April 5-8, 2018

W E E K E N D E D I T I O N | A P R I L 5 - 8 , 2 0 18 | T W I C E W E E K LY I N P R I N T | O U D A I LY. C O M

OU DAILY

PAXSON HAWS/THE DAILY

Protesters hold signs outside of the Oklahoma Capitol on April 2. Oklahoma educators came together to rally in support of education reform.

TEACHERS TEAM UP

Oklahoma educators rally at Capitol to demand increased education funding, pay raises from legislators

T

ANNA BAUMAN • @ANNABAUMAN2

housands of Oklahoma educators have flocked to the state Capitol for a consecutive three days, calling for legislators to meet their demands to fund education.

While some legislators have vocally supported the teacher walkouts, which began April 2 and have drawn teachers and students to the Capitol each day since, several have expressed displeasure.

S t a t e R e p. K e v i n M c D u g l e , R-Broken Arrow, said April 3 in a now-deleted Facebook video that he wouldn’t vote for another funding measure due to the way teachers were “acting.”

Gov. Mary Fallin, who was not at the Capitol on Monday while thousands of protesters crowded the building, told CBS in an April 3 interview that “teachers want more,” comparing the situation to “having a teenage kid that wants a better car.”

Fallin did sign a bill March 29 that would fund teacher pay raises of approximately $6,000, which Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said will bring teachers up to the second-highest paid teachers in the region. The Tulsa World reports that the raise will place Oklahoma second only to Texas in a seven-state midwestern region.

“It was a 20 percent increase in education for the state,” Lankford said.

“A 20 percent increase in total education funding is a very large increase, especially in one year. The hard part is, it’s been a decade since there’s been any changes before then, so there’s a lot of lost ground.”

Lankford said he has an optimistic outlook toward the bill’s consequences.

“A $6,000, on average, pay increase for teachers will have a dramatic impact on recruiting teachers from other states to be able to come to Oklahoma,” Lankford said.

“Retaining teachers in Oklahoma ...

to be one of the highest-paid teachers in the region will have a big impact on being able to maintain educators here and, hopefully, to be able to continue to have experienced teachers stay in the field, which we need to have that as well.”

But demonstrators have said it is about much more than just a teacher raise. Educators like Union High School teacher Tara Nedrow are still rallying for increased per-pupil funding, which lags far behind in the nation.

“I am here to encourage legislators to fund education to reduce class sizes and get more qualified teachers and stay in Oklahoma,” Nedrow said during the April 2 rally at the Capitol.

“It is not just about a raise, it is about getting per-pupil spending back into the classroom.”

Many teachers, including Renee Owen, a fourth grade math teacher at Mustang Elementary School, spoke of the issues they face regularly, such as overcrowding in classrooms and lack of resources like paper, pencils and textbooks or mental health resources for children with special needs.

“I love my kids and that’s why we’re here — for them,” Owen said.

“It’s not if you’re a Republican, it’s not if you’re a Democrat — we need to come together and be united. It’s for our people, it’s for our kids, it’s for us … we’re here hoping to wake (legislators) up.”

Fallin also signed a bill April 3 that answers some of the demands made by the Oklahoma Education Association, which asked the legislature for $10,000 teacher raises and $6,000 support staff raises.

According to a press release from Fallin, the bill would raise funding appropriations for education by 19.7 percent.

“I’m pleased to sign this bill that provides a significant increase in spending for our public school

NICK HAZELRIGG • @NICKHAZELRIGG system,” Fallin said in the statement.

“I’m hoping this additional funding will result in improved K-12 public school results. Our job as a state is to empower our students, parents and teachers to succeed by setting the bar high and challenging each other to succeed.”

The Oklahoma Education Association said these solutions from Fallin and the legislature aren’t enough, and Oklahoma students will still be left behind.

“Tens of thousands of educators, parents and community members are showing up at the Capitol every day because they are overwhelmed by classrooms with more students than desks, duct-taped textbooks and schools that are only heated to 60 degrees,” the association’s president, Alicia Priest, told the Tulsa World. “This legislation falls well short of fixing those problems. These measures leave millions in revenue on the table and still leave Oklahoma students among the worst funded in the nation.”

Teachers have been backed by their students, many of whom have also attended the days-long rally to show support. Gabby Davis, an Edmond Memorial High School senior who spoke at the protest April 2, said students are unable to achieve success without proper funding for schools.

“We want to make our families, and ultimately our state, proud by being impressive students and good citizens, but how can we succeed when our lifelines to success, our educations, have been cut by those with more power than us?” Davis said. “Over the past four years, I have watched the incessant decline of available classes at my high school and with it a painful decline of opportunities for future students. I watch teachers work beyond their contract with no demand for recognition and get consistently disrespected by no

changes in legislation … Something needs to change.”

Parents also joined teachers and students advocating for their needs.

Andrew G oins, a parent in the Oklahoma City Public Schools district, said he thinks funding cuts to education need to stop.

“We want to make our voices heard,” Goins said. “I want to make sure my daughter understands what you have to do in a democracy to get your voice out there, to get represented.”

Anna Bauman

anna.m.bauman-1@ou.edu

Nick Hazelrigg

hazelriggn@gmail.com

Emma Keith and Olan Field also contributed to this report.

“Tens of thousands of educators, parents and community members are showing up at the Capitol every day because they are overwhelmed by classrooms with more students than desks, duct-taped textbooks and schools that are only heated to 60 degrees.

This legislation falls well short of fixing those problems. These measures leave millions in revenue on the table and still leave Oklahoma students among the worst funded in the nation.”

ALICIA PRIEST, OKLAHOMA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

2

ADVERTISEMENT

• April 5-8, 2018

The University of Oklahoma Political Communication Center presents

The Josh Lecture Series OU Regent & former Governor

Frank Keating The ‘State’ of Oklahoma & OU Tuesday, April 10th Auditorium Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication

6 pm Reception Honoring Gov. Keating 7 pm Governor’s Speech

contact 405.325.7603 for more information

free admission

Celebrate Mom’s Day with 2900 Student Apartments!

We offer 3 and 4 bedroom apartments at the lowest rates in town! Stop by, call, or check us out online at www.live2900.com!!

live2900.com (405)-292-4044 2900 Oak Tree Avenue, Norman, OK 73072

April 5-8, 2018 •

NEWS

3

Emma Keith, news managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily

Borens leave landscape legacy

Grounds team fulfills president’s vision for campus JANA ALLEN

@janaabananaax

When President and Mrs. Boren came to campus in 1994, they began working closely with landscapers and donors to carry out a vision that has helped OU become known as one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation.

Allen King has played a personal role in transforming the campus according to the Borens’ goals for OU’s beautification.

King, the director of OU landscaping and grounds, has been part of the landscape department for more than 30 years and was recently named the 2018 recipient of the Otis Sullivant Award, which is presented to an OU community member who exhibits “keen perceptivity,” according to an OU press release. King is finishing up his time at OU and will retire on June 31, the same day as President Boren. King said he has seen the before and after differences since the Borens took office.

“When they came here, they had a vision,” King said. “I was out here one Sunday with my dog, watering plants, and here they come up the South Oval just like commonfolk, and we sat there and chatted, and they started telling me what they were thinking about doing with the campus and the vision they had, and I’m thinking, ‘Wow, what possibilities.’”

The Borens made King a supervisor about a month later, and King said the opportunity to work closely with them and carry out their vision is what led him to stay for so long. The transformation he has helped oversee has since led OU to be named among the 25 most beautiful campuses nationwide.

“Creating a place of beauty in which to work draws out of all of us our best product, and it encourages higher standards,” Boren said in an email. “It is very important for creating a first

JORDAN MILLER/THE DAILY

Landscapers work on the South Oval on March 28.

impression in attracting students, faculty, and staff.”

The Borens’ vision included the street tree project and the bench program, King said. The oak trees that line OU’s streets are the result of the street tree project, which added more than 20,000 trees to the university’s three campuses.

The bench program the Borens initiated gives people the opportunity to pay for a bench and have it dedicated to someone. More than 350 benches and approximately 20 fountains and sculptures have been added to campus since the Borens took office.

Another part of the new vision was the addition of picnic tables for students to get away from their classrooms and spend time outside while studying, King said. This mindset inspired the creation of courtyards in campus buildings built in the past couple decades, King said.

“It’s been fun to try and

create a whole new sense to the landscape,” King said.

Boren said in an email that one of the most important results from the landscape transformation is that students have been able to take ownership of their campus through programs such as Arbor Day, where students and faculty come together to plant trees, and AdoptAn-Area, a program committed to keeping campus trash-free.

These new projects and many of the flower beds on campus, including those on the South Oval, were made possible through donors the Borens found, King said. The donors’ endowments help make sure that, even when times are difficult for the university’s budget, the campus can still be maintained.

“I’m grateful for Mrs. Boren’s dedication to creating a beautiful, inviting campus for the OU family,” Boren said in an email.

Boren also said he has

faith that King’s staff will continue to uphold the high standards he has set.

“Allen King and his staff have done a wonderful job and have taken incredible pride in the fact that they have built one of the top 25 most beautiful campuses in America,” President Boren said in an email. “He will be sorely missed.”

For the landscapers who do the day-to-day work, it means a lot when students, faculty and staff let them know their appreciation, said OU gardener Brey Martin.

“They come out and tell me things are looking good or something they might want to see happen in the area,” Martin said. “It makes me feel good that they come out and actually notice the good things that we’re doing, and some constructive criticism is always nice.”

For Angel Mejia, landscaping specialist, 26 years with OU’s landscaping and

grounds team has given him the chance to do his favorite thing: make the campus beautiful for students.

Just in the past week, Mejia’s team has planted 15,000 red dianthuses in the South Oval flower beds endowed by the Pittman family, Mejia said. They’ve also added about 6,000 tulips around campus Mejia said he hopes will last until Mother’s Day. “Planting, taking care of the plants, taking care of the flower beds to taking care of the turf to pruning plants, working with roses, flowers ... it’s my favorite thing to do,” Mejia said.

Mejia said, sometimes students want to help out when they see the landscapers at work. He said his team gives them gloves and puts them to work, and he has lots of photos with groups of students from all over the world.

“A lot of them, they’re really nice, and that’s why we’re

here, to make it pretty for y’all, for the students,” Mejia said.

King said he has worries about whether Presidentdesignate James Gallogly, who will succeed Boren beginning July 1, will continue the Borens’ landscape legacy. The landscaping program has come so far, winning multiple awards for top landscaping in the nation, and he wants to see it continue to get better, King said.

B o re n s a i d h e k n ow s Gallogly cares about the beauty of the campus, just as many of OU’s graduates do.

“I mean, if you don’t see (a university’s) campus and say, ‘Wow’, you’re thinking, ‘Oh, this must be an average educational institution,’” King said. “We want to make the first impression say, ‘Hey, this is it.’ That’s what we want.”

Jana Allen

jana.r.allen-1@ou.edu

OU counseling clinic to shut down Center will close May 10 after 52 years of operation TORRE MULRONEY @torre_mulroney

The OU Counseling Psychology Clinic, which has helped serve the Norman community for more than 50 years, will c l o s e at t h e e n d o f t h e day May 10 after months in limbo due to a faculty shortage.

The clinic is a student-run center that serves as a practicum for OU’s couns eling psycholo g y doctoral students and offers an affordable sliding fee scale, meaning some clients can pay $15 or less for services, and some clients can receive pro bono sessions.

The clinic, which has helped around 10,000 clients and trained 1,200 students since it opened in 1966, has been struggling with administrative staffing since three supervising faculty members retired and resigned in 2017, according to a letter from clinic director Terry Pace. The faculty positions were not refilled, leaving students in the program waiting for a solution.

“It just so happened that

JORDAN MILLER/THE DAILY

OU Counseling Psychology Clinic on Feb. 9. The clinic will close May 10 after months of operating through a faculty shortage.

the three faculty that run the Ph.D. program in counseling psychology, which works through the clinic, all left in the summer,” Pace said in an interview. “Those lines were not approved to be refilled, along with about 9 or 10 other lines from the department of educational psychology, which we are under.”

After the clinic closes, Pace said the doctoral students in the program will be placed in various community programs to receive

their training. Clinic staff members have been working individually with clients to find a place for them to receive further treatment after the closure, Pace said.

“Historically, when Goddard (Health Center) gets really full, we have b e e n t h a t ov e r f l o w f o r them,” Pace said. “So that is definitely going to have an impact on access for students.”

S cott Miller, dire ctor of Goddard’s University Counseling Center, said

in an email “because the University Counseling Center is the designated provider of mental health services for students, faculty, and staff, the Counseling Psychology Clinic will not have any impact on OU student access to mental health services.”

Students like Brittany Riggin, a second-year c ou n s e l i ng p sych o l o g y student in the program, are also concerned about their own futures and the experiences they will miss

without practice through the program.

“It is going to impact everyone differently because we are all at different stages in the program,” Riggin said. “For the students who are first-years, they will have only gotten one year of experience in the training clinic. In some ways, they are missing out on that experience, as far as being able to be there with students every day.”

The biggest worry for students working at the clinic

is the clients they see and where they will receive services after the clinic closes, said Riggin, who echoed Pace’s concern about overcrow ding at G o ddard’s University Counseling Center.

“Historically, we have received the overflow from Goddard because we are more able to see students on a weekly basis,” Riggin said. “I would imagine it is going to make things busier for Goddard, and make things even more difficult for students who are looking for services to be able to be seen. It is definitely removing a really big resource for not only the campus but Norman in general.”

The clinic sees clients that are students, as well as patients from around the Norman community and much of central Oklahoma, according to Pace’s letter.

“One of the good things about the training clinic is we can see people without insurance, and we can see them for a really low cost,” Riggin said. “That is going to be the biggest struggle, is finding places for those clients to go for that amount of money if they do not have insurance.”

Torre Mulroney

torre.d.mulroney@ou.edu

4

• April 5-8, 2018

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

Allison Weintraub, A&E editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/life&arts • Twitter: @OUDailyArts

Norman Medieval Fair returns Annual event allows locals to experience history SAMANTHA TONKINS @samanthatonkins

The 42nd annual Medieval Fair of Norman allows the OU community members to be fully immersed in history while they shop and have fun.

The Medieval Fair is an annual festival that is held in April. It’s a part of the OU Outreach program.

According to the fair’s website, the event will feature several games, from a ring toss to an archery range, along with live jugglers, acrobats and magicians.

Attendees can watch a jousting competition and sword tournament, and vendors will sell a wide range of food and crafts.

Ann Eckart is the Medieval Fair coordinator. She said the fair was created in 1977 by several OU English professors who had visited different festivals across the country and wanted to bring something similar to Norman. Since the professors worked in the field of medieval studies, they decided to create a medieval fair, Eckart said.

Since most other festivals in the area are Renaissanceoriented, Eckart said, the Medieval Fair gives visitors the chance to see an earlier time period of history.

Eckart said the events at the fair give people a once-in-alifetime experience. “It’s opening your mind to all these things that you won’t see anywhere else,�

Eckart said. “We have artists

NOOR EEMAAN/THE DAILY

Children take a ride on a live merry-go-round at Norman’s 41st annual Medieval Fair. The 2018 Medieval Fair will take place April 6–8 in Reaves Park.

coming from all over the country and performers coming from all over the country. The diversity of talent and skill out there is amazing.�

Eckart said the fair is a family-friendly learning experience that allows people of all ages to lose themselves in a different world. “I love seeing the expressions of joy and discovery on people’s faces when they are out there enjoying the fair,� Eckart said. “You can tell they have let go of their worries and troubles of the

modern world — and have been so overwhelmed by all of the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, activities and everything that is the Medieval Fair — that they are lost in the moment and are discovering new things. The bright faces and smiling eyes are what gets me.�

Several members of the OU community participate in the fair, including students and staff.

Conrad Smith, management of information technology junior, has participated in the Medieval Fair

for the past two years. He said the fair combines the real history of the medieval times with famous legends like King Arthur and his knights. “It’s a reenactment of the mythological and sometimes actual history from the medieval area,� Smith said. “There’s a lot of different groups that have different views and takes on it, and the fair is a way to kind of materialize all of that.�

Becca Wilson, history and anthropology junior, said the Medieval Fair is a chance

Film to cast Norman extras Barry Switzer will play coach in movie shot locally SAMANTHA TONKINS @samanthatonkins

Director Greg Coolidge’s upcoming movie “The Turkey Bowl� will film in Norman this weekend, and members of the Norman community are needed to be extras.

According to a press release, “The Turkey Bowl� is about a man who travels back to his small hometown during Thanksgiving to finish a football game that was canceled 15 years before.

The movie will feature Barry Switzer, former OU football coach, who will play the coach in the movie.

The movie will feature actors such as Ryan Hansen from “Veronica Mars� and Matt Jones from “Breaking Bad.�

Bethany Bourland, a 2015 OU theater alumna, is the

casting associate for the movie. She is in charge of finding extras. “We basically need people to come out and hang out on set and be a part of the movie,� Bourland said. “It’s the big football scene, so people who love football would be great.�

Bourland said that at least half of the movie has been filmed in and around Norman, and members of the OU community will be able to see their hometown in a feature film. “Seeing the corner of Boyd and Pickard be the big set piece in the movie is really exciting,� Bourland said. “There were scenes filmed on Lahoma and Lindsey and all of these places, and so it’s basically the town that we go to school in being made into a movie.�

Extras are needed April 4–6 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the intersection of Boyd Street and Pickard Avenue. Participants are encouraged to wear either red or blue to support either

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.

of the two different football extra in “The Turkey Bowl� teams. There will be raffle can text “EZMOVIE� to prizes every day, including 797979 for more information. footballs signed by the cast and a big-screen TV. Samantha Tonkins People who want to be an samantha.tonkins@ou.edu

to shop and have fun while experiencing history. This year, Wilson is a member of the human chess game organized by the Arthurian Order of Avalon, a Norman-based organization that offers educational lectures and events throughout the year. She said the chess game is her favorite part of the fair. “It’s a living chess game, so all the pieces are played by real people,� Wilson said. “Captures are accomplished by combat. It’s all stage combat, but it looks real. It’s a lot of fun. This year, we are

doing a Robin Hood board.

Some of the characters are from the tales of Robin Hood, and some of them are from Arthurian legends.�

Wilson plays the character of a princess-turned-bandit.

She said her favorite part of the fair is getting to become someone else for the day as she mingles with attendees. “I think it’s just getting to explore the character I’ve been given this year. And I get to interact with patrons and see what it does for people who come to the fair to meet people from Arthurian legends,� Wilson said.

Jenny Lang is a member of the administration staff for OU extended campus and is a current member of the Arthurian Order of Avalon.

She has been attending the fair since 1992.

At first, Lang attended the fair as a patron but became involved with the Medieval Fair when she was a student at OU. She said the fair enables the Norman community to see history come alive for a weekend. “It’s a great opportunity to come see some living history,� Lang said. “There are a lot of educational things at the fair, a lot of displays and an opportunity to see history come to life. It’s a chance to come out and have fun and get to see performers from all over the country.�

Th e Me d i e va l Fa i r o f Norman will be held April 6–8 in Reaves Park. The fair runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Admission is free, and parking is $5 at the Lloyd Noble Center.

Samantha Tonkins

samantha.tonkins@ou.edu

PLACE A PAID AD Phone: 405-325-2521 E-mail: classifieds@ou.edu

Fax: 405-325-7517 Campus Address: COH 149A

DEADLINES Line Ad ..................................................................................

3 days prior Place line ad by 9:00 a.m. 3 business days prior to publication.

Display Ad ............................................................................3 days prior Classified Display or Classified Card Ad Place your display, classified display or classified card ads by 5:00 p.m. 3 business days prior to publication.

Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy Parker April 5, 2018

ACROSS 1 Painful rebuke 5 Stark or strict 10 Powerful gulp 14 Let be known 15 Love muse 16 Sledding site 17 Eye part 18 Causes of Met music swellings 19 Stew with some kick 20 Lite beverages 23 Not easy to please 24 Necessities 25 Plentiful 28 Necklace component 30 Concluded 31 Noted drummer 33 Informal matriarchs 36 Certain unintended consequences 40 Room lender 41 Rawhide snaggers 42 Firing range stuff 43 Claim no more 44 Not on the lookout 46 Weight revealer 49 Long, heroic stories

4/5

51 Things made before the wedding 57 Businessman Perot 58 Relating to birds 59 Went rapidly 60 Some narrative writing 61 Far from gung-ho 62 Praise lavishly 63 Spot from afar 64 Wrestling milieu 65 Common bills DOWN 1 Earring variety 2 Jeans maker 3 Sheltered on the water 4 Bandstand, e.g.

5 “Ghostbusters� car type 6 Hanging tapestry 7 Like April 8 Racked animal 9 Water supplier 10 Flicked away 11 Writer Oscar 12 Epic of Troy

13 Lip shiner 21 Word we share 22 Down greedily 25 Vast desert 26 Cosmetics biggie 27 Communist Trotsky 28 Some are paper, some plastic 29 Center of differences?

31 Appease, as hunger 32 Short explosive 33 Viral internet thing 34 Highest point 35 Cease 37 Arab leader (var.)

38 Get - of link 39 High voice

43 Nowhere near crude 44 Meeting schedule 45 Frodo’s pal 46 Shopping bout 47 Corn and others 48 Fable author 49 Shoot from a distance 50 A second time 52 “Pro� follower 53 Swear it’s so 54 Whistled hour 55 Not false 56 Readies, as 10 pins

PREVIOUS PREVIOUSPUZZLE PUZZLEANSWER ANSWER

HOROSCOPE

By Eugenia Last

Copyright 2015, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018 ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Take care of personal business.

Get your tax return in order or follow up on a pending settlement.

You have plenty to gain by being proactive.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Refrain from sharing too much about your personal life. You are better off listening and picking up information that will help you assess a situation and the people involved.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Honesty is the best policy regardless of the consequences. Own up to your mistakes and don’t hesitate to question anyone making suspicious remarks or evasive statements.

4/4 4/2

Š 2018 Andrews McMeel Syndication Š 2018 Andrews McMeel Syndication www.upuzzles.com www.upuzzles.com

MID-RANGE By Timothy E. Parker

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Don’t be too rigid or you’ll meet with strong opposition. It’s best to keep the peace and try to understand what others want, while offering fair suggestions.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Communication will save the day.

Share your thoughts, feelings and intentions to get the feedback you need to expedite your plans. Travel or visiting old friends or relatives is favored.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Too many demands and not enough time will cause you to fall short of your expectations. Make it clear that you can only do so much, and prioritize with your benefit in mind.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Put more effort into solving problems

at home and with your personal finances. If you’ve taken on too much debt, look for a way to increase your income.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Look for job opportunities that will encourage you to use some of your unusual skills. Getting out of the mainstream and into something you find more suitable or intriguing is favored.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Make some adjustments at home that will include someone you enjoy spending time with. Sharing your thoughts and plans will result in you moving forward quicker than anticipated.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- You’ll be outnumbered if you try to make a practical suggestion. You are best off doing your own thing and avoiding a costly venture with an imprudent person.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- A moneymaking opportunity will give you a chance to get ahead. Offer your suggestions and talk about the changes you would like to see happen to impress someone who can influence your future.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Emotional misinterpretation will not help a relationship with a friend, relative or loved one. Facts are what’s needed to bring about positive change.

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

April 5-8, 2018 •

5

OU to present classical opera Music, theater students will perform tragedy

SAMANTHA TONKINS @samanthatonkins

The OU School of Music and University Theatre will stage the opera “Lucia di Lammermoor,” which will give OU students a chance to experience classical music while watching a tragic story of love and loss.

“Lucia di Lammermoor” was written by Gaetano Donizetti. The story takes place in the highlands of Scotland in the early 18th century and features two star-crossed lovers from feuding families. Edgardo wants to marry Lucia, but Lucia’s brother, Enrico, turns Lucia against him.

As the feud and the betrayal continue, Lucia slowly starts to lose her sanity and endangers both herself and those around her. The story is full of murder, betrayal, suicide and madness.

The cast features dancers from the OU School of Dance, members of the OU Chorus a n d t h e O U Sy m p h o n y Orchestra.

Elena Damiani, ballet performance sophomore, plays the ghost of a girl murdered by her lover. During the performance, Lucia is the only character on stage who can see the ghost.

“The ghost is to portray her madness because (Lucia) sees her, and nobody else in the opera sees her,” Damiani said.

Damiani said working with the opera singers and musicians has allowed her to grow as a dancer and gain experience. She said the opera has

CAITLYN EPES/ THE DAILY

The cast of “Lucia di Lammermoor” performs during the first dress rehearsal April 3. The opera will premiere April 5 and run though April 8.

allowed her to see the different talent at OU and gain a new understanding of fine arts.

“I’ve had a really great and unique opportunity working with the opera,” Damiani said. “It’s really challenged me artistically and emotionally because it’s very different from other things I’ve done at OU.” Paul Whitehead, thirdyear doctoral student studying voice, is one of the actors playing the role of Edgardo, who is desperately in love with Lucia.

Whitehead said this is the hardest opera he has ever sung. The music forces Whitehead to sing high into his vocal range. The difficult music also requires Whitehead to sing with lots of

energy and technique or else he could hurt his voice.

He also said the plot of “Lucia di Lammermoor” is much different from the typical opera. He said the tragic story and madness of the main character keep the audience guessing.

“It’s not what a lot of people would expect,” Whitehead said. “If you’ve never seen an opera before, and you went to see “Lucia di Lammermoor,” you’d probably be surprised.

It’s kind of a bloodbath.”

Whitehead said his advice for the audience is to resist the urge to read the entire plot of the opera. Even though it is sung in Italian, he said the audience will have no difficulty falling in love with the characters and the story.

“So many people assume you have to read the plot and everything because it is going be in Italian, and you aren’t going to be able to follow it,” Whitehead said. “We have words. There are subtitles.

You will be able to read everything. You will be able to follow everything clearly.”

Si n c e t h e o p e ra i s i n Italian, Whitehead and the other singers had to learn the meaning of the words in both English and Italian in order to accurately convey the emotions of their characters.

“If you don’t know what you’re saying, it’s all for naught,” Whitehead said.

“You have to at least know what the phrase means.”

Haley Sartin, stage mana g e m e n t s e n i o r, i s t h e stage manager for “Lucia di

Lammermoor” and works behind the scenes to make everything run smoothly. She said she works as a go-between for the director and the designers while helping direct actors and lighting during the performances.

Sartin said the story is full of love, feuding families and heartbreak.

“It’s kind of an Italian version of Romeo and Juliet, or that’s what we’ve been telling everyone,” Sartin said.

Sartin said the music is stunning and will transport the audience to a faraway place and help them experience a new culture.

“It’s always really nice for OU students to see something that is in another language,” Sartin said. “I feel like they pay more attention, and

it also gives them a new culture they don’t usually get.”

“Lucia di Lammermoor” opens at 8 p.m. April 5 in the Reynolds Performing Arts Center. Additional performances will be at 8 p.m. on April 6–7 and at 3 p.m. on April 8.

Tickets are available in advance. They cost $20 for adults, $15 for OU employees and seniors and $10 for OU students, and they can be purchased through the University Theatre’s website. Tickets can also be purchased at the door and will be $30 for adults and $15 for students.

Samantha Tonkins

samantha.tonkins@ou.edu

Film festival promotes indigenous culture Movies, live music will incorporate theme of ‘Rhythms’ STEPHANIE BOYLS @bluemoose96

see anywhere outside of a film festival circuit. The theme this year is around music. A lot of the films we have on the circuit this year seem to emphasize music in different ways,” Nelson said.

The sixth annual Native Crossroads Film Festival “The idea is that will continue its tradition we want to bring of promoting American Indian culture through American Indian film. and international The theme surroundindigenous films ing this year’s festival is to OU, especially “Rhythms.” It will feature documentaries, music because a lot of videos, films and more these films are t h a t e m p h a s i z e Na t i v e A m e r i c a n i m p a c t o n really difficult to see anywhere outside of entertainment.

Joshua Nelson, director a film festival circuit.” of film and media studies JOSHUA NELSON, at OU and associate proASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF fessor of English, spoke on ENGLISH AND DIRECTOR OF the festival and its continuFILM AND MEDIA STUDIES ing relevance.

“The idea is that we want to bring American Indian and international indigTh e f e s t i va l w i l l a l s o enous films to OU, espe- feature a preview for an cially because a lot of these upcoming PBS series on films are really difficult to Native America, hosted

by OU alumna Julianna Brannum.

“Comanche filmmaker Julianna Brannum has made documentaries that w e’v e s h o w n a t Na t i v e Crossroads in the past,” Nelson said. “She is an executive producer on one of the episodes of Native America. This particular episode is about contemporary Comanche folks.

Most of the other episodes are far more historical, and the y really wanted to remind everyone that American Indians are alive and well and with us in the world.”

Native Crossroads will take the theme of “Rhythms” to heart. In addition to showcasing live music at the festival, Emmy Award-winning musician Je ro d Ta t e w i l l a l s o b e featured.

“We’re going to try and keep people very engaged,” Nelson said. “One of the really standout events is a ro u n d t h e f i l m c a l l e d “A Day in Santa Fe.” It’s a

silent film from 1931, and we’ll be doing a live scoring of the film. It’s certainly not the type of thing you get to see every day. It’s going to be really powerful.”

Not only does this festival give the opportunity for people to engage in the excitement surrounding the movies, but it also has the potential to inspire interest in American Indian culture.

“What I’m hoping will come out of this festival is a renewed interest in making films and expressing the cultural side of Indian life in this really engaging form,” Nelson said.

The festival runs April 5–7 at the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History. It is free and open to the public.

Stephanie Boyls sboyls@ou.edu

ARTWORK BY HOKA SKENANDORE VIA NATIVE CROSSROADS WEBSITE

Artwork for the Native Crossroads Film Festival. The festival will take place at the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History April 5 -7.

Locals gather to tell stories Resonator hosts monthly event of artistic expression ABIGAIL HALL @heartofabigail

NATIONAL

AMERICAN I NSURANCE COMPANY

APPLY ONLINE

Every month, a group of Normanites gather to listen to locals share their stories in the Resonator.

“Stor ytelling ” is a monthly event hoste d by local Normanite and Res onator crew member Jacob Sargent. The Resonator is a nonprofit focused on engaging artistic collaboration and authentic human interaction, Sargent said.

Resonator crew member Helen Grant shared two stories — one that she

expressed as “magical and dreamy,” while the other was a “modern, abstract story” with a projection.

Other women shared stories about family, courage, social justice, comedy and more.

Grant described “Stor ytelling ” as an informal and experimental event for “anyone interested in the art of storytelling.” “ Yo u c a n b e e x p e r i mental,” Grant said. “At Resonator, you can have a really transformative experience based on who decides to take up the stage, how they present themselves and wherever it is they’re coming from.”

M a r c h’s t h e m e f o r “Storytelling” was “Tales b y Wo m e n .” B o t h m e n and women were invited

to attend, but only women performed.

Female stor ytellers were invited to share a scene with the audience.

Musicians Rachel Lynch and Jordan Vargas also played sets.

“Stor ytelling ” o ccurs monthly with a new theme at each event, and new musicians and locals are invited to share their stories in the form of a scene.

April’s “Storytelling” evening will be held April 22, and the theme will be “individuals that inspired you to succeed.”

Resonator is located at 1010 N. University Blvd.

Abigail Hall ahall@ou.edu

6

ADVERTISEMENT

• April 5-8, 2018

University of Oklahoma First Lady Molly Shi Boren cordially invites you and your mom to the

Mom’s Day Tea 2 p.m.

Saturday, April 7, 2018 Boyd House All students are invited, even if your mom can’t attend.

No reservations needed. Parking will be available in the lot behind Boyd House.

For more information or accommodations on the basis of disability, please call (405) 325-3784.

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. www.ou.edu/eoo

Take a tour and get a

free t-shirt!

Just I5 steps to campus.

BOYD ST

Private bedrooms and bathrooms State-of-the-art fitness center ELM AVE

Bizzell Memorial Library

E BROOKS ST

15 Steps to campus CLA

Academic Success Center with iMacs and free printing

S JENKINS AVE

THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA

SS

E LINDSEY ST

Apply online today at CallawayHouseNorman.com Prize, amenities and utilities included are subject to change. Limited time only. While supplies last. See office for details.

D

Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

BLV

Internet and cable TV included

EN

NEW Multimedia sky lounge

April 5-8, 2018 •

SPORTS

George Stoia, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports

Kelli Stacy Editor in Chief Emma Keith News Managing Editor Emily Farris Engagement Editor George Stoia Sports Editor Allison Weintraub A&E Editor Kayla Branch Enterprise Editor Paxson Haws Visual Editor Daniella Peters Copy Manager Savannah Saing Print Editor

contact us 160 Copeland Hall, 860 Van Vleet Oval Norman, OK 73019-2052

phone:

405-325-3666

email:

dailynews@ou.edu 160 Copeland Hall, 860

Van Vleet Oval The Oklahoma Daily is a public forum, the University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice and an entirely student-run publication.

SIANDHARA BONNET/THE DAILY

Sophomore wide receiver A.D. Miller carries the ball down the field during the spring game at the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on April 9, 2016.

Wide receiver bounces back Player hungry for new season after injuries last year GEORGE STOIA @georgestoia

Oklahoma junior wide receiver A.D. Miller has been one of the Sooners’ biggest surprises this spring and is looking to be a key contributor once again in Oklahoma’s offense.

Miller, who redshirted in the fall, has been one of Oklahoma’s best players this spring, according to players and coaches.

“He’s doing a pretty good job,” said coach Lincoln

Riley. “He’s getting settled in with Kyler Murray, Austin Kendall and Tanner Schafer.

He’s stayed healthy, which he’s always had some tough luck there.”

Riley was referring to a quad injury Miller suffered early last season that sidelined him for a long period of time and eventually resulted in his redshirt. When Miller first found out he was going to miss the majority of the season, he was devastated.

“It was real tough,” Miller said. “When I realized I was going to be redshirted, it was a hard day for me knowing I wasn’t going to be able to play the whole season.”

But in his year off, Miller was able to work with

younger quarterbacks, gain weight and work on his game. While he may not have liked watching from the sidelines last season, he knows it will benefit him this season.

“It helped me a lot,” Miller said. “I got an extra to go against the defense, develop a little more, get a little faster, work my technique a lot ... so it worked well for me.”

Miller joins a position group that is highly talented, with playmakers like sophomore receiver CeeDee Lamb and junior receiver Marquise Brown leading the group. However, Miller has a leg up, having worked with the backup quarterbacks all last season, having gained a

chemistry before others.

“I think he can be a really good receiver,” said sophomore quarterback Austin Kendall. “We worked all throughout scout team, just going day-in and day-out going against the No. 1 defense. We had that connection, obviously. He’s really improved a lot.”

The way Miller has handled the entire situation, going from a significant contributor to sitting a year out, has been admirable. In fact, his maturity and willingness to do what’s best for the team is rubbing off on his teammates.

“He handled that about as good as anybody that I’ve been around,” said

wide receiver coach Dennis Simmons. “Anytime somebody is out here consistently working hard, it’s a direct reflection, and direct positive for each guy on the team.”

Come the spring game on April 14, Miller will have the opportunity to show Sooner Nation what it missed last season, something he and the coaches have been waiting for.

“I like how explosive he’s played,” Riley said. “He’s matured, (he’s) hungry. I think a year away from it — I see a lot of positives from him right now.”

George Stoia

georgestoia@ou.edu

Parker finds new level in final run Senior star makes moments count as career closes out ABBY BITTERMAN @Abby_Bitterman

In her final season as a Sooner, senior left-handed pitcher Paige Parker has hit another level.

The Big 12 and National Collegiate Player of the Week this week, Parker has a 0.30 ERA so far this season and has only given up four earned runs. She’s recorded 38 straight scoreless innings and thrown 111 strikeouts. In the Sooners’ series against Baylor last weekend,

she added two runs, helping her to an impressive 17-1 record.

“This year has been really special for me and just knowing that it’s probably the last time I’m going to play,” Parker said. “I just wanted to go to another level and make every pitch count because I don’t have a ton of them left.”

Parker is not sure what the future holds for her after she graduates and whether she wants to play in the National Fast Pitch league, but she is definitely making her last college season count.

It started to set in that this would be her last season at Oklahoma when she was at home for winter break

pitching to her father. Parker has been throwing to her father since she started pitching when she was 9.

“I know a lot of girls, their dads kind of quit catching them at an earlier age, and my dad’s continued to catch me for this long,” Parker said.

“That’s something that’s been really, really special for us.”

From throwing to her dad to winning two national championships, Parker has had an incredible career as a Sooner. Before she came to college, Parker had been on average teams, coach Patty Gasso said, but when she got to her junior and senior year she started to lead her team to success on her own.

“I knew we were getting something pretty good,” Gasso said of Parker’s debut as a freshman. “But to look back at her career and see the things she’s accomplished is just — I don’t know if it can really be any better. It’s really been a pleasure and just an honor to coach her.”

This season, Parker has been a commanding prese n c e i n t h e c i rc l e. Th e Sooners have developed a pitching staff since the 2016 season, when Parker pitched 32 complete games and led Oklahoma to a national title almost single-handedly, but having a staff of pitchers around her may have helped Parker bring her game to an

even higher level.

What Parker was able to do against the Lady Bears was incredible, Gasso said.

She said she doesn’t know what it will be like when Parker’s career as a Sooner comes to a close.

“I think she sees what’s ahead, and that is the end of her career,” Gasso said.

“And without talking about it much, it’s more of just going out in her way. Whether it’s a championship or not, just the fact that she gave her best and has no regrets. And I think that’s kind of living inside of her right now.”

Abby Bitterman abbybitt@ou.edu

Gymnasts prepare for postseason OU women’s team will compete for regional title JADYN WATSON-FISHER @ jwatsonfisher

No. 1 Oklahoma (16-1) will travel to Minneapolis this weekend to compete in the NCAA Regionals, looking to secure its ninthstraight regional title and qualify for its 15th consecutive championship berth.

Despite an early-season

loss to Florida by only .025, the Sooners bounced back and are in contention for another postseason run. They put up record numbers this year, logging scores of 198 or higher seven times, breaking the program and NCAA record. They also finished with a regional qualifying score of 198.120, setting another Division I record, to earn the No. 1 overall seed.

After securing the program’s seventh-straight conference title, Oklahoma will face Big 12 foes, Denver and Iowa State, along with

7

Kentucky, Minnesota and Iowa during their meet. Of the six teams competing, the top two will advance to the semifinals in St. Louis, Missouri. The Sooners will also face individual allaround and event qualifiers from six different programs.

Oklahoma brings experience — more than half of its team has competed for at least one championship — to its hunt for a third-consecutive national title. The team also features five 2018 regular-season All-Americans and five All-Big 12 honorees.

Sophomore Maggie Nichols, the top all-around gymnast in the nation, was named Big 12 Gymnast of the Year and earned regular-season All-America honors last month. For the second time in her career, Nichols was named to the first team on all four events and all-around.

Senior AJ Jackson, juniors Brenna Dowell and Nicole L ehrmann each earned All-America honors for at least one event this season, while freshman Anastasia Webb, Big 12 Newcomer of

the Year, was named to the second team for all-around.

Senior Stefani Catour was the league’s event specialist, providing consistency on the balance beam.

Oklahoma will look to its leadership, as it has done all season, to extend its season and compete for another championship.

The Sooners will begin their regional competition at 4 p.m. CT Saturday.

Jadyn Watson-Fisher jlfwf96@gmail.com

Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and must be fewer than 250 words, typed and signed by the author(s).

Letters will be edited for accuracy, space and style. Students must list their major and classification. To submit letters, email dailyopinion@ou.edu.

Our View is the voice of the Editorial Board, which consists of ten student editors.

The board meets at 4:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday in Copeland Hall, Room 160. Board meetings are open to the public.

Guest columns are accepted and printed at the editor’s discretion.

Columnists’ and cartoonists’ opinions are their own and not necessarily the views or opinions of The Oklahoma Daily Editorial Board.

To advertise in The Oklahoma Daily, contact the advertising manager Brianica Steenbock by calling 405-325-2521 or emailing dailyads@ ou.edu.

One free copy of The Daily is available to members of the OU community. Additional copies may be purchased for 25 cents by contacting The Daily business office at 405325-2522.

Corrections: Corrections: The The Daily Daily is is committed committed to to accuracy accuracy in in its its publications. publications. IfIf you you find find an an error error in in aa story, story, email email dailynews@ dailynews@ ou.edu ou.edu or or visit visit oudaily. oudaily. com/site/corrections com/corrections to .html to submit a correction form.

stay connected /oudaily

/oudaily @oudaily

@oudaily @theoklahomadaily

@theoudaily oudaily

oudaily oudaily.com oudaily.com

VOL. 103, NO. 24

© 2017 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25¢

8

ADVERTISEMENT

• April 5-8, 2018

WELCOME

MOMS!

Before

After

Join us for our Open House, Saturday, April 7th from 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. for free professional massages, appetizers and BXFTPNF SBGnFT Take a tour with your mom and spin the wheel for dinner on us at Norman’s mOFTU EJOJOH DVJTJOFT JODMVEJOH #MBDLCJSE 7JDUPSJB T 5IF .POU and More!!!

Before

After

Before

After

APARTMENT FEATURES • Private Bedrooms & Bathrooms • Fully Furnished with Custom NEW! Furniture • Washer/Dryer in Every Unit • Stainless Steel Appliances NEW! • Wood-Style Flooring NEW! • Custom Cabinetry in Kitchen NEW! • Quartz Stone Countertops NEW! • Built-In Storage Space • Internet & Cable with Premium Channels • All Utilities Included (Electric Cap) • Individual Leasing

SIGN A LEASE & RECEIVE A Before

After

12TH AVE

12 MIN

VD BL

STINSON ST

N

NOBLE CENTER

SE

CHAUTAUQUA AVE

IMHOFF RD

4 MIN

AS

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA CAMPUS

CL

MEMORIAL STADIUM

LINDSEY ST

SOUTH CAMPUS

$600 GIFT CARD. NEW OWNERS. NEW MANAGEMENT. NEW RENOVATIONS. Click - StateOnCampus.com Call - (405) 310-6000 Mon-Fri 9-7, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5

730 STINSON ST. APPLY ONLINE AT STATEONCAMPUS.COM