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HAPPY WOMEN’S DAY!

THE CAMPUS February 8 - March 8, 2023 – Volume 116, Issues 20-24

Freede Center gets new flooring, PA system Winter freeze flooding damage under repair; athletic teams found new ‘homes’ Beth Woemmel

NEWS EDITOR

Over the winter break, significant freeze-induced flooding occurred across the OCU campus, affecting Methodist Hall, Cokesbury Apartments, the School of Law, and Freede Wellness Center. Due to the flooding in Freede, the flooring of all three basketball courts, as well as the PA system, had to be removed, with replacements now underway. “The weather, the temperature, caused some pipes to freeze,” Director of Athletics Corey Bray said. “So, we had a pipe that froze here in Freede. When it thawed, of course, it broke, and water came into the arena in one of the closets where the PA system components are housed.” The water then flooded the arena as well as its subflooring, the foundation of the basketball court. “There are 2.5 inches of flooring out there ... just under 30,000 square-foot flooring,” Bray said. “So, the water got on top and un-

derneath the floor.” The water began to warp the wood, causing it to ripple, buckle and become uneven. “You can sand a floor several times throughout its lifetime,” Bray said. “It didn’t have any more sands left in it to level it back out. So, the insurance adjuster totaled the floor. It’s been completely removed, and we’ll replace it.” Beyond the floor and PA system, there were only minor damages throughout the building. “There was some flooring in one of our coach’s offices: our head competitive cheerleading office,” Bray said. “There was a sprinkler head that broke during the freeze and was dripping some water down on her flooring. Some of her flooring is getting replaced.” Due to the damages to the floor, the athletic teams that practice in the gym have had to find different facilities to practice. “The teams have been practicing all over the community,” Bray said.

Beth Woemmel Student Publications In January, workers in Freede Wellness Center began to replace the entire wooden floor, which was damaged by flooding after a frozen pipe burst during the winter break. A new floor is planned to be ready in April.

FREEDE continues on Page 3

SSM Health, OCU announce nursing initiative Amanda Kohutek

NEWS EDITOR

Ian Weston OCU Communications Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital President Tammy Powell, OCU President Kenneth Evans, Dean of the Kramer School of Nursing Gina Crawford, regional chief nursing officer at SSM Health Elain Richardson, and nursing student Joy Warlick speak at a press conference on Feb 3, announcing the new Saints and Stars program between OCU and SSM Health.

On Feb. 3, SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital announced a fiveyear partnership with the OCU Kramer School of Nursing meant to address the local and national nurse shortage. The program is called Saints and Stars, and will allow selected nursing students to work at SSM Health part-time while working on their degree, combining in-hospital practice with their lessons in class. “As one of the nation’s leading nursing education programs, we are invested in helping address the nursing shortage,” OCU President Kenneth Evans said. “Training and supporting the next generation of nurses while at the same time strengthening the workforce at SSM Health is truly a

win-win endeavor.” Alongside their work in SSM Health, the chosen students are granted a $3,500 annual scholarship from SSM Health and a $5,000 annual discount from OCU. “My mom actually works here so most of my tuition is already taken care of,” said junior Joy Warlick, a participant in the program. “So, with the combination of that and this scholarship, I will have very little left to pay the school. That’ll be awesome.” The students in Saints and Stars are all junior nursing majors chosen through an online application and interview, she said. “The school reached out to me and then I applied, not thinking much of it,” Warlick said. NURSING continues on Page 3

Library offers tutoring through Enhancement Center Doha Hana

MANAGING EDITOR

The Learning Enhancement Center is a free tutoring service for undergraduate and graduate students located on the first floor of the Dulaney-Browne Library. The LEC is staffed with peer educators, who are students that have taken classes and received recommendations from professors in the subject for which the student is tutoring.

They offer several subjects, including anatomy and physiology, chemistry, writing, calculus, college algebra, exercise science, music theory, and many other subjects. Another service they offer is academic coaching, a resource for students who do not need subject help but assistance in balancing college life instead. Academic coaches assist students in time management, scheduling, test prep, goal setting, motivation, etc.

The LEC program presently seeks to hire more peer educators. Applicants must have a professor recommendation for the subject they wish to tutor. Applications are available on the library website, as is a list of openings and a link to make an in-person or virtual appointment. More information about the LEC program is available by contacting Laurel Newsom, lec@okcu.edu or 405-208-5953.

Ian Weston OCU Communications Akhilesh Karedla, a library student assistant, tutors another student in the Dulaney-Browne Library in 2015.

University names Shelley new dance executive director Amanda Kohutek

NEWS EDITOR

On Feb. 13, President Kenneth Evans announced that Melanie Shelley will take over as the executive director of the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment, after serving as interim dean over the program since the recent departure of Chair Jo Rowan and Dean John Bedford. “Melanie has worked tirelessly to advance the Ann Lacy School

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of American Dance and company manager for the Entertainment forward American Spirit Dance into the next generation,” Company, an academEvans said in an email ic advisor, and then the sent to students, faculty, dance school’s associate and staff. dean before taking her “I am excited to see interim position over the how she continues to school. Shelley position the school as the “The Ann Lacy School nation’s preeminent destination for of American Dance and Enterdance students.” tainment is home to me, and the Shelley has worked at OCU students and faculty are like family,” since 1987, serving as a costumer, Shelley said. choreographer, stage manager, and Her term as executive director

Page 2: Arts

Cast talent shines in OCU presentation of Mozart’s “Magic Flute”

Page 4: Opinion

Celebrate the legacy of five extraordinary women

Page 5: Life

Campus community celebrated Black History Month throughout February

Page 6: Sports

Basketball Stars play last ‘home’ game on Senior Night

began March 1, where she’ll continue her work of guiding the dance program. “As the university continues to emerge from the pandemic, Shelley has placed a focus on expanding performance and event management opportunities for students beyond traditional main-stage productions; developed a new leadership structure at the school to focus on increased collaboration; and overseen successful in-person auditions in October and January that now see

the dance school poised for one of its largest incoming classes to date,” the OCU Communications Office said in an email announcement. Shelley has garnered multiple awards over the years, including OCU’s Exemplary Teacher of the Year, the Distinguished Service Award from the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and Ann Lacy Dance school’s Distinguished Alumni Award. DANCE continues on Page 3