14 August 2016

a student newspaper of the university of tulsa

august 15, 2016 issue 0 ~ volume 102

Everything you’ll need to know about Tulsa’s music scene, p 3

Top ten affordable restaurants near campus, p 5

Oh the places you’ll go with your student discount, p 6

Photo by James Whisenhunt

15 August 2016

The Collegian: 2

TU’s Outstanding Teachers of 2016

Ron Walker

Elizabeth McCormick

Tyler Johannes

Dr. Walker teaches in the Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitative Sciences and the Athletic Training Professional Program. This will be his twelfth year at TU and his seventeenth year teaching.

Walker has been involved in several big projects and is most proud of the ones he has worked on with students.

“I have always tried to urge students to advocate for youth sports health and safety issues, and as a result of various class projects, we have drafted several pieces of legislation that have been introduced into the Oklahoma House of Representatives during the past five or six years. That gives us the opportunity to educate legislators and media about important youth health and safety issues,” Walker said.

Walker has also had a hand in the creation of programs directly beneficial to students, such as the addition of the master’s of athletic training degree, the transition to the Oxley College of Health Sciences and the move to the new downtown campus.

Walker views teaching as an exercise in good leadership, “There’s certainly a mentorship component to the way I do things, but you can’t force it and it’s not automatic. I tend to view my position as a guide and maybe even an outfitter; I’ll point you in the right direction, help you find your path and show you alternate paths.”

“I’ll provide the assistance and support that you need along the way (sometimes more, sometimes less), and I’ll help you figure out and acquire the tools that you need to be successful. I’ll also celebrate your success and throw more challenges your way,” Walker added.

“My teaching philosophy and method is ‘Teach less, better.’ Sounds simple (pun intended), and it is.

I try to focus on the core concepts and then challenge students to apply these concepts in critical analysis,” Walker explained.

“I think that sometimes we as professors get hung up on trying to teach everything, so much so that we fail at teaching anything! Since I adopted this method several years ago, I’ve seen massive improvements in students’ abilities to successfully participate in critical analysis and problem solving and to retain and utilize core concepts.”

Walker added, “The most rewarding part of my position as a professor is that my relationship with students rarely ends after the course or after graduation. My students become my friends and colleagues far beyond their academic careers at TU.” “When you do what you love, with people that you love, in a place that you love, the results are awesome!”

Dr. McCormick has taught in the College of Law since 2005.

McCormick created and directs the Immigrant Rights Project, a clinical legal education program in which law students represent vulnerable non-citizens in immigration matters.

“In 2015, my students and I spent spring break working with asylum seekers detained in a ‘family’ detention center in south Texas. During a weeklong visit to Karnes City, Texas, students worked 15-hour days in order to assist detained women and children with their bond applications, credible fear interviews and asylum petitions,” McCormick said.

McCormick’s primary goal in teaching is, “to create a positive, encouraging learning environment for all of my students. This is true even though the work of the clinic and our professional responsibility to our clients demand an extremely high level of performance from every student. It is often a delicate balance to provide the appropriate levels of positive support and encouragement for students, while at the same time demanding the performance and seriousness of purpose that client work demands.”

“Overall, I think I achieve this balance in my work with students, and I think my course evaluations over the years reflect that this is the case. Additionally, by offering students frequent opportunities for anonymous fast feedback on the course and my teaching, I have been able to check in with them over the course of the semester to make sure that I am consistently providing a safe and engaging space for their learning to happen,” McCormick added.

“I want each of my students to learn to be effective, ethical professionals and, especially for students who may be struggling in this new role, it’s critical that clinic continues to be a place where students have every opportunity to flourish,” she explained.

“In clinic, students have an opportunity to and are encouraged to take risks and to operate outside of their comfort zone. They learn that, with careful planning and preparation, they can accomplish things they didn’t think they could. It is almost never perfect on the first try, but that is the nature of trying anything new,” McCormick noted.

“Reflecting on the mistakes and missteps, as well as the accomplishments and successes, leads to better planning and preparation the next time — and the next — because there is always room to grow and learn more. This is true for all of us, students and teachers alike. This is a lesson that will endure beyond law school and, I hope, inspire students to pursue goals that may seem beyond their reach.”

Dr. Johannes teaches in the Russell School of Chemical Engineering. He has been teaching for 8 years, all at TU. From 2009 to 2014, Johannes served as the faculty advisor for TU’s local undergraduate student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and faculty advisor to TU’s Chem-E-Car teams.

“I am particularly proud of my students’ accomplishments in the Chem-E-Car competition at these conferences,” Johannes said. “Since 2009, our students have collected an impressive number of awards, including two poster awards, two most creative car design awards, two regional championships and a national championship (out of 32 teams) in 2013.”

In 2014, Johannes, along with TU professors Peter Hawrylak and Claire Cornell, received Phase 1 EPA P3-People, Planet, Prosperity funding to develop a wireless device for monitoring water use.

A multidisciplinary student team, which included undergraduate students from chemical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science and management/marketing, was assembled to work on the project. As part of Phase 1, the students designed and assembled a working prototype of the wireless device. In spring 2015, the team traveled to Washington, D.C. to present their project and compete for Phase 2 funding. The team was one of seven selected for funding out of 45 teams.

Johannes firmly believes, “the ultimate role of a teacher is to create a sense of wonder in the student that motivates that student to want to learn more.”

“My primary objective when I teach is to share my strategies and passion for solving problems and to blend theory with practice. Problem solving is the common denominator for all engineering disciplines and an invaluable skill in everyday life,” Johannes shared.

“In the classroom I use a variety of active learning exercises — YouTube videos, “MythBusters” segments and classroom demonstrations — to convey key concepts and theories and to help the students develop their own ability to solve difficult problems.

I also try to instill in my students the importance of relating numeric answers to physical reality,” Johannes explained.

“I am deeply honored to receive the TU Outstanding Teacher Award and would like to thank the students and faculty that supported my nomination. In particular I would like to thank Drs. Manning and Price for their support. I am also grateful for having the greatest teaching role models one could ask for: my parents, Lin and AJ Johannes.”

Pokestops draw trainers and strangers

Popularity of the app Pokemon Go conflicts with Campus Security’s policy to keep people off private property.

Kayleigh Thesenvitz

Managing Editor

Pokemon Go was released on iOS and Android on July 6, and quickly grew in popularity to have as many as 25 million daily users

by July 14. It’s safe to say this first big step into augmented reality gaming was a success.

Given the nature of the game, players are often encouraged to go to places with historical significance or major landmarks in order to find Pokestops which give out helpful trinkets. This feature, which is a cool idea for exploring the city and taking in its history, can also be a nuisance for private property owners.

A fact that hasn’t made it to any welcome-to-campus brochures is that TU’s campus is home to more than 20 Pokestops and 3 gyms for battling Pokemon. This is great for students and employees who play the game, but it can also be a problem for Campus Security.

“Since the introduction of the app this summer, there have been a few instances of non-TU affiliates

venturing onto campus to play,” said Director of Marketing and Communications Mona Chamberlin.

“Security officers who have encountered those visitors have asked them to remain on public thoroughfares since the university campus is private property,” Chamberlin continued.

Politely asking non-TU affiliates to leave, as well as taking the names of suspicious or repeat trespassers, has been the standard practice for the last several years. Campus Security has no plans to change security protocols to either accommodate or further discourage Pokemon Go players.

“Campus is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and visitors with university business. We respectfully ask that others refrain from entering TU buildings or loitering on private property,” Chamberlin requested.

TU students, on the other hand, may chase Pokemon to their hearts’ content. Happy Hunting!

graphic by Elias Brinkman

15 August 2016

The Collegian: 3

TU receives ‘award’ for stifling free speech TU received a 2016 Muzzle award for suppressing the free speech of its students.

Trenton Gibbons

Variety Editor

The University of Tulsa is among 50 academic institutions to have received the 2016 Muzzle ‘award,’ announced earlier this year.

The ‘award’ does not actually recognize accomplishment so much as failure on behalf of an organization to promote free speech. In fact, the award is given to those whom the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression believes violated the first amendment to the US constitution.

Their choice to focus this year’s awards on academic institutions, and to dole out an unprecedented number of Muzzles in doing so, is the result of an especial shock felt by the Center regarding the state of free speech in the world of academia.

“In the past year we’ve seen these unprecedented affronts to free speech at institutions of education, which should be bastions of free speech,” said Josh Wheeler, Director at the Thomas Jefferson Center.

“Intellectual inquiry requires open, robust debate. It requires challenges to orthodoxy.”

Each of the 2016 Muzzle winners belonged to one of five categories. The first, ‘Big Brother is Watching’ encompasses the most predictable offense to free speech, the censorship of students, while the second,

‘Introduction to Irony’ covers censorship by students.

An example of the ‘Big Brother’ category would include Texas Christian University, where a student accused of making allegedly racist comments on a private online blog was punished was charged with “Infliction of Emotional Harm” and punished with suspension, probation, and banned from entering any residence hall or participating in any extracurricular activity.

The second category is best summarized by the organization of Amherst students who formed the Amherst Uprising, putting into writing laws that attempted to limit the free speech of their classmates.

versity administration’s fining of Louisiana State University professor Teresa Buchanan on account of her use of profanity and adult humor.

The final category, “Ideological Gerrymandering” accuses universities of censorship of outside speakers, such as Greg Abbott (University of North Texas) or even Ben Carson (Alma College).

The category which the University of Tulsa’s Muzzle Award belongs to is the first: the censorship of students by the administration.

The case in question is that of Trey Barnett, a theater student whose husband, Chris Magnum, published offensive comments

“The Thomas Jefferson Center hopes that receiving these derogatory awards spurs academic institutions to become bastions of free speech once again” The third category, “Evading the Fourth Estate,” refers to an institution which has made efforts to limit press access on campus.

The University of Missouri was one such institution, where Melissa Click, herself an assistant professor of Mass Media Studies, requested that “some muscle” help her remove a reporter from the site of a student protest.

“Censorship in the Classroom,” the fourth category, designates threats to academic freedom, such as the Louisiana State Uni-

— which appeared on Barnett’s Facebook wall — regarding Barnett’s classmates and professors.

This earned Barnett an expulsion from campus and the inability to earn the degree he was only 16 hours from completing.

Although Barnett denied having written the posts, the university claimed he was nevertheless “responsible for taking reasonable steps to prevent further attacks against the University of Tulsa faculty and students on his Facebook page.”

When a few of our editors devoted them-

selves to a thorough investigation of the case, administrators threatened them with disciplinary action and released an email to the student body explaining that we had published incorrect material.

They went on to inform editors that their attempts to report on the story in fact involved “dissemination of confidential information.” When faced with inquiries regarding exactly which documents had been confidential, the administration refused to specify.

Editors were met with no response to their further inquiry as to which disciplinary policy they’d violated in publishing the article’s contents.

The Thomas Jefferson Center hopes that receiving these derogatory awards spurs academic institutions to become bastions of free speech once again, and references as positive examples a multitude of universities which have efficiently promoted free speech on their campuses.

Not the least of these is the University of Chicago, which put into writing its policy granting “all members of the University community the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn… it is not the proper role of the University to attempt to shield individuals from ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable or even deeply offensive.”

The TJC encourages all universities to adopt a similar, if not identical, policy with the preservation of free speech in mind.

Catch it LIVE in Tulsa: A guide to Tulsa’s music scene Tulsa venues offer musical performances for a variety of tastes, depending on musical preferences, preferred budget and time.

Michaela Flonard

News Editor

The BOK Center generally features big name acts. This year, such acts will include Coldplay, 5 Seconds of Summer and Twenty One Pilots. Various indoor sports such as bull-riding and basketball also take place in the arena. The Tulsa Oilers, the local hockey team, call the Center home, and other teams, such as OKC Thunder, play here occasionally. Tickets at the BOK Center are generally upwards of $30, depending on where in the auditorium the seat is. Location: 200 S. Denver St. For those who are looking for up-andcoming or more independent acts, the Vanguard would be the place to visit. The smaller venue size creates a more intimate atmosphere. Because of the smaller size and lesser known arista, tickets are generally around $10- $20. Location: 222 N. Main St.

Cain’s Ballroom was built in 1924 as a garage for W. Tate Brady’s cars, but now hosts musical acts on a regular basis. Its history as a dancing academy has left its mark in the maple hardwood floor of the venue, which is standing room only. Tickets are general admission, so expect lines to form early. Prices start at around $10.

Seats at the Mezzanine are available for those 21+, which offers a private bar and bathroom, with access to the rest of the venue, at an increased price. While most shows are all ages, some are not, due to the nature of the performance, so check before you go.

Location: 423 N. Main St. The Mabee Center, located on the grounds of Oral Roberts University, offers musical acts of a Christian bent. Marketed as a “family friendly” venue, the center has a varied history of musical acts, sports and live entertainment, from Elvis Presley to the Veggie Tales to Donald Trump.

Upcoming events are limited for this year, but include Switchfoot and Relient K. For most shows, ticket prices depend on seating location, as the center has arena-style seating. Location: 7777 S. Lewis Ave. Jazz enthusiasts should visit the Okla-

homa Jazz Hall of Fame. Every Tuesday a free depot jazz and blues jams event is held, while Eicher Jazz concerts are held every Wednesday starting at $10. Other jazz events are regularly held in the venue, with tickets under $20. Their website also stays updated on jazz performances around town.

Location: 5 S Boston Ave

The Cain’s Ballroom sign stands out along Main St.

The BOK Center’s towering structure draws sports fans and music lovers.

courtesy Wikimedia Commons

The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame sits on the edge of the historic Greenwood district.

courtesy okjazz.org

2 items of TU news. The 1st is great...a new President to continue the good work of Steadman Upham. The 2nd is embarrassing to this two time TU graduate and small time but regular donor. There is significant confusion that standing up against racism and injustice today means we need to erase everything historically tied to a society and country that had many elements of racism and injustice woven into it. Misplaced righteousness.

If you examine the lives and detail history of everyone in this country close enough, you will find something that ties back to something very controversial. It isn’t that simple to judge different times and different circumstances against current standards.

Have you checked the background of every single current TU officer and trustee, or even the Alumni board member to make sure they don’t have any ties in their family name or history to something that would now be controversial or offensive to someone? We don’t want them representing TU. It is certain that some of them have ties to a group that at one time was racially charged: the Black Panthers, anti-Arab, anti-Catholic, anti-Hispanic, anti-Semetic, anti-Asian, or anti-Indian groups, or to leaders such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. What about the land that TU sits on that was once the property of the American Indian. The McFarlins and Chapmans both hired John Rogers to handle their business, including that which involved TU. Logic

Several bars also host musical acts regularly, including the Shrine, The Fur Shop and Woody’s Convention Bar. Age restrictions may apply at such venues.

Throughout the year, Tulsa also is home to multiple music festivals. These include the ScotFest, Tulsa Overground and Tulsa Roots Rock the Green.

photo by The Collegian

would direct TU to take the McFarlin and Chapman names off all buildings and any other references to them in University signs or material also. And all that money that John Rogers helped them donate should be considered dirty and so should be given back. Where does it stop? Is TU calling for a name change to the Strom Thurmond Federal Building and US Courthouse in SC? Similar buildings are all over the country.

TU started a witch hunt, and is now no different now than a McCarthy. TU has now slandered the name of John Rogers. Take a look at the headlines, and guess what most observers will casually take away about the man....not the balance of his life. I never met him, but sympathize with those who say they did. (I understand that Skelly Oil wouldn’t hire certain minorities in the early 1900s, so time to start thinking about a new name for Skelly Field. I also understand Henry Kendall didn’t halt resistance to blacks on the College’s first sports teams, so take his name off everything also.)

As I read more about this whole affair, I sadly learned that the university earned a spot from a couple groups on their 2016 “10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech”. This all prompted me to write my first letter to my University, 30+ years after my graduation.

Thanks, Mike Mrasek The Collegian does not edit letters to the editor.

15 August 2016

The Collegian: 4

G.T. Bynum’s new vision for Tulsa

G.T. Bynum, newly elected Mayor of Tulsa, explains his political strategy, core values and goals for a more unified and productive Tulsa.

Trenton Gibbons Variety Editor G.T. Bynum closed his first TV-spot with a statement that begins, “It’s time to stop tearing each other down.” To abscond from campaign negativity remained a chief sentiment of his image as a candidate. When Dewey Bartlett was accusing Bynum of being naive and inexperienced — Bynum is 38, but at times looks a great deal younger — Bynum would fondly recall his time assisting Bartlett in previous campaigns.

In an interview with the Tulsa World, Bynum concedes that though he and his associates had “committed early on to run a positive campaign,” it wasn’t an entirely altruistic effort. He elaborates simply: voters don’t feel motivated to vote between two candidates whose campaigns have devoted themselves to negativity and slander.

All throughout Bynum’s campaign, one message was nearly echoed to the point of mundanity: unity is integral to the city’s success, collaboration essential. Bynum cited needless conflict between Tulsa and its neighboring cities (such as Broken Arrow, Jenks and Owasso) and Tulsa’s county and city governments as a major obstacle in the city’s attempts to compete on a national or even international scale.

This he blames on an “outdated system”

Mayor elect G.T. Bynum, pictured here with his grandfather, Rob LaFortune.

ic community. Polls indicate that Bynum’s success resulted from an amalgam of voter demographics: women, liberals, conservatives, and the minority communities.

While former mayor Bartlett could point to his years serving the city as fitting enough reason for his reelection — and he’d have a point, as polls revealed most Tulsans to be satisfied with his terms — Bynum would instead refer to his work as both a member

“One message was nearly echoed to the point of mundanity: unity is integral to the city’s success, collaboration essential” of local government, originating in a time when Tulsa was a rural county, its cities separated by substantial amounts of farmland.

As mayor, he intends to act as a mediator between these governments, ultimately augmenting job growth through higher levels of competition.

To help reinforce this message of unity, Bynum presents himself as a largely bipartisan candidate, though he’ll tell you he’s a conservative in the traditional sense. When he refused to voice his opinion on national issues, especially ones as controversial as Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, his neutrality earned the irritation of some potential voters.

Still, Bartlett managed to do worse by publicly endorsing Trump, which lost him the support of liberal voters and the Hispan-

of the city council and a Washington D.C. lobbyist.

The latter role would simultaneously be used by his competitors, who attempted to instill in the public many of the negative stereotypes surrounding career lobbyists.

In rebuttal, Bynum swore that he never once allowed himself to become involved in a conflict of interest. Records indicate that this is true, as the only accusation that Bynum had acted illegally or according to his own self-interest came from a political competitor and the alleged actions, once investigated, were determined to not actually be violations.

As a lobbyist, Bynum thrived commercially, and was simultaneously able to accumulate a knowledge of the bureaucratic going-ons of Washington. “I would hear

routinely from people, especially business people, that they needed help on the federal level and didn’t know who to go to.”

During his time as a councilman, Bynum devoted the better part of his efforts to fiscal restraint, the public’s safety and the city’s infrastructure. With security in mind, he was able to double the amount of Tulsa Police academies and reinstated the use of police helicopters.

Most prominent among projects regarding infrastructure was a project to overhaul and improve streets, the largest in Tulsa’s history. He made his mark again in authoring the first ever sales tax cut.

Besides his love for the city of Tulsa and his admiration for the role, Bynum referred to his love for his children to be among his driving motivators. It only makes sense, then, that Bynum would put educational reform high in his priorities, starting with a city-wide collaborative effort to devise a singular education strategy for Tulsa.

On top of that, he hopes to help parents have easier access to early developmental programs for their children, and for students

editor-in-chief

Hannah Kloppenburg managing editor

Kayleigh Thesenvitz news editor

Michaela Flonard sports editor

Matt Rechtien variety editor

Trenton Gibbons commentary editor

James Whisenhunt satire editor

Sam Chott photo & graphics editor

Elias Brinkman

business & advertising manager

Paul Moses web manager

Sam Chott

distribution managers

Nathan Gibbons, Kirby Hockensmith and Trenton Gibbons

The Collegian is the student newspaper of the University of Tulsa. It is distributed Mondays during the fall and spring semesters, except during holidays and final exam weeks. The University of Tulsa does not discriminate on the basis of personal status or group characteristics including but not limited to the classes protected under federal and state law. Inquiries regarding implementation of this policy may be addressed to the Office of Human Resources, 800 South Tucker Drive, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104-9700, 918-631-2616.

Requests for accommodation of disabilities may be addressed to the University’s 504 Coordinator, Dr. Tawny Taylor, 918-631-3814. To ensure availability of an interpreter, five to seven days notice is needed; 48 hours is recommended for all other accommodations. Advertising Policy: Advertising appearing in this publication does not imply approval or endorsement by the University of Tulsa or The Collegian for the products or services advertised.

For advertising information, email the Collegian at advertising@tucollegian.org. The deadline for advertising is 12 pm on the Friday prior to publication. Letter Policy: Letters to the editor must be less than 500 words and can be sent to tucollegian@tucollegian, or dropped off at Oliphant Room 110. Under no circumstances will anonymous letters be published. The name of the person submitting the letter must be published with the letter.

We reserve the right to edit or reject all letters. The deadline for letters is 5 pm on the Friday prior to publication. Editing Policy: The Collegian reserves the right to edit all copy submitted by all writers. This editing may take place in many forms, including grammar corrections, changes in paragraph structure or even the addition or removal of sections of content. Editorial Policy: Columnists are solely responsible for the content of their columns.

Opinions expressed in columns may not represent the opinions of the entire Collegian staff, the administrative policies of the University of Tulsa, the views of the student body or our advertisers.

seeking to attend college to be more aware of the financial benefits those institutions offer in the form of scholarships and other programs.

On his future in politics, Bynum has stated that he will not allow himself to serve more than two terms as mayor. According to him, when a mayor believes they’ll be in office forever, they might allow themselves to slow down in their work because they lose all “sense of urgency.”

Bynum wants his intentions to be clear: his focus is on Tulsa, not his political career.

When an interviewer from the Tulsa Voice asked why they shouldn’t be able to vote for him again if they want him to remain mayor, he responded that he “won’t give (them) the option.”

This article uses quotes from an interview with G.T. Bynum featured in the Tulsa Voice.

How to register and vote as a college student Not sure what you need to do in order to vote this coming November? Read on for answers to all your voting- and registrationrelated questions.

Brennen VanderVeen Student Writer

tucollegian@tucollegian.org

courtesy www.gtbynum.com

How to register As I’m sure most readers are aware, this is a presidential election year. In order to vote for president, however, students will need to make sure that they are registered to vote.

There is one caveat in describing the process for registering. Voter registration rules vary slightly by state. This article focuses on the rules of Oklahoma. If you come from a different state, the rules will probably be similar, but you should look up the exact rules for your state.

In order to register, you need to be a US citizen and a resident of the state in which you register. Oklahoma also restricts the ability of felons and people declared incapacitated to vote. Felons cannot register for the time equal to their original sentence.

However, pardoned felons can register.

Generally, one also needs to be 18 in order to register to vote. However, if one will turn 18 before the election, one can register between 60 and 25 days before the election. One cannot register fewer than 25 days before an election because all registration forms must be received by the state election board at least 24 days before an election.

What address should I register with?

If you are living on campus, you can choose either to register for your on-campus residence or for your primary residence.

Unless you are particularly interested in Tulsa politics, registering for your primary residence is almost certainly the better option. For one thing, if you’re already registered, there is no need to re-register.

Secondly, your primary residence will presumably change with less frequency than your on-campus residence. There’s no need to worry that living far away will prevent you from voting; absentee ballots allow you to vote by mail. Whatever you choose, you will only be able to vote for the one location in which you are registered.

What do I need to register?

Oklahoma is supposed to establish online voter registration, but that service is not available yet. So, if you aren’t registered already, you’ll have to fill out a form. This can be done at many government offices, including the County Election Board, the post office and tag agencies. Many groups on campus, such as Student Association, often have events to get students registered to vote. If you take one of these options, the organization helping you might submit the registration form for you.

However, it will likely be easier for you to handle the process yourself. Registration forms can be downloaded and printed online. There is a link to the form at https:// www.ok.gov/elections/Voter_Info/Register_to_Vote/index.html. After filling out the form, it should be mailed to the the Oklahoma State Election Board, the address for which is on the form.

What happens after I register?

After the state election board receives your registration form, they will mail you a registration card that has information about your precinct and polling place.

There is an “online voter tool.” that can be used to check the status of one’s registration, find one’s polling place, view sample ballots and track one’s absentee ballot. It’s located at https://www.ok.gov/elections/ Voter_Info/Online_Voter_Tool/index.html.

How to vote As far as actual voting is concerned, there are only two elections this semester (at least in Tulsa County). The first one is a runoff primary on August 23, the registration deadline for which has already passed. The second one is the November 8 election.

If you live locally, voting in person is of course an option. However, everyone can also apply for an absentee ballot. The easiest way to request an absentee ballot is to do so online. There is a link for doing so (as well as more information about absentee ballots) at https://www.ok.gov/elections/Voter_Info/ Absentee_Voting/. One can also print out a form to mail to the county election board or even fill out the form at the county election board. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is the Wednesday before an election.

15 August 2016

The Collegian: 5

Ten cheapest restaurants near TU campus 5. Old School Bagel, 3723 S Peoria Ave Now, I love Einstein’s on campus. That said, I think we’re gonna have to crown a new winner of the bagel game. Old School Bagel is a bit of a trek (it’s about 15 minutes away from campus in Brookside) but it is oh so worth it. They serve up New York-style bagels for about $2.99 and giant bagel sandwiches for $4-$6. Not only are the bagel sandwiches filling, there’s a huge variety of delicious choices! I recommend the chicken caesar sandwich or pretty much any of the breakfast sandwiches.

A handy guide to restaurants close to campus that’ll get you the most bang for your buck.

9. Papa John’s, 2802 E 11th St Papa John’s is my favorite delivery pizza place taste-wise, but it mostly makes the list because of the frequent discounts it offers to TU students — most notably, ½ off pizza whenever a Golden Hurricane sports team wins a game. That’s right, your school spirit efforts can now be rewarded with pizza! For discounts, keep an eye on the @papajohnsok Twitter account. As for toppings, I recommend the spinach alfredo, the Hawaiian chicken, or good ol’ pepperoni.

Hannah Kloppenburg Editor-in-Chief Are you already desperate for something other than ramen noodles or caf food, but also short on cash? Me too! That’s why I’ve compiled a list of the ten most inexpensive restaurants with the best value around TU campus (in no particular order).

1. Tacos Don Francisco, 4008 E 11th St Super cheap, super authentic, open super late. A staple for both Mexican food enthusiasts and drunk people who find themselves hungry in the wee hours of the morning, Tacos Don is open until midnight most nights and stays open until the impressive hour of 4:00 AM on Fridays and Saturdays.

While larger dishes like burritos and quesadillas run at about $5, you can get a taco for $1.50, and I’ve found that most people will eat 2-4 for a meal.

2. Taco Bell, 3118 E 11th St You’re probably familiar with this one already. Taco Bell is cheaper than Tacos Don, but it’s arguably not even Mexican food.

You have to accept it for what it is. I’ll gladly take a quasi-authentic but filling $1.89 chicken burrito even it it means sacrificing a little bit of my food integrity. Taco Bell has a dollar menu with some decent options, including basic burrito and dessert choices.

I’ve also heard the breakfast menu isn’t half bad (approach with caution).

3. QuikTrip, 3008 E 11th St or literally every five feet in Tulsa TU students have a penchant for QuikTrip that continues to baffle me to this day.

Is it a Tulsa thing? Is it the enigmatic roller grill taquitos? Who can say for sure? Either way, you’re sure to find a snack at QT for about a dollar and a meal for under $3. Food quality is variable, but they do have some delicious doughnuts if you get there at a decent time in the morning. At the QT kitchen, you can get more expensive but notoriously delicious fare such as flatbreads, pretzels, breakfast burritos or milkshakes for about $5.

4. Jimmy John’s, 3148 E 11th St The employees at the Jimmy John’s on 11th have really endeared themselves to the TU community, mostly because they occasionally give out free sandwich samples on campus and also because they’re good sports when you come in at 2:00 AM (if you get the right guy, they might even play whatever music you want). A typical 8-inch Jimmy John’s sub is reasonably priced at about $5. If you come in at the end of the day, request a “day-old” and take home a day-old baguette for 50 cents.

will feed a small to medium appetite, two slices make a pretty hearty meal. Additional toppings are a little extra, but with dozens to choose from, you might not be able to resist.

6. Tropical Smoothie, 4925 E 21st Pl You get a lot of bang for your buck at Tropical Smoothie. One sizable and very filling 24 oz smoothie ranges from $4.29 $4.99, slightly more if you add in fripperies like kale or flaxseed. For a slightly pricier $7 or so, you can get a half-sandwich and smoothie combo meal. It’s cheaper than Smoothie King, and, in my opinion, much tastier. It’s also great for outings or meetings with people who don’t like coffee — who doesn’t like smoothies?

7. Whataburger, 4888 E 21st St Whataburger indeed. Most of Whataburger’s menu items cash in at under $5, including the burger itself and the famed Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit. Downsides include excruciatingly slow service and a somewhat upsetting calorie count. Upsides include the best fast food burger in the region and a goto location for late-night meals.

8. Pie Hole, 2708 E 15th St The only place in Tulsa where you can walk into a store roughly the size of an SUV and gaze at funky retro memorabilia all over the tin walls while you wait to be served a customized slice of pizza as big as your face. Pie Hole is easy to miss in its little corner of 15th St, but I promise you it’s worth the visit. $2.99 gets you a giant slice of New York-style pizza with one topping; one slice

The Void takes a moment to welcome freshmen to the University of Tulsa and offer them some helpful advice.

Adam Lux Student Writer Hello freshman! Welcome to the Void.

TU’s oldest and most cherished literary publication… or something to that effect.

The Void would like to be the first to introduce you to our wonderful university. If it is not, it will swallow all those insubordinates that dared speak to you without its express permission. Please inform the Void of their names and that will be taken care of.

The first tip from the Void is to always trust the University of Tulsa administration.

They will never withhold information just to save face. Yes, the TU administration is as pure and blameless as the Void is dark and slimy. Their word should been taken as second only to the Void’s, if you could even survive hearing its powerful looming voice.

Tip number two: if you ever need anything at all, don’t! It’s that simple. The best

10. Yokozuna, 309 E 2nd St “What?” you say. “Yokozuna? But Hannah, that’s a hip, modern sushi place for urban hipster folk. It’s not that cheap.” Yes. You’re absolutely right. But I love Yokozuna all the same, and the reason I mention it here is Sushi Happy Hour. From 3:00-6:00 every day, Yokozuna offers selected sushi rolls for 50% off, meaning you can get some rolls for as little as $2 or $3 apiece.

You can also take advantage of the happy hour to try some of the more expensive rolls you might not have splurged on at full price — if you’re gonna do this, I recommend the Rising Sun roll. The sushi is delicious and the restaurant itself is really nice, especially if you’re trying to take a break from Taco Bell’s dying cacti decor.

photos by Kayleigh Thesenvitz and Elias Brinkman

course of action if you ever have a problem is to just stop having that problem. Never ever ask anyone for help because they clearly don’t have any issues and asking would probably make you look stupid. And besides, even if they could help you they don’t care about you or your problem.

Lastly, tip number three: do not dream.

Dreams of any sort, philosophical or physical, are strictly forbidden on TU campus for everyone and universally for students.* Remember, you are not here to better yourself or to prepare for a vocation. You are not here to receive an education and become a more well-rounded person. YOU ARE NOT HERE TO DREAM OR ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS. You have been brought here for the purpose of furthering the end goal of the University of Tulsa: for the Void to swallow all of existence.

Once again the Void welcomes you, Its newest loyal subjects, to the University of Tulsa. *Nightmares are permitted if you are one of the chosen ones. You will know if you have been chosen because the nightmares will have already started.

The Collegian: 6

15 August 2016

Federal judge dismisses lawsuit in TU sexual assault case Judge Terence C. Kern dismissed a lawsuit filed by Abigail Ross against the University of Tulsa. The lawsuit was a response to the results of a TU hearing concerning the rape allegations Ms. Ross made against basketball player Patrick Swilling, Jr. in 2014.

Hannah Kloppenburg Editor-in-Chief In mid-April, a federal judge dismissed former University of Tulsa student Abigail Ross’ lawsuit claiming that the university mishandled sexual assault allegations against Pat Swilling Jr., a former TU basketball player whom she had accused of rape in 2014.

Ross’ lawsuit alleged that the university failed to comply with Title IX in its decision regarding her initial case. In general terms, Title IX is comprehensive federal law which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex; in a more specific sense, it requires universities to investigate claims of sexual assault.

The lawsuit alleges that TU took a path of “deliberate indifference” to Ross’ rape allegations and that the university’s investigation was gender-biased because it focused on her sexual history rather than previous allegations against Swilling. It included claims that the university had predetermined Swilling’s innocence without a hearing, as well as concern over the fact that several previous allegations of sexual assault were not considered in Ross’ original case. Ross argues

that the university should have known about at least one and as many as three of these allegations.

The alleged assault occurred on Jan. 27, 2014, and Ross went to the hospital and filed a police report the next day. She reported the assault to campus security on Feb. 11. Swilling was suspended from the TU basketball team on Feb. 12. A hearing was scheduled for March, then postponed in order to interview additional witnesses.

However, court records show that before the hearing occurred, Swilling’s lawyer left a voicemail for Tulsa’s director of basketball operations saying he had been informed by an assistant dean that Swilling was “cleared as far as the university is concerned.”

The Tulsa Police Department also investigated. According to Ross’ lawsuit, “Within two weeks of opening an investigation, Tulsa PD located and spoke with three additional women who alleged similar sexual misconduct and rape by Swilling, all dating from before Plaintiff ever met Swilling.”

Swilling had also been accused of rape by a student at the College of Southern Idaho in 2011. A police report was filed, but the student chose not to pursue the case.

Swilling’s response to the case was an open letter posted on Twitter in August 2014, in which he dismissed assault claims (including Ross’) as slander and defended himself, saying that he’s lost friends and loved ones.

“I’m not the same person I was before the allegations,” Swilling wrote. “I can’t be.”

When the time finally came for the hearing, the university ruled in favor of Swilling. He was found not guilty of violating

TU’s code of conduct. While Swilling was not allowed to rejoin the basketball team, he was allowed to continue taking classes at TU and at one point attempted to join the football team.

Ross filed the aforementioned lawsuit in August 2014 as a response to the results of the hearing.

In response to Abigail Ross’ lawsuit, Federal Judge Terence C. Kern decided to throw out the case in April 2016 on the grounds that a jury wouldn’t buy her claim that the university had determined Swilling’s innocence before conducting a hearing — the voicemail left by Swilling’s lawyer was not sufficient evidence.

“Ross has failed to show this call was anything other than a self-serving attempt to allow Swilling to rejoin the basketball team (which TU never permitted),” Kern wrote in the summary judgement.

Additionally, he asserted that the school had done nothing wrong in refusing to consider previous allegations against Swilling because it had acted based on its lawyer’s advice.

Another factor in the judge’s decision was the testimony of the university’s Title IX expert, Yolanda Taylor, who said that she was the sole decision-maker in the case.

Taylor agreed that the prior assault allegations against Swilling should have been considered, but confirmed that the school’s lawyer had advised otherwise.

Kern wrote that TU’s handling of the initial report was “concerning” and didn’t align with best practices; however, he maintained that Ross’ claims were insufficient for presentation to a jury.

“The inquiry is not whether TU could have done better; it is whether TU acted with deliberate indifference to its Title IX obligations when Ross reported rape” he wrote.

“TU investigated, held a hearing, and issued written findings, all while Swilling was suspended from the basketball team. Although intentionally manipulated processes could create Title IX liability in some case, Ross does not have sufficient evidence of any purposeful manipulation of the hearing in favor of Swilling or other ‘clearly unreasonable’ conduct by TU.” At the time of the judge’s decision, Ross planned to appeal the ruling. She maintains that her decision to fight the ruling has cost her friendships and caused her significant emotional distress.

“Although I am very disappointed in the court’s decision, I cannot let TU’s bad behavior stand,” she said in a statement following the decision. “If TU would do this to me, it would do it to any female student.

I didn’t ask for this to be my cause, but it is going to be now.”

Ross’ lawyers echoed her sentiment in a statement of their own.

“Ms. Ross’s courage to bring this action will carry on to the Court of Appeals, where she will fight for what she knows is the right outcome. Although not the intent of the court’s ruling, this decision sadly empowers schools to not investigate reports of rape on campus and makes educational institutions fundamentally less safe for women.”

How far can your student discount go?

photo by The Collegian

Circle Cinema offers $2 movie tickets to students carrying a TU ID every Tuesday.

Solar panels bring power to Case Tennis Center courtesy Wikimedia Commons

The lavish gardens at the Philbrook museum. TU students can get free tickets with a student ID.

Your student ID can grant you access to discounts not only at restaurants, but also on free software, music streaming, museums, movies and more.

Sam Beckmann Student Writer You may not be aware of it, but all of you are carrying a magical item with you everywhere you go. That item is, of course, your student ID. It may just look like another plastic rectangle to you, but it has the power to open doors. (Literally. It opens doors all around campus) A good place to start would probably be Spotify or Apple Music. Both services offer a $5/month student rate, 50 percent off what they normally charge.

While we’re on the topic of entertainment, Tulsa’s AMC offers discounted tickets to students on Thursdays, so you can catch the latest episode of whatever Marvel’s doing these days. For a smaller, retro setting, Circle Cinema has $2 Tuesdays! Most weeks, the Collegian even runs a review of what they’ve got playing there.

And having seen the number of Amazon packages at the mail room, I’m sure some students could benefit from the free 6 months of Amazon Prime offered to students.

Buying new technology for college?

Apple and Microsoft both offer about 10 percent off of laptops to students. And once

you’ve got a laptop, don’t go out and buy Microsoft Office — the university offers Office 365 free of charge to students. Just go to the IT section of utulsa.edu to get your copy. They also offer discounts for those buying Windows and some other Microsoft software, if you’re interested. For the creative types, Adobe has a steep discount for students getting Creative Cloud.

Speaking of our artistic sides, the university actually owns the Gilcrease museum, and students get in for free. They also have a fantastic attached restaurant, which has an excellent Sunday brunch and accepts dining dollars. If that’s not enough museum for you, students get into the Philbrook for free as well!

If your major requires special software, it’s worth looking into whether the university has a deal to let you get it on your own computer. As a math major, I regularly use the copy of Wolfram’s Mathematica that I got for free from the school, and for computer science there’s plenty of free software, but the Github student pack is a good place to start. You may not need to go to library and instead be able to do your assignments from the comfort of your own cramped dorm room!

This list certainly isn’t complete (lots of restaurants offer student discounts, but they vary based on location), but it’s a good starting point. Just take the time to ask places if they offer a student discount. It couldn’t hurt, right? And it may end up saving you some money in the long run.

Solar panels installed on top of the Case Tennis Center will start providing the building with energy this September.

Hannah Kloppenburg Editor-in-Chief Thanks to a recent partnership with Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO), TU’s campus will soon be powered partly by solar energy.

The partnership involves a 300-kilowatt solar panel display, owned and operated by PSO and located on top of TU’s Case Tennis Center. TU will lease the panels and use the power they generate to provide electricity to the Case Center.

A picture of the solar panels during construction.

The panels are expected to produce up to 400.000 kilowatt-hours of energy per year — roughly the amount produced by 70 household rooftop panels in the same amount of time. Half face east and half face west in an attempt to maximize the panels’ efficiency.

Solar panels are just part of TU’s initiative to work towards a sustainable campus. The university was recently named the greenest college in the state.

Past “green” efforts include TURN (TU Rider Network) and the introduction of TU’s yellow bikes, which are available for students to borrow for free.

The panels are expected to begin providing energy to the Case Center this September.

courtesy utulsa.edu

15 August 2016

The Collegian: 7

Poke-stop by our office!

Meetings every Monday at 5 PM in Oliphant 110 We hire writers, designers and photographers

graphic by Elias Brinkman

photos by James Whisenhunt

Above: Captain Cane poses in the doorway of Target and celebrates with Orientation Leaders. Below: OLs welcome first-years to the “TU Storms Target� orientation event.

15 August 2016

The State-Run Media

the

State-Run media Michael Phelps’ infant son has an Instagram

TU President-select connects with the youth, becomes internet sensation at Matriculation

A new head honcho brings a funky fresh new image to the University of Tulsa.

James Whisenhunt Desperately trying to be hip

An important aspect of being a leader is earning the admiration and friendship of the people being led. Newly selected TU President Gerard Clancy knows this well, and his influence could easily be seen in this year’s new student Matriculation.

The traditional bagpipes and kilts were replaced by a live DJ providing mashups of the alma mater with different hiphop beats.

This seemed to go over well with students, who were very happy to dance in the bleachers to the Kanye West mashup “Blue and Gold Digger.”

The real star of the show, however, was Clancy himself, clearly excited to speak as he walked out to Drake’s “Hotline Bling” dressed as Ash Ketchum.

Clancy’s speech used modern language to convey classic matriculation topics. He emphasized the freedom that college brings, saying that “TU really just lets you do you, y’know?” He also commended the thriving community at TU, describing it as “a place for homies to be homies.” The speech ran

around 25 minutes, including a 3-minute break as university officials alerted Clancy that a Hitmonchan had spawned in the Reynolds Center.

Incoming students’ reactions to Matriculation were mixed. Some students, like new anthropology student Luke Khale, feel that Clancy has an “unnecessary desperation for impressing students that he will never interact with.” Others felt that the ceremony was part of a long overdue rebranding for TU. Andrea Sodoben, a freshman majoring in english, described Clancy’s speech as “something delightfully emphatic regarding the university’s direction.” Sodoben was also wearing a T-shirt with the university’s new slogan, #TUcool4skool.

No matter the opinion of the students, the internet has certainly taken an interest in Clancy’s new methods. Video of Clancy’s speech found its way onto Youtube and quickly got picked up by Buzzfeed, leading to over 150 million views on the video and frequent crashes on the university website due to high traffic.

University officials are using this as an opportunity to foster school pride. The athletics department will be giving away T-shirts of Clancy and his beloved Hitmonchan at the first football game. Whether Clancy’s memetic popularity will foster TU

graphic by Elias Brinkman

Clancy enthuses students in his meme-triculation address by employing a modern vibe.

pride is yet to be seen, but as Clancy said in the conclusion to his now world-famous

speech, “we all just gotta get together, and we’ll win together. Peace, fam.”

TU Olympics orientation less sanitary than Rio Adherence to the Olympics theme brings drastic changes to new student orientation.

James Whisenhunt Gold medalist in complaining Freshman orientation is an important time for TU. The initial impression of the university and the connections made in the first week are instrumental in students’ future success. Unfortunately, StartTU’s Olympics theme, desperately seeking to outdo the actual Olympics in some way, seems to deliberately be as unsanitary as possible.

This philosophy seems to have invaded

every aspect of orientation. Orientation Leaders were told to go into residence halls and “mess the place up.” This meant stopping the toilets from running, flipping breakers in the buildings every couple of hours, and impersonating robbers and threatening students wandering campus. OLs have managed to keep their trademark optimism about the situation, despite the new rules.

First-time OL Felicia Sretan felt that the changes helped with the theme’s realism, saying “you take the good with the bad, and if you fear for your health and safety like at the Olympics, we did something right.”

These adjustments aren’t just tied to the university itself. Perhaps the largest overhaul was given to Dry Gulch. Prior to stu-

dents’ arrival, university administration has been overseeing the release of over 500 gallons of radioactive waste and sewage into the water and pulling wiring out of the walls

news outlets over the changes, such as the Tulsa Enquirer’s scathing article “TU literally turns Dry Gulch to shit.” Vale commented on what he saw as “shortsightedness,”

“Orientation Leaders were told to go into residence halls and ‘mess the place up.’” in the student accommodations. TU’s Coordinator of New Student Services, Alexander Vale, feels that these changes “may be [disruptive to students] in the short-term, but they’ll appreciate the experience a lot when they look back on it.”

There has been some outrage from local

noting that “everyone complained about the actual Olympics, too, but everyone is still watching it, so I don’t think it’s any different here.” Of course, nobody knows whether students will approve of these changes, but the consensus of university officials and staff is optimistic.

State-Run Media wakes from summer slumber It’s back, baby, and it’s ready to conquer the news world by doing all the things it already did.

Sam Beckmann Vice President of Propaganda

The State-Run Media has been regaining its power slowly, waiting for this day.

The State-Run Media, which as everyone knows is a 20 foot monster resembling Cthulhu, rubbed the sleep out of its eyes and stretched out its many limbs this

graphic by Elias Brinkman courtesy Wieksze Zlo and Jakub Halun

week as it woke from summer hibernation.

Those lucky enough to see this event live reported the creature getting up, making breakfast, and preparing for a productive year of reporting inaccurate stories and lobbing false accusations in the The Collegian.

This would continue a many-year tradition of libel and slander that the back page of the newspaper is known for.

Those in the know suggest that this year will be particularly fruitful for the monster, as it marks a change both for the President of the United States and the President of the University, neither of which have any power over the State-Run Media. The creature, which feeds off student apathy, is in great health this year, and plans on continuing its reign of terror for the foreseeable future.

In a rare press statement, the StateRun told reporters to “run for your lives” and “worship me, while you still have the chance,” whatever that means. Those wishing to possibly save their own lives can email staterun@tucollegian.org with an offer to write articles for little pay, or can attend the first meeting of the semester, Monday, August 22 at 5 PM in Oliphant Hall room 110, with an offer to write articles for little pay. Those who do join the State-Run cult may be spared.