W E E K D AY E D I T I O N | F E B R U A R Y 7-10 , 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
OUDAILY
The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916
COUNTY ELECTION • 3
Bursar debt serious for international students
Eighteen students with enrollment holds face possible deportation JANA ALLEN @jana_allen21
Eighteen of OU’s international students will be faced with the possibility of deportation if they
don’t pay off their bursar debt by this Friday, including one who is a senior and only needs three classes to graduate. The student, who wished to remain unnamed due to the nature of the situation, said she was not aware of the consequences of having an outstanding balance until January when she tried to enroll for the semester.
Now, if she doesn’t come up with $20,000, she will lose her visa status, losing the ability to work in the United States and be a student. “So our plan was first to talk to President Gallogly,” the student said. “(His assistant said) that he has no time. And so that’s when I asked, ‘So you’re telling me that people that are facing
deportation are not a priority at all?’ And she said, ‘I don’t know what to tell you.’” L a s t O c t o b e r, 6 , 0 0 0 s t u dents were notified that they could not enroll until they paid off their outstanding balance with the bursar’s office, said Lauren Brookey, OU vice president of marketing and communications. More than 5,500
holds have been resolved now, Brookey said, but there are still 454 students with enrollment holds, 18 of those being international students that rely on student visas to stay in the United States. Brookey said the 18 students in question have the opportunity See BURSAR page 2
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CAITLYN EPES AND KATHRYN STACY/THE DAILY
Computer science junior Timmy Luong packs an admissions box with confetti Jan. 31. The University of Oklahoma now sends out acceptances with boxes rather than folders.
THINKING INSIDE THE BOX
I
OU uses innovative admissions boxes to recruit students
n Buchanan Hall, small brown admission boxes surrounded by confetti are stashed, stacked and stuffed anywhere they can fit as they are being prepared to send to incoming students. Beginning in 2016, the University of Oklahoma switched over from sending acceptances in the standard large folders to boxes, according to Tiffany Haendel, the associate director of communications for the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. Haendel created the idea and designed the admission boxes. She said in the beginning stages of switching, the folders used by many universities shipped as flat packages, and the Office of Admissions and Recruitment was looking to send out something for the same postage rate. “We just started looking at anything and everything, brainstorming and rethinking the process from the ground up,” Haendel said. Haendel said finding the boxes was a big win for the office because they were lightweight and made the postage rate cheaper, sparking the idea to model the acceptances like subscription-style boxes. “We wanted people to feel like when they got their admission decision, it was exciting and an opportunity for them to unpack the experience,” Haendel said. Every incoming student receives a hand-stuffed and personalized admission box. Haendel said what the boxes are filled with changes a little each year. This year the box includes the admission letter, a handsigned card that outlines what is
WHITNEY CLEAR • @WHITNEYCLEAR
in the box, an “OU Bound” pennant, a card from the student’s academic college, information on the student’s next steps post-admission, crinkle paper and, new this year, a cardboard virtual reality headset. “Internationally, and nationally especially, we know that the campus tour is one of the most important things for people’s decision on where to go to college, and we’re always trying to increase access to that,” Haendel said. “We know that not every student has the ability to visit us, so that virtual reality headset has allowed us to bring the campus tour to their door.” With the cardboard virtual reality headset, incoming students will be able to insert their phone and have access to virtual campus tours anywhere they are just by walking around. If students applied in August, they would also receive an extra OU sticker book in their box. There was an increase in summer applicants by 300 students compared to last year, according to Haendel. Haendel said the team wanted the newly admitted students to understand the personal support, academic excellence and family nature of OU in the admission boxes, and these aspects inspired hand-signed components and personalization in the box. “An individual person reads every single application that comes into this office, and an individual person is going to stuff the box,” Haendel said. “Bringing attention to that, I think, really helps with that family feel at OU.” Danielle Dunn, director of communications for admissions
and recruitment, also plays a major role in the creation of the boxes. “We love seeing all of our admitted students take pictures with the ‘OU Bound’ pennant and use the hashtag #OUBound — it’s created this sense of excitement,” Dunn said.
"I feel like we’re bringing that celebration to the student where they are." DANIELLE DUNN , DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR ADMISSIONS AND RECRUITMENT
Dunn said not only are boxes mailed, but some are hand-delivered by admissions counselors to students at their schools, jobs and extracurricular activities. Dunn said deans of academic colleges take part in hand-deliveries as well, like Dean Ed Kelley of Gaylord College. “(Kelley) has been involved in helping us deliver some of the admission boxes along with a lot of the Gaylord alumni, too, so that’s been really fun to see,” Dunn said. “I feel like we’re bringing that celebration to the student where they are, whether that’s in Texas, California or Edmond, Oklahoma.” Haendel said switching over to admission boxes wasn’t easy in terms of working with vendors and designing a new box, but now the system runs smoothly in Buchanan Hall where the boxes are assembled.
Behind the assembly of boxes in Buchanan Hall is staff assistant in admissions and recruitment Tammra Lowery, where part of her job is to get the letters out. “There are a lot more steps to stuffing a box than just putting your letters in the folder, and it took some getting used to,” Lowery said. “We put a lot more in the boxes, so we have to have more space for that than we did the folders, but we love the boxes.” Lowery coordinates and works with student workers who take part in stuffing the boxes, like computer science junior Timmy Luong, who Lowery said is her main assistant when it comes to stuffing the boxes. “I think Tammra approached me last year around September and October when we were starting to get really busy, and I just practiced and got really fast at it, and Tammra really liked the way I stuffed the boxes,” Luong said. Haendel said there are 80 to 120 student workers across the buildings and it depends on the time of year for how many help them, but there are generally two to three that come in each day. She said everyone working in the office has had some hand in helping stuff the boxes. Haendel, who comes from a background in design, said she is very involved with the experiential design and what the unpacking looks like. She and Dunn said they both have taken part in stuffing boxes. According to Haendel, the boxes are very well-received by students. “ We hav e d o n e s u r v e y s with the full admitted student
population, asking them what their experience has been with the box , and those have all been overwhelmingly positive,” Haendel said. “One of the things we asked was, ‘Do you notice that the cards were hand-signed?’ And they overwhelmingly noticed that and appreciate it.” When OU first started sending out admission boxes, it was one of a few schools to do so. “When we started it, there were maybe one or two universities that we saw doing it, but it was pretty rare, and I think it’s changed the game in admissions.” said Haendel. Haendel, admissions and recruitment have been asked to speak at conferences about the boxes, and it’s always well-received, Haendal said. She said now when she hears another university is doing admission boxes, she finds it flattering. “It was not an easy process to switch to this. There was a lot that went into this, and I’m confident that we’ve really thought it through from every angle and created a special experience, instead of just rolling something out for novelty,” Haendel said. “That’s where I think we continue to stay at the front of the competition, because it requires an incredible amount of time and effort and really good marketing professionals brainstorming in a room together to come up with that idea.” Whitney Clear
whitney.clear@ou.edu
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• February 7-10, 2019
NEWS
Nick Hazelrigg, news managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily
Medical marijuana still illegal at OU
VIA PUBLIC DOMAIN
OU prohibits marijuana, including medical marijuana, on campus due to federal funding.
Usage on campus stays forbidden despite new law KAYLIE COTTEN @Cotten_Kaylie
Due to federal funding, OU’s strict policy on medical marijuana has obstructed a student from freely being able to use her prescribed medication. OU’s policy on marijuana, despite the passage of State Question 788 that legalized the use of medical marijuana, has remained unchanged and prohibits any use or possession of marijuana on campus. Last August, a university statement said despite the legalization of medical
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to attend another university or return to their countries. “I had heard some reference to the fact that we were targeting international students,” Brookey said. “That is not accurate but there is no doubt about it that it’s a particular challenge for international students who have outstanding balances.” Brookey said international students are not eligible for federal financial aid and it is harder for them to secure private financing such
marijuana in the state, the university receives federal funding and must comply with federal laws, including the federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. The act prohibits any use, possession or distribution of any illegal substances, including marijuana. This can be a problem for students who have a medical marijuana prescription, as they are not allowed to take or use their medication on campus. Film and media studies junior Carly Christianson said she struggles to regularly and properly use her medication during the day because she has to go home anytime she needs it. Christianson said she uses medical marijuana for
anxiety, sleep and appetite stimulation. “On days when I have one class, I can just come home,” Christianson said. “But when I’m on campus for six to seven hours straight and I have no time to come home, I can’t do much about it. It impacts me for sure.” OU ’s polic y prohibits students, faculty and staff from bringing any illegal substance or marijuana on campus, and OU’s Goddard Health Center does not handle or dispense marijuana, according to an email from Margaret Pool, assistant director of health services. Due to the influx of students and minors who use medical marijuana, some Oklahoma public schools
have worked to find ways to allow students to utilize such medication. Oklahoma City Public Schools has established a new policy where students’ legal caregivers can come and supply their child with the needed medication in a contained room and then leave with the substance after use. No staff or faculty, including the school nurse, can assist in handling or giving the marijuana, and it is to be done in a designated space in the school, according to Arely Martin, Oklahoma City Public Schools media relations manager. “The only part we are taking in the process is providing a private space for the student and the caregiver,”
Martin said. “However it’s important to mention that both (the student and caregiver) have to be licensed.” Public schools in the U.S. are pr imar ily governed by state and local governments, and only 8 percent o f U. S. p u b l i c s c h o o l s’ funding comes from federal funds, according to the U.S. Department of Education. This can mean that when a state law is changed, public school policy can change and adapt with it. OU, due to the amount of federal funding it receives, must abide by federal law and its p olicies for the campus, according to OU’s statement. “I’m sure we are expecti ng c ha ng e s i n l e g i s l a ture, and as those changes come, we will also make
the necessary adjustments to this policy,” Martin said. Christianson said she believes changes in university policy and on the federal level need to adapt as well to accommodate students who need this medication, like Oklahoma City Public Schools did for its students. “If we’re going to implement medical mar ijuana as it’s legal, then I think it should be treated as such, and I think those resources need to be available,” Christianson said. “If we don’t accommodate, what’s the point?”
as loans. Though it is harder for them to get funding, Brookey said the university uses the same strategies to help them as they do for students who are U.S. citizens. The international student said she is desperately trying to get a loan, but she has to find a cosigner. She has asked several people from church and other friend, but has not gotten a definite response from anyone. If she is not able to get the loan and her visa status is changed, she said she won’t try to stay in the country since she will not be able to work. Talking to OU President James Gallogly was important to the student because even though she has
a plan, she is worried there are others that don’t have a plan or a hope of paying their balance off. She wanted to sit down with him and just let him know the situation and for him to show that the students being affected are a priority. A previous media report incorrectly said international students met with Gallogly about the situation, but he referred the student to vice president of Bursar Ser vices Matt Hamilton. The student said she has also spoken with Jane Irungu, interim associate vice president for University Community, and administrators in the College of International Studies.
In her home countr y, the student’s major she is so close to finishing is not offered. She will have to either get an education in a different field or simply find work to support her family. The university does not terminate the visas, but by federal law Brookey said the university is required to communicate when someone is no longer an enrolled student. “We’re here to help students attend college, and we have lots of individuals dedicated to supporting students in that process and our goal is to make sure every student who wants to attend college can, but we are limited and we are even
handed in terms of how we apply policies and legal requirements,” Brookey said. The student said she is not asking the university to break the law but to reevaluate how their policies affect international students. Before last semester, the bursar’s office looked at outstanding balances on a case-by-case basis. The student said even if she was allowed to enroll for this semester, she would still have to pay off her balance by graduation, and that’s something she thinks is doable. But if she isn’t given that time, she is unsure if her OU credits will transfer or if she will have to start all over at a university in her home country.
“We’re just asking for some time and ... at least have consideration of the cases,” the student said. “If this was happening to me a year ago ... I would totally understand that. But I’m only three classes short from graduating ... It feels like they only want their money and we’re gonna give them the money, but just we’re asking for a little bit of time.”
Kaylie Cotten
kaylie108@gmail.com
Jana Allen
jana.r.allen-1@ou.edu
NEWS
February 7-10, 2019 •
OU reduces graduate fees Reductions part of goal to become famed institution
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Kayla Branch Enterprise Editor Caitlyn Epes Visual Editor Emily McPherson Copy Chief Emily Douthitt Print Editor
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A student uses a pipet to insert solution into a centrifuge in an OU lab Jan. 16.
make affordable. Gallogly and graduate college Dean Randall Hewes have both said in recent months that the university wants to focus on graduate research as it progresses in its goal of doubling research. John Keller, dean of the graduate college and interim vice president for research at the University of Iowa, said that keeping graduate assistant expenses low is significant when it comes to recruiting top students and maintaining robust programs. “There’s a relationship between the financial reward for attending an institution and a particular grad program,” Keller said. “It’s real.” The University of Iowa is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), which is an organization of 62 of the nation’s top research institutions. At the time of his inauguration, Gallogly said AAU universities were examples of institutions that OU should work to match in research. Keller said that in his experience, different universities use different models for fees and research support. At Iowa, a graduate employee union negotiates terms for graduate employees. Graduate assistants receive a base tuition scholarship equal to the amount of tuition for a graduate assistant in Iowa’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS). For fees, Keller said, the institution currently pays 50 percent of mandatory fees that Iowa requires, while students pay the other 50 percent. Keller also said that since
departments at Iowa want to stay competitive, students frequently receive more funding for tuition and fees than is required by the collective bargaining agreement between the university and the graduate employee union. The CLAS-level tuition is just the mandatory scholarship at Iowa. “Other colleges that have higher tuition rates, that difference (between the college’s tuition and CLAS tuition) is not paid,” Keller said. “But many colleges decide in order to remain competitive with other peers, end up paying that additional tuition scholarship, whatever the differential is.” Carrie Pavlowsky, chair of the OU Graduate Student Senate, said that the change to graduate assistant fees at OU is a step in the right direction. “I’m really excited particularly about the fee lowering because I think it’s going to improve the financial situation for a lot of graduate students,” Pavlowsky said. “It makes me feel good that it’s not just words. They actually did something about it, so that’s really an encouraging thing.” Because graduate students choose a graduate school based on the prog ra m s a n d re s e a rc h e r s available, Pavlowsky said research is the main focus, rather than an experience that might be eventually added for a semester or year-long experience like an undergraduate might have. “Your whole purpose of being a graduate student is to conduct research,” Pav lowsky said. “When
you’re applying to grad schools, hopefully you’re looking at a department or professor in particular that shares research interests with you, because then they’ll help guide you and create a project.” As a result, research funding can be especially important for students attending graduate school. Keller said that at Iowa, finding innovative funding strategies is an important part of providing strong research support to programs in a wide variety of departments. O n e re c e nt e x a m p l e, Keller said, is a graduate research award created by Iowa’s graduate college in partnership with its Office of the Vice President for Research that caters specifically to the social sciences, arts and humanities. Keller said these areas can have a tougher time obtaining research funding than researchers in STEM fields. “(The award) has been a very robust, active program this past year that we plan on continuing,” Keller said. “It doesn’t meet the needs of all students, but it’s beginning to address some of the concerns that we have for our scholarly students that are in not very lucrative research award areas.” Pavlowsky said she thinks OU still has work to do to provide the best graduate student and graduate assistant experience possible, but the fee changes give her hope for the future. “I think there’s a lot of work to be done on finding a way to better manage fees versus tuition for graduate
students, for GAs and TAs,” Pavlowsky said. “For so long, it’s been a huge complaint from graduate students, and so to see it actually be worked on, and to see actual change, is a really good thing.” Pavlowsky said that the change should make OU more competitive in gradu a t e p ro g ra m s m ov i n g forward. “When we’re advertising our programs and life here at OU to incoming graduate students, the ability to say that our fees are more manageable and our stipends are more competitive, I think it will have a good impact on our ability to bring in talented graduate students to help boost our programs and help boost our research output,” Pavlowsky said. As the OU administration works to progress to match the status of prestigious research universities such as Iowa and its peers in the Big Ten conference, many of which are also members of the AAU, it needs to continue aiming high. Keller said that in his view, building and maintaining a research program that is recognized as one of the best in the nation requires a dedication to programs and faculty that excel across the board. “I think it’s a balance of the types of program offerings we have, the quality of those programs and the support that students will receive when they’re here in those individual programs and from the institution,” Keller said.
NANCY SPEARS @ThisIsNancyS
Early voting for the Feb. 12 Election will begin this Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Cleveland County Election Board office. According to a press release, the Feb. 12 elections include the Norman mayoral elections, Norman city
council wards 1, 3 and 7, Oklahoma City city council Ward 5 and Mustang, Moore and Norman public schools. Eligible voters can vote in person at the election board office on Feb. 7 and 8 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m at the Cleveland County Election Board at 641 E. Robinson, Suite 200. Voting board personnel for absentee voting will be on duty each day to assist voters, a press release said. “In-person absentee voters fill out an
application for m when they get to the office. They are not required to give any reason for voting absentee,” said Bryant Rains, Cleveland County Election Board secretary. “They are required to swear that they have not voted a regular mail absentee ballot and they will not vote at their polling place on Election Day. It is very much like voting at a precinct polling place.” The absentee voting board ver ifies a voter ’s registration information
and issues the appropriate ballots to each voter. According to the press release, voters will fill out the ballots in the voting booth and then place their marked ballot inside the voting device.
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Early voting open for county election City council seats, Norman mayor, schools on ballot
Nick Hazelrigg News Managing Editor Julia Weinhoffer Engagement Editor
SCOTT KIRKER
Light crept in through a window near her office desk as Dani Glidewell typed, applying for an Adams summer scholarship through her department to continue her research. Glidewell, a second-semester graduate student, has one thing in mind: getting back to the lab and continuing her research. Glidewell works in the Plankton Ecology and Luminology Lab, researching how algae-produced toxins interact with ecosystems. For some, this might not sound like thrilling work, but Glidewell promises that it is fascinating. In a time when OU’s administration has begun to prioritize graduate research more highly, students like Glidewell are facing their studies with renewed optimism. “Algae is really cool and really interesting, even though it doesn’t have a spine,” Glidewell said. “We can perhaps get a better understanding of the changing dangers our ecosystems, and possible our human health, is facing.” Glidewell isn’t just a student researcher — she also serves as a graduate teaching assistant. In a move aimed at reducing fees for graduate assistants like Glidewell, university administration announced changes to the fee structure for students Jan. 30 in an emailed letter from OU President James Gallogly. Ac c o rd i n g t o t h e a n nouncement, fees for graduate assistants — graduate students working as either teaching assistants or research assistants — are being cut by $425 for the 2018-19 academic year and another reduction of at least $675 for for all graduate students enrolled in 18 credit hours during the 2019-20 academic year. The changes are accompanied by other adjustments to graduate fee structure, and would take effect if approved by the Board of Regents in June. For graduate students conducting research, such as Glidewell, financing graduate education and research is a crucial to success — an aspect of graduate education that will be important for the administration to
Emma Keith Editor in Chief
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Nancy.M.Spears-1@ou.edu
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• February 7-10, 2019
SPORTS
George Stoia, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports
Oklahoma clings to glory days Sooners hold on to past success for tournament hopes CALEB MCCOURRY @CalebMac21
In the midst of a threegame losing steak, Oklahoma (15-8, 3-7 Big 12), despite its Big 12 struggles, is getting better. Besides two wins against Oklahoma State — ranked ninth in the Big 12 — a 75-74 loss to the No. 20 Iowa State might have been OU’s best performance yet in the Big 12. The Sooners were 43 percent from the field and almost 40 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. The catch was that Iowa State is a legitimately good team this year. The Cyclones had five players with double-digit scoring. Sophomore forward Brady Manek and junior forward Kristian Doolittle combined for 35 points on 14-22 shooting. Manek had four 3-pointers. Yet, Iowa State had an answer for the
Junior forward Kristian Doolittle goes up during the game against Iowa State Feb. 4.
two scoring leaders almost every possession. Iowa State head coach Steve Prohm’s crew jumped ahead at the beginning of the second half with a 6-0 run right out the gate and kept rolling from there. “We got a really good
start in the second half,� Prohm said. “Oklahoma just kept coming and coming and coming. Fortunately, we made plays down the stretch.� Iowa State is No. 1 in the Big 12 in field goal percentage per game, making an
average of 48 percent of its shots. The team is currently on a four-game winning streak and has won four of its last six away games, a feat the Sooners wish they could boast. The Sooners are 1-4 on the road since the beginning of January.
CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY
“It’s very disappointing to not win it,� head coach Lon Kruger said. “But I think we took some steps in understanding that, number one, we got to get better. Number two, we can.� B u t O k l a h o m a’s b e s t games have to result with
wins to finish the season strong. The biggest reason — maybe the only reason — the Sooners are still in the NCAA Tournament conversation is their out-of-conference 12-1 record. It was the reason the team was ranked No. 20 before mid-January. B e a t i n g Va n d e r b i l t by 31 in the Big 12/SEC Challenge sure made the Sooners look good, until two days later when Baylor beat the Sooners in a 30point rout, proving the harsh reality that OU might not be able to compete in the Big 12. Now, the Sooners have eight games left in the regular season. All of them are in the Big 12, and in order to finish the season and stay in the NCAA Tournament conversation, it seems the Sooners have to play more than their best. Relying on their pre-conference glory days is not an option anymore. Caleb McCourry
caleb.a.mccourry@ou.edu
Three takeaways from preseason conference Driven players to lead OU’s season, strive for fifth title CHANDLER ENGELBRECHT @ctengelbrecht
Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso along with senior infielders Shay Knighten, Caleigh Clifton and Sydney Romero met with the media on Feb. 2 to give a preview of the upcoming softballseason. The Sooners, who finished last season with an overall record of 57-5 and went undefeated in conference play, are looking to avenge last season’s loss to Washington in the 2018 Women’s College World Series. Fortunately for the Sooners, with a prolific senior class at the helm, a repeat appearance in the tournament is more than possible. Here are three major takeaways from Saturday’s press conference. P I T C H I N G S TA F F B Y COMMITTEE The mound will feature a rotation of faces both new and old for the Sooners in 2019. “We’ve got six options, and they’re all good options,� Gasso said. “We believe we’re going to piece it together this year in that direction.� Among those six options include junior transfer Giselle “G� Juarez, whom Gasso quickly compared to former Sooner pitcher Paige Parker.
“Giselle is a lot like, in a different way, Paige Parker,� Gasso said. “(Giselle) can mix things, move things, keep hitters off balance ... She’s going to be a nice leader, and she’s a phenomenal addition to this group.� Another name mentioned in Saturday’s press conference was that of junior pitcher Parker Conrad. Gasso praised Conrad for her improvement over the offseason, saying her workout regimen and weight loss has brought her “immediate confidence.� Other options at pitcher include junior Mariah Lopez, junior transfer Shannon Saile and freshman Brooke Vestal. NEW FACES Now without several valuable seniors from the 2018 campaign, this year’s Sooner team will aim to prove that they don’t rebuild — they reload. Gasso says that two of the six “very talented� freshmen on the team will be in the starting lineup in “pretty pivotal positions.� Gasso then went on to speak highly of freshman infielder Grace Lyons, who will likely be starting at shortstop come Feb. 8. “(Lyons is) someone that we’re anticipating being really good,� Gasso said. “And (Knighten, Clifton and Romero) will tell you, when they’re all working together, she does not look like a freshman. She just falls right in. She’s got a great future ahead of her.� Gasso concluded by saying
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that this freshman group has benefited mightily from playing with this year’s senior class. “(These seniors) are future coaches,� Gasso said. “Good teachers, very patient with them. I think they learned that when they were freshmen and they had a senior class that was very patient with them. When you’re patient and you teach, they come on a lot quicker than if you aren’t.� DETERMINED SENIORS Despite entering the 2019 season with two national championships to their name, the 2019 senior class is anything but satisfied. Newly announced team captain Clifton said last year’s Women’s College World Series semifinals loss to Washington was “just motivation� for her and her teammates. “ They still sting from that,� Gasso said. “Finishing fourth
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.
in the country is not so bad, but for a senior class that doesn’t even know what that feels like until they were juniors, that’s a pretty big deal.� Romero echoed Gasso’s point. “I think it was good for us,� Romero said. “I think
Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg February 7, 2019
ACROSS 1 Goethe’s soul-seller 6 Volume knob, e.g. 10 Apiece 14 “You already told me� 15 Wander 16 Flat-topped hill 17 *Ambassador’s group (note every starred answer’s initials!) 20 Fairy tale opener 21 One small bite 22 “At Seventeen� singer Janis 23 Open ___ night 25 Off the mark 27 *Path on steep terrain 33 Web address, for short 34 Marketing lure 35 Blue-green hue 38 Dog park game 40 First 30-day mo. 41 $$$ 42 Aluminum wrap 43 U.S. Open champ Andre 45 Apt rhyme of “caught� 2/7
Monday - Very Easy Tuesday - Easy Wednesday - Easy Thursday - Medium Friday - Hard
JACKSON STEWART/THE DAILY
Junior pitcher Shannon Saile throws the ball during the fall softball game Oct. 17.
46 *Nickname of Biloxi’s home 49 66-Across vessel 51 “Girls Like ___� (2018 hit) 52 Behave 53 Sure winner 57 Pet name? 61 *Shrimp and grits, etc. 64 “Blondie� boy 65 Ram, for a ewe 66 Oolong alternative 67 Get out of bed 68 Coin opening 69 Popular Twitter topic DOWN 1 Classic dog name 2 Analogous 3 Like sexist jokes, briefly 4 Very serious 5 Dos, in English 6 “Darn!� 7 I, to Icarus 8 Budget competitor 9 Speaker’s stand 10 Mood music? 11 Exercise regimen involving a hammock 12 Senate hearing airer
13 ___ a clue (is lost) 18 Asian gambling center 19 Michael of “Molly’s Game� 24 Back scratcher target 26 Puerto ___ 27 Bungle 28 Cookie in some sundaes 29 Final demands 30 Adult insect 31 Kathmandu’s country 32 They have rock-hard abs 36 “Thanks ___!� 37 “Great� kidlit detective 39 Applaud
41 Japanese soup 43 Country music? 44 Decline a request 47 “Gee willikers!� 48 Tanya who sang “Delta Dawn� 49 Electric dart shooter 50 Raw meat danger 54 Face-toface exam 55 Burst ___ the scene 56 “Rhyme Pays� rapper 58 Nature walk 59 Aware of 60 Elderly 62 Boot tip 63 Choose
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everyone’s got to feel that one time in their lifetime. I think it just lights a fire in us, and it wants us to be better. Like Shay said, it’s a learning experience.� The Sooners will begin their quest for their fifth national championship Feb. 8
Š 2019 Andrews McMeel Universal Š 2019 Andrews McMeel Universal www.upuzzles.com www.upuzzles.com
“Going Postal� by Paul Coulter
Chandler Engelbrecht chandler.engelbrecht @ou.edu
HOROSCOPE By Eugenia Last
Copyright 2015, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019 ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last You’ll have an advantage over most people this year. Your openness and ability to retain information will help you spot problems and bring about changes in a timely manner. Acceptance and enthusiasm will give you the upper hanvd when put in a competitive situation. Share your victories with loved ones. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Rethink your strategy and make sure that you have done everything according to the rules. Moderation should be implemented into everything you do to avoid waste or loss. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Set the record straight and honor promises. What you do to help others will set the stage for what’s to come. Play fair and aim to keep things equal.
2/6 2/4
at 3:30 p.m. CT as they take on Syracuse in the GCU Kickoff Tournament in Phoenix, Arizona.
in you. A personal change will lift your spirits when someone special compliments you. Romance is highlighted. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- A networking function or a friend will make you aware of an opportunity that can help you use your skills and experience in new and exciting ways. Follow through and see what happens. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- A change will do you good. Visit a place you haven’t been before or reconnect with an old friend at a reunion. The experience you have will change the way you move forward.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Get out with friends. Surround yourself with people who appreciate who you are and what you have to offer. Take care of your responsibilities, but ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Making distance yourself from demanding personal improvements and gather- individuals. ing information and facts will lead to positive changes in your personal SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Follow life. Take on responsibilities that your dreams. Be open to new ideas will encourage advancement and a and ways of doing things. A change better future. of location or a trip to somewhere new and unfamiliar will spark your TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Focus imagination. on what you can accomplish instead of dwelling on the impossible. Taking SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) a unique path will be entertaining -- Don’t let anyone get away with and exciting, but don’t let it turn into stretching the truth. Be ready to a costly lesson. offer the facts and do your best to bring about positive change. Do the GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Relaright thing. tionships will be confusing. Keep an open mind, but don’t let anyone rail- CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) road you into something that isn’t in -- Make relationships a priority. your best interest. A proposal is only Do your best to include the people worthwhile if it’s profit-focused. you care about most in your plans. Someone from your past will bring CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Push back old memories. Don’t give in to to do things that are creative and temptation. entertaining and bring out the best
February 7-10, 2019 •
SPORTS
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George Stoia, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports
CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY
OU quarterback Kyler Murray celebrates with wide receiver Marquise Brown after a touchdown in the game against West Virginia Nov. 23. Murray and Brown are projected to be selected in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Predictions on Sooners in draft OU boasts early round, later picks in 2019 NFL Draft
Murray still has not definitively chosen between playing football and baseball long term, but midway through January, he did STEVEN PLAISANCE declare for the NFL draft. @splaisance00 Murray flashes elite speed, above-average arm strength CHANDLER and tremendous accuracy, ENGELBRECHT @ctengelbrecht making him a bonafide top quarterback in his class and a likely first-round pick. The 2019 NFL Draft is P R E D I C T I O N : E A R LY quickly approaching, and FIRST ROUND multiple Sooners are expected to be selected, including a CODY FORD, OL few in the first round. An imperative part of the The draft is set to take offensive line that won the p l a c e A p r i l 2 5 - 2 7 i n 2018 Joe Moore Award, Cody Nashville, Tennessee. Here’s Ford has arguably seen the where some former Sooners largest rise in draft-stock may end up: out of all the Sooners’ prosKYLER MURRAY, QB In 2018, the Sooners’ superstar playmaker made potentially one of the biggest year-to-year jumps in draft stock ever. Last spring, there was uncertainty if Murray would even return to play football at Oklahoma after being drafted No. 9 overall in the 2018 MLB draft. This fall, Murray dropped jaws all across the country as he put up 4,361 yards through the air and 1,001 more on the ground en route to a Heisman win. He was also named the AP Player of the Year, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and the Davey O’Brien Award winner.
pects. His elite athleticism, strength and toughness have made him ascend atop mock draft-boards. Ford started at right tackle for all of the Sooners’ 14 games last season, having made the switch from left guard in his previous seasons. His efforts rewareded him with numerous accolades, including a first-team All-Big 12 selection by league’s coaches and an AP All-America third team selection. Ford’s great frame and skill-set give him first rounder potential. PREDICTION: FIRST ROUND
based on nicknames alone, Ma rq u i s e “ Ho l l y w o o d” Brown would maybe be the first pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. That may not be how this draft works, but Brown’s case still remains strong. Finishing his Sooner career after playing in only 27 games, Hollywood’s final stat line reads 132 receptions for 2,413 yards and 17 TDs. The Biletnikoff Award semifinalist put up 1,318 yards alone in 2018, the fourthmost in OU’s single season history. He also logged six games with more than 100 yards receiving last season. Brown’s break away, blinkand-you’ll-miss-him type speed makes him a top receiver in this draft, but his nagging injuries may make him go lower than expected. PREDICTION: FIRST OR SECOND ROUND
RODNEY ANDERSON, RB Few have faced adversity quite like Rodney Anderson. Coming off not one, not two, but a total of three different season-ending injuries, Anderson will definitely be looking to dismiss concerns over durability during the pre-draft process. An explosive and physical back, Sooner fans are well aware of what an injury-free Anderson is capable MARQUISE BROWN, WR of doing. Anderson carried If players were drafted the ball 188 times for 1,161
yards and 13 touchdowns during the 2017 season. Anderson gave the most memorable performance of his career against TCU in 2017, in which he ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries and also caught five receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns. If Anderson can overcome injuries for a fourth time and return to his former self, he’ll make an excellent selection for any NFL team in need of a strong running back. PREDICTION: FOURTH ROUND
BOBBY EVANS, OL Last year, Oklahoma left tackle Orlando Brown fell to the third round after a poor showing at the NFL combine. This season, Brown started 11 games for the Ravens as a rookie and gave up just 0.5 sacks. This could work wonders for the draft stock of Evans, who took over the left tackle position from Brown this year. At 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, Evans is significantly smaller than Brown (6-foot-8, 345), but the pair spent three years together at Oklahoma anchoring the corners of the offensive line. Evans shows great athleticism in the passing game and explosiveness in the running game. He also has great football IQ and
toughness. His weaknesses include balance and hand speed. PREDICTION: FOURTH ROUND
DRU SAMIA, OL Holding down the offensive line from the interior, right guard Dru Samia makes the most out of his relatively small frame. He started at right tackle as a freshman for OU before moving to right guard and continuing to start for three more years at that position. He has great balance, agility and technique in the passing game despite being one of the smallest guards in this class. He is also one of the best at pulling around to the other side of the line and blocking space, something Oklahoma used him for often. However, his size may prevent the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year from going off the board before the fifth round. PREDICTION: FIFTH ROUND BEN POWERS, OL The heart and soul of the Sooners’ offensive line in 2018, left guard Ben Powers is b e coming a name to look out for in this year’s draft. The consensus AllAmerican’s raw strength and athletic ability impressed scouts at the Senior Bowl.
Powers played in a total of 38 games in his career at OU, starting 35 of them. During his senior year campaign, Powers did not surrender a single sack in 13 total games. With a strong combine performance, he could see a significant rise in draft stock. PREDICTION: FOURTH ROUND AUSTIN SEIBERT, K Seibert started all four years as Oklahoma’s punter and kicker. He showed consistent improvement in the latter half of his career, nailing 89.5 percent of field goal tries in his senior year. He also holds the all-time scoring record for Oklahoma and the Big 12, as well as the alltime NCAA PAT record. His kicking power and accuracy make him a definite top-5 kicker in his class. But that means he will likely go in the seventh round, if at all. PREDICTION: SEVENTH ROUND Steven Plaisance
srplaisance@ou.edu
Chandler Engelbrecht chandler.engelbrecht @ou.edu
Men’s, women’s gym continue to dominate Both gymnastics teams preparing for conference play VIC REYNOLDS @vicareynolds
STEVEN PLAISANCE @splaisance00
Both the men’s and women’s gymnastics teams are undefeated so far this season as they enter the heart of their season. Here’s a look at what they have coming up this weekend. WOMEN’S GYM Even during Coach K.J. Kindler’s highly-successful tenure, the Sooners rarely experience a regular-season meet with as much intensity and energy as their meet last w eek against Florida. In a battle between the top two teams in the nation, the top-ranked Sooners came away with an emotional win, though not by much. This gives Oklahoma plenty of momentum heading into conference play. The Sooners go on the road to face Big 12 affiliate-member Denver in
their first conference meet of the season on Sunday. Oklahoma and Denver last met two weeks ago in Fort Worth for the Metroplex Challenge. Oklahoma finished first in the meet with a score of 197.975. Denver finished second with a 196.350. Freshman Olivia Trautman made her uneven bars debut last week, marking her first time competing in all four events for the Sooners. She exceeded expectations with a 9.875 on bars and will likely get the nod for uneven bars again this weekend. Both Trautman and sophomore Anastasia Webb will be gunning for the allaround title this week. Last week, Trautman edged out Webb by less than a tenth of a point. The meet will take place on Sunday, February 10 at 3 p.m. CT.
by winning their first four meets in impressive fashion, meets that include wins against four top-15 ranked teams. Oklahoma’s most notable victory came against No. 6 Ohio State on January 26 by a score of 423.950-395.400, and its most recent win was last Saturday against No. 7 Nebraska and No. 6 Illinois, where it took the victory by putting 411.300 points on the board. The Hawkeyes also faced No. 6 Illinois. However, unlike the Sooners, they fell to the Fighting Illinois 410.50398.800. The Hawkeyes are entering Saturday’s match averaging 398.400 points per match, including a high of 401.600 last Saturday in their home opener against No. 4 Minnesota and IllinoisChicago. They finished the meet in second place behind the Golden Gophers. The match is set to begin MEN’S GYM on Saturday at 2 p.m. and No. 1 Oklahoma is look- will stream live on BTN Plus. ing to earn its 108th straight victory this weekend against the No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes in Vic Reynolds Iowa City. victor.reynolds@ou.edu The top-ranked Sooners have proved that they are Steven Plaisance poised to take their fifth srplaisance@ou.edu straight championship
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Junior Maggie Nichols performs on beam in the meet against Florida Feb. 1.
KATHRYN STACY/THE DAILY
Senior Genki Suzuki competes on still rings in the meet against Airforce and Arizona State Jan. 19.
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• February 7-10, 2019
CULTURE
Siandhara Bonnet, culture editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/culture • Twitter: @OUDailyCulture
OU not alone in racist incidents Universities across US fail to fully ban racist hate speech
ABIGAIL HALL @abigail_wah
Despite the prevalence of racist incidents on college campuses across the nation, language in many university codes of conduct still does not wholly define or penalize hate speech and actions. Student codes of conduct like OU’s Students Rights and Responsibility Code are created to maintain students’ rights and responsibilities in conjunction with the university’s mission statement as well as the state and federal constitutions. Despite the policies put in place on OU’s campus, when the Jan. 18 racist video of two former OU students was released, OU President James Gallogly said there was not a legal precedent to remove them from campus. OU’s code of conduct does not currently prohibit hate speech and actions by students if the incident is off campus or not deemed physically threatening. In the aftermath of OU’s lack of disciplinar y actions, the Black Student Association gave a list of demands to the administration, including the addition of a zero tolerance policy of hate speech to the student code of conduct. Robert Bruce Slater, the managing editor of the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, said in an email to The Daily that diversity training programs on college campuses may not be enough to root out racist beliefs in students, but proper policy could lessen it. A zero tolerance policy with strict enforcement made clear to students on their arrival on campus
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A sign reads “How many ‘Isolated Incidents’ will it take?” at the Better Together March on the OU campus Jan. 24.
could create an increase in sensitivity to others, and avoid hurtful comments made on campus and on social media, he said. Additionally, university campuses are mandated to implement the right of freedom of expression and ideas, according the Higher Education Opportunity Act. Conjunctively, the policy prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Several universities across the nation have struggled with policies that do not address racist hate speech or allow for an institutional response following racist incidents on campuses. On Jan. 3, a racist video posted to Twitter depicted University of Tennessee student Savannah Micillo, a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority chapter, using a racial slur. While Micillo was
suspended from the sorority chapter, the university declined to comment on disciplinary actions made in response. The university posted a statement in accordance with a the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, which protects the privacy of students’ education records. The University of Tennessee’s code of conduct defines disorderly conduct as “using discriminatory language” or actions while on university property or during university activities. It states that this conduct would result in “gross misconduct,” which is not defined, and further disciplinary action is not mentioned. The policy discusses issues of harassment and discrimination, but similar to OU’s code, does not specifically address hate speech by a student. It defines harassment as harm that is
“subjectively offensive to the complainant and objectively offensive to a reasonable person.” Goucher College in Maryland is another campus that has struggled to respond to incidents of racist hate speech and violence despite an expanded definition of harassment, according to the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. Goucher College’s policy defines harassment, which includes discrimination on the basis of race, as “behavior that either is intended to, or actually does, inflict harm or emotional distress or provoke a violent reaction.” OU and the University of Tennessee’s policies only cover actions that physically cause harm. Goucher’s policy is both in place on campus and off campus at the discretion of the college’s vice president or dean, according to the policy.
Despite this policy, Goucher was the location of five racist vandalism incidents in common spaces with the use of Nazi propaganda targeted at specific black students in 2018. The first four incidents were labeled “inconclusive” due to the inability to identify those at fault. After the fifth incident, a student was arrested on two counts of malicious destruction of property, but not of hate crime. The continued inability to prevent racially violent incidents at Goucher led to a protest of more than 100 students. Despite the administration’s public statements that it did not condone the incidents, the incidents kept occurring. Even with the expanded policy at Goucher, because of the lack of a zero tolerance policy, the incidents went on unresolved until the arrest in November — and even then, the justice system definition of a “hate crime” did not encompass the actions of the individual, according to the Baltimore Sun. Racist incidents are reported on college campuses nationwide at a pervasive rate, Slater said in an email to The Daily. Two incidents at OU have been reported to the department in the last 10 years, the spokesperson said. The first incident is the SAE chapter closure in 2015, which happened in the wake of a video depicting SAE members chanting a song with a racial slur that alluded to lynching. The second incident is the Jan. 18 racist video. Karlos Hill, OU African and African American Studies department chair and associate professor, said blackface minstrelsy is part of a long history of racial discrimination for the sake of white entertainment and profit. Hill said it would be surprising if racist incidents did not occur
on campuses like OU’s because of America’s history of denigrating black people through blackface, lynching and racial epithets. “We haven’t really had a reckoning with race and racism in this country in a way that would push us in a new direction,” Hill said. Hill said that while racist incidents don’t surprise him, they are still jarring and revolting. “I can’t afford to be indifferent to those things. Those things do damage, those things harm on an individual level and on a collective basis,” Hill said. “Those students end up being in classes like mine; those students, I walk by on an everyday basis. I share physical space with those students. I can’t take it lightly.” Hill said if the current code of conduct is updated to a zero tolerance policy, a change he has openly advocated for this semester, it could be a turning point for black students and faculty and their experience with the university. “If we don’t take these recent incidents and we don’t take substantive change in relationship … and specifically create a transparent policy around how the administration is going to deal with these incidents … it’ll be seen as a missed opportunity,” Hill said. Moving forward, Hill said he has made sure not to second-guess what black students are saying about how they feel. “If they say they feel unwelcome, then that’s what it is – they feel unwelcome – and we need to, as a university, figure out how to change that perception with substantive policy changes,” Hill said. Abigail Hall ahall@ou.edu
OKC banjo museum strikes chord with crowd Exhibits show how instrument shaped American culture SAM TONKINS
@samanthatonkins
Banjo music floats down the sidewalk on Sheridan Avenue in Oklahoma City, radiating from a red brick building with a marquee that reads “American Banjo Museum.” Inside the museum, the music grows louder and invites visitors to walk through years of banjo history and learn how banjo music has shaped American culture. Located a half mile away from the Chesapeake Energy Arena, the American Banjo Museum sits in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City. It hosts the largest collection of banjos in the world and is dedicated to showcasing the history of the instrument. Johnny Baier is the executive director of the American Banjo Museum. He said the museum was founded in 1998 in Guthrie, Oklahoma, by Jack Canine, a businessman who had a personal collection of banjos. As the museum grew, it found a new home in Oklahoma City, where it received an endowment through the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. The museum now has hundreds of instruments in its collection, Baier said. Lucas Ross, the community outreach and promotion coordinator at the museum, said the museum provides a history lesson to anyone unfamiliar with the story of the banjo.
“For years, it was kind of hailed as America’s first instrument that grew up with America, but mostly it’s because it came over with African slaves,” Ross said. “That story, now more than ever, is so important for us to highlight and show in a respectful light.” The museum has several exhibits that feature different genres in banjo history, including bluegrass and jazz. Baier said the instruments are not only informational but also beautiful, as several of them have designs on the back to make a musical performance more visually appealing. “The visual dynamic of the jazz age banjos far surpasses any of other eras of banjo development, with carving and painting, that sort of thing,” Baier said. “They are works of art as much as they are musical tools.” Ross said the museum allows people to not only learn about the history of the instrument but also to appreciate the intricate details of the instrument. He said the museum can feel like an art museum when examining the colors and carvings on the various banjos. “They are surprised by, not just the amount of banjos we have and the presentation of it, but the artwork that’s involved,” Ross said. In addition to the exhibits on the banjo’s history, the museum also includes displays that feature the banjo in pop culture. Currently, the museum has a Jim Henson display, honoring the legacy of the famous cartoonist. T h e d i s p l a y f e a t u re s an actual Kermit the F ro g Mu p p e t, w h i c h i s
temporarily on loan from the Jim Henson Company. Kermit is commonly seen playing the banjo on “The Muppet Show.” “Anything that I can do in terms of exhibitory here at the museum that has a banjo connection but will engage people who are not banjo players, I will gravitate toward that,” Baier said. Baier’s personal relationship with the banjo started when he was a kid. He said he first saw a live banjo performance at a pizza parlor when he was about 10 or 11, and he fell in love with it. “When I heard the songs that I knew and then I saw the banjo, I put it all together,” Baier said. “It’s the banjo I like.” Baier said he acquired a banjo a few years later and learned to play. He became the director of the museum in 2004 and helped it grow and expand, he said. Although he loves his job, Baier said his administrative work takes him away from actually playing the banjo. “I tell people that if I ever write a book, it’s going to be titled, ‘All I Ever Wanted To Do Is Play the Banjo,’” Baier said with a laugh. Nevertheless, Baier said he loves being a part of the banjo community, who has become like a second family to him. “We get together at events around the country and that becomes our little community,” Baier said. “We all know the guy that’s going to tell the same stupid joke year after year like your uncle at Thanksgiving.” Baier said awareness of the museum varies greatly in the Oklahoma City metro
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Banjos from the Jazz era on display at the American Banjo Museum Feb. 1.
area and around the world. “ Th e re a re p e o p l e i n Czechoslovakia right now who are now planning a trip to the United States, to Oklahoma City, to the American Banjo Museum as their destination,” Baier said. “And there are people who work at The Melting Pot across the street and have worked there for 10 years who don’t know we’re here.” Baier said the museum also hosts monthly jam sessions and a yearly concert called Banjo Fest, where banjo players from different genres and across the country perform. Emily Holland, community relations coordinator for the Downtown OKC partnership, said the American Banjo Museum is a key component of Bricktown in Oklahoma City. She said the museum has grown significantly over the years and is always eager to participate in community events.
“Bricktown prides itself on being diverse, and so having a museum of that type focusing on music and the history as well as education, that’s been something that we really value,” Holland said. She said the museum teaches attendees a history that they will not learn anywhere else. Ross worked on and off at the museum for a few years before officially starting last November. He said he likes being surrounded by his passion every day when he comes into the office. “Getting to finally work here, it’s really a dream come true every day,” Ross said. “I can’t believe it, and I keep wondering if it’s real, if my key’s going to work.” Ross said the museum attracts people from all across t h e c o u nt r y , i n c l u d i n g celebrities. “ I t ’s t h e o n l y m u s e um like this in the whole world,” Ross said. “This is a
destination for artists and musicians from all different ranges. Elton John, whenever he was on tour, came through here once. He wanted to see it.” One of Ross’s favorite aspects of working at the museum is the “Pick a Tune” classes he teaches every month. People of all ages can come to the museum and learn chords and songs on the banjo. He said the instrument often sparks something inside them that they did not know was missing. “Steve Martin has said it, and Béla Fleck and other banjo players have said it,” Ross said. “There is something about the banjo, and it’s this thing that is embedded in our culture and our country. It rings in your heart.” Sam Tonkins
samantha.tonkins@ou.edu