Oral Roberts University · Feb. 6, 2015 Tulsa, Oklahoma · Vol 49, No. 9 www.oruoracle.com @oruoracle @oruoraclesports
FOCUSED ON DECISIONS This Div. 1 football recruit and Coach Scott Sutton recall his decision to play for ORU. PAGE 11
Flu virus hits close to home New flu strain takes the life of 58. PAGE 4
More Than A Month Dr. Clarence Boyd takes on black history. PAGE 18
‘ORU’s Got Talent’ The finalists are in. See who made the cut. PAGE 8
NEWS
Students stampede for admissions files
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Homecoming Golden Gala PAGE 12
News
#OccupyTheBookstore
Google Chrome plug-in makes textbooks cheaper for students
Morgan Redding Staff Writer Students no longer need to hop between websites to find the best deals on textbooks. Google Chrome extension “Occupy the Bookstore” compares textbook prices for students directly on their college bookstore’s website. “We realized that students that knew about third-party services still needed to go to the bookstore website,” said Peter Kim Frank, CEO of Text.com, in an interview with the Oracle. “This extension brings price comparison to the bookstore website.” The plug-in covers 2,500 universities serviced by Follett, BNCollege and Neebo, according to Occupy the Bookstore website. ORU is serviced by Follett. The plug-in automatically pops up below the browser when a student clicks a textbook on a university bookstore website. It lists prices of books available for rent or purchase on third-party websites like Chegg, Amazon and Valore.
“It isn’t fair for bookstores to control the required textbook information and push their inflated prices; competition is good for students and the industry overall,” said Frank. Book prices have increased 812 percent since 1978, but there are advantages for some students to continue using campus bookstores. “Students that have financial aid are able to utilize their excess funds in our store to purchase books,” ORU bookstore manager Debbie Haymaker said. “We give back a portion of our sales to help ORU in a variety of ways, including providing some scholarship money each year to ORU.” In a recent press release, Occupy the Bookstore reported receiving legal threats from Follett, but says they are not in any violation. Occupy the Bookstore currently has about 30,000 users and holds a 4.5 out of 5 star rating on Chrome. The plug-in can be downloaded at occupythebookstore.com
Graphic by Corey Sturgill
Access admission records with FERPA Brooke Thomas Features Editor
Anonymous student-run online newsletter the Fountain Hopper posted the results of an investigation into the inner workings of Stanford admissions in January. Their exploration of what has long been deemed the “black box” of admissions showed that students have a right to more information than previously thought. “The things they write [in the admission’s notes] - it’s clear that they never expect them to be read,” said the Fountain Hopper. “They’re very frank.” Just a few short weeks after FoHo released the results of their request, over 1,000 Stanford students have begun digging deeper into their files. “Stanford has to review any requests that may have been submitted over the three-day weekend [ Jan. 17-19],” said Stanford Associate Vice
President for University Communications Lisa Lapin. “Stanford administrators are just getting to work now.” The 1974 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act [FERPA] protects the privacy of student education records. Accepted and enrolled students may request their personal student records under FERPA. These include admissions notes given by admissions officers, numerical scores those officers assigned them on a range of factors and recommendation letters written by high school teachers and counselors. The university is legally obligated to release the information they have on file to the student within 45 days of filing the request. Students across the country are taking the charge to request the information their university has recorded on them. Harvard, Yale and MIT have
begun receiving more student requests than in the prior years. “This could pull the curtain back on a very secretive process, exposing things that the colleges never wanted anyone to see,” said independent educational consultant Janet Rosier. Colleges have long been prepared for FERPA appeals, said former University of Virginia Associate Dean of Admissions Parker P. Muth in The Harvard Crimson. Despite negative repercussions that may accompany such a large quantity of students requesting their records, the heart behind the Fountain Hopper’s newsletter is clear; provide equality to the admissions process. “The philosophy we approach this with is that if you go to a good private [high] school or your parents are rich enough to have college counselors or college consultants, these are people
that work inside admission offices,” said a Fountain Hopper staff member. “When they review applications for all the students before they apply, they know exactly what to look for.” Students who come from less fortunate backgrounds or attend a school with less resources are often left in the dark about what is required for college admission. “College admission is extremely important for success in the world that we are in,” the staff member said. “We believe in the admission process, but everyone should have an equal right to the information that happens inside that black box.” For more information on this topic and more go to www.oruoracle.com
THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 • 3
Vaccines needed to prevent disease, experts say Mary Wesley Staff Writer
Universities across the country are concerned that individuals who choose not to vaccinate pose a threat to the larger student population. “[ORU] encourages students to obtain their immunizations for the overall health of our campus,” said Lisa Bowman, director of auxillary services. “ORU and Student Health Services believes in the healing power of Christ in conjunction with physicians and medicine.” No vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks occurred at ORU in the past five years. Still, no campus is completely immune. A recent outbreak of measles in Southern California spread to six states and Mexico. Bard College in New York recently isolated a student who contracted the measles virus. Moorpark College in Los Angeles issued a warning last week about possible measles exposure on campus. Centers for Disease Control officials attribute the spike in
measles cases during 2014 in part to unvaccinated individuals. “Per our ORU policy, there are three waivers available for exemptions – the religious waiver, the medically contra-indicated waiver, and the meningococcal waiver,” Bowman said. “If an unimmunized exemptor is exposed to such a disease they will be asked to stay home to prevent spreading the diesease. In some cases this could be for 28 days or more,” said Kathy Sebert, coodinator for the Tulsa Area Immunization Coalition. “Unfortunately, an outbreak in the college and university setting will be what it takes to get exemptors off the fence,” said Sebert. “Science has proved time and again that vaccines are safe and the risk is low of adverse reactions compared to the risks of the disease,” she said. Ultimately, vaccination remains to be a student’s decision. ORU is in compliance with Oklahoma’s requirements for the immunization of college students.
College Vaccination Requirements DtaP/DTP/DT/Td IPV/OPV
MMR Series
TB Skin Test
Meningococcal Vaccination Hepatitis B Series Varicella
Flu virus kills 58 Oklahomans this season Daisha Fowler Staff Writer
Flu season continues to sweep across the plains. The Oklahoma State Department of Health announced
58 flu-related deaths statewide since September; 12 of these deaths occurred in Tulsa County. More than 1,400 Oklahomans have landed in the hospital due to the
Photo by Cassandra Van Dam
Erin Doll, junior nursing student, uses a syringe to draw from a vile. ORU students who test positive for the flu are quarantined. 4 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015
illness. The majority of these deaths occurred in children ages 1-5 and the elderly, who are more susceptible to catching the flu. “We are seeing a different flu season compared to the last. We have also had different timing on when flu activity has occurred. We started the flu season three to four weeks earlier than last year,” said Kendra Dougherty, an epidemiologist at the Oklahoma State Department of Health. The flu virus changes from year to year. These mutations force medical professionals to make an educated hypothesis when predicting the strains covered in the flu vaccine for the year. “I was living a healthy lifestyle, eating lots of fruits and vegetables. I exercised a lot. I pretty much did everything you can,” Freshman Will Robinson said. “I got the flu shot. It was just a different strain than the flu shot prevented.” Robinson woke up with aches and a fever last Wednesday. Student Health tested him for the flu and returned with a positive result. Robinson packed his bags and moved into the ninth floor
of Michael within a day for quarantine. “You didn’t see anyone for a good five days straight. Just complete isolation,” Robinson said. Resident advisers arrived daily at his room to bring meals, and Student Health monitored his symptoms. “Our number one suggestion to prevent getting the flu is to get the flu vaccine. It can still help prevent you from getting the flu. We also recommend you wash your hands, and cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze,” said Luisa Krug, an epidemiologist at the Tulsa Health Department. The ORU Student Health Center is located on EMR’s first floor. It is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and is closed for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon. No need for an appointment; walk-ins are welcome. “At this point we have only had a few cases. If symptoms do begin, please contact Student Health,” said Lisa Bowman, director for auxiliary services. “We want to do our best to keep ORU safe and healthy during the flu season.”
Traditional homecoming turns golden Francesca Vasquez Staff Writer
Courtesy Photo
SA is selling Golden Gala tickets from noon to 5 p.m. from Feb. 4 to Feb. 19 in the Student Center.
It’s a Golden Gala. The annual Student Association Homecoming Dance on Feb. 20 will be a red carpet affair resembling the Hollywood award season. “We [SA] want to give the student body an event where they can get dressed up and have a good time,” said SA Assistant to Programs Jessica Sobel. “They can go with their boyfriends or just friends and dates and such.” The Golden Gala is not technically homecoming, according to Sobel. This resulted in the name change: Golden Gala. Naturally, students are naming it homecoming because of the formal event elements and the spring season. “Our vision this year came from the Golden Globes, as a huge award ceremony. So, we’ll be having a red carpet,” she said. “We just want to make it a night to remember and a good time for the students.” This is the last time Homecoming will take place in the spring semester before merging with the alumni events held in November. Administration made the decision to switch the alumni homecoming events from the spring to the fall to draw more alumni participation and to have a larger selection of basketball games to choose from, Director of Alumni Association Bob Beard said.
“Fall on campus is beautiful and we have a higher percentage of good traveling weather,” said Beard. SA received the news too late to make changes to their plans. The staff decided to continue the formal event for students in the spring to assure quality. Students can expect video spoofs in February chapel services inspired by the 2015 Golden Globes hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. SA selected two female students to play the ongoing roles leading up to the event. Student Association encourages female students to display their finest formal gowns and male students to dress in their finest formal wear at the event. Students are not required to wear black or gold for the event. “We want to people to have an excuse to get dazzled out. We will have music, hors d’oeuvres, refreshments and fun. Just a night of fun,” said Sobel. There are 500 tickets available for students to purchase for the event. Single tickets are $25 and couples are $40.
TWEET YOUR HOMECOMING PHOTOS TO @ORUORACLE
The Forum: A new student-run discussion club Kaylin Thompson
grow. Whether you change your position or not, you still learn about what A new club on ORU’s campus people think and how they assess called The Forum hopes to encourthings,” said Scott. age intellectual discussion and debate The first night at The Forum began amongst the student body. They aim with an opening word of prayer. Followto motivate their peers to take creative ing the prayer, Forum Vice President action and help bring awareness and Tammy Deng introduced the topic of resolution to specific issues. the night: “freedom of speech.” “I had been talking with some The students ravenously entered into friends about starting something that discussion following a presentation of would bring people together politically research, data and statistics regarding and socially,” said Forum President Lee the issue. Scott. “It’s imperative that people be in“The forum offers people the opporformed. I want The Forum to be a place tunity to come together and discuss difwhere people can have fun and really ferent issues that are currently affecting enjoy discussion.” the world,” said Deng. “It’s very imporDiscussion is the focal point of tant for students to know what’s going each meeting. Forum leaders encourage on globally and students don’t really talk students to listen and give their perspec- about these issues outside of the classtives on each issue. room. The Forum provides that outlet.” “Hearing other opinions helps you The Forum encourages students Staff Writer
to speak their minds while keeping a friendly and respectful atmosphere. Leaders designed the meetings to be solution oriented. “We want to create an atmosphere where people can righteously defend what they believe. The discussions will not always be political. There may be topics on social issues, music and pop culture,” said Scott. “Whether it’s starting a campaign about an issue, or using a hashtag to raise money for a specific thing, The Forum is about creating ways for people to do something; to act.” The Forum plans to have speakers come in with various ideologies and viewpoints on specific topics. The club meets twice a month in GC 3114 on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. The next meeting takes place Feb. 10.
“The forum offers
people the opportunity to come together and discuss different issues that are currently affecting the world...”
THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 • 5
SA flattens executive hierarchy
SA CHANGES AT A GLANCE
Presidential roles will change in 2015-16 school year. Dominique Johnson Staff Writer
Student Association will undergo organizational changes, starting next semester. SA will operate under a “flattened hierarchy,” as Aaron Brown, director of Student Experience, described it. “In May 2012, SA members began telling me ‘What we’d really like is a flattened system instead of a hierarchy,” said Brown. With this system, the president and executive team will have an equal voice. “We want consensus,” said Dr. Daniel Guajardo, vice president of student life. “We don’t want anyone to feel that [his or her] voice isn’t being heard. That’s why we’re doing this. We’re reorganizing the structure here. The last thing we want is one person throwing their will around and not
listening to the others.” The executive cabinet will be renamed the “executive team.” The vice presidential role will be discontinued and the responsibilities will be absorbed by the executive team. In past years, the president and vice president hired the executive cabinet. Now the director and incumbent executive team will choose the new members before SA elections. Members of the executive team head different SA departments like finance and communications. “Idea for change came from students,” said Guajardo. The president will have less day-today responsibilities and focus more on representing the student body. In the past, the university struggled to provide a useful forum for the student voice. Guajardo said there will be more
focus groups to hear from the students. “We want students to lead the focus groups,” Guajardo said. “They can be open and free to tell their stories, tell their concerns and let us know what would make their experience more enjoyable.” Brown has high hopes for the future role of the president. “It is paramount to me that the student body be represented and I think the best way to do that is through the student body president,” Brown said. Students with more questions can ask Brown directly. On Tuesday Feb. 10, he will host Donuts with the Director. Brown will answer any questions about student leadership and development. The discussion will be in the Hammer Center at 10 a.m.
PRESIDENT The Student
Association president will be elected independently of a running mate. Other officers will be hired by the director of Student Association.
VICE PRESIDENT This role has been eliminated.
EXECUTIVE CABINET This
group plans to organize around 60 events in the 2015-16 academic year, and almost double the current year’s events total.
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FEATURES Model Arab League adviser visits Qatar
Courtesy Photo
Professor Sonny Branham rides a camel near the beach of the Persian Gulf. He said he was initially thrown, but got back on the camel. Meghan Drake Online Editor While students were studying for finals last semester, Sonny Branham, assistant professor of government, was sitting in a Qatari airport listening to “Silent Night” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” “Here you are in a 90 percent Muslim country and Christmas carols are being played over the loud speaker,” Branham said. “That wouldn’t happen at JFK or at Reagan or at Tulsa because it would be seen as culturally insensitive to someone.” Branham was in Qatar as part of the Malone Fellowship program. Five Model Arab League advisers and 10 students attended the educational trip to learn about Qatar in detail. Before he left, Branham said he prayed John 1:5: “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it.” “I just felt I got the confirmation that yes you were when I was sitting in the airport getting ready to get on the plane to come back and to hear those Christ-
mas carols,” Branham said. Branham is the adviser for ORU’s Model Arab League, a club whose mission is to learn about the Middle East. The club is similar to Model United Nations in that each team is assigned a Middle Eastern country and competes against other universities in the same region. “The group that puts it on, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, is an educational group,” he said. “Their mission is to have Americans become more familiar with what the Middle East is like.” Branham initially applied for the Malone Fellowship to be able to bring back experience for the Model Arab League, whose assigned countries this competition are Qatar and Jordan. “Just seeing on-the-ground perspective, I believe helps me to be a better teacher,” he said. “It wasn’t for long, but I got a sampling, got a taste and can speak to the situations in a more informative way maybe than they could get on the Internet or a 30-second sound bite on TV.” In competition, Model Arab League splits into five committees covering economic, social and political issues. The delegation is at an advantage, for Branham formally sat down with Qatari officials to discuss these exact subjects. The week preceding the Malone Fellowship trip Qatari government officials hosted 12 U.S. congressmen’s chiefs of staff for a chamber of commerce tour. The Qatari embassy in Washington, D.C. heard of the Malone Fellows and told the Qatar officials to duplicate the tour. Thus, Branham said, “We were treated like royalty.” He said the meetings with these officials were very formal, but plenty of info was exchanged. Qatar gained independence from being a British protectorate in 1971. It has developed into a wealthy Middle Eastern nation with massive natural gas reserves. It has the highest per capita income in the world, according to the CIA World Factbook. “The leadership is a very ruling, elite, wealthy, tribal family, but that family encourages many democratic principles like open elections, political parties,” he said. “Just as long as it doesn’t get extreme.” For an Arab country, these democratic principles make Qatar very “progressive,” Branham said. Qatar holds an immense immigrant population. There is an estimated 200-250,000 Qataris in the country and one million immigrant laborers, he said.
“There’s not enough people to run the country of Qatar,” said Branham. “So they have to import educators, laborers, technicians, computer operators from everywhere simply to have their country function.” When it comes to U.S.-Qatari relations, it can be deemed a love-hate relationship. The U.S.’s Central Command is located in Qatar, but Branham said the U.S. criticizes Qatar for its support of groups like Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. “The reason why the Qatari government does so is because...they’re for the persecuted people that are in the Gulf area,” Branham said. “They see Muslim Brotherhood, they see Hamas as the outside groups that are addressing and challenging the government to change.” Model Arab League has competed for two years and was assigned the countries of Yemen and Oman. Branham said the team is at its strongest with 12 delegates. They will compete against schools in the region in Commerce, Texas April 9-11.
6 facts about Qatar 1. Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup amid accusations that the country has been accused of corrupting officials. 2. It is often pronounced “cutter.” 3. The country is slightly smaller than the state of Connecticut. 4. Qatar’s ruling Thani family funds Al Jazeera, the Arabic news and broadcasting network. 5. Because of the country’s oil and natural gas reserves, Qatar holds the highest per capita income in the world, according the CIA World Factbook. 6. Qatar celebrates its Independence Day on Sept. 3, the day it gained independence from being a British protectorate in 1971. Before that, it was under Ottoman rule. THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 • 7
‘ORU’s Got Talent’ Sydney Ilg Staff Writer
Alumnus Stephen Guzman uses his GoPro camera while on a mission trip in Nepal. Guzman now works in the university’s IT Department. Courtesy photo
Faith and fundraising Madison McDaniel Staff Writer
Nearly five years ago, ORU alumnus Stephen Guzman signed up for his first mission trip with the ORU Missions and Outreach Department. Guzman experienced an undulating journey as he prepared for his trip to the Philippines. It paid off, for his experience changed his life forever. “If there was any trip where I saw flashes of God’s grace and glory it was in my freshman year going to the Philippines,” Guzman said. For Guzman, the idea of a mission trip was completely new. He recalls going to the first meeting where Missions and Outreach Director Bobby Parks announced that everyone would send out fundraising letters. “Initially when Bobby said that we were going to send out letters to people I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to send this out to my aunt, to my mom, to my uncle,’ and as I was writing letters I was like, ‘This isn’t going to work out, they’re not going to be able to send me anything,’” Guzman said. He realized his family could not afford to donate to his trip. “I never let that stop me because I always felt like it was possible and if I couldn’t do it then God could do it. I really believed in that,” Guzman said. “When you seek God and you pray and fast, that’s when you see God and things start to change,” Guzman said. “The Lord starts to work on your behalf and he sees your intentionality with him. And that’s all I knew to do so I prayed and fasted the whole time I
8 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015
was fundraising.” Guzman recalls meeting up with his team at the Prayer Tower. As they began to pray, Guzman fell asleep. That’s when the dreams began. “I was at the Mabee Center on the main entrance row. There are seats to my right and seats to my left,” Guzamn said. “And there’s a big, old angel beckoning me to one of the tunnels and he just looks like this big, glorious light.” This dream became the beginning of God’s confirmation for Guzman to continue his journey to the Philippines. Although this was the first of several dreams Guzman would experience leading up to his trip, at the time he didn’t think too much of it and continued to fundraise. The 50 percent deadline was approaching and Guzman’s account held little weight to how much he needed. “I probably had like $300 towards my account before the 50 percent deadline but I’ve had all these dreams. So it comes to the time and my missions leaders call me into Zoppelt.” His heart prepared for his leaders to tell him the worst, Guzman walks in to meet his leaders avoiding glance. “Well, you made it,” his team leader said. “Somebody donated that money and instantaneously I was back on the team. That moment,” Guzman said, “has always been a pillar of my faith walk. As soon as you think it’s impossible, you don’t know what God’s cooking.” Guzman traveled to the Philippines to serve that summer and the following three summers with ORU Missions.
Talent is not scarce in the ORU community. This talent is exactly why ORU has been working hard to bring students ORU’s Got Talent, the school’s take on the wildly popular show “America’s Got Talent.” Get to know the finalists before they perform in chapel Friday, Feb. 13. *To see which faculty members made the cut go to oruoracle.com Kimberlyn Simon Talent: Vocal & Guitar Performance “I’ve played guitar for 11 years and took lessons from Jason Swanson my senior year [of high school]. As long as I’m in God’s will, I’m happy.”
Billy Barantes Talent: Balancing Act “I am an entertainer. It’s not just me getting on stage, it’s starting a conversation…
La’Derrick Aliner Talent: Jazz Vocal and Piano Performance “I’ve always loved remixing things. Music is inexcusable to me, so it’s always fun to explore new things, bring new expression, and share new perspectives.” Luis Aguirre Talent: Drumming Performance “No one taught me how to play drums, I just knew. They needed a drummer one day at church, so I went up and played. I would practice on pillows and anything that made noise.” Seany Denson Talent: Vocal Performance “If you would take my testimony and put it in the Old Testament, that’s what picture this song will paint for you. Just having this opportunity to sing this song in front of this audience is a testament in itself.”
Photos by Chandler Branzell
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FAST TRACK PROGRAM THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 • 9
Not just my father’s heritage Dominique Johnson Senior Writer
I avoided my dad for as long as I could that Tuesday. I knew he would ask me a question I didn’t want to answer. But, it was nearly impossible to avoid him since we lived in the same house. He eventually asked me, “Did you vote today?” The answer was “no.” I missed the deadline to cast my ballot. The Obama-Romney election marked my first year for voting eligibility, and I blew it. I didn’t even have a valid reason either; I didn’t vote because I didn’t care. My dad began to tell me a story. He talked about people who once marched down streets and carried picket signs and boycotted buses. He told me the story of people who fought back when their right to vote—and other basic rights—were threatened. He reminded me how people like myself, black people,
didn’t have the privileges I have now. “Count your blessings,” he said. “Not the black-history card,” I thought to myself. That’s where I was wrong; I saw black history as a token or a trope. I failed to fit black history into the big picture of our nation. It was easy for me to trivialize black history. Naturally, my mindset applied to Black History Month. But after some years of experience, I realized black history isn’t just a collection of names, inventors, politicians or trailblazers. Respectively, Black History Month isn’t just a curriculum to highlight or single out a race of people. Rather, Black History Month is a tool that helps tell the story of a people who helped write this nation’s history. This article will give you a glance into the insights of people that changed the narrative for our country. These people enacted change,
Don Johnson and sophomore staff writer Dominique Johnson are pictured here at ORU during a Whole Person Scholarship event in March 2013. It was the pair’s first road trip together. raised standards and made history. But they’re not special because of what they did for African-Americans. They’re special because they understood that everyone deserves to be a part of this nation’s story. Plot twists and all.
P.S. Next election, I will march to the ballots and cast my vote without paying any poll taxes. I can thank my dad for teaching me the importance of that and my predecessors for helping make that a thing.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
“If you only think of me during Black History Month, I must be failing as an educator and as an astrophysicist.” Neil deGrasse Tyson 10 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015
“We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate and religious prejudice.” Carter Woodson
Black history is American history. Morgan Freeman
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Frederick Douglass “I think black history, like every other history, is very significant because its important for us to recognize where we came from in order for us to help plot a future of where we are going. I just think its important to know our history. That we respect those leaders that have gone before. That we emulate them in some ways and learn from their mistakes in other ways. “ Dr. Paul Vickery, professor of history
“As a young boy he had a situation where his teacher took him to a competition where he presented orally, and on the way back he was told to get up and give his seat up to some white people, which he didn’t want to do, but he ended up doing it anyway and ended up standing up all the way back home. And even though he had some animosity and things built up in him, he decided to take a different avenue. He took an avenue of peace. That has a lot to do with why I see him that way.” Dr. Warren Rieger, associate professor of history and humanities
Frederick Douglass “He was both able to condemn people who were for it and didn’t understand it and those in the North and yet he could explicate it so well: the understanding of black people and slaves, what was it they actually felt and did, and yet he was Christian about it all the way around.” Dr. Gary Pranger, associate professor of history and humanities
MORE THAN A MONTH
“Won’t it be wonderful when black history and Native American history and Jewish history and all of U.S. history is taught from one book. Just U.S. history.”
Maya Angelou
“Racism is not an excuse to not do the best you can.” Arthur Ashe
“Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.”
Abraham Lincoln
THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 • 11
SPORTS
@oruoraclesports
Jabbar Singleton: Hardwood over gridiron
you want to play yet.” Singleton remained open to every possibility, but We care about you not only as a player, but as a the New Orleans native loves his family. The Unistudent. We’re here to make you not only the best versity of New Orleans, Louisiana Tech and Tulane basketball player you can be, but in four years you’ll appealed to him because he could be closer to them. have a degree from ORU. These were just a few “Basically, I wasn’t worried about the sports. I was things that Coach Scott Sutton said to his former worried about the academics and his education,” said recruit in his Southwest Louisiana home. Everything Singleton’s mother Tajuana Watson. seemed to be a perfect fit except for one thing; no Each recruit has something different they football team. look for when visiting schools. The facilities, Decisions. “Where am I going to go to college?” the atmosphere or the weather, one unknown Decisions. “What sport am I going to play?” Decifactor often determines whether a recruit sions. commits or looks for another school. Feelings of uncertainty “My mom came raced through ORU point with me on my visit to “It’s also stressful too because guard Jabbar Singleton’s mind ORU. Everything made you get calls from coaches for me feel right at home,” like an endless loop. football and basketball, and A two-sport standout at Singleton said. “I’m reBrother Martin High School on top of that you don’t even ally a people person. A in New Orleans, Singleton know what sport you want to lot of people don’t know caught the attention of scouts that about me. As soon as I play yet.” and coaches on the basketball stepped on campus a lot of - Jabbar Singleton friendly people talked to me. court and the football field. “We liked his toughness, They didn’t know who I was. and that football mentality,” said Sutton, thinking I wasn’t even wearing anything with back on his recruit. ORU basketball on it.” Singleton ran for 1,422 yards and 16 rushing With National Signing Day touchdowns his senior year for Brother Martin, earn- approaching, Singleton knew he ing him All District 9-5A Honors. He earned the had to make a decision. His attention of several Div. I universities as a recruit. He first love was basketball, and received scholarship offers from Florida International even though he loved football, and Grambling to play running back and also rehe felt basketball was the sport ceived interest from Louisiana Tech, Tulane, the Uni- he was supposed to play. versity of South Florida, Georgia Tech and Auburn. “Honestly, it was all surreal to “He was one of the toughest competitors I ever me. I never had anybody in my family go coached,” said Brother Martin Head Football Coach to college. My mom was always there for me saying, Mark Bonis. “Jabbar was a pleasure to coach because ‘Whatever you want to do then go for it.’ She alhe was a student of the game. He was exciting to ways believed that I could achieve anything in either watch on gameday because he was so gifted and sport,” said Singleton. talented.” After weighing his options and discussing them At the end of the football season, Singleton with his family, Singleton decided to attend ORU swapped football cleats for basketball shoes, and and play basketball for Coach Sutton. helped lead Brother Martin to a 29-7 season. He av“They felt like home to us. It felt eraged 10 points, six assists and almost five rebounds like I’ve known Coach Sutton, per game his senior year, earning him All District Coach Wade and Coach Sean 9-5A Honors in basketball. for years,” said Watson. “The He received scholarship offers from the University welcome they showed me of New Orleans and ORU and interest from Wofford and Jabbar made me feel and University of Texas-El Paso. like I could leave my child “It was fun. Just knowing that you will end up so many miles away with at some school on scholarship. That’s always a good them.” thing,” Singleton said. “It’s also stressful too because Almost two years removed you get calls from coaches for football and basketball, from one of the toughest deciand on top of that you don’t even know what sport sions he ever made, Singleton Russell Dorsey Sports Writer
12 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015
stands behind his decision and remains committed to being the best basketball player and student he can be. “My parents always told me to be humble and to keep working hard. That’s all I can do,” said Singleton. “Honestly, I miss football. But I want to play basketball because I love basketball.” Jabbar Singleton received interest from football schools like Auburn, but chose to play basketball at ORU. Photo by Nick Conroy
Golden Eagles begin season with fresh look Russell Dorsey Sports Writer
As winter changes to spring, the Golden Eagles will also be undergoing some changes. The 2015 team features a new infusion of speed to help supplement the power lost with the departure of Texas Rangers prospect Jose Trevino and right fielder Tyler Boss. The 3-4-5 spots in the order were instrumental in the Golden Eagles run production last season. The trio of second baseman Matt Brandy, Trevino and Boss combined to hit a combined .309 with 16 homeruns, 113 RBIs and 101 runs scored. “With [Matt], Jose and Tyler sitting in the middle of that lineup you had some guys that would walk to the plate and have a chance to hit some homeruns,” said ORU Head Coach Ryan Folmar. “We’re going to have to do some other things to score runs.” Folmar realizes his team will have to create and manufacture more runs this season, but he is confident in his team. “It’s a more versatile lineup [this season]. We have more guys that can run, and more guys that can cause havoc on the base paths,” said Folmar. “Even though it’s different, I think that this lineup has every opportunity to produce like last year’s lineup did.” The Golden Eagles will look for Brandy to anchor the lineup and build on a breakout season in 2014. Brandy had a career year last season hitting .277 with three homeruns, 36 RBIs and a 19-game hitting streak. Brandy earned All-Southland Second Team Honors as well. He started all 56 games for the Golden Eagles after having to sit out the end of the 2013 season with a foot injury. “I got a lot stronger than my first year here,” said Brandy. “It’s a combination of both. Putting in work in the weight room, but being healthy for a full season really helps.” The starting rotation was strong for the Golden Eagles in 2014 going 1716 with a respectable 3.48 ERA. The staff finished fourth in the Southland Conference statistically.
The rotation will be anchored by redshirt senior Kurt Giller and junior Guillermo Trujillo. The team will rely on the duo’s experience. “Having a guy like Kurt back is huge, he’s almost more like a coach than a player because he’s been here so long,” said Trujillo. “He’s a true leader, hopefully I can step up like him and be a leader for the rotation.” Folmar will have several options in his bullpen this season. Even after losing closer Jordan Romano’s 12 saves to the draft in June, Golden Eagles pitchers Kyler Stout, Nathan Garza and Jacob McDavid all have closing experience. McDavid will transition from the bullpen to the starting rotation. “We have nine guys returning for us who pitched significant innings last year,” said Folmar. “Once again, we are going to have a lot of guys that get opportunities for us.” The Golden Eagles return to the Summit League in 2015. They won 14 consecutive conference championships from 1999-2012. In a brief two-year stint in the Southland Conference the Golden Eagles had success with a 31-26 record. The Golden Eagles won’t rest on their laurels as the return to the Summit League. They are intent on building future success. “One thing we focused on this offseason is to prepare like it doesn’t matter who we play,” said Folmar. “We have to be who we are every time we play, create an identity and be as consistent as we can be every day.” ORU will open the season at J.L. Johnson Stadium on Friday, Feb. 13 against the University of Memphis at 2 p.m. For continuing coverage of ORU baseball, log on to oruoracle.com and follow beat reporter Russell Dorsey @AfroBroRD and @oruoraclesports on Twitter. Photos by Mike Giammarino
Top: Matt Brandy will be a key part of the ORU baseball team’s lineup after last year’s success. Bottom: Dean Wilson tags Nick Roark during a team scrimmage. Wilson is expected to spend time at shorstop this season. THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 • 13
Foot Locker Three-Point Contest Saturday Feb 14th @ 8:30 p.m. EST on TNT Stephen Curry Klay Thompson Kyrie Irving JJ Redick Kyle Korver Marco Belinelli
Celebrity Game
Sprite Slam Dunk Contest Giavannis Antetokounmpo Victor Oladipo Mason Plumlee Zach Lavine
NBA All-Star 64th NBA All-Star Game Weekend Sunday at 8:30 P.M. EST ON TNT Friday Feb 13th @ 7 p.m. EST on ESPN
BBUA Rising Stars Challenge
Friday Feb 13th @ 7 p.m. EST on TNT
Taco Bell Skills Challenge
Saturday Feb 14th @ 8:30 p.m. EST on TNT
Foot Locker Three-Point Contest Saturday Feb 14th @ 8:30 p.m. EST on TNT Stephen Curry Klay Thompson Kyrie Irving JJ Redick Kyle Korver Marco Belinelli
Sprite Slam Dunk Contest Giavannis Antetokounmpo Victor Oladipo Mason Plumlee Zach Lavine
East Vs. WEst LeBron James (Cleveland) Carmelo Anthony (New York) Pau Gasol (Chicago) Kyle Lowry (Toronto) John Wall (Washington)
Stephen Curry (Golden State) Anthony Davis (New Orleans) Marc Gasol (Memphis) Blake Griffin (Los Angels Clippers) Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
Read NBA columnist Ryan Woods’ continued coverage of NBA All-Star Weekend on www.oruoracle.com
64th NBA All-Star Game team start strong Reynolds and track Sunday at 8:30 P.M. EST ON TNT emerged as a team leader winning seven of her last eight 400-meter races. Reynolds was an All-American last Track & Field Coach Joe Dial has LeBron James (Cleveland) Stephen Curry season, but(Golden she is State) determined to build enjoyed tremendous success throughCarmelo Anthony (New York) Anthony Davis (New Orleans) on her success. She continues to push out two decades, producing 22 AllPau Gasol (Chicago) Marc mentally Gasol (Memphis) herself and physically. American’s and three Olympians just wonderful,” said during time(Toronto) at ORU. Kylehis Lowry Blake Griffin“Madison (Los AngelsisClippers) Dial.(Los “She has a Lakers) great work ethic, she’s “This we’re working towardsKobe Bryant John year Wall (Washington) Angeles a leader and she works so hard.” the same goal. We want to win a conAlthough she gives most of the ference championship and get these credit to her team, Reynolds has made kids to nationals,” said Dial. a name for herself by continually domiThe team is considerably younger nating her competition. than in previous seasons, but ORU has “I’m am blessed to be a leader, but had multiple athletes consistently place I’m only as good as my team,” said in the top-five of each event despite Reynolds. their youth. The Golden Eagles placed As her team continues to succeed, fourth overall at the Bob Timmons Reynolds has already collected two Challenge in December including four Summit League player of the week individual event victories. The men’s awards and headlines most of her races. and women’s teams swept the 400m “I just work hard on my form, my dash events. stance and in the weight room; some“We have a really young team,” times even by myself,” said Reynolds. said Dial. “They are so talented, but so “My goals are to keep myself in the top young at the same time. It’s good for 16 and be a first-team All-American.” the future of the program.” ORU will participate in a multi-day ORU continued dominating in the event this weekend as they travel to the Bill Easton Classic as seven Golden MSSU Lion Open in Joplin, Missouri. Eagles had top-five finishes. Junior Madison Reynolds has Parrish Purnell Jr. Sports Writer
East Vs. WEst
14 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015
Photo by Audrey Gray
Returning All-American Madison Reynolds sprints during a training session in the AC. Reynolds has won seven of her last eight 400-meter races.
THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 • 15
SCENE
T N E A D W Courtesy Photo
Students take a stand against sexual assault at a university. “The Hunting Ground,” presented with CNN Films, exposes the issue of sexual assault at universities such as Harvard, Yale, Florida State and Arizona State.
Sexual assault exposed in ‘The Hunting Ground’ Victoria Atterberry Scene Editor
Documentary director Kirby Dick tackles the issue of sexual assault on college campuses in his latest film “The Hunting Ground.” Featuring several women who share their stories and demand their voices finally be heard, the film’s definining statistic is that “one in five women, their dream school will become their nightmare.” The young women featured in “The Hunting Ground” were elated when they were accepted into their desired colleges of Harvard, Yale, Stanford and others. But that excitement was short lived. “The first few weeks I made some of my best friends, but two of us were sexually assaulted before classes had even started,” said one of the featured students in the film’s trailer. The young women’s reports were allegedly discouraged and never brought to light by the universities they trusted. “I went to the dean of students’ office and she said, ‘I just want to make sure that you don’t talk to anyone
about this,’” another woman said in the trailer. The film’s website encourages victims, survivors and advocates to make a quilt square on Instagram with testimonies, encouragement and hope. The digital quilt square will be connected to make a Monument Quilt. Another one of the film’s featured women, Kamilah Willingham described her attack in an interview with Variety.com. Willingham claims her attacker was on top of her and had a hand inside her underwear. “The Hunting Ground,” which will hit theaters in March 20 and will air on CNN later this year, not only reveals these women’s stories, but it also gets at the root of why this issue continues. Several experts featured in the film suggested universities don’t report sexual assault due to financial incentives and to protect reputations. For every 1,000 women attending college, there are 35 incidents of rape each academic year, according to the National Institute of Justice. Other reports indicate many victims don’t report the incident.
16 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015
Fo
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e O RU O
e l c ra
Page Layout Infographics Illustrations (Knowledge of Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop is highly recommended)
Apply in LR175 or call (918) 495-7080 oracle@oru.edu
Five ways to fail on Valentine’s Day Kristy Sturgill Editor-in-Chief
American consumers spend about $13 billion annually on Valentine’s Day, according to the Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey. 196 million roses are produced. 186 million cards are exhanged. 53 percent of women reported they will end their relationship if they do not receive a gift on Valentine’s Day. The pressure is on for men to profess their love appropriately. Take this advice in order to keep Feb. 14 clear of arguments and break-ups.
2. Giving anything in a ring box The pressure of “ring by spring” is getting stronger for couples still uncertain about their future together. Nothing will ruin Valentine’s Day more than making her think she is about to be asked the big question.
4. Expired chocolate is not a gift Recycling last year’s Ferrero Rocher for this year’s date will result in more problems than just an upset stomach. 3. Gift cards are a no-go Nothing says “I really do not know you well at all” better than a gift card. Tell her to go buy herself something nice, then watch how well that works out.
1. Workout equipment sends the wrong message Aerobic points are important and the field test is coming up quick, but telling her she needs to get into shape through a Valentine’s Day gift is generally a bad idea.
5. Saga is not a date College students generally do not have a large budget, but a date to Saga is a sure-fire express lane to singleness.
Thrifting for Golden Gala black-tie attire swaps. Get red-carpet ready and save the bank with thrifty shopping in the right stores and websites. On Feb. 11 from 7-9 p.m. ORU missions team, Student Association announced the Golden Mercy Sacramento, will be having a swap for formal Gala Homecoming will be a black-tie affair. dresses. There will be a $5 admission fee. The leftover Black-tie expectations require men to wear clothes will go to the girls at Sacramento Mercy. tuxedos and women to wear floor-length formal Rent the Runway is an online site that offers highgowns. The more formal an event generally results in end designer brands to be rented at affordable prices. a higher price tag for the evening’s attire. Rent a Vera Wang, Calvin Klein or Badgley Mischka “We hope that the glitz and glam of the night for less than $100. A complimentary dress of the same will be a memorable experience for all the students style in a different size can also be ordered. who come,” said Student Association Assistant of Several stores in town also have rentable gowns and Programs Jessica Sobel. consignment prices. Jaime’s Exclusively Plus has conBefore you run out and buy a dress that might signment gowns for all sizes. Bridal Dresses & More collect dust in your closet consider rentals and has prom and black-tie event rentals. Kristy Sturgill Editor-in-Chief
Ladies attire is not the only focus of a black-tie event. Men are expected to be dressed in a tux with a black tie or black bowtie. The purpose of the black tie is to bring timeless elegance to an event. Black tie does not simply mean formal. Showing up in a good suit would be faux pas. While the average college male will not have a tuxedo in the back of their dorm closet, there are plenty of places to rent in Tulsa. Al’s Formal wear, Men’s Warehouse and Beshara’s offers tux rentals in reasonable price ranges. The Black Tux is an online site for tuxedo rental. Submit sizes and styles online and return the tuxedo through the mail. THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 • 17
MUSE Suppositions: An essential global warfare
Peter Wesley Odom Contributing Writer
In the spirit of globalization, I figured a set of articles highlighting unconventional aspects of the term could be of interest to the student body. We’ll touch upon global saviors, global blunders, global lifestyle revolutions, and in this article, a global war being waged every hour of every day, a war which is vital to all life on earth. If you were to go to the nearest ocean beach and scoop out a teaspoon of seawater, a myriad of fascinating stuff would be residing there if you looked close enough. You’ll find anything from gold and silver particles to a vast diversity of living organisms, bacteria and viruses. Let’s talk about one thing in particular, a special phytoplankton: the coccolithophore. It’s a single-celled plant which is very abundant in the ocean. In your average teaspoon of seawater you are likely to find about 100,000 coccolithophores. They look rather simple, like little balls with circular calcium plates covering their exterior like scales. This is where things get interesting. There is a diamond-shaped virus which is out to get the coccolithophore. If this virus has a chance to penetrate the calcium shell of its prey, then it makes straight for the nucleus and highjacks the cells’ reproduction machinery. It then makes hundreds of thousands of copies of itself, killing the coccolithophore in the process. The coccolithophores, though, have various
defense mechanisms. They can change their scales to make their exterior less penetrable, sacrificing personal efficiency in the process. They can send out a chemical warning signal to other nearby coccolithophores, which helps prevent more viruses from taking over. In an effort to stop virus reproduction, they can also initiate personal cell death if it’s too late for themselves. The virus has also developed counterattacks to each of these. It is a constant battle of the fittest. This battle is raging endlessly on a global scale. When each coccolithophore dies, it sheds its white calcium scales. The enormity of this carnage can hardly be appreciated until you realize that it can be seen from outer-space. From the international space station or a satellite, these white “blooms” of dying coccolithophores can be seen occurring somewhere at all times. It is a continuous cycle that propagates repeatedly across all of the oceans. Here is the truly fascinating part. When each coccolithophore dies, it takes in a bit of carbon dioxide and then releases a puff of oxygen. When all is said and done, after accounting for the titanic and continuous nature of this warfare, this process is responsible for about half of the oxygen we breathe. Let that sink in for a moment. Half ! This brings me to an intriguing set of questions: Is this how God had originally intended to sustain a substantial portion of our breathing supply? Through a vast global biological war? Is this process the result of the fall of mankind or is this actually a wholesome process, sanctioned by God from the beginning? I think that the answer to these questions could have profound theological implications. Ponder away.
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Why Black History Month? “ ...The greater challenge is to realize the lessons learned from it.” Dean Clarence Boyd Contributing Writer
A wise man once said: “Any lesson you fail to learn, you are destined to repeat.” With this in mind, the question must be asked: Why Black History Month? No one likes to talk about the past especially if that past is perceived as negative. There may be many reasons for one’s perception of the past and each perception is real to the one perceiving it. Regardless of your perception of the past - in this case Black History Month - there is still common ground for everyone. In other words, the lessons learned from the past will always be more important than the past itself. So regardless of our perception of Black History Month, the greater challenge is to realize the lessons learned from it. Black History Month may also be referred to as Black Heritage Month. The word, heritage, has two important meanings. First, it is defined as “the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation.” In this sense, America, as a nation, is a part of this history. The entire nation would be correct in acknowledging Black History Month as a part of its heritage, not just its past. The second definition refers to “something possessed as a result of one’s natural situation or birth.” This definition must be interpreted from a personal perspective because not everyone experienced tragedies as a result of their natural situation or birth. This, I believe, is the reason why so many people see
Black History Month differently. Some see this month through the lenses of tradition while others see it through the lenses of experience. On Aug. 28, 1963 Dr. King stood before the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. and shared his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. In this dream he shared about a time not yet realized when every man’s experience would be the same. He dreamed about a time in the life of this nation when every man would see every other man as his brother, and every opportunity would be made available to every other man or women regardless of their natural situation or birth. Men would no longer focus on the past, but pursue the future having learned the lessons necessary not to repeat the past. It is yet being debated as to whether we have realized this dream or not. But regardless of what side of the debate you may be on, let us all agree that the dream is worth realizing. Jesus Christ, the greatest dreamer of all time, dreamed of a time when all men would be one ( John 17:21). This too, was a dream worth dreaming, but this dream was never meant to be limited to the past. This dream was meant to provide vision for the future. May we all be committed to learning the lessons from our past, but more importantly, may we be committed to the fulfillment of the dream!
Happy Valentine’s Day from your favorite cynic
Greg Brown Muse Editor
As people are praying for their respective rings by spring, a certain milestone in the realm of romantic holidays stands before us. Yes, as Feb. 14 approaches, there will be hearts, cards, flowers, the overuse of red and pink. And half of everyone I know is going to be super stoked about it. Couples are definitely going to be out and about around town, making eyes at each other, kissing in places that are typically inconvenient for the rest of the world and bringing that good ol’ sense of mushi-
ness from Florida to Washington, Israel to Saudi Arabia, France to China. And it’s still not quite as bad as the perpetual Valentine’s Day complainers, the ladies and gentlemen set on pointing out just how awful the holiday is, how stupid those participating in “V-Day” festivities are and how the whole 24-hour period is set on destroying their admittedly lonely lives. They’re on Facebook, they’re in shopping malls, they’re probably living next door to you and me and, year after year, they’re driving the rest of us nuts. Now, I am not one to invalidate anyone’s opinion, because, let’s be honest, Valentine’s Day can be overplayed in such a way that could annoy even the happiest of couples. I can understand why someone without a date would feel like the world is spending the day pointing out his or her singularity, and I know that can feel a whole lot like a knife twist. But no one is making anything better by taking to public forum to talk about how lonely we all are.
I have yet to see an individual’s Valentine’s Day rant bring about any real good in the world. It doesn’t end in an impromptu date, nor does it stop the folks out on the town from having fun. People are still going out to dinner, watching romantic comedies filled with has-been actors and wearing their affection for the whole world to see. So, please, do yourself and all of the rest of us a favor and avoid griping about Valentine’s Day. I’m all for free speech and everything, so if you do happen to complain via some sort of medium that I could happen to come across, then I will ignore it. I am also, however, all for not being annoyed by repetitive cries for attention, though I will try not to judge you accordingly. Buy yourself a card or something that will fill your Valentine woes. Regardless of your Valentine’s Day views or plans, though, I hope you have a stellar day. I don’t know, I’ll probably be selling shoes or something.
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