March 7-10, 2019 by OU Daily

W E E K E N D E D I T I O N | M A R C H 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

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Political science senior Cordelia Falls Down and social work senior Lucretia Lovato said they have been personally affected by the continual number of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, and they hope to bring awareness to OU’s campus.

A FIGHT TO SURVIVE OU Gamma Delta Pi members raise awareness for high volume of missing, murdered indigenous women

hroughout Cordelia Falls Down’s life, she has seen women and girls around her go missing, and has feared for her own safety as an indigenous woman. Fa l l s D o w n , f o r m e r Mi s s Indian OU and current member of OU’s Native American sorority, Gamma Delta Pi, said she’s experienced incidents of being followed or feeling watched, which resulted in panic attacks in certain instances. “(It’s) embedded in your head about how many people go missing,” the political science senior said. “With the numbers and statistics, I’m very likely to get taken, or you know, sexually assaulted.” Indigenous women are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault crimes than women of all other races, according to a statement from the Oklahoma Native Alliance Against Violence (NAAV), the only tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalition in the state. Gamma Delta Pi and NAAV are two Norman-based Oklahoma organizations working to spread awareness on this issue. In a 2017 sur vey identifying 506 cases of missing and murdered Native Amer ican a n d A l a s k a Na t i v e w o m e n and girls in the U.S., the Urban Indian Health Institute found Oklahoma was one of the top 10 states with the highest numbers of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) cases. Across 71 cities, Oklahoma City was one of the top 10 cities with the highest number of MMIWG cases that are not in law enforcement records, with seven cases. Falls Down said several factors play into why Native women go missing, including the lack of attention to the epidemic, victim blaming by the media and police and the lack of databases regarding the incidents, resulting in fewer statistics known by the public. Lucretia Lovato, social work senior and member of Gamma Delta Pi, said MMIWG in her tribe in Santo Domingo Pueblo, New Mexico, was just part of her

ABIGAIL HALL • @ABIGAIL _WAH life. “It wasn’t till I was older that I realized that it’s not normal,” Lovato said. “It was something that (had) just been normal in my community, so it was actually quite shocking to find out that’s not very common outside of Indian country.” Lovato said she personally has known at least 15 indigenous women who were missing and murdered and hundreds who experienced some sort of sexual violence. According to NAAV’s missing and murdered list, there are 13 missing indigenous women, 11 missing children and eight unsolved murders of indigenous women in Oklahoma. One unsolved murder case in Norman is that of Owachige Osceola, a descendant of Chief Osceola of the Seminole tribe. Osceola moved to Norman in 2013, and on Sept. 25 of the same year, the Norman Police Department found her murdered in her apartment, said detective Jim Parks, NPD cold case investigator. Her autopsy revealed no clear cause of death, he said. Parks is the NPD’s only cold case investigator and he works part time for 20 hours a week because of departmental financial restrictions, he said. Parks spends his days leafing through various binders and notebooks of handwritten cold case files, trying to track down new leads and reaching out to pathologists and anthropologists to attempt to discover Osceola’s cause of death, among other cold cases, he said. Parks said it’s important for departments to continue investigating cold cases such as Osceola’s because “it’s important for victims’ families to know the truth ... even if it takes forever.” “You know, nobody can speak for Osceola,” Parks said. “I like to think I speak for her because she can’t speak for herself. And I’d like for the truth to come out in that case.” There are 25 tribal domestic violence and sexual assault programs in Oklahoma that offer services for violence survivors.

NAAV works to coordinate between them and create resources, said Raven Word, NAAV communications specialist. Word said there is not one database to find MMIWG in Oklahoma, so in 2018 when she joined NAAV, it became her job to create a running missing and murdered list to “reclaim their visibility.” The list is divided into three categor ies : one for missing women, one for missing children and one for cold cases of murdered women called “In loving memory: Still searching for answers.”

“A lot of indigenous women feel that they’re overlooked because Natives are viewed like we are history — we’re here, we’re now, we’re still here” RAVEN WORD, NAAV COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

According to the National Institute of Justice Research Report in May 2016, 84.3 percent of Native American and Alaska Native women have experienced violence including sexual violence, physical violence, stalking and psychological aggression by an intimate partner. Overall, the report states 1.5 million Native American and Alaska Native women have experienced some form of violence in their lifetime. “This word epidemic that we use — I mean, it describes it perfectly — but I didn’t realize that our numbers were so high compared to the national average,” Lovato said. The report further compares lifetime sexual violence perpetrated against Native American or Alaska Native women with non-Hispanic white women through a lifetime sexual assault violence against women survey. It states that 56 percent of Native American and Alaska Native

women surveyed experienced sexual violence, compared to 49 percent of non-Hispanic white women surveyed. Lovato said the larger issue in the U.S. is not only that Native women are systematically more likely to experience violence in their lives, but that the violence perpetrated against them is less reported than that against other ethnicities. According to the Urban Indian Health Institute’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls 2017 report, in 2016 only 116 out of 5,712 reports of missing Native American and Alaska Native women and girls were logged in the U.S. Department of Justice’s federal missing persons database, NamUs. Wo rd i s a m e m b e r o f t h e Apache tribe and grew up in a Native community where she attends powwows and engages with her tribe. Before she worked at NAAV, she wasn’t aware of the “bad things in native communities,” she said. “Hearing these things about domestic violence (and) sexual assault in Native communities was just amazing to me,” Word said. “I had never heard that in the news. And it’s not like I wasn’t paying attention – I was paying attention.” Word said MMIWG is tied directly to the amounts of domestic and sexual violence and systemic racism Native American women face. “The Native women that are going missing — they’re part of a very marginalized group, so it’s hard for them to get visibility just because that’s how it’s been for a long time,” Word said. “A lot of indigenous women feel that they’re overlooked because Natives are viewed like we’re history — we’re here, we’re now, we’re still here.” Word said there is not one centralized location in Oklahoma where Native women go missing. The size of the state and spread-out locations of the tribal headquarters make it difficult to track the current numbers of MMIWG. To spread awareness of the MMIWG “in our own backyard,”

Gamma Delta Pi has partnered with NAAV in the past, according to a statement from the alliance. Gamma Delta Pi hosted a MMIWG week in fall 2018 to raise awareness of the epidemic and safety of native women on campus. The event included a march through the South Oval, a benefit night, starting conversations with passersby, passing out red ribbons, which symbolize the MMIWG movement, and a red sand display, which symbolized MMIWG who have fallen through the cracks of the justice system. The sorority plans to host another MMIWG week in fall 2019, Falls Down said. Fa l l s D o w n s a i d NA AV i s Gamma Delta Pi’s philanthropy, and prior to hosting the weeklong event, the chapter had discussed involvement in the cause. “It’s been a discussion for a while,” Falls Down said. “We’ve all been aware of the MMIW(G) (movement), and we’ve done things throughout semesters to bring awareness.” Lovato said she uses every spare moment she has to speak with people about MMIWG. “I talk about it all the time, whenever I can,” Lovato said. “My goal for on campus is to build allies because Indian country knows that this is an issue. It’s raising awareness outside of Indian country to non-Natives to let them know that this is an issue and that it needs to be talked about.” Lovato hopes to see MMIWG awareness grow on campus, in Oklahoma and nationwide, she said. In her spare time, she is working on a proposed policy to introduce a special FBI task force focused solely on MMIWG across the nation. “At some point, we have to be a priority to somebody’s list because this is a crazy outrageous number of MMIW(G) happening, and the nation doesn’t even know that it’s a problem,” Lovato said. Abigail Hall ahall@ou.edu

• March 7-10, 2019

NEWS

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

OU Republicans voice concern

Violations of SGA code, other issues result in funding cut EMILY TUCKER

@carthagedelenda

March 5’s Undergraduate Student Congress meeting saw student funding concerns and an update from Student Government Association president Adran Gibbs, among other items. During the student concerns portion of the meeting, representatives from OU College Republicans voiced their discontent with the funding provided for their organization, stating concerns that they were not being given adequate auxiliary funding from SGA for the year. According to Ways and Means committee chair Sam Quick, College Republicans did not receive much auxiliary funding because of violations of the SGA Code from College Republicans’ previous administration and prior bad fiscal history, including not using previously allocated funds.

Members of the Undergraduate Student Congress at a meeting in Devon Energy Hall on March 5.

Accounting junior and College Republican chair Logan Schoonover said the violations, one being the sale of food purchased with SGA money, were not made clear in the code.

She also said she and other College Republican members suspected bias against political organizations on campus. College Republicans did not receive any further

funding at this time, but according to the Code, they and any other Registered Student Organization can reapply for funding two additional times during the semester.

EMILY TUCKER/THE DAILY

“I rose with I think the entire opinion of the committee in defending the decision,” Quick said. “We are committed to fairness in the funding process, and I thought it was important to

defend that process and the decision that we made, because that’s why we exist as a committee.” While the meeting did not go as planned, Schoonover said they intend on coming back once their allocated funding runs out. “The good outcome of this is that, you know … I don’t know if any organization this year has gone in to advocate for funding,” Schoonover said. “So we stood up for ourselves. We stood for what we thought we deser ved, you know, and we did bring attention to issues of transparency.” Gibbs also gave an update from the executive branch during the meeting, cover ing effor ts to update Sarkey’s Fitness Center and how his administration was working to combat racism on campus through Multicultural Advancement Committees, which will represent many diverse groups from across campus. Emily Tucker

emtuck99@ou.edu

Gallogly releases phase 1 of diversity plan Announcement covers hiring, awarding inclusion JORDAN MILLER

the university President. Include thre e students representing the Norman and Health Science Center campuses on the search committee.

@jordanrmillerr

2) Establish a shared governance model for leveragO U P r e s i d e n t Ja m e s ing key resources to impleGallogly released an email ment and measure diversiupdate Tuesday on “phase ty actions. one” of the university’s efforts to increase diver- 3) Enhance and implement sity and inclusion follow- additional diversity and ining this semester’s racist clusion learning opportuincidents. nities for staff, faculty and In the email, Gallogly students across the uniaddressed the racist video versity including training and incident of blackface for all search committees’ on campus that occurred representatives and hiring in January, and said follow- managers. ing those he “made a commitment to examine our 4) Improve the sourcing, actions, policies and prac- recruiting, hiring and retices as an institution to en- tention strategies for staff sure OU was working every and faculty utilizing our day in a systemic and com- Affirmative Action Plans. prehensive manner toward inclusivity for all.” 5) Continue to build on our Gallogly detailed a plan, current momentum in atwhich he said was only tracting and retaining hisphase one, which the uni- torically underrepresented versity is going to imple- undergraduate and gradument “to build the founda- ate students within federal tion for an inclusive uni- and state laws. versity culture.” The points of the phase one plan were 6) Incorporate measurelisted as: m e nt s a n d re wa rd s f o r evaluating diversity and 1) Hire a Vice President, inclusion action and outC h i e f D i ve r s i t y O f f i c e r comes within the faculty via a national search who and staff performance rew i l l r e p o r t d i r e c t l y t o view process.

7) Provide robust leadership and guidance to all student groups by offering additional diversity and inclusion training, opportunities to discuss and voice concerns, providing safe and inclusive locations to meet and to build programs that bring everyone together. Gallogly said this plan came after the OU Diversity and Inclusivity Council drafted a proposal in February outlining institutional goals for diversity and inclusion planning across the university. “ The work had begun much earlier,” Gallogly said. “The comprehensive proposal also identified action steps and outcomes for each of the goals.” F o l l o w i n g a Ja n u a r y video that depicted an OU student wearing blackface and using a racial slur, OU’s Black Student Association wrote a list of demands from the university regarding diversity efforts. The BSA asked for an enhanced curriculum dedicated to cultural competency for students, an increase in multicultural faculty/ staff and increased financial assistance for AfricanAmerican students, which are acknowledged in the

JORDAN MILLER/THE DAILY

OU President James Gallogly in his office Feb. 7. Gallogly has announced efforts for the university to increase diversity and inclusion following this semester’s racist incidents.

plan. The demands also included a zero tolerance polic y be implemented in OU’s code of conduct which, at least in this phase of Gallogly’s plan, has not been addressed. “We know that we have

a lot of work ahead of us to change our culture to one that is fully open, diverse and inclusive,” Gallogly said. “I strongly believe that we must set our expectations clearly and measure our success regularly

on these goals in order to deliver results and give our university community confidence in our progress.” Jordan Miller

jordan.r.miller-1@ou.edu

Research plans, funds requested increase Proposals, dollars requested rise as part of OU’s goal SCOTT KIRKER @scott_kirker

OU has seen an increase in research proposals and funds requested from federal, state and industr y sponsors for research proposals since last year, the university announced in an OU Info statement. Ac c o rd i n g t o t h e a n n o u n c e m e n t , re s e a rc h proposals between July 1, 2018, and Feb. 19, 2019, increased by 11.7 percent to 580, from 519 the previous year. The dollar amount requested from sponsors increased by 47.1 percent — to $322,736,108 from $219,384,516 the previous

y e a r, a c c o r d i n g t o t h e announcement. The increase in dollars requested from federal funding sponsors was $102 million, which accounts for 99 percent of the increased dollar amount requested, according to the announcement. This increase included some larger proposals, 14 of which requested over $3 million, according to the announcement. Four of the 14 requested over $11 million, including three GEAR UP proposals to the U.S. Department of Education and a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence proposal to the National Institutes of Health. Elizabeth Ambos, exe c u t i v e d i re c t o r o f t h e Council on Undergraduate Research, told The Daily

Jan. 10 that in her experience, which has included being a research officer at a smaller institution, many research offices use the number of research proposals and grant dollars brought in as primary measures of research success. Federal research sponsors that OU research proposals submitted to include the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. The announcement also said pre-proposals in progress include a proposed $50 million National Science Fou n dat i o n g ra nt f o r a digital-phased array radar testbed. The announcement

The Stephenson Research and Technology Center on OU’s research campus.

comes as the administration works toward OU President James Gallogly’s goal to double research. Interim Vice President for Research Randall Hewes told The Daily in a Feb. 7 email that the university’s

VIA OU.EDU

goal is to increase research whether we are meeting holistically. that goal,” Hewes said in “The real goal here is to the email Feb. 7. double OU’s research scale and impact — to promote excellence — and we will Scott Kirker have to be holistic and nustk@ou.edu anced in how we measure

NEWS

March 7-10, 2019 •

Outdoor cat ban possible Norman City Council discusses roaming cat issue DREW HUTCHINSON @drethegirl

Norman City Council and an oversight committee are discussing a possible city ordinance banning or limiting outdoor cats. The Norman Animal Welfare Oversight Committe e has re commended two possible versions of an outdoor cat ban, police Capt. Brent Barbour said at Tuesday’s city council study session. Option one would ban all outdoor cats, with few exceptions. Option two would only allow cats that a re c o l l a re d o r m i c ro chipped, licensed, altered and vaccinated to roam outdoors. Wa r d 1 c i t y C o u n c i l m e m b e r Ka t e Bi e r m a n said she has received complaints regarding cats, such as overcrow ding, defecating in flower beds and other instances of “nuisance” activity. “We do get complaints (about cats), I don’t want to say frequently, but

ANNA MAYER/THE DAILY

A kitten at the Norman Animal Welfare Center. The Norman Animal Welfare Oversight Committee is considering an outdoor cat ban.

somewhat often,” Barbour said. Either version of the ordinance could be difficult to enforce because cats are harder to capture than other animals, Barbour said. But if a cat were captured under the ordinance, it could be returned to its owner — if identifiable — with a warning or a criminal citation. If the owner

couldn’t be identified, the cat would be held at the Norman animal shelter for a few days and then put up for adoption, he said. “We don’t euthanize anything in the shelter right now that is not sick, injured or has some sort of significant behavior issue that we can’t find another solution for,” Barbour said. If passed, the ordinance

would probably significantly increase the number of cats in the Norman animal shelter, which Barbour said is a big concern. The possible ordinance has proved controversial among Normanites, especially in resident Facebook groups. “I’ve gotten a whole lot of (constituent) emails on this one,” said Breea Clark,

Ward 6 council member and mayor-elect. Barbour acknowledged that public opinion is split on the matter. “People are passionate about their pets, obviously, as we hope they are,” Barbour said. Most council members said they are willing to consider the second version of the ordinance. But some members expressed concern about enforceability, like Clark, who said she “isn’t a fan” of creating ordinances that the city can’t uphold. Bierman, who served on the animal welfare committee for two years, said she recognizes Norman has a problem with roaming cats. But she asked if an “educational” ordinance would actually be necessary. “Why not educate (residents) through asking them to keep their cats indoors?” she said at the session. “But at the same time, we have a problem that seems to keep cropping up, and we need some solutions for it.” Drew Hutchinson

drew.hutchinson@ou.edu

Funds hazy for Project Threshold Financing for gym renovation also remains unclear

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SCOTT KIRKER @scott_kirker

While funding remains uncertain for Project Threshold and renovations to the Sarkeys Fitness Center, which are two top priorities for OU Student Government Association President Adran Gibbs, his administration said progress is being made. Project Threshold provides support to first-generation students, meaning students whose parents do not have a four-year degree, as well as students with economic disadvantages or documented disabilities, said Deborah BinkleyJackson, director of Project Threshold. The program was funded at OU by a TRiO g ra n t t h ro u g h t h e U. S. Department of Education until the federal government did not renew the grant and funds ran out in 2016. At the time, former OU President David Boren agreed to fund the program in the interim. Despite concerns that the program might be cut under OU President James Gallogly, the program has continued to receive university funding. Gibbs said his administration has been in talks with Student Affairs and the provost’s office to determine in writing how the program will be funded moving forward. “I have gotten an assurance that it’s going to be funded,” Gibbs said. “It hasn’t been put on paper yet. But that is something that we should be able to release here in the next coming weeks. We still have a couple talks left to go.” Bi n k l e y -Ja ck s o n s a i d the program continues to receive funding from the university, but she has no knowledge of a plan to formally set aside funds for the program to continue. “We’re still here, obviously, the lights are still on, so we’re still getting paid,” Binkley-Jackson said. “As far as having a department that has programmatic funding, we are still in limbo.” A s a re s u l t , B i n k l e y Jackson said the four staff members have carried on without hiring a staff assistant or a sufficient number of tutors while working to

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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.

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

OU SGA President Adran Gibbs speaks at the Martin Luther King Jr. choir concert Jan. 21. Gibbs said he has two top priorities: funding for Project Threshold and renovations to Sarkeys Fitness Center.

serve nearly double the 300 students it was previously funded to serve. Bi n k l e y -Ja ck s o n s a i d she’s optimistic about the program’s chances at re-obtaining funding through its previous federal grant, which should begin accepting applications in October. The active student response to August rumors of a potential closure of Project Threshold shows t h e p r o g r a m’s i m p a c t , Binkley-Jackson said. “It’s that qualitative information, that information from the students and their sharing what it means to be able to come into an environment where it doesn’t matter about your ethnicity, it doesn’t matter about some of those socioeconomic factors because everybody realizes, in this space, we’re all the same,” Binkley-Jackson said. Gibbs said progress is being made on potential renovations to Sarkeys Fitness Center, another project he said would be a priority for his administration. Gibbs said his administration has been meeting with OU officials to discuss potential renovations and is

looking at setting up an exit survey to see what students would want to see in a gym renovation. “We have a few ideas of our own, but the idea is that we want to get student input to make sure that we’re accommodating students’ needs and wants and what they’d like to see in the Sarkeys Fitness Center,” Gibbs said. Gibbs said money would need to come from the student activity fee reserve to fund these renovations. A c c o rd i n g t o t h e O U Regents’ policy manual, 2 percent of all student activity fee funds — which are a portion of the university’s budget earmarked for certain programs and initiatives focused on students — are placed in a reserve account to be used throughout the year for necessary services, facilities and programs relevant to the intended uses of the student activity fee. A committee made up of the vice president for Student Affairs, student body president, Undergraduate Student Congress chair, Graduate Student Senate chair and Campus Activities Council

chair determines how this student activity fee reserve is used. Undergraduate Student C o n g r e s s C h a i r To m Cassidy said in addition to potentially supplementing any of the departments covered by the student activity in the case of a budget shortfall, the student activity fee reserve has been used for numerous projects in the past. These projects have included certain renovations to the Oklahoma Memorial Union, the first two years of Student Legal Services and the launch of the campus bike share program, Cassidy said. Gibbs said the student activity fee reserve currently amounts to about $2 million, which is where funding for renovations to the Sarkeys Fitness Center could come from. Cassidy said the committee has been looking into possible renovations to the Sarkeys Fitness Center for the past few years. “I believe the way everyone on the committee is feeling right now is that if we’re going to pursue renovation to Sarkeys Fitness Center,” Cassidy said, “we

are trying to maximize the space that already exists there, making sure that we’re dedicating space to high utilization.” Cassidy said although the committee that decides how to use the student activity fee reserve only has five members, the views of students, faculty, staff and administration need to be taken into account. Gibbs said the student activity fee reserve might also be an option to provide bridge funding for Project Threshold. Binkley-Jackson said the current costs associated with Project Threshold amount to about $300,000 annually. “An option would be to go through the student activity fee reserve, but we are looking at other options first to make sure that the university is being held accountable for the programs that they support on campus,” Gibbs said. “Hopefully we’re able to secure funding from another source so that we don’t have to pay for the full program out of pocket Scott Kirker stk@ou.edu

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VOL.104, NO. 15

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â&#x20AC;˘ March 7-10, 2019

Mental health issues increase College students face higher rates of anxiety, depression SIERRA RAINS @sierramrains

Trigger warning: this story includes content and quotes about suicide Psychology and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and gender studies junior Mary Tappel was 16 when she began to not feel like herself anymore. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just felt numb and had no drive or anything that I used to have â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I felt like there was no point to living,â&#x20AC;? Tappel said. Like many other students at OU, Tappel has been diagnosed with anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder â&#x20AC;&#x201D; mental health issues, that she still grapples with today despite taking medication. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m currently on medication for my mental health issues, but that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean everything is normal,â&#x20AC;? Tappel said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I still, a lot of times, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have motivation to do things, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s some days where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so bad that I just canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go to class.â&#x20AC;? College students, nationwide and at OU, are increasingly coming to campuses with greater needs regarding mental health, specifically in areas of anxiety and depression, said Scott Miller director of the University Counseling Center . â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our counseling center has seen an increase in students seeking counseling services over the past couple of years, consistent with college counseling centers across the country,â&#x20AC;? Miller said. In 2015, the counseling center observed a â&#x20AC;&#x153;fairly significantâ&#x20AC;? rise in students meeting criteria for hospitalization related to suicidal thoughts, and those numbers have been slowly rising since, Miller said. Miller said the OU Police Department participated in seven Emergency Orders of Detention, a process under which a person is deemed to be a danger to his or her self and must be taken to a medical facility, in 2014 and 21 in 2015. However, over the past year, OUPD was involved in 30 EODs. Shelby Rowe, Oklahoma

Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services suicide prevention program manager, said there has been a slight increase in suicide rates nationally, and Cleveland County has seen a similar trend, rising from 14.9 deaths per 100,000 people in 2013 to 19 deaths per 100,000 people in 2017. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We always hate to see an increase, but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not anything alarming about that increase,â&#x20AC;? Rowe said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is unfortunately what is happening nationwide.â&#x20AC;? In 2017, what would be todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s college freshmen were administered a survey looking at youth risk behavior, and 19.1 percent of Oklahoma high school students said they had seriously considered attempting suicide within the last 12 months, Rowe said. The reasons why individuals are at risk and the barriers to care they experience vary, Rowe said. However, the demand for mental health care often outweighs the supply, and this can be a contributing factor, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The data is clear that students connected to counseling services have

a significantly lower risk of suicide, and the counseling center plays a very important role in helping students who are experiencing depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation,â&#x20AC;? Miller said. Tappel said she has been lucky to have a supportive family and access to mental health care outside the university. However, in her position as internal relations chair for OUr Mental Health, she has had to fill a role she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel qualified for. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked directly with a lot of students, kind of like as their counselor, which is definitely a place I shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hold because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not trained at all,â&#x20AC;? Tappel said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But they feel like they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really trust the university services, or theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just inadequate, or they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get in to Goddard because the wait is so long.â&#x20AC;? Students who feel as if they have nowhere else to turn will often come to Tappel, making her feel as if there is no other option but to push her studies off and help a friend, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Go study for this examâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Go be with your suicidal friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a life is more important than a

grade,â&#x20AC;? Tappel said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But the professors donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really see that, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really hard to be able to be there for people and get your studies done well.â&#x20AC;? Struggling with anxiety and depression as a college student can be a vicious cycle, Tappel said. Because their mental illness im pedes their ability to do well in school, students often find themselves feeling even worse and sometimes spiraling out of control, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen some people drop out because of that â&#x20AC;&#x201D; because they just havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been able to get their mental health under control,â&#x20AC;? Tappel said. When this loss of control leads to death by suicide, it impacts countless, individuals, Rowe said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Research has shown anywhere from six, at the lowest, up to over 100 individuals that are personally impacted by suicide,â&#x20AC;? Rowe said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking at on a college campus, if you have someone that is living in the dorms and has a lot of friends, that one death is going to impact a lot of people because you have communal living on a

Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg March 7, 2019

ACROSS 1 â&#x20AC;&#x153;I ___ thought of thatâ&#x20AC;? 6 Yukon and Sierra 10 Antlered deer 14 Notable book club maven 15 Cut with a beam 16 Road worker? 17 *Benevolent spellcasting 19 Thorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father 20 Bumbling person 21 Taboo action 22 A, B, C, D or F 23 Clock change abbr. 24 *Chocolate ingredient 27 Bishopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s district 29 Hold in, as an emotion 30 $$$ manager 31 General ___ Anna 32 Energetic, or what the starred answers are 37 Groovy 38 Argon, e.g. 40 Be tantalizingly close to victory

my friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; What a difference a friend makes.

AUSTIN CARRIERE/THE DAILY

Goddard Health Center on OUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campus. The University Counseling Center offers a variety of mental health services.

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.

3/7

43 Onsets 47 *Basic Starbucks order 49 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Agnus ___â&#x20AC;? 50 Earthen pots 51 Dublinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poetic land 52 ___ Four (Beatles) 53 Not far 54 *â&#x20AC;&#x153;Three Little Pigsâ&#x20AC;? comedy rock band 57 â&#x20AC;&#x153;My stars!â&#x20AC;? 58 Blunt 59 Staggering 60 Pelosiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s allies, briefly 61 Common V.A. malady 62 Some have 366 days DOWN 1 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weird!â&#x20AC;? 2 Of a language impairment 3 Start falling asleep 4 ___ King Cole 5 From that point on 6 Quick peek 7 Myopic cartoon Mr. 8 Longtime CBS drama 9 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hold on a ___â&#x20AC;? 10 Like a one-day forecast

11 Thus far 12 Tolerates 13 Lost causes 18 Heifer sounds 22 TV doctor Sanjay 25 Omani, e.g. 26 The â&#x20AC;&#x153;bâ&#x20AC;? of n.b. 28 Get an edge at blackjack, say 31 Bay Area airport code 33 Scallionlike vegetables 34 Not of the clergy 35 Bartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bus driver 36 Beach biter 39 Scene-___ (outshining actor)

40 Crashed into at 90 degrees 41 Claim 42 Low bow 43 Off course 44 Bruce of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hateful Eightâ&#x20AC;? 45 MTV personality 46 Female oracles 48 Senses 54 Macroeconomic stat. 55 Frustrating groove 56 Before, to a bard

PREVIOUS PREVIOUSPUZZLE PUZZLEANSWER ANSWER

college campus.â&#x20AC;? Miller said the University Couns eling Center has worked to create programs that help identify and support students struggling with suicidal thoughts and mental health issues, including Compass Network and Behavior Intervention Team, as well as training for academic advisors and a capstone course where students can learn about suicide, suicide prevention and programs offered to students. However, Tappel said she believes the university needs to make more of an investment in mental health services, primarily by hiring more psychiatrists and counselors to meet the demand of students needing services. When OUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Counseling Psychology Clinic, which served as a lifeline for hundreds of students, permanently closed its doors on May 10, 2017, the Norman community deeply felt the effects as clients were forced to look elsewhere for lowcost mental health services. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like if we did have better services here, the responsibility wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be put

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

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Canned Speechâ&#x20AC;? by Ross Trudeau

Sierra Rains

sierra.m.rains@gmail.com

HOROSCOPE By Eugenia Last

THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019 ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last Emotions will be difficult to control. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t question your beliefs, feelings or intuition. If you follow your heart, you will find a rewarding path. You can and will make a difference if you take responsibility and are proactive. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for change when you can make it happen. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Stick to the facts and follow the path that is best for you. Stay focused on whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important and refuse to let anyone pressure you to engage in excessive behavior. ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Do what makes you happy. Take a moment to yourself or spend time with someone who understands you. Refuse to acknowledge negativity and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let criticism stop you from being you.

3/6 3/4

on other students, like myself, who arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even trained to deal with it,â&#x20AC;? Tappel said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think mental health is one of the most important issues facing students today because it affects everything they do. So if OU isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t taking care of students mental health, then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just hurting itself.â&#x20AC;? Rowe said individuals always have options when seeking services, including 24-hour suicide prevention hotlines. As a suicide attempt survivor herself, she knows recovery is possible â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in fact, those who survive a suicide attempt have a 93 percent lifetime survival rate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This crisis is very serious, and without help it can be fatal,â&#x20AC;? Rowe said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You know yourself better than anyone else, and if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not feeling yourself for more than two weeks or if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re feeling completely overwhelmed and unable to do the things that you normally enjoy doing, reach out and get help.â&#x20AC;?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Look at the possibilities and start the ball rolling. Pledge to reach your goals without complaint. Deal with problems secretively and have faith in your ability to take care of business. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put pressure on others. If something needs to be done, do it yourself. Making assumptions or overreacting will not get you where you want to go. CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fear failure. Pick yourself up and make the most of whatever comes your way. If you recognize an opportunity and seize the moment, good things will happen.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let the changes going on around you slow you down. If you assess the situation, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find the best way to fit in and make a difference. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Use your imagination to come up with solutions that will help you get ahead. Gaining experience will be key to your success. A partnership will need an adjustment. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Put greater emphasis on how you handle money. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll face criticism if you make decisions without considering the consequences. Review details carefully before you make a change. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Put some muscle behind your ideas and turn your dream into a reality. Much can be accomplished if you are willing to make a change. A unique lifestyle alteration is encouraged. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be surprised by what someone says or does. Do not share personal information. Concentrate on self-improvement and steer clear of untrustworthy individuals. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- A change will do you good. Learn something new, research something you want to pursue and make your space conducive to greater productivity. Be the best that you can be. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take unnecessary risks. Improve your attitude by distancing yourself from a critic looking for a fight. Be proud of who you are and what you bring to the table.

March 7-10, 2019 •

CULTURE

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

Catlett Music Center. The OU schools of music will present a concert honoring the traditional music of the six nations of a Native American confederacy on March 7.

SHANE BYLER/THE DAILY

Concert to honor indigenous art OU School of Music to show traditional Native music, dance ALMA CIENSKI @almacienski

OU School of Music will present a concert honoring the traditional music of the six nations of a Native A m e r i c a n c o n f e d e ra c y March 7. “Haudenosaunee, Iroquois Social Dances and Music” will take place in Sharp Concert Hall as part of the Ruggles Native American Music series.

This series showcases Native American music and dance with multiple events every semester. The Iroquois, named by the French, was a confederacy of tribes in the northeast that later self-named i t s e l f Ha u d e n o s a u n e e, which means “people who build a house.” The confederacy is composed of six nations — Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora — though each nation has their own traditions and identity. “The Haudenosaunee is a rich culture that has influenced many elements o f A m e r i c a n s o c i e t y ,”

said Christina Giacona, producer of the Ruggles Native American Music Series. “The six nations Confederacy Council governing system influenced the way the United States federal government established a shared power with individual states.” The Haudenosaunee social dances are traditional Native American dances, many of which were referred to as “earth songs” in Iroquois life. The beat and tempo of the music is driven by the dancers’ feet stomping in unison on the ground. This concert features

musicians Paul Barton, Tony Gonzalez, Richard Zane Smith and William Tarrant. Barton is SenecaCayuga, Wyandotte and Eastern Shawnee. He works in tribal preservation for the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and is a Faith Ke e p e r i n t h e S e n e c a Cayuga Tribe. His student, Gonzales, is also SenecaCayuga and Wyandotte and has participated in SenecaCayuga Ceremonies all of his life. Smith, a Wyandotte artist, makes pottery, bows, arrows, clubs and even h o r n rat t l e s a n d w at e r

drums, which are traditional instruments used in earth songs. He revitalized the Wyandotte language and many ceremonies, according to a press release. Smith also participates in the Longhouse of the Seneca-Cayuga tribe. Ta r r a n t , a S e n e c a Cayuga and Wyandotte, is the head of the preservation department of the S e n e ca - Cay u ga Nat i o n of Oklahoma and a Faith Ke e p e r i n t h e S e n e c a Cayuga Tribe. An imprint of his hand is on display in the hall of Native people in the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural

History. “Haudenosaunee, Iroquois Social Dances and Music” will be at 8 p.m. March 7 in Sharp Concert Hall at Catlett Music Center, 500 W. Boyd St. Advanced tickets may be purchased in person at the OU Fine Arts Box Office or by phone at 405-325-4101. The price is $5 for students and $9 for adults. Tickets at the door will be $10. Alma Cienski

aacienski@ou.edu

Marvel releases first film with female lead ‘Captain Marvel’ gives young girls strong role model SAM TONKINS

@samanthatonkins

“Captain Marvel” is the latest action-packed installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and features a hero who relies on her wit and courage to learn the truth about herself and discover who the villains of the story really are. The film is far more than just a lead-up to the upcoming “Avengers: Endgame” movie. Instead, it is a valuable addition to the franchise and fills in several gaps, like what really happened to Nick Fury’s eye. “Captain Marvel,” directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, opens on an alien planet, which is home to the Kree civilization. Vers, played by Brie Larson, is a Starforce agent who can shoot energy blasts from her hands but has no memories of her past. While fighting the Kree’s main enemy the Skrulls, Vers is captured. As the Skrulls look through her mind for information, Vers begins to remember a life on planet C-53, otherwise known as Earth, where she was a pilot named Carol Danvers. Vers escapes from captivity and crash lands through the roof of a Blockbuster

”Captain Marvel,” the latest movie out in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stars Brie Larson as Captain Marvel.

store on Earth. From there, she teams up with a young Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, to save the world from a Skrull invasion while also learning about her past, she thus taking on the name “Captain Marvel.” Brie Larson is powerful in the role of Captain Marvel. She is tough and strong, and she knows how to take and throw a punch. Vers/Carol is also snarky and sarcastic, and her humor during a lifeand-death situation keeps the audience laughing. “Captain Marvel” takes place in the ‘90s, and the movie misses no

opportunity to weave nostalgic humor into the plot. For example, after inserting a disc with vital information needed to save the world into a computer, the characters are forced to wait while the computer slowly loads the data. This got a laugh from all the adults in the theater who remember a time of dial-up internet and pagers. Also, the soundtrack of the movie is full of popular ‘90s music, like “Only Happy When It Rains” and “Come As You Are.” At one point, Fury sings “Please Mr. Postman” while washing

dishes. While everyone is excited to see the comic superhero come to life, an unexpected character steals the show. Goose, an orange tabby cat that Nick Fury befriends, makes the audience fall in love with her from the first meow. The cat is also a character in the comics, but her name is Chewie. The movie changed her name to Goose to reference the 1986 “Top Gun” movie. Goose quickly becomes a vital element of the team and works hard to save the day. Since the movie is set

before most other Marvel films, several characters had to be edited to appear much younger. The digital de-aging of Nick Fury is incredibly well done and feels natural — it is a testament to the power of modern CGI. As with any Marvel epic, moviegoers should be sure not to leave before the two post-credit scenes. The first ties Captain Marvel to the “Avengers: Endgame” movie. The second is just funny and well worth the wait. “Captain Marvel” is the first Marvel movie starring a female superhero. The film

SCREENSHOT VIA YOUTUBE

illustrates the importance of strong female role models on young girls and showcases the necessity of having more powerful women in film. But mostly, “Captain Marvel” demonstrates that a woman can save the world just as well as any man. “Captain Marvel” will be released in theaters March 8. Sam Tonkins

samantha.tonkins@ou.edu

• March 7-10, 2019

SPORTS

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

Jayhawks fly under OU’s belt

Seniors receive standing ovation after beating Kansas CALEB MCCOURRY @CalebMac21

About 20 minutes after Oklahoma (19-11, 7-10 Big 12) ended No. 13 Kansas’ chance to win 15 straight Big 12 titles, Jayhawks’ head coach Bill Self was asked if he thought the Sooners were an NCAA Tournament team, despite their conference record. “Well, God, I hope they are,” Self said laughing, “or s---.” B eing 7-10 in the Big 12 cer tainly s eems like an afterthought after the Sooners’ 81-68 win over No. 13 Kansas (22-8, 11-6 Big 12) Tuesday night in their last home game of the year. It was the team’s most impressive and most meaningful performance of the season — a win over a ranked opponent that could solidify a spot in the NCAA Tournament in the seniors’ last home game of their Oklahoma careers. And the Sooners beat the

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Freshman guard Jamal Bieniemy smiles as graduate guard Miles Reynolds hugs him before the Sooners won the game against Kansas on March 5.

Jayhawks in all of the 40 minutes, too. After the first two minutes of the game, the score was 4-4. Less than four minutes later, sophomore forward Brady Manek nailed a three to conclude a 19-3 run, putting the Sooners up 23-7. Manek already had 15 by halftime — 21 points

and five rebounds on the night — and the 53 percent in the first half. Kansas couldn’t make the most of its rebounding advantage, 41 on the night to OU’s 31, and shot 41 percent. The Jayhawks were 7-31 from three. “Obviously (it’s) a huge w i n ,” h e a d c o a c h L o n

Kruger said. “Kansas has set the bar for so many years, and they’ve done outstanding. (They’re) a very good team again this year. I’m really happy for the guys and proud of them. I thought they opened the game sharp and moved the ball, made shots, made plays for each other.”

Kansas’ defense didn’t have an answer for Manek and junior forward Kristian Doolittle. Doolittle finished the game with 24 points and 11 rebounds, and shot 7-of11 from the field. Doolittle made plays at the basket over and over. Ten-foot floaters, physical layups and trips to the foul line kept

coming for the forward. “I’ve just been able to take what the defense gives me,” Doolittle said. “Being aggressive, but not being too aggressive. Just doing things that we practiced going into this game.” Senior night may have been a 92-80 win over West Virginia on Saturday, but Tuesday was the seniors’ farewell to the Lloyd Noble Center. Redshirt senior Jamnuni McNeace and seniors Christian James and Rashard Odomes were all given standing ovations as they were subbed out of the game one by one. Graduate student transfer Miles Reynolds wasn’t at the podium of the postgame press conference, but that didn’t stop him from tweeeting “LETS DANCE” because this w in likely secures OU a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners will enter the Big 12 Tournament as a No. 7 seed and will conclude their regular season with a road game against No. 18 Kansas State on Saturday. Caleb McCourry

caleb.a.mccourry@ou.edu

Sooners prepare for spring practice, game Oklahoma to see new faces, system in place next season VIC REYNOLDS @vicareynolds

With spring practice star ting Thurs day, Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley addressed the media in his first press conference of the off-season

Wednesday. Hurts started two seaHere are the top take- sons for the Crimson Tide, aways from Wednesday’s going 26-2 as a starter and press conference. leading them to a national championship appearance Q U A R T E R B A C K in his freshman season. COMPETITION Despite his previous sucThe Sooners picked up cess, Hurts won’t enter with one of the nation’s top re- the starting job in hand. cruiting classes in 2019. Oklahoma still has sophoHowever, their most no- more Tanner Mordecai retable new face at practice turning from last yea,and Thursday will be former Spencer Rattler, the No. 1 Alabama quarterback Jalen ranked quarterback in the Hurts. 2019 class, coming this summer. “Within our walls, Jalen’s just like any other players,” Riley said. “He transferred in. He’s got a great skill set. He’s done a nice job acclimating to our players, to our staff and Norman. He’s handled it all well, but he’s in here, (and) he’s in a battle.”

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

OU coach Lincoln Riley walks off of the field after the Orange Bowl game Dec. 29. Riley held his first off-season press conference March 6.

NEW CONDITIONING ON DEFENSE Oklahoma is looking to allude its much-maligned defensive woes from the past several seasons with the hiring of new defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. Riley, Grinch and the rest of the defensive staff have emphasized slimming down their players’

weights, increasing speed and versatility. “There’s certainly been, and I would say more from a defensive perspective, a changing in some of these bodies to fit the system with coach Grinch and the rest of our defensive staff that we now have in place,” Riley said. “There are gonna be some different skill sets that are required. There’s gonna be some guys maybe that in the previous system you wanted at this weight, and in this system you want at this weight are prioritizing different athletic traits over others.” INEXPERIENCE ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE Last season, The Sooners won the Joe Moore Award for having the nation’s best offensive line. However, four of them left the team and are likely to be selected in the 2019 NFL Draft. The lone returning starter on the line will be freshman center Creed Humphrey, who is enters spring practice recovering from an injury. With Humphrey’s absence, the Sooners will have all new faces taking

first-team reps this spring. “Not having Creed there maybe is gonna be good for a lot of these young guys because having that crutch of having a center who knows everything that’s going on and just a guy that’s an experienced, good football player,” Riley said. “When you take him away from the group, you’re really gonna find out a lot about where these guys are individually.” RECRUITING AT SPRING GAME According to Riley, last year’s spring game was a major factor in the signing of 11 elite recruits for the Sooners, and he expects this year to be no different. “This practice and this spring game is going to be a bigger recruiting weekend than it was last year,” Riley said. “We already got more guys telling us they’re coming than last year. It’s gonna be bigger. I think we, as a football staff, our administration, our media, everybody has really worked hard to look back at last year’s spring game and ask, ‘What did we do well? Let’s continue to build on it.

What can we do better for our recruits and specifically our fans to make that experience even better?’” A.D. MILLER’S RETURN One of the first announcements Riley made at wednesday’s press conference was the return of wide receiver A.D. Miller. The redshirt junior initially announced that he would transfer to Illinois, but he has decided he will return to the Sooners. Oklahoma signed three of the nation’s top wide receivers in the 2019 class. However, the loss of AllAmerican Marquise Brown and Miller meant that the Sooners would lack experience at the position. “We’re thrilled to have (Miller) back — his teammat e s a re g l a d t o hav e h i m b a c k ,” R i l e y s a i d . “Obviously, it’s a position where we have some good talent, but we do not have many bodies at that receiver position. We’re talented, but we’re very thin.” Vic Reynolds

victor.reynolds@ou.edu

Sooners leap for memorable senior night Oklahoma to face No. 6 Illinois in crucial matchup CHANDLER ENGELBRECHT @ctengelbrecht

No word describes the feeling of any given senior night better than “bittersweet.” This weekend’s meet for the men’s gymnastics team will be no different. The top-ranked Sooners return to competition this Saturday for yet another heavyweight matchup, this time against No. 6 Illinois. The meet will suffice as “senior night” for nine individuals on the Sooners’ roster. “I’m really excited to go out and try to put a cap on the career that the entire class has had,” said senior Levi Anderson, who lead the Sooners in vault last meet with a season-high of 14.800. “These four years have flown by.” Genki Suzuki felt the same way about the long-anticipated meet.

“It’s pretty crazy — feels like four years went by real fast,” Suzuki said. “It’s senior night. It’s going to be special. We’ve gone through a lot as a class. We’ve grown together, we understand each other, we’ve helped each other through thick and thin. It’s going to be a memorable night. I’m excited for it.” The past three weeks has been incredibly successful for OU, as it not only bested both Michigan and Iowa in their respective meets but also had a strong showing at the 2019 Winter Cup Challenge. All of this has helped boost the Sooners’ confidence tremendously, Anderson and Suzuki said. “Confidence is pretty high,” Suzuki said. “That comes from all the work we put in. We do too many routines to have doubt in our minds. Mistakes happen. We’re all human, but we know when we make mistakes that we have 17 other guys that pick it back up and carry the momentum.” Anderson echoed his teammate’s words. “Just trust the process,”

Anderson said. “Trust in (coach Williams’) training and in his plan. I’m as confident as I possibly can feel. Obviously it’s gymnastics, so there are the occasional doubts, but that all goes away.” The Fighting Illini have b e e n o n a t e a r re c e ntly, as they are coming off back-to-back wins versus No. 4 Minnesota and No. 2 Stanford. On top of that, Anderson shares a personal connection with Illinois’ team captain Alex Diab, who he grew up competing at meets with. “We’re pretty good friends, but we let every single team that comes into the field house know that it’s our house. We’re there to protect it, and they’re just another enemy,” Anderson said. “They’re a good and very respectable team, especially considering they just took down No. 2. I’m very excited for this matchup.” Despite all that and all the senior night festivities, both Anderson and Suzuki agree that this is just another meet. “Every single weekend we

KATHRYN STACY/THE DAILY

Senior Levi Anderson competes on pommel horse during a meet Jan. 19.

try and go out and prove that the hard work we put in dayin and day-out is going to prove meet-in and meet-out,” Anderson said. “We definitely try to always hold to the OU standard and make sure that everything we do makes the people who paved the steps for us happy.” Suzuki went on to mention how the team just needs to

focus on themselves rather than the outside noise surrounding the meet. “Senior night will be in the back of our minds, but we’ve got to treat it like another meet,” he said. “That’s how we do it every year, every time we compete at the field house. It’s not built into our culture to treat a meet differently just because it’s senior

night. Our job is to go out there and hit sets. We just need to let our gymnastics talk for itself.” Oklahoma will face Illinois at 4 p.m. Saturday at McCasland Fieldhouse. Chandler Engelbrecht chandler.engelbrecht@ ou.edu