The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916
F R I DA Y, M A R C H 1, 2 013
W W W.O U DA I LY.C O M
Sports: Will the women’s hoops team make the tournament? (Page 7)
2 011 S I LV E R C R O W N W I N N E R
‘GiGanTic’ sHOW
L&a: oKc to host big Gigantic (Page 8)
crime
man allegedly commits lewd act Student suspened; background check completion mistaken STAFF REPORTS
An OU student recently charged for allegedly touching a young boy in an indecent manner received no background checks before being sent to gain field experience at a public elementary school in Moore. University officials recently suspended education senior Christopher Ray Flores after they learned of allegations against him through media reports on Feb. 14, said Catherine Bishop, OU’s vice president for public affairs. On Feb. 14, the Norman Transcript reported that Flores had allegedly touched a 9-year-old boy in a lewd manner multiple times between May
2009 and May 2012. Upon learning of the allegations, OU quickly conducted a review and took direct administrative action to suspend Flores and bar him from university grounds, Bishop said. Flores’ suspension also included suspension from the College of Education pre-teaching practicum he had been participating in, Bishop said. At the time, Moore Public Schools didn’t require college students participating in the practicum to receive background checks, said Robert Romines, assistant superintendent over personnel for Moore Public Schools. Moore Public School officials were under the impression that students sent from the university already had received background checks, Romines said.
Students applying for OU’s College of Education must sign an agreement stating they have not been convicted of any crimes related to minors, Bishop said. If a student is convicted of a sexual offense after he or she signs the form, the student has so many hours to notify an associate dean in the college about his or her change of status, said Sherry Cox, assistant dean of the College of Education. At that time, the State of Oklahoma will take fingerprints and conduct a full background check, Cox said. “If you have a felony or if you have some of these problems, you’re not going to be allowed to teach - we’re not going to allow you to go out onto the field,” Cox said. Editor’s note: Atiba Williams, Mark Brockway and Arianna Pickard contributed to this report.
DriVinG aWaY
Campus car, golf cart theft rate driven up Possessions left behind to blame MAX JANERKA
campus reporter
After an OU student lost her car keys on campus earlier this semester, she reported the incident to OUPD and they discovered that someone had taken the keys and had been moving the car around campus. While OUPD spokesperson Lt. Bruce Chan could not release the student’s name, he reported this story as the last incident of car theft on campus he was aware of. After burglaries, motor vehicle thefts are the second most reported crimes in OUPD’s jurisdiction, which includes the Norman campus, the area around the residence halls, the university’s see THEFT pAGe 3
iLLUstrAtion By AUstin mCCrosKie/tHe dAiLy
OUDaily.com: OU looks to avenge loss to Iowa State on Saturday. priVacY
Drones head in the clouds Aerial vehicles used for weather, not privacy invasion KAITLYN UNDERWOOD campus reporter
After Oklahoma was chosen as the first state test site for unmanned aerial systems, OU researchers have been developing applications for the systems, known as drones, that don’t involve defense and won’t be looking into your windows. Oklahoma was chosen in 2012, prompting concerns about privacy and the proper usage of such aircrafts. However, the defensive aspect of unmanned aerial vehicles is only a small p i e c e o f a mu c h l a rg e r puzzle, James Grimsley, Assistant Vice President for Research at OU and founding director for the Center for Applied Research and Development, said. Through OU ’s Center for Applied Research and Development and the Advanced Radar Research Center, OU has been researching innovative ways to apply unmanned aerial systems technology. Mainly, the research has focused on weather and atmospheric data, using a 3-pound unmanned aerial vehicle as a hyper-sophisticated weather balloon, Grimsley said. “The focus at OU so far has not been defense related,” Grimsley said. “We have permission to use one small plane. It’s used for weather.” The unmanned aerial system was developed with the help of student researchers, who assisted in building see DRONE pAGe 2
cOnsTrUcTiOn
cULTUre
Finally, new residence halls near completion
Japanese students accumulate to culture
Construction has been in progress for two years
campus reporter
campus reporter
oud-2013-3-01-a-001, 002.indd 1
Opinion: oU students ought to make their own decisions on who is fit to lead. GpA is not the only measure of leadership. (Page 4)
BENNETT HALL
GAVIN SMITH
Interior work on OU’s new athletic residence halls is mostly completed, and exterior work will continue through March and April. Only minor touch-ups remain for half the rooms inside the new residence hall, called Headington Hall, which is located at the corner of Lindsey Street and Jenkins Avenue, said Pete Moris, assistant athletic director. Drywall has been installed in over half of the walls on the first floor, with work currently progressing with ceilings, flooring and tile in that area, Moris said. The drywall and floor tile on the sixth floor have been installed, and the wood paneling is scheduled to start in a few weeks, he said. The exterior brick and stonework will be ongoing
Freshmen able to host exchange students, provide American experience
SGA bill prevents students with low GPA from running for office.
AUstin mCCrosKie/tHe dAiLy
The exterior work on Headington Hall, located on the corner of Lindsey street and Jenkins avenue, will continue through march and april. construction will be completed soon after.
t h rou g h ou t Ma rc h a n d April, and the metal roof is being installed as the masons finish their work, Moris said. The $75 million construction project was approved by the OU Board of Regents March 24, 2011, according to soonersports.com.
The building was planned to house 49 percent student athletes and 51 percent general students, according to Daily archives. Gavin Smith Gavin.b.smith-1@ou.edu
Freshmen students will open their dorm room doors and welcome Japanese exchange students from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto beginning Sunday as part of the Ritsumeikan International Exchange Program. The exchange program pairs the Ritsumeikan students with OU freshman who would like to house exchange students and show them American collegiate culture, said OU Outreach event coordinator Kylie Swanson in an email. The Ritsumeikan students have spent the last two weeks with host fam- “Many host ilies from the OU Outreach office and families ... members of Friends to International enjoy doing it Students, Swanson said in an email. ”Many host families have hosted for each year.” many years and enjoy doing it each Kylie sWanson, year,” Swanson said. oU oUtreach eVent The students from Ritsumeikan also coorDinator take intensive English writing and communication courses through OU’s Center for English as a Second Language throughout the four weeks, Swanson said in an email. While they are not in class, the exchange students will be able to attend Center for English as a Second Language and other campus events with their freshman hosts and experience life right in the middle of the OU community. ”The purpose of the exchange is to provide the best possible academic training and to give the students a taste of what the American lifestyle and the American college experience is like,” Swanson said in an email.
Baseball returns home
Sports: no. 18 sooners square off against pepperdine in first true test of season. (Online)
VOL. 98, NO. 108 © 2012 oU Publications board free — additional copies 25¢
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• Friday, March 1, 2013
Campus
Arianna Pickard, campus editor Paighten Harkins and Nadia Enchassi, assistant editors dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily
drone: Unmanned aerial system records weather Continued from page 1
Today around campus Health Sciences Center First Fridays, designed for prospective HSC students who attend the OU Norman campus, will take place 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Wagner Hall 145. Baseball will play Pepperdine at 3:00 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park Softball will play Houston at 3:15 p.m. at Softball Complex & Marita Hynes Field.
Do you want to see your organization’s campus event here? Visit OUDaily.com/events/submit to add your entry.
Corrections The Oklahoma Daily is committed to serving readers with accurate coverage and welcomes your comments about information that may require correction or clarification. To contact us with corrections, email us at dailynews@ou.edu. In the cutline of the photo in Thursday’s Life & Arts story “Students play in harmony,” the photo was actually The Wind Symphony band.
Visit OUDaily.com/corrections for an archive of our corrections
the tiny craft and operating system from the inside out, Tim Bonin, a graduate student studying meteorology, said. “Developing the platform was very enjoyable and fun, but we ran into a lot of problems at first, as no one that we were working with was familiar with autopilot software and how it works, which I took on as a task to get the project off the ground,” Bonin said. Bonin has been heavily involved in developing the Small Multi-function Autonomous Research and Teaching Sonde platform, OU’s unarmed aerial operating system, used in OU’s unmanned aerial vehicle, according to Bonin’s thesis defense. OU received approval from the Federal Airlines Administration on Sep. 21 to fly the aircraft, which is used to obtain precise readings about atmospheric condition, Grimsley said. Only public entities such as universities and governmental agencies can obtain permission to fly unmanned aerial vehicles, Grimsley said. “The public has concerns and rightfully so. The privacy debate, though, should be much larger than [unmanned aerial vehicles],” Grimsley said. “I don’t see [unmanned aerial vehicles] as that big of a risk to privacy.” Just as unmanned aerial systems are not researched for defensive purposes at OU, neither are the
Photo Provided
OU students test the unmaned aerial system, also known as a drone.
“The public has concerns and rightfully so. The privacy debate, though, should be much larger than [unmanned aerial vehicles].” James Grimsley, Assistant Vice President for Research at OU and founding director for the Center for Applied Research and Development
governmental aircraft flown in the restricted airspace above Fort Sill near Lawton, Okla., according to a June press release. Search-and-rescue operations and natural disaster response are the prime focuses of the testing currently happening in Oklahoma, a c c o rd i n g t o t h e p re s s release. “Ultimately, the things I think that will be really big
with unmanned aerial vehicles will be things that are mundane,” Grimsley said. Such mundane tasks may involve moving military cargo and recording weather fluctuations, Grimsley said. While unmanned aerial vehicles are often portrayed as silent killers gliding high above our heads, only a handful are actually used for offensive purposes,
Grimsley said. Many other unmanned aerial vehicles are simply the product of faculty and students, like Bonin. “It’s nice to be able to get out of the office now and then and go fly a plane,” Bonin said. Whether an unmanned aerial vehicle is controlled by the military or by a group of university students, its overall purpose is to improve human efficiency, Grimsley said. “In the end it will just be like any other tool,” Grimsley said. Kaitlyn Underwood kaitlyn.underwood5@gmail.com
campus briefs volunteer
Label
Service project brings rays of sunshine to gardens
Canadian professor to give lecture on computer science to software-defined infrastructure at OU today
Some Sooners will spend their Saturday raking, pruning, planting and watering plants in Oklahoma City to gain volunteer hours. The OU Office of Leadership Development and Volunteerism will hold Sooner Service Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City,said Ashley Sullivan, volunteer coordinator for OU’s Office of Leadership Development and Volunteerism. Students will volunteer as horticulture crews, helping with the upkeep of the gardens by raking flowerbeds, pruning flowers, cutting back grasses and picking up trash, along with other work according to an email from the Leadership Development and Volunteerism Office. “I believe this is an important event
because it provides students with an opportunity to serve the community together,” Sullivan said. “They get a chance to know one another while also getting to know and appreciate non-profits in our community. This is especially important for students who might not have the time to volunteer in a regular capacity.” Approximately two projects have been held each semester since 2010, with each project coordinated by a group of students called the “Volunteer Team” who work out of the office of Leadership Development and Volunteerism, Sullivan said. Over 200 students participate in the volunteer events each year, Sullivan said. Haley Davis Campus Reporter
scholarship
A top researcher will introduce students interested in computer science to software-defined infrastructures today as part of an annual distinguished lecture series. The researcher and electrical and computer engineering professor at the University of Toronto, Alberto LeonGarcia, will discuss the role of virtualization, which is to run a computer program in virtual storage, and software-defined infrastructure in the design of future application platforms that allow software to run, according to Leon-Garcia’s abstract of his lecture. Leon-Garcia was asked to speak at OU as part of the Hitachi Distinguished Lecture Series, said computer science professor Krishnaiya Thulasiraman. The series was started two years ago as a way to expose students and faculty
to emerging areas of computer science, enhance OU’s visibility within the academic community and open up communication and collaboration with researcher outside of OU, Thulasiraman said. Leon-Garcia will speak at 2:30 today in Devon Energy Hall, room 130. Paighten Harkins Assistant Campus Editor
FIND A JOB in the CLASSIFIEDS
Two scholarships attainable for single mothers Two scholarships are now offered specifically for single mothers at OU to help them succeed in higher education. Since women are the primary caregivers, being a single mother is the number one reason many women don’t complete their higher education goals, said Tanya Miller, managerial associate with OU’s Women’s and Gender Studies. “Single mothers are a flat tire away from dropping out of school,” Miller said. “It takes one small catastrophe to throw everything off balance.” Applications for the scholarships can be accessed through the money tab on oZONE and are due March 15. Women’s and Gender Studies offers the Betty Baum and Norman Hirschfield Award worth $4,000, annually, broken up over the spring and fall semesters, Miller said in an email. To qualify, students must be single mothers, have 30 hours within the past
five years, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and have full-time student standing at the OU Norman Campus, according to the Women’s and Gender Studies website. Another award is the Empowerment of Spirit Award, available to single mothers who fit the critieria of the Betty Baum and Norman Hirschfield scholarship, according to the website. The Empowerment of Spirit Award was created in 2009 by Norman locals Cindy Merrick and Ally Richardson, Miller said. The Betty Baum and Norman Hirschfield Award was permanently endowed by E.J. Hirschfield and Alan Hirschfield in 1999 in memory of their parents to support single mothers at the University of Oklahoma. Morgan George Campus Reporter
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CAMPUS
Friday, March 1, 2013 •
3
THefT: Cars not the only vehicles being stolen 1 2
Car burglary/theft prevention tips from OUPD’s online Police Notebook Don’t leave valuables in plain sight in your car
naTiOn neWs briefs 1. WashinGton, D.c.
Spending cuts could delay food safety law, cause fewer food safety inspections Fewer food safety inspections and an increased risk to consumers will result from the lack of a new 2013 budget from Congress and the upcoming across-the-board spending cuts, Food and drug Administration Commissioner margaret Hamburg said thursday. the cuts are scheduled to take effect Friday unless the White House and Congress can come to a budget agreement. the reduced inspections and budget cuts could delay a new food safety law which requires the agency to boost inspections and directs farms and food facilities to ensure their food is safe. the FdA has said the so-called sequestration cuts will mean 2,100 fewer food safety inspections this year, though Hamburg said in an interview with the Associated press that the number is an estimate. she said most of the effects wouldn’t be felt for a while, and the agency won’t have to furlough workers. still, she said, “We’re going to be struggling with how to really grapple with the cuts of sequestration ... clearly we will be able to provide less of the oversight functions and we won’t be able to broaden our reach to new facilities either, so inevitably that increases risk.” Hamburg and michael taylor, FdA’s deputy commissioner for foods, said in a joint interview that the agency is trying to figure out ways to save money as they try to put the law in place, including experimenting with ways to do food safety inspections in shorter periods of time. Hamburg said the FdA is holding out hope that they can get the food industry to pay some user fees, an idea the industry has previously rejected and was left out of the final food safety law enacted two years ago. “We are guardedly optimistic that we will continue, even in this fiscal budget climate, to get some enhanced resources to continue to expand and to move toward the goals of the program,” Hamburg said of food safety. the obama administration had hoped for more dollars to carry out the law, which would boost the inspections and training for inspectors, require farms and food companies to create detailed food safety plans and create a new system for inspecting imported foods. But Congress did not pass a new budget last year and funding has remained stagnant. the across-the-board cuts will also affect meat inspection, which is administered by the Agriculture department. UsdA has said inspectors could be furloughed for up to 15 days, meaning meatpacking plants would have to intermittently shut down. Government inspectors must be present for a meatpacking plant to operate. the White House has said this could mean less meat in grocery stores and higher prices. The Associated Press
2. caPe canaVeral, fla.
Space on verge of 3rd supply run to space station the international space station is about to get another commercial shipment. the California company known as spaceX is set to launch its unmanned Falcon rocket on Friday morning, hoisting a dragon capsule containing more than a ton of food, tools, computer hardware and science experiments. there won’t be any ice cream, though, for the six-man station crew. the freezers going up are filled with mouse stem cells, protein crystals and other research items. on the previous dragon delivery in october, chocolate-vanilla swirl was tucked inside. spaceX president Gwynne shotwell said snacks straight from the orchard of an employee’s father are on board — and not just apples. “it’s a little bit healthier, i think, than the one that nAsA sent last time,” she told reporters on the eve of the flight. Forecasters put the odds of good weather at 80 percent. Launch time is 10:10 a.m.
Always lock your doors
Set any alarm or anti-theft device
Try to park in busy, well-lighted areas. GrApHiC By AUstin mCCrosKie/tHe dAiLy
Continued from page 1 non-campus property and public property that remains within university jurisdiction, according to the most recent Sooner Safety Report. Non-campus property includes university-owned apartments, sorority and fraternity houses and other off-campus property that belongs to OU, while the public property in question is the part of Boyd Street directly north of campus, Chan said. Motor vehicle thefts as they are counted in the Sooner Safety Report include any vehicle with a motor that runs on a surface, including
scooters, motorcycles and golf carts, Chan said. Motorboats, planes and farm equipment, however, do not count towards that total, according to the Sooner Safety Report. Between the start of 2009 and the end of 2011, 28 motor vehicle thefts were reported on and around OU’s Norman campus, according to the Sooner Safety report. There was a spike in the thefts in 2011, when 12 instances were reported, as compared to 9 and 7 reports the previous two years respectively, according to the Sooner Safety Report. Four of the reports filed in 2011 were for stolen golf
carts, according to OUPD reports. In 2012, three trucks, two motorcycles, two cars and a four-wheeler were reported stolen from the OUPD’s jurisdiction, according to OUPD reports. In addition to that, there were three attempted motor vehicle thefts. Since 2008, there have been at least four instances of a car being stolen by someone the victim knew, according to the police reports, and in two of these cases the perpetrator was the victim’s ex-boyfriend. Most car burglaries and thefts are crimes of opportunity, so it is important to minimize that opportunity,
by the nUmbers car theft
9
in 2009
7
in 2010
12
in 2011
Source: Sooner Safety Report
according to the OUPD website. One way to prevent car theft is not leaving possessions out in one’s car.
LeGisLaTiOn
House passes Violence Against Women Act Bill protects gays, lesbians, transexuals WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans raised the white flag Thursday on extending domestic violence protections to gays, lesbians and transsexuals after months of resisting an expansion of the Violence Against Women Act. GOP leaders, who had tried to limit the bill before last November’s election, gave the go-ahead for the House to accept a more ambitious Senate version written mainly by Democrats. Democrats, with a minority of Republicans, were key to the 286-138 House vote that sent to President Barack Obama a renewal of the 1994 law that has set the standard for how to protect women, and some men, from domestic abuse and prosecute abusers. It was the third time this year that House Speaker John Boehner has allowed Democrats and moderates in his own party to prevail over the GOP’s much larger conservative wing. As with a Jan. 1 vote to avoid the fiscal cliff and legislation to extend Superstorm Sandy
tHe AssoCiAted press
House minority Leader nancy pelosi of calif., holds a news conference Jan. 23 on capitol Hill in Washington, to discuss the reintroduction of the Violence against Women act.
aid, a majority of House Republicans voted against the final anti-violence bill. Obama, in a statement, said that “renewing this bill is an important step towards making sure no one in America is forced to live in fear” and said he would sign the bill “as soon as it hits my desk.” The law has been renewed twice before without controversy, but it lapsed in 2011 as it was caught up in the partisan battles that now divide Congress. Last year, the House refused to go along with a Senate-passed bill
that would have made clear that lesbians, gays, immigrants and Native American women should have equal access to Violence Against Women Act programs. It appeared the scenario would be repeated this year when the House introduced a bill that didn’t mention the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and
watered down a Senate provision allowing tribal courts to prosecute non-Indians who attack their Indian partners on tribal lands. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., who has spent months working on the issue, defended the Republican plan: “Our goal in strengthening the Violence Against Women Act is simple. We want to help all women who are faced with violent, abusive and dangerous situations. ... We want them to know that those who commit these horrendous crimes will be punished.” But the House proposal encountered quick and strong opposition from women’s groups, the White Hou s e, D e m o c rat s a n d some Republicans, and on Tuesday, the GOP leadership agreed to give the House a vote on the Senate bill. It passed immediately after the House rejected Cantor’s bill, 257-166, with 60 Republicans voting against it.
Marcia Dunn The Associated Press
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Reader comment on OUDaily.com ››
• Friday, March 1, 2013
“It’s not for lack of trying. I’ve seen many women on the ballots in past years, but they rarely win. The problem lies with the voters..” (mythman, RE: ‘Oklahoma lags behind Saudi Arabia in women representatives’)
OPINION
Mark Brockway, opinion editor Kayley Gillespie, assistant editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/opinion • Twitter: @OUDailyOpinion
THUMBS UP: The U.S. House of Representitives passed the expanded version of The Violence Against Women Act Thursday reflecting broad public support for the measure.
Editorial
SGA’s academic standards are too high for democracy Our View: Academics are important, but SGA should not adopt restrictive GPA requirements for leadership positions.
SGA members have expressed concern about a student candidate’s ability to balance school and SGA commitments. The main aim of the bill was to ensure The Our View OU’s undergraduate Student student leaders would not sacrifice their is the majority Government Association has significantly studies just to fulfill SGA commitments, opinion of raised the minimum GPA requirements to according to Sean Bender, Undergraduate The Daily’s run and hold office. Student Congress chairman. nine-member The “Icing on the Cupcake” Act of 2013 This is a legitimate concern. editorial board is aimed at promoting first, academic Student leaders should be academic excellence, the “cupcake,” and second, role models on campus and should not extracurricular activities, the “frosting.” The bill sacrifice their GPAs for the sake of student governwould require student leaders to have and main- ment responsibilities. tain a 3.0 GPA and a 2.5 GPA for other general SGA Students in any service position should rememmembers. ber their first priority is school, not extracurricular It is admirable SGA wants to activities. promote academic excellence, but But we worry establishing a AT A GLANCE high requirements for leadership hard rule for GPA standards will positions block participation from Leaders who would discourage otherwise capable otherwise qualified leadership students from pursuing student not meet SGA’s candidates. leadership. Many students with requirements If a candidate with a 2.8 GPA is GPAs lower than 3.0 are capable, Rick Perry — Perry got many the best person for the job, he or dedicated and intelligent. bad grades while at Texas A&M, she should not be overlooked. We must trust the students including a D in economics. Source: Huffington Post SGA ought to apply an equal involved in the democratic pro2.5 GPA standard to everyone incess to weigh all the candidates’ John Kerry — As a freshman at volved in undergraduate student attributes and make the best Yale, Kerry got several D grades — one in Political Science. government and maintain its decision. source: mentalfloss.com policy requiring students to be in Democracy is about the freegood standing with their college. dom to choose who will repFranklin Delano Roosevelt — Apparently he was not known If a student is dedicated enough resent your interests, and SGA for academic achievement, to graduate, he or she is good should allow a wide range of just barely squeaking by at enough to hold office. candidates to participate in the Harvard with plenty of C grades. GPA does not necessarily relate Source: dailycaller.com electoral process. directly to an individual’s ability to We hope SGA will reverse Joe Biden — Biden ranked lead. Achieving good grades takes their decision and allow more very near the bottom of hard work and dedication, but his law school class and students to run for leadership admitted to plagiarism in GPA is not the only indicator of inpositions. Please contact SGA his first year at law school. telligence and work ethic. and express your opinion on Source:mentalfloss.com A person who is chosen to lead GPA requirements. Abraham Lincoln — Lincoln was should have significant student largely self taught and had only government experience, be able to very minimal formal education. communicate with students and, Comment on this on OUDaily. Source: history.com most importantly, be able to lead com effectively.
Column
Obama is the best social media president
I
love our president — I Opinion Columnist mean I love President of the United States Barack Obama. What do I love about him? His dapper taste in clothing, his charming personality, his firm but flexible leadership style, his dreamy eyes? No! Micah Wormley The experience of a biram.wormley@ou.edu cial, cisgender male politician from Chicago isn’t the same as a Germano-American transgender female writer from St. Louis, yet I feel I have a president who is like me. Obama understands social media. Obama uses social media. Obama “can has” social media and I love it. Here is a challenge: pick any social network and search for the president. If you find one that doesn’t have an account for Obama, let me know. Flickr? Yes. Reddit? Affirmative. YouTube? Not only yes, but he did a few really cool things that wound up on YouTube. In October 2012, YouTube user SoulPancake, Rainn Wilson, began posting videos featuring “Kid President,” the adorable 9-year-old Robby Novak. The videos are a lighthearted look at politics from a self-proclaimed “voice of a generation” and frame adult issues in Washington with the perspectives of a child. On Feb. 21, soulpancake posted a video in which Obama surprised Kid President by contacting him and asking him to promote the annual Easter Egg Roll that occurs on the White House lawn. It’s touching that our commander in chief can reach out and support this child’s efforts. On Valentine’s Day, the president took part in a Google+ Hangout hosted by TheDailyConversation, a YouTube group sponsored by Google. A YouTube star-studded panel — including the VlogBrothers’ John Green — asked the president a variety of questions. This wasn’t the first time the president prompted
the Internet for questions. Roughly five months ago Twitter Feed he posted to Reddit, “I am @BarackObama Barack Obama, President of the United States — AMA.” “Deadline Friday: It’s Frequent Redditors know time for Congress to that AMA stands for “ask me stop severe budget anything.” He fielded quescuts that will cost jobs & threaten the tions ranging in seriousness middle class.” from “How are you going help small businesses in 2013 “Obama: ‘Make and 2014?” to “What’s the sure your voice recipe for the White House’s is heard. Let your beer?” leaders know what President Obama doesn’t you expect of them. just use hashtags on Twitter, Let them know he creates them. His comwhat you believe.’ #JobsOverCuts” ments about gun violence in the State of the Union “Obama: ‘The address were represented sequester uses with #TheyDeserveAVote. a meat-cleaver This transformed to approach to gut #WeDemandAVote, in concritical investments junction with the political acin things like tion he is hosting on his webeducation & site urging citizens to contact national security.’ #JobsOverCuts” their congress members about reducing gun violence. According to President Obama’s Twitter profile, the account is run by Organizing for Action staff and tweets from the president are signed ”bo”. While his “bo” tweets are rare, they do occur and that shows he cares about the platform. So when you ask me why I like this president I have just one thing to say: “@BarackObama presidents like a boss, and tweets FTW!” Micah Wormley is a professional writing junior.
Column
February makes Oklahomans crazy with controversy
L
ike so many Opinion Columnist things in life that seem unbearable at first, following Oklahoma news and politics is something a person can eventually get used to. At times, the headTrent Cason lines boil the blood, and cason.trent@yahoo.com I’ve nearly broken my nose face-palming at the quotes of Oklahoma politicians. But day-to-day, I’m usually able to let the more extreme things that come from living in the reddest of red states slide off my back. This February, in particular, was an excellent example of the kind of social, political and even meteorological extremes we have come to expect.
Put down that plant and have another pill Chemotherapy got you feeling down? Well too bad, you should have lived in a state where empathy and human compassion are traits they look for in politicians. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted 6 to 2 to kill a proposal that would legalize cannabis for medicinal use. The six Republicans voted against medical legalization; the two Democrats voted for it. This just goes to prove once again that, in Oklahoma, dangerous, non-addictive, non-lethal plants such as cannabis must be kept out of the hands of sick people. Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs spokesman Mark Woodward gave his expert opinion in a 2011 Oklahoma Gazette interview, stating marijuana contains dangerous chemicals and hydrocodone and oxycodone are much safer alternatives for pain relief. Stay classy, Oklahoma.
Lunch lady layoff law If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s state education employees thinking they have the right to due process. In Oklahoma, about 40,000 school employees in “support positions” such as janitors, bus drivers and cafeteria workers have the right to a hearing before the school board if they should be terminated. The right to explain their side of the story, however, now is being threatened by a bill proposed by State Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City. The bill would revoke school support staffs’ right to a hearing upon notice of termination, a right that approximately 15 of the lowest-paid state employees invoke every year. Because so few employees use the right, many are confused as to the purpose of the bill. It saves so little time and money that it probably will cost more in man-hours to write, debate and vote on than it would to give support staff their hearings. But then, making sense is hardly a requisite for passing legislation in the Oklahoma State Senate.
The right to remain uneducated State Rep. Gus Blackwell, R-Boise City, has joined state embarrassment, Rep. Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City, in authoring a bill that would require stateschool science teachers to “debate the controversy” of creationism and climate change denial in their classrooms. Under the bill, a student cannot be failed in science class for disagreeing with science based on theological belief because macro evolution and climate change are apparently “beliefs” and not knowledge based on mountains of experimental data. What’s next, debating the “controversy” of Holocaust denial in history class? Once again, Oklahoma stays on the cutting edge of failing public education, ensuring future generations will continue to have to call someone in India for help when their Chinese-made electronics break. The bill died quickly in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, but what does it say about our elected officials who spend time, effort and taxpayer money on pursuing this bill?
Flaky Predictions
Finally, and least surprising, the great Norman blizzard of February, 2013, ended up being a light thunderstorm. This is the last time I stay up all night partying on a Monday based on the predictions of Oklahoma meteorologists. Fortunately, I didn’t unplug my alarm clock, so I was awake for the clear, warm and sunny Tuesday morning that replaced my almost guaranteed snow day festivities. If there’s one thing I’ve learned to trust, it’s the fact that I can’t trust Oklahoma weather to be bad in my favor when I really need it to be. Trent Cason is an English literary and cultural studies senior.
The Oklahoma Daily is a public forum, the University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice and an entirely student-run publication.
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Temporary Laborer (5 Positions) Parks & Recreations/Westwood Golf Course Must be at least 16 years of age. Ability to perform general maintenance work, follow oral and written instructions, safely operate City equipment, and work outdoors in extreme heat. Valid Oklahoma driver’s license and satisfactory motor vehicle record. $8.00 per hour. Work Period: 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. or 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. M-F. May be required to work special events and weekends. Selected applicant must pass background investigation, drug screen, and physical examination. A complete job announcement is available at www.normanok. gov/hr/hr-job-postings. To request an application, email HR@NormanOK. gov, call 405-366-5482, or visit us at 201-C West Gray, Human Resources Dept., City of Norman. EOE
Interested in learning guitar? Affordable Student Rates! Contact Summer Reif cell: 405-436-1101, summerreif@ou.edu.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Christian Counseling in Norman Andrea Hart, LCSW 405-204-4615 Grace-river.org
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Utilities PAID, incl. wireless internet, cable, parking, quiet, furnished, share kitchen & bath. Male students preferred. ONLY $220/month. 329-2661
Bent River Cattle Company & Seafood is now hiring all positions, M-F 9-4pm. 2701 S I35 Frontage Rd. Moore, Ok 73160
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For Rent! University Falls Apartment. 3 min. walk to OU. 1bd 1 bath $575 Electric & Gas incl. pets okay. Call B&B 800-597-1994
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Edited by Timothy E. Parker March 1, 2013 OU Student Media is a department within OU’s division of Student Affairs. ACROSS WYSIWYG 12 Result when The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. 1 Food in a 52 Frisbee builders 40
By Bernice Bede Osol
Copyright 2012, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.
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FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013 Eats flies. Dates a pig. Hollywood star.
LIVE YOUR DREAMS Pass It On. www.forbetterlife.org
ASTROGRAPH by Bernice Bede Osol Be alert in the year ahead for several unusual business propositions. Even if some things seem excessively strange, you should examine each offer seriously. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- It’s best not to discard traditional methods in order to experiment with something new. Actually, working with known qualities enhances your chances for success. ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- As long as you stay away from speculative ventures, this should be a profitable day for you. Go out of your way to make your bundle the old-fashioned way -- earn it.
Previous Solution
Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard
Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.
oud-2013-3-01-a-005.indd 1
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -Don’t allow a few minor setbacks to diminish your hopes and expectations. Any obstacle you encounter is likely to be merely temporary, and easily overcome. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Even if you can’t totally resolve some unwanted developments, you should be able to lessen their impact. Besides, challenges only stimulate your ingenuity. CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Don’t deny yourself or those you love an unexpected pleasurable encounter, even if it costs you a few bucks. The happiness it engenders is worth the sacrifice. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- It’s imperative that you study important
situations very carefully. What at first appears to be unpleasant might contain benefits that you’ll discover only after a close inspection. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- If you’re too materialistic, you might not be satisfied by the results of your efforts. Look out for your interests, but not by gouging another. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Funds could suddenly become available to you for obtaining something you’ve wanted but never thought you could afford. How this unfolds could be rather mysterious. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- There’s a chance that you could be subjected to some frustrating resistance from an individual who is usually easygoing. It proves that everybody is human. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- What works for you might not work for someone else. Thus, ignore any pessimistic opinions this person might express about something or someone that you hold dear.
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PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
2/28
Š 2013 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com
AND AWAY WE GO By Jill Pepper
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- It behooves you to try to do something different with a casual acquaintance. Fresh personalities and encounters will have a very favorable effect on you. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- You don’t need to be fearful if you find yourself in a tight spot. Adversity only strengthens your resolve, and you’ll discover you’re more than a match for spontaneous complications.
2/28/13 9:09 PM
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Advertisement
• Friday, March 1, 2013
YOU ARE INVITED! TO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SINGLE-DAY PROGRAMS ON AMERICAN HISTORY EVER HELD IN OUR STATE “It has been said that to remain great, Americans must understand how we became great. One of the most important obligations of any university is to prepare our students for the responsibilities of citizenship by making sure that they learn our own history and our own constitutional heritage.” – David L. Boren
Teach-In on The Great Depression and World War II “A Day With Some of the Greatest Teachers in America” Monday, March 11, 2013 Paul F. Sharp Concert Hall, Catlett Music Center 9:30 a.m. – “John Steinbeck's America: A Cultural History of the Great Depression and World War II,” presented by University of Oklahoma Professor of Western History, David Wrobel, Author of Global West, American Frontier: Travel, Empire, and Exceptionalism, from Manifest Destiny to the Great Depression 10:30 a.m. – “Lessons from the Great Depression for Policy Today,” presented by University of California, Berkeley, Professor Christina Romer, Co-director of the Program in Monetary Economics at the National Bureau of Economic Research 2 p.m. – “The Beginning of the Era That is Just Now Ending” University of Texas at Austin Professor of History, H.W. Brands, Best-selling author and finalist for the Pulitzer Prize 3 p.m. – “The Great Depression and American Constitutionalism” Harvard University Professor of International Law, Noah Feldman, Author of a weekly column for Bloomberg View and contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine
David McCullough
Kyle Harper
David Kennedy
4 p.m. – Pulitzer Prize-winning historians and authors David McCullough and David Kennedy will join Wrobel, Romer, Brands and Feldman in a panel discussion on “America Transformed: A Panel Discussion on the Impact of the 30’s and 40’s” moderated by Kyle Harper, Director of OU’s Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage. Reservations required for each session. For reservations or accommodations on the basis of disability, call OU Public Affairs at (405) 325-3784 or email specialevents@ou.edu. The University is an equal opportunity institution. www.ou.edu/eoo
For more information, visit teachin.ou.edu or scan the QR code. 22�insideB�Wpage.indd 1
2/28/13 8:30 PM
Friday, March 1, 2013 •
SPORTS More online at
OUDaily.com ››
7
Dillon Phillips, sports editor Jono Greco, assistant editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports
The No. 1 OU women’s gymnastics team takes its perfect record on the road against Texas Women’s University at 7 tonight in Denton, Texas.
| MEN’S BASKETBALL: OU hosts Iowa State at 12:30 p.m. Saturday | MEN’S GYMNASTICS: Sooners test wills with ’Huskers at 1 p.m. Saturday
FRIDAYface-off Don’t count the Sooners out OU not a tournament team SPORTS COLUMNIST
Julia Nelson julia.nelson@ou.edu
D
espite a lackluster February, the Sooners will make the tournament again this year. Mark my words. It’s easy to look at the direction the women’s basketball season has taken and count Oklahoma (19-9, 9-7) out of the equation. First, sophomore forward Kaylon Williams suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture. Then, junior forward Lyndsey Cloman retired. That alone would make any team sweat. But wait, there’s more. Freshman guard Maddie Manning was starting to shine until she tore her ACL. And then the unthinkable happened. Down went senior guard Whitney Hand. The heart and soul of this Oklahoma team suffered a career-ending ACL tear, but Oklahoma responded in a
way a coach can only dream. The short roster of 10, including two borrowed volleyball players, has fought back. It’s been a theme all season: There hasn’t been a single standout player. There’s been time for each player to step up. Junior guard Aaryn Ellenberg only needs two 3-pointers to break her own record of single-season 3-point shots. Junior center Nicole Griffin just landed in the third spot on Oklahoma’s career blocks list. Junior guard Morgan Hook just came off a streak of 19 games with a positive-assist to turnover ratio. Senior forward Joanna McFarland is in second place for rebounds in the Big 12, averaging 10.1 a game. Head Coach Sherri Coale always said Hand was a warrior, but in her absence, the entire team has become warriors. However, it has been a tumultuous February. For the first time this season, Oklahoma started a losing streak, losing backto-back games against Iowa State and Kansas. The team fought back to end that streak- beating a depleted Kansas State. It
looked like the team Sooner fans remembered. Now, they’re back on a losing streak, dropping games against Oklahoma State and No. 1 Baylor. But let’s not panic quite yet. Every team hits a wall each season. Oklahoma just managed to hit theirs late this time. This team shows flashes of greatness. They kept it close in the first half against Baylor senior center Brittney Griner and the Bears. They still could finish in third place in the Big 12. That’s not something to take lightly. Let’s just trust Coale. She’s taken the team to the tournament every year since 2000. Of those appearances, the team has made it to the Final Four three times. Oklahoma is a projected number eight seed by ESPN. Put them on a win streak going into the Big 12 tournament and big things could happen. Don’t count the Sooners out yet. Don’t be scared of the late losses. Julia Nelson is a journalism junior and women’s basketball beat writer at The Daily.
SPORTS COLUMNIST
Demetrius Kearney dvkearney1@gmail.com
T
he OU women’s basketball team has had a good season thus far, despite the adversity the team has suffered. Injuries plagued the Sooners throughout the season, costing them four key players, including their team leader, senior guard Whitney Hand. Nevertheless, the Sooners kept fighting, but this season has been far from perfect. The Sooners started the season ranked No. 12 in the AP Top 25 and got off to a hot start, going 13-2 and winning three consecutive games to start the conference off strong. Through the first half of the season, the Sooners looked like a serious contender, not just for the Big 12 title, but to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. However, the second half
of the season hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing. The Sooners have played inconsistent basketball and looked average at best in certain games. They won big against teams such as Texas, TCU, and Kansas State, but the Sooners lost key conference games to Iowa State (twice), Kansas, Oklahoma State, Baylor (twice), and West Virginia. Granted, two of those losses came against No. 1 Baylor, but the losses to Kansas and West Virginia are unacceptable. They are not bad teams; the Sooners are simply better than that. They are currently 19-9 and 9-7 in the Big 12, which ties them for fourth with West Virginia. At one point, the Sooners were in a threeway tie for second place in the Big 12. Unfortunately, they squandered that opportunity with two consecutive losses which also dropped them out of the Top 25. Compared to their last six seasons, many would say that this season has been a disappointment, given the talent remaining on the Sooners’ roster. The Sooners have been
UP NEXT Kansas When: 7 p.m. Saturday Where: Lloyd Noble Center in Norman Watch: Fox Sports Oklahoma
uncharacteristically inconsistent against teams ranked in the Top 25, posting an abysmal 1-6 record. That doesn’t resemble a team that is tournament ready. Their lone win against No. 22 Oklahoma State became irrelevant after the Cowboys embarrassed the Sooners in Stillwater in their second meeting. The Sooners are no strangers to the NCAA tournament — they made the big dance 12 of the last 16 years under the leadership of coach Sherri Coale But with the lack of depth on the bench and the offensive inconsistency in big games, the Sooners might find more success in the NIT instead of the NCAA tournament. Demetrius Kearney is a political science junior and women’s basketball beat writer at The Daily.
SOFTBALL
Top-ranked Sooners prepare for home opener this weekend JOE MUSSATTO Sports Reporter
The No. 1 OU softball team finally brings its undefeated record to Norman, as the squad prepares for the home opener at 3:15 p.m. today at Marita Hynes Field. The Sooners (15-0) face Houston in the opener, then play a double-header Saturday against No. 25 Nebraska beginning at 1:30 p.m. before playing Houston again on Sunday at noon. After three straight West Coast weekends, the team now has the opportunity to showcase its talents in front of the home fans. The Sooner faithful should expect to see some fireworks this weekend, coach Patty Gasso said. “[The fans will see] a CHELSEA LOTT/THE DAILY complete package,” Gasso said. “You’ll get very out- Senior pitcher Keilani Ricketts strikes out a batter against Indiana standing pitching, and on March 11 in Norman. The Sooners beat the Hoosiers, 4-1. you’ll see power hitting.” O k l a h o m a’s o n e - t w o “I’m excited to finally play pitching combo of sein front of our home crowd,” PLAYER PROFILE niors Keilani Ricketts and senior catcher Jessica Shults Keilani Ricketts Michelle Gascoigne have said. contributed to a 0.85 team “It’s a relief to be at home,” Year: ERA and a Big 12-leading Gasso said. “We put in three Senior 162 strike outs. hard weeks, and we did our Position: The duo has swept the job the best we could.” Pitcher Big 12 Pitcher of the Week The Sooners will have to awards — two for Ricketts prove they can maintain Statistics: and one for Gascoigne. the same level of focus that Thirteen“If one of us is having a led them to a 15-0 start. In time Big 12 Pitcher of bad day, we know the other a sport where any team can the Week and ranked one is right there to back us beat another on any given second in the nation in up,” Gascoigne said. “It’s a day, this will be key. ERA and strikeouts. lot of fun working together Potential victor ies in to get those shut outs.” Saturday’s back-to-back On rare occasions when contests versus No. 25 Nebraska will not run support is necessary, sophomore in- come easy. OU narrowly defeated the fielder Lauren Chamberlain has led the OU ’Huskers 2-0 last weekend in Palm Springs, lineup. Calif. Chamberlain is hitting a staggering .488 However, Gasso said her team is not prewith a conference-high eight home runs. pared to lose. This can be credited to the The Sooners’ leadoff hitter is backing up squad’s competitive nature. the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award she “They’re so prideful in what they do on earned last season. the field and to come out victorious,” Gasso Oklahoma carries a flawless record into said. “Whether we’re playing softball or Friday’s matchup, and the team wishes to playing cards, that’s the mentality to have.” extend the unbeaten streak. The only difference is that it is back in friendly territory. Joe Mussatto, jmussatto@ou.edu
oud-2013-3-01-a-006.indd 1
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MARCH 1, 11-15
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2/28/13 8:22 PM
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• Friday, March 1, 2013
LIFE&ARTS
OUDaily.com ›› Students will battle it out with pop culture knowledge in the Campus Activity Council’s “Bowl So Hard” College Bowl.
music: Q&A
Emma Hamblen, life & arts editor Megan Deaton, assistant editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/life&arts • Twitter: @OUDailyArts
campus arts
Don’t miss OKC’s ‘big’ show life & arts columnist
Brent Stenstrom brent.e.stenstrom-1@ou.edu
O
k l a h o ma C i t y ’s Far mers Public Market will host Big Gigantic, one of the most unique electronic music groups in the business, on Sunday night. Big Gigantic is composed of co-founders Dominic Lalli and Jeremy Salken. Together, these guys mix funk, jazz, dubstep and other electronic music genres to create amazing beats. Lalli is the producer and saxophone player, while Salken fills the drumming role. The integration of electronic music and jazz brings a different, yet incredibly vibrant and new sound. Big Gigantic played at some of the largest music festivals in the U.S. last year including Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, and Wakarusa. The Daily was fortunate enough to catch up with Lalli to ask him a few questions while the band was touring. The Daily: How would you guys describe your sound to people who haven’t heard your music before? Lalli: It is kind of like live electronic dance music, I would say. The Daily: There are not too many groups out there
Art Provided
GO AND DO Big Gigantic with Herobus and The Phoenix Bros. When: Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Sunday Where: OKC Farmers Public Market 311 S Klein Ave. Oklahoma City Price: $18 in advance, $20 at the door
mixing electronic music with the old jazz style of music. What influenced you guys to mix the different genres? Lalli: It was sort of a natural progression. I play a lot of jazz and funk, and so does
Jeremy, and then we started getting into disc jockies and electronic music. We started going to check stuff out, and it was sort of natural for us to mix the two, and start experimenting with music. It just kind of happened. The Daily: What is your favorite type of event to play? Do you enjoy large venues over shows like the one you will be doing Oklahoma City? Lalli: Both, really. I mean it is a whole different experience. I love playing outdoor festivals because you are outdoors playing, and most of the times it is with really big crowds; and then club shows are smaller and a little more nuts, but definitely both are equally as fun. The Daily: What is the best part about touring?
Attention Candidates for Graduation!
Lalli: The best part about touring is getting to play every single night and really get into a groove when you are playing. That is the best thing about touring, and it’s really fun. The Daily: If you could collaborate with an artist, who would it be? Lalli: There are a lot of different artists that I would like to collab with … There are a lot of different producers: Diplo or Pretty Lights. The Daily: What is one thing you miss while touring? Lalli: My bed.
Symposium to display controversial works of American modernist art The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art will host GO AND DO an event that reflects on Art Interrupted the political, social and Seminar cultural consequences of a 1946 art exhibition. When: 9 a.m. to 4:30 The event, Art p.m. today Interrupted: Advancing American Art and the Where: Fred Jones Jr. Politics of Cultural Museum of Art’s Mary Diplomacy, will have a Eddu and Fred Jones Auditorium free opening seminar from 9 a.m. to 4:30 Price: Free p.m. Friday in the Mary Eddy and Fred Jones Info: For more Auditorium. information or to RSVP, In 1946, political leademail Tanya Denton at ers rejected the original tdenton@ou.edu exhibition, which was held by the U.S. State Department to display modernist American art as a means of diplomacy with other nations, said Michael Bendure, the museum’s director of communication. The rejected works promptly were auctioned off, and museums, including OU’s museum, quickly bought up the works as they were dispersed throughout the country, Bendure said. OU’s Symposium will reconvene many of the original exhibition’s works for display, which have been tracked down by a number of organizations and people, including OU’s chief curator Mark White, Bendure said. Reservations are required to attend both the opening seminar and the luncheon that will follow. Briana Hall, Life & Arts Reporter
See more online Visit OUDaily.com for the complete story oudaily.com/news/ae
art provided
Sol Wilson’s “Fisherman on the Warf” is part of the Art Interrupted exhibit that will open Friday.
The University of Oklahoma Libraries & OU Athletics invite you to participate in the
Books That Inspire:
Award-Winning Books and Authors Students, faculty, staff, and members of the OU community: If you have been inspired by an award-winning book or author, please send a one-hundred word essay explaining how the book or author inspired you.
The deadline to apply for graduation is
Friday, March 1
Please e-mail your essay, title of the book and name of the author, and a photograph of yourself to Tara Reynolds at tarareynolds@ou.edu by Monday, March 4, 2013.
YOU MUST APPLY TO GRADUATE! Applications can now be completed online! Log into oZONE and click on the Graduation Application link under the Graduate a Sooner Channel. APPLY TODAY!
For more information, visit libraries.ou.edu/litawards
For more information, call (405)325-0841. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. ou.edu/eoo
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2/28/13 8:31 PM