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WHAT’S SHAKIN’? New year holds potential for stronger earthquakes in Oklahoma
O
BRYCE MCELHANEY • @BRYCE_MAC
klahoma earthquakes could shake things up even more this year with larger magnitudes than in previous years. Calculations show there is a high probability there will be a 5.0 magnitude quake in 2016, Oklahoma Geological Survey Director Jeremy Boak said. Boak said there have been over 70 earthquakes above a 3.0 magnitude and seven quakes over a 4.0 this year already. The largest quake was a 4.8 magnitude, located northwest of Fairview on Jan. 7, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Although there has been an increase in earthquake activity, most of the quakes have been small, Boak said. “People who are talking about us being the earthquake capital of the U.S. need to specify that we’re the small earthquake capital of the U.S,” he said. Recent earthquake activity in Edmond led citizens to demanding answers in a town hall meeting at the UCO Nigh University Center on Jan. 14. Rep. Lewis Moore, R-Edmond, who organized the event, started the conversation by showing a presentation, which read
SHAKIEST COUNTIES
the counties with the greatest number of earthquakes in 2015 1. Grant: 1518 2. Logan: 831 3. Alfalfa: 691 4. Noble: 639 5. Garfield: 540 6. Payne: 458 7. Woodward: 224 8. Pawnee: 186 9. Woods: 173 10. Oklahoma: 149
2016’s biggest earthquakes WOODS
BY THE NUMBERS So far in 2016, the Oklahoma Geological Survey reports:
95 177
earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater recorded total earthquakes recorded, from magnitude 2.4 to 4.8
In all of 2015:
907 5773
GRANT
Jan. 22 • 3.7
Jan. 7 • 4.8 Jan. 7 • 4.7 Jan. 7 • 4.3 Jan. 6 • 4.0 Jan. 7 • 4.0 Jan. 8 • 4.0 Jan. 6 • 3.9 Jan. 7 • 3.8 Jan. 7 • 3.8 Jan. 19 • 3.8 Jan. 7 • 3.7 Jan. 6 • 3.6 Jan. 7 • 3.6 Jan. 7 • 3.6
PAYNE
MAJOR
Jan. 15 • 3.6
Jan. 18 • 3.7
OKLAHOMA Jan. 1 • 4.2
LOGAN
Jan. 2 • 3.7 Jan. 20 • 3.6
earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater recorded total earthquakes recorded, from magnitude 0.47 to 4.7 Source: Oklahoma Geological Survey
“fracking does not cause most of the induced earthquakes — waste water disposal is the primary cause of recent earthquakes in central United States.” Moore said Oklahomans have come a long way in understanding the issue, though earthquake activity has dramatically increased. “This information is fairly accepted today; three years ago, we would have thought we were crazy for thinking this,” Moore said. He said not all wastewater injection wells induce earthquakes. Oklahoma Geological Survey Hydrogeologist Kyle Murray said there could be a good correlation between disposal well locations, fault lines and earthquake patterns. “I would say the frequency of earthquakes allows us to identify faults we didn’t previously map,” Murray said. “If you look at a sequence of earthquakes in an area, sometimes they show a very linear trend, and that would indicate that there’s a fault in the subsurface, and we maybe haven’t mapped it before.” Moore said Edmond is home to one of these faults, which is called the Edmond fault. “(It) runs around I-35 and
Route 66 on out and curves back to the north for about two or three miles,” he said. Edmond resident Kathy Mathews said she’s only experienced small cracks in her house so far.
“People who are talking about us being the earthquake capital of the U.S. need to specify that we’re the small earthquake capital of the U.S.” JEREMY BOAK, OKLAHOMA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DIRECTOR
“I want you to know that although fracking may not cause earthquakes, you cannot frack without producing this dirty water,” Mathews said. Moore said as far back as three years ago, there were House members considering disposal wells being the cause of earthquakes. Mathews said this is an issue that would turn a red state blue. “There’s no lack of conversation — there’s a lack of introducing
bills to address the problem,” she said. E d m o n d re s i d e n t R o b e r t Downey said he has experienced earthquakes recently. “I could probably easily prove there’s a direct correlation between injection pressure and seismic activity, because I’ve done it in fracturing, I’ve published the papers,” Downey said. “The relationships are the same. The processes are the same; it’s just the scale is bigger, and the impact is potentially going to be huge.” One frack job is about a day’s worth of watering a golf course, Boak said. Murray said there are around 4,200 disposal wells in Oklahoma, but only about 3,600 are being actively used. The volumes of salt water coming from oil wells have increased significantly in the last two years, he said. “I’ve been cataloging the 2009 to the 2014 period and the volume went from about 800 million barrels in 2009 to 1.5 billion barrels — they’ve almost doubled it in six years,” Murray said. He said he hypothesizes that Oklahoma could see a decline in seismic activity if disposal wells were used less, though there
would be a lag time — about six months to two years before a significant decline could be noticed. Bryce McElhaney
btmcelhaney@gmail.com
QUAKE LINGO Fracking: short for “hydraulic fracturing,” it’s the process of injecting liquid into the earth to free up petroleum resources like oil and gas Injection well: a device that places liquid deep underground into porous rock formations, such as sandstone or limestone, or into or below the shallow soil layer Wastewater: also called “produced water,” is the liquid that returns to the surface after the fracking process Source: Merriam-Webster, cleanwateraction.org
Future architects anticipate earthquakes 6000
Director stresses value on structural security
Earthquakes in Oklahoma from 2010 to 2015
JESSE POUND
Total number of earthquakes recorded
5000
@jesserpound
Number of earthquakes greater than magnitude 3.0
4000
Data from the Oklahoma Geological Survey
3000
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1000
0
2010
2011
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As earthquakes rattle and shake Oklahoma homes and businesses at a quickly increasing rate, professors from OU’s College of Architecture say the school is producing graduates prepared for the new environment. Hans E. Butzer, the academic director of the college’s division of architecture, said the school is already preparing students for the new challenges produced by the local environment through a group of core classes that focus more on the study of structures than other architecture programs. The National Architectural Accrediting Board has general requirements for what students must learn about structures, but there’s a lot of wiggle room for colleges to craft their own academic paths, Butzer said. Some programs only feature one or two structures courses, Butzer said, while OU’s core contains three. Butzer said that Oklahoma’s tendency for tornadic activity and, historically, earthquakes
made the structures emphasis vital. “An earthquake doesn’t kill people, but buildings do,” said Shideh Shadravan, an assistant professor at the college. “It behooves us to have a robust structures sequence. We view it as an ethical obligation, just based on where we are geographically, climatically,” Butzer said.
“An earthquake doesn’t kill people, but buildings do.” SHIDEH SHADRAVAN, ARCHITECTURE PROFESSOR
Even before the recent growth of earthquakes linked to wastewater disposal wells, part of Oklahoma was designated as a Zone 2 of seismic activity. Butzer also cited the New Madr id, Missouri, earthquake in the early 1800s, which, according to a mixture of legend and fact, was felt as far away as the East Coast and made the Mississippi River run backward. “That’s the most see ARCHITECTURE page 2
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• January 25-27, 2016
NEWS
Page Jones, news managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily
Lawmaker talking quakes
Amendments aim to address growing state problem MARY SMITH
@marysmitty21
A state representative will be filing two amendments next month in regards to the Oklahoma earthquakes. State Rep. Mike Shelton wishes to reimburse those who have e a r t h quake insurance, even if it was bought REP. MIKE several years SHELTON ago, and he wants to make the Oklahoma Geological Survey a stand-alone agency, he said. “I think the (Oklahoma Geological Survey) needs to be a stand-alone agency
and not have to depend on any type of fundraising … to make payroll and affect any kind of decisions,” Shelton said. Since earthquakes have become more common in Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Geological Survey is more of a household name, Shelton wants the agency to be funded more appropriately and stand on its own so that those working there can do the job they should be doing, he said. “To avoid any appearance of impropriety it needs to stand alone … to make sure that the … leadership of Oklahoma are funding them well and that they’re getting good sound information back so that they can make the best decisions possible,” Shelton said. However, he does not wish to sever the ties between the agency and OU, he just wants to make it a separate
entity while maintaining the partnership, he said. Jeremy Boak, director of the Oklahoma Geological Survey, said he has heard that some people want the agency to separate from OU but not that an amendment was proposed. “I heard that (Oklahoma Geological Survey) should split off from OU because it’s being too politically influenced by the University of Oklahoma, but I sure haven’t felt that,” Boak said. “The only political input I’ve received is ‘do the science, do it right’.” Boak does not feel that any political pressure has been put on the agency because of its connection with OU, and he appreciates the data and researchers that OU provides the agency, he said. According to Boak, the agency’s budget comes from the state through the university, giving him essentially
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two bosses : the dean of the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy at OU and the secretary of energy and environment. So he does his best to do what both bosses want, he said. However, he sees nothing wrong with the agency’s association with the university, since Oklahoma’s constitution mandated that the Oklahoma Geological Survey be paired with a state university, he said. According to a press release, everyone who has bought earthquake insurance will receive an income tax credit equal to 100 percent of his or her insurance premium if the amendment passes. The legislative session will start at the capitol Feb. 1.
ARCHITECTURE:
Continued from Page One
vivid historical reminder that, yeah, we’re not in California or Chile or whatever, but right here in the heartland, we have, historically, seismic activity,” Butzer said. The potential damage earthquakes can cause to homes led a state congressman to introduce legislation to reimburse those who have bought earthquake insurance. Conveniently, the same area of study needed to resist tornado damage is needed to resist earthquake damage, Shadravan said. The forces that act on buildings in tornadoes a n d e a r t h q u a k e s a re broadly called lateral forces, Shadravan said. There are two common components of buildings needed to resist these lateral movements. One is the use of sheer walls, which are very thin and r un the length of the building, distributing the force evenly throughout the structures. When placed in a way that is balanced and symmetrical in the design of the building, Shadravan said, the building is much more secure. Th e o t h e r c o m m o n component is called a moments structure, where a beam and a column meet. When this juncture is created correctly, typically with steel, the building will view the combination of pieces as just a single piece, increasing stability, Butzer said. There are other building techniques, such as s o-calle d damp eners that reduce the tension between the foundation and above floors during an earthquake, but those techniques are expensive to use, and Butzer said he does not expect to see them used in Oklahoma. The safest buildings during an earthquake are shorter and symmetrical, with skyscrapers and buildings that are long horizontally more likely to sustain damage, Shadravan said. However, buildings are not always built in the safest way possible. “Ideal structural design and a perceived ideal aesthetic design are typically at odds,” Butzer said. Some buildings, such as the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, have used their desire for safety for strong aesthetic effect. “When we look at it, we look at it kind of like, ‘oh, that’s cool.’ But we’re not necessarily directly thinking, ‘oh my gosh, that’s actually driven largely by seismic resistance,’” Butzer said.
PROPOSED LEGISLATION State Rep. Mike Shelton proposed two amendments related to earthquakes in Oklahoma: 1. If passed, one amendment would reimburse anyone who has bought earthquake insurance through an income tax credit 2. If passed, another amendment would make the Oklahoma Geological Survey a stand-alone institution, rather than a branch of OU
Mary Smith
mcsooner19@gmail.com
data from OUPD and Norman PD compiled by Emilee Rowe, @RoweThisBoat
Norman, Oklahoma OU Campus and surrounding areas Campus building
Visitor Center
0
feet
Oklahoma Memorial Union
500
Evans Hall
Brooks Street
McCasland Field House
Van Vleet Oval
Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
Duck Pond Lindsey Street
4
1
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Operating motor vehicle under influence of alcohol, arrested Where: Boyd & Jenkins When: Jan. 17
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Municipal driving under the influence, arrested Where: Boyd & Asp When: Jan. 21
3
Unlawful posession of marijuana Where: Sager House When: Jan. 19
Lindsey Street
4
Burglary, forced entry Where: Walker 9E When: Dec. 19, 2015, reported Jan. 17, 2016
5
Possession of marijuana Where: Walker 5W When: Jan. 19
Did you know? • Students, faculty, staff and their dependents can fill prescriptions at Goddard Pharmacy, with same day service and 3 month supplies available. • Goddard Pharmacy fills prescriptions from our clinic and those brought in from most other physicians. • Prescriptions can be transferred to our convenient location, and refills can be called in over the phone. • We accept most insurance plans including OU BCBS. Most charges may be applied to bursar accounts for students, with complete private and confidential filing. • Students with Student Health Plan insurance can fill prescriptions without paying the $100 deductible required by other pharmacies. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. For accommodations on the basis of disability, please contact OU Health Services at (405) 325-4611
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Goddard Pharmacy Hours: Monday — Friday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Contact Us: 405-325-5615 (main line) 405-325-0153 (fax) Location: Goddard Health Center 620 Elm Avenue OU- Norman Campus Services: • Prescription filling • Over-the-counter products • Same day service • Call-in refills • 3-month supplies • Transfer from pharmacies • Complete private and confidential filling
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NEWS Joe Mussatto Editor in Chief Page Jones News Managing Editor Dana Branham Engagement Managing Editor Brady Vardeman Sports Editor Jessica Barber A&E Editor Supriya Sridhar Special Projects Editor Siandhara Bonnet Visual Editor Mia Chism Copy Manager
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The Oklahoma Van Vleet Oval Daily is a public forum, the University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice and an entirely student-run publication. 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 eight student editors. The board meets at 10:30 a.m. and 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 by calling 405-325-8964 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.
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OU responds to USDA fine Health Sciences Center director promises reforms ANNA MAYER @AnnaMay136
The U.S. D epar tment of Agriculture has issued a $19,143 fine against OU for violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act, according to a recent press release from an animal watchdog group. The document by the USDA, obtained by Stop Animal Exploitation NOW! Thursday, cites OU’s failure to follow research protocols, failure to administer pain relief to animals in connection to surgical procedures and overall inadequate veterinary care. The document was issued Nov. 5 of last year. Eleven incidents are used to justify the fine, 10 of which are from 2014. The most recent incident listed in the letter occurred in January 2015, involving the failure to remove baby baboons while their cages were being hosed down. The document describes several incidents of the negligent deaths of animals involved in surgical procedures at the OU Health Sciences Center. The most recent complaints filed by Stop Animal Exploitation NOW! including the allegedly negligent deaths of guinea pigs and
PHOTO PROVIDED The Sower statue stands at OU Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. The USDA fined OU for violating the Animal Welfare Act at the OUHSC campus in Oklahoma City with 11 incidents.
the allegedly negligent death of a dog from July 2015, are not included in the justification for the fine. Michael Budkie, executive director of Stop Animal Exploration NOW!, said the group is pleased that the USDA is looking into this issue and responding accordingly. “But this doesn’t even come close to solving the problems at OU,” he said. “We believe the animal research program at OU is damaged beyond repair.” In response to the fine,
James Tomasek, the OU Health Sciences Center vice president for research, re l e a s e d t h e f o l l o w i n g statement: “The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center holds in the highest regard its responsibility to comply with all federal and regulatory standards related to animal welfare, and to ensure humane and ethical treatment of any animals used in research and education. The Health Sciences C e n t e r ’s I n s t i t u t i o n a l
Animal Care and Use Program has been a voluntary accredited member of the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International since 1973. The Association’s International accreditation program goes beyond federal regulations and rigorously evaluates organizations that use animals in research, teaching, or testing. The Health Sciences Center has implemented comprehensive corrective
actions in response to each of the incidents identified by the USDA as part of its internal compliance review. These actions include creation of a dedicated Office of Animal Welfare Assurance, led by a licensed veterinarian with expertise in laboratory animal medicine and staffed by a licensed veterinary technician. Comparative Medicine reporting to senior leadership has been reorganized, including formation of a dedicated executive oversight committee. Research principal investigators and staff have participated in additional training. New policies and procedures have been developed. Increased internal oversight is being given to all animal research. The Health Sciences Center is committed to rigorous safeguards to promote an ethical, humane, and compliant research program and appreciates the guidance received from the USDA. We have paid in full the USDA Settlement Agreement involving incidents in 2014 and January 2015 and the OU Health Sciences Center will continue to work closely with the USDA moving forward.”
Anna Mayer
anna.n.mayer@gmail.com
Assistant dean settles in Administrator first African-American to obtain position BRIANNA SIMS @briannana18
OU’s college of journalism has gained a journalist who wants to focus on inclusivity, diversity and student concerns as she begins her first semester on campus. Yvette Walker is Gaylord’s second assistant dean and the first African-American to
hold the position, OU Press Secretary Corbin Wallace said. After an former assistant dean of Gaylord, John Hockett, left last July, the administration conducted a search for a replacement. The administration found its replacement in Walker. Interim Dean Ed Kelley said he has known Walker for eight or nine years because they both worked at The Oklahoman. “I saw immediately this was a woman with great capacity, and she not only has
CORRECTION On Thursday’s front page, a photo cutline was omitted. The cutline for the photo, reproduced below, read: Amber Bailey, Lyndsey Rosenkrantz and Breehannah Young rehearse a dance choreographed by Manuel Valdes for the Young Choreographers’ Showcase in the Fine Arts Center on Jan. 20. YCS will run from Jan. 28-31.
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extraordinary journalism skills but also a collaborative personality that fit very well in the newsroom of The Oklahoman,” Kelley said. He said he later found out Walker had an experienced teaching background as well, and he believed she would be a great asset to the college. “I came here from a 20plus year career in journalism, mostly in newspapers and websites,” Walker said. “I worked at The Oklahoman in Oklahoma City for nearly the past 10 years, and I also did some teaching at the University of Central Oklahoma the past five years. I was the media ethics chair in (UCO’s) mass communication department. So I’ve been in the business a while — ever since I graduated with my journalism degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and after I got my master’s at the University of Missouri.” Walker said she chose to come to OU because the reputation of Gaylord College made the opportunity too great to pass up. “I was here last summer working for the Oklahoma Institute of Diversity in Journalism with professor
SIANDHARA BONNET/THE DAILY Assistant dean of Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Yvette Walker.
Melanie Wilderman,” Walker said. “I had been on campus before with meetings ... but this was a full week just working with students. That was a great experience.” When the opportunity arose, Walker said she felt at home and knew Gaylord would be a great place to share her knowledge. Walker said she plans to learn a lot this semester and is eager to sit in on classes in order to understand the curriculum and what the media students are learning. Walker said she is working closely with the advisers and Dorion Billups, Coordinator of Community Inclusivity in Gaylord. She said she’s anticipating working with student groups and learning
their needs in order to maintain the strong history the journalism college has. “She will be the center of the vibrant life of the 1000 or so students at Gaylord and leading much of their activities,” Kelley said. “She loves being around people, and that was a real draw for her to leave a really good position she had at The Oklahoman to come work here at Gaylord.” Walker said she is happy to be here on campus and to be a part of so many exciting things this semester.
Brianna Sims
Brianna.M.Sims-1@ou.edu
/oudaily /oudaily
THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY THEATRE AND SCHOOL OF DANCE
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YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHERS’ SHOWCASE Imaginative. Dynamic. Original.
School of Dance Choreographers Helmerich School of Drama Lighting Designers
8 p.m. Jan. 28-30 3 p.m. Jan. 31
Elsie C. Brackett Theatre, 563 Elm Ave. Rupel Jones Fine Arts Center
For tickets, call (405) 325-4101. Online tickets theatre.ou.edu VOL. 101, NO. 065
© 2016 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25¢
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Advance Purchase: $10 student, $25 adult, $20 senior adult, OU employee Tickets at the door: $15 student, $35 adult. No discounts, cash/check only. For accommodations on the basis of disability call (405) 325-4101.
WILLIAM CLARK GREEN • SAM RIGGS CODY JOHNSON & THE ROCKIN' CJB JASON BOLAND & THE STRAGGLERS MICKY & THE MOTORCARS AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED!
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NEWS
• January 25-27, 2016
Pae voices agenda SIANDHARA BONNET/THE DAILY
Student Government Association President Daniel Pae and Vice President Michael Lutter smile at their inauguration into office Nov. 30. Pae has six goals for his administration during the spring semester.
New SGA president shares six-point plan for semester
• Issue one—Dead Week Reform: Pae said reforming dead week will be a major issue for his administration. Shortly after finals week last semester, Pae and his team sent out a survey regarding dead week and received more than 1,000 responses. “I have asked our Chief of Staff Tim Crisp to look over the survey data to find any trends or any testimonies about dead week,â€? Pae said. This data will be compiled and presented to the OU Faculty Senate at one of its next meetings, Pae said. This meeting will either be sometime in February or March, depending on when it is scheduled.
TANNER OSBORNE @tannerosbear
The new president and vice president of Student Government Association, Daniel Pae and Michael Lutter, respectively, have set out a preliminary plan for the new spring semester. “Over the break we communicate d w ith all the members of our cabinet via Google Hangout,� Pae said. “We talked and caught up with them and laid the ground work for a productive semester ahead.� At the moment, the plan for this semester has six aspects to it, which Pae laid out and explained.
and believes issues pertaining to higher education are important to address, he said. • Issue four—Bike Sharing Program: OU Parking Services is “on trackâ€? to begin putting up a few bike racks for the new bike sharing program, Pae said. “Approximately, they said that 75 bikes will be put in place, location still to be determined,â€? Pae said. If the program is popular enough during this semester, it will begin to grow and expand moving forward, Pae said.
• Issue two—Legal Counsel Services: Pae said that OU is the only Big 12 university that does not provide consultation or representation for legal services. “This is an issue Michael (Lutter) was really passionate about last semester,â€? Pae said. Lutter and other members of the SGA team have since met with Heather Hendricks of OU’s Office of Legal Counsel to discuss what ways OU can bring about legal consultation services.
• Issue five—OU President David Boren’s “Penny Sales Tax Planâ€?: As Boren’s plan has moved forward through the Oklahoma Supreme Court, Pae’s administration will begin to collect signatures and advertise the issue for the November ballot, Pae said. “We will be working closely with the president’s office,â€? Pae said. Pae did not express support or opposition to the sales tax, but he said that he and his administration will be collecting signatures to get it on the ballot and will “see from there.â€?
• Issue three—Higher Education Day: Pae and his administration will be pushing for the issue of higher education in February, Pae said. “This will be a day when any student is welcome to go to the state capitol and lobby for higher education,â€? Pae said. Pae has participated in the event several times in the past
• Issue six—SGA Video: A smaller project for Pae and his administration will be to compose a SGAthemed video that would help explain to students the complexities and various branches of SGA, he said. He hopes to have it ready for this summer’s Camp Crimson.
“It is an ambitious agenda. Time is of the essence, and we need to make sure we’re using it wisely.� DANIEL PAE SGA PRESIDENT
State budget to be discussed CLASSIFIEDS they will be more prepared to make a positive impact in the future, according to the website. As oil and gas prices continue to plummet, increasing the likelihood of a difficult economy in 2016, it is expected that Oklahoma could be confronted with its most daunting challenge since the oil bust in the 1980s, according to the website. The predicted economic hardship could have a strong impact on the basic public services that are offered in Oklahoma. Executive Director of the Oklahoma Policy Institute David Blatt said he highly encourages citizens to follow the results of the Summit. “ This is really a critical situation that has critical implications for all Oklahomans,� Blatt said. “We think it is essential that people go into the legislative session better informed about what our budget situation is and better informed about what the options are for addressing this crisis.� State officials have also enlisted consultation from the
Oklahoma leaders will address issues at annual summit DERRIC CUSHMAN @derric_cushman
State leaders and policymakers of Oklahoma are scheduled to address growing concerns over the state’s dwindling budget next week. OK Policy’s Third Annual State Budget Summit will meet Jan. 28 at Will Rogers Theater in Oklahoma City. Norman Mayor Cindy Rosenthal will also be in attendance, according to the Oklahoma Policy Institute’s website. According to the website, the summit aims to gather Oklahoma’s thinkers with the goal of identifying and resolving the causes of Oklahoma’s growing budget problems. The hope is that attendees will leave better informed about issues facing Oklahoma regarding the budget and debt, and that
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neighboring state of Kansas in hopes of finding a solution to the state budget crisis. Annie McKay and Duane Goosen, keynote speakers from the Kansas Center for Economic Growth, will share the challenges that faced the state of Kansas and talk about lessons learned from those experiences. In addition to scheduled guest speakers, various groups and individuals affected by the potential budget cuts will be heard in a session called “The Human Cost of Budget Cuts: Testimonials from the Front Line�. Other sessions that will be included in the summit include “Oklahoma’s Budget Crisis: How Did We
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MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016 Added discipline will help you reach your goals. DonĘźt waste time worrying about what others are doing or thinking. ItĘźs important that you stay focused on the changes you want to make and work on the projects that are personally meaningful. Embrace change and reject discord.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Be direct, ask questions and do your best to find out exactly whatĘźs going on. A trip or cultural event will give you plenty to think about and new options to consider.
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.
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HOROSCOPE
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Your personal relationships will flourish if you share your feelings and intentions. Make a promise that will help you enforce positive alterations at home and work.
1327 E. LINDSEY ST., NORMAN, OK 73071 405.447.9977
Get In, How Might We Get Out?� and “Managing the State Budget Crisis: What Needs to be on the Table,� among other pertinent topics of the day. A schedule can be found on the website. Although tickets to the summit are sold out, any news that takes place can be followed through the Oklahoma Policy Institute’s Twitter account. A video of the summit can be viewed by visiting the institute’s website upon completion of the event.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Get out and socialize. The people you meet will change your life. An offer will prompt you to make a move. Get all the details before you commit.
to feel comfortable moving forward. Romance is in the stars, and greater security is within reach. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- DonĘźt get angry when you should get moving. If something needs to be done, forge ahead and donĘźt look back. As long as you are responsible and reliable, you have nothing to worry about. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Love is on the rise. Discuss what youĘźd like to see happen and put some plans in motion. A vacation or joint venture will bring you closer to your dreams. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- You can offer help, but donĘźt get taken for granted. Put a limit on how much you will do, and refuse to let anyone guilt you into anything more. Make personal changes.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- YouĘźll have unusual ideas that will help you find solutions to pending problems. Your keen sense of timing coupled with your insight will conquer whatever you come TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Make up against. plans to do something with the youngsters in your life or spend a SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Exaggeration must be avoided. romantic evening with someone If you make unrealistic promises, you love. The more you interact you will suffer an emotional or with others, the more you stand financial loss. Keep your personal to gain. affairs a secret or the information GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- DonĘźt will be used against you. limit what you can do. Be up-front CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) about your qualifications and feelings. Avoid indulgent behavior -- Gather information and put a plan together that will help you and extravagance. raise your profile and your repuCANCER (June 21-July 22) -- When tation. A business trip will pay off, as will a romantic gesture. making a deal, make sure that you give yourself enough leeway
J Housing Rentals ROOMS FURNISHED
my friend’s got mental illness
Room for Rent!! Share Kitchen & Bath. M Student Preferred Close to Campus!! $240/mo. All Utilities Paid 405-924-2985
To a friend with mental illness, your caring and understanding greatly increases their chance of recovery. Visit whatadifference.samhsa.gov for more information. Mental Illness – What a difference a friend makes.
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Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker January 25, 2016
ACROSS 1 Gas or clutch item 6 Confusing mistake 11 Paranormal power, for short 14 Japanese cartooning 15 “Eyes� in many emoticons 16 Work for the CIA 17 Boy Scouts awards 19 Contents of a La Brea pit 20 Buddhism doctrine of nonviolence 21 Saddled animal 23 Witches’ meetings 26 Seraglios 27 Mournful bell sounds 28 Paris art museum 30 Shrek or Fiona, e.g. 31 Move like a crab 32 “The Way� of Lao-Tse 35 Ring king 36 Burundian’s neighbor 38 Hiker’s sock-clinger (Var.) 39 Chicken piece 40 Roof borders 41 Prefix for “trooper� or “graph� 1/25
42 Concealed 44 Pertaining to spring 46 Garb 48 Strips bare 49 Shinbone 50 Pottery fragments (Var.) 52 Lamb’s call 53 Healthy all-occasion gift 58 Curving line 59 Not here 60 Loyal subject 61 Talk too much 62 More achy 63 Jessica of Hollywood DOWN 1 “The Office� character 2 67.5 degrees, to mariners 3 2-Down, e.g. 4 Like Miss Congeniality 5 Fatal 6 Swindles 7 Agrees silently 8 Bit of aquarium growth 9 “Friend or ___?� 10 Sporting whiskers 11 Bruce Springsteen’s backers 12 Muscle twitch
13 Funeral fires 18 Drill tips 22 Legendary Bruin Bobby 23 Common toast 24 Acute thing? 25 “Returning soon� 26 Hip-swaying dance 28 Contents of certain closets 29 Betting info 31 Stash away money 33 Personal atmospheres 34 Unwritten exams 36 Second versions 37 Walk through water 41 Otto von Bismarck’s realm
43 Three, on a sundial 44 Part of a sentence 45 Ultimate conclusion 46 Cornered 47 Royal wedding wear 48 Impede the progress of 50 Litigious type 51 Put on the job 54 Seventeenth Greek letter 55 Friend of Barbie 56 It may be beaten 57 Golfer’s gadget
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
1/24
1/21
Š 2016 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com Š 2016 Universal Uclick
TO BE ANNOUNCED By Tim Burr
January 25-27, 2016 •
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
5
Jessica Barber, a&e editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/a_and_e • Twitter: @OUDailyArts
New music packs punch this week
Allison Weintraub
allison.weintraub@ou.edu @AllieFrances12
Redefining resolutions
FINLEA BAXTER/THE DAILY
Meghan Sinclair
attacking your goals easier and give you a fixed starting point. One thing I cannot stress A new year means time enough is that you need to for many of us to create a list write your goals down. If of goals and accomplishyou want to work out more ments we hope to fulfill in frequently, set a number of the 365 days ahead of us. times you will go to the gym Sometimes these resolution on a weekly basis. Write it lists can be lengthy, making down on something that you them quite daunting. Most know you will look at daily of us start strong but wind such as a calendar, sticky up losing motivation after note or journal. If you write several weeks. The most it down, you are more likely common New year’s resolu- to do it! tions college students make Another way to ensure are to workout more often, that you stick to your New eat healthier and make bet- Year’s resolutions is by tellter grades, but these things ing friends and family. You don’t always happen. I have will be able to build a supseveral tricks up my sleeve port system during times that will set you on track to when you lack self-motivabe successful in 2016. tion and be held more acThe key to sticking to countable to your goals. your resolutions is to make If you are looking to eat a specific goals rather than healthier diet in 2016, I have general ones. By this I mean some useful tips as well. As instead of making your goal a college student, I wholefor the new year to just “work heartedly understand that out more,� make your goal it can be difficult to fight the to “run on a treadmill for urge to order a cheese pizza 30 minutes three times per from Papa John’s to fuel your week.� Specificity will make late-night study sessions. To @meghancsinclair meghan.c.sinclair-1@ou.edu
prevent late-night indulging, get rid of any processed or junk foods that you may have stocked up in your dorm, apartment or house. These will only serve as temptations. Instead, purchase snacks such as fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts and fat-free Greek yogurt. Allow yourself to indulge in your favorite unhealthy foods only once or twice every week. If you attempt to cut all unhealthy foods out of your diet, you are more susceptible to binge eating. Don’t forget to get motivated! One of my favorite ways to get motivated to eat healthier or workout is by watching workout videos on YouTube or scrolling through fitness accounts on Instagram. Seeing how other people have been able to transform their bodies and lifestyles in dramatic ways through hard work could inspire you to do the same. Pinterest is also an excellent source of motivation. Create boards with workout plans and healthy meal ideas to
incorporate into your daily life. As for improving your grades, take a moment and self-evaluate. What worked for you last semester, and what did not? Did you attend office hours as much as you should have? Did you take advantage of any on-campus tutoring for classes you were struggling in? Did you skip classes frequently? Pick one or two things that you had difficulty with last semester and focus on changing them into strengths rather than trying to tackle many weaknesses simultaneously. Organization is also a must. If you do not regularly utilize an agenda, I highly recommend purchasing one to write down important due dates, quizzes and tests for all of your courses. For weeks when you feel swamped, create a study schedule using an Excel spreadsheet. You can map out your week hour by hour. It is perfect for those who struggle with time management skills.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SPOTIFY
Chairlift’s “Moth� delivers on all that its bold singles promise and more. The duo cashes in on the current revival of ‘80s pop, combining it with their signature synth-driven songs. There’s a reason that Beyonce trusts them to write with her, as the songs turn from interestingly bizarre (“ChChing�), to heartbreaking (“Crying in Public�), to intensely motivating (“Polymorphing�). One of the songs, “Romeo,� is even written from the perspective of Atalanta, a character from Greek mythology. If the band doesn’t get national attention for the intricate pop they’ve crafted, it’ll be a shame.
Suede’s “Night Thoughts,� is very much a rock album with a sweeping grand gesture that is similar to many rock legends. The band has obviously grown and as well as recognized that its fanbase is older. The opening track “When You Are Young� is paralleled by the later “When You Were Young� The album descends into tragedy, and a heaviness hangs over most of the songs, emphasizing the importance of every word that the band sings. It makes listeners more desperate to hear the culmination of the story that the album tells. “Wild Youth,� Steve
PHOTO PROVIDED BY WIKIWAND
Angello’s debut solo album, is really quite extraordinary. The album, while clearly an EDM album, draws influences from many different places and manages to sound effortless. Angello has said that he believes the genre needs redefining and he is willing to lead that charge. “Wild Youth� proves his money is not far from where his mouth is. It is an instant classic EDM album with sounds ranging from rock to the big-room sounds of his Swedish House Mafia days to deeper songs with a definite groove. This album might help Angello reclaim the type of music he loves.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY WIKIPEDIA
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6
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
• January 25-27, 2016
A screengrab of “The Danish Girl” trailer. The movie is about a young man who discovers he is not in his own body, but instead is a girl named “Lili.”
SCREENGRAB OF THE TRAILER VIA YOUTUBE
‘The Danish Girl’ draws controversy Trans students give varied opinions on Redmayne’s role
“Transparent.” All three productions cast cisgender individuals to play transgender characters and receive criticism for doing so. O U g ra d u at e s t u d e nt CHLOE MOORES Julia Jackson is transgender @chloemoores13 and said she had conflicting thoughts about cisgen“The Danish Girl” tells dered individuals telling the story of Lili Elbe, one of the first documented in“Not everyone dividuals to undergo sex wants surgery; not reassignment or gender affirmation surgery. The film everyone wants follows a rising trend of hormones; everyone movies and TV shows using wants to live a a cisgender or non-transgender actor to tell the story genuine authentic of a transgender person. life. Give us a more Eddie Redmayne, a cisgender man, was cast to authentic portrayal of play the part of Lili Elbe in what we are.” “The Danish Girl,” released JULIA JACKSON, in the U.S. in November OU GRADUATE STUDENT of last year and currently nominated for four Academy Awards. The film transgender stories. joins movies like “About “ There are a few perRay” and T V shows like formances that I think the
THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS Monday What: Good Morning with UPB Enjoy free donuts to start off your week, courtesy of the Union Programming Board. Where: Oklahoma Memorial Union, Union Lobby When: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. What: UPB Mid Day Music Come relax in the Union and enjoy your lunch while listening to live music, presented by the Union Programming Board. Where: Oklahoma Memorial Union, Will Rogers Food Court When: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Tuesday What: Tuesday Noon Concert The OU School of Music and FJJMA have collaborated to bring you the Tuesday Noon Concerts series. Come in on your lunch break and enjoy a 30-minute concert put on by OU music students and faculty. Where: Sandy Bell Gallery When: 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. What: UPB Mid Day Music Come relax in the Union and enjoy your lunch while listening to live music, presented by the Union Programming Board. When: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Oklahoma Memorial Union, Will Rogers Food Court What: Tuesday Tea Come enjoy treats and refreshments and socialize with your peers. Where: Collings Hall Lobby When: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. What: Dream Course Lecture: Peter Barker Dr. Peter Barker, of the OU History of Science Department, will be giving a lecture on The Islamic Roots of Western Science. Where: Zarrow Hall Community Room When: 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday What: UPB Mid Day Music Come relax in the Union and enjoy your lunch while listening to live music, presented by the Union Programming Board. Where: Oklahoma Memorial Union, Will Rogers Food Court When: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. What: UPB Member Meeting Join UPB to learn about various ways you can get involved on campus, meet other students, and strengthen your leadership skills Where: Oklahoma Memorial Union, Associates Room When: 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.
portrayal is authentic, and that’s encouraging when they take the performances seriously,” Jackson said. “The transgender community should portray ourselves more often than we are. You have cisgender people writing the experience of transgender people, and then you don’t get to tell the authentic story.” One of the biggest problems Jackson identified was that often times transgender individuals are consulted rather than cast in a production and then not paid for their input, she said. “We are the joke in community — we’re serial killers or gay men or women in disguise. There is a great diversity that needs to be reflected,” Jackson said. “Not everyone wants surgery; not everyone wants hormones; everyone wants to live a genuine authentic life. Give us a more
authentic portrayal of what we are.” Creative media senior Catherine James is a transgender student and thought that in the case of “The Danish Girl,” Eddie Redmayne gave a decent portrayal of the character, she said. “There is a lot of contention about cisgendered individuals playing transgender individuals, but I think in this story it would be degrading to ask a trans woman, ‘okay now male it up a bit for the first part.’ I mean I wouldn’t want to do that for a part,” James said. Casting actors to play transgender individuals on film cannot be viewed as an either or situation but a case-by-case basis, James said. “If someone was playing my part in a movie — if it only shows the post-transition part, it should only
be played by a transgender individual; it should not be played by a cisgender person. If it all extends all the way back, for the first part you use a cisgender male and a transgender person used for the post part. I don’t think it should be a blanket thing,” James said. Assistant Director of LGBTQ and Health Programs at the Gender and Equality Center Kasey Catlett said that it’s important to have representation from the transgender community in movies like “The Danish Girl.” “It’s great that we have these fantastic actors to play these roles, but it’s important to have a member of a marginalized community there to play that role — by not placing a trans person in that role, (it) continues to marginalize them” Catlett said. “The Danish Girl” was
fantastic, but transgender representation would have been appropriate in the film, Catlett said. “It’s great to have these movies, but if we aren’t representing LGBTQ people in those roles, we have more work to do” Catlett said. Chloe Moores
margaret.c.moores-1@ou.edu
Transgender representation in film • Eddie Redmayne, a cisgendered man, portrays film’s transgender protagonist Lili Elbe. • Conflicting thoughts about cisgendered individuals telling transgender stories.
Italian art exhibit scheduled to reopen in OKC’s Paseo District OU Arezzo program to showcase foreign, local works of art MIA PONS
@miaisabel4
An art exhibit that contained works exchanged between local and Italian artists will reopen next month in the Paseo Arts district during the First Friday Art Walk at the Paseo Plunge. “When the Italian artists were here back in the fall creating the exhibit, I took them to the Paseo Arts District to show them the galleries around there,” Erinn Gavaghan, executive director of the Norman Arts Council, said. The exhibit, “Cultural Connections: Arezzo”, originally opened last year in Norman, but since the closing of that ex hibit, Gavaghan wanted to share the art once more. “(Cultural Connections) was established in an effort to further the bonds between Norman and its sister cities, consisting of a series of exhibitions that will bring international artists to Oklahoma and send Norman artists across the globe to share our heritage and history in new places,” Gavaghan said. “We are thrilled to provide a second chance for people to enjoy this unique opportunity to interact with another country through art.” Gavaghan worked with Joy Reed Belt from JRB at the Elms to see about getting another space in the city for the show. “ The y created all the
PROVIDED BY NORMAN ARTS COUNCIL Italian artist Sara Lovari created the yellow dress to showcase her art at MAINSITE Contemporary Art Oct. 9. The dress, along with other pieces that were featured in MAINSITE Contemporary Art, will be shown again in the Paseo District next month.
work (at MAINSITE Contemporary Art), and it’s not work that we can ship back to Italy, so we wanted to give it another chance to be seen in the metro area,” she said. Gavaghan mentioned that the Plunge is not fully finished but that the gallery space is. JRB reached out to them and invited them to have this exhibit be the inaugural first show for the Paseo Plunge, Gavaghan said. Gavaghan hopes that this kind of art exchange will spark other cities to follow suit. “It’s a good example for other communities on how they can reach out to their sister cities and do these kinds of cultural exchanges.” The show will feature artwork from the same three
artists as last fall: Enrique Moya Gonzalez, Sara Lovari and Massimiliano Luchetti. The Plunge is a smaller venue, so the entire show will not be on display this time, she said. The program doesn’t finish here though. “ We a r e t r a v e l i n g t o
Cultural Connections: Arezzo When: Friday, Feb. 5 Where: OKC’s Paseo District Who: Features artwork from Enrique Moya Gonzalez, Sara Lovari and Massimiliano Luchetti
Italy this spring with three Norman artists that will be installing an exhibit in Arezzo as the other half of this exchange,” Gavaghan said. “After that I will be visiting our sister city in Clermont-Ferrand, France.” “I am just starting to talk with them about what that exchange might look like,” she said. “I am planning to meet some of the city officials while I am there, see some of their art spaces and meet some of their artists at that time. Cultural Connections: Arezzo opens Friday, Feb. 5 in the Paseo Arts District and will include a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Mia Pons
Mia.I.Pons-1@ou.edu
January 25-27, 2016 •
SPORTS
7
Brady Vardeman, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports
Rivalry renewed as Sooners and Huskers schedule two more games Oklahoma and Nebraska have added a two-game series to be played in 2029 and 2030, according to a release. The Sooners will host the Cornhuskers on Sept. 15, 2029 and go to Nebraska on Sept. 14, 2030. “Oklahoma and Nebraska are two of the most iconic programs in college football history,” Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione said. “We were excited a few years ago when we were able to rekindle the storied series by scheduling games for 2021 and 2022. We feel the same way with the addition of the games in 2029 and 2030. Fans of both programs are extremely passionate and loyal, and we’re happy we can preserve — and extend — the on-field history of two of the game’s all-time greats.” The former conference rivals have already scheduled a home-and-home for 2021 and 2022. This series was played annually from 1928-1997. Oklahoma and Nebraska haven’t played since the 2010 Big 12 championship game, a contest the Sooners won 23-20. OU holds a 45-38-3 all-time advantage over Nebraska in the series. BRADY VARDEMAN/THE DAILY The Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium under construction as of Jan. 21. Renovations to bowl-in the stadium are on track, according to Larry Naifeh, executive associate athletic director.
Half of bowl takes shape as construction proceeds First phase of project set to be complete by Sept. 10 home opener BRADY VARDEMAN @BradyVardeman
R e n ov a t i o n s t o O U ’s Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium are proceeding on schedule, according to Larry Naifeh, executive associate athletic director, and project managers Jim Heley and Jim White. Construction crews finished laying precast concrete in the southeast corner of the stadium earlier this week, completing half of the anticipated bowled-in south end zone. A large portion of the project appeared to be complete as OU and construction officials spoke with the media two months to the day after the Sooners’ last home game when the demolition and renovation ramped up. However, Naifeh said most of the work will come when crews begin more detailed work in the suites and facility behind the south end zone. “It’s kind of like building a home — that infrastructure goes up pretty fast and then you have to come in and do all the finish work to close the job,” he said. “We’re pleased with where we are.” White said crews have
WEEKDAY CALENDAR Men’s basketball 6 p.m. Tuesday vs. Texas Tech
Women’s basketball 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. West Virginia
Source: soonersports.com
already begun foundation work in the southwest corner and will begin erecting the steel structure Feb. 6. “It’ll take us a couple months to get that stood out,” Heley said. “You have to do the precasting sequence for the steel because of the crane access. So you set steel, you set precast, you set more steel and then you set more precast. It’ll take about a two-month duration.” Once the bowl is completed with an overhang above 66 loge boxes being installed, White said crews will erect the new scoreboard, which will be the second-largest in the country at 7,806 square feet. “You should be seeing the skyline change — new scoreboard going up, somewhere around mid-March. Mid to latter March,” he said. The first phase of the renovations are scheduled to be completed before OU’s Sept. 10 home-opener
“A lot of elements are still in place and we’ll still be able to use elements of the stadium for the spring game — should not interfere with the progress.” LARRY NAIFEH, EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
against Louisiana-Monroe. However, the locker room, training facilities and coaches’ offices won’t be completed until the next offseason — most likely in the spring of 2017, according to Naifeh. “The project will have different completion dates. Obviously, the elements that need to be completed for the first home game and the 2016 season — all the seating, the club seats, the clubs, the loge boxes, the suites — those items will be completed,” Naifeh said. Approximately 120 workers are on-site six days a week for a minimum of 10hour shifts. At the peak of the project, as many as “400 to 500” workers could be onsite. However, fans in Norman may have noticed several nights in December and January when construction crews worked late into the night, utilizing the stadium’s lights on the north end. While some long-hour days are built into the schedule, according to both construction officials, White said night work is meant to keep crews ahead of schedule rather than catching up. “If we’re here on Sundays, there’s probably some activity — maybe we had a rain day or something, and we need to get it done,” Heley said. “We’re not working all of our crews, but you work the select crews that
BIG 12 BASKETBALL STANDINGS (as of 1/25) MEN’S
WOMEN’S
1. Oklahoma (5-2)
1. Texas (7-1)
2. Kansas (5-2)
2. Baylor (6-1)
3. West Virginia (5-2)
3. West Virginia (5-2)
4. Baylor (5-2)
4. Oklahoma State (5-3)
5. Iowa State (4-3)
5. Oklahoma (4-3)
6. Texas (4-3)
6. Kansas State (4-4)
7. Texas Tech (2-5)
7. Iowa State (3-4)
8. Kansas State (2-5)
8. TCU (3-5)
9. Oklahoma State (2-5)
9. Texas Tech (1-7)
10. TCU (1-6)
10. Kansas (0-8) Source: Big12sports.com
got delayed and need to get caught up a little bit.” Despite ongoing construction, OU announced Wednesday that its annual spring game will take place April 9 on Owen Field. Naifeh said the Sooners considered moving it but eventually determined the game and the renovations will not interfere with each other. “A lot of elements are still in place, and we’ll still be able to use elements of the stadium for the spring game — should not interfere with the progress,” Naifeh said. Brady Vardeman brady.vardeman@gmail.com
Spenser Davis, @Davis_Spenser
NBA star Blake Griffin to have jersey honored on Senior Night
Oklahoma will honor former Sooner forward Blake Griffin, commemorating his jersey during OU’s final home game March 1, according to a press release. The Sooners will have Griffin and his No. 23 jersey honored center court at halftime. Griffin is the only player in the program’s history to win the Naismith Player of the Year award. He led the Sooners to one of just five 30-win seasons and an appearance in the Elite Eight. After his sophomore year, he became the only No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft in Oklahoma history when he was taken by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2009. Since then, Griffin has been selected as an NBA All-Star five times. “I am proud and truly honored to be part of a long and storied Sooner history,” Griffin said in a release. “My time at OU will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am so grateful to the fans and the university for all of their support throughout my career.” Griffin’s jersey will join Wayman Tisdale’s (No. 23), Alvin Adams’ (No. 33), Stacy King’s (No. 33) and Mookie Blaylock’s (No. 10). The game will also serve as Senior Night for some of its current players. The Sooners will hold a pregame ceremony for Buddy Hield, Isaiah Cousins, Ryan Spangler, Austin Mankin, Dinjyl Walker and C.J. Cole prior to tipoff in what will be their final home game. John Walker, @jtw2213
STADIUM RENOVATIONS • The first phase of renovations are scheduled to be completed before OU’s Sept. 10 home opener against LouisianaMonroe • The scoreboard will be the second-largest in the country at 7,806 square feet. • 120 workers on-site six days a week for a minimum of 10-hour shifts
On Twitter? Stay connected.
@OUDaily @OUDailyArts @OUDailySports
Backup quarterback leaving team to focus on baseball future
Oklahoma quarterback Cody Thomas is leaving the football program to focus on baseball for the spring semester. The news was first reported by SoonerScoop and confirmed by NewsOK. Thomas was selected out of high school in the 30th round of the MLB Draft by the New York Yankees but elected to enroll at OU. Thomas made three career starts in an Oklahoma football uniform, all in 2014 after then-starter Trevor Knight went down with a neck injury. Thomas spent most of 2015 as the third-string behind Baker Mayfield and Knight. However, he moved up to second-string for the Sooners’ regular season finale and bowl game. Thomas is the second quarterback to depart the program this offseason. Knight elected to transfer to Texas A&M as a graduate and will be eligible to play immediately. Their departures leave OU with just two scholarship quarterbacks eligible for the 2016 season in Mayfield and true freshman Austin Kendall. The Sooners’ third scholarship quarterback, Texas A&Mtransfer Kyler Murray, won’t be eligible until 2017. OU has two walk-on quarterbacks as well — sophomores Reece Clark and Connor McGinnis. Brady Vardeman, @BradyVardeman
100%
ou law graduates 90% exceed the statewide 1st-time 74% pass rate by 50%
Results from July 2015 Bar Exam
ou law statewide 0%
8
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