Mar. 9-15, 2021

W E E K LY E D I T I O N | M A R C H 9 -15 , 2 0 2 1 | O U D A I LY. C O M

CULTURE

OUDAILY

MAINSITE to host new ‘Momentum’ exhibit

OU’s independent student voice since before the 1918 pandemic

OU to replace dorms OU Board of Regents approves new freshman housing master plan, authorizes shift to private fundraising efforts through OU Foundation

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CAITLYN EPES AND MEGAN FOISY

ARI FIFE @arriifife

The OU Board of Regents passed agenda items March 5 approving a freshman housing master plan to replace the nearly 60-year-old towers and authorizing the transition of all fundraising efforts to the OU Foundation, a private nonprofit entity.

President Joseph Harroz said university administration is “endeavoring on a multi-year plan” to replace Walker, Couch and Adams Towers, which were built in the mid-1960s, with new structures.

According to the agenda, the item authorizes the university administration to negotiate the terms of an agreement and a fee, starting with the highest-ranking firm.

Five architecture firms — ADG Inc./Mackey Mitchell Architects; KSQ Architects, P.C./Rand Elliott Architects; Bockus Payne Architects/Ayers Saint Gross; Frankfurt-Short Bruza Associates, P.C./KWK Architects and MA+ Architecture/TreanorHL — are being considered for involvement in the plan, and ADG Inc./Mackey Mitchell Architects has the highest ranking from the board.

OU expects the construction of approximately 3,350 new beds while maintaining the current freshman bed count, according to the agenda. Adams has the capacity to house 908 students, with Couch accommodating 1,396 available beds and Walker offering 1,404, for a total of 3,708 beds.

When the plan’s scope, cost and phasing have been developed, the board will be asked to approve the project, as well as its budget for each phase. According to the agenda, funds to cover the costs of “preliminary professional services up to $4,000,000 for the first phase(s)” are available and identified from Housing Operations.

Harroz said the construction will be done in phases and timed based on the advice of the architecture firm, as some towers need replacement more urgently than others. He also said housing reconstruction has been factored into long-term financial plans.

The regents also approved an item authorizing a request to the governor, the speaker of the State House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the State Senate seeking approval to issue

general, limited and special obligation bonds in support of funding student housing infrastructure on the Norman campus.

The nonprofit that funded and constructed Cross Village filed a 2019 lawsuit against OU, claiming the university made “false promises and misrepresentations” to persuade it to start the project. The project’s bondholder trustee and OU exchanged accusatory emails in September 2019 threatening legal action related to Cross.

Harroz said in an effort to best support the OU strategic plan, the public Office of University Advancement will be restructured by moving its fundraising services

new vice president and chief advancement officer. He also said Purdue University received $2.5 billion through a seven-year campaign Noah headed, and it raised a “record-breaking” $517 million under her leadership in 2019.

NonDoc reported the relationship between OU and the Foundation is murky, as OU Foundation President Guy Patton explained.

“The university is not accountable for, and does not have ownership of, any of the assets of the foundation or the financial and capital resources of the foundation. The foundation exists to benefit the university but, in the final

taxpayers of Oklahoma and the Sooner nation would admire a group of professionals that have many other obligations in their lives, that will set those obligations to the side to come work tirelessly both at these meetings and in committee meetings,” Pierson said. “Running an enterprise that is a $2.2 billion enterprise, that’s no small task. This isn’t something that you can just do in your spare time.”

He also said there is “no such thing as disengaged oversight from the public.”

“These are complex issues in a complex time,” Pierson said. “They can’t just drive by and reach a con-

FRESHMAN HOUSING MASTER PLAN APPROVED • Select an architectural firm in professional master planning and architectural services • Replace Walker, Couch and Adams Towers with new structures

• Accommodate current freshman bed count of 3,708 beds • Construct 3,350 new beds

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CAITLYN EPES AND MEGAN FOISY

to the private OU Foundation.

According to the agenda, when compared to peer institutions, OU’s fundraising has declined in performance over the past few fiscal years. The success of similar universities, the agenda read, is because they “built significant fundraising capacity and highly professionalized organizations.”

The agenda reads this shift will “allow for full integration of the fundraising organization and end-to-end fundraising process, create a comprehensive fundraising governance model, and align the principle funding source, the Foundation, with the responsibility for fundraising.”

Harroz praised the hiring of Amy Noah, the OU Foundation’s

analysis, the foundation is answerable only to its donors — not to the university (or the general public),” Patton said in the article.

The Foundation also tried unsuccessfully for two years to persuade state legislators to pass a bill exempting university foundations from the Oklahoma Open Records Act, according to NonDoc. No employees affiliated with the OU Foundation or the Office of University Advancement were at the meeting for comment.

Chair Gary Pierson said after the meeting he hopes the shift in university fundraising, and the way the regents have conducted their meetings recently, have built more trust from community members.

“I would hope the citizens and

clusion on whether we’re doing something right or wrong by only getting 1 percent of the facts. …

Oversight with the public would be people that want to engage fulltime in this.”

Pierson added not many members of the public know how to run a billion-dollar entity, and likely don’t have the time to observe the inner workings of the Board of Regents.

“At some point, it’s just like an elected official,” Pierson said.

“We’re appointed officials — they’ve got to trust who’s been appointed to do these things right.

Now, if bad results start coming out, there’s a way to deal with it.

In the meantime, we’re trying to tell them what the conclusions are

rather than seeing all the sausage being made.”

During the meeting, Pierson addressed the planned fall 2021 launch of a diversity, equity and inclusion course called Gateway to Belonging.

“People have been very supportive,” Pierson said. “Other people not so much. I want to tell you about that course. It has a specific design, and it’s to teach freshmen how to engage (with) one another, and everybody they encounter with dignity and respect. … This is going to enable young people in the world in which they live to be productive citizens.”

The regents passed consent items appointing members to search committees for the Norman campus and Health Sciences Center chief financial officer and the Norman campus and Health Sciences Center chief human resources officer.

Pierson said a CFO hire is likely to be made this summer, filling the position vacated by Ken Rowe in October 2020 as he returned to full-time work at the Health Sciences Center.

The regents also passed an item appointing Denise Stephens as dean of University Libraries, with additional titles of Peggy V. Helmerich Chair, professor of university libraries and professor of library and information studies.

Harroz said though the administration will continue to monitor COVID-19 cases and keep safeguards in place, he’s looking forward to in-person classes during the fall 2021 semester. He also said university leadership is planning for the football stadium to be at full capacity during that time.

Pierson referenced concern about the spread of COVID-19 on campus before the fall 2020 semester — expressed by community members in various ways, including a die-in — and encouraged community members to “trust the Board of Regents.”

“We only have the interests of the University of Oklahoma, Cameron and Rogers at our hearts,” Pierson said. “We don’t have political agendas here. We’re doing the best we can with a lot of hours and a lot of effort into making the right decisions.”

Ari Fife

ariani.s.fife-1@ou.edu

‘All that matters is that it was worth it’ OU fundraiser sees success by focusing on more than money JONATHAN KYNCL @jdkyn

OU’s Campus Activities Council held the newly named OU Dance Marathon this weekend in the first two-day event in the program’s history, concluding with a gathering on the South oval on March 7.

The annual dance marathon raises money for the Children’s Hospital Foundation. This year OUDM raised a total of $775,268.21 — but for OUDM Chair and

3

organization and this event to walk away with a smile on their face, and I think we did that.”

Lafonzo Spigner, CAC chair and a public relations senior, said seeing the way the OUDM executives planned this event during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic filled him with pride.

“I’m just very proud … seeing how much they care, and just seeing how passionate they were — not about the event, not about JONATHAN KYNCL/THE DAILY the glitz and glamor, not about Members of the OU Dance Marathon team dance at the 2021 Dance Marathon on March 7. the money that they raised — but Price College of Business senior, and I think this year is just proof the people,” Anoatubby said. “My just watching them care so much Brendan Anoatubby, this year the of that, because under circum- vision coming into this year was to about the actual mission of this stances that were less than ideal, create an experience for everybody focus was more on the people. see OUDM page 2 “It’s not just about the money, we made a point to make it about who came in contact with this

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NEWS

• Mar. 9-15, 2021

Unity Clinic provides care, hope Students seek to aid underserved communities KATIE HALLUM @tsutli

In a state ranked No. 48 in health care access, a student-led clinic operating out of the OU Health Sciences Center plans to improve medical care for vulnerable groups.

The Unity Clinic, founded in 2019 by Danial Gebreili as a first-year medical student at OUHSC, fills in health care gaps by providing free care to patients experiencing homelessness and for people who are uninsured. It also serves as a liaison for health care providers and students wanting a meaningful hands-on experience.

Gebreili, now in his fourth year, said medical school opened his eyes to the needs of both the community and health care students. He said he noticed a concerning discrepancy in health care availability for uninsured people and potential doctors leaving Oklahoma in favor of handson experience elsewhere, such as other countries.

As class president, Gebreili said he knew something needed to be done.

“The question was, how do we bring these two needs together?” Gebreili said. “The idea came about by recognizing that if we can create a clinic in another country, why couldn’t we do the same thing in some of our underserved communities? That’s where the vision came from.”

T h e U n i t y C l i n i c ha s two locations — the Good Shepherd Clinic and the Cole Community Center.

According to Gebreili, it aims to be a mobile clinic to serve multiple areas around Oklahoma in the future, providing free care to those who need it.

Gebreili said mobile clinics in Oklahoma are not a new concept, but his clinic is unique because he and his team wanted to expand upon the traditional services.

“There are other mobile clinics, such as MobileSmiles, that provide dental care to some of the communities in our state. With that in mind, why couldn’t we provide some other elements of health care such as medical care, physical therapy and occupational therapy? You know — (with) some of the more specialized health care needs that our patients have — why couldn’t we take those as well to serve these communities?” Gebreili said.

Gebreili said starting a mobile clinic including multiple health care services was no easy feat. He and his team overcame legal, logistical, financial and educational barriers.

“It is an understatement to say that it’s difficult to go to your administrators and tell them ‘Hey, I’m a first-year medical student, and I would like to create a large mobile clinic,’” Gebreili said. “It’s not something that’s necessarily

VIA DANIAL GEBREILI

Beginning from the left: Second-year medical student Addison Davis, OU Chief Covid Officer Dr. Dale Bratzler, Unity Clinic Founder Daniel Gebreili, OU HSC student and Unity Clinic Chair of Operations Tram Le, and Associate Director of the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs Margaret Robinson

taken seriously.”

Gebreili said his saving grace was working with the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs, an office designed to connect OUHSC students and departments.

“As a first-year medical student, he had this crazy idea of a (multi-profession) mobile clinic. People bounced him around a little bit here on campus trying to find out who can help him with this idea,” said Margaret Robinson, the associate director of the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs.

“He was so passionate — he had many ‘nos’ along the way.”

Robinson said Gebreili eventually ended up in her office, where after giving a formal pitch for his clinic, the interprofessional faculty team granted him permission to pursue it. Gebreili then began to assemble a team of students from multiple departments in the OUHSC to lay the groundwork for the clinic.

“What I was very fortunate to have was exceptionally great student leaders that came together despite the challenge because our vision was to serve our community.”

Gebreili said, “And everybody knew that the end goal was worth the struggle of figuring out how we fit everybody into this massive vision of serving folks in our state.”

Gustavo Martinez, a thirdyear physical therapy student, has been a part of the Unity Clinic team since its initial planning phase and helped them incorporate physical therapy services. Martinez said Gebrili approached him with the initial idea, and then he was hooked.

“I said, ‘I don’t know exactly what I’m getting into, Danial, but I want to jump in. I want to be a part of this — I want to help,’” said Martinez. “What can I do (for the clinic)? Here

I am, send me. That was my attitude.”

Martinez said the Unity Clinic helped him envision his future goals, as during his first year at physical therapy school, he burned out quickly. Martinez believes students working in the clinic receive valuable hands-on experience they otherwise wouldn’t receive until their later years.

“People who want to get into these professions usually are doing it because they want to care for patients, and they really want to provide this care,” Martinez said. “So I think this is an opportunity to really help those students who want to do more than just stay in school and studying.”

Dr. Gold Xiong, who previously served as the Unity Clinic pharmacy chair and continues to help as an OUHSC alumna, said she was used to working in student-led settings before joining the Unity Clinic team. She said a big difference for her in this project was the collaboration of multiple professions.

Xiong said she was amazed by how open-minded everyone was while working together, making the job much easier.

“Anything that you can think of can be achievable,” Xiong said, “It just takes a lot of work and open-mindedness.”

Lin Goldston, executive director of academic affairs for OU’s College of Medicine and the co-chair for the student-faculty committee for the Unity Clinic, said she was “excited” when the idea was first presented to her and other faculty members. She said it was out-of-the-box thinking that expedited the clinic’s development, giving full credit to the students who work there.

Goldston said students at the Unity Clinic have a lot of freedom on how they want to

run things, which leaves room for growth and creativity.

“This is really the perk of being in academia,” Goldston said. “Coming across students like Danial and his team, and being a part of that journey.”

Gebreili said the clinic’s team brought together students and faculty from differing backgrounds, experiences, educational and leadership styles. From this, they built a system that could better serve the team while also providing care for the community.

Robinson said students who serve on the Unity Clinic team worked endlessly in the initial planning phase to get the clinic up and running, and they continue to do so now that it’s established.

“We’ve had so many wonderful student leaders from all programs involved in bringing voice and collaboration to this idea and building it from the ground up,” Robinson said.

Martinez said working in a student-led clinical setting helped him learn a lot about other health care fields and enabled communication between professions. He said he feels this closeness between teams makes patients feel more comfortable.

Martinez said because it’s a volunteer-based environment, the various professions in the clinic don’t focus on time limits and paychecks.

“I think that’s something beautiful that I’ve been able to take out of this because now I know if I have a question, I can just ask someone who I’ve met throughout this clinic,” Martinez said.

Martinez said the Unity Clinic also helped him learn how to build closer bonds with his patients, especially when it comes to translating for those who speak Spanish and are being cared for by

other teams in the clinic.

“It’s like helping my mom and dad in a way. These people really needed help, and sometimes it was just about translating and the human connection that comes from it,” Martinez said. “That has by far been my favorite experience.”

Gebreili said the clinic will continue after he graduates, so other students can fill his position and learn the same valuable lessons he has. He said he believes handing the torch to someone else will help foster stronger future health care professionals.

“I want to make sure that I provide leadership opportunities for future health care professionals for our students that are coming up behind me,” Gebreili said. “I’m absolutely going to miss being a part of it, but I want somebody else to be able to have that leadership role so that they can be a leader within our health care system and, ultimately, that will result in a better workforce for our community as well.”

Robinson said she looks forward to the Unity Clinic’s expansion into a fully-mobile clinic, which paused temporarily due to COVID-19, so it can serve as an educational tool for other clinics with similar goals.

“We’re really hoping to share this information with others across the country,” said Robinson. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to improve access to health care for all underinsured patients across the country.”

Goldston said the clinic was “built for sustainability” and will continue to expand its services, including a new partnership to provide pediatric services.

“It’s going to be a full circle with the Unity Clinic, and we’ll provide a full array

OUDM: continued from page 1

marathon,” Spigner said. “I said all the time, ‘My chairs are innovators, they will come up with something amazing even during a pandemic.’”

Spigner also said he was specifically proud of Anoatubby and his work throughout the planning of the event.

“I’m so proud of all of (the executives), but specifically Brendan Anoatubby,” Spigner said. “I have never seen someone who cares so much about others, and he cares so much about making sure others feel built up and empowered. I want to publicly (say) I am so grateful to have him on our team and to get to watch him

Members of the OU Dance Marathon team dance at the 2021 Dance Marathon on March 7.

do what he does.”

OUDM also had a virtual option for the March 6 event. Spigner said the hybrid model is a testament to the executive team’s commitment.

“It wasn’t just like a halfway planned thing, it was a true testament to what students can do (when) they put their mind to something,” Spigner said. “Having that hybrid look of (a) safe

in-person option, but also a virtual option if that’s what you wanted, it was amazing.”

Anoatubby said being able to hold this event was due to a “culmination of a bunch of big ideas.”

JONATHAN KYNCL/THE DAILY

“We went throughout this year just taking things as they came to us and overcoming obstacles as they appeared,” Anoatubby said. “I think at a time like this you really start to look back on the

of health care services,” Goldston said. “Really, the goal is to just support every need of our community.”

Dr. Xiong said the Unity Clinic “is always changing” and continues to thrive based on “what’s working and what’s not.”

“When we first started the clinic, we would brief afterward and discuss what went well, what didn’t go well and what we could do better,” Dr. Xiong said. “After discussion, we would make changes for the next week. So it’s constantly changing for the better.”

Goldston said the Unity Clinic doesn’t just provide health care to those in need — it also provides them with future resources, such as applying for other forms of insurance and connecting them to places of refuge.

Goldston said the clinic teaches those eligible to enroll for Soonercare, which allows for future medical care and shows students that caring for patients doesn’t stop at the initial check up.

“Often, students are taught that medical care is very siloed,” Goldston said. “We aim to change that and to allow our future, our students, to see different facets of care.”

Robinson said she was pleased with how the clinic has grown since its founding and how proud she is that a student-led clinic continues to bring good into the community.

“The work that went into it was nothing short of phenomenal, and I’ve worked here since 2003,” Robinson said. “This is by far one of the most impactful projects I’ve ever seen come to fruition here on campus — it has been wonderful.”

Gebreili said the students work tirelessly year-round for the community and are working on changing guidelines in the Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy to allow the clinic to dispense medications to those who need it when it becomes fully-mobile.

Gebreili said he holds a deep appreciation for everyone who has and currently is participating in the clinic, as well those who believed in the idea from the start. He said, without them, the Unity Clinic would never be the community server it is today.

“It really demonstrated to me that, despite the hurdles, despite the folks that may not necessarily share your vision, despite the people who may not want you to succeed — if your mission is good, if you’re able to bring people together in a meaningful way, then the impact you can have is tremendous.” Gebreili said, “Although my time here as a student is finite, and the work that we did was finite — the impact that this is going to have on our community is going to be infinite. It’s going to be something that will continue to give back to the community, and that the hurdles that we had to overcome were worth it.”

Katie Hallum

katiehallum@ou.edu

(magnitude) of it and just realize how difficult it was, and understand how significant the fact that we’re standing here right now is.”

Anoatubby also said planning an event of this scale during COVID-19 brought many unforeseen challenges.

“I don’t think there was ... any point throughout the year where we just knew exactly what was going to happen until these past couple days, so it was difficult in the sense that there were always questions that we didn’t have immediate answers to,” Anoatubby said. “I think at the end of the day, all that matters is that it was worth it.”

Jonathan Kyncl jkyncl@ou.edu

CULTURE

Mar. 9-15, 2021 •

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MAINSITE hosts young artists ‘Momentum’ fosters growth for new creatives MYA TSU @myajtsu

Ashley Showalter — a self-proclaimed “accidental abstract artist” — learned a lesson during her senior year of college that would change her life.

During her senior year at OU, Showalter said she had her first mental health crisis. She was hospitalized at a crisis center in Norman, where she met a patient who asked Showalter to draw with her. Showalter told the woman she couldn’t draw, but the woman insisted that she could. So, she began with the one simple thing she knew how to draw — shapes.

Since then, Showalter has utilized art as a lifeline to cope with her mental health struggles and advocate for mental health awareness.

Showalter’s artwork — along with 55 other young Oklahoma artists — will be featured in the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition’s “Momentum” exhibition opening March 3. The exhibition showcases artists ages 30 and younger at MAINSITE Contemporary Art. Showalter said her piece in “Momentum” titled “Don’t Believe Everything You Think” serves to remind people who struggle with mental health to take everything your brain tells you with a grain of salt.

“I have a goal to continue to make art a conversation starter for mental health and sustainable wellness in general,” Showalter said.

The art pieces in “Momentum” were selected by a set of curators, including guest curator Pablo Barrera and Emerging Curator Kristin Gentry. Barrera is Oklahoma Contemporary Art Center’s inaugural Curatorial Fellow, and Gentry is a professional visual artist out of Owasso, Oklahoma, according to the OVAC website.

OVAC programs and events manager Audrey Kominski said both curators are committed to selecting not only diverse works but also diverse artists. “[The exhibition is] a nice balance of works that are really extremely relevant to the times

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… works that are part of a larger trend that we’re gonna keep seeing over the next few years,” Kominski said.

Artist Marissa Childers is currently pursuing a master’s of fine arts at OU after graduating from the University of North Alabama with a bachelor’s of fine arts in ceramics.

Childers’ ceramic sculptures are featured in “Momentum”.

Childers said she fell in love with ceramics during her junior year of college because of the nature of the material.

“There is just something beautiful about taking dirt from the ground and being able to create something that can last thousands of years,” Childers said. “I find myself using a lot of the same building practices I learned from my dad. … It’s a much more malleable material to work with, so it really allows me to push the limits.”

Childers comes from a lineage of artists in her family who she said is a primary inspiration for her. Her grandmother created quilts and blankets, and her mother taught Childers to crochet blankets.

“It’s interesting to look back at because (my family) wouldn’t consider themselves artistic,” Childers said. “That’s where most of my inspiration comes from. I’m exploring that parallel between the fragility of cloth and the fragility of our day-to-day lives while considering personal experiences, our continuous interaction with textiles and the intimacy we share around pots.”

Like Childers, Normannative Tania Khouri’s work featured in “Momentum’’ is also inspired by her family.

Khouri said she aims to express Lebanese culture and preserve its traditions through her work.

“I love so many things about my culture,” Khouri said. “I look at work and rituals I feel have been passed down to me through my family.”

Khouri said her two pieces in “Momentum” are inspired by a coffee ritual in her culture. Every morning, Khouri said, her family has coffee at her grandmother’s house, and then her aunt does a reading from the coffee grinds left in the cup. During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Khouri took it upon herself to include her friends in this tradition.

“I created this kit that had the coffee pot, the coffee, a cup

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Ashley Showalter’s “Don’t Believe Everything You Think” in Norman’s MAINSITE Contemporary art gallery Mar. 2.

and my homemade olive oil soap, which is another tradition, and sent that off to them with instructions,” Khouri said.

“I would teach them how to make the coffee, and we would share a cup over Zoom, and I would give them a reading because these readings are traditionally supposed to help alleviate anxiety.”

Khouri asked each friend to add their family tradition to the kit and pass it on. She said this was to express how “communities can uplift each other through ancestral knowledge.”

Khouri received her master’s of fine arts from the Parsons School of Design after getting her bachelor’s from OU and has spent the past year going back and forth between New York and Oklahoma.

Because Khouri has been spending so much time in Oklahoma recently, she said she felt a calling to show her work in the community again.

“I think it’s one of the best feelings in the world when you can bring something into existence,” Khouri said. “It’s like this idea in your head and you weren’t sure how it was going

to get out, and then it … invokes some mystery and gets people to think about things.”

OU advertising junior August vonHartitzsch said she submitted her piece for fun as a fairly new artist. As an advertising major, she said she wanted to get into the creative design part of her major, so she began drawing on her iPad. vonHartitzsch’s submission is her first piece of artwork she’s done, she said.

“It was my first step toward taking the art angle of something I already love to do,” vonHartitzsch said. “I’m excited to take my first steps into the art community in OKC and Tulsa and take a step outside of OU into a broader art scene.”

Although vonHartitzsch is new to the art world, she said she is excited to find herself in her work and begin to explore the creative community Norman offers.

“Creativity is totally personal to everyone. ... It means one thing for me, it means something completely different for others,” vonHartitzsch said. “I just like seeing how different people take what creativity

HOROSCOPE

By Eugenia Last

Copyright 2020, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021 ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last Refuse to let change throw you off guard this year. Accept the inevitable, and keep moving forward.

You’ll find new ways to use your talents. Keeping up, staying informed and projecting a positive attitude will attract attention. Surround yourself with projects that promote personal growth and like-minded people.

Romance is favored.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -Take the initiative to address issues that are slowing you down. Focus on efficiency and productivity so you can accomplish what you set out to do. A change of heart will pay off.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -Adapt to change and go about your business. Embrace new beginnings with enthusiasm. How you use your energy to get things done will help you gain support and the respect you desire.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Keep your life simple and your promises practical. Refuse to let your emotions get in the way of common sense. Focus on self-improvement instead of trying to change others.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -Don’t let down your guard, even if someone is complimentary or seductive. Be wary when someone turns on the charm or uses emotional tactics to take advantage of you. Don’t let anger set in.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Educate yourself before sharing your opinion. Change can be helpful if it saves you money, improves your health or helps you make a difference. Nurture a meaningful relationship.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Look for the right opportunity. Don’t let some-

one talk you into something that will benefit them, not you. Carefully choose with whom you associate. A partnership must be equitable.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Learn through observation, and make adjustments that will help you attain a better position. An older or established individual will offer insight.

Don’t be afraid to try something new.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Be receptive to suggestions. Focus on education, communication and expanding your interests and circle of friends. Let your curiosity and desire for mental stimulation lead the way.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -Pace yourself, think matters through and look at all sides of a situation.

Focus on what’s possible, and you’ll find unique ways to evade tricky situations. Make peace and love priorities.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Focus on how you earn your living or manage your money. Be wary of people taking advantage of you or not being honest about their longterm plans. You may have to go it alone, at least for a while.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Take care of yourself. Start a fitness routine that encourages you to pay close attention to diet and lifestyle, and it will lift your spirits and confidence. Success can be yours.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -Discipline, hard work and persistence will be necessary today. Getting along and keeping the peace will make your life easier. Consider what’s important to you and work to achieve it.

means and how they express themselves.”

Natural science illustrator and conceptual artist Lauren Rosenfelt expresses her love for science through her artwork by incorporating the sciences of ecology, entomology and biology.

Rosenfelt said her pieces in “Momentum” were inspired by the native flora and fauna in the Oklahoma area. She said she hopes the more people recognize the similarities between themselves and animals, they will have more compassion toward the animals.

“I just wanted to raise awareness of the species that are within our own grass, mostly Oklahoman animals or the North American continent and let people know there’s a great diversity of species here we can pay attention to and appreciate,” Rosenfelt said.

Rosenfelt graduated from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in 2014 and began working as a fulltime freelance artist in 2020.

Rosenfelt was recently awarded grants from the Norman Arts Council and OVAC to

create an art installation at the Norman Central Library that depicts the wildlife of Norman.

“I can continue to make a name for myself in Norman where the community, arts organizations and businesses welcome artists and want to showcase their work. … I feel that having the opportunity to display my work at these businesses gave me a greater confidence in my journey as a growing Norman based artist, and for that I am grateful,” Rosenfelt said.

“Momentum” will be held at MAINSITE Contemporary Art on March 3-27 and at Living Arts of Tulsa on April 2-23 according to the Norman Arts Council’s website. MAINSITE will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and Living Arts of Tulsa will be open 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays according to the OVAC “Momentum” website.

The “Momentum” website contains a gallery of this year’s artists, a virtual gallery of most pieces and will continually update its virtual content.

“I think that one of my favorite things about it is just how special it makes the artists feel and how much confidence it gives them when they’re a part of this exhibition,” Kominski said. “There’s just something about seeing an artist drop off their work and they’re just so grateful and thankful to be a part of it that is really encouraging and gives me a lot of hope for the future of the arts here in Oklahoma.”

All artists featured in “Momentum” have the option to sell their pieces directly at MAINSITE and Living Arts of Tulsa. People can also purchase smaller works in a virtual auction and raffle format on certain days throughout the two months, Kominski said.

“Not only is (Momentum) an awesome opportunity for the artists to grow in professional development ... it’s also helpful for visitors and for even younger artists in high school or middle school to see,” Kominski said. “I think that’s really important that people here in Oklahoma see that there are people who live in the same towns as them and have the same resources they do and are making it work.”

Mya Tsu

mjtsu@ou.edu

Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg March 9, 2021 ACROSS 1 Lively dance 4 Evade 9 Fruit-filled pastries 14 Hullabaloo 15 “Raining cats and dogs,” for one 16 Hawaiian greeting 17 ___ C, aka Sporty Spice 18 Seedy breakfast option (unscramble letters 6 to 11 in this answer) 20 Negative press, informally 22 Buy time 23 Important stretch 24 Not worth arguing about 26 Started disliking, with “on” 28 “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” actress (3 to 7) 33 Physique, briefly 34 Erotic poetry muse 35 Does some housecleaning 39 Supportive garments 41 Whitney Houston’s “I’m ___ Woman” 43 Conceal, as an odor 44 Speak off the cuff 46 Made more bearable

3/9

48 “Woo-hoo!”

49 “The show that made country music famous” (5 to 10) 52 French fashion house 55 Women’s rights icon Alice 56 Juice box brand 57 White House No. 2s 61 Drizzle with ranch, say 64 Community with a shared cultural background (5 to 9) 67 Schumer or Poehler 68 Get a move on 69 “Haters ___ hate” 70 Space heater?

71 Ostentatious 72 Watch stealthily 73 Abbreviated list ender DOWN 1 Doorframe part 2 Metaphorical lightbulb 3 One of four won by Simone Biles in Rio 4 Lose the threads?

5 Poem of tribute 6 Insult 7 Animal that has kids 8 Jane Austen heroine

9 One might cover an alien abduction 10 In the style of 11 “I read you,” on a radio 12 In that place 13 Healthy side dish 19 Otherwise 21 Old-timey curse 25 Pulled apart 27 E pluribus ___ 28 “Dancing Queen” band 29 British noble 30 “Nevermore” speaker 31 Lieu 32 Body’s trunk 36 Politeness reminder 37 Alexander I, for one 38 Vodka in a blue bottle 40 Aries or Gemini 42 Website with many bad reviews

45 “The soul of wit” 47 Like an emotionless comic delivery 50 “Match Game” host Baldwin 51 Couple’s possessive 52 “The Queen’s Gambit” game 53 Unforeseen snag 54 Sound preceding “Bless you” 58 Some are soft-boiled 59 The handkerchief in “Othello,” e.g.

60 PlayStation maker 62 Dirty literature 63 Align 65 At this moment 66 Card game similar to Crazy Eights

PREVIOUS ANSWER PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

3/8 3/2

© 2021 Andrews McMeel Universal © 2021www.upuzzles.com Andrews McMeel Universal www.upuzzles.com

Mixed Breeds by Michael Lieberman

4

SPORTS

• Mar. 9-15, 2021

Sooners garner 10th Big 12 win OU closes regular season with offensive success CHLOE BROOKS @brookschloe_

Junior guard Madi Williams set up a perfectly executed, legal screen that took her K-State opponent to the ground and boosted the momentum the Sooners were gathering in the fourth quarter.

In that moment, Williams exhibited athleticism that greatly contributed to the Sooners’ (1211, 9-9 Big 12) dominating the fourth quarter and tallying their 10th Big 12 win of the season. But it wasn’t the first time head coach Sherri Coale had seen that type of physicality from her leading scorer.

“Just true confessions right here — I had to jump in and play a little bit earlier in the year, and we were just running a little drill and I was just screening, and she hit me and I saw stars,” Coale said. “My ar m still hur ts. Madi is solid.”

Wi l l i a m s wa s n o t t h e o n l y S o o n e r w h o p o rtrayed unique ability on the court. The Sooners’ leading offensive trio — composed of sophomore guard Gabby Gregor y, j u n i o r g u a r d Ta y l o r Robertson and Williams — all scored in double figures and combined for 65 of OU’s 90 points.

Under their leadership, Oklahoma’s offense was able to score 32 points in the final quarter of play and vault past Kansas State (8-17, 3-15), 90-81, in the S ooners’ regular season finale in Norman on Sunday.

“That fourth quarter

RAY BAHNER/THE DAILY

Freshman guard Skylar Vann looks to pass the ball during the game against TCU on Mar. 4.

w a s re a l l y n i c e,” C o a l e said. “The high percentage came from the quality of shots that we were getting, and where all that begins is when everybody on the floor wants the ball.”

Unlike usual, Robertson w e n t 1 - f o r- 5 f r o m t h e arc. Her individual success and contribution to the offensive prosperity came from her confidence to score nine 2-pointers.

Robertson ended the night on 10-for-15 shooting.

R o b e r t s o n ’s l a c k o f 3-pointers was overshadowed by the team’s overall play on both sides of the ball. OU’s freshman duo of guard Nevaeh Tot a n d g u a rd Sky l a r Va n n combined for 17 points and seven rebounds, and was accompanied by j u n i o r g u a rd Ta t u m Ve i t e n h e i m e r ’s e i g h t points and nine rebounds.

Additionally, Gregory and Veitenheimer each had four assists, Tot delivered

EDWARD REALI/THE DAILY

Junior guard Elijah Harkless during the season finale against No. 15 Texas on March 4.

five and Williams provided six. “ I t h i n k w e w e re ju s t playing like us,” Gregory said. “When we play like t hat, i t ’s i m p o s s i b l e t o guard and scout. That’s how we practice ever y day. It’s really fun when it looks like that.”

With 11 lead changes and nine ties, the first half was rocky for Oklahoma.

But at the end of its regular season, the final product of the strides the

Sooners have made came to fruition. OU achieved its season-best field goal percentage at just under 60 and claimed its second-highest scoring performance of the season.

“I think what you saw today was a culmination of a lot of things that we’ve s e e n at d i f f e re nt t i m e s throughout the year, all happening at once,” Coale said. “That’s a great feeling, especially as we get to take that performance

with us to Kansas City.”

Now, Oklahoma heads into the Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball C ha mp i o n s h i p w i t h a n overall winning record.

The Sooners’ are the conference’s No. 6 seed and will face No. 3 seed Oklahoma State at 8:30 p.m. CT on March 12 in Kansas City.

Chloe Brooks

chloegracebrooks@ou.edu

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Junior forward Madi Williams dribbles the ball during the game against TCU on Mar. 4.

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Junior guard Taylor Robertson during the game against TCU on Mar. 4.

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Sophomore guard De’Vion Harmon attempts to lay the ball up during the season finale against No. 15 Texas on March 4.

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