Who’s inked at SNU? Match the tattoo to its owner.
SNU Vocal Jazz Festival with special guest
Read more on pages 5-6
Read more on page 3
April 5, 2013 Volume 84 Issue 23 echo.snu.edu
TheEcho
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New directory system debuts over spring break Macy Sliman, Staff Writer Active Directory is a Directory Service by Microsoft, which authenticates users and computers to a domain, assigning policy/rights per user. Novell (which is being replaced on campus) is a similar Directory Service. The reason for this recent change is that SNU is applying new administrative database software, which requires Active Directory instead of Novell. The timing of this addition was calculated for this spring, and the best idea was for Spring Break when there would be the least amount of disturbance to the students due to there being the fewest users. This particular program has been coming into effect for the past two years but only recently made its début to the chagrin of some students. It did provide anticipated problems for participants who wished to log in to their accounts. Most were able to create a new password without problems, but some were not as successful. Elizabeth Hoffman, freshman early childhood education major, knows of students who experienced such problems through her job working at the library circulation desk. “A lot of students had a lot of problems trying to get into the system,” Hoffman said. “They just asked the reference librarians or if not they had to figure it out for themselves the best they could.” SNU Network Coordinator Chichi
Freelander and her team handled these problems one by one with much deliberation and patience. This system is predicted to be better than the original in that it will consolidate all information into one place for better access to information through the Active Directory program privacy policy and user rights. Freelander commented about
the impact that this program would have on the community, “This (Active Directory) affects Prospective/Traditional/[Professional and Graduate Studies]/Online Students as well as Faculty/ Adjunct/Staff. It affects Student printing, FS printing, SNU wifi and a new Portal, which will eventually replace MySNU,” Freelander said. The problems of this addition,
like any other change to such a large database, were anticipated and precautions were taken to avoid the glitches. Large training sessions for faculty and staff were undertaken as well as redoing everything user/ computer accounts, policies and rights/access to operating systems etc. Active Directory is expected it to be fully implemented by the summer of 2014.
Sophomore Morgan Burnham uses a computer in the library on April 3. Since March 18, computers across campus use Active Directory for logins. (Photo by Brad Crofford)
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University’s rental properties to be renovated, rents raised Ronna Fisher, Assistant Editor The Cabinet approved changes to SNU’s off-campus rentals during their April 1 meeting. These changes include plans for renovations and repairs, the creation of a waiting list, and the raising of rents to levels closer to the market rent in the 73008 zip code SNU owns over forty off-campus properties that are open to the public for renting. According to Michel Houston, associate dean of student development, these properties are owned by the university, but they are run outside of the university; they generate revenue, but no student tuition, student fees, or university money goes toward the enterprise. This summer, about 12 to 15 SNU owned houses will not have their leases renewed in order to leave them empty for renovation. In an interview with The Echo, Houston explains how the housing works, why the renovations are taking place, and changes that will occur in SNU’s property system. Houston took over direction of the properties in January.
“Many of the properties are not in a great state of repair, and over the last couple of years they haven’t been breaking even. So, one of the first things I’ve been charged with is to at least get them breaking even,” Houston said. This will result in raising rents and conducting repairs. The properties are, on average, rented at the 20th percentile for all rental properties in the 73008 zip code. The plan is for rents to be raised to at least the 40th percentile.
3 Components 1) Repairs 2) Waiting list 3) Raised rents Many tenants are paying below the rent market, and Houston explains that many tenants’ rent will be raised, by $50 to $250 depending on the house. According to a memo from student development provided to the Echo, some properties are al-
ready being rented at or near the 40th percentile. The memo states that if rent increases will be significant, they will be phased in over time with the goal of being at or near the 40th percentile by January 2014. All of these changes have been discussed and decided with Robyn Riley, property manager, and Ron Lester, director of facilities. The renovations will be paid for by selling one large property that is on the outskirts of the usual SNU owned houses, and residents will begin moving out of the houses by June. According to Houston, the goal is to have the first group of approximately twelve houses renovated by September 1st. Most of the housing is found within a couple of blocks of the school towards Donald Street. Most of the properties rent on a month-to-month lease. Houston reasons that this kind of lease provides protection for both the tenant and the property owner. Most of the tenants are new graduates, young married couples, and people who have just moved
to Oklahoma. Rather than a sixmonth lease that is unfair for people who may be searching for jobs and need to move, a monthly lease provides flexibility. Another change for SNU owned properties is the creation of a formal waiting list. There will now be a two-month waiting list based on the type of house an applicant will desire. “When a house is available, we call you, and if you turn it down, you will be moved to the bottom of the list. After two months time, you’ll get a notification that you’ll be moved off the list, and you’ll have to reapply,” Houston said. This will allow all applicants a chance to cycle through. Houston said, “We will only do leases with one person per house or group. The lease isn’t transferable to friends . . . I think people don’t like that, but it’s the only way to be fair. Otherwise, that house may never come on the list [to be available]. This is the real world; this is how any other place would work.”
Students attend, win award at English education conference Brad Crofford, Editor-In-Chief Being a good educator involves being educated oneself. This is what led English education majors Ronna Fisher, Kenzie Redwine and Kendra Meeks to attend the Oklahoma Council of Teachers of English (OCTE) spring conference at Oklahoma City University on Wednesday, April 3. “I went to an OCTE conference with a class last year, and I heard a lot of really great and practical ideas for teaching English,” Fisher, a junior, said. “I want to be the best teacher I can be one day, and that means I have to start learning and gather as many techniques and tools as I can now; this conference is just one way I begin doing that.”
According to the OCTE website, the conference’s theme was “Career, College, and Citizenship Readiness.” Its keynote speaker was Terrance Hayes, a National Book Award-winning poet. Hayes has won numerous awards for his poetry and is a professor of creative writing at Carnegie Mellon University. Hayes’ keynote address was the highlight for Meeks, a senior. “He is a teacher and a poet. He kept his audience engaged throughout his speech,” Meeks said. Conferences such as this can be useful in numerous ways, from allowing participants to share ideas to confirming callings. “I just really like getting fresh and new ideas to store away for
future use. Things like this get me with,” Meeks said. Redwine, a senior, received the Gerald Burns Award for Excellence in English Studies. Universities that have student members in OCTE nominate one student for the award, primarily based on their ability to teach English through student teaching or a practicum, according to Redwine. Winners are then selected by excited to one day be a teacher and OCTE. remind me why I am an English “I’m pretty excited to be recognized for my hard work,” Redwine Education major,” Fisher said. It can also help attendees to said. “It is also exciting because receive a better understanding of this award is recognized by other teachers, not just SNU professors their chosen profession. “I attended three very informa- but English teachers all over the tive sessions and now have a fuller state.” understanding of the new ComEnglish professor Dr. Peggy mon Core Standards that Okla- Poteet also attended the conferhoma teachers are starting to align ence.
“Things like this...remind me why I am an English Education major.”
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The Southern Nazarene University Singers (pictured) performed earlier this year at the American Choral Directors Association’s National Conference. Prof. Graves describes them as “one of the premier vocal jazz ensembles in the United States.” (Photo provided by Jim Graves)
SNU Vocal Jazz Festival to feature Grammy-nominee Roger Treece Brad Crofford, Editor-In-Chief Using no defined score of music, guest artist and clinician Roger Treece will perform an improvised concert during the SNU Vocal Jazz festival on Monday, April 8 in Herrick Auditorium Laura Miller, a University Singers member and junior vocal music education major, says Treece’s improvisational style will make for a unique concert. He will utilize both singers onstage and audience members. “Mr. Treece’s concert is going to be entirely improvised, meaning there is no defined score of music and he will be making it up as he hears the music, which is awesome,” Miller said. “He is also going to be involving the audience which brings another really great aspect into his perfor-
mance...Everyone will get to enjoy and partake in this concert.” Professor Jim Graves provides more information about how Treece will do this. “He will use the audience and students on stage to create sound
“Everyone will get to enjoy and partake in this concert.” loops, called circle singing, that he will improvise over, around and through. I guarantee that you will leave singing,” Graves said. The SNU Vocal Jazz Festival is an annual event. This is its sixth year. It will involve a clinic from
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and a free concert starting at 7:30 p.m in Herrick. According to Miller, the event has grown each year. “A part of the Jazz Festival is bringing in local high schools to have the opportunity to perform and learn from the various jazz clinicians,” Miller said. “This year we have set a new record for the amount of schools who will be partaking in the event.” The University Singers will be performing during the concert and will be interacting with the visiting choirs throughout the day. The visitng groups will also perform during the concert. “We invite the groups who have participated in clinics throughout the day to share a song on the evening concert,” Graves said.
Graves’ connections have been helpful in obtaining clinicians and guests artists for the
“I guarantee that you will leave singing.” festival. “I have connections with many vocal artists from around the world and invite the very best to be a part of what we do here,” Graves said. Treece is a composer, arranger, producer, engineer, singer, and teacher whose works spans genres. His work has earned him five Grammy nominations, including three for his most recent project, Bobby McFerrin’s latest album, VOCAbuLarieS.
OPINIONS TheEcho
April 5, 2013
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The Reason for the Season Garvis Long, Staff Writer Easter is a holiday that has been around for a long time. It has always been a holiday that represents strength, love, and forgiveness. Since I was a child, Easter has always been a great holiday, not because of the endless amounts of candy you can eat, but because of how much you show your appreciation to the Lord. Easter has long been known to be a pagan festival. America’s founders knew this! A children’s book about the holiday, Easter Parade: Welcome Sweet Spring Time! by Steve Englehart, states, “When the Puritans came to North America, they regarded the celebration of Easter—and the celebration of Christmas—with suspicion. They knew that pagans had celebrated the return of spring long before Christians celebrated Easter…for the first two hundred years of European life in North America, only a few states, mostly in the South, paid much attention to Easter.” Not until after the Civil War did Americans begin celebrating this holiday. Easter has some great and many new traditions that have helped shape this holiday into what it is today, and none bigger than the Easter bunny. According to easterbunnys. net, “The Easter bunny seems to have it’s origins in Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s. The
first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s. These were made of pastry and sugar. The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s.” This tradition often overlooks the true meaning of Easter as a spiritual holiday that has been celebrated for decades because of how Jesus Christ died on the cross and then three days later rose again. According to allaboutjesuschrist. org, “The meaning of Easter is Jesus Christ’s victory over death. His resurrection symbolizes the
eternal life that is granted to all resurrected, He would have been who believe in Him. The mean- considered just another teacher or ing of Easter also symbolizes the Rabbi. However, His resurrection changed all that and gave final and irrefutable proof that He was really the Son of God and that He had conquered death once and for all.” In my opinion Christ has always been and always will be the true meaning of Easter. Traditions change all the time, but Jesus has always stayed the same, and his strength love and complete verification of all that forgiveness is why Easter is such a Jesus preached and taught dur- special day, not just for Christians ing His three-year ministry. If He but for the world. No bunny, rabhad not risen from the dead, if bit, or hare can replace the mighty He had merely died and not been reign that is Jesus Christ.
“Christ has always been and always will be the true meaning of Easter”
Photo from Peter Roome used under Creative Commons license.
Why the government should stop recognizing marriages Brad Crofford, Editor-In-Chief If you’re like me, your Facebook friends list last week turned red and pink as individuals showed their support for marriage equality. This social media activism was prompted by the Supreme Court’s
consideration of cases involving the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8. Throughout the week, there were debates between those in favor of and those opposed to marriage equality. Those in favor of marriage
equality often emphasized that even if the Bible does not approve of homosexuality, it is not the ruling document for the United States (that would be the Constitution). Thus, religious arguments are irrelevant, they argue.
Proponents also suggested that when future generations look back on this, they will ask why this was such a big deal, like many do now with interracial marriage. “Do you Continued on page 5
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Why the government should stop recognizing marriages, cont. Continued from page 4 really want to be on the wrong side of history?” they ask, hinting that marriage equality is inevitable. I saw some opponents use deflection as a response. “What about the millions of children who have died as the result of abortions?” they ask. What about “life equality”? They seem to suggest that the proponents of marriage equality have no moral high ground given the issue of abortion. Let me show my hand: of these three arguments, I find the distinction between religion and government to be the most persuasive. The issue of being on the wrong side of history is unimportant to me; I do not believe we should govern in the present based on assumptions and conjecture about how some future generation may look back at us.
I think this method leads to alarmism. To see why, let’s consider the environmental question of whether we should drill more oil. Some could argue that drilling oil is currently a relatively cheap, efficient type of energy and that future generations would consider us fools for moving away from it earlier than necessary. Others, however, could argue that oil breeds dependence on foreign countries and damages the environment, which would earn us the ire of future generations. Either way, there seems to be a lot of conjecture about opinions in the future. The deflection of marriage equality based on pro-life grounds is frustrating. If we continually say we will not agree to solve Problem X until you fix Problem Y, we risk a selfperpetuating cycle of nothing get-
ting accomplished. We must be willing to tackle problems on their own merits and not resort to demonizing the other side. The response of “life equality” is irrelevant and prevents actual cooperation and problem solving. I believe the government should stop recognizing marriage. When we use the word marriage, we speak of at least two things. There is the religious aspect of it, reflected perhaps in a ceremony at a church, a unity candle, prayer, etc. There is, however, also a legal component to it, evidenced by a marriage certificate and the ability of people to get married outside of religious ceremonies. If the government ceases to recognize marriage and instead recognizes civil unions, we can disentangle these two aspects. Marriage
could be outside the government, allowing religious institutions to determine what they believe constitutes a marriage, whether this is exclusively heterosexual or also homosexual. Civil unions would be up to the government and would determine legal benefits. I believe it is unjust for government to deprive samesex couples of their civil rights, but I also am opposed to any excessive government intrusion in religious institutions. Separating the concepts of civil unions and marriages is the simplest, fairest compromise I can think of at this point (though I recognize my opinion could change in the future). What do you think? Submit a letter to the editor at echo.@mail.snu.edu
Who’s inked at SNU? The significance behind the tattoos Ronna Fisher, Assistant Editor It is not uncommon to see collegiate peers with tattoos. In fact, according to Statistic Brain, in 2012 36% of US adults from ages 18-25 had at least one tattoo. But students are not alone in their ink love. Many faculty and staff are also joining the leagues of inked up bodies. Jessica Bowie and her father Jody Bowie are two examples. Jessica, a sophomore, and Jody, instructional designer in the Online Resource Center, both have tattoos that mean more to them than a simple accessory. In an email correspondence with The Echo, Jody explains his multiple tattoos that symbolize love, family, faith, and career. “I’ve got one that is a kind of Celtic knot that has Michelle’s name below it . . . [It] is symbolic of my unending love for Michelle . . . I’ve got a picture of the Earth from the Moon with a verse from Job below it in Latin that says, ‘He hangs the Earth on nothing.’ . . . [It] is kind of one that symbolizes how science and religion can co-exist while having two different purposes.
It’s based on an actual photograph taken from the physics of how the Earth is physically located in space . . . Since I teach/taught physics and astronomy, it seemed a logical subject matter.” For both Jessica and Jody tattoos are a form of self-expression and identification. “Tattoos are just a remembrance of who you are right now. They aren’t for everyone, but for some people it’s just a form of self expression,” states Jessica. Jody agrees, “It’s simply a way for me to express myself. To be different. I’m from a very conservative background, and it was a way for me to self-actualize. I got my first one when I was about 25, which was about the time I truly began to think for myself . . . “ Dr. Frank Johnson, a professor in Cultural and Communication Studies, also uses his tattoos as a form of self-expression. His tattoo of a road bicycle symbolizes a “commitment to working hard to live a healthier life.”
“I gained 50 pounds over a 10 year period. I have lost 2 pounds since I started biking . . . I like the thought of other bikers looking with envy at my tattoo as I zoom past them. So far, the zooming has not happened.”
“Tattoos can be great conversation starters and an artistic way for self-expression.” While most people do not regret tattoos, approximately 17% of people with tattoos have some regret (http://www.statisticbrain. com/tattoo-statistics/). Jody cautions anyone who is considering a tattoo, “Two of my current ones are cover-ups of pre-
vious ones. Think long and hard about what you want before you do something. It’s pretty permanent. They are very hard to cover and even harder to remove.” Though many students might only consider price or coolness of their tattoo, both Jody and Dr. Johnson implore students to consider safety and trust in the artist. “Go to someone you trust, and don’t be afraid to ask to see pictures of previous work. Also, ask to be able to contact previous clients. I’ve used five different people, and there’s only one person I’ll use right now,” says Jody. When asked what is the most important factor when considering getting a tattoo, Johnson replies, “Safety, safety, safety, artistic ability of tattoo artist, safety.” Tattoos can be great conversation starters and an artistic way for self-expression. Look around campus; you may just be surprised to see who has a tattoo. Don’t be afraid to ask about it; almost every tattoo has a story behind it.
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Who’s inked at SNU? Match the tattoos with their owner Owners: Jessica Bowie Jody Bowie Baker Pitts Dr. Frank Johnson Cindy Benton
a.
b.
c.
c.
d.
e. Answers: A. Dr. Frank Johnson
B. Cindy Benton
C. Jody Bowie
D. Baker Pitts
E. Jessica Bowie
STORMSPORTS TheEcho
April 5, 2013
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Women’s basketball reflects on championship season Kendra Nixon, Content Editor If you haven’t heard about the National Champions walking around SNU, you’ve either been living under a rock or studying too hard. Either way, the news of women’s basketball team winning nationals was the most exciting thing in SNU sports in a long time. The women weren’t even supposed to end up at the National tournament after losing their regional championship game against Oklahoma Christian. But the Crimson Storm got the at-large bid to enter the tournament shortly after. “After the game for me was total shock,” said Marsha Durr, senior. “I tried to hold in my tears as much as possible because I don’t like crying in public. But then I thought, ‘You just won a national championship, it looks weird if you’re NOT crying.’ So then I just let them loose.” Although it may have come as a shock to some that they won the National Tournament their first year playing against Division II teams, the team and the coach were not. They had started off the season with high hopes and one goal: to win the championship. On top of their incredibly successful turnout, head coach Derek Dorris was named NCCAA Coach of the Year and Oumoul Thiam was named All-Great American Conference first team. “It was definitely by far one of the best feelings to feel as an athlete and all I could think about was WE DID IT!” Thiam said. “I felt accomplished, I felt like all that hard work that each one of us had put in individually throughout the years had led to something and
that it had finally paid off. Plus doing it as team was probably the most rewarding thing!” The Storm ended up with a 21-10 record, as well as several honors. Aminata Fall was named NCCAA Tournament MVP, Annie Kassango was named to the NCCAA All-Tournament team, and Katie Beebe, Kristin Milster and Durr all earned NCCAA ScholarAthlete honors. “I think the key to our success was we had a team of girls who were tired of losing,” Durr said. “The majority of our girls were here previous years, and we would make it to nationals and then lose the first round. We were fed up with that. We wanted to win despite all the obstacles around us. So, we went out and performed. I am very proud of how we rallied together to win.” Despite their success in the end, it didn’t look very hopeful at the beginning. The Storm started off 4-7 and needed a quick turnaround before it all went downhill. “At the beginning of the season I really didn’t expected to win a National championship,” Kassango said. “I was just ready to work hard and trying to go as far as possible we could go and see what happen. I also didn’t expected to win a national championship because we had a new coach, Derek Dorris, and generally when you have a new coach, the team needs to adjust to the change.” After their losing record of 4-7, they only lost three games. “Honestly after we played our first three games, I thought if there is not any change about how we play, we will not go far,” Fall said. “With the transition from
NAIA to the GAC where we meet new teams and all that. We come along with a good record finally, after hard work and the willingness to get better every day.” The Crimson Storm competed against California Baptist University for the title, and it wasn’t an easy win either. SNU came out on top with a 74-72 win. California Baptist was on a 15-game wining streak before the Storm broke it. Their final record was an impressive 25-6 record, but that wasn’t enough to stop SNU from taking the title from them. “I knew it was going to be a battle, California Baptist was a solid team, but I knew my team was ready. I had had a feeling that we were going to win it all, and now was the time for us to take it,” said Milster, junior. “At first, I couldn’t believe it was over, and then, a rush of relief and excitement hit me. We really had won it all!” The only thing they have to look to now is another successful season next year and another Championship banner to add to the eight National Championships in the history of SNU women’s basketball. “After winning the championship game I had a feeling that I can’t describe very well,” Kassango said. “A lot of people at the beginning of the season didn’t believe in our team and doubted us. People didn’t think that we would’ve been able to go until the end of the road, and I’m extremely proud of my team, because it is really a team effort accomplishment. I’m also happy because we proved wrong all the people who doubted us that we did it.”
SNU Keep up with results and scores at snuathletics. com Athletics
Arts
ENTERTAINMENT
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April 5, 2013
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Jake the movie guy: Wreck-It Ralph review Jake O’Bannon, Columnist Why didn’t you all tell me how good “Wreck-It Ralph” was when it came out back in November? I have to admit, I’m a little disappointed in you. All joking aside…what a great movie! It may just be me, but I love how a well-made children’s movie such as this is able to bring out such innocence. Directed by Rich Moore, Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph perfectly portrays the dangers of misperception and the joys of truth. Disney has done it again with this movie. Though portions may seem Toy Story-esque, the concept is fully unique and often times brilliant. The story centers on Ralph, the “bad guy” in a long lasting arcade game called Fix-It Felix. As the game’s name illustrates, the hero of the game is Felix, who works to fix the apartment Ralph is trying to wreck. Felix is the character the gamer is controlling. The film’s genius is revealed once the game stops. Rather than seeing the story from the perspective of the person playing the game, we see it from the angle of the characters. When the arcade closes for the day, the character’s workday ends. Felix and the other characters stay together in the apartment, while Ralph goes back to his home (pile of bricks) for the night. Ralph doesn’t necessarily mind
his job; it is what comes after that bothers him. On the inside Ralph is a good person, but his job and image makes him off to be a bad one. These issues lead Ralph to go to a “Bad Anon” group with other bad guys from famous video games, where their slogan is “One Game at a Time.” At the end of each meeting they recite their Bad Guy affirmation: “I’m bad, and that’s good. I will never be good, and that’s not bad. There’s no one I’d rather be than me.” This entire scene is hilarious, and possibly my favorite sequence of the entire movie.
“Disney has done it again...” Though the members of the group accept him, Ralph knows he was made for bigger and better things. Rather than staying around and accepting the life he knows and the perceptions others have of him, he leaves the game in search of what he believes will bring him respect from others: a medal. To do this, Ralph must leave his game and enter another. He takes a train to Game Central Station (This is actually a surge protector that all the games are plugged into. Genius, right?). To make an hour and forty-
five minute story short, Ralph finds himself in a game called Sugar Rush with a new friend named Vanellope. Vanellope is different from the other characters in the game. What differentiates her is that she often glitches. Because of this she is not allowed to race and is, for the most part, shunned from the Sugar Rush society. When Ralph meets her he feels sympathy for her because of the way she is treated due to her glitch. As I often say in my reviews, I hope you watch this movie to fill in the holes of the story. But I want to focus on the message the story tells. Ultimately, the people of Sugar Rush find that Vanellope was given her glitch by the power-hungry king. Once they realized this, the hearts of the people changed and
they looked at Vanellope as she really was, not as what they had been told she was. And the same went for Ralph, because when the people in his game heard about how he treated Vanellope they began to accept him as well. The message here is simple but so important. How would our world be different if we were able to look at people for who they really are and not what we have been told about them by others? We are playing with fire when we take part in rumors and lies, yet it is so easy to fall into (especially at a small Christian college, am I right?) I hope this film can be a reminder of how dangerous that kind of talk and misperception can be, and how much good can come from truth.
Photo from Ricky Brigante used under Creative Commons license.
Real Talk with Ronna: Oz, magically average By Ronna Fisher, Assistant editor (Stop! Don’t read this! It probably (most definitely) contains spoilers.) As I was getting my airplane seat kicked by a little girl who insisted
on singing a made-up song mixture of “Kumbaya” and “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy,” I had plenty of time to reflect on my recent viewing of Oz the Great and Powerful. With multiple big-name actors, great word-of-mouth reviews, and
an exciting trailer, I was expecting quite a show. As a modern prequel to The Wizard of Oz, the movie had some great expectations to meet. However, according to IMDB, the film is based on the book series “Oz” by L. Frank Baum, not
the 1939 musical. With such wellknown names as James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz, I was expecting some top-notch acting. Unfortunately, my expectations were too Continued on page 9
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Fine Arts department feature: Laura Miller Kira Roberts, Layout Editor Students at SNU are required to host recitals as partial fulfillment of the degree requirements for the Bachelor of Music Education with Vocal Emphasis. Junior Vocal Music Education major, Laura Miller performed in her junior level recital on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 in Cantrell Music Hall. Laura is a mezzo-soprano and a student of Professor Rebekah Ambrosini. DaLeesa Flick accompanied her on the piano. Student Jose
“Music is something everyone can learn and enjoy” Palacios backed her up with the cello for one song while fellow vocalist Amy Snyder sang alongside her in a duet called Laudamus Te. Tanner Aubrey also performed
several pieces on the piano and the University Singers finished the evening. Laura said she heard the University Singers when she was in 9th grade at their vocal jazz festival and knew she wanted to be in a group like that. After auditioning at other state and regional universities, nothing seems to fit quite like SNU. “I know for certain SNU’s music program has been the perfect place for me to grow and discover how I will change the world around me through music,” Miller said. As for students on campus, Miller said, “You should get involved because it’s something you can delight in, whether it’s piano, guitar, or voice lessons, being in a choir, or auditioning for the musical. College can be overwhelming and sometimes we lose our passions in the midst of our major. Music is something everyone can learn and enjoy. Yes, EVERYONE. It is a delight and good for the heart.” When it comes to prospective students looking at majoring in music, “it has been a great place to learn and have a diverse and
well rounded education. In many other schools, professors are very divisive with each other and selfish with their students. However, at SNU there are so many ways to
“You won’t want to miss this, people!” perform and one can sing and perform a range of styles. The music faculty is truly of the highest quality.” Miller said that music has allowed her to find something beautiful and convey it to others. According to her, majoring in music sometimes makes one lose the beauty in music. However, she said that it’s been great to rediscover that this year and realize why music matters to her, why she thinks it’s important to the world around her, and how she will use music to impact the people around her for the glory of God. “Each professor has impacted me different ways at different times. When I first got to SNU, I knew Jim Graves was the best and went to Bible Study at his house
every Sunday night. It was a place where I knew I belonged. The willingness in his heart to connect with his students outside of class is truly a blessing. This semester because of my recital I have also gotten to know Daleesa Flick and Rebecca Ambrosini. Those women have also been an incredible encouragement in my life and it has been wonderful getting to spend so much time with them and seeing the investment they have made in my life. “I’m really looking forward to the SNU Jazz Festival on Monday, April 8th. It’s totally free and we bring in talented area high schools and world-class jazz musicians to put a concert together with the University Singers. YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS THIS PEOPLE! “If you love music and want to hear some more free concerts, every year music majors are performing their senior and junior level recitals. The quality is always top notch and the students put so much work into it. Also, there are campus concerts all the time with the band, choirs, guitar ensemble, and other various performing groups.”
Real Talk with Ronna: Oz, magically average, continued Continued from page 8 great. I found the acting cheesy and stereotypical. Although, part of me thinks that the dialogue and cheesy lines matched the typecast, standard characters; Glinda, the good witch has always been a little cheesy. Perhaps the sticky-sweet dialogue is part of its charm. Perhaps I was just tired and grumpy when I went to the movies and was therefore overly critical. The acting had a few redeeming qualities. Patching up the legs of China Girl was Franco’s best scene. And, Mila Kunis played a much more believable witch than
a “good witch.” In fact, I rather enjoyed her screaming, her witch laugh, and her scary, witch antics. And Zach Braff and newcomer Joey King’s voices for characters Flying Monkey Finley and China Girl were part of the most interesting and enjoyable parts of the film. While the visual effects and CGI were pretty exciting and beautiful in their own right, they just weren’t enough. Rotten Tomatoes’ tomatometer gives it a 61%, stating, “It suffers from some tonal inconsistency and a deflated sense of wonder, but Oz the Great and Power-
ful still packs enough visual dazzle and clever wit to be entertaining in its own right” (http://www.rotten-
“It just did not live up to the hype. tomatoes.com/m/oz_the_great_ and_powerful/). That’s just it; it was an enjoyable two hours but forgettable. It’s a charming, feel-good family movie—and that’s all. One Rotten Tomatoes critic writes, “Oz the Great and Power-
ful is entirely serviceable family entertainment. Problem is, serviceable doesn’t quite cut it when you’re talking about the magical land of Oz.” Another states, “There were things that offered promise... but one after the other, they blended into the blandness of the storytelling.” The movie had its charms, a few great minor characters, good visual effects, a few laughs, and Kunis’ good-turns-bad witch. It just did not live up to the hype. If you want to watch something memorable or touching, look elsewhere.
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Eggstravaganza draws hundreds of elementary students, volunteers By Brad Crofford, Editor-inchief Over two hundred SNU students, athletes, coaches and faculty volunteered at Eggstravaganza for the students of
Tulakes Elementary School on Wednesday, March 27. The event drew a large crowd of elementary students and parents. SNU students paired up with the Tulakes students to help
them find plastic eggs filled with candy. The event also included free pizza and water, a short magic show and a positive skit about using one’s gifts. Athletic teams that volun-
teered their time included men’s and women’s soccer, baseball, softball, men’s golf, tennis, football, men’s basketball, and volleyball, according to Jamie Keoppel, SGA social life vice-president.
Softball Marathon Come support your friends as they fight for eternal glory in the softball heavens! April 6, 2013 9:00am-8:00pm at Davis Ballpark 12101 S. May Avenue Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73170
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Opposite page: Tulakes Elementary and SNU volunteers watch a magic show and a skit about using one’s gifts. (Photo by Brad Crofford) This page: SNU students assist Tulakes students in searching for eggs hidden throughout the field.
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Upcoming Fine Arts Events Vocal Jazz Festival Concert featuring jazz artist Roger Treece Herrick Auditorium Monday, Apr. 8 7:30 p.m.
Cantrell Music Hall Tuesday, Apr. 9 7:30 p.m.
SNU Chorale presents a Concert of Meditations Dark of Night and Light of Life
Jazz Band Concert Cantrell Music Hall Thursday, Apr. 18 7:30 p.m.
Cantrell Music Hall Sunday, Apr. 21 3:00 p.m. ***For tickets contact 491-6345
Gospel Concert featuring Concet Choir & University Singers
Jose Palacios, cello Senior Level Recital
Cantrell Music Hall Tuesday, Apr. 16 7:30 p.m.
Faculty Recital Series Stacy Smith, clarinet
Cantrell Music Hall Tuesday, Apr. 23 7:30 p.m.
Symphonic Band Concert Herrick Auditorium Thursday, Apr. 25 7:30 p.m.
SNU Chamber Ensembles Cantrell Music Hall Tuesday, April 30 7:30 p.m.
Guitar Ensemble Cantrell Music Hall Thursday, May 2 7:30 p.m.
Editor: Brad Crofford Adviser: Melany Kyzer Content Editor: Kendra Nixon Layout Editor: Kira Roberts Assistant Editor: Ronna Fisher
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