Thursday, September 1, 2011 by OU Daily

Soccer player does more than follow siblings’ footsteps (page B1) The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916

T H U R s DAY, s e P T e M B e R 1, 2 011

W W W.O U DA I LY.C O M

2 010 G OL D C ROW N W I N N E R

Nıght Museum at the

tuition

credit score threat to ou Low rating could heavily influence student finanes BlaYKlee BUChanan Campus Reporter

pHotos By auBrie HiLL/tHe daiLy

don Helmers, security supervisor at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, patrols the museum looking for intruders or lost items Tuesday night.

Guards protect musuem’s treasures

A recent affirmation of OU’s credit rating won’t immediately impact students, but the concerns outlined in a recent report could lead to students paying more tuition for school. Fitch Ratings said in OU’s credit report that the university’s record as the flagship institution in Oklahoma helped maintain its AA grade, but gave the university a negative outlook because of debt and cost concerns. The negative outlook means it’s possible for OU’s credit rating to be downgraded in the future if it doesn’t take care of Fitch’s financial concerns. A downgrade could heavily influence student finances, as well as various financial aid services

CaItlIn RUeMPInG Campus Reporter

see FITCH paGe a2

he smell of a high school anatomy class wafts in the air as security supervisor Don Helmers walks the nightly rounds through the herpetology collection. Many people will never witness the sight of amphibians from across the world suspended in formaldehyde, but for the guards at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, it’s another job perk. Security guards make nightly rounds to monitor collections and rooms, and they rely on more than 30 cameras and proximity timekeepers to monitor what might go bump in the night. The timekeepers maintain a running record of who goes where in the museum via access cards. The timekeepers keep track of the coming and goings in the museum, but cameras on the parking lot reveal the most action at

night. “[Monday] we caught a couple out front fornicating,” public safety officer Vince Camp said. “We’re supposed to call OUPD when stuff like that happens, but if you walk out with a flashlight, they’ll bolt.” Fellow public safety officer David Jones notes that outside activity is more common than issues inside, because the museum is so close to the fraternity and sorority houses. He said he pays special attention to the

sooner fans

The back rooms of Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History hold hundreds of specimins and other artifacts out of public view.

bison statues out front during football season. “We have to keep close watch on the buffalo during the OU-Colorado week,” Jones said. “Kids have tried tagging the buffalo.” Though antics are common, the guards uphold the standards of the security office and said they never hesitate to approach harmless trespassers and ask them to

leave the premises. “I know that they’re in college and are just having fun,” Camp said. “I don’t want to get them in trouble, but it’s my job.” When all is quiet out front, the guards take advantage of their unique surroundings. “I like walking through the collections because not see MUSEUM paGe a2

“You can’t put a price on the museum. When you include the dinosaur fossils and the artwork, it’s priceless.” dON HELMERS, SECURITY SUPERVISOR

Students’ football wisdom tested UPB to offer awards for Sooner game predictions JalIsa GReen Staff Reporter

The Union Programming Board is hosting an event Friday in the Oklahoma Memorial Union to test S ooner fans’ football knowledge. Questions will ask students to predict what could happen before the game. “The questions aren’t hard, and we don’t ask anything that you see QUESTIONS paGe a2

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INsIDe News .......................... Classiﬁeds .................. Life & Arts .................. Opinion ...................... Sports .........................

A2 B4 B5 A4 B1

NOw ON

rape should not be stereotyped

Bradford joins enshrined Sooner football greats

Serial violators make up large number of assaults, columnist writes. (Page a4)

ou researchers grow fungi for treatments

lI lIn

Cheerios provide place for new types of fungi to grow. (Page a3)

Life & arts

Drama students to travel abroad

freshman creates new fashion line

Students to perform at Italian theater festival. (ouDaily.com)

Student wants to better understand her company’s business. (Page B6)

High temperatures alter staff schedules Department has employees work at cooler times of day

neWs

MuLtiMeDia

heat

Campus Reporter

KinGsLey Burns/tHe daiLy

Workers prepare to unload Sam Bradford’s statue Wednesday in Heisman Park. The 1,200-pound statue was erected this week, but the ceremony will be delayed until Bradford is available. (Page a5)

Though the summer’s record-breaking heat kept many p e ople indo ors, higher temperaures instead mean more work and slight modifications for OU Facilities Management’s normal utility operation. The depar tment decided to make necessary

changes to employees’ work schedules so they could take advantage of cooler times in the day , deparment Director Brian Ellis said. Workers also have been encouraged to take more breaks throughout the day to rehydrate. “It has been fun to see our employees starting to bond together this summer,” Ellis said. And while conditions see HEAT paGe a3