The Oklahoma Daily by OU Daily

The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916

Friday, October 22, 2010

www.OUDaily.com

Free — additional copies 25¢

Site streamlines students’ degree advisement Page gathers information about enrollment, degree requirements together into single site CHASE COOK The Oklahoma Daily

It can be hard for students to stay on track and make sure they are taking the right courses for their degrees. Now there’s a website for that. Joyce Allman, associate provost of academic advising, launched a

major initiative Thursday evening to consolidate OU’s academic advising information into a single website. The new site will allow students to view a large portion of information regarding academic advising in a single location. It also will provide information regarding majors and minors, and a link to Degree Navigator and enrollment. Allman’s job as OU’s new associate provost of academic advising was created last year by the President’s Retention and

ONLINE AT OUDAILY.COM » Link: Visit the new advising website

Graduation Task Force to tackle issues specific to academic advising. The new academic advising website is her first major assault on the topic, Allman said. Allman said she created the site to become a hub for students to facilitate the advisement process and prevent confusion.

“There is so much information out there,” she said. “But not everyone knows how to find it.” Lauren Brentnell, UOSA’s academic affairs committee vice chairwoman, said she previewed the website and was impressed with its thoroughness. “Going through it with [Joyce Allman], there were services at OU I didn’t even know about,” said Brentnell, psychology, English and political science junior. Allman began building the website this fall and was responsible

for content layout and compiling information, Allman said. OU Web Communications spokeswoman Amanda Toohey assisted with site development, Allman said. “She has been right there beside me to walk me through this as I created it,” she said. Web Communications provided website design, development and project management, Toohey said in an e-mail. The website is live, but a work in progress, Allman said.

VOLUNTEER

POETRY | PRIZE-WINNER HONORED TODAY

Saturday projects provide chance to serve

Regents create new master’s, bachelor’s degrees plans at OU The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved the addition of two new degree plans for OU Thursday in Oklahoma City. The plans include a master’s in interior design and the state’s firstever bachelor’s in environmental sustainability. They will not require any state funds but rather an allocation of current funds in those departments, said Houston Davis, vice chancellor for academic affairs. The expanding number of environmentally oriented jobs promoted the new bachelor’s degree plan, Davis said. “This degree really is multidisciplinary,” he said. “Sixteen departments at OU are coming together to contribute services to this degree.”

About 85 students expected to volunteer this weekend at The Christmas Connection MEGAN DEATON The Oklahoma Daily

Students who want to volunteer year round can now participate in Sooner Service Saturdays. The OU Office of Leadership Development and Volunteerism will host the first event 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. The event will occur two to three times a semester and give students an opportunity to serve the community regularly. “It’s a meaningful and rewarding way to give back to the community with fellow students on a regular basis,” office graduate assistant Megan Bebb said. Service days will focus on a different project each time, and volunteers will serve Saturday in Oklahoma City with The Christmas Connection, an organization that provides shopping for low-income families and crisis relief. “Ou r h o p e i s t o i m p a c t a s many community organizations, causes and non-profit [organizations] as possible,” office assistant director Kari Dawkins said. The group has common goals that are taken into account when choosing projects, Bebb said. These goals are citizenship, commitment, controversy with civility, common purposes, consciousness of self, congruence and collaboration. “We are also committed to facilitating significant reflection after volunteering to assist in the growth of students as socially aware, lifetime volunteers,” Bebb said. The office expects about 85 students to participate in Saturday’s event, Bebb said. “It ’s unique because of its regularity and reflection portion, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Kaleigh Kaczmarek, office student assistant and management information systems senior.

ONLINE AT OUDAILY.COM » Link: Visit The Christmas Connection’s website » Link: Visit the Leadership Development and Volunteerism’s website

STATE REGENTS ROUNDUP

International dentist program added

NEIL MCGLOHON/THE DAILY

2010 Neustadt Festival of International Literature & Culture Prize-winner and Chinese poet Duo Duo reads samplings of his work Thursday evening in Monnet Hall’s Western History Collection. Duo Duo is the pen name of Li Shizheng, who will give his keynote address at 11 a.m. today in the Union’s Molly Shi Boren Ballroom.

Chinese poet wins Neustadt prize Frazier explained that when censorship ocPanel focuses on use of literature for curs, it is often shrouded in an optimistic tone; personal expression, political impact in China

rather than saying websites, blogs and Internet posts have been “censored,” the government reEMILY HOPKINS fers to them as being “harmonized.” The Oklahoma Daily Though much of the discussion was surrounded by a sense of hostility toward Chinese Many countries’ media is censored. A roundtable panel highlighted the impor- authority, Peter Gries, director and professor tance of discussion between different cultures for OU’s Institute for U.S.-China Issues, made it clear that the situation “is not a and the Chinese government’s black and white dichotomy.” attempts throughout history “There is an assumption that to hinder it Thursday mornincreased interaction with and ing in the Oklahoma Memorial knowledge about China will imUnion. » Duo Duo & prove Western attitudes toward “China has a long history of Contemporary Chinese China,” Gries said. “The overexploiting literature to transLiterature — 9:30 to all picture is a positive one that for m culture,” said Mir iam 10:30 a.m. at the Union’s greater understanding leads to Gross, modern Chinese hisMolly Shi Boren Ballroom less prejudice.” tory professor. “Using literature The Roundtable on Chinese solely for personal expression » The 2010 Neudstadt Culture & Politics discussion was considered a deeply politiKeynote address — 11 was the second in a total of eight cal act.” a.m. to noon at the events scheduled for the 2010 She said writing for personal Union’s Molly Shi Boren Neustadt Festival of International enjoyment was often viewed as Ballroom Literature & Culture. self-indulgent or decadent. The 2010 Neustadt Laureate is Mark Frazier, Chinese politics » Duo Duo’s book signing Chinese poet Li Shizheng, whose and international and area stud— 2 to 3 p.m. at the pen name is Duo Duo. The reies professor, expanded on the Union’s Beaird Lounge cipient of this biannual prize, concept of personal expression, chosen by an international jury discussing the impact of new convened on OU’s campus, is media, particularly that of blogawarded $50,000. gers, on the force of Chinese societal unrest. The Neustadt Festival’s keynote address, fea“Their veiled criticisms are much more powerful as a force than are the direct comments of turing laureate Duo Duo, is at 11 a.m. today in the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom. the genuine dissidents,” Frazier said.

A LOOK AT WHAT’S NEW AT Visit the news section to read a story about engineer and historian Thomas Wellock’s Thursday evening presentation during the physics department’s 100-year anniversary

Schedule

INDEX Campus .............. 1 Classifieds .......... 3 Life & Arts ........... 2 Opinion .............. 2 Sports ................ 4

Also, the regents approved a $20,750 fee for a program to allow international dentists to finish their education at OU College of Dentistry and become able to practice in the United States. This program should start next year, and the College of Dentistry expects 50 applicants for the four spots, said Ken Coy, associate dean of academic affairs at the College of Dentistry. The program targets foreign-trained dentists who can’t practice within the United States yet but received degrees in other countries. “We do not have a shortage of dentists in Oklahoma, we have a maldistribution of dentists in Oklahoma,” Coy said. “That is true in almost every state in the union. Often, foreign-trained folks are much more likely to practice in rural settings than urban settings.” The fee is so high, the highest at OU, because the program requires intensely training dentists one-on-one before they enter to ensure they have the relevant skills and meet OU’s standards, Coy said. It is equal to the amount a non-resident student would pay for four years education at the College of Dentistry.

Grant approved for annual conference The Regents also approved a $7,000 grant for the Tomas Rivera Educational Empowerment Conference. This is an annual event at OU that invites students from high schools with high minority populations to OU to learn about higher education. Visit OUDaily.com to read the State Regents’ agenda. — Kathleen Evans/The Daily

TODAY’S WEATHER 73°| 61° Saturday: 30 percent chance of thunder storms Visit the Oklahoma Weather Lab at owl.ou.edu