February 14-17, 2019

W E E K E N D E D I T I O N | F E B R U A R Y 14 -17, 2 0 19 | 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

Everything You Need to Know About Renting in Norman

Living Guide

Find Your Next Move Inside

OU DAILY

PHOTO BY PAXSON HAWS/THE DAILY

OU INVESTIGATING BOREN FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLAIMS

Former president’s attorney says Boren denies wrongdoing

A

spokesperson for former OU President David Boren denied Boren acted inappropriately or unlawfully during his tenure at the university after The Oklahoman reported Wednesday that Boren was being investigated by the university for sexual harassment against male aides.

Bob Burke, an attorney and spokesperson for Boren, said in a statement he has not been made aware of the complaint against David Boren. Boren, 77, served as OU president from 1994 to 2018, and was previously a U.S. senator and the governor of Oklahoma.

“I have been told that President James Gallogly has in the past few months commissioned the Jones-Day firm to investigate several people,” Burke said. “I have not been given a complaint or summary of any

NICK HAZELRIGG • @NICKHAZELRIGG complaint against President Boren. To date, Jones-Day has not accepted our invitation to meet to talk about the matter.

Jones-Day has been paid nearly $300,000 in taxpayer money and still won’t agree to even talk to President Boren’s counsel.”

Bu rke s a i d B o re n , w h o i s on a sabbatical from teaching at OU this spring, denies any wrongdoing.

“Even though we have received no complaint, President Boren emphatically denies any inappropriate behavior or unlawful activity,” Burke said. “He has been a dedicated public servant for more than 50 years and his life is an open book in Oklahoma.”

University spokesperson Lauren Brookey emailed a statement saying the university had a legal obligation to investigate some allegations of misconduct.

Brookey did not specifically tie the investigation to Boren or specify what type of misconduct was under investigation.

“I hope this leak of a possible inquiry is not part of any agenda to smear President Boren’s good name.”

BOB BURKE, ATTORNEY AND SPOKESPERSON FOR DAVID BOREN

“The University of Oklahoma received allegations of serious misconduct that it was legally obligated to investigate,” Brookey said. “The University retained the Jones Day firm to

conduct an independent investigation, which is ongoing at the current time. Appropriate individuals will have an opportunity to be interviewed during the investigation.”

Burke said the investigation is “not an objective search for truth,” mentioning previous reports of conflict between Boren and current OU President James Gallogly.

“It is a fishing expedition,” Burke said. “It has been widely reported that the current OU president threatened to destroy President Boren. I hope this leak of a possible inquiry is not part of any agenda to smear President Boren’s good name.”

The university contracted Jones Day previously to investigate misreporting of donation information. At the time, OU General Counsel Anil Gollahalli said the final report from that

specific Jones Day investigation would not be made public.

During his 1978 campaign for U.S. senator, after public accusations from his opponent that he was gay, Boren swore on a bible that he was not bisexual or gay.

“The statement is utterly ridiculous and categorically untrue,” the Washington Post reported Boren saying at the time.

“It is a shame that a person has to be subjected to this kind of personal attack in order to try to serve the public. I particularly resent the statement because it reflects upon the reputation of my wife, my children and my family as well as myself.”

Nick Hazelrigg

hazelriggn@gmail.com

Norman city councilwoman elected mayor Breea Clark avoids runoff election, will succeed Lynne Miller NICK HAZELRIGG @nickhazelrigg

Norman city councilwoman and OU employee Breea Clark emerged victorious after Tuesday’s mayoral election, receiving a majority of the votes and avoiding a runoff against city councilman Bill Hickman.

Clark, director of OU’s JCPenney Leadership Center, received 51.43 percent of the vote, while Hickman received 45.02 percent and community activist Evan Dunn received 3.55 percent. The three-way race would have gone to a runoff had no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote.

“We did our best to include the community and get the young people involved, and I think that made all the difference,” Clark said of her campaign.

Hickman, a prominent

Norman attorney, had received endorsements from prominent Oklahoma officials, including 2018 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Drew Edmondson and Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill Baker. Hickman said in a Facebook post after the results that he congratulated and conceded to Clark.

Clark will succeed current Norman Mayor Lynne Miller. Clark had previously told The Daily that she had once considered running for Oklahoma House District 45 but was prohibited by an OU policy that prohibited employees from running for county, state or federal elections. The policy, which Clark spoke out about, was repealed by the Board of Regents in June.

Additionally, Norman voters approved two $186 million public school bond propositions by more than 75 percent of the vote. Norman Public Schools Superintendent Nick Migliorino told the Norman Transcript that the vote was a reaffirmation of the community’s support for the

public school system.

“It’s continued affirmation that our community believes in education, believes in what our teachers are doing and what we’re delivering,” Migliorino said. “I can’t wait to start delivering on some of those promises.”

In city council elections, Kate Bierman, Ward 1 incumbent, and Stephen Tyler Holman, Ward 7 incumbent, secured 63.25 percent and 53.67 percent of the vote in their respective areas. They will keep their seats if the Cleveland County Election Board declares the vote valid by 5 p.m. Feb. 15.

Ward 3 candidates Alison Petrone and Richard Bailey secured 49.84 percent and 44.81 percent of the vote, respectively. Since neither candidate received a majority, a runoff election will be held April 2, according to the Norman City Council website.

Nick Hazelrigg

hazelriggn@gmail.com

JORDAN MILLER/THE DAILY

Breea Clark stands outside the Carnegie Building on Jan. 17, 2018. Clark was elected mayor of Norman Feb. 12.

2

• February 14-17, 2019

NEWS

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

Students protest bursar policy Group marches to back international students at risk BAILEY LEWIS @BaileyLewis75

ARCHIEBALD BROWNE @archiebaldmoses

A march for international students took place to protest the change in OU’s policy that prevents students with outstanding bursar balances from enrolling, which could cause international students to be deported The march started at noon and went from Dale Hall to Evans Hall, where students gave testimonials and delivered a list of demands to OU President James Gallogly.

Among other things, the demands included a request for a revision of the OU bursar policy and better communication between the students and the administration.

Th e ma rc h wa s h o s ted by four OU organizations : The Arab Student Association OU, the United World OU, LatinArte and the Hispanic American Student Association.

Youseff Kamel, an international studies and religious studies junior, was one of the leaders of the march and said the march was a response to, “how the OU administration has been handling everything that has been going on...whether it’s international students or

people of color who are over here being consistently ignored. It’s also very important to note that the statements that have been made by the administration were hurtful, wrong and misleading,” Kamel said. “This can lead to someone coming up to us and attacking because we look different.”

There are 12 international students with a bursar hold on their registration, and Wednesday, Feb. 13 was the deadline for students to pay their outstanding balances to reapply for student visa status, according to a university spokesperson. If the students are unable to enroll, they are at risk of losing student visa status and being deported.

One of the international students was able to enroll because of an anonymous donation of $5,000 on her behalf and a promise that she would have the rest of her bursar debt paid off by March 25.

David Surratt, vice president of student affairs and dean of students, was in attendance to support the students.

“The idea of activism and forming a social movement is really hard and difficult and it’s scary,” Surratt said.

“What I want to understand more is digging deeper than the comments and saying there is an issue of lack of inclusion and what does that mean and how do we tie that into the work and services that we provide.”

Students march on the South Oval during the March for International Students Feb. 12.

Surratt said the biggest thing he is trying to work on is getting better at elevating the student voices and translating it to the president, something the leaders of the movement want to happen.

“First of all, the thing that we want the most is more student communication with the administration,” Kamel said. “Because a lot of the policies that we have could be fixed and so much better if they focused on the human aspect and the student impact of their choices,

rather than just looking at us as sources of money.”

Emily Mee, a political science senior who attended the march, said Gallogly should listen to OU students when creating policies about international students.

“I think if (Gallogly) asked students whether or not we would be happy to add an extra dollar to our tuition so that our friends could stay enrolled and graduate, I think that he would be surprised to learn that overwhelmingly, we’re in

support of our international students,” Mee said.

After the march reached Evans Hall and students began giving testimonies, Gallogly walked out of Evans Hall to give a statement and answer questions from attendants.

“We are very proud of all the students we have here from so many locations, in fact we talk about diversity, we say sometimes let’s send people to other countries, here we have students from other countries coming to

ZHENG QU/THE DAILY

OU so that’s very important,” Gallogly said.

While Gallogly briefly spoke about the importance of diversity on campus, he did not give any indication of revising the OU policy demanded by the marchers.

Bailey Lewis

bailey.n.lewis-1@ou.edu

Archiebald Browne

archiebaldbrowne@gmail. com

Review shows state lagging in innovative fields OU goal to double research may help but will take time BLAKE DOUGLAS @Blake_Doug918

A technological and e c o n o m i c re v i e w p u b lished in late 2018 revealed Oklahoma has lost significant ground to its neighbors in innovative fields, something OU President James Gallogly is aiming to change by doubling the university’s research output.

The data was published by the Milken Institute, a nonprofit think tank focused on creating jobs and e n c ou rag i ng e c o n o m i c development.

O k l a h o m a’s d e c l i n e prompted Scott Meacham, an OU graduate, former state treasurer and current president and CEO of i2E, a company focused on growing the economy and entrepreneurship in Oklahoma, to submit an opinion piece to The Oklahoman.

In the opinion column, Meacham was vocal in calling for the state to commit to investing “strategically in research, science and technology.”

“There are actions we can take,” Meacham wrote in the column, specifically citing investment in higher education and development of programs to commercialize university technologies.

Meacham’s recommendation coincides with Gallogly’s promise to double research at OU, somet h i ng Me a c ha m t ou t e d as vitally important for Oklahoma’s future growth as a state.

“We are already well on our way to achieving our goal of doubling research funding and supporting Oklahoma’s economic development climate,” Gallogly said at a Board of Regents meeting on Jan. 30.

Doubling research has remained a high priority under Gallogly’s administration. The promise has impacted several university

JORDAN MILLER/THE DAILY

OU President James Gallogly speaks to a reporter in his office in Evans Hall Feb. 7. Gallogly wants to double research at OU.

policy changes over the past six months, including a recent reduction in OU graduate fees.

O U re s e a rc h e r s h av e achieved impressive feats in the last year, such as discovering extragalactic planets, studying breakthrough treatments for lung cancer and seeing a 25 percent increase in research awards, according to the university’s own report. Despite these advancements, Oklahoma ranked 47th in the Milken I n s t i t u t e ’s 2 0 1 8 S t a t e Technology and Science Index.

The State Technology and Science Index, or STSI, is a measure of a state’s available science and technology resources, showing a state’s ability to adapt to future economic and technological trends.

Fa l l i n g t h re e s p o t s since the 2016 rankings, Oklahoma now sits ahead o f o n l y A rka n sa s, We st

Virginia and Mississippi.

Meacham said the STSI is not the only index that displays Oklahoma’s economic and technological shortcomings. The Brookings Institution’s State of the Heartland 2018 Factbook showed similar data.

“Both of those showed that Oklahoma is lagging behind in building the infrastructure it needs for its future economy,” Meacham said. “The economy of the future will be much more of a technology driven economy based on innovation.

The key building blocks of innovation are education, and research and development funding, as well as university tech transfer.”

In all of these measures, Oklahoma ranks near the bottom nationally, according to the STSI. Oklahoma ranked 50th in the human capital investment metric of the STSI, which, according to the

STSI web report, measures “how much is invested in developing the workforce — the most important intangible asset of a regional or state economy.”

According to Joe Lee, a research analyst for the Milken Institute who specializes in human capital and economic development, this metric is determined by numerous general education indicators like general ACT scores, how much the state provides in student aid and percentage of the population with a certain degree.

Oklahoma’s recent education cuts, which in part prompted last year’s teacher walkout, have greatly impacted Oklahoma’s spot in the rankings and future e conomic outlo ok said Kevin Klowden, the executive director of the Milken Institute.

The presence of research universities and proper

funding for such institutions in a state is an enormous factor in its ranking in the STSI, according to Klowden. “ I t ’s n o t j u s t t h e r e s e a rc h,” K l ow d e n s a i d .

“Fundamentally, it’s the issue of tech transfer. Not only do you need to look into things that are particularly interesting and applicable, but you’ve also got to figure out how to keep these technologies in the community.”

Retaining the individual talent and start-up businesses that research universities attract is vital in building an innovation-based e c o n o my , a c c o rd i ng to Klowden, but many times talent is drawn to areas with more funding for their start-ups and a lower or near-equivalent cost of living.

While Klowden acknowledged that Oklahoma does have s ome universities

like OU that attract talent through their research programs, he said the state’s retention issue is a result of its competition with institutions like the University of Texas, Texas A&M and Rice University, which all offer similar or superior resources.

Based on the data from high-ranking states in the STSI and similar indexes, Gallogly’s commitment to boosting university research output would be a step to halt Oklahoma’s technological and economic slide and boost retention of talent, Meacham said.

“We’re very aware of the vision President Gallogly has laid out, and applaud it, quite frankly,” Meacham said. “A university has to divide itself between its academic mission and its research mission. Arguably the University of Oklahoma, when you look at its research output, was probably over-tilted towards its academic mission.”

Meacham said the academics of any university shouldn’t be disregarded in favor of boosting research however, advocating for “finding the proper balance.”

Despite being optimistic about the course, Gallogly has set for university research and its effect on the state economy, Meacham said seeing results will take time.

“It takes a while to build research infrastructure and create tangible results, so anyone expecting to see marked increases in even a year is probably unrealistic,” Meacham said. “It’s more of a long-term proposition.”

Klowden agreed, saying the STSI often lags slightly behind the actual economic state of the areas surveyed.

The STSI is carried out every two years, with the next index slated to be published by 2020.

Blake Douglas

blake.douglas918@gmail. com

NEWS

February 14-17, 2019 •

Students face job limitations International students restricted on employment

George Stoia Sports Editor Siandhara Bonnet Culture Editor

@l_decosta

Kayla Branch Enterprise Editor Caitlyn Epes Visual Editor Emily McPherson Copy Chief Emily Douthitt Print Editor

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

phone:

405-325-3666

email:

dailynews@ou.edu

ZHENG QU/THE DAILY

Organizers of the March for International Students stand in front of Evans Hall Feb. 12. The International Student Services on campus has aimed to give international students the resources to succeed.

job kind of allows me to give back to international students as they come,” Manuel said.

Mohammed AlHudaifi, a n e ng i n e e r i ng s o p h omore, has been working for Cross Restaurants since October of 2018. He is an international student from the Middle Eastern country Oman.

AlHudaifi said he is frustrated when it comes to opportunities for jobs off campus, and that even the online jobs are restricted. “ Eve n i f I w o rke d f o r Oman, but online, that’s not allowed here,” AlHudaifi said.

AlHudaifi is not the only international student curious about the regulations.

Omar Yadak is a native of Jordan and studying architectural engineering as a sophomore. Yadak’s work experience at OU totals a year and combines working at OU Public Opinion Learning Laboratory as a tutor for the Arabic Flagship Program and serving as a TA for some Arabic classes. He currently works 10 hours a week.

Yadak said for some, it’s more than an inconve nience. The money earned goes toward expenses like plane tickets home, food,

rent and school payments.

“I tried to tell (the Arabic Flagship Program) that I need to work more, you know,” Yadak said. “I’m an international student. I have to even go back home, so I have to pay for my flight ticket and all that, and then they didn’t help me that much.”

Yadak also said the restrictions on working off campus make it difficult for him to create more connections and experience life outside of the university.

“It could be more convenient, and (I could) get more money,” Yadak said. “I would like working off campus, but at the same time I

can’t.”

In order for students to work off campus, they must also obtain a work visa, which can take up to two months depending on the country of origin.

“The government typically takes more time reviewing visa applications for individuals from countries with strained relationships with the U.S. and especially for students from those countries who want to study sensitive majors,” Rojas said.

Maria Decosta

Maria.l.decosta-1@ou.edu

OU’s new bookstore confuses some Officials commit to transparency with new online system SCOTT KIRKER @scott_kirker

Although some students have been confused following OU’s bookstore transition, university officials remain committed to making the transition effective long term.

Between the fall and spring semesters, the university transitioned from a physical and online bookstore run by Follett, a national book provider that partners with numerous universities and has moved to a location on Campus Corner, to a fully online bookstore run by Akademos, a newer company that focuses on online and hybrid bookstore solutions for college campuses.

In the start-of-semester rush to purchase textbooks, some students confused or put off by aspects of the new online OU bookstore opted against purchasing books there.

Letters junior Carl Appen said he did not use the Akademos bookstore for most of his purchases because he would have had to pay separate shipping for each book — he was buying books through a section of the Akademos bookstore known as the marketplace.

T h e ma rk e t p l a c e ha s items that come from a variety of sellers, which include sellers from Amazon and Chegg, but anyone can become an individual seller on Akademos’ marketplace, said Britt McDermitt, an Akademos representative, in an email.

“I think it charged something like $5 or $6 per book, because if you bought them on the marketplace, it had individual shipping charges for each book,” Appen said.

These individual charges meant that to buy seven

Nick Hazelrigg News Managing Editor Julia Weinhoffer Engagement Editor

MARIA DECOSTA

For many international students, the struggle to find a job on campus and maintain enough hours to pay all mandatory expenses is one that is common and unwavering.

The International Student Services on campus has aimed to give international students the resources to succeed for over 50 years.

However, the many assets available to aid international students also come with restrictions. Those who wish to work are permitted to work no more than 20 hours per week, according to the International Student Services website.

In order to work off campus students must undergo additional training, otherwise known as Curricular P ra c t i c a l T ra i n i n g a n d Optional Practical Training.

Even then, the job must be required by or count directly toward the student’s major, similar to an internship.

Director of International Student Ser vices Robyn Rojas said in an email to The Daily that these regulations are put in place by the government to “avoid misuse of the student visa.”

Pedro Manuel, a public relations and international studies senior, is an international student from Angola and has worked for International Student Services since the summer of 2016.

“When I came here some people helped me, and this

Emma Keith Editor in Chief

books, Appen would have had to pay over $30 in shipping. At the previous Follett bookstore, students could avoid shipping charges by buying books directly at their brick-and-mortar store.

Grey Allman, director of operations for the provost’s office, said the admin istration and Akademos are committed to saving students money on textbooks and maintaining transparency.

“We want students to get a good deal, and so, we do want to be transparent about, whatever they’re ordering, what exactly does that mean,” Allman said.

Akademos offers two shipping options, economy and standard shipping, McDermitt said. According to the Akademos website for OU, after a book is shipped at economy shipping, it will take approximately 3-10 days to arrive.

After a book is shipped at standard shipping, the book will take approximately 2-5 days to arrive.

McDermitt said free e c o n o my s h i p p i ng w i l l

often get books to purchasers within 3 business days if the book is in stock and everything goes well, but that the wide time ranges are there to ensure transparency.

“Maybe we can look into fine-tuning that timeline, but know that the reason it is there is so we remain transparent,” McDermitt said. “The most important thing to note is the earlier you can go on and buy your books, the better. You will get more marketplace options and won’t need to consider upgrading your shipping.”

This 3-10 day potential time gap between ordering and arrival for free economy orders is an obstacle students faced less frequently with a brick-andmortar store on campus.

The time gap can make things difficult for students, many of whom often wait until the first week of classes to purchase their books.

Nursing junior Lauren Rudd said she likes to wait to purchase books because it saves her money.

“Sometimes professors

will assign books and later say they’re optional,” Rudd said. “In my microbiology class, the lab manual is $45, but my lab partner ended up buying it and we split the cost. We didn’t need to get two because it’s the same book, and we’re just sitting right next to each other for the lab.”

Appen said he also waits to purchase books.

“I change class enrollments often, so I want to ma ke su re I’ m a c tually going to be in those c l a s s e s ,” A p p e n s a i d .

“Sometimes, you get to a class and the teacher will say that you may or may not use this textbook.”

Pr ices for Akademos’ e conomy and standard shipping options depend on whether a book is purchased in a retail order or on the marketplace.

McDermitt said free economy shipping is available for retail orders but not for marketplace items.

“Let’s say you’re selling one of your books to a student on a different campus (using the Akademos marketplace),” McDermitt said.

“We don’t want you to have to incur those shipping charges, so there is a standard shipping charge for those marketplace items.”

According to the website, rental items or items purchased from the marketplace have a $5.96 charge per item for economy shipping and a $8.99 charge per item at standard shipping.

For retail orders with shipping that is upgraded to 2-5 day standard shipping, the charge is $6.97 plus $2.00 per book. “ We h o p e t h a t w e ’ r e being transparent enough on our site that you can evaluate and decide if you should get that marketplace book for much cheaper, but pay shipping charges, or that used copy we have available that has free shipping,” McDermitt said.

Appen, whose Amazon Prime subscription gives him access to free shipping, said it may be difficult for an online OU bookstore to beat that experience.

“I don’t think the books (I ordered) were delivered within a week,” Appen said.

“I think it was pretty much just standard — I’m so used to Amazon’s two-day shipping that anything that takes that long is going to be significant.”

Allman said despite potential shipping challenges, the administration is committed to sharing as much information as possible on options available from the university book provider so that students can save time and money, no matter where they decide to buy books.

“What we’re striving for, as OU, is that the information provided is as accurate as it can be and as transparent as it can be, and we’re working with Akademos to make that happen,” Allman said.

Scott Kirker

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CAITLYN EPES AND ZHENG QU/THE DAILY

The OU Bookstore now uses an online service for students to order books.

stk@ou.edu

160 Copeland Hall, 860 The Oklahoma Vleet Oval Daily isVan 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 dailyeditor@ou.edu.

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

The board meets at 4:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday in Copeland Hall, Room 168. 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.

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

stay connected

/oudaily /oudaily

@oudaily @oudaily

@theoklahomadaily @theoudaily

oudaily oudaily

oudaily.com oudaily.com

VOL.104, NO. 10

© 2019 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25¢

3

4

• February 14-17, 2019

CULTURE

Siandhara Bonnet, culture editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/culture • Twitter: @OUDailyCulture

OU Theatre puts on moving opera “Rodelinda� show immerses audience into emotional acts

which she refuses.

The next day, Bertarido, whose death was faked, visits his tomb in disguise. He hides and listens as Rodelinda is threatened by Garibaldo, an ally of Grimoaldo. Although Garibaldo pretends to be loyal to the king, he secretly longs for the throne.

Rodelinda agrees to marry Garibaldo, much to Bertarido’s dismay.

However, Rodelinda has no intentions of marrying Garibaldo and puts her family in danger to save them. When Bertarido is revealed to be alive, the characters take sides to ensure the true king reclaims the throne.

Emma Youngblood, first year vocal performance master’s candidate, conveyed emotion from the moment she stepped onto the stage. Her grief-filled voice pulled the audience into her suffering as she mourned the death of her husband. Then, when Grimoaldo proposed to her, rage contorted her face as she told him she would never betray her husband.

Jin Yu, first year voice performance doctoral candidate, delivered a captivating performance as Garibaldo. His deep voice filled the room as he sang about his secret schemes.

As he paced the stage with a revolver in his hands, his cunning smile left the audience with no doubts as to who the villain of the story

SAM TONKINS

@samanthatonkins

Editors note: The following review contains spoilers for “Rodelinda.�

OU University Theatre’s performance of “Rodelinda� is full of courage, loyalty and repentance, as well as political drama and betrayal. “Rodelinda� is an 18th century opera written by George Frideric Handel.

T h e o p e ra i s i n It a l i a n with English supertitles, a translation of the lyrics are shown above the stage.

The stage is only decorated with two stone benches and a stone crypt, which re ma i n t h rou g h ou t t h e entire opera. Props like a throne and a prayer kneeler are briefly used, but the stage remains open and uncluttered.

The intimate setting of the Weitzenhoffer Theatre allows the audience to be only feet away from the performers and feel immersed in the story. “Rodelinda� begins with a solemn procession to the royal crypt. King Bertarido was killed, and his wife Rodelinda and young son Flavio are in mourning. As they stand near the tomb, Grimoaldo, the usurper and new king, enters and asks Rodelinda to marry him,

KATHRYN STACY/THE DAILYN

Queen Rodelinda, played by Emma Youngblood, points a gun at Duke Grimoaldo in the dress rehearsal of “Rodelinda� Feb. 11.

truly is.

Instead of being hidden from view, the orchestra is exposed, allowing the audience to see the inner workings of the ensemble. The audience feels like it is sitting in the orchestra pit as the small orchestra brings

Handel’s music to life.

During one song in Act I, Rodelinda sings high, crystal clear notes, and a flute from the orchestra repeats the notes back to her.

The audience is able to see this exchange take place in a way that would not be

possible in a larger theater. “Rodelinda� tells a story of love, loyalty and bravery that has the audience crying at the beginning and smiling by the end.

The opera has three acts with two 10-minute intermissions.

“Rodelinda� will have performances at 8 p.m. Feb. 14-16 and a performance at 3 p.m., Feb. 17, at the Weitzenhoffer Theatre.

Sam Tonkins

samantha.tonkins@ou.edu

OU Chorale to perform celebratory concert Choir to put on show for Black History Month

place on Feb. 24 in Catlett Music Center.

The concert is directed and conducted by Richard Zielinski, director of choral activities and head of graduate choral studies. The OU Chorale consists of several international students from Asia, Africa, Europe and across the Americas. “When you look at the choir, you see a diverse group of people from different parts of the country, different ages, different religions, and of course

ALMA CIENSKI @almacienski

To c e l e b r a t e B l a c k Histor y Month, the O U Chorale w ill p er for m a concert celebrating black culture through a variety of musical styles entitled “Lift Every Voice and Sing!�

The concer t w ill take

different races,� Zielinski said. “There’s something special that happens when a g ro u p o f p e o p l e w h o come from diverse backgrounds sing in a diverse program. When people sing a perfectly tuned chord, that’s harmony — people working together to create something larger than the individual.�

The program will feature musical works from different musical eras and genres that share similar themes. Among the pieces

featured are “Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden (Praise the Lord, all nations!)� by J.S. Bach, “Sicut Cervus�

by Palestrina and more modern gospel songs such as “Wade in the Water,� originally sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers.

The concert will be live streamed; however, Zielinski recommends attending the event to experience how unifying music can be. Zielinski said there will be some opportunities for audience participation

Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg February 14, 2019

my friend’s got mental illness

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.

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.

ACROSS 1 Skewered Thai dish 6 Yank until 2016 10 “Waterloo� band 14 Patsy profiled in “Sweet Dreams�

15 Seized car, informally 16 Russia’s ___ Mountains 17 Aluminum giant 18 *Result of oversleeping (read each starred answer as a clue for a single letter!)

20 Dull routine 21 Minor employee 22 Drunk as a skunk 23 2018 World Cup winner 26 Simplifies 28 *Vice president, e.g.

33 Shortage 34 Pony up 35 One waving a baton 38 “My guess is ...�

42 NYSE debut 43 “Hey Jude� syllables 45 *Balancing point 52 Oakland’s Oracle ___ 2/14

53 “Aida� and “Otello�

54 Military raid 57 Stimpy’s pal 59 Name that anagrams to “Ira�

60 *Pen pal’s exhortation 62 Former sporty Ford, briefly 64 On the subject of 65 Shrek, for one 66 Surgeon’s beam 67 Classic clown 68 Ctrl and Alt 69 Belief system DOWN 1 Inhales, with “down�

2 Appeal 3 Ice Breakers alternative 4 “I’ll take that as ___�

5 Nay’s opposite 6 Guthrie of folk 7 Chem lab substance 8 Check a box, say 9 Childish rebuttal 10 “Rain Man� condition 11 Muffin type 12 Boxer’s comeback?

13 Cher, voice-wise

19 Rose support 21 Tree on Lebanon’s flag 24 Auction actions 25 Tech review site 27 Feeling sore 29 Like some patches 30 Animated shopkeeper 31 Hanoi’s country, familiarly 32 Add color to 35 ___ drop (stage flourish) 36 Gorilla or gibbon 37 Geological stretch 39 Moses’ brother 40 Crackle companion

41 Rescue 44 Very different (from) 46 Heart on a bicep, say 47 Cleveland’s lake 48 Adidas subsidiary 49 Bluffer’s bold words 50 Paved the way?

51 San ___ (town north of Tijuana) 54 Q-tip, e.g.

55 -ish 56 Cracker brand 58 Barely makes (out) 61 Alwaysincreasing number 62 Dr. Mom’s specialty 63 Chocolate purchase

PREVIOUS PREVIOUSPUZZLE PUZZLEANSWER ANSWER

to sing along with the choir. “I would encourage the student groups who protested (during the Rally to Stop Racism) to come to this concert and be a part of this,� Zielinski said. “We’ll unite our voices. I don’t want people to think that since we had a march a couple of weeks ago that something’s going to change. We all have to be living it, treating each other right every single day.�

The “Lift Every Voice and Sing!� concert will be at 3

Š 2019 Andrews McMeel Universal Š 2019 Andrews McMeel Universal www.upuzzles.com www.upuzzles.com

“L-O-V-E Spell� by Debbie Ellerin

Alma Cienski

aacienski@ou.edu

HOROSCOPE

By Eugenia Last

Copyright 2015, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019 HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! ♼ ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last

to a conversation that is likely to become controversial. Know what and who you are up against.

Home improvements, changes that will free up cash or help you raise your earning potential and getting to the bottom of relationship issues should all be on your radar.

Prepare to make a move when the opportunity arises.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Don’t let change bring out the worst in you.

If you accept the inevitable, you will find a way to turn whatever you are faced with into something worth your while.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -Your home should be welcoming. If something is wrong, it’s up to you to make an adjustment. Look for an opening that will help stabilize your future.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Look at what you can accomplish, and keep things in perspective. If you let minor annoyances bother you, it will prevent you from reaching your goals. Make moderation and simplicity your priorities.

2/13 2/11

p.m. on Feb. 24 in Sharp Concer t Hall in Catlett Music Center. Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling the OU Fine Arts Box Office at (405) 3254101 or visiting the box office. Tickets are $5 for students, seniors, military and OU faculty/staff; $9 for adults; $10 at the door.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Get involved in something that motivates you. Participation will help jump-start your ideas and get you moving in a new and exciting direction. Don’t take anything or anyone for granted.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Step outside your comfort zone if it will help you bring about positive change. Don’t ignore something or someone that is causing you stress.

Address issues and move on.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Listen to reason, and show some discipline when it comes to your health and well-being. How you respond to others will affect the kinds of opportunities you are given.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Go to unfamiliar places or indulge in something that will enhance your knowledge and experience. Much can be gained if you are open and receptive to something or someone unusual.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Live, learn and get the most from life.

What and who you encounter now will greatly affect your next move and future opportunities. Be prepared to follow through with your plans.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Explore things that interest you.

Personal improvements and activities that challenge you to be your best should be your priorities. Walk away from emotionally charged situations and liars.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Keep an open mind, and offer an accurate assessment of what you witness. Exaggerating facts will get you into trouble. Truth matters.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- If you don’t pay attention, someone will make a change that will affect your home and family. Address issues of concern and be prepared to ask for help from an expert.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Go about your business, and refrain from adding your two cents’ worth

February 14-17, 2019 •

SPORTS

5

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

OU still in playoff conversation OU’s performance out of conference keeping it afloat CALEB MCCOURRY @CalebMac21

After losing five straight g a m e s, O k l a h o m a ( 1 5 10, 3-9 Big 12) still found a place in ESPN’s weekly Bracketology with Joe Lunardi, a No. 12 seed with Arizona State in a First Four game in the South region.

T h e S o o n e r s a re j u s t coming off a 59-53 loss at Baylor and are now 2-7 in their last nine games. Now, Lunardi has the Sooners as one of eight teams competing for a spot on the playoff.

In a column written by Lunardi Tuesday morning, Lunardi states Oklahoma is still being judge d by the team’s success before January, when they went 11-1 out-of-conference.

Lunardi also wrote that the NCAA is, for some reason, holding that pre-conference record at a higher standard than when conference play came around.

“Nowhere on the NCAA t e a m s h e e t s i s c o n f e rence record documented,” Lunardi wrote. “Let’s repeat that for emphasis: the most important segment of any team’s results is excluded from the data most referenced by the committee.”

T h e S o o n e r s a re o n e of eight Big 12 teams in Lunardi’s bracket, which

Junior forward Kristian Doolittle shoots the winning shot of the game against TCU Jan. 12.

excludes Oklahoma State and West Virginia.

Oklahoma is on the road Saturday for an 11 a.m. g a m e a g a i n s t TC U a n d it has gone through a lot since TCU’s visit to Lloyd Noble.

Oklahoma had its last conference home win Jan. 12 against TCU (17-7, 5-6 Big 12). The Horned

F ro g s a re 1 0 - 2 i n t h e i r own Chollmaier Arena.

Their first home loss since November came against N o. 1 4 K a n s a s , 8 2 - 7 7 .

TCU took the Jayhawks to overtime.

Head coach Lon Kruger drew up a play for junior forward Kristian Doolittle while the Sooners and the Horned Frogs were tied

74-74 with less than 10 seconds on the clock. Doolittle received the inbounds, d ro v e i n t h e l a n e, a n d when he didn’t see additional purple jerseys come in for the stop, the shot was his. Doolittle made the 10foot jumper and sent the Sooners out of Lloyd Noble with a 13-3 record.

S i n c e D o o l i t t l e ’s

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Down 53-51 with 2:56 on the clock, senior guard C h r i s t i a n Ja m e s h a d a chance to tie the game after being fouled. It was a Flagrant 1, so James got two attempts. He missed them both. If a foul line appearance could summarize the Sooners’ conference play efforts, that instance would be it.

Meanwhile, TCU, is a noble 5-4 since paying the Sooners a visit at the Lloyd Noble Center. Of thos e nine games, the Horned Frogs are 1-3 on the road, bu t t h e o n e w i n c o m e s from a 92-83 against thenNo. 17 Iowa State in Ames.

TCU’s sophomore forward Kouat Noi had himself a game in Norman.

C o m i n g o f f t h e b e n c h, he exposed OU’s perimeter defense with eight 3-pointers on 12 attempts, finishing the game with 30 points. Noi is averaging 14.8 point and 4.6 rebounds a game.

TCU also grabbed 17 offensive rebounds to OU’s four. It was OU’s 49 percent field-goal percentage to TCU’s 34 that kept OU from being buried in 3-pointers and aggressive rebounding.

As for Doolittle, he’s averaging 11.3 points per game since his 24-point heroics against TCU.

game-winner, Oklahoma has gone 2-7. Their latest downfall, a 59-55 match Monday night against a Baylor team that completely overcame the Sooners with its 3-point game — 10-22 from beyond the arc Caleb McCourry — and its crunch time de- caleb.a.mccourry@ou.edu fense that forced two crucial OU turnovers that cost the game.

Kyler Murray ready to prove doubters wrong Former Oklahoma QB chooses NFL over Oakland A’s GEORGE STOIA @georgestoia

Following a 45-34 loss to No. 1 Alabama, Kyler Mu r r a y s a t b e f o r e t h e Oklahoma media one final time. And, of course he was asked about his future: Will it be football or baseball?

“Well,” a somber Murray said with a pause, “I haven’t really thought about it much.”

Monday, 45 days after his last college football game, Murray silenced the rumors and made it official in a 93-word tweet: Moving forward, I am firmly and fully comm i tt i n g m y l i f e a n d time to becoming an NFL quarterback.

Football has been my love and my passion my entire life. I raised

to play QB, and I very much look forward to dedication 100 percent of myself to being the best QB possible and winning NFL championships. I have started an extensive training program to further prepare myself for upcoming NFL workouts and interviews. I eagerly await the opportunity to continue to prove NFL decision makers that I am the franchise QB in this draft.

Mu r r a y ’s d e c i s i o n t o focus solely on football i s n ’ t a s u r p r i s i n g o n e.

Despite being drafted No. 9 overall by the Oakland A’s in the 2018 MLB Draft, Murray’s first love has always b e en fo otball. He p l aye d at O k l a h o ma i n 2018 to fulfill his dream of being a starting quarterback at a major Division I program. And as the 2018 season progressed, more and more signs pointed toward him coming to this decision.

Breaking the record for total QBR (95.8).

L eading Oklahoma to a fourth-straight Big 12 title.

Winning the Heisman T ro p hy . P l ay i n g i n t h e College Football Playoff.

Murray had a near-perfect final season of college football, with his draft stock rising as e a c h S a t u rd a y p a s s e d .

Which left the question, why wouldn’t he choose football? “ He’s a ga m e - c ha n g er — just look at when he played for us,” said Tom Westerberg, Murray’s former head coach at Allen High School. “Do you pick him out as a sophomore that he’s going to be an NFL player? No. But do you learn over the years that if you tell Kyler he can’t do something that he’s going to prove you wrong? Yep. “When s ome one said he couldn’t play in the NFL, he set his mind out to prove them wrong.”

Murray already has his doubters heading into the

NFL. They don’t question his arm or mobility — he threw for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns while rushing for 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns — and they especially don’t question his football IQ. Instead, t h e y q u e s t i o n h i s s i z e.

All 5-foot-10-inches, 195 pounds of him.

He would be the smallest starting quarterback in the league if the 2019 season started tomorrow.

But the recent success of quarterbacks like Seattle’s Russ ell Wils on (5’11”), New Orleans’ Drew Brees (6’0”) and even Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield (6’0”), give Mu r r a y h o p e a n d N F L teams a reason to look past his small stature. Murray’s height is all national media will talk about leading up to the draft April 25-27, but Westerberg, and many others, have already tuned out the noise.

“They’re not very smart,” Westerberg said. “ They don’t do their homework.

They don’t know him … It’s

guys that just get paid to talk and really don’t know what they’re talking about.”

Those who do know Murray know he has the potential to be a starting NFL quarterback, and a good one at that.

He has a cannon for an arm, he’s often the fastest player on the field and he rarely loses, going 43-0 as a starter in high school and 12-2 in college. Murray’s confidence level is similar to Mayfield’s — not in a loud or in-your-face way, but in a cool and collected way. He has a swagger few possess and demands excellence not only from himself, but from everyone around him.

“He’s a perfectionist.

He doesn’t like to lose. He doesn’t like to not be at the top level of what he’s doing,” Westerberg said.

“What you’re going to get is a guy that works extremely hard to be a perfectionist at whatever he’s doing. He wanted to practice at such a high level that it made

the game slower. And as a teammate, he expects them to do the same thing.

I don’t see that changing at the next level.”

Mur ray w ill continue to be one of the biggest offseason stories, as he should be. Baseball fans will wonder what could have been, while football fans will wonder what will be. And Sooner Nation will once again watch from a distance as their latest quarterback takes center stage.

“My goal was to be remembered here. I think that should be anybody’s goal, to step on campus and to make a name for yourself,” Murray said after the Orange Bowl. “I hope I did that.”

Murray did that at OU. And now he has the chance to do it in the NFL. George Stoia

georgestoia@ou.edu

6

• February 14-17, 2019

VALENTINES

CUT-OUT VALENTINES