Our writers want to make some changes around here, pp 8-9
Criticisms of Girl Scout values are misguided, p 14 TU junior to bike thousands of miles for charity, p 7 Managing Editor kind of enjoys Avant Garde poetry, p 11
Graphic by Elias Brinkman
The Collegian: 2
Sports
Quarterfinals Friday March 11
First Round Thursday March 10
Semifinals Saturday March 12
7 March 2016
Championship Sunday March 13
#9 Game 1 3:30 p.m. ESPNU
Game 3 Noon ESPN2
#8
#1
Courtesy Wikipedia
Game 7 3 p.m. ESPN2
#5 Game 4 2 p.m. ESPN2
#4
# 10
Game 9 3:15 p.m. ESPN
Game 2 6 p.m. ESPNews
#7
Game 5 7 p.m. ESPNU
#2 Game 8 5 p.m. ESPN2
#6 Game 6 9 p.m. ESPNU
graphic by Matt Rechtien
#3
*All times are EST
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Sports
7 March 2016
The Collegian: 3
Football opens up spring practice, embraces competition for roles
Head Coach Philip Montgomery wants to encourage his players to compete for roles this spring as he heads into his second year on the job. Matt Rechtien Sports Editor
The football team opened up their first week of spring practice this week, and will have seven practices before they break for Spring Break next week with more to follow after the week-long hiatus. Head Coach Philip Montgomery talked about his thoughts on the practice last week, “I told the team when we get back for the spring semester, that we’re starting back at ground zero again. If you had a starting role, you have to go out and earn it again. Young guys are going to have to step up and have a chance to compete and be a starter at the end of it. We’ll have a lot of good competition.” Montgomery continued, “Our number one goal is always to come out healthy. But, we have to build on what we started
training. They’ve done a great job in the weight room and getting in great shape, but now we have to see how that translates to the football field. For us getting to the bowl game last year was a huge jumpstart for us coming into the spring.” TU is still waiting for three of its biggest contributors this spring though, as Keevan Lucas, Josh Atkinson and Blake Belcher are all still recovering from injuries. Lucas played in four games last season, while Belcher was injured during the first game of the season against Florida Atlantic University. Montgomery talked about what he wants to accomplish in the spring practices on the offensive side of the ball saying, “Offensively our goal is to do a good job of evaluating our personnel, and make sure our young guys get a lot of reps to help them grow and develop.” “We have to find the combination of five guys up front on the offensive line. For us it’s always about finding the best five guys, not the best tackle or the best guard, but the best five guys and then making sure we put
“If you had a starting role, you have to go out and earn it again” last year and take steps forward during the spring. This is a new team and a new year.” The Golden Hurricane lost 20 letterwinners from last year’s team, including nine who were starters, five on offense and four on defense. “We’ll move guys around and make sure they’re in the right spot, and making sure what we do schematically fits our personnel. Spring is the time when you really get a chance to start evaluating. Our guys have made some dramatic increases over winter
them in a position to be successful, which helps us be successful as a team.” The team has 10 players competing this spring for the offensive line, six of whom lettered including starters from last season Chandler Miller (center), Evan Plagg (tackle) and Willie Wright (tackle). The other two starters on offensive line Garrett Stafford and Chris Wallace are graduating this upcoming May. Elsewhere on offense, two-year starter Dane Evans will be returning after throw-
ing for 4,322 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, ranking first in the American Athletic Conference for passing yards per game (332.5) and total offense (33.2). Montgomery talked about Evans’ development saying, “Dane has to continue to grow and develop. Year two of this offense will be a big jump for him just from the standpoint of reading defenses better and understanding better what we’re doing offensively. We’ll put more on his plate and allow him a little more freedom. On the other side of the ball, Tulsa will be using the spring practices to try and find someone to step up for the loss of Derrick Alexander and Derrick Luetjen up front, and second-all time leading tackler, Michael Mudoh in the back. Most of the linebacking corps will remain intact for the spring practices at least, as all three starters—Trent Martin, Matt Linscott and Craig Suits—are all returning for the 2016 season. Montgomery talked about how to change up the defense, “Like last year when we moved Linscott from safety to STAR linebacker, there could be some position moves in trying to maximize what that athlete does best, but also maximizing the amount of speed we have on the field. We can’t give up the big plays like we’ve been giving up. Getting more athletic and faster in the back seven is one of the things we’re really focusing on this spring.” “I’ve challenged (co-coordinators) Bill [Young] and Brian [Norwood] as we look at it schematically what we’re doing defensively. We were meshing two things together last year, and now in year two being able to really solidify what will fit our defensive personnel the best will be important.” In addition to their normal practices which will culminate with the Spring Game on April 2, Tulsa will hold its Pro Day on the morning of March 10 for NFL scouts.
Softball host Tulsa Invitational, sweeps Hawkeyes and Cardinals
The Golden Hurricane softball team hosted their first home games of the season against the University of Iowa and Lamar University, sweeping both of them over the course of the weekend. Matt Rechtien Sports Editor
After three weeks on the road, the Golden Hurricane softball team finally returned to Tulsa for their home opener last weekend in the Tulsa Invitational. After a strong start to their season, going 11–4 in the first three weekends of play, the Golden Hurricane started off their own tournament with back-to-back wins on over the Iowa Hawkeyes (2–1) and the Lamar Cardinals (14–2) on Friday. Sophomore Shelby Estocado and junior Maggie Withee led the way for the Golden Hurricane with five hits / three runs and three hits / four runs respectively. After trailing early in the first game against the Hawkeyes, Estocado hit a homerun (her first of the weekend) to tie it up before Morgen Neal drove in Maggie Withee in the fifth inning to take the 2–1 lead that
Monday
would last for the Golden Hurricane. In the game against Lamar, three different Golden Hurricane players had three RBIs that lead Tulsa to the run-rule victory (meaning that they only played five innings instead of the usual seven). In the first inning alone, TU had seven runs on seven hits. Caitlin Sill, who was named the American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week, picked up her sixth win of the season against Iowa, pitching the complete game and surrendering only the one run. Emily Watson picked up her fifth win of the season against Lamar pitching four innings, recording three strikeouts and giving up only one run in the game. In their second game against Iowa on Sunday morning, the Golden Hurricane jumped out to an early lead, this time scoring nine straight runs, before outlasting a two-inning seven run rally by Iowa, to take the win 9–7. Estocado and senior Jodi Edmiston led the way with two RBIs apiece. Ellie Reeves picked up the win, but gave up seven runs, six earned, in the fourth and fifth innings. Emily Watson stepped in as a reliever and picked up her first save of the season, finishing out the final two innings.
Tuesday
Wednesday
Softball vs. Oklahoma 5:00 p.m.
Men’s Golf Men’s Golf @ Auburn Tiger @ Auburn Tiger Invitational Invitational Women’s
Tennis vs. Oklahoma 5:00 p.m.
In their final game of the tournament, once again against Lamar the Golden Hurricane, had a very similar result as in their first match, this time winning 9–0. After scoring two runs in the first two innings, Tulsa exploded for seven in the third. It started with a two-run homerun by Estocado, her second of the weekend, and was immediately followed by another homerun, this time a solo shot by freshman outfielder Julia Hollingsworth. Neal and catcher Catherine Horner added two more runs on hits, a single and double, respectively, and the Golden Hurricane took advantage of two throwing errors by Lamar to add two more runs to their lead, putting the game out of reach for the Cardinals. Defensively, Tulsa did not need to do much as Lamar only managed to get five base-runners with four hits and one walk. Sill pitched the complete-game-shutout, which once again ended after only five innings, earning her seventh win in the process. After this weekend the Golden Hurricane’s record sits at 15–4, and they’re in action next against Oklahoma at home on Wednesday.
Thursday
Men’s Tennis vs. Virginia 5:00 p.m.
Tennis Falls to Wichita The women’s tennis team fell to No. 13 Wichita State on Saturday afternoon at home 5–2. This loss, which snapped a 7-match winning streak, is only the second loss of the season for the Golden Hurricane bringing their overall record to 12– 2. Wichita State took a 1–0 lead by taking the doubles point, before Rongrong Leenabanchong evened it at one apiece with a win in her singles match. Renata Kuricova put the Golden Hurricane up 2–1 with her win, but the Shockers responded with four straight wins to take the 5–2 victory. The next event for the women’s team is on March 9 against No. 72 Oklahoma. Rowing has First Event On Saturday the rowing team started off their season with a scrimmage against Kansas in Catoosa. They competed in various Four and Eight length pieces for about two hours. The first real match of the season for the Golden Hurricane will be on March 19, when they travel to Kansas State to take on the Wildcats, and their first home match will be against MIT and Creighton the following Saturday. As for the rest of their season, they will travel to Windsor, N.J. for the only large regatta of the season, host the Lawless Cup on April 16 against SMU, the Stone Cup against Oklahoma on April 30, and compete in the American Athletic Conference Championships on May 14. Clark on All-Conference Team Senior Ashley Clark was named to American Athletic Conference All-Conference Third Team, an honor that is determined by the voting of all the coaches in the conference. Clark started in every game this season and had two doubledoubles, 21 double-figure scoring games and four double-digit rebounding games. She led the Golden Hurricane with 14.8 points-per-game and 6.2 rebounds-pergame. In the 123 games she has played (the most in school history) she started in 94 of them. Track AAC Indoor Championship The men and women’s track and field teams competed in the American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships last week. The men took home a second-place finish and the women a tenth. The men’s team was led by Bryce Robinson and Marc Scott. Robinson won the 200-meter dash for the fourth time this season while Scott was named the co-performer of the meet after winning the one-mile run and finishing as the runner-up in the 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs. Three other Golden Hurricanes finished in the top-five of the 3,000-meter run as Time Rackers, Luke Traynor and Ben Preisner finished third, fourth and fifth respectively. The top performer on the women’s side was Olivia Lopez who was the runner-up for the 3,000-meter run and Stacie Taylor who placed sixth in the event.
March 7 – 13 Friday
Saturday
Track and Field @ NCAA Championships Indoor
Track and Field @ NCAA Championships Indoor
Women’s Golf @ Clover Cup Softball vs. Florida State 12:00 p.m. Softball @ Stanford 7:30 p.m.
Men’s Tennis vs. USC 12:00 p.m.
Softball vs. Florida State 1:30 p.m. Softball vs. Cal Poly 4:00 p.m.
Men’s Basketball @ Semifinals Men’s Basketball 5:00 p.m. vs. Memphis (if applicable) 8:00 p.m.
Sunday
Softball vs. Cal Poly 1:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball @ Championship 3:00 p.m. (if applicable)
Sports
The Collegian: 4 It’s been almost a year since the man formerly known as Jesse Keipp left his nest under Reynolds Student section, and in that time there has been no more Bleacher Creature. Now, 321 days later, the rumors have started of a new contender for the title, leaving me with one question:
Is Justin Guglielmetti…
the
bleacher creature?
Curry needs a new tagline: “Whoa” Do you remember when “The Matrix” first came out and a bunch of conspiracy theorists began saying that the Matrix was real and the movie was just the filmmakers way of letting everyone know about it? I mean, I was three when it came out so I have no idea if this happened, but it seems like something that would. Anyway, I’m sure those people are having a field day with Stephen Curry this season, especially after his showdown with the Thunder last week where he hit twelve three pointers including a 35 foot game winner with a timeout left! Who does that?? Is there any other explanation besides this world being a computer simulation and Steph being the One? I’ve heard it said that he’s playing like a character in a video game with their skill sliders maxed out to 100 but even that doesn’t begin to describe his greatness; plug in NBA 2K16 and see if you can hit 67-percent of your shots from 28 feet out (yes that’s a real statistic). You can’t do it! I just hope that for the sake of basketball Curry finishes out his incredible career before moving on to our machine overlords. Get more out of baseball this year It’s March, the weather is beginning to warm up, and everywhere you look Spring Fever is in the air. You know what that means...it’s almost fantasy baseball season! In addition to, you know, actual baseball. I know, I know, fantasy baseball isn’t as popular as it’s football counterpart, but that doesn’t mean it’s not awesome! In some ways I think it can actually be a lot more fun because of how much more analytical and strategy-based it tends to be. You know that one guy who always autodrafts his team and ends up with Aaron Rodgers, Antonio Brown, and Rob Gronkowski? Yeah, there’s none of that nonsense in fantasy baseball, the most skilled players (i.e. me) tend to win out in the end. And that sense of accomplishment when you emerge victorious over the grueling and mentally exhausting 162-game schedule is just so much more satisfying than a fantasy football win, trust me. This year, if you feel like finally hopping on the bandwagon and playing the Cadillac of fantasy sports, I would recommend proven offensive performers like Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt, and Bryce Harper early on and leaving the pitching and “breakout stars” to the sorry saps who don’t know what they’re doing. Unless you are in my league, in which case do the exact opposite. We take the NBA’s players for granted A hush fell over the crowd as Lin Jingyuan, college student and aspiring professional basketball player, took the ball at halfcourt in the Chinese Basketball Association’s annual dunk contest. Before him, five men stood in the lane forming a tight line over which Lin would presumably jump. He started his run and thousands of spectators braced themselves to witness something utterly spectacular. What happened was... well...it wasn’t spectacular but at least it was memorable! Lin failed to clear the first man in the line, flying crotch first into the back of the poor guy’s head and desperately flinging the ball towards the hoop as he collapsed in a heap to the court.
Tulsa wins on senior day
After a crushing loss to Memphis that hurt their tournament chances, Tulsa responded with a 10-point win over USF on senior day to earn the third seed in the tournament.
AAC Tournament preview
The Golden Hurricane are the third seed in the conference tournament. We preview the path they will have to take to win the AAC. Joseph Edmunds Student Writer
After finishing off the regular season with a win over USF on Senior Night last Saturday, the Golden Hurricane men’s team were fourth in the conference standings. However due to SMU’s postseason ban for this season, they will take the third seed in the conference tournament next weekend. Before they begin the play in the tournament, we will preview the potential games and teams that they will face in order to win the Conference Championship and the automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. The Golden Hurricane will most likely need to make it to the championship game in order to earn an at-large bid at this point. The good news is that there is no team in the tournament that TU hasn’t beaten, but on the flip side they did not complete the series sweep of anyone in the top six seeds. After earning a bye for the first day of the tournament, the Golden Hurricane’s first game will be against Memphis (16–14, 7–10 AAC), to whom they lost last week on the road. The biggest part in the loss was the foul trouble that the Hurricane ran into, combined with injuries. They were called for 25 fouls throughout the game, and when D’Andre Wright and Brandon Swannegan ran into trouble, they had to run five guards because Rashad Smith was still recovering from injury. After that game Head Coach Frank Haith said “We played five guards and it made it hard for us. I thought our guards fought like crazy to even give us a chance. I applaud our guards’ effort in terms of competing and fighting against a much bigger and longer and athletic team.” That’s the biggest advantage Memphis will have in the game, as well as any other teams Tulsa ends up playing—size. While Tulsa has one of the smaller teams in the
Now compare that with the NBA’s slam dunk contest from All-Star Weekend in which we witnessed windmills from the free throw line and an under the legs dunk that would have looked at home in a high jumping competition. It sure is great to be a basketball fan in America.
conference, that hasn’t stopped them from winning games, and shouldn’t change the way they play in the postseason. The other thing the Golden Hurricane will need to focus on in this rematch against Memphis is containing forwards Shaq Goodwin and Dedric Lawson who put up 28 and 27 points, respectively in their last meeting. If they win that game they will most likely face Houston, the second seed of the tournament, in the semifinals. Houston (22–8, 12–6 AAC) and TU split their home games, with Houston winning 81–66 and Tulsa winning a week-and-a-half later 77–63. The biggest struggle the Golden Hurricane had in their loss was shooting only 33-percent from the field, and just 12-percent from beyond the three-point line. In the rematch junior Pat Birt went off tying his then careerhigh 27 points. After the win Haith said, “We were good
important thing and our ability to limit them to one shot and push back. Our guys were fighting like crazy, and we were very conscious in finding guys, locating guys and pushing back.” So while the loss of Smith hurt the Golden Hurricane in their games against Temple and Memphis, TU shouldn’t worry too much because Smith returned to the lineup off the bench in the win over USF last weekend. Cincinnati (21–9, 11–6 AAC) beat the Hurricane handily 76–57 in Cincy, but the Golden Hurricane responded with a 70–68 OT win at the Reynolds Center. After the loss Haith said “They physically whipped us. They were just more aggressive and played with great toughness. They set the tone early in the game the way they competed and how hard they went at it on both ends of the court. I think they were really aggressive on the offensive end how
“There’s not a single team in the American they can’t beat” on both ends of the court. I thought that our execution was much better here compared to when we played Houston the first time. This was a really good win for us.” Beating the Cougars in both total rebounds (33–22) and especially offensive rebounds (13–7) helped the Golden Hurricane control the game and put it out of reach for Houston. Beating Houston or a lower seed if UCF or Tulane end up with the upset, would send the Golden Hurricane to the championship where they would most likely play Temple, Cincinnati or UConn. Temple (19–10, 13–4 AAC) is the first overall seed in the tournament and of the three potential championship matches, the one that the Golden Hurricane would like to see. Temple beat the Golden Hurricane at home in overtime by four points, but TU won in Tulsa by 19 points in the rematch. Haith talked about the Golden Hurricane’s size after the win, “There is no question that we were severely undersized tonight without Rashad Smith, and we are not very big anyway. For us to win the game today we felt like rebounding was the most
they attacked and got offensive rebounds.” Cincy started that game off with an 18–2 run, and the Hurricane could not recover, playing catch-up for the rest of the game. In the Golden Hurricane’s win, the biggest factor was once again the rebounding. When a team of Tulsa’s size is outrebounding their opponents, who have the height advantage, they are able to limit their offensive possessions and put up points of their own. UConn (20–10, 10–7 AAC) beat the Golden Hurricane close at home after Tulsa beat them by nine in the middle of January. TU handled the Huskies at home, thanks to a huge run in the late minutes of the second half, and almost erased a 20-point deficit in the road loss. In order to avoid another tournament loss to the Huskies this year, the Golden Hurricane will need to prevent them from coming out of the gate hot. Because down the stretch TU can beat them. It’s not going to be an easy three-game stretch for the men’s team, but as they’ve already shown, there is not a single team in the American Athletic Conference that they can’t beat, and they need to play with that mentality.
Cougars in the second quarter, allowing only six points. In the fourth quarter, the Golden Hurricane’s defense was even more dominant, as they only allowed three points. Though they didn’t need to score much with the stellar defense they were playing, the offense was still flowing. Tulsa scored more points in the final two quarters then the first two, as they ended up doubling-up the Cougars, winning 76–38. The second round brought a matchup against the Temple Owls. In the meeting between the two teams in the regular season, Tulsa struggled offensively, and the Owls won by 20. Unfortunately, the script for this game was similar to the first one. Temple dictated the tempo of the game early on, and utilized a couple of large runs in the first half to take a large halftime lead, 36–19. The third quarter was more tightly contested, but the Golden Hurricane weren’t
able to pull any closer to the Owls, and went into the final quarter trailing by 20. They wouldn’t be able to make up that deficit, and Temple came away with a 78–52 victory to continue in the tournament. The loss ended the season for the Golden Hurricane. Seniors Kelsee Grovey and Ashley Clark, after playing in their final game as a Golden Hurricane, spoke highly of the program after the game. “We’ve had good experiences and hopefully helped change the face of the Tulsa program and made it a school people talk about,” said Clark. “The reason I chose Tulsa was to change the culture of the team and I feel like we’ve done that the last four years. We are leaving the program in good hands and they will be fun to watch next season,” said Grovey. Both Clark and Grovey sit in the top ten in school history of many statistics as their careers come to a close.
Women’s team’s season ends in loss to Temple
Joseph Edmunds Sports Writer courtesy wereblog.com
often come from strong defense, and good shooting from quality opportunities coming from the defense. That combined with the lack of depth and foul trouble at the forward position made it difficult for the Golden Hurricane to keep up in the second half. Memphis slowly pulled away, and took the 92–82 victory. USF then came to Tulsa to play the Golden Hurricane on senior day. The nerves showed early for Tulsa, as they came out tense during the first few minutes of the game. Senior Nick Wood started his first career game, and
As the game progressed, though, the team relaxed. USF’s biggest lead was 28–19, with less than seven minutes left in the half. From there, though, the Golden Hurricane closed the gap, and pulled within three at the halftime break. The second half featured a great shootJoseph Edmunds ing performance from the Golden HurriSports Writer cane, including 60-percent from the field and 50-percent from behind the three-point Nine seniors were honored before Satarc. The offensive burst, which totalled 51 urday’s game against USF, as the Golden points by the end of the half, included 21 Hurricane men’s basketball team closed the points from Brandon Swannegan, his career regular season with high. USF couldn’t keep up a win after falling to with Tulsa in the second Memphis earlier in the half, and the Golden Hurweek. ricane earned the 84–74 On the road facvictory. ing the Tigers, Rashad With the win Tulsa Smith was unable to reached the 20 win mark play for the second for the third consecutive straight game. His abseason, finishing the regusence left the Golden lar season at 20–10 (12–6 Hurricane with less American Athletic Conferdepth at the forward ence). With SMU disqualiposition, and proved fied from postseason play, crucial as the Tigers that record puts Tulsa as were led by their two the No. 3 seed heading into forwards, who comthe conference tournament bined to score 55 next weekend. Still prepoints. dicted to be on the bubble Tulsa played pointof being selected for the for-point with the Tiphoto by Matt Rechtien NCAA tournament, the gers in the first half, and The team celebrates the win after eight of the seniors gave speeches about their time at TU. Golden Hurricane need to even went into halftime play well and make a run in with a one point lead, 47–46. was the only source of offense in the first the conference tournament to solidify their Over the course of the season, however, five minutes, as he scored Tulsa’s only field place in the selection committee’s mind. high scoring shootouts have not been Tulgoal during that time. sa’s specialty. The team’s victories have
The women’s team won their opening game of the American Athletic Conference tournament, but their season ended in a loss to Temple on Saturday evening.
Like a majestic antelope, he leaps in the air to make something beautiful. Unlike the majestic antelope however, he has no vertical leap.
7 March 2016
The Golden Hurricane women’s basketball team advanced through the first round of the American Athletic Conference tournament with a win against Houston, before falling against the No. 3 seed, Temple. Tulsa dominated their first round matchup in the conference tournament. In the first quarter, the game appeared to be competitive, as only three points separated the teams. However, Tulsa’s defense shut down the
News
7 March 2016
The Collegian: 5
Forum encourages increasing voter engagement A presentation held at Rudisill Library last week gives hope that maybe one day people will take advantage of the democracy they live in. Kayleigh Thesenvitz News Editor Hannah Kloppenburg Commentary Editor Improving voter turnout in and around Tulsa was the theme of “Breaking Down Barriers,” Saturday’s voter engagement forum at Rudisill Library. The forum was hosted by the Voting is Power Coalition of Tulsa. The forum was introduced by Floretta Reed, an activist who marched in the ear-
ly days of the movement to give African Americans the right to vote. She provided the audience with an outline of national and local issues facing voters today, as well a few reasons why voting is so important. She also shared the fact that elections have been won or lost by slim margins, as well as her belief that although voting in presidential elections is crucial, it is just as, if not more important to vote for local and state officials because their actions will have a more direct impact on your life. Reed’s introduction was followed by keynote speaker Helena Berbano, an enthusiastic college grad who works for Nonprofit VOTE and has been involved in several projects to raise voter turnout in urban minority areas. She began her presentation with an outline of voters’ resources, as well as examples of barriers voters face. Berbano discussed how the participation gap can be statistically tied to income, age
Oklahoma primary results March 1 brought record voter turnout for the state of Oklahoma. According to the Oklahoma State Election Board, 39.5 percent of the population of the state exercised their right to vote in the primary election. This is a sharp jump from the 2012 primary in which only 16.7 percent of registered voters made it to the polls. The is especially significant because more people were registered to vote in 2012 than were in January of 2016. As of March 6 the overall delegate count for the US for each remaining candidate is Donald Trump 382, Ted Cruz 300, Marco Rubio 128, John Kasich 35, Hillary Clinton 1,121 and Bernie Sanders 481. For the Oklahoma primary specifically, Cruz won the Republican primary with 15 delegates and 34.4 percent of the republican votes. Trump got 13 delegates and 28.3 percent, Rubio got 12 and 26.0 percent, Ben Carson received 0 delegates despite getting 6.2 percent of the vote and Kasich also got 0 with 3.6 percent. The remaining 1.5 percent went to various candidates who dropped from the race but whose names were still on the ballot. On the Democratic side, Sanders won with 21 delegates and 51.9 percent of the votes from the democratic primary. Clinton received 17 delegates and 41.5 percent. The remaining 6.6 percent went to outliers like Roque De La Fuente, Keith Judd, Star Locke, Martin O’Malley and Michael Steinberg. The Collegian also attempted to conduct our own research into how students voted. The responses we did get were varied, although there were not enough to make any generalizations. Students reported voting for Sanders, Rubio, Clinton and Trump.
and race among other factors. She also noted that non-voters tend to hold different political beliefs than regular voters, meaning that during elections, results are not entirely representative of the opinions of the entire population. However, she did not lay all the blame on the voters themselves. Berbano also discussed a mobilization gap, in which political campaigns do not invest in communities
how these barriers can be overcome. Berbano suggested engaging people by assuming they are already voters and are planning to participate in the election to avoid being condescending. Following the keynote presentation, Mana Tahaie from the YWCA and Voting is Power asked forum attendees to participate in an “Asset Mapping” exercise. We were asked to write down voter engagement needs
“Students have the ability to fill crucial roles as voter registrars and poll workers, and should take every available opportunity possible to help democracy in this way.” where they believe the people are less likely to vote. This leads to a downward spiral in which fewer and fewer people in the community vote, meaning fewer and fewer campaign interests are directed toward those communities. Berbano shared her interest in how nonprofit organizations (and in that vein, student organizations) have a special role when it comes to engaging communities in the voting process. Berbano suggested these organizations have a unique ability to reach people in a way that campaigns cannot. In fact, she pointed to case studies from multiple nonprofit voting coalitions: after the organization got involved in the community, voter turnout of minorities increased dramatically in the following years. A large part of Berbano’s presentation focused on how to have a discussion about voting. Attendees were asked to participate in an exercise which involved acting out example conversations with constituents. We were provided with lists of common responses to the question “Are you registered to vote?” and advice on how to react to hesitant voters. A handout we were given encouraged us to keep three things in mind when talking to constituents about voting: “1) keep it positive 2) be interactive 3) make it personal.” Berbano told us to avoid focusing on the barriers in place that keep people from voting, and instead to focus on determining
in our community on blue sticky notes, and existing resources on orange sticky notes. These notes were placed on maps of Tulsa hanging throughout the room. There was a noticeably larger amount of blue sticky notes than orange sticky notes. The forum was followed by optional voter registration training, for those who wanted to learn how to be voter registrars. Afterwards, Berbano and Tahaie personally answered some questions about resources available for students to learn more about voting as well as suggestions for how students can help increase voter turnout. Some of the resources available online with crucial information for young voters who don’t know where to turn are rockthevote.com, vote411.org and the iPhone app votebyte. Information can also be found on the Tulsa World website election page or pretty much any issue of the Collegian run this academic year. Berbano and Tahaie also suggested that time is a valuable asset college students have (even if they don’t think they do) when it comes to being involved. They advocated that students have the ability to fill crucial roles as voter registrars and poll workers, and should take every opportunity possible to help democracy in this way. Tahaie put it this way: “Being in college is no excuse for not being engaged.”
Okla. Libertarian Party to gain official inclusion Party Platforms* Democratic Party -Government Regulated Economy -Unilateral Humanitarian Intervention -Anti-gun
Libertarian Party
Republican Party
-Civil Liberties
-Non-interventionist policy
-Economic Freedom
-Government Regulated Morality
-Separation of Church and State
-End war on drugs
-Encourage National Defense
-War on drugs
-Limited government
-Pro-gun
-NSA Surveillance
-Protect Personal Privacy
- Anti-Affirmative Action
-Traditional Marriage
-Marriage Equality
-Affirmative Action
*All claims in this graph were made by the Libertarian Party of Oklahoma and may not accurately represent the platforms of each party. graphic by Kayleigh Thesenvitz
With election season underway, Oklahoma has just gained a new political party, the Libertarian Party. Michaela Flonard
Student Writer
Monday, February 22nd, the Libertarian Party delivered more than 42,000 signatures to the Oklahoma State Election Board. Once these signatures are verified, the party will be officially recognized as a political party. This move will allow voters to register as members of the party and Libertarian candidates to run for office. The Libertarian party favors personal freedom, free markets and peace, according to officials. The Vice Chair of the Oklahoma party, Tina Kelly, said a core belief of the party is “Minimum Government. Maximum Freedom.” Oklahomans who don’t feel represented by the current two parties have been very supportive and enthusiastic, she added. The presidential election of 2000 was the last time Oklahoma had a Libertarian candidate. Harry Browne ran as a Libertarian against George W. Bush and Al Gore. Fifteen years later, on March 6, 2015, the Libertarian Party filed their intent to form another political party. Since then, they have been working to collect the required number of signatures to be registered as a party: 24,745. This number is 3 percent of all ballots cast during the previous general election for governor, as required by the state.
Once the signatures are verified, Libertarian candidates can appear on the ballot on June 28. If the party does make the ballot, it would need 10 percent of the vote in the presidential race to remain registered as a party. If the party fails to garner such support, more signatures would be needed to qualify for the 2018 general election. Oklahoma only recognizes Democratic and Republican parties, so any additional parties must maintain this 10 percent threshold to retain its party status. Legislation this session could reduce the required votes from 10 percent to 2.5 percent. Kelly believes adding another candidate in political races would increase competition and provide voters with more choices. The chair of the Libertarian National Committee, Nicholas Sarwark, hopes to one day have a Libertarian option in every state. The Libertarian party is the third largest political party in the US, and believes it represents the best of the Republicans and Democrats. While it disagrees with the left’s positions on gun control, increased government spending, government regulation of the economy and military inventions, for example, it shares the left’s views on other matters. These include tolerance of others’ choices, separation of church and state and support of same-sex marriage. On the right, it doesn’t support the war on drugs, corporate welfare or government actions in moral issues; however, Libertarians believe in merit-based advancement, less government spending and respect of property rights. According to the national Libertarian
party, voters should abandon the two traditional parties because the current government is “too large, too expensive, woefully inefficient, arrogant, intrusive and downright dangerous.” Policies of the party stem from a belief in individual rights. Respect for these rights would result in a free-market
economy, personal freedom and a foreign policy that emphasizes non-intervention, peace and free trade. “Live and let live is the Libertarian way,” according to the Oklahoma party website. In this vein, governments should not violate the right to life, liberty of speech and action or the right to property.
Vic Regalado wins Republican Sheriff primary Regalado will advance to the general election on April 5. Brennen VanderVeen
Student Writer
During the presidential primaries on March 1, Republicans also had the opportunity to vote for a sheriff nominee. Since the Democrats only had one candidate, Rex Berry, there was no need for them to have a primary. The sheriff seat is open due to Stanley Glanz’s resignation on November 1. Out of 82,163 votes, Regaldo received 33,271, which is over twenty thousand more than his closest opponent, Luke Sherman, who received 13,236. John Fitzpatrick recieved 12,320, and Tom Helm received 10,518. The other five candidates (Jason R. Jackson, Dan Miller, Randy Pierce, Brandon Hendrix and Bill Reeves) all received fewer than 4,000 votes each. Regaldo is a sergeant with the Tulsa Po-
lice Department. He was endorsed by former governor Frank Keating, who held office from 1995 to 2003. Regaldo’s campaign website states that he’s been the lead detective in 81 homicides, supervises a Special Investigations Gang Unit and has served on Tulsa’s SWAT team. He has also been an instructor for the Council on Law Enforcement and Education Training (CLEET). The campaign website notes that he “teaches the proper use of deadly force, victim interview strategies and proper suspect interrogation.” He was also awarded the Medal of Valor in 2004 by the Tulsa Police Department for what his campaign website describes as “protect[ing] an innocent citizen during a battle with a gunman accused in two homicides.” The general election between Regaldo and Berry will be April 5, and whoever wins will take office on April 11. However, as this is an election year, the new sheriff will be up for reelection in November.
The Collegian: 6
News
7 March 2016
Early Medicaid sign-up denied to Okla. prisoners courtesy Wikimedia Commons
While the Affordable Care Act has made changes to Medicaid that would allow soon-to-be-released inmates to sign up, Oklahoma does not participate in this program. Michaela Flonard
Student Writer
As a result of the Affordable Care Act, there have been a variety of changes to the Medicaid program as it is administered federally. Oklahoma, like several other states, has not adopted all changes allowed by the federal government. One of the changes would allow soon-to-be released inmates to sign up for Medicaid before their release. Medicaid was expanded under the ACA to include low-income residents. The expansion would cover those from 19 to 65 with an income below 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). Nationally, about 35 percent of those newly-eligible individuals would have histories with the criminal justice system, according to health care experts. Oklahoma remains one of 20 states to opt-out of this expansion, citing budget is-
sues. This opt-out means only adults with kids under 19, adults older than 65, individuals who are blind or have other disabilities, children under 19, or pregnant women or women needing breast/cervical cancer treatment are covered by the state Medicaid services. The SoonerPlan is available to individuals older than 19 who need family planning services. While incarcerated, individuals are not required to have health insurance under the ACA. They cannot buy private insurane through the Healthcare.gov marketplace, but will not be fined for not having insurance during their imprisonment. As for those who qualify for Medicaid, individuals cannot receive those benefits during their incarceration. The federal government does allow inmates to sign up for Medicaid during their incarceration, however, which allows coverage to begin immediately after release. Individuals may sign up for the program online, through a paper application or through the state Medicaid office. But because of Oklahoma’s opt-out of the Medicaid expansion, it does not participate in a program that allows prisoners to sign up before their release. Thus, the Department
of Corrections cannot do much for individuals transitioning to re-entry, according to Terri Watkins, spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections. Oklahoma spent about $84.7 million on inmate medical costs last year. This figure is up from 2005 to 2013, which saw figures between $60 million and $71 There are several reasons for the increase in medical spending. Often, individuals enter prison with health issues, which then become the state’s problem. An aging prison population is also to blame. In 1994, about 822 of the 13,700 inmates were over 50, according to Dr. Donald Sutmiller, chief medical officer for the Oklahoma State Department of Corrections. Currently, over 5,000 inmates are at least 50 years old. About 220 of those use a wheelchair at any one time, according to Sutmiller. This all contributes to the state’s budget issues. Signing up inmates before release, some argue, could help the state’s issues rather than exacerbate them. Individuals with a Medicaid card are eligible for health care, mental health services and prescription drugs. In Oklahoma, inmates are released with an “appropriate supply of medication.”
But without insurance, a steady supply of these prescription medications may be unavailable. For those with mental health or addiction issues, this delay can be significant. Other states, such as Ohio, have decided to allow individuals to sign up while still imprisoned for this reason. Officials hope that this will reduce visits to the emergency room, which is extremely costly for the state, and possibly lower recidivism (relapse in criminal behavior following release) rates, if receiving medical services helps with their re-entry. Since Medicaid enrollment in the state occurs through a mostly real-time system, according to Jennie Melendez, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority which delivers Medicaid, there wouldn’t be a lag for inmates who are able to sign up for the program. Thus, released individuals who qualify for the program can gain services quickly, so the worry about delays in receiving medication would not be a big issue in the state. With Oklahoma’s opt-out of the expansion, however, most individuals will not qualify.
venile detention centers is 9.5 percent. The rate in Oklahoma reported by the DOJ is nearly twice that. However, justice officials claim that many of the youth surveyed were likely making false allegations. According to a 2012 DOJ survey on sexual assault in juvenile detention centers across the nation, many of the teens were assaulted by center faculty members, and
do comply with federal policies. However, centers that the state contracts with, particularly privately run groups, are not required to comply. Yet these regulations are required in all Oklahoma state adult prisons and halfway houses, as well as some county prisons. Within the institutions not required to comply with federal standards, there are 244 juveniles in group homes and an unknown
Compliance would be too costly, according to state and county officials. Additionally, officials are concerned that small group homes and county centers will have trouble implementing the standards. In 2012, the US Justice Department issued standards and required state governments to implement them in state and contracted facilities at risk of losing 5 percent of their annual Justice Department grant funds. However, according to Oklahoma Watch, “the state exempts county detention centers because it says they are outside of its ‘operational control,’ and group homes because they use a social and medical model approach.’” In 2015, Gov. Mary Fallin stated in a letter to the DOJ that the state would make steps to improve regulations preventing sexual assault, but also commented that many of the requirements are costly and unrealistic, and that they “ignore the operational realities of the adult and juvenile correctional industry.”
Okla. juvenile detention centers lack rape prevention efforts Despite having laws on the books about rape prevention in prisons, many Oklahoma juvenile detention centers are not required to comply. Hannah Kloppenburg
Commentary Editor
More than half of Oklahoma’s juvenile offenders are held in detention centers that aren’t required to comply with federal standards for preventing sexual assault proposed by the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). Oklahoma’s rates of sexual assault in juvenile detention centers are much higher than rates in many other states. A Department of Justice (DOJ) survey of juveniles in the system conducted between 2007 and 2012 reported that 18.4 percent of 46 juveniles in six Oklahoma detention centers and group homes had reported some form of sexual assault. The national rate of sexual assault in ju-
“Centers that the state contracts with, particularly privately run groups, are not required to comply.” twenty percent said “they had been violated on more than ten occasions.” On average, the national rates of sexual assaults on juveniles by staff members in detention centers and group homes were found to be three times higher than national rates of assault in adult centers. The state’s three juvenile detention centers run by the Office of Juvenile Affairs
amount occupying 309 beds in county centers. These figures don’t include juveniles held for 24 hours in nine community intervention centers for offenses such as underage drinking. Some states require compliance and others don’t—there’s some disagreement on the matter between state officials and national experts. photos without their consent. The non-TU affiliate also stated that the photos may have been shared. These events did not occur on University of Tulsa property, or at a TU sponsored event. These events occurred in 2015, and predated the TU student’s enrollment at the University of Tulsa.
Feb. 25 12:16 a.m. University of Tulsa campus Security were dispatched to the Fisher South courtyard in regards to a suspicious suspect. Upon arrival Officers noticed an individual standing by the bike racks with a big purse. Officers made contact with the victim. Upon searching the suspect Officers found drugs, drug paraphernalia, and burglary tools. Tulsa Police Department was contacted and transported the suspect to David L. Moss Jail. Feb. 28 9:55 p.m. University of Tulsa campus Security officers were dispatched to investigate a student
assault and battery on another student at the Collins Fitness Center. The students were playing basketball and there was shoving and pushing in the game. One student made negative statements to another student. One of the students punched the other student in the head for making the comments. The student who was hit called 911, but declined to press charges when the Tulsa Police arrived. The battered student wanted it to be handled through the university. Feb. 29 3:30 p.m. University of Tulsa campus Security officers were dispatched to a report of misconduct at Mabee Gym. A non-TU affiliate stated that a current TU student had taken nude
3:35 p.m. University of Tulsa campus Security officers were dispatched to John Mabee Hall on report of stolen and damaged property. Upon arrival Officers met with the reporting party who stated that their room key had been stolen a sometime two or three weeks ago. The individual reported that since their key had been stolen that various items had been damaged and gone missing from their room. Officers took information from the individual and informed them to make a report with the Tulsa Police Department. 4:20 p.m. University of Tulsa campus Security officers were dispatched to the Pat Case Dining Facilities to escort a Sodexo employee suffering from severe personality disorder off campus. The individual was determined to be off their medication. Both EMSA services and Community Outreach Psychiatric Emergency Services (COPES) evaluated the person and determined the best course of action was transportation via TPD to the Tulsa Center for Behavioral Health for further evaluation. 6:05 p.m. University of Tulsa campus Security officers
were dispatched to investigate a possible stolen bicycle. Upon arrival officers spoke to a student that stated that their bicycle was stolen from the bike rack at Rayzor Hall. The student had a lock but had not used it and it was not registered with the university bicycle shop. Officers advised the student to do an online report to the Tulsa Police Department and to contact the security office in case they found the bicycle. Mar. 1 9:30 a.m. University of Tulsa campus Security officers were dispatched to investigate a former student making a threat about a former university employee off campus. The victim was notified of the threat as well as selected individuals in the Mary Kay Chapman Center; a photo was given for reference and they were advised to call security if the suspect showed up. 10:30 p.m. University of Tulsa campus Security officers were dispatched to investigate a possible larceny of a bicycle. Upon arrival officers made contact with a student who stated their personal bicycle had been stolen from the bicycle rack at Hardesty Hall. All they found was their broken lock. The student was advised to file an online police report with the Tulsa Police Department. The Collegian does not edit the Campus Crime Watch except for content and brevity.
News
7 March 2016
The Collegian: 7
TU junior to participate in 4kForCancer
Justin Strathe will bike four thousand miles in seventy days this summer to raise money for cancer research. Kyle Crutchfield
Student Writer
Junior Justin Strathe will be busy this summer, but not with an internship or a job. Starthe will be biking over 4,000 miles in order to raise money, and awareness, for cancer. During an intense 70-day, nonstop journey from Baltimore to Portland, Justin, who will be representing TU, will ride with a team of twenty-three other college students to support college-age students fighting through cancer. The trip, called 4kForCancer, has been
hosted every year since 2001 by the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, a nonprofit organization with a mission of helping young cancer patients by giving them the tools they need to fight their disease and embrace survivorship. Last year alone, over 170 4k participants raised over 1 million dollars for the Ulman Cancer Fund. Strathe’s team alone has raised over 90,000 dollars. “My goal is to raise $4500. I’m about fifty percent of the way right now, which is good because I have about three months left.” For Strathe, however, raising money is not the only concern. He said, “I want to provide hope for the cancer community. Hope for a cure. Hope for victory in the fight. I want my ride to be an inspiration to patients and families, letting them know that they are not fighting their fight alone.”
This comes from personal experience, because Starthe himself has a few connections to the cancer community. “Recently my grandfather, who was really the first person that I was close with, was diagnosed with leukemia. And earlier in this semester one of my fraternity brothers was also diagnosed with leukemia, and he’s going through chemo right now. So, I’ll have those two on my mind a lot during the trip. But I’m also not doing it only for them. I’m doing it for anyone affected by cancer.” In order to prepare for the grueling journey ahead, Strathe has been training intensively. “I started a 20-week training program a few weeks ago to get me in shape. I actually didn’t start cycling until last year, when I heard about the program from my friend, Hannah, while I was studying abroad in Australia.” About the ride itself, he commented, “The
whole trip is 70 days. We will bike around 70-120 miles a day. And we have 9 rest days in that 70 days, so that’s 5 or 6 days a week we’re out on the bikes all day.” “I’m a little nervous,” Strathe admitted. “I’m fairly new to cycling and I don’t know anyone who’s on this trip with me.” Despite his apprehension, the appeal of the trip was enough to convince him to go. Aside from raising awareness for cancer, Strathe says that 4kForCancer will allow him travel opportunities like never before. “I’d say I have a strong sense of travel and adventure, and it seems like a really great way to see the United States while also doing something for a good cause.” Students who are interested and able in helping Strathe out with his cause can donate to his personal page at 4kforcancer.org. All donations go to the Ulman Cancer Fund.
ously unseen handwritten notes, unreleased studio and concert recordings, film, photos, artwork, memorabilia and, of course, musical instruments, is predicted to take upwards of two years. As of now, 1,000 items from the collection have reached the Helmerich Center for American Research, while GKFF and TU representatives have yet to to initiate the process of selecting a curator and staff to form the advisory committee for the Archive. Plans regarding the public exhibition and information pertaining to academic access will be released later this year. Ken Levit, Executive Director of GKFF
celebrated the importance of the collection. “Bob Dylan is a national treasure whose work continues to enrich the lives of millions the world over, and we are proud to be bringing such an important, comprehensive and culturally significant archive to Tulsa. Our combined philanthropic and academic approach made a strong case for assuring Mr. Dylan and his representatives that Tulsa would provide the ideal environment to care for and exhibit this collection, and the result is a boon for Tulsa that will soon attract Bob Dylan fans and scholars to our city from around the world.” President Steadman Upham seconded the
claim, describing TU as the “perfect keeper of the Bob Dylan archive,” thanks to the institutions’ high level of scholarship “available through the university and its partners.” Bob Dylan himself stated that he was happy to see his archives find a home in the city of Tulsa, where they will be “included with the works of Woody Guthrie” and was especially excited to have them “alongside all the valuable artifacts from the Native American Nations.” This article was written using information provided by the TU website.
TU brings Bob Dylan archive to Tulsa
Trenton Gibbons
Apprentice Editor Exciting news came to TU and the Tulsa community at large with the recent announcement that the Bob Dylan archive would soon be taking permanent residence in the city. The archive, purchased by the George Kaiser Family Foundation in cooperation with the University of Tulsa, is currently being stored in the Helmerich Center for American Research, and will eventually be put on display in the Brady Arts District. The process of assembling the approximately 6,000 items, consisting of previ-
Wednesday, March 9 at 12:00pm to 1:00pm Keplinger Hall, U2 AIChE Lunch and Learn with Jeff Arnoldi AIChE presents Jeff Arnoldi, seasoned engineer and current president of the Tulsa Engineering Foundation. Food will be provided. Wednesday, March 9 at 12:00pm to 1:00pm Student Union, Chouteau Room Leggings Aren’t Pants & Other Ways Rape Culture is Perpetuated Join Jennifer Airey, associate professor of English, in a discussion about Rape Culture & Slut Shaming. All faculty, staff and students are invited to attend. Wednesday, March 9 at 5:00pm Chapman Commons Kappa Delta Quidditch Cup Go watch teams compete for charity on Chapman Commons. Thursday, March 10 at 5:30pm to 7:00pm Mayo Village Apartments & Student Activities Center India Night: Dinner & A Show Campus housing will be providing an Indian dinner and showing a Bollywood movie for all apartment residents. The CGE will be giving out information on study abroad and scholarships - to India, and everywhere else in the world! The event is free and open to all students. Thursday, March 3 at 6:00pm to 7:00pm Lorton Performance Center, Meinig Recital Hall Concerts with Commentary: A Winter’s Journey The University of Tulsa Concerts with Commentary presents tenor Kim Childs and pianist Stuart Deaver in a recital of Schubert’s “Winterreise.” Winterreise – or “A Winter’s Journey” – is a cycle of 24 songs based on poems of Wilhelm Müller written near the end of Franz Schubert’s life. The recital includes commentary by musicologist John Powell. The event is free and open to the public.
Trey Barnett case updates Fraser Kastner Managing Editor
The University has responded to the allegations made by Trey Barnett in his lawsuit against the University of Tulsa. In the response, the University denies that Trey is a resident of Tulsa county. They also deny that Trey Barnett was a senior at the time that he was suspended. They go on to deny that Chris Mangum, Trey’s husband, authored the controversial Facebook posts, despite Mangum going on record saying he was the author. Essentially, the University unilaterally denies everything it can about the lawsuit, admitting only that which is undeniable.
Sammie Hottel Student Writer
Leading Honduran environmentalist murdered Indigenous Honduran environmentalist Berta Caceres was found dead Thursday morning after two assailants broke into her home and shot her. Caceres won the 2015 Goldman Environmentalist Prize for her work against a proposed dam project on the Gualcarque River. She was also an activist for the indigenous Lenca people of Honduras. Prior to her death, she had complained of receiving death threats from police, soldiers and local landowners because of her work. According to Jorge Hernández Alcerro, the President’s Chief of Staff, Caceres was supposed to be under protection because of these threats, but he did not explain why she was not under watch when she was attacked. “The president has instructed all government security forces to use all means to find the killers,” Alcerro said. A 2015 report from Global Witness cited Honduras as the most dangerous country for environmental defenders.
Nationwide power outage in Syria Syria experienced a nationwide power outage on Thursday. It is unclear exactly how many people were affected, as certain cities are outside of the regime’s control and do not run on the government power grid. According to the Ministry of Electricity, electrical workers determined the cause early on, and several areas were restored by Thursday afternoon. Shortly before the outage, militants struck a power-generating station in Hama with rockets. The Syrian government, however, has neither confirmed nor denied that the attack was the cause of the outage. Syria has experienced several electricity issues in the last five years, most of them a result of the war’s damage of infrastructure.
Australian Cardinal meets survivors of child abuse
Cardinal George Pell, a senior financial official in the Vatican, underwent a fourday hearing before an Australian Royal Commission in Rome to testify about the church’s long running history of child abuse. During the hearing, he testified that it was a “disastrous coincidence” that five pedophile priests had been sent to Ballarat, an Australian city where Pell spent most of his career. Following the hearing, Pell met with several survivors via video chat from Rome to Ballarat. Among the survivors was the nephew of notorious pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale. Pell described the visit as “an honest and occasionally emotional meeting” and later stated that the “goodness” of the people in Ballarat “is not extinguished by the evil that was done.”
Former Brazilian pres. held for corruption probe
Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, who served as Brazil’s first working class president from 2003 to 2011, was detained for questioning in a massive corruption probe. Prosecutors accuse the Lula administration of conducting a huge kickback scheme through the staterun Brazilian oil company Petrobras. Although he was released after questioning and not formally charged, prosecutors still claim to have strong evidence of illicit money being used to finance Worker’s Party campaigns. Lula was immensely popular while in office, presiding over an economic boom that brought forty million people out of poverty. He was even enabled to hand-pick his successor, current President Dilma Rousseff. He was previously expected to run for office again after Rousseff’s term, but his popularity in simulated polls has decreased since the corruption probe began.
Japan’s Prime Minister suspends relocating base
In last week’s issue, the News article “TU student leaves school to join Cruz campaign” should have referred to Mary Brown as an intern instead of a volunteer. Additionally the ad about the Journalism Practicum curriculum stated that students who participated in the practicum would still be paid for their articles. That was not true.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Friday that he was temporarily suspending the preliminary work on relocating a US Marine Corp base in Okinawa. The base has long been a point of contention, and its relocation is part of 20-year-old bilateral agreement to reduce the burden of the US military presence on Okinawa. The Tokyo central government wants to relocate the base to a less populated area in Okinawa, but Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga wants the base moved off of the island entirely. Okinawa is home to about half of the US troops stationed in Japan, and many residents complain of crime and noise from the US military bases. In 1995, a Japanese schoolgirl was raped by a US soldier, sparking mass protests. Abe has agreed to resume talks about the issue, but has halted construction.
The Collegian: 8
Improve TU
Improve TU
7 March 2016
Every year, the Collegian encourages students around campus to write in and address issues they feel strongly about pertaining to the University of Tulsa and, if able, to provide possible solutions to these problems. Here are just a few of the ways—some more practical than others—that the University of Tulsa could improve life for its students in 2016.
Provide links to organizations through TU website TU is home to nearly 200 student organizations, but only a few of these have links to their information from the TU official website. Jacob Eddy Student Writer As any TU student probably knows, there are a plethora of Student Organizations on campus. Be you interested in e-sports, bil-
tion mid-semester? Thankfully, the TU website has compiled a giant list of nearly 200 student organizations. The catch is, only 25 of these are linked to information about the organization (The Collegian is not among them). To make matters worse, many of these organizations have their own websites. Even those who aren’t yet large enough to have a dedicated website usually have a Facebook page or some equivalent. This means the information exists, there just isn’t a link to it. It would seem to be a relatively simple, yet hugely beneficial, task to provide links
“The TU website has compiled a list of nearly 200 student organizations. The catch is, only 25 of these are linked” liards or history, chances are TU has something for you. Unfortunately, the harder it is to find information about these groups, the less likely students are to find one that suits them. At the beginning of the school year, TU has a giant activities fair where all the student organizations show up and give out their information to newcomers, but what about after that? What happens when somebody decides they want to join an organiza-
to all these organizations on one page. After all, isn’t that the purpose of having the list in the first place? To provide information? In its current state, the TU Student Organizations list stops one step short, providing only names and acronyms, but no real information. However, with the addition of more links, it could be one of the most useful tools for students looking into trying out what TU has to offer.
A possible replacement for TU’s shuttle system A “smaller, cooler-looking” pod.
Current shuttles should be replaced by smaller, coolerlooking pods. Morgan Krueger Editor-In-Chief Emeritus Let’s be frank, the current shuttle system isn’t that great. The shuttles often run late or leave a stop before they are scheduled to, which makes it is impossible to find a shuttle when you need one. And even when you do find one, it probably won’t be the route you want.
graphic by Elias Brinkman
naming it, was a two seater? Then you wouldn’t have that conflict. Now obviously these pods won’t take you exactly where you want to go; we don’t want to clutter up our beautiful campus with pods running around everywhere. But the pods would be quick way to get from one end of campus to the other. Plus, since the pods are two seaters, you wouldn’t have to wait for the pod to leave. You could jump in an available pod, close the door, press a button for your desired destination, and off you’d go. The pod would not have to make multiple stops, and it could let you off anywhere on the track. You could stop next to McFarlin, or go all the way to LPAC.
Clarify legality of hammocks across campus Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
TU should allow students to hang up their hammocks, or at least clarify the legality of doing so. Jacob Waters Student Writer A growing, popular trend across campuses all over the US is hammocking. Companies like Eagle Nest Outfitters (ENO) and Elevate Hammock Company have reported that hammock sales have doubled over the past two years. During the past few months, students have become upset due to being told that they are not allowed to hang hammocks between trees on campus. Students have been approached by Campus Security while in their hammocks and asked to take them down. I personally have heard from one student who was told if she did not get out of her hammock it would be cut down. The reason hammocks are “banned” on campus is due to fear that the stress on the trunks might damage the tree. Students are upset with the issue because it is not clear whether it is allowed or not. One day I was out in my hammock on
Chapman Commons enjoying the nice weather. About an hour into my hammocking session I was approached by Campo and asked to vacate my hammock and take it back to my apartment. Once I got back to my apartment I was scrolling through Instagram and found a photo taken of me in my hammock posted by the official University of Tulsa page. Clearly there are some mixed messages going on here. This past semester the university banned the self-balancing mini segways on campus (it’s not a hoverboard, it doesn’t hover). There was a formal email from the university and flyers were posted stating the ban. I have never seen any sort of email or written rule by a TU employee that says: hammocks are banned on campus. Motions have been made to SA asking for some sort of hammocking posts to be constructed around campus. Some students take their hammocking affairs off campus to places like Woodward Park or Turkey Mountain, but others still hang on campus and try get an hour or two in before Campo comes and shuts them down. Hopefully soon students will be allowed to hammock as they wish on campus, but until then we must fight to #FreeTheHammock.
Underground tunnels would shelter weather-weary students Underground tunnels would allow for more comfortable travel around campus year-round. Morgan Krueger Editor-In-Chief Emeritus We’ve all done it. Speed walked to class in the dead of winter. Wondered if getting to a warm classroom two minutes sooner was worth the weird looks we would get while sprinting to class. There’s an easy solution to the horrible Midwest weather. Cold outside? No problem. Windy as hell? We’ve got you covered. Been inside studying so long that the sunlight now burns like a thousand blades? This solution will help you too. Tunnels. More specifically, underground tunnels. While this may sound like a crazy idea,
it’s not as out-there as you may think. Most of the buildings on campus already have basements, after all. And we’re not suggesting the university build a freeway under campus, just a few small tunnels to connect various buildings so we don’t spend the first half of class de-thawing our frostbitten fingers. This isn’t the first time something like this will have been done either. Schools such as Concordia University and the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities have underground tunnels for students to get to class. Encitas, California spent four millions dollars on a five mile long pedestrian tunnel. TU tunnels would not be that long, but even if the cost was the same, it would only take 94 students paying full tuition to cover that cost. Even if you calculate in the cost of hiring the extra CAMPO it would take to patrol the underground tunnels, accepting two more students would cover that too. Worth it? I think so.
“Twenty different people, all wanting to leave at different times and arrive at various places at certain times, are going to end up having to compromise.” There are some things that could be done to salvage the current system; to make some minor improvements for the time being. But what’s the fun of that? A complete overhaul is the way to go. The biggest problem with shuttles is they cater to up to twenty people. And twenty different people, all wanting to leave at different times and arrive at various places at certain times, are going to end up having to compromise. But what if the shuttle, or pod, as I’m
The pods would be equipped with sensors, so if some idiot freshman was standing on the track, they wouldn’t get smushed (I know, I know, but TU doesn’t like getting sued by angry parents). All in all a bunch of pods would be much better than a few unwieldy buses. They might not be able to take you exactly where you want to go, but they will save you time waiting and would most definitely be used by more students more often. German citizens use a pedestrian tunnel.
Courtesy pixabay.com
Improve TU
7 March 2016
SA should have better elections if they want anyone to vote
If SA is going to get all sanctimonious about their elections, they should give us some reason to care about the outcomes. Fraser Kastner Managing Editor
I have a confession to make: I didn’t vote in the last SA election. I’m guessing not many of you did either. In fact, only 7.4 percent of the student body voted in. This, believe it or not, is a pretty good turnout. We’ve had years with only 2 percent. And I think that’s okay. I know this isn’t terribly democratic of me, but in the context of student government it doesn’t really seem to matter who’s
or even forget we have one until elections week and then forget again immediately afterwards. I’m exaggerating slightly, of course. I know SA does other things, like Springfest, for example. But once again, does it really matter who the specific people are who put it on? Maybe it matters to SA, but for the rest of us, Springfest happens no matter who is in SA. And even if it did matter, how are we to know which candidate would be better suited for the job? The only information we get during the election cycle are posters and personal statements that are as vague as they are unhelpful. Every time I’ve voted I’ve just picked someone at random, without knowing a single substantive thing about any of the candidates. If the Student Association really wants us to get more involved with student govern-
“Call me cynical, but the name on the check we hand to the pizza guy doesn’t really seem to matter” in office. In fact, in all my years at TU it seems to me that SA’s main function is to buy pizza for the Greeks and pass bills that alter their own constitution in small ways that only really pertain to themselves. Call me cynical, but the name on the check we hand to the pizza guy doesn’t really seem to matter. Even if it somehow did make a difference, it still doesn’t matter to the average student. I’m guessing that most of us don’t know the name of our SA representative,
ment, they should give us more reason to care. For example, candidates could engage with voters more. I would vote if my representative could explain what they would do for me. Apartment representatives could canvass door-to-door, as could the Dorm representatives. I’m not qualified to give advice to SA about how to run campaigns, and to be honest I shouldn’t have to. If SA wants us to vote, they should give us some reason to care about the outcome.
The Collegian: 9
University assistance in voter registration graphic by Elias Brinkman
TU should assist students in the voting process by helping them to register on campus, and providing access to reliable voter information. Kayleigh Thesenvitz News Editor Super Tuesday has come and gone with a significant 40% voter turnout in the state of Oklahoma. But despite the rallying calls of the campaign trail, many students didn’t make it out to vote. There are various reasons for this, two of which can and should be addressed by student organizations and the University itself. Students need more opportunities to register on campus. This is actually a problem that has already received attention by some groups on campus. During the first few party debates of last semester, student organizations set up registration tables around campus to try to get students involved in the political process.
However, these organizations also had to move on to other important duties, leaving a hole where a permanent resource should be. At the very least there should be one organization dedicated to having voter registration events several times each semester, even in years that are no large federal elections, to keep students actively participating in their civic responsibilities. Students need access to consistent and reliable voter information. Did you know if you are an out-of-state student, Oklahoma has a law allowing you to vote from your temporary campus address as if it were your permanent address? That means you wouldn’t have to send out for an absentee ballot or drive for two hours to go home just to vote. This is the kind of information that most people do not have easy access to, and it is also the information that is very crucial to their decision to be an active participant in the goings on of the US. The university should facilitate student engagement by helping to make access to this crucial information available to all of its students. So please TU, help the students rock the vote.
On-campus access to legal services TU should make basic legal services, such as the presence of a notary, available to students. Hannah Kloppenburg Commentary Editor
The recycling bins outside of Fisher South are some of the least practical.
photo by Elias Brinkman
Bring us better bins!
While recycling bins are numerous throughout campus, many have impractical designs, often making recycling needlessly difficult. Sam Beckmann Student Writer
Behind residence halls and dorms around campus, near the dumpsters, are recycling bins. These recycling bins are poorly designed, so much so that they have actually prevented me from recycling on more than one occasion. The entrance to put recycling into the bins is about a 6” radius hole on the top. This solution might be acceptable if you’re putting the recycling in one item at a time (and you’re not trying to throw away any large items, like cardboard boxes). The reality of it is, though, the bags of recycling people take down there simply don’t fit. So, provided you are an enterprising individual who still wishes to recycle despite this setback, you can take the following steps: 1. Twist the rusty access handle on the
bin, which allows you to open the door. 2. Pull out the plastic bin out from inside of the metal one (since the metal is essentially just a block around 4 plastic bins), and lower it onto the ground. 3. Place your recycling in the bin. 4. Pick the bin back up, and push it back into its position in the metal bin. 5. Close the door to the middle bin, and return the handle to put everything back. I can’t imagine that the majority of campus actually takes the time to go through this sequence when the want to recycle, especially when there’s a giant dumpster right next to the recycling bins. And I often go through the process of opening up the metal bins only to find them all filled or even completely locked. Having such a literal barrier to recycling is extremely detrimental to our efforts to be environmentally conscious at Tulsa. We have an awesome single-stream recycling plan, but it’s no good if the bins, the very last step in the process, are hindering those who wish to use it. Let’s get better bins, and more of them, since they’re overflowing more often than not when I try to use them.
It started when I sent away for an absentee ballot. I was just trying to do my civic duty. Imagine my surprise when the ballot showed up in my mailbox wrapped in a bright green sheet of paper that read, “A NOTARY MUST WITNESS YOUR SIGNATURE ON THIS BALLOT.” A notary? I had never gotten anything notarized in my entire life. This was a task that resided deep within the realm of adulthood—uncharted territory. Where was I supposed to find a notary? I texted my friend at the University of Minnesota, who was also planning to fill out an absentee ballot, to find out how she was going to handle this dilemma. “Does your school not have legal reresources for students? We have a notary on campus,” she told me. To be fair, the details of my quest to fill out an absentee ballot are a bit exaggerated. I was told that some banks had notaries, and ended up getting turned away at two for not holding an account with them before getting my ballot notarized at a UPS store. The point here is the relative ease of my friend’s absentee ballot experience--she skipped right on over to the Legal Services center on campus and bada bing bada boom, the ballot was ready to go within five minutes. I’d like to propose that TU provide basic on-campus legal services to its students. And not just because I had an inconvenient experience with an absentee ballot, though an on-campus notary would have saved me some time and effort. Rather, the experience provides a window for discussion about how legal services could be an important asset to TU students. The University of Minnesota has an entire website dedicated to student legal resources. According to the site, they provide “representation in important legal matters,” “answers to important legal questions,” and can help students to learn about their legal rights. They also have an FAQ page and directions to the on-campus legal services center.
UMN’s legal resources encompass not only notary services, but also other services relevant to students such as information about renters’ rights and resources for students who may have encountered legal difficulties related to partying. It also provides information about automobile insurance, credit cards, digital privacy rights, and even work visas. UC Berkley, Ohio State University, Purdue, the University of Michigan, Penn State, and the University of North Texas have similar services available to students. And I’ve only mentioned several of the universities in the US that provide these services—the list goes on. UNT’s legal services website states that “Our goals are to enable students to focus on their education and stay in school despite any number of legal obstacles.” Their resources are available to students free of charge. I understand that TU is a much smaller school than the examples I’ve listed here, possibly with less resources or space to provide legal services to students. However, this is a change I would really like to see on our growing campus in the coming years. Notarizing my absentee ballot was a pain, but in the long run it was a relatively minor inconvenience for me. But in other cases, the lack of access to a notary just might be enough of an inconvenience in a student’s packed schedule to deter them from voting. Similarly, inexpensive or free on-campus access to legal resources could make a difference in a TU student’s unjust renting experience, or prevent unfamiliarity with legal rights in a dangerous party situation. This is particularly important when you consider that legal representation can be extremely expensive and can put a heavy load on the shoulders of young adults. At the very least, I would be thrilled to see information about students’ legal rights on the TU website, as this information is important in a variety of areas in students’ lives and could be provided in an accurate, unbiased format by the university in order to keep them safe and informed. But if we’re going for the gold, I would be proud to see a center on campus where students could find affordable legal representation, learn how to sign a reliable lease—or maybe even get an absentee ballot notarized.
Variety
the Collegian: 10
7 March 2016
Thesis Exhibition shows off student art
Thesis exhibitions provide students an opportunity to showcase the culmination of many years of hard work and study. Kyle Blair, Nancy Andrasko and Kalyn Barnoski’s works are exhibited at the Alexandre Hogue Galley in Phillips Hall. Elias Brinkman Photo/Graphics Editor Thesis exhibitions are a fantastic but all-too-brief opportunity for undergraduates (particularly non-art students) to see some of the best that the school of art has to offer. Until March 8, the Alexandre Hogue gallery will feature art from MFA students Kyle Blair, Nancy Andrasko and Kalyn Barnoski. Another thesis show is set to premiere in the gallery March 10 with art from Megan Curtis and Blake Walinder. The gallery opens to Kyle Blair’s work, full of color and silliness. No matter the medium, all of the art in the exhibition carries a common self-referential humor and retro cartoon style. His “Monster Cereal” prints, for instance, parody the classic General Mills monster-themed cereals that began in the early 70s. In place of Count Chocula and Franken Berry, Blair depicts the box art for “CanniBowls” and “Berry’d Alive.” Far from frightening or macabre, however, the illustrations are enlivened by aggressively happy and colorful scenes. Some of Blair’s most gratifying works on display allude to the unsophisticated characteristics of his art and the humor of that juxtaposition within a “serious” exhibition setting. There’s something particularly delightful in viewing a print titled “Butt, is it Art?” and featuring, well, a butt. Following Blair’s prints and illustrations are several displays
Nancy Andrasko’s “Strands of Time” display is comprised of skeletal, natural patterned forms that lend themselves to further inspection.
of Nancy Andrasko’s sculptural work. Repetitive forms like those in “Rings” or “Strands of Time” lend themselves to further inspection, which reveal minor variation in the handling of the individual segments. Particularly given their size, it’s easy to get lost in these pieces’ details. Andrasko’s works on display all tend to demonstrate a naturalism of some kind, whether in the more organic approach to the mold-
ing of her patterned forms, or by representing the natural world directly. The triptych “Landscapes” is an example of the latter—its abstract layers of glazed clay form in the viewer’s eye a sky and hilly terrain. Finally, along the wall of the gallery’s lower level are Kalyn Barnoski’s mixed media prints. All of the creative options Barnoski takes for these works seem to be in service of intimacy. The
photographs that serve as each piece’s base feel nostalgic, and the embroidery around certain letters and people give a scrapbook quality. The screenprinted circles around most of the figures’ faces seems to highlight and preserve their personalities. “Watch Over Us” affords a particularly moving emotional impact. Between scattered, broken spiritual verse and a family portrait that replaces the characteristic
photo by Elias Brinkman
screenprinted circle with an “X” for the father figure, there are some weighty sentiments to discover. These shows are some of the best chances for students to view the experienced artistic output of MFA students in a gallery setting without going off campus. Alexandre Hogue Gallery is on the bottom floor on the east side of Phillips Hall.
“Theeb” a bleak and beautiful parable of humanity
The first ever Jordanian Oscar Nomination, “Theeb,” has received international acclaim and represents a major achievement in Arabic filmmaking. “Theeb” offers a Jordanian Western, a coming-of-age story and historical fiction, but at its heart, “Theeb” is a parable. Trenton Gibbons Apprentice Editor “Theeb” should be regarded first and foremost as a triumph of Jordanian cinema. The film has received near universal acclaim, premiering first at the 71st Venice International Film Festival, where it won Abu Nowar the award for Best Director, and later receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, making it the first Jordanian nomination in any category of the Oscars. That it received such acclaim without sacrificing a distinctly Arabic approach to its characters and narrative is perhaps the greatest cause of celebration. “Theeb”’s titular protagonist is the youngest son of the deceased Sheikh in a small Bedouin community. His siblings having inherited the responsibilities of their father. He is, at the film’s beginning, innocent. He wrestles playfully with others, curiously handles trinkets and hesitates in killing a goat. When an English soldier requires his brother’s guidance in the desert, he follows, driven by a naive sense of adventure. It is against this innocence that “Theeb” contrasts the violence and brutality of war. The film, taking place in 1916 Jordan, is set against the historical backdrop of World War I’s Middle
Eastern theatre. The story of English soldiers leading Arab regiments against the Ottoman Empire is one that’s been depicted before, most notably in 1962’s “Lawrence of Arabia.” “Theeb” immediately gains high marks in comparison for casting unprofessional Bedouin actors, rather than simply darkening the skin of British actors. Whereas that film portrayed the larger than life character of T.E. Lawrence as a messianic figure fighting on behalf of the Arabs, “Theeb” depicts a much more personalized, microscopic view of the conflict. When the English soldier whom he accompanies talks of King and country, he means to dismiss the importance of Theeb as an individual. Theeb’s ignorance to foreign cultures and world wars leaves him with distinctly practical, human priorities. Had this story been told from a top-down perspective, the loss of life within might seem minimal. Instead, the film’s focused perspective on human individuals, not the institutions which govern them, helps to personalize the casualties of military conflict. “Theeb” belongs to many genres. Of course, it’s a comingof-age story, but it also contains traits of historical fiction. The director himself has gone so far as
“Theeb” contrasts the environment of the desert as home with the potential for violence and war.
The desert is a setting that a million films have attempted to capture, with varying success. Each one has a different interpretation of that environment: an opportunity for reflection, a place of promise or occasionally a wasteland of death. “Theeb” captures the seemingly contradictory notion of the desert as a home with a potential
When the movie opens, it does so with a few measured words of advice, from a father to a son. “When men make their stand, if the wolves offer friendship, do not count on success. They will not stand beside you when you are facing death.” It is a message which resonates throughout the rest of the film, yet, it is often difficult to dis-
“The film’s focused perspective on human individuals, not the institutions which govern them, helps to personalize the casualties of military conflict.” to say that “Theeb” is the beginnings of a new genre, a Bedouin approach to the Western. I can certainly see the resemblance it holds to the revisionist western. Men scale cliffsides and lie around campfires, they ride camelback and stare down rifle-stocks across the barren sands.
for violence. Throughout the film it is kinship which can make the desert welcoming, and conflict which can make it hellish. The environment in “Theeb” is defined by the actions of the inhabitants. Ultimately, I find no more satisfactory interpretation of “Theeb” than as a bleak, timeless parable.
cern who the ‘wolves’ of this story are. Is it the Ottoman Empire, who has oppressed the Arabs? Is it the English soldier, who would lead young men to war? Even the bandits whom Theeb encounters on his journey are sympathetic creatures, once-legitimate pilgrimage guides who lost their occupations
courtesy MAD Solutions
to the newly-built railway, which they spitefully call the “Iron Donkey.” “Theeb” is a highly recommendable film. Those familiar to the history of the Arab world in the early 20th century might benefit from such a personalized view of the military conflicts occurring there. Those who felt cheated of any real, relatable protagonist in “The Revenant” won’t feel so slighted here. Finally, “Theeb” is a must-watch for any cinemaphile with a particular interest in foreign films, as it represents a major achievement in Jordanian film-making. Even its harshest critics cannot deny its importance as a sign of monumental progress in Middle Eastern cinema. With Theeb, Jordanian filmmaking has for a moment turned to its history, depicting the deeply human characters of a culture often cheated of accurate cinematic representation in the West.
Variety
7 March 2016
the Collegian: 11
Special Collections’ “A Study in Sherlock” displays adaptations, ephemera of the character
Every quarter, Special Collections organizes a new exhibit to showcase a particular aspect of their collection. The current exhibit focuses on Sherlock Holmes’ presence in and influence on popular culture. Trenton Gibbons Apprentice Editor
Tulsa University’s Special Collections, perhaps one of the campus’ more obscure departments, will soon be closing its current exhibit, “A Study in Sherlock.” The collection, if the name didn’t give it away, showcases the cultural influence of Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic private detective. The theme of this particular exhibit was chosen by Special Collections’ three graduate assistants: Hannah Johnson, Joey Petross and Abhinaya Rangarajan, each of whom consider themselves fans of the character. The majority of the displayed items were donated to Special Collections by two separate collectors, Stafford Davis and Jack Powell, with Marc Carlson providing some pieces to “fill in the gaps.” “A Study in Sherlock” means to convey the impressive scope of the fictional detective’s influence through a series of displays, split into 5 distinct sections. The first of these sections, Background
Inspiration, explains the inherent connection between Arthur C. Doyle’s personal experiences and their contribution to his literary work. A few of the featured books, such as “The Real World of Sherlock Holmes” and “The London of Sherlock Holmes” emphasize the environment and society of the esteemed author, which would inevitably become the literary world of his novels. Likewise, the “Medical Casebook of Arthur C. Doyle” explores his career in medicine, which had a strong influence on the nature of Sherlock’s cases. The second section is labeled Adaptations and Academia. Sherlock’s stories, as the exhibit elaborates, exist today in approximately 60 languages. The character himself has been portrayed by upwards of 70 actors, notably John Barrymore, Peter O’Toole and, more recently, Robert Downey Jr. and Ian McKellen. Besides this are innumerable radio show adaptations, musical accompaniments and academic analyses ranging from that of Sherlock’s world to the man’s very own indecipherable psychology. Maybe the most interesting of this section, besides “Sherlock Hound,” an animated and animalized depiction of the detective, was the information that Sherlockian experts have created detailed maps of his adventures using coins and stamps. The third section addresses Sherlock’s pastiche, which the exhibit is kind enough to explicitly define as “an artistic work in a style
that imitates that of another work, artist, or period.” These pieces, which often appeared in books, magazines and other outlets, “can be grouped into four categories: new Sherlock Holmes stories, stories in which Holmes appears in a cameo role; stories about imagined descendants of sherlock Holmes; and stories inspired by Sherlock Holmes but which do not include Holmes himself.” Amongst these featured works, some of which are dated as early as the late 19th century, is a collection of novellas featuring the protagonist Solar Pons — “Lo∫Ωndon’s most redoubtable hero since Sherlock Holmes,” if the covers are to be believed. Besides this are an adaptation of Sherlock for theatre and two romantic approaches to the character, “Sherlock in Love” and “Good Night, Mr. Holmes.” In the next display case are works of parody, many of which were written simultaneous to the detective’s original literary adventures. “Sherlockian parody,” the feature reads, “can be found in cartoons, short stories, novels, and film. Sometimes the parodies twist the names and stories into hilarious bumbling detective adventures, such as Picklock Holes or Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother.” Also on display were “The Old Age of Holmes,” which satirizes the detectives’ work as “sleight of hand and parlor magic tricks,” which nevertheless amazes Dr. Watson, and the incredibly confusing piece of “Sherlock Holmes,
the Golfer,” which is apparently meant to offer golfing advice. Closing out the exhibit is a display of memorabilia. Unsurprisingly, Sherlock’s name is one so often associated with mystery and problem-solving, that there are a number of quiz-books and crossword puzzles which feature his identity. For the die-hard Sherlockian fan seeking to test their knowledge on the topic there are trivia books which offer the means to do so. The Consulting Detective Board Game offers players the chance to solve a mystery of their own in true detective-like fashion. Overall, the exhibit was quaint and yet, informative. The items featured within are novel and often surprising. Students with a special inter-
est in Sherlock, literature or vintage items in general are encouraged to see the (free) exhibit
in Special Collections, located on the fifth floor of McFarlin Library, before it closes. The next exhibit, organized by Milissa Burkart, will be open to the public April 1. While the department doesn’t wish to completely elaborate on the feature, they did explain that it will “show a fascinating connection between the Vietnam War and outof-body experiences.”
courtesy McFarlin Library
Avant Garde poetry reading features good poetry muddled by insubstantial weirdness
New Genres held their yearly Avant Garde poetry reading at Living Arts this Thursday. While most of the poetry featured was good, the reading was overshadowed by unnecessary weirdness. Fraser Kastner Managing Editor
In the interest of full-disclosure I should mention that ever since high-school I’ve had a pretty serious dislike of poetry in general. A poem is a riddle, wrapped in a veil of metaphor and indirect reference, conjuring up images in one’s head that may or may not have been the artist’s intent. Which is fine, and in fact I have been moved by a few poems that have somehow struck a chord with me. Unfortunately, most poetry is bad. Not in the sense that it doesn’t rhyme or that it’s too simple or too complex. It’s just that once you pry your way through all the layers, what you find is something not necessarily worth finding. When one creates art, at least how I imagine it, one is supposed to pour one’s soul into it. To be more vulnerable and honest than one could ever be in pedestrian life. But to me poems tend to come off like they were written to sound cool,
to sound like they were written by edgy street poets or melancholy young geniuses. In any case I hope that’s what they are, because if they’re as sincere as they pretend to be, the poets have shown us their innermost souls only to prove once and for all that they have the souls of shallow wankers. This is more or less what I expected to find at the New Genres Avant Garde Poetry Reading last Thursday night. And I was partially wrong. The event took place in Living Arts, an art gallery downtown. There was an avant garde installation on display, which consisted of a darkened room with TVs displaying corrupt image files, a projector showing muted landscapes, with some occasional text which asked the viewer to watch for various things. The piece also featured a low, droning song with clicks and whistles mixed in. I’m guessing the piece was meant to evoke a certain atmosphere, which is exactly what it did, and I quite liked the strangeness of it. The music faded, and the reading was introduced by a man who began by eating chips loudly into the microphone for a while before calling up the first reader, Grant Jenkins, a professor at TU and local poet. Jenkins informed us that he hated poetry readings and that he planned to play his bass guitar
idly in a corner while everyone else read, which I imagine was meant to add ambiance to the setting, but which kind of came off as dismissive of the other writers when he said it. Most of the poetry was good. Some TU students read moving pieces about their pasts, their pain and what had hurt them, or what they were passionate about. Other poets were not so great. One guy who looked like a white Cornel West and whose name I forgot out of spite read a poem composed partially of lines from the Chicago Manual of Style, which he claimed was meant to be a love story but didn’t really seem like it meant anything. On the whole, I would say that the experience was rewarding. My only criticism was that the avant garde angle wasn’t really necessary. Most of the poetry that was any good wasn’t especially avant garde, and the longer the night went on the more I realized that “avant garde” really only meant being weird for its own sake without injecting any substance into your work. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. If you like weirdness for its own sake I wholeheartedly recommend going to an avant garde poetry reading. If you like poetry, however, I’d stick to vanilla readings.
photo by Adam Lux
TU Student Savannah DeWeese reads a work at New Genres’ Avant Garde poetry night.
Tulsa Gridiron a local and national comedic roast
Local politics meets community theatre in our city’s political roast. Sam Beckmann Student Writer
Last Thursday, I attended the dress rehearsal of Tulsa Gridiron, a musical-style lampoon of yearly events, at the Tulsa Jazz Hall of Fame. The event, which occurred Friday and Saturday night, consists of individual songs poking fun at some topic around Tulsa or the country. There were political jests and jabs aplenty, Playboy bunnies paired with Youtube trolls, serenades from Ted Cruz
and Blue Bell ice cream. It was a wild night. The term “gridiron” originated from the name of a metal grate used over a fire in cooking, and to “throw someone on the gridiron” was to make it hot for them. The tradition of the political gridiron goes back to the 1800s, with such groups as the Oxford Gridiron Club and the Gridiron Club of Washington D.C.. Our local Tulsa Gridiron has been going for over 80 years now, and, as far as we’re aware, is the oldest gridiron tradition west of the Mississippi. The Tulsa Gridiron has two goals: making fun of local and national political figures, and raising money for scholarships to
help students working for a free press. (Which is where the money from the entrance fee goes.) This particular Gridiron was titled “The Farce Awakens,” and although it focused primarily on politics, there were some other Tulsa-specific skits thrown in to mix it up. The music for each song was provided by a live jazz section, appropriate considering the venue. As for the skits themselves, they were a mixed bag for me. As a non Tulsa-native, I felt lost in several of the songs, though that more comes from my lack of experience with Tulsa and Oklahoma politics than the songs themselves. The songs about national issues, or issues I otherwise
recognized, though, were quite enjoyable. The songs, parodies of popular tracks, we’re mostly one-off jokes, but delivered with a full cast, sharp choruses, and a slight bit of audience participation. In particular, their Hillary Clinton impersonator stood out as a dead ringer in their take of “Hooked on a feeling,” called “Hooked on my emails.” Other highlights for me included Youtube and Twitter trolls explaining their actions to the tune of Taylor Swift, as the “Haters gonna hate, hate, hate”; Trump singing “We will, we will, Trump you” and proclaiming his love for “Tusla,” Oklahoma; and Barack Obama living it up in the
white house for his last year there to the tune of “Uptown Funk.” The event evokes feelings of a pre-SNL world, where political roasts are local and communitydriven, without the huge production quality and comedy stars. The core concept, however, remains the same, and remains important. Political satire has been around as long as politics, and serves as an unofficial part of the checks and balances between the government and the people. You might not get as much out of the event if you don’t have experience with the politics of Tulsa and Oklahoma, but the Tulsa Gridiron is a worthy tradition to hang onto.
Variety
the Collegian: 12
7 March 2016
“Spirit Phone” shows Lemon Demon’s growth
Comedian and musician Neil Cicierega released a new album through his music project “Lemon Demon” on February 29. A departure from the tone of previous releases, it maintains the heart of Cicierega’s previous releases as well as showing the artist’s musical growth into a more professional creator. Caitlin Woods Satire Editor
Lemon Demon, the musical project of online content producer Neil Cicierega, dropped a new album called “Spirit Phone” on the music-sharing website Bandcamp last week. Most people would probably know Cicierega from his Soundcloud releases “Mouth Sounds” and “Mouth Silence,” both weird mixes of ‘80s, ‘90s and early-2000s pop music, the most well-known being his mashups and bizarre edits of Smash Mouth’s “All-Star.” But Cicierega’s art is not new on the internet. He’s been producing music since at least 1999, and in the early days of YouTube made the popular Harry Potter fan series “Potter Puppet Pals.” As a long-time fan of Cicierega’s work, I was pretty hyped to listen to this new album. Before “Spirit Phone,” Lemon Demon’s most recent release was the “Nature Tapes” EP in 2014, so this is the first full, original LP since 2008. It is the shortest LP since Lemon Demon’s first album in 2003, but “Spirit Phone” is definitely an instance of quality over quantity. From the very first song, Lemon Demon’s new album sets itself apart from previous albums as being more polished and professional, with nearly all of the songs warranting multiple listens. Whereas Lemon Demon’s releases from 2014 and earlier were mostly comedic, with songs titled “Everybody Loves Raymond,”
“Jaws,” and “Two Trucks” (a song about two trucks having sex), the content of “Spirit Phone” is, if not more serious, conceptually deeper. It’s similar in tone to the last LP release, “View Monster,” in 2008; however “Spirit Phone” is, to date, Lemon Demon’s most bizarre release. The subject matter of nearly every song is centered around the occult, not based around references to ‘90s pop culture, and all around feels more polished than previous releases. The first track on the album, Lifetime Achievement Award,” begins slowly, building a tense mood with heavy guitar and synthesizer. With the opening lyrics: “Die hard fans adored your hands / They loved your throat and quote unquote ‘you’,” Cicierega sets out to criticize the culture in which we idolize artists and creators. With his signature flimsy voice, monster film-esque backing guitar and heavy metal hook, “Lifetime Achievement Award” maintains Lemon Demon’s quirkiness while moving toward something of a more serious musical style. Cicierega’s influences are clear in this song. Long-time fans will recognize chiptune riffs and chord progressions that only slightly remind one of songs like “Toy Food” and “Goosebumps,” and there’s something of a German industrial metal sound in there as well. The second track on “Spirit Phone,” “Touch-Tone Telephone,” is more like something you’d expect from a Lemon Demon album (it reminds me of songs off the 2005 album “Damn Skippy”), displaying Cicierega’s untrained voice and a more whimsical sound than established in the opening track. Cicierega is good at creating infectious beats and unique, interesting tunes with his use of synth and keytar, amongst an array of other musical instruments. I feel like Cicierega has been building up to this kind of bizarre and occult album for a while. His 2011 single “Goosebumps” had a gothic premise similar to that of “Spirit Phone,” and in his 2015 single release “Kubrick and the
Beast” he displayed a musical polish and instrumental complexity very similar to this new album. I’ve been a fan of Cicierega’s work and of Lemon Demon for a long time, but I’ve always kind of conceded that his music does better as conceptual work than as something you’d really want to sit down and listen to. However, “Spirit Phone” is a really enjoyable album, and shows how far Cicierega has come as a musician and as an artist. Even though Cicierega’s voice is honestly not the greatest, his lyrics are really fun to listen to and he explores some cool concepts, such as the practice of using corpses as medicine in track 6 “Sweet Bod,”
and of occult and mysterious occurrences in track 5 “When He Died” and track 7 “Eighth Wonder.” Another thing long-time fans might appreciate is the inclusion of older songs, remastered for album release. Mentioned earlier, “Eighth Wonder,” was originally posted on Cicierega’s YouTube account six years ago, and track 12 “Reaganomics” is three years old. Both of them have been re-worked to fit the more polished feel of the album. Personally, “Eighth Wonder” and “Reaganomics” are two of my favorite tracks on this entire album. “Reaganomics” is a funny take on a classic love song and is steeped in ‘80s musical tropes, but
there’s a duality within the song that seems to match with the ethos behind many of Cicierega’s other works, focusing on the seductive (yet unreliable) nature of nostalgia, and its subsequent dangers. And it just sounds really good. Some of the songs on this album are a bit weaker than others, but I would recommend everyone listen to the whole album at least once. Cicierega’s voice may not be for everybody, and if you’re not very invested in the music it can be a bit of a turn off, but the music itself is unique and creative. Recommended tracks are 1, 6, 7, 10, 12, and 14.
references drunk women settling for sex with him. This dichotomy characterizes “This Unruly Mess I’ve Made.” It’s a roughly 1:2 ratio of heavyhanded comedy rap and heartfelt gems focusing on Macklemore’s political ideology and transition to stardom. There’s still plenty to enjoy about “This Unruly Mess,” but having 5 mildly unfunny songs is concerning. The Heist only really had “Thrift Shop,” which ended up one of the biggest songs of the year. Comedy rap in general is an unexplored, unrefined and underdeveloped subgenre. Very few artists make comedy rap the focus of their careers. When artists do choose to focus on comedy rap,
success ranges from the mostlyhit favorability of The Lonely Island to the collective “meh” heard when listening to most Lil’ Dicky songs. With such a small sample of artists, it can be rather difficult to figure out what works and why it works. However, two types of comedy rap tend to be generally successful. Some musicians will release the occasional comedy rap song filled with puns and pop culture references. Songs like Bo Burnham’s “WORDS, WORDS, WORDS” and Childish Gambino’s “Bonfire” are funny at a relatively universal base level, relying on clever wordplay and not requiring much knowledge of rap culture. The second type is the song
that takes a satirical stance on rap culture. This is where songs like “Thrift Shop” and “$ave Dat Money” shine. They actively make fun of the genre’s focus on expensive items as status symbols. Another example is “Jack Sparrow” by The Lonely Island. Frequent rap listeners can probably think of a feature verse that doesn’t seem to fit or is an active detriment to a song. “Jack Sparrow” takes that to the comedic extreme by having Michael Bolton perform hooks that are completely unrelated to the verses. Unfortunately, legitimate satire of the genre is rare, and even positively regarded comedy rap artists don’t have a meaning behind each song. Part of this may be that com-
edy rap is primarily performed by white men that pride themselves on their position as outsiders. Many rappers already make jokes in their songs, but don’t define their career by their jokes or go out of their way to poke fun at rap culture. Comedy rap has potential. The occasional gem in the genre shows that comedy rap can be a commercial success and effectively satirize the genre it stems from. However, apart from viral hits, the small market for comedy rap leaves little incentive to enter the genre. This, combined with the lack of people doing it now, means that the genre probably isn’t getting bigger anytime soon.
courtesy Lemon Demon
Similar to the music, the art for “Spirit Phone” shows a much more polished, professional work from Lemon Demon’s previous albums.
The current state of comedy rap: What works
Comedy rap is an underdeveloped genre plagued by a lack of understanding of what works. James Whisenhunt Student Writer Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s new album, “This Unruly Mess I’ve Made,” opens with “Light Tunnels.” The song gives a playby-play of Macklemore’s first Grammy appearance and victory, painting a vivid picture of a man feeling out of place in a new world. The next song, lead single “Downtown,” is about Macklemore buying a moped. The song after that, “Brad Pitt’s Cousin,”
“Deadpool” generic movie with more dick jokes Despite billing itself as “not your average super-hero movie,” Deadpool comes off as another generic origin story, but with a 13 yearold’s sense of humor and stronger language. Justin Guglielmetti Student Writer Perhaps I went into “Deadpool” with expectations that were too high. A product of 20th Century Fox (which by my count has made a whopping total of two quality superhero movies) with a rookie director and a lead notorious for his poor acting? The onus should have been on me to suspect that this wasn’t going to be a masterpiece. But for whatever reason, I expected something more out of “Deadpool” and was bitterly disappointed when I found it one of the most utterly mediocre film experiences
of my life. Dry and shockingly joyless in its execution, crass but not terribly funny, the problems with “Deadpool” were myriad, not the least of which was its utter failure to live up to its promise as a fresh, satirical take on the superhero genre. At the end of the day, despite its aggressive marketing campaign and rabid fanboys doing everything in their power to tell you that “this is not your average superhero movie,” “Deadpool” was just another cut-and-dry origin story the likes of which we have seen a thousand times over. Guy gets superpowers through an unfortunate mishap or difficult situation, guy’s girlfriend gets captured, guy has to go rescue her and exact vengeance on the man who wronged him. Does that sound like a particularly compelling plot to you? If it does, chances are you’ll love this movie; if you are looking for something more creative and original, you’ll probably be just as bored as I was.
Yes, I said bored. We’ve reached the point of critical mass with superhero movies in Hollywood where it is possible, even likely, for them to be dull. There’s no great spectacle anymore to these types of films, no anticipation or buildup to see your favorite childhood heroes brought to life on the big screen; there are just too many of these movies out there. But “Deadpool” was supposed to be different. He’s meta, breaking the fourth wall left and right, cracking jokes like an X-rated Spiderman. He’s cool, owner of arguably the most visually impressive abilities that can be shown on the big screen: a supercharged healing ability and gravity-defying martial arts prowess. And he’s violent, performing the kind of logical extreme violence that is so often whitewashed in the stories of mainstream heroes. If there was any movie that I thought could break my superhero lethargy, this was it, which makes it all the more
sad that it was such a creative flop. What went wrong exactly? The story was a huge issue that I have already touched on. Based on the type of character he is, I thought “Deadpool” probably would have been a stronger film with no linear or traditional type plot at all. Make no mistake, this was a mindless action movie, and that means the more action scenes the better. Whenever there weren’t a lot of moving parts on screen, it lacked the substance to keep me interested, like during the middle act when the origin story was hashed out and we were subjected to Deadpool’s painfully slapstick home life. The humor was something out of an eighth grader’s comedic repertoire, chock full of dick jokes, ugly jokes, frequent expletives and all the other hallmarks of an immature mind. I’m not heartless, the movie did get some laughs out of me (certainly more than the MCU movies tend to) but there was nothing here that
was particularly memorable. A saving grace existed in the casting of Ryan Reynolds, performing above his usual wooden standard, whose sardonic wit and undeniable charm made him a perfect fit for the lead. The camerawork and fight choreography were excellent as well but I couldn’t help but feel cheated at the lost potential. This could have been Marvel’s version of “Kickass,” Matthew Vaughn’s excellent flick from 2010 that was everything “Deadpool” wanted to be, only cooler, raunchier, more original and more stylish. Instead it was standard fare with blood and curse words. If you want to see “Deadpool” and have yet to do so, make sure you go into it with the proper expectations. Recognize that it’s not a mature movie but rather a middle school boy’s wet dream and perhaps you will be less disappointed than I was.
7 March 2016
The Collegian: 13
Don’t Make us Make the News Sports Editor Pays Athletes to Lose
EDitor-In-Chief Leaves country in Hurry Amidst Scandal
Managing Editor Not-So-Mysteriously Disappears
Satire Editor Plots World Domination
Commentary Editor Turns Pumpkin Carving Into Sorority Hazing
News Editor Indulges Childish Humour
Variety Editor Part-Time Furry
Calling all organization leaders, well-informed hipsters and freshmen who accidentally stumbled into an administrators’ meeting. If you are in the know about something newsworthy happening in or around campus, let us know! Contact our editors with your story ideas at tucollegian@tucollegian.org
The Collegian: 14
Commentary
7 March 2016
Archbishop’s stance on Girl Scouts misguided
Archbishop Robert Carlson’s criticism of the Girl Scouts as incompatible with Catholic values is misguided. Girl Scouts can teach girls to be strong, motivated women while the church addresses their spiritual upbringing separately. Michaela Flonard Student Writer Last week, the Archbishop of St. Louis, Robert Carlson, sent a letter to all those within his Archdiocese regarding the Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA) and its parent organization, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). This letter asked Catholics to re-evaluate their relationship with the organization. According to Carlson, the organization has a “troubling pattern of behavior’” that is “becoming increasingly incompatible with our Catholic values.” The Catholic church has worked with the GSUSA since 1914. Currently, the National Catholic Committee for Girl Scouts and Camp Fire oversees training and religious recognition programs for leaders within the church as well as Catholic GSUSA leaders. Carlson disbanded the Catholic Committee on Girl Scouts within his region and formed a Catholic Committee for Girls Formation, which would be unaffiliated with the Girl Scouts. The initial relationship between the Catholic church and the GSUSA sprang from the church’s belief that the program would assist in the formation of well-rounded Catholic women.
Girl Scouts raise the American flag. The organization focuses on “building girls of courage, confidence, and character.”
Carlson, in his letter, called this into question, asking “are the Girl Scouts concerned with the total well-being of our young women? Does it do a good job of forming the spiritual, emotional, and personal wellbeing of Catholic girls?” Carlson argues that Catholics should seek alternatives to Girl Scouts. He also asks pastors who allow troops to meet on church property to discuss their concerns with troop leadership. More than 4,000 Girl Scouts meet in Catholic churches in the region. If a priest determines that the troop isn’t advancing the faith, he can oust it from the church, according to Gabe Jones, a spokesman for the St. Louis Archdiocese.
The GSUSA does not take a position on abortion or contraceptives, according to a spokeswoman. Its stated advocacy interests are healthy living such as freedom from bullying, economic opportunities for girls such as increased involvement in STEM fields, and global citizenship for girls. As for the WAGGGS take on reproductive issues, GSUSA has repeatedly said it is a separate organization from the parent organization. Carlson was misguided in his questioning of the Girl Scouts’ intent. He questioned whether the Scouts were concerned with the total well-being of girls, and whether the organization is doing a good job in forming girls. The Girl Scouts’
“Does [the Girl Scouts] do a good job of forming the spiritual, emotional, and personal well-being of Catholic girls?”
Some community members have stepped forward to offer alternative places for the troops to be housed. Carlson raised several issues throughout his letter, many of which echo similar concerns by other Catholics. These concerns included promoting role models or organizations “in conflict with Catholic values”, the GSUSA’s inclusionary policy on transgender and non-heterosexual members, and WAGGGS’ promotion of contraception and abortion rights. The GSUSA’s promotion of role models and organizations in “conflict with Catholic values” does not tell the complete story of why those individuals were chosen as role models. One role model alleged by Carlson to be pro-abortion is Betty Friedan. While she did argue for abortion choice, she also argued for gender equality in the workplace. Amnesty International is noted for its fight for reproductive choice (i.e. access to contraceptives or abortions) and sexual rights, such as same-sex marriage and overall equality. But the organization also supports freedom of expression and increased courtesy Wikimedia Commons Archbishop Robert Carlson, who questioned whether corporate accountability, to name some of its other interests. the Girl Scouts’ values are compatible with Catholic values.
policy has “always encouraged girls to take spiritual journeys via their faiths’ religious recognitions,” however, the organization is secular. It is concerned with “building girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place,” according to its mission statement. The Girl Scouts have always been concerned with making strong, well-rounded women, and have let religious organizations partner with them to address the spiritual aspect of a girl’s upbringing. The rest of the world will not always align with Catholic values. Even Carlson recognized this in his letter, noting that the world is straying from Catholic values, especially those regarding contraception, same-sex attraction, transgendered individuals and abortion. Just because the Girl Scouts stray from the Catholic worldview does not mean that they should be abandoned. Ben Miller, leader of Youth Outreach for St. Louis Archdiocese, noted this, saying “while we’re not saying it’s the Girl Scouts’ job to teach the Catholic faith, when there are points that contradict the faith, that’s where we come into a problem,” he told
courtesy Wikimedia Commons
NBC News. “Our motivation is concern for our youth.” But leaders could use this as an opportunity to show the differences between their way and the opposition’s way. The Girl Scouts’ stated mission is to create leaders out of women. The church’s mission is to make spiritual leaders. Surely these young girls are going to come across other examples of non-Catholic worldviews, whether in the classroom, news or friends. And the Girl Scouts are a nonpartisan organization, who do not use their time to proselytize to young members about contraceptives. There is no danger of girls falling prey to learning about contraceptives from Catholic troop leaders. Exposing girls to opposing views, and then explaining how and why the Catholic worldview is preferred could act to strengthen the belief in Catholic world views. If Betty Friedan is a bad role model for her support of abortion, for example, Catholic leaders could highlight that while she tried for equality in the workplace, her support of abortion was misguided. While the Catholic church could come up with a similar program to the Girl Scouts, why abandon one that already works? Abandoning the Girl Scouts will harm its members greatly. While Carlson offered the help of the Catholic Youth Apostolate to those trying to move from the GSUSA to a church-sanctioned program, moving from a long-established program to something else would not be an easy transition, if troops decide to change programs at all. Troop leaders may decide to stay together, but may have to move off church premises, which would also cause issues for the girls. The Catholic church is perfectly within its bounds to sever its relationship with the GSUSA. They signed no contract stipulating that the two should forever be partnered. But severing those ties is not necessary. Instead, the differences between the organizations could be used as a teaching opportunity. The GSUSA program could be regarded as a way to grow girls into leaders, while the church focuses on spiritual aspects.
Okla. libertarians may cause national complications
The new Oklahoma libertarian party may cause unnecessary complication to the two-party system on local and national levels. Despite divisiveness, a two-party system is an efficient mode of political change. Kayleigh Thesenvitz News Editor I’m not going to attempt to offer a substantive debate about the pros and cons of the libertarian party. For information about what they stand for you can turn to page 5. However, there is an important discussion to be had about messing with the two-party system. Political parties have an interesting history in the United States considering the founding fathers never intended them to exist. In fact, John Adams once wrote political parties, “are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the
people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” Before modern political parties were a set fixture in politics, they often arose in the early history of the US when political beliefs clashed. They become a permanent system during the Jacksonian era, but to save you a history lesson, almost all of the political rivalries in the US that brought about effective change in our country happened under a two-party system. Why? Well, despite the divisiveness and distrust caused by pitting half the country against the other, splitting the country into two interests instead of three or more is much more efficient when it comes to actually accomplishing political change. During an election cycle a third party becomes even more than just an annoyance to the political machine, but can be destructive to the campaigns of the two major political parties if they steal votes away from the primary candidate. Of course, the problems mentioned above occur on a national level, and so it would be easy to think that because the libertarian party is only just now taking root in rural semi-conservative states that having a third party here would not do any damage to the greater functioning of the country at large. However, this is an issue in which you would have to look more carefully at the state of Oklahoma itself. Consider for a moment just how long Oklahoma has been dominated by the Re-
courtesy Wikimedia Commons
A libertarian party rally in Washington, DC. The libertarian party is one of the most prevalent third parties.
publican party. So long and so fervently some might say it has been the only active political party in Oklahoma. Also take into account the general activism of the Libertarian party recently, like taking the initiative to get themselves permanently and legally established and actually showing up to the polls on Super Tuesday to vote for Sanders. With the sheer willpower of the libertarian party and the lack of effort on the behalf of Oklahoma’s Democrats, the third party is poised to come in and sweep up the crucial
position of being the second party in the state. Of course this may not mean anything to the rest of the United States since our reputation for breaking the rules precedes us, but it could mean a whole lot to other grassroots libertarian parties. If they choose to view the success of the libertarian party in our failing state as a sign of the merits of the party itself, they might begin to mobilize elsewhere, creating unnecessary political complications all over the US.
7 March 2016
Commentary
Analyzing the 88th Academy Awards
The Collegian: 15
Student writers comment on the 88th Academy Awards: How the Oscars can be a platform for advocacy, how Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar for “The Revenant” could set a bad precedent for acting jobs, and why the award really doesn’t matter that much.
Oscars as advocacy are a step in the right direction
The content of the Academy Awards doesn’t actually matter much at the end of the day, so it’s not a bad idea for nominees to expose the audience to hard-hitting issues. However, Hollywood needs to take action and not just pat itself on the back. Nathan Gibbons Student Writer Last week’s Oscars went better than anyone could have predicted. The nominees were all still white, which has generated plenty of deserved controversy. Controversy, however, became the bedrock of the 88th Oscars, or the “White People’s Choice Awards” as Chris Rock described it. Many of the celebrity audience spent their time onstage touting change, and not just in Hollywood. Chris Rock’s purported ‘dismissiveness’ was wildly uncomfortable, and purposely so. A black comedian explaining that people didn’t complain about the “whiteness” of the awards the past seventy-one other times this has happened because they had real problems such as raping and lynching doesn’t make you sigh with relief. Chris Rock took the common argument that the issue was being overblown and turned it around to highlight that racism involves much more than just the Oscars’ voting party. The In Memoriam package is “just going to be black people that were shot by the cops on their way to the movies,” Chris joked. Chris wasn’t done, chastising Hollywood for the bigger problem of black roles in film. “If you want black people every year at the Oscars, just have categories like Best Black Friend,” he explained, adding that Wanda Sykes would probably have won 18 years in a row. There isn’t a much better way to open this
year’s Oscars. Chris Rock mentioned the argument that he should have never shown up in the first place, and join the boycott with Spike Lee, Jada Pinkett Smith, and others. If he’d quit, however, he wouldn’t have been able to stand over the Oscars like a parent scolding a child. The more uncomfortable Chris Rock’s jokes became, the more open the awards show seemed. It was this openness that helped other celebrities bring the same or other issues to the table. Sacha Baron Cohen nailed that same uncomfortable tone as his character Ali G, explaining that he wanted better representation for the little yellow guys, “the Minions.” Leonardo Dicaprio went on a tangent about global warming and the big polluters of today’s industries. Joe Biden arrived to decry sexual assaults on college campuses before introducing survivor Lady Gaga. In the last award of the night, the cast of Spotlight (a movie about church cover-ups in child assault cases involving clergy members) hoped their message would sound all the way to the Vatican. A cynic could probably argue that some of the other celebrities were selfishly excusing themselves from the issue at hand by bringing up entirely unrelated issues, and there might be a hint of truth to that. Marlon Brando, to his merit, declined his Oscar when he sent Sacheen Littlefeather to speak on the misrepresentation of American Indians and the then ongoing siege of Wounded Knee. This year’s celebrities still collected their awards, despite new revelations about the voting party. The Oscars are a private industry award show, but it’s celebrity, and the awards directly parallel opinions we ourselves might have. We can draw up our own win-lists for best actors and films. We can watch our favorite actors laugh and sit next to each other. Too many people treat the Oscars like it actually matters at the end of the day, so if the winners are going to expose television audiences to real issues, that’s a good step. Of course, Hollywood needs to put its money where its mouth is. If the 110th Oscars involves a predominantly white audience applauding themselves for speaking out about social issues, people might catch on.
Leo’s Oscar: Good for him, bad for acting expectations
Leonardo DiCaprio’s recent Oscar win for “The Revenant” could set a damaging precedent of hyperrealistic acting. Morgan Krueger Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Leonardo DiCaprio did some gruesome stuff in “The Revenant.” Was it necessary? Probably not. Did he deserve an Oscar? Probably. While the majority of America is focused on Leo and his long-awaited Oscar, many don’t realize that this performance will have consequences. There is a long history of prominent actors who have gone above and beyond for their craft. Leo ate bison liver, crawled into an animal carcass and shot scenes in freezing rivers. Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway lost an extreme amount of weight for The Machinist and Les Miserables, respectively. Such performances are to be commended,
as they are produced by the most dedicated actors. But these actors chose to go above and beyond, to fully immerse themselves in their roles. A problem begins to arise when these actions become expected. If Oscar-bait movies become movies that are shot in hyper-realistic ways, many other directors will follow suit. A-list actors have enough weight that if a director starts to demand crazy things, they can push back. But the majority of actors don’t have this ability. Most actors are next to powerless when it comes to their directors. If you refuse to eat bison liver, odds are there are ten other actors within a square block radius who would die for your job. So just like that, you’re out of work. Or, more often, you give into the director’s demands because you really, really want to keep your job. So while these intensely realistic performances can be impressive, let’s not get so distracted that we forget one thing. Acting...is acting. It isn’t real and it never will be. The best actors can pull off an emotional performance while standing in front of a green screen. They can’t see the burning building, they can’t smell the smoke, hear the screaming, but they don’t need to. That is the power of imagination.
graphic by Elias Brinkman
Leo’s Oscar win actually irrelevant in the long run Leo’s win is irrelevant to his status as a great actor. Many acclaimed actors are Oscarless.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s long-awaited Oscar, despite what the media and internet users have made it out to be, is irrelevant to his status in the acting world. The Oscars are pointless in the long run. Justin Guglielmetti Student Writer Did you see what happened at the Academy Awards last week? One of the great injustices of our time has finally been rectified! That’s right, Leonardo DiCaprio, actor extraordinaire, has finally won an Oscar! And it’s a good thing too, I can’t tell you how many nights of sleep I’ve lost fretting over whether this man would finally get his due credit as one of the finest actors of his generation. Climate change? Irrelevant. World poverty and hunger? Inconsequential! There was a good chance this was going to go down as one of the defining issues of the 21st century if the Academy didn’t step up to the plate, so let’s just all be glad they did. I hope you read that first paragraph and thought you were in the satire section, because it should sound ridiculous. Despite what the media has made it out to be, despite the popular internet meme that was Leo’s “Oscarlessness” (you can no longer say you have the same number of Oscars as Leonardo DiCaprio, Reddit!), I think we all intrinsically know that the Academy Awards are totally meaningless and that all the hullabaloo surrounding winning one is much ado about nothing. There are few events so pompous and self-aggrandizing as the Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences would have you believe that to be honored by its more than 7,000 members is to have attained the highest possible achievement in the world of film. Once you have that golden statue, as the myth goes, it means you have achieved true excellence that all those without an Oscar must aspire to. But is this really true? Gary Oldman. Joaquin Phoenix. Edward Norton. Ralph Fiennes. Johnny Depp. Glenn Close. Amy Adams. I’m sure anyone familiar with the work of the group above
will agree that they are all incredibly talented actors, amongst the best still active. All are Oscar-less! The list of directors who haven’t won an Academy Award is even more egregious, including many giants of the industry—Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Terrence Malick, Jean-Luc Godard, David Lynch, Ingmar Bergman—who are considered to be at the very top of their fields by most film critics. So what happened? Is their art just tremendously overrated by all those pretentious critics, or could the fault perhaps lie with the supposedly infallible Academy? The dirty little secret (if one could even bother calling it a secret) is that there is a tremendous amount of behind the scenes politicking and lobbying that goes into determining the Oscar winners. Studios spend millions of dollars promoting their movies, arranging additional screenings for voters and appealing to friends and colleagues in the Academy in the interest of building their brand. Nominees earn the perception of being winners or losers in the months leading up to the big day as they are honored at the various Guild awards. What’s more, there seems to be a general formula for a film to be well-received come award season, regardless of its actual artistic merit. Make a “serious” movie, i.e. not a stereotypical blockbuster, starring an ensemble cast of big name actors and you have a good shot at an Oscar. Put an actor in an isolated situation with little to nothing else to interact with? Check! Feature a story about the Holocaust, or about the movie industry itself, and you are golden! The more one looks into it, the less the Academy Awards seem to be honoring the true best of the industry and more like they are honoring what the studios want people to believe are the best. Which brings us back the Oscars’ ultimate pointlessness and the utter absurdity that was the uproar over Leo not having won. Is he a great actor? Yes. Has he deserved to win in the past? Probably. Is anything substantially different about his life now that he has won? Of course not! He’s still Leonardo freaking DiCaprio, multimillionaire actor and playboy who can get any role he wants regardless of whether or not he owns a particular trophy. I’m sure he’s a bit more pleased with himself now than he was before but let’s stop acting like this was the achievement of a lifetime, or that the world would have ended if a studio had paid just a liiitle more and Eddie Redmayne sneaked away with a victory instead.
courtesy telegraph.co.uk
Leonardo DiCaprio’s acting style in “The Revenant” should be commended, but should not become the norm.
The Collegian: 16
Commentary
7 March 2016
With new Midtown grocery store, Tulsans disregard North Tulsa food desert
courtesy Wikimedia Commons
The inside of a Trader Joe’s grocery store. The arrival of Trader Joe’s to Tulsa is great, but should not be a priority over providing grocery stores to North Tulsa.
There is no reason for yet another grocery store to open in Midtown when a lack of grocery stores in North Tulsa is causing malnutrition and related health problems for residents. Tara Grigson Student Writer As most Tulsa residents are now aware, Tulsa’s first Trader Joe’s just opened in Midtown. The hubbub surrounding the opening was exceptional for Tulsa—I cannot recall a time I have ever seen so many people excited about a grocery store. Folks were counting down the days, posting on Facebook and Twitter and celebrating the grand opening (mostly by spending their money). What was largely lost in all this ado was the much more important discussion: why are we not feeding North Tulsans? Getting a Trader Joe’s certainly suggests that Tulsa is growing both economically and socially, to be competitive on a national scale. This is great news. Like most Tulsans, I want to see this city thrive and grow. Tulsa’s growth is positive, and I am not here to debate this point. What I am here to debate, however, is how we can celebrate this growth when so many Tulsans are food insecure.
How can we know the numbers of children who live in “food deserts”—areas with limited or no access to fresh foods—and still be so excited about getting yet another grocery store in Midtown? How can we know that people in North and East Tulsa are suffering from hunger and malnutrition but still celebrate what is essentially a “vanity” grocery store? When I say “vanity” grocery store, what I mean is that Trader Joe’s is in no way necessary to midtown. We do not need it. It is a luxury. It is nice. It is not necessary. What is necessary is ensuring that all Tulsans have access to enough food, and that that food is nutritious. What is necessary is eliminating hunger and malnourishment due to lack of access. What is necessary is talking about this issue in order to come to a consensus on how to address it. The majority of North Tulsa residents are people of color. As we saw with the Flint water crisis, it is fine to ignore the health of
But we burned it. We murdered people of color and burned everything to the ground. We took away this incredibly prosperous thing (because God forbid a community of color have anything good). People of color were in a great position in Tulsa until the riots. We never made reparations that were anywhere near equal to the damage done (and also we never can, because how do you make reparations for murder?). It is not fair to make the argument that Tulsa’s people of color in North Tulsa would have grocery stores if they “worked harder” or if North Tulsa did not have so much crime, or if it were not so impoverished, because it should not be so impoverished. It is impoverished as a direct result of the actions of our white ancestors. It is impoverished because we refuse to admit that the race riot—the massacre, the murders, the arson, the loss of human life and property— deserves addressing or reparation. In some sort of attempt to address this,
“We need to talk about Tulsa’s historical and modern disparities in access.” people of color if it is not easy or financially beneficial to fix, so it is not particularly surprising that the city has made no effort to improve conditions in North Tulsa. If you are not aware, Tulsa was the site of one of the biggest race massacres in this country’s history. The massacre occurred because a big ole’ group of white people decided to destroy “Black Wall Street.” Had Black Wall Street not been destroyed, Tulsa would likely be a leading power nationally. It was incredibly successful and was good for all of Tulsa’s citizens, not just people of color.
Reconciliation Park was erected. This park has several statues focused on the massacre. A small park with some statues does not even begin to make up for the massacre. It does not address systemic inequalities. it does not admit that Tulsa still has a serious segregation problem, and it does not do in any palpable way help disenfranchised people—even the ones who are disenfranchised because of the massacre. Trader Joe’s is not the problem. I am not angry that we got a Trader Joe’s. I am actually pretty happy about it. I am angry that we deny people of color
and people living in poverty access to food. Trader Joe’s is not necessary, but protecting the health of all of Tulsa’s citizens absolutely, unequivocally, undeniably, is. I am angry that when Trader Joe’s moved in, we only talked about how good it would be for Tulsa. We did not use the move as a catalyst to begin the hard work of unpacking Tulsa’s food deserts. I am angry that we burned down Black Wall Street. I am angry that the ramifications of this massacre are still visible today, yet we have done nothing to create any substantial change. I am furious that other Tulsans are not furious about this situation. I am furious that people are dying, too young and of preventable diseases related to food access, while we celebrate the opening of Trader Joe’s. The Tulsa Health Department reports that deaths from diabetes, stroke, and heart disease all occur in North Tulsa with a prevalence that is, on average, double that of South Tulsa. I am furious that 90 years after the massacre we still place so little value on the lives of people of color in North Tulsa that we can celebrate the arrival of Trader Joe’s in Midtown without talking about the entire community of people in Tulsa with no access to nutritious food. If we are going to improve this situation, the first step is to start talking about it. We need to talk about Tulsa’s historical and modern disparities in access. We need to talk about how we can band together as Tulsans to make this better. It is unacceptable that people are dying due to lack of access to nutrition. We need to reevaluate our priorities. If we can get a Trader Joe’s in Midtown, then surely we are strong enough to bring nutritious food to North Tulsa.
Actors face unjust wages
Wage deflation and an oversaturated job market are two unaddressed struggles facing today’s actors. Morgan Krueger Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Hollywood is quintessential America. It is glamorized, idealized and has a ridiculous amount of inequality that is only just beginning to come to light. There’s the gender gap, where only 30 percent of speaking characters were women in the top 700 top-grossing films between 2007 and 2014. No one can put it better than Cate Blanchett, who said industry people are, “still foolishly clinging to the idea that female films with women at the center are niche experiences.” Then there’s age discrimination. In 2014 the top 100 grossing films had ZERO female actors in a lead or co lead role who were over 45 years old. Even when middleaged characters are present, 80 percent of them are male. And don’t forget the racial inequality, as displayed by this year’s allwhite Oscar nominees. Even when a character is written as a minority, they are often played by white actors. This is precisely why Hollywood is the most American industry; it has racial, gen-
der and age-inequality. What more could a working actor want? But there’s one more that gets forgotten. Wage inequality. The Hollywood we see on TV is full of A-list actors in custom made Armani tuxedos and glittering ball gowns. But these people are the exception, not the norm. The average actor makes roughly 20 dollars an hour. This doesn’t sound too bad, until you realize that unemployment among actors hovers between 80 and 90 percent. Sure that commercial gig may pay decently, but that job will last you one, maybe two days. Then it’s back to the perpetual job hunt. The fact is, an actor is lucky if they’re paid at all. This comes from a huge saturation of the workplace, and the fact that most actors actually enjoy what they are doing. Still, no one would ask a lawyer to do their job without pay, or a composer to give their creative work away, so why are actors punished for enjoying their chosen profession? SAG-AFTRA, the actor’s union, took a small step towards fixing this problem in 2015, when they raised the amount lowbudget films must pay their actors. This 25 percent raise was the first wage increase in ten years. The biggest obstacle to fixing Hollywood inequality is that actors will never agree to stop working for free. The union can’t stop this either because there are more actors who are not a part of SAG than there are union members. There are too many actors out there, and most of them love their craft. If you refuse to work on a project for free, no matter how justified your reasoning, there will always be someone who can replace you in a heartbeat. As long as this is the case there is very little that can be done to fix the problem of extreme wage deflation.
tucollegian@tucollegian.org editor-in-chief
Giselle Willis managing editor
Fraser Kastner news editor
Kayleigh Thesenvitz sports editor
Matt Rechtien variety editor
Abigail LaBounty commentary editor
Hannah Kloppenburg satire editor
Caitlin Woods photo & graphics editor
Elias Brinkman
business & advertising manager
Paul Moses web manager
Sam Chott
distribution managers
Kayleigh Thesenvitz, Kirby Hockensmith and Trent Gibbons
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7 March 2016
The Collegian: 17
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A Clinical Experience Like No Other The on-campus Lobeck Taylor Family Advocacy Clinic offers student attorneys unparalleled community-driven experiential learning opportunities. Every incoming first-year JD student who holds an undergraduate degree from The University of Tulsa receives an automatic renewable $18,000 scholarship to TU Law. Additional merit-based scholarships are available for students who qualify. Learn more and apply for an application fee waiver at law.utulsa.edu/ales.
3L Cybil Rajan, 2L Bethany Jackson, and 3L Joe Lang, under the direction of Professor Anna Carpenter (standing), Director of the Family Advocacy Clinic, complete a semester project report, A Roadmap for Reform: Addressing the Oklahoma Access to Justice Problems Through a Continuum of Interventions, for their client, the Oklahoma Access to Justice Commission. See the report at law.utulsa.edu/fac.
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7 March 2016
The State-Run Media
the
State-Run media Democracy is nothing without the looming threat of fascism.
Primary elections identify Zodiac Killer
Last Tuesday voters took to the polls to vote in the party primaries. However, there seems to have been some confusion, as voters apparently voted for who they thought might be the Zodiac Killer, not who they wanted to be party nominee. Sam Beckmann Wonders what’s wrong with fascism
If you’ve been following politics at all, you’re aware that last week was Super Tuesday. If you’re like me, you were greatly disappointed to discover that it did not involve Clark Kent finally revealing his secret identity to the world, but rather it was just part of a mundane process testing how well Oklahomans can fill in little rectangles on a piece of paper. The answer, as usual, was not very well. Now, I usually wouldn’t waste time talking about such boring things as “political process” and “representative government,” but there was juicy drama in this Super Tuesday. Apparently, a sizable majority of Oklahomans thought that the vote was for who they thought the Zodiac killer was, not who should be the next President of the United States. Now I was ready to spend the
graphic by Elias Brinkman
Which one of these presidential candidates looks most like the infamous Zodiac Killer?
next thousand words poking fun at these people, until I stole a ballot to took a look at it myself. Once I saw those where were running, I instantly understood the confusion. I don’t think any rational person could look at people such as Ben Carson, Donald Trump, and Hillary Clinton, and conclude that these are presidential candidates, not the possible identity of the notorious Zodiac Killer, who claimed to have killed as many as 37 people between 1966 and 1970. Now as I understand it, usually
the winner of each side’s primary goes on to run for president, but honestly, I’m with Oklahoma on this one. I just don’t understand how the election can’t revolve around identifying the Zodiac Killer. I could talk about the strengths and drawbacks of each candidate, such as their whereabouts on those fateful nights when the murders occurred, access to murder weapons, and psychological profiles, but I would to focus on just one candidate for the
position, Ted Cruz. Cruz, who won Oklahoma and a couple other states I don’t really care about on Super Tuesday, went on to win a couple more states I didn’t bother to look up this Saturday. And honestly, I can see why. Cruz has perfected the art of looking and sounding creepy at all times, no matter what he’s saying or doing. He mysteriously has not been accounted for when each murder occurs. The evidence continually mounts against Cruz
Hipster market to be built in north Tulsa
and, although Trump took an early lead for his obvious unstable nature, I wouldn’t rule out Cruz just yet. And in any case, it looks as if whoever the Republicans decide on, he will have to beat Hillary Clinton, who may soon add “Zodiac Killer” to her long brag sheet of scandals she’s been involved in. It should prove to be an exciting election in November, as the truth doesn’t matter, only the votes of poorly-informed citizens.
Things TU does well It’s Improve TU week, but as the State-Run Media is undyingly loyal to the institution, Head Propagandist Caitlin Woods and Managing Editor Fraser Kastner have come up with a list of five things TU does really well in order to make sure it runs as efficiently as possible while keeping the education and well-being of its students its top priority.
graphic by Elias Brinkman
The new IndieMart in North Tulsa, combied with lululemon.
North Tulsa’s food desert issue has finally been addressed, bringing salvation in the form of gluten-free kale smoothies. James Whisenhunt Drowning in wheat grass Many have criticized the city of Tulsa for allowing a “food desert” to develop north Tulsa, a significantly less affluent area of the city, while dozens of grocery stores continue to be built in the southern and more wealthy areas. These criticisms come from the fact that the availability of fresh and affordable food is essential for the health of a community, and
because of the lack of diversity in their shopping options poorer Tulsans have limited access to healthy foods. One local supermarket is taking a stance against this injustice by building three IndieMarts across north Tulsa. IndieMart CEO Jane Carus is most concerned that “the impoverished people in this city just can’t reach what you and I can.” Amongst other healthy options, she plans to bring asparagus water and kale acai smoothies to those she feels need it most. Andrew Halpa, a resident of north Tulsa, is excited by the prospects. “It’s going to be nice,” Halpa notes, “to walk to the store and buy organic, whole grain,
gluten-free foods.” Others have argued that Carus and her team don’t understand the problem. One 12oz bottle of asparagus water from the original 91st and Yale IndieMart is $4.89 before tax. This leaves it out of the feasible price range for many of the same lower-income residents Carus is trying to reach. Carus is confident, despite criticism, that the stores will succeed. “Once people see, taste, and feel the quality of our food,” she explains, “cost will become much less of an issue.” She hopes the new IndieMarts will jump start a boom in north Tulsa similar to what has happened to Tulsa’s downtown in the last decade.
She feels that, eventually, “there could be entire shopping centers thriving in north Tulsa.” She also hopes that north Tulsa residents will work at these stores, giving the centers “a warm, welcoming environment filled with neighbors and friends.” Carus has a long road ahead of her, however. Her decision to build the stores from the ground up instead of renovating buildings gives the project a 16 month projected timeline. Carus feels the wait will pay off, as “there’s nothing more important than that IndieMart aesthetic” to instigate success.
1. Closes down all food options over the weekend except for SubWay. Because, of course, students should always Eat Fresh™. 2. Continually increases tuition costs. They also make sure that when they do this they have already successfully nurtured a general atmosphere of apathy within the student populace so they won’t raise any complaints. 3. Uses a majority of its resources on grounds upkeeping. It raises morale and pride in one’s university, or something? But it definitely makes alumni more likely to donate large sums of money when their alma mater has freshly cut grass. 4. Expels students for arbitrary reasons. They also make sure to demonize these students and deter their attempts to pursue a fair and proper trial, too. 5. Spends lots and lots of money on athletics to the detriment of academics. Alumni love a big sports center.