancy of the album as an economic entity,” said Swift. “I am not one of them.”

“Piracy, file sharing and streaming have shrunk the numbers of paid album sales drastically, and every artist has handled this blow differently...It’s my opinion that music should not be free.”

-Tayor Swift

New ‘Flix’

Netflix adds to its list of original series Victoria Atterberry Scene Editor

February is the month of new releases on Netflix. Several shows have already been added this month. Here are a few of the remaining shows and movies expected to be added to the Netflix repertoire.

Available 2/20 Richie Rich’ Season 1 (2015): Richie Rich is a normal kid who happens to have a trillion dollars. Rich moves his family into a new mansion and shares his wealth with his best friends Darcy and Murray.

Available 2/21 RoboCop (2014): After being critically injured in the line of duty, Alex Murphy becomes the part man, part machine crime fighter known as Robocop.

Available 2/24 Hawaii Five-0 (Seasons 1–4): Lt. Cmdr.

Steven J. McGarrett forms and heads a special task force team after returning home to find his father’s killer.

1,000 Times Goodnight (2013): War photographer Rebecca faces challenges after her husband decides he no longer wants his wife risking her life.

Available 2/27 House of Cards (Season 3): Congressman Francis Underwood works with his scheming wife Claire to gain power in Washington D.C. Ralphie May: Unruly (Comedic Special): Popular comedian performs “Prime Cut” stand-up peformance, the follow up to “Girth of a Nation.”

(In an editorial with the Wall Street Journal)

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015 • 17

MUSE Pirating music: Pay $1.29 instead of $129,000

Victoria Atterberry Scene Editor

Free music sites have been around for over a decade. From 2004 through 2009 alone, approximately 30 billion songs were illegally downloaded on file-sharing networks, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA.) Napster appeared on the scene in 1999 as the first music-sharing site; music sales have dropped by over 53 percent since its inception. These sites are not the only ways to get music for free. Other places like YouTubemp3.org and dvdvideosoft.com offer ways to turn YouTube videos into mp3 format.

College students always look for ways to save

money. The college life can make one less likely to lay down money for music. Many are guilty of downloading music without paying for it.

People often try to justify the urge to download music. Some argue that the artist has enough money.

Some say that they wouldn’t buy the song anyway, therfore, it doesn’t matter if they illegally download.

Others say they can’t afford to buy music from iTunes or Amazon. These claims are sometimes reasonable, but when you boil it all down, one shouldn’t illegally download music no matter what.

Pirating music is stealing. It may not feel like it, but when people illegally download music, they steal from the artist who produced the song.

“A lot of time, money and investment goes into making music,” said Judi Nation, instructor of Communications, Arts & Media. “[The artist] makes a huge investment up front then you get paid later.”

Being an artist is not like working an hourly job.

With the music industry, the artist does not make money until the album sells.

Pirating music is costly to those who get caught.

A Boston University graduate was recently fined $675,000 for illegally downloading and sharing music.

Every time you download music illegally, you face the possibility of being charged with a significant fine. Paying $1.29 on iTunes is cheaper than paying $129,000 in fines from the music industry.

Downloading music illegally hurts other people.

A study done by the Institute for Policy Innovation revealed that the music industry loses about $12.5 billion dollars and more than 70,000 jobs a year due to piracy.

Fortunately, there is hope for music lovers. Last. fm and Amazon.com have a lengthy list of free and legal music downloads. ccMixter.org offers remixes made by users. Some of these tracks are catchy and since their music is not copyrighted, it’s totally legal to download.

Make a conscious effort to legally obtain music.

Even if you don’t get caught, someone is working hard to produce the music, and they likely want to get paid for their work.

“There’s a fine line between ethical and legal,” Nation said.

The Whistleblower: Forgiveness is not the answer

Ian Bush

Contributing Writer

The total national student loan debt has reached $1.3 trillion, placing it center stage in the world of public policy.

In attempts to solve this problem, student loan forgiveness, government-subsidized loan interest rates and other actions have been proposed to lift the supposedly heavy burden from all these poor students’ shoulders.

As students, it is easy to get behind the idea of a more affordable education, 18 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015

but in reality, the Obama administration’s solution means taxpayers will now have to pay another $22.1 billion to subsidize “forgiven” student loans.

So we’re going to solve the problem of debt with other, different debt. That sounds promising.

How did the American people get stuck with this enormous tab? President Obama used executive action to expand the pay-as-you-earn program of student loan repayments.

This program allows students to pay no more than 10 percent of their discretionary income [gross income minus basic living expenses] toward their student loan debt. After 20 years, they will then have any remaining balance forgiven. If they choose to become public servants, this forgiveness comes after only 10 years. The policy applies to more people now than ever before.

That sounds great, right? After all, this plan makes sure that our imaginary student won’t ever go broke paying off their loans.

Here’s why this isn’t a sustainable policy. Let’s say that a person attends a school like ORU, and just suppose that they rack up about $100,000 in student loans. If after graduation, they work for one of the numerous “public service” jobs listed under this policy, and make about $40,000 a year, they will probably pay less than $200 per month, which will not even cover the interest on their loan.

If this person stays employed in public service for 10 years, their loan balance will be forgiven. The problem is that he actually owes more than the original $100,000 because their payments were so low. The interest literally outpaced their payments.

In fact, over 10 years, our imaginary student will have paid only slightly more than $22,000 to a government that gave them $100,000 to help pay for college.

What Obama and other proponents of these policies forget is that whenever the government spends money, they’re spending taxpayer money.

While some may see education as a right, I would submit that higher education is a great privilege. Requiring by law that tax dollars pay for others’ unpaid student loans is an immoral and fiscally unsustainable policy.

We must ask ourselves: should we really exchange one type of debt for another? Or will we, as students, lead the charge for personal responsibility in paying for our education?

Syndicated Cynic: Was Jack White right?

Greg Brown Muse Editor So, Jack White’s mad. Earlier this month, the rocker and his company played at the University of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Daily, the student publication of the university, decided to take a risky move, publishing the contract rider between White’s party and the school that outlined terms of guaranteed guacamole and a ban on bananas. The singer was not at all pleased, and said as much in a statement from his management company.

White representatives took stabs at the student journalists that decided to post the rider, as well as

any other media reporters that decided to discuss the events surrounding the incident. Sorry, Jack.

Was Jack White right? Was the Oklahoma Daily out of step when they decided to give the world what at points seem like a ridiculous list of demands? I don’t think so.

Students deserve to have their voices heard.

Legally, there is no reason that the publication should have been restricted, citing the Freedom of Information Act that allows access to documents like the White contract for anyone and everyone. Technically, the Oklahoma Daily did not actually leak anything, but simply made public information more apparent to their readership.

Personally, I think this sort of thing is good for student voice. Here student journalists bring up issues that they care about, and people are paying attention, even if it’s resulting in backlash from White’s camp.

Historically, there is a lot of power in the voice of university students. From Vietnam War protests at Kent State to walkouts for Eric Garner at the University of Texas, people take note of college students who

take the time to say how they feel, and perhaps there is a moral obligation for students to call out injustices as they see them.

White would beg to differ.

“Just because you can type it on your computer doesn’t make it right,” said the 39-year-old Grammy winner in a press release.

And, to a certain degree, he’s right. Freedom of speech shouldn’t be abused, but in this case, I don’t think there’s a problem.

As both a journalist and a human being, I have a clear obligation to stand for truth. So, even when that truth is as trivial as guacamole, it should be embraced.

So, kudos, Oklahoma Daily for letting your students talk about the things important to them, regardless of the ridiculous consequences which often result from them.

You know, I would think artists like Jack White would take a step back and realize honesty is always the best policy. What is art without honesty?

But, then again, we’re talking about the guy that presented his ex-wife as his sister for years.

Where did my Sodexo go?

Harley Leichty Contributing Writer So, you’ve had a pretty great day today. One of your classes got cancelled, you got an “A” on your last test, and you got to chat with your crush. You’re thinking, “You know what, I’ll go get a smoothie from Freshens.

Those drinks are super delicious.” So you get a large smoothie of your choice and pay with Sodexo (bucks).

You can’t wait to taste that sweet, fruity drink, but as you glance at the total, you’re shocked when you realize that you only have $50.17 left on your Eagle Card.

For some, who may or may not admit it, you’re already out of Sodexo. My heart and stomach sympathize for you. Many of us are in this same situation. You just now noticed the light at the end of the tunnel, where

there is no Sodexo, and you are scared. How can I satisfy my Chick-fil-a, cravings without “free money”?

Where will I get my 11 p.m. queso fix during game nights? What can we do to make our Sodexo last for the whole semester?

First realize that some things shouldn’t be consumed all the time. If you haven’t noticed yet, the smoothies from Freshens have gone up in prices and now it takes a Lincoln to pay for a regular size.

Another food item is the queso bowl selections from Moe’s. Sure, great queso, but sooner or later you need to watch your wallet for all the money you’ve lost.

Now, I’m not saying you need to stop getting these items because they are too expensive. These are just some foods that need to be eaten in moderation.

On the opposite spectrum, there are some food items that satisfy the cravings and are comparable bargains. The Deli provides great options for this category of campus food. My favorite go-to sandwich is the crunchy bagel. It’s hot, it’s yummy, and it’s one of the least expensive sandwiches at the deli. They also serve chili everyday for lunch, which is super satisfying to the taste buds. You can get your favorites for a more fulfilling price as well. Like at Chick-fil-a, if you get two sandwiches instead of a meal, you pay about the same amount, but you get much more food

for your buck. If you go to Jazzman’s before 10 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, you get a free tall coffee with the purchase of a pastry. Perfect for an on-the-go breakfast.

Last, but not least, it’s just good to be smart with your money. When contemplating buying a soft drink or a Naked juice, just go with water over at the Deli.

In fact, if you get water everywhere outside of saga, you’d be surprised how much money you save in total.

In dire needs, create a weekly budget. If you can only have one Chick-fil-a meal and two cups of coffee a week, be glad that you can have that luxury while your friends are broke. Overall, it’s just good to save instead of spend. However, if you are hopeless and can only have a tall coffee once a week, you might as well blow it off. Sometimes it’s good to get rid of the temptation totally than to keep fighting it.

I write this because I am in the same situation.

I care for you. You, who I hope and pray take these lessons and live a life with Sodexo for the entire semester. I believe that we can all live contently if we just gain some self-control over our cravings. It will be a hard road, I know. But with Jesus and friends to help out, we can make it through the tunnel alive and well with Sodexo to spare.

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015 • 19

20 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 20, 2015