Wednesday, February 21, 2024
OSUPD highlights safety resources after sexual assault incident on campus Emily McCaslin O’Colly Contributor
OSU police is reminding students to be careful when walking alone after an incident that happened around campus on Friday morning. At 2:19 a.m. at W. University Ave., across from Theta Pond, a woman was grabbed and groped before fighting the assailant off, according to the Stillwater Police Department incident report and website news. Stillwater police alerted
OSU police where they assisted in attempt to locate the suspect who was described to be a young white male. Although there is little information available to the public, the chief of police for OSU, Leon P. Jones ,is using this time to promote the Rave Guardian app and Safe Walk. “Know your surroundings,”Jones said. “Walk in groups when possible andtry to stay in well-lit areas as much as possible.” Rave Guardian is an app with many resources. It has a chat that allows users to talk directly to 911 dispatchers. A crime can be reported,orassistance can be
requested. It also has a timer feature,which allows users to alert a friend when they start a trip. It alerts people when they arrive at the location, and if they do not arrive in the time framethey set, then their friends will be alerted as well. Another resource given to students is called Safe Walk. The access can be through the Rave Guardian app. Safe Walk gives the opportunity between 9p.m. and 2 a.m. for students, staff or faculty to be escorted by a public safety officer to their next on-campus or Greek Life destination. Jones said people can call outside those hours, but timing will depend on call volume. See OSUPD on 5
Courtesy of OSU News From an early age, Josie Kohn refused to let Down Syndrome define her or limit her aspirations according to her sister, Rylee Cole.
The Heart of a Cowboy Kohn’s surprise acceptance to OSU’s Opportunity Orange Scholars Flie photo
Courtesy of OSU News
Blue safety lights on campus are officially out of order. OSUPD encourages students to download the Rave Guardian app.
OSU physics team to represent US in International Physics Tournament Courtesy of OSU News
we were slightly better,” said Dr. Joe Haley, the team’s advisor. “We won all three rounds of fights and each round was a close score, which made revealing the final winner somewhat nerve-wracking but exciting.” The Oklahoma State The two-time national University Department of Physchampionship team embraces ics team emerged victorious at the opportunity for undergraduthe U.S. Physics Tournament in ate and graduate students from December, defeating the University of Arizona in the finals. physics, computer science and engineering to come together The OSU physicists will to participate in advanced now go on to represent the hands-on research and problem U.S. at the International Physsolving. ics Tournament being held in “It was rewarding being Zurich this April. the host of this year’s tourna“The University of Arizona team was really good, but ment,” said Rosty Bruce, U.S.
IPT mentor. “It was a lot of work organizing the event. Getting a lot of help from previous teams and the department made it easier. Seeing everything running smoothly and everyone giving their whole best motivated me to give my best.” While IPT will provide the students with mentorships in research, presentation and technical tools — thereby training them to become experts in several physics’ problems before the big day — a conscious effort to enjoy the national win in the meantime has been helpful. See Physics on 7
Being a Cowboy isn’t in our clothes, it’s in our character. This is the final phrase of the Cowboy Code, uniting Oklahoma State University students and alumni everywhere. Josie Kohn embodies the spirit of the Cowboy Code, so surprising her in a big way with her acceptance to OSU’s Opportunity Orange Scholars program made perfect sense. From an early age, Kohn refused to let Down Syndrome define her or limit her aspirations according to her sister, Rylee Cole. “When she was little, it seemed like most people put limits on her and focused on what they thought she couldn’t do,” Cole said. “But at every turn, she proved
them wrong.” Kohn set her sights on attending OSU at a young age. “Josie told me at 9 years of age that she was going to OSU like her sister and Dad,” said Robin Kohn, Josie’s mother. “We just smiled and told her that would be so fun, never dreaming it would happen. As Josie progressed through high school, her parents learned about the Opportunity Orange Scholars program, suggesting she could attend OSU through that pathway. From then on, Josie’s dream of becoming a Cowboy never wavered. “She was invited to apply to OU’s secondary education program, but refused because she was going to OSU, just like her sister, dad, aunts and uncles,” said Cole. “Not getting into Opportunity Orange Scholars was never an option in her mind.” See Heart on 8