By The Editors OCU students are known for their commitment to various organizations and participation in multiple activities at any given time. The freshman class this year seems to be extremely involved in campus organizations and groups. A record number of women went through sorority recruitment this year. More than 150 women signed up for…
Columnist calls for tornado relief support
By Trey Witzel, Columnist When I was growing up in Oklahoma, I had a few friends whose birthdays were on May 3. They hated it. Since 1999, that date has always been associated with one of the largest, deadliest tornadoes in history. I remember where I was when the May 3 tornado happened. My family…
Columnist sees great problem-solving potential in ‘Millenial Generation’
By Matt Patrick, Columnist The United Nations recently announced that we are within reach of eliminating extreme poverty. Most economists agree: if we take the right steps, extreme poverty can be eliminated by 2030. This means it is possible to deal with most of the poverty issues on the planet within the course of our…
Students encouraged to try new food options
By The Editors Returning students may have noticed changes in the cafeteria and in Alvin’s Café. OCU Dining services recently added more options to the menu in Alvin’s Café and upgraded some items in the cafeteria. The cafeteria has new coffee machines, as well as a hot chocolate machine. Other additions to the cafeteria include…
Before Midnight takes audience on an emotional journey
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Only a truly brave filmmaker can put unlikeable characters onscreen and get away with it. Luckily, Richard Linklater is just such a filmmaker, and his Before Midnight benefits greatly from it. With help from co-writers and stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, he creates a film that is by turns…
Columnist calls for vigilance in the Syrian conflict
By Matt Patrick, columnist We complain every day about the things that get in our way. We complain about traffic. We complain about poor service at a restaurant. However, we forget how trivial these things are relative to the real tyranny, oppression and evil happening throughout the world. In Syria, thousands are being slaughtered at…
Columnist seeks balance, meaning at ‘Overcommitted University’
By Matt Patrick, Columnist In all the madness of transitioning into a new school year, it is easy to lose track of a few things. It is especially easy to lose track of all the organizations and obligations that you have said “yes” to. While OCU is nicknamed “Overcommitted University,” I find this nickname to…
Critic enjoys goofy clash of robots, giant monsters in del Toro’s ‘Pacific Rim’
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Pacific Rim is ridiculous. Giant robots fight monsters from another dimension. People meld minds through something called a “neural handshake.” Ron Perlman wears gold teeth and shoes that jingle. Nothing about this movie makes any sense. I loved every minute of it. The movie, a hybrid of action, sci-fi, and…
Editors encourage participation in campus groups
A new academic year has begun, and many students and faculty are looking for their niches in the larger community. Students are settling in and making new friends in the dorms and the classroom, as faculty and staff are connecting with new and returning students. The beginning of a new school year is a perfect…
Don’t lose hope in wake of terror
By Matthew Patrick, Columnist The Boston Marathon bombing re-opened some of the wounds that a lot of us have in relation to terror attacks. Immediately after the attack I saw a lot of things on social media about people who said they were “mad at humanity,” or were just “losing faith in humanity.” Despite the…
Columnist reflects on King’s ‘Letter’
By Emma Velez, Columnist April 16 marked the 50th anniversary of the day that Martin Luther King, Jr. began writing his acclaimed Letter from Birmingham Jail. I was among those members of the OCU community who participated in a worldwide coordinated reading of King’s letter to celebrate its historic impact and continued relevance in today’s…
Writer sees cowardice in ‘dissenting’ democratic representatives
By Emma Velez, Columnist More than half of the state’s House Democrats stormed out of chambers instead of voting April 9. The demonstration was in response to HR 1009, whose rather lengthy title is: “Concurrent Resolution; reaffirming marriage and urging the Supreme Court to uphold the Defense of Marriage Act and the right of states…
Columnist urges students to embrace Methodist alcohol policy
By Matt Patrick, Columnist I’m a United Methodist. I wear this as a badge of honor because I am proud to be one. I plan on working in the United Methodist Church and pursuing ordination as a minister. This being said, it should be understood I have a certain bias toward the belief systems of…
Columnist urges students to appreciate campus police
I am discomforted by the amount of speculation and negativity circulating about the university police department, particularly with regard to parking tickets.
Critic finds If I Were You falters under plot’s weight
There’s nothing quite as painful as a film that tries to be all things to all audiences. Such is the case with If I Were You. Written and directed by Joan Carr-Wiggin with a truly infuriating lack of focus, it’s a muddled mess that aims to make us laugh and cry but only warrants a halfhearted shrug.
Student government encouraged to work on transparency
A new round of officers were elected or soon will be appointed to Student Government Association leadership positions.
Columnist encourages students, supporters of LGBT rights
We are on the eve of what could be the most sweeping and landmark Supreme Court case since Roe v. Wade or even Brown v. Board of Education.
Columnist urges students to maintain patience with North Korea
By Matt Patrick, Columnist These days, diplomacy between the United States and North Korea is a lot like poker. High-stakes poker. Global, high-stakes poker. Thermonuclear, global, high-stakes… you get the idea. If recent events are anything to go by, North Korea is confident in its hand. Recent North Korean video propaganda has depicted attacks on…
Writer commends faculty
By Emma Velez It is not often that we are able to see the talents of our professors showcased. Many of our professors are published authors, talented performers, and renowned artists. Yes, we get the emails, but the prestige of our faculty is easy to forget when we’re freaking out about midterm exams and show…
Undergraduate commencement hosted as single ceremony
By The Editors Undergraduate commencement is scheduled to be hosted as a single ceremony this year. University officials were unsure with the large graduating class if this would be possible until several weeks ago. This year also is the first academic year in several years without a December commencement. This could be a reason for…
Columnist expresses optimism for new pope
I am not Catholic, but the pomp and circumstance involved in the election of the new pope enthralls me.
Oklahoma legislature continues limits on women’s reproductive health
Oklahoma ranks among the 10 worst states for women’s health in the nation, according to TIME and Health Magazines.
University police issue citations for parking violations
By The Editors University police department officials have been issuing tickets recently for various parking violations. The department has jurisdiction over all property related to OCU and operates like most other police departments, able to give tickets for parking violations, expired tags, traffic violations, etc. Read more here. Students can easily avoid receiving parking tickets…
University of Colorado releases ‘insensitive’ tips for female students
The Public Safety Department at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs recently released a statement on their website with several helpful “tips” for the university’s female students on what to do if they are physically attacked.
Student senators expected to improve meeting decorum
Senators spent more time bickering amongst themselves than doing what they are supposed to do—allocate money to organizations—at the Feb. 5 Student Senate meeting.