Sports: The offensive line redeemed itself in an impressive showing last weekend at Notre Dame. (Page 6) W W W.O U DA I LY.C O M
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GOVERNMENT
Research projects at risk from shutdown Students and researchers will be unable to submit new proposals for funding STAFF REPORTS
While the government shut down won’t affect federally funded programs at OU in the short term, some faculty research projects could be hindered if the shut down continues. The real consequences of the government shut down will arise if the shutdown lasts for more than a few weeks, said
Kelvin Droegemeier, vice president for research. The shutdown occurred Monday night when compromise couldn’t be reached between the house Republicans and Democrats on a spending bill. Depending on how long the shutdown lasts, federally funded research at OU shouldn’t be affected, Droegemeier said. Because federal research already has been funded by grants, the shutdown won’t affect those researchers much, he said. However, as long as the shutdown lasts, researchers won’t
be able to submit any new proposals and researchers won’t get any new funding. “That’s a pain,” Droegemeier said. Another issue the shutdown presents is that faculty can’t talk to the program officers of their grants, and they can’t make changes in existing grants, like if they need to purchase new equipment, he said. While grant-funded research is only marginally affected in the short term, researchers on federal contracts already SEE SHUTDOWN PAGE 2
TRANSPORTATION
CHRIS JAMES/THE DAILY
International students wait outside Kraettli Apartments, Sept. 29, for a trip to Walmart. Students like these rely on transportation provided by different organizations on campus.
Volunteers provide rides for students Inflating CART fare Exchange students find new avenues of transport SIMENG DAI
Campus Reporter
Many exchange students who don’t have cars are finding it difficult to navigate Norman for basic necessities like groceries, but fortunately various organizations are helping transport them around the city. To counter their transportation issues, many students turn to alternative methods like walking, using public transportation, riding with friends and sometimes hitchhiking to and from their destinations. One exchange student decided to test his legs and walk to Homeland on Main Street during his first week on campus. It took Denis Rupp, an industrial engineering senior from Germany, 40 minutes to walk to Homeland. “I really didn’t care, and I did need some stuff,” he said. In Germany, most people take the train, he said, so he was used to not driving places. After that experience, though, Rupp said he wouldn’t walk anymore and now biking would be his chosen form of transportation. While some students try to walk or bike given reasonable weather conditions, others take the bus. However, some have found that when they take the bus to get groceries, the errand can
turn into a disaster. The second week of the semester, Edwin Vega, an electrical engineering senior from Colombia, took the bus to Walmart at 6 p.m. As he was leaving Walmart, Vega met some friends and they talked for what he thought was a short time. Looking at the sun, Vega thought it was only 7 p.m., but when he checked his phone it was 9 p.m. and he had missed the last bus. Realizing this, he ran to the bus stop
“I was so worried about my ice cream, and I was so upset.” DAIRA GONZALES ZURITA, ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SENIOR
with all the groceries. “I was almost crying,” Edwin said. Not knowing what else to do, he tried to hitchhike back home, but that plan failed. Finally, a bus came up with the sign that said it was out of service. “I didn’t think it would stop,” Edwin said. However, it stopped about 200 yards away from him and he ran toward it, he said. When the door opened, the driver asked how he could help him. Edwin tried to explain his situation, but his broken English hindered him. Eventually, the driver was able to help
L&A: A blues band will perform at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of art annual student party (Page 5)
him and Edwin got home. For those students not yet familiar with the bus schedule, missing the bus is a common occurrence. Daira Gonzales Zurita, an environmental engineering senior from Bolivia, had a similar experience after she caught the return bus from Walmart and waited at the Brooks Street Transfer station for a ride back to Traditions West Apartments. She thought the bus would be stopped for a while, so she didn’t run to the bus when it came. Before she realized it, the bus had gone and she had to wait for another 30 minutes. “My ice cream was melted,” Daira said. “I was so worried about my ice cream, and I was so upset.” That was her last time to take the bus to Walmart, she said. In addition to CART, two churches help exchange students go to Walmart, including Grace Life Church. Church volunteers take 15 students by a mini bus every Thursday or Friday. Jon Gagnon, the campus pastor for Grace Life Church, believes one of the ways you can help people is to make them feel loved. “Love is practical,” Gagnon said. Taking students to get groceries is a simple way to help them and make them feel loved, he said. “Small deeds have huge impacts,” SEE SMALL DEEDS PAGE 2
won’t hurt wallets
Plans to raise fares and upgrade vehicles will have a minor impact on students ARIANNA PICKARD Campus Editor
Student fees will not be affected if the Cleveland Area Rapid Transit’s bus fare is increased. CART director Doug Myers told Norman city leaders on Monday that he is considering raising the cost of bus fare, but student fees will not be raised as a result, said Vicky Holland, OU Parking and Transit spokeswoman. Student tuition includes a fee to pay for CART services, which transports about 450,000 students to campus from Lloyd Noble Center and about 163,000 on the apartment loop route each year, Holland said. Since students pay for CART services with fees, the only students who would be affected by the increase in bus fare are students who ride the sooner express, Holland said. The fare for the sooner express route, which buses students from Oklahoma City to campus, would increase from $2.25 to $3. Holland said CART officials are considering raising the fare, which hasn’t increased in 18 years, to buy new vehicles. “We need the money to replenish our fleet because it’s aging,” Holland said. “They’re quite costly.” The vehicles cost about $400,000 each and have about a 12-year life span, she said. C ART is funded mostly by the Federal Transit Administration and OU, Holland said. Passenger fare only makes up a small portion of the service’s funding. The fees won’t officially be raised until after public hearings are held, which probably will take place in November, Holland said. “I believe it’ll have to go in front of the Norman City Council, once those hearings have been held to let residents weigh in,” she said. “It’s not set in stone yet.”
News: Members of OU’s Student Government Association will be available to answer students’ questions and listen to concerns on the South Oval on Wednesday (Online)
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