nov 21, 2014 print edition

Oral Roberts University · November 21, 2014 Tulsa, Oklahoma · Vol 49, No. 7

www.oruoracle.com @oruoracle @oruoraclesports

STORM CHASERChasing a twister isn’t something Nik Stophel saw in a movie once.

Page 9

Photo by Nick Conroy

NEWSThe passing of alumnus Myles MunroePAGE 3

SPORTSFreshman leads Mabee Maniacs

PAGE 15

FEATURESDreaming of a green Christmas

PAGE 6

CENTER ORU Netflix survey reveals surprising dataPAGE 10-11

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PAGE 13Mayor’s Cup Victory

SPORTS

NEWSPAGE 4International Center

2 • THE ORACLE • Friday, Nov. 21, 2014

Dr. Myles Munroe leaves a lasting legacyBrooke Thomas

Features Editor

On a sad summer day in Charlotte, North Caroli-na, Leslie Pitt was mourning the recent passing of her mother. Although the wounds were fresh, the sound of ivory keys filling a hotel lobby eased the pain. Michael W. Smith’s, “Friends Are Friends Forever” bellowing out from a familiar face, brought a new-found sense of peace. Although the time was trying, having longtime friend and former ORU classmate Dr. Myles Munroe present would once again prove that despite his international status his heartbeat was connecting with individuals. Munroe passed away in a plane crash on Nov. 9 in the Bahamas enroute to speak at a global leadership forum. Munroe’s wife Ruth and seven other church leaders were also on board. “It is utterly impossible to measure the magni-tude of Dr. Munroe’s loss to the Bahamas and to the world,” said Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie. “He was indisputably one of the most globally recog-nizable religious figures our nation has ever produced.” Dr. Myles Egbert Munroe was born in 1954. He was the sixth of 11 children to be born in a two-bedroom house. He grew up poor, but Munroe found a passion for music that would provide him solace throughout the rest of his life. “He formed a gospel singing group in the Bahamas when he was 15,” said Graham Pitt, long time friend and International Third World Leaders’ Association Trustee. “He played the piano and guitar well. He was very multitalented.” Although he never lost his love for music, Munroe found an even greater passion after he received Christ in his teen years. “My dad always spoke about his belief in people; nothing else mattered but the people. Regardless of how long he spoke or he traveled, he always made time for people,” said Myles Munroe’s son Chairo Munroe. “That’s just the kind of person that he was.” Munroe received his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts, Education, and Theology from ORU in 1978 and went on to complete his Master’s in Administration at the University of Tulsa. After finishing his education, Munroe founded Bahamas Faith Ministries in the early 1980s. He would go on to write over 15 books, travel to 132 countries and speak to kings, govern-

ment officials and masses of people on television. “Reproduce yourself. I think that’s what my dad did; that’s the best way I can describe it,” said Chairo Munroe. “He reproduced himself in every person he came in contact with. I hear him everyday now, every-

day, with everyone that speaks to me.” Munroe was the youngest recipient of the Order of The British Empire (OBE) Award in 1998, be-stowed by Her Maj-esty, Queen Elizabeth

of England. The award was given for his spiritual and social contributions to the national development of the Bahamas. He was also named the ORU Alumnus of the Year in 2004. “Dr. Munroe was an outstanding alumnus of Oral Roberts University. His work in extending Christ’s Kingdom in our generation was exemplary and world changing. He was a servant to the university as both a member of the Board of Regents and, most recently, on the Board of Reference,” said President Wilson. “Over the years, Myles was a much beloved chapel

speaker and contributor to our university community. Rev. Munroe also served as co-chair of the Empow-ered21 Caribbean cabinet and a member of the Em-powered21 Global Council. His energy and enthusi-asm for imparting Spirit Empowered Christianity to new generations was contagious.” Munroe’s legacy continues on. Memories, stories, and even sermons circulate worldwide as each day passes. This family man and lively Bahamas native will not be forgotten. OneRepublic’s front man Ryan Teddar tweeted, “Rest In Peace Dr. Myles Munroe. You spoke when I was in college at ORU and had a truly profound effect on my life. More than any… ‘The greatness of a man is measured by the way he treats the little man. Compas-sion for the weak is a sign of greatness—Myles Mun-roe.’” With tears in our eyes and memories in our hearts, the ORU community and the millions who have been touched by the words of one extraordinary Caribbean man, join together at the piano one last time. This one’s for you, Myles. “Friends are friends forever if the Lord’s the Lord of them…Though it’s hard to let you go, in the Father’s hands we know that a lifetime’s not too long to live as friends.”

Courtesy photo

“The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without a purpose.” - Dr. Myles Munroe

Dr. Myles Munroe graduated from Oral Roberts University in 1978 with degrees in education, theology and fine arts.

THE ORACLE • Friday, Nov. 21, 2014 • 3

In memoriam


A serious step towards global mission

Black Thursday: Protests ready against Wal-Mart

ORU took one more step toward globalization last Friday afternoon with the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new international center. Students, faculty and staff celebrated the official launch of the new facility designed to support ORU’s pursuit of a modern, global platform. “This is one of the hard visions that came with the globalization task force this past summer,” said President William M. Wilson. “We needed to work on the global culture on the Tulsa campus. We are moving from being just a United States university with a global outreach, to being a global university that happens to have its primary campus in the United States. This center will help us in that transition.” The center is located in the midst of heavy foot traffic in an effort to make international students feel welcomed by the ORU community. The international center is located next to the Claudius lobby and will be passed by thousands of students walking to the

cafeteria, Hammer Center and GC. All students are welcome in the facility to create a harmonious community. “The international center is a connecting point where people can come and meet other international students who they may not have known because we all have different groups of friends,” said ORU student Larissa Nugroho. The international center aids in the facilitation of study abroad programs and partners with mission teams. It also eases the international students’ transition to Oklahoma, and exposes the rest of the students to different international cultures. The inauguration of the international center came after 10 years of different proposals to different presidents. Wilson took initiative and searched for the right accommodations to make the center a reality. “One of the future goals is that every student in ORU will have an international experience,” said Wilson. “This center will be very important to that.We are very proud and excited as this one little step for globalization is to say to the campus we are serious and we are moving forward.”

Photo by Frank Whitaker

Valeria HernandezStaff Writer

A group of Tulsa Wal-Mart employees and critics plan to protest the retail giant during the store’s upcoming Black Friday sales event. The picketers will join thousands of similar protests across the nation. “All working people deserve to see the growth of the economy in our pocketbooks and not just in the growth of the already obscene wealth accumulated by the Walton family and the rest of the one percent. This protest is a step in that direction,” said Ariana Eakle, co-organizer of the protest and a former Wal-Mart employee. According to their website, Wal-Mart is the largest private employer in the United States, employing 1.3 million workers. A full-time hourly employee at Wal-Mart makes an average of $27,000 a year. According to Forbes.com The Walton family, the six primary heirs

of Wal-Mart founders Sam and Bud Walton, had a net worth of $152 billion in 2013. They were worth $93 billion in 2011, amounting to an increase of $59 billion in two years. A controversial financial maneuver in 2014 granted Wal-Mart CEO William Simon a $1.5 million “performance bonus” despite unmet sales goals within the company. Similar bonuses have been paid out to other Wal-Mart executives in recent years. These factors have spurred a series of employee and workers’ union led protests over the last few years. A previous Tulsa protest organized by Eakle and her boyfriend, Wal-Mart employee Kevin Polovina, drew 20 attendees in 2013. She expects 40 to show up this year. “The reality is that few Wal-Mart associates participate in these labor-organized protests,” Wal-Mart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said. The company plans on expanding

JJ JohnsonNews Editor

its sales event to five days, extending from Thanksgiving morning to the following “Cyber Monday.” Wal-Mart touts record-breaking Black Friday sales despite the internal conflict between employees and management. “We’ve spent a lot of time listening to you [the employees] about what you want in terms of schedule choice, job growth and access to opportunity,” Simon said in a shareholders’ meeting in June. “We’re working to create more flexible schedules to support you and the needs of all our associates now and in the future.” The amiable sentiment from Wal-Mart’s top executive failed to quell anger at the local level. The protesters will assemble Thanksgiving morning outside the Wal-Mart SuperCenter adjacent to Woodland Hills Mall. “Keep in mind that protesting on Walmart land is considered trespassing... don’t make silencing you easy on them,” Eakle said.

“Keep in mind that protesting on Wal-Mart land is considered trespassing... don’t make silencing you easy on them.” -Ariana Eakle, co-organizer of the protest and former Wal-Mart employee.

Dr. Daniel Guajardo, Board of Trustees Chairman Rob Hoskins, First Lady Lisa Wilson and President William M. Wilson perform a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new ORU International Center.

News

Christmas Train sells out in 10 hoursBrooke Thomas

Features Editor

This month, more than 100 volun-teers arrived at a camp in Mayes County, broke down bunk beds, raked leaves and painted, all in preparation for a Christ-mas event that will sell out in approxi-mately 10 hours. At Camp Dry Gulch, 50,000 guests come with tickets in hand ready to ride a steam locomotive, the Christmas Train. On this 1920-era Christmas Train, guests take a 10-minute journey and hear the true story of Christmas. “While people are riding the train, they are actually told the story of Christ-mas, what we as Christians know the story of Christmas to be,” said Church on the Move Program Director Dean Schmidt. “[It] basically tells the story

from creation through the resurrection of Christ.” Although the train is the main at-traction, the event hosts several shows and attractions for kids. “It’s just the opportunity for our church to be able to serve the communi-ty, give them an affordable, family night out, as well as remind them of the true meaning of Christmas, the true story of Christmas or allow them to bring people who have never heard the true story of Christmas,” said Schmidt. Although the preparation work is complete during the month leading up to the Christmas Train opening, the job is not finished until its doors close at the end of December. “Every night 300 volunteers come out to help serve Mayes County and the people who have purchased Christmas

Train tickets,” said Schmidt. “They serve anywhere from cashiers to serving food, manning activities, train conductors, carolers, town criers, greeters at the front gate, door holders to the stores.” Despite the magnitude of work the magical event brings, Dean notes it is the little things that make his nights at Christmas Train so special. “My favorite part about Christmas Train is getting to greet people as they come through, seeing the smiles on the faces of people,” said Dean. “I would probably say that the best part is being able to say, ‘Merry Christmas,’ and not having to worry about, as the corporate world would say, ‘We can’t say that; it’s got to be happy holidays.’ I just like the fact that I work at a place where I can say, ‘Merry Christmas.’”

Photos by Oracle Staff

During the Christmas Lighting, students emjoyed hot chocolate and dressed up in holiday costumes. Top left: Pictured clockwise: Nathan Roberts, Sarah Haag, Shekinah Bauman, Cora Skjaerlund, Patti Whitlock, Collin Eash, Ben Marsh, Alex Delfino, Hannah Carlson and Kayla Keller. They won the costume contest, earning “Mockingjay” tickets. Right: Senior Tia Orred, Katelyn Quattlebaum and senior Julie Tarno enjoy hot chocolate at the Christmas Ligthing.

Campus lights up the night to begin holiday season

Photo by Abrienne Summerer

News brief:

Christmas Concert

The ORU Christmas Concert will be held Fri-day Dec. 5 at the Mabee Center. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. For more information, go to oru-oracle.com


FEATURES

Kristy SturgillManaging Editor

Thursday, Nov. 20, one week before Thanksgiving is the eighth annual “Use Less Stuff Day” to raise awareness to the amount of garbage produced during the holiday season. The initiative also focuses on recy-cling as part of waste management by focusing on ways to reduce and reuse items. According to the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], Americans increase waste by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The amount of waste amounts to an addi-tional one million tons of waste heading to landfills each week. According to the experts, changing a few habits goes a long way toward making Christmas a little more green. “Holidays are one of the busiest and heaviest waste times of the year. It’s amazing how much we waste when we get together,” said Michael Patton, executive director of The Metropolitan Environmental Trust. The Oracle is pitching in with a few ideas to help reduce the waste. Creative wrapping saves dollars and trees. Wrapping paper is often useless after one use and difficult to recycle because it contains plastic and foil. Countless hours are wasted on precision folding and taping when more eco-friendly and time-saving methods like bags and tin boxes exist. If parting from the paper tearing tradition is too much to bear, use recy-clable paper like magazines, old maps or newspapers like this Oracle [yet another great service provided]. “Cereal boxes are perfect for sweat-ers, and once I used a macaroni box that was perfect for a pair of gloves. I even used one gift, a scarf, to wrap another gift,” said Patton.

‘Use less stuff day’ creates dream of green Christmas

Who needs Eagle Bucks if there is leftover turkey soup? The fear of not making enough food for festivities is a serious cause of extreme food waste during the holidays. The other cause is improper storage of potential leftover meals. The U.S. Department of Agricul-ture recommends that hot foods be left out for no more than two hours. Store leftovers in smaller, individually sized containers, making them more conve-nient to grab for a quick meal rather than going to eventual waste. When giving food as a gift, take into consideration the shelf life and pursue making longer lasting food gifts. Learn to repurpose food into soups or other meals. Recycle old electronics for cash. Batteries, cellphones and game consoles can be recycled for store credit at Best Buy, Radio Shack and Staples. According to the EPA, recycling one million laptops will save the equivalent of electricity used by more than 3,500 U.S. homes in a year. For every one mil-lion cell phones recycled, 35 thousand pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered. The gift of creative giving keeps on giving. Some gifts require little or no packaging. The gift of your time whether it be cooking, babysitting, gardening, a charitable donation or tick-ets to an event can be far more valuable to a loved one. “The best time of year to buy a tree as a gift is December and January, and it is perfect as a family gift. Wooden blocks for toys are great for children,” said Patton. “Cloth napkins are great for someone you do not know well. It will add a touch of elegance to their life and save paper. Steel pots and pans, Pyrex glass containers and other storage containers are also great gifts.”

Theology major Rochelle Barnes goes green with a present wrapped in Oracle newspapers.

Photo by Kristy Sturgill



The man behind the brewKaylin Thompson

Staff Writer

The alure of hot coffee and fluffy pastries attract students and faculty like bugs to a bright light, but a familiar, welcoming face keeps bringing them back for more. “Hey, how are you? You’re awesome. You’re amazing,” said Hava Java Super-visor Matt Mortazavi. Mortazavi started at Hava Java two years ago, but he didn’t have any coffee experience prior to landing the job. Mortazavi worked as a restaurant supervisor at one of the best hotels in Sarasota, Florida after moving to the U.S. from Iran. “I usually don’t drink coffee, so when I started working here I was extremely nervous for the first couple of days. I thought it was too much stuff to learn, too many shots and flavors. It took me

about a week to learn everything,” he said. “After three weeks of working here, I was promoted to supervisor.” Mortazavi begins an average day at Hava Java at 5:30 a.m. He preps, bakes, cleans and organizes everything needed to start the day. At 7 a.m. he opens the gates and awaits his first customer. “When I come to work, it’s not about me anymore,” said Mortazavi. He said the cup of coffee he makes is a personal beverage, and it’s his personal involvment as a supervisor that has connected him to customers. “I have a lot of regular customers. I would estimate approximately half of the people at ORU. I think it’s the coffee,” he said. “If I were working at Moe’s, maybe they wouldn’t like me so much.” At certain times of the day, the lines are so long that they extend into the

Hava Java Supervisor Matt Mortazavi concocts a lot of seasonal drinks with Christmas around the corner, and he experiments when he gets the chance. “I recently baked a batch of peach muffins and within 20 minutes, they were gone,” Mortazavi said.

Photos by Ruth Mungai

walkway, obstructing the flow of traffic. “My first experience working when the lines were extremely long was crazy. I was exhausted and so I began mak-ing a lot of mistakes. I poured coffee on myself, poured a lot of milk on the floor, and in 30 seconds there was coffee, milk and syrup everywhere,” said Mortazavi. “After the line went down, I realized that no matter how hectic it may get when the shop gets really busy, I have to do my job.” The coffee supervisor appreciates the people at ORU for their patience dur-ing the hectic moments. “I believe they don’t mind because they understand that when it’s their turn, I will give them a great coffee,” said Mortazavi. “My goal is for them to have the best experience possible when they come in.”

Mortazavi’s goal is for customers to have the best experience possible. Pumpkin chai and caramel macchia-tos are his biggest sellers right now.

Brooke ThomasFeatures Editor

Former pageant queens and ORU seniors Lacey Russ and McKensie Garber show off their crowns. The duo formed a bond over pageantry and hope to represent their respective states in the Miss America Pageant.

The crown of service, scholarship and beauty


When one thinks of pageants, most refer to the comedic “Miss Congeniality” films where hairspray is used on more than your hair and layers of tulle and chiffon make for colorful competition. Although Sandra Bullock competes in a somewhat realistic pageant, seniors McKensie Garber and Lacey Russ know the life of a pageant contestant takes more than glitz and glamour. Garber and Russ met at the Miss America Out-standing Teen Pageant in August of 2011. Garber, a Missourian, was competing and Oklahoma-native Russ was set to pass on her title of Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. Although Garber did not place, she found a three-letter common bond with the former winner - ORU. Now, after four years of friendship and a break from pageants, Russ and Garber are preparing for their state titles once more. “Ironically, within two days of each other, we both won local titles and are going to be competing in our respective state pageants,” Russ said. “It just sort of

happened overnight. We are both really excited for it, and we both hope to win our state titles.” Both Russ and Garber got involved in pageants when they were teenagers competing in their state competitions. The best friends had very similar pag-eant experiences, each finally winning their state’s teen pageant titles in back-to-back years on the fourth try. “I had kept in touch with Lacey about the whole person scholarship,” said Garber. “It seems seriously stereotypical for us to be best friends because we were both involved in pageants and that’s how we met, but our relationship doesn’t have a lot to do with pageant-ry. It’s more about how we get along really well, and we enjoy being around each other. We balance each other really well.” “I wouldn’t be the person I am without the Miss America Organization and the program, and every-thing it has done in my life,” Garber said. “It has bled out into all areas of my life and made me the confi-dent, well-rounded individual that I am today.” Now Russ and Garber both plan to graduate and win their state titles. Russ will go on to achieve her MBA. Garber hopes to go into writing and entertain-

ment with the hopes of being an author, screenwriter and actress. They are each reminded of the impact pageants had on their lives. After winning Miss Oklahoma and Miss Missouri, Russ and Garber hope to share a stage together at the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. Whatever happens, they both said they will always carry lessons learned from the Miss America Organization and their education at ORU. “As a little girl, I thought the idea of a pageant just sounded fun. Looking back now, I believe that was a God-given passion,” said Russ. “Pageants aren’t for everyone, but for me they click. Something in me was just made for it. He [God] really is faithful to com-plete what he starts in you.”

How is Zay Williams performing in his first semester as S.A. president?

Find out at www.oruoracle.com


Chasing nature’s wonders

May 31, a day in El Reno, Okla-homa, could have quickly become the last day ORU sophomore Nik Stophel would ever chase a storm. “Craziest day easily. There was a 60 percent chance of a tornado and thou-sands of chasers in one place. It was the highest wind speed recorded for any tornado,” Stophel said. The tornado is now known as the El Reno Tornado. Tim Samaras, Paul Samaras and Carl Young were three of the most prominent storm chasers in the business and stars of the hit televi-sion show, “Storm Chasers.” All three men died in the tornado that day. As Stophel and his friends chased the tornado, they got within a quarter mile and realized the increased dan-ger and decided to leave. The decision would spare Stophel’s life. “The tornado was about a mile wide, and it went from one mile to 2.6 miles in 30 seconds. I chased the biggest tor-nado in history,” Stophel said. He is not the least bit concerned about being harmed. “I told my mom if I die in a tornado I am happy. I know I’ll die with a smile on my face,” Stophel said. “I want to be as close as possible to a tornado without

getting ripped off [the earth].” Stophel’s mother often reminds him how he used to sit by his bedroom window and watch the lightning flash and listen to the thunder roar when he was three years old. Stophel’s curiosity grew with him, and now he is a 20-year-old young man who chases clouds and storms. Wheth-er areas are threatened by tornados or typical thunderstoms, they all peak Stophel’s interest. “It is a little bit of everything that I find fascinating,” said Stophel. “I plan someday to go to Florida during hur-ricane season. I even like blizzards.” Stophel proudly wears the title of a storm chaser with little to no fear in his heart. Every now and then at the expense of class, and possibly his life, Stophel hops in a Nissan Frontier with his friends and heads in the direction of a storm or severe weather. “Your adrenaline is just going crazy at the time,” said Stophel. While fun and adventurous, storm chasing for Stophel is more complex than most people would realize. “I read a lot of books about cloud patterns and storms and how they form. A lot of resources will help me predict up to 10 days,” Stophel said. The ORU storm chaser said no

Solomon WilliamsStaff Writer

I told my mom if I die in a tornado I am happy. I

know I’ll die with a smile on my face.

“

”

matter how much preparation is done no one can be 100 percent right all the time, and sometimes you simply have to guess. Some of the unpredictability has allowed Stophel to see some crazy sights early on. Despite the risks, Stophel said he is able to do what he loves, and he plans

to study as much photography as he can at ORU. Studying photography will teach him the technique he needs to capture every moment of the chase and com-bine his photography skills with his unique desire to chase the unexpected.

Photo by Nick Conroy Photos by Nik Stophel

Bottom Left: Nik Stophel aspires to be a National Geographic photograher. Top Right: Stophel catches a bolt of lightening over the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Bottom Right: Stophel captures a tornado in the distance headed for a housing development.


Top Five Genres (n = 241)

DramaClassics

Comedy

Romance

Action & Adventure

What current series are your watching on Netflix? (n = 220)

ArrowOnce Upon a Time

Gilmore GirlsThe Office

How I Met Your Mother

On average in the last month, how many times have you streamed movies and TV programs from a PAID

streaming service such as Netflix or Hulu? (n =349)

Once or twice in the last month

A few times in the last month

Once or twice each week

Three to four times each week

Five to six times each week

DailyI have not streamed a movie or TV program in the last month

22.92%

11.17%

7.74%

20.06%

10.03%

18.34%

9.74%

In a typical week, how much time do you spend

streaming movies and TV shows? (n = 245)

hours6.95

Trending: The ORU NETFLIX personality profile

The Oracle wanted to research the intricate relationship between Netflix and the student body. We surveyed 349 students, with the help of students in ORU’s Communications Research class. Students answered questions about their usage, giving us insight into viewing behaviors and habits. The results surprised us.

What’s the norm?The average student used a paid streaming ser-

vice for 6.95 hours a week. That’s about the length of a school day. One in five students use a streaming service daily.

Unsurprisingly, Netflix ranks as the most popular streaming service. The survey revealed 93.7 percent of students used Netflix in the last month. Hulu ranks second, with 25.5 percent of students using the service in the last month. About half [48 percent] of the ORU student body uses a Netflix account paid for by a family member (n=243).

What about bingeing? Over 45 percent (45.5) of students define binge

watching as watching three to four television episodes in one sitting. Twenty-five percent of students say bingeing constitutes watching six or more episodes

Dominique JohnsonEditor-in-Chief

Graphic by Rebecca Glenn

without taking a break (n=244).Our survey showed 41 percent of students watched

three to four episodes in one sitting in the last month (n =242). Interestingly, about five percent of students have watched an entire series or more in one sitting. That sounds painful.

How are you watching?Ah, multitasking. The millennials of ORU live up

to the generational stereotype. Students rarely watch Netflix without performing a secondary task. Many students text, surf the web and browse social media while using Netflix. Students commonly do homework while Netflix is on—or do Netflix while their home-work is on (n=241).

This holiday season?We project students will drastically increase their

Netflix usage during Christmas break. Our data shows 48 percent of students have increased their Netflix us-age since they first started using it (n = 222). So when the holidays roll around, students may binge entire seasons of “Gilmore Girls.”

“I rarely watch television series,” one student said. “But when I do, which is maybe once or twice a year to catch up on something I’ve missed, I binge for a week straight, literally.”

This holiday season, please binge responsibly.

Which channels have you used to stream a movie or TV program in the last month? (n = 239)

Netflix 93.7% Hulu 25.5% Amazon Prime 20.1% iTunes 13.8% Hulu Plus 13.4% YouTube Paid 4.6%

What current series have you watched in the last month and why?

“GREY’S ANATOMY”: “[I] love the medical aspect and the storylines.” College of Nursing student

FOREIGN SHOWS: “I watch mainly foreign television, primarily from Korea. Korean series are usually between 16 to 24 episodes long with-out multiple seasons, which I like because there is rarely filler content. This is also why I’ve watched many different ones, or at least parts of ones, in the last month.” College of Arts and Cultural Studies student

“FRIENDS,” “NEW GIRL”: “They’re funny without the need of profanity or constant sexual references.” College of Business student

“ARROW”: “The series pulls me in with its action and mystery. Only bits of crucial information are revealed with each episode, which entices me to keep watching more episodes.” College of Arts and Cultural Studies student

“DOWNTON ABBEY”: “Downton has a really in-tricate plot line & deals with raw human emotions and events.” College of Education student

36.02%of students who had streamed movies and/or TV episodes in the last month considered them-selves “binge watchers” (n = 236).More than 90 percent (93.2%) of respondents to the The Oracle Streaming Media Survey 2014 were adults ages 18 to 24.

Above: Freshman theology major Eric Blessing streams “Dr. Who” from Netflix. “Dr. Who” watchers self identify as “Whovians.”

Photo by Dominique Johnson

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SPORTSMayor’s Cup stays put

Ryan WoodsSports Writer

ORU defeated the University of Tulsa 77-68 claim-ing the 2014 PSO Mayor’s Cup last Friday night at the Mabee Center. Obi Emegano led the Golden Eagles with 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists in his first regular season game since tearing his ACL five games into last season. “We’re always looked at as kind of the little brother,” Emegano said. “I don’t appreciate it. I think our job is to go out there and prove we can compete and we’re not the little brother.” Emegano went 14 of 16 from the free throw line. The game earned him The Summit League’s Player of the Week award on Tuesday. “[Emegano] was aggressive, wanted the ball, was drawing fouls and stepped up and made big free-throws. He was the best player on the floor,” Head Coach Scott Sutton said. “I thought our guards were great. I wouldn’t trade my backcourt for anybody.” Korey Billbury, Emegano’s backcourt mate, added 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Sophomore Bobby Word contributed 14 points in the second half and showed why he’s considered to be one of the best three-point shooters on the team. Coach Scott Sutton has been around long enough to know that this game is bigger than just the team. “This is my 19th Mayor’s Cup game, 15th as a head coach, and I know how important this game is. It’s more than us. It’s about our alumni and our university, and I think our guys really bought into that this year,” Sutton said. Next up for ORU is Oregon State Friday night as part of a five-game road stretch. The game will be the first of the MGM Grand Main Event. Tip-off is at 8 p.m. The two games after will be against Loui-siana and Milwaukee at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tulsa’s head coach Frank Haith is 0-1 for the first time in his career. Tulsa Forward D’Andre Wright led TU with 17 points. Guard James Woodard had 16. “I feel like coming into the season, they look forward to this game more than we do,” Wright said. “I feel like that they have it circled on their schedule that they want to beat us, and we kind of look at them as another nonconference game.” Haith was visibly disturbed by Wright’s comments: “We have to be ready to play every time we lace them up. That’s disappointing, but we are going to get that fixed. I promise you that.” Photos by Austin St. John

Top: ORU celebrates a 77-68 Mayor’s Cup victory. Left: Bobby Word takes a three-point shot. Right: Korey Billbury goes for a dunk. He accounted for 18 points and 11 rebounds in the win.


VICTORY

Lottery win changes Emegano’s gameParrish Purnell Jr.

Sports Writer

Photo by Austin St. John


One of ORU’s best basketball players wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for a low chance lottery win. Obi Emegano came to the United States with his family to seek greater possibilities. Now as one of ORU’s best players, those endeavors have become a true reality. Born in Nigeria to William and Lucia Emegano, Obi Emegano didn’t see his childhood as being different from other children. “I was a normal kid, getting into it with my siblings and playing sports,” he said. “I was born in Nigeria. I moved at a young age, so I considered myself an Okla-homan.” The Emegano family was given the chance to move to the U.S. when his father won the lottery in 1995. William Emegano won the green card lottery, also known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. The program was created by the U.S. Congress to allow 50,000 permanent resident visas each year to residents of countries with low immigration rates.

He moved to Oklahoma to live with his sister while working to bring his family here with him. “Being from a foreign country, I didn't know what it was like over here,” William Emegano said. “I wanted to give them a better understanding of the world.” William Emegano brought his family to America for better opportunities and his son has made the most of his. Obi Emegano earned a basketball scholarship to play at Western Illinois University after graduating from Edmond Memorial High School. He transferred to ORU after his freshman year. Obi Emegano has become one of the unquestioned leaders on the Golden Eagle roster, and his excellent play has earned him quite a reputation with his coaches and opposing teams. The Emegano family still resides in Edmond, Okla-homa, but one day hope to return to Nigeria to visit. “I want to go back and see my grandparents. I’ve never met them,” said Obi Emegano. “It’ll be good to finally meet them in person.”

Obi Emegano scored a game-high 26 points in the PSO Mayor’s Cup against the University of Tulsa, Nov. 15, at the Mabee Center.

Head Coach Misti Cussen an-nounced a championship lineup of new recruits last Wednesday

The ORU women’s basketball team made a big splash last week announc-ing the signing of five players to na-tional letters of intent. Head Coach Misti Cussen continues to land highly coveted Oklahoma and international recruits for the program. ORU signed two guards with state championship experience: Ashley Beatty – Beatty scored 21.9 points per game as a junior guard at Anadarko high school and led the team to the OSSAA 4A state championship game and won the state championship as a sophomore. She won first team Oklahoma All-State honors in 2012-13. Rylie Torrey – Torrey has been a standout guard at Locust Grove High School since she arrived. She averaged almost 16 points per game as a junior and led her team in back-to-back state championship games. “We know that Ashley and Rylie are going to bring a great deal of offensive fire power to our guards,” Cussen said. “We’ve been able to see the girls here locally playing for solid programs at Anadarko and Locust Grove, so we know they have high basketball IQ’s

Basketball programs net big recruitsDavid Sauer

Sports Editorand the expectation of winning.” Cussen also continued her strong recruiting efforts overseas. Three future Golden Eagles come from international programs. They will be expected to fill the roles of departing seniors Vicky McIntyre and Detti Balla. Fejes Fruzsina – Fruzsina was a FIBA 18-under national champion in Hungary. The 6-foot-4-inch power forward was MVP of her team in 2011 and 2012. Maria Martianez Vendrell – Mar-tianez Vendrell was a part of two Span-ish National Championship victories and played in two other national cham-pionship games. She was a member of the 19-under national team that placed second to the U.S. at the World Cham-pionships in 2011. Tijana Raca – Raca brings multiple championships to ORU. She won titles in 2013 and 2014 for Aristoteleio Col-lege High. She also won two consecu-tive 18-under national championships with Paok in the Greece “A” Division in 2012 and 2013. “With this class, we needed to re-place the graduation of our senior post players,” Cussen said. “Fejes, Tijana and Maria wil step in with an immediate impact to our interior game.”

The men’s team signed four play-ers of their own on signing day. Head Coach Scott Sutton brings in two Tulsa natives and some out of state talent. Chris Miller – The Booker T. Wash-ington product averaged 12.4 points and 13 rebounds per game as a junior. The 6-foot-7-inch forward had interest from Arkansas, Georgia, Arizona State and Eastern Illinois. Chris Crawford – Crawford will make the short trip from Victory Christian to ORU. Crawford averaged 22.3 points per game during his junior year. He has played in the 4A state tournament each of the last three years. Kristopher Martin – Martin comes from a very successful program at Dallas-Kimball High School. The team has won three state championships in four years. Martin earned a two-star recruit ranking from ESPN. Javan White – White already had ORU connections. His mother is an alumna. He averaged 10.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and two blocks per game as a junior last season. “I’m excited about this class,” Sutton said. “I think it is a very skilled and talented foursome. They are all high character guys who came from good high school programs where they were

very well coached.” Fans will see how talented these new players are beginning in the fall of 2015.

Follow @oraclesports for in-game coverage of the men and women’s

basketball programs


David SauerSports Editor

Volleyball three wins from Summit TitleThe ORU volleyball team is three wins away from

a Summit League Tournament Championship.No. 4 seed ORU opens the tournament against No.

5 North Dakota State University Friday. The Golden Eagles played NDSU twice this season and took both matches 3-1.

“We can’t relax and think we beat them twice, and we’ll beat them again,” ORU Head Coach Sheera Sirola said. “You’re at a different place and a different day. You’ll never know who’s going to be on and who’s going to be off. We kind of need to treat it like it’s go-ing to be a totally different team we’re going against.”

ORU and NDSU should be very familiar with each other. Their most recent match was six days ago. Both teams have seen the strengths and weaknesses of the other.

“It’s going to be really, really hard, especially after we beat them this week,” ORU middle blocker Jovana Poljasevic said. “We made the statement that we are a stronger team, but it’s going to be really hard because neither of us have anything to lose, and we are both going to give it our best.”

If ORU wins Friday, they play Denver on Sat-urday with the winner going to the championship match on Sunday. A loss at any point would end the team’s season.

“All of us need to be more serious and be 100

percent on the court,” Poljasevic said. “All this season we could have one or two girls playing 80 percent but from this point on, we all need to be 100 percent in order to win and reach our goal.”

ORU earned the fourth seed in the tourna-ment after going 2-0 on the road last week. ORU had only one conference road win going into last week’s matches.

“It was really important because it determines who we play [in the tournament] first,” ORU freshman Shelby Cox said. “If we had lost, we probably would have played a harder team. We’re making it easier on ourselves.”

The Golden Eagles bring a lot of momentum into the tournament coming off of the two wins. Outside hitter Laura Milos had 41 kills in the two games. Senior Sara Pope added 30 kills of her own. Pope also had double-doubles in both matches with 29 combined digs.

Sirola said the team is playing better than in previ-ous games but is not at the level they were at times earlier this season.

“I think if we can get to the level we played against Pepperdine and the University of Arkansas, with the momentum we got this last week, that’s huge for us,” Sirola said. “It’s looking good, the kids are motivated. They feel it going into conference. It’s a big deal. I think we’ll do well.”Photo by Nick Conroy

Laura Milos leads ORU in kills with 488. She will be an important part of ORU’s quest for the Sum-mit League Championship.

#ORUFrosh50: ManiacFreshman Wesley Ahrens assumed the role of Ma-

niac this semester. As Maniac, Ahrens must lead the student section in chants and cheers during games.

So far, he’s led the Mabee Maniacs in two exhibi-tion games and during the PSO Mayor’s Cup against the University of Tulsa.

Only a few people showed up for the Mabee Maniacs during the exhibition games. But the Mayor’s Cup, which started the official men’s basketball season, had Ahrens “freaked out.”

“Right as it hit 6:15, a ton of people started flooding in and I didn’t know a single one of them,” he said. Ahrens stood in front of the crowd of students, overwhelmed. He wore a white suit, put paint in his hair and painted his face with white acrylic paint for the “white-out” theme.

“I was kind of scared because I had 30 to 50 people

sitting there, and I didn’t know what to say,” Ahrens said. “I had two or three cheers planned out but other than that, I had nothing. I was kind of freaking out a little bit.”

Senior Austin Whitaker helped Ahrens teach the students chants for the game. Whitaker has helped lead the Maniacs for the past three years.

Ahrens got the job when his friend Nik Stophel had to step down from the position. Stophel recom-mended Ahrens to be the replacement Maniac.

This semester serves as a test for Ahrens. If he does well, the Mabee Center will allow him to continue in his role next semester.

“I love being part of the energy we try to shoot out at the team,” Ahrens said. “I love the fact that I can go crazy and no one’s like ‘calm down bro.’ They’re like, ‘keep going.’ I get to be a maniac.”

Dominique JohnsonEditor-in-Chief

Freshman Wesley Ahrens sports blue and white face paint. Ahrens will lead the Mabee Maniacs this Friday at the women’s Mayor’s Cup game.

Photo by Dominique Johnson


SCENEHow to achieve the perfect scarf look ‘A Johnnyswim Christmas’

Not the same old ryhmeAnn ChinworthStaff Writer

Erica LudwigContributing Writer

The Scarf Boa This style gives the illusion of a thick, chunky necklace. It works well for any kind of scarf, thick or thin. Begin by looping the scarf once around your neck with even lengths on both sides. Next, begin tucking one end of the scarf up and around the loop. Continue this until the length of the end is completely wrapped around the scarf. Repeat the previous step with the other end of the scarf. To create a more relaxed look, loosen and separate the loops.

Belted Scarf The belted scarf gives the illusion of a light car-digan. Use either a thick or thin long, wide scarf. Simply lay the scarf over your shoulders. De-pending on the width of the scarf and the desired look, you may need to fold the scarf in half before draping across your shoulders. Attach a belt around the waist and over the scarf. To create the poncho look, pull the scarf down and over the shoulders. Add a denim jacket or a blazer for extra class to complete this look.

Bunny Ears Many girls love to sport this design. A square scarf with a thin weave is preferable, but a thick weave will do the trick as well. Begin by folding the scarf along the diagonal. For a fuller look, layer two thin scarves before or after folding. Next, wrap one corner of the now-triangle twice around your neck leaving a short “ear” on each end. Tie the ears together off to the side and tuck under the point so they peak out, giving the ap-pearance of bunny ears.

The Braid The Braid is easy to accomplish despite its complex appearance. Use a long, thin scarf for best results. Loop the scarf once around your neck with even lengths on either side. Cross one end over the other, tucking under the loop and pulling through. Continue the previous step alternating ends of the scarf. Tie the ends together and turn to the back or tuck under for a finished look.

Johnnyswim released a Christmas album, and fans are rejoicing. In “A Johnnyswim Christmas,” the duo shows their own take on Christmas classics in a small collection of tracks with acoustic melodies and effortless harmonies. Amanda Sudano and Abner Ramirez stay true to their signature style while also keeping their notable harmonies on songs like “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Christmas Day.” The husband and wife team’s obvious musical chemistry is on display in “A Johnnyswim Christ-mas.” They harmonize like they’re married. I know that they are, but it shows. The way they give songs that have been sung a thousand times “in three-quarter time” a whimsical feel that comes from hearing them for the first time is truly magical. Here are three reasons you should buy “A John-nyswim Christmas”: It’s refreshing Everyone loves Christmas music, but when there are so many different versions of one song, it can start to lose its meaning. In a season where you hear one song sung by 47 different people, Johnnyswim gives a fresh perspective on beloved Christmas classics. The duo strips each song down to its acoustic roots rather than conforming to the original arrangement. The music speaks for itself Johnnyswim’s renditions of “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Christmas Time is Here (Intro)” are two of the best songs on this album because of the musical quality. Previously covered by Grammy win-ner Josh Groban, “O Come All Ye Faithful” usually needs a full orchestra to even touch the song’s rever-ence. Johnnyswim communicates the same miracle that is Christ our Lord simply with the percussion and guitar. Most recognized from “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “Christmas Time is Here” holds a place in many of our hearts. Johnnyswim highlights the song’s nostalgic quality with acoustic guitar as the central focus in a brief instrumental introduction. This is not your average Christmas album Johnnyswim puts a new spin on Christmas music with their unique sound. Instead of sleigh bells and an orchestra, try smooth harmonies, a guitar and piano. The duo’s cheery tone and light sound can put anyone in a good mood no matter where you are.


Christopher Nolan brings yet another multifaceted sci-fi to the big screen with his latest film “Interstel-lar.” Starring award-winning actors Matthew McCo-naughey and Anne Hathaway, “Interstellar” has made major waves across the globe. The film reached over $300 million at the world-wide box office after its first two weekends. The film’s unique plot creates a meaningful production that audiences won’t forget. “Interstellar” revolves around former NASA pilot Cooper [Matthew McConaughey] who is raising his two children Murphy and Tom in the midst of a disastrous environmental conditions on a near-future version of Earth. After an unusual discovery in his

Victoria Atterberry Scene Editor

“Interstellar” achieves stellar results at box office

daughter’s bedroom, Cooper decides to further inves-tigate the strange phenomenon. His investigation leads him to the space program formerly known as NASA. He reunites with old col-league Professor Brand, who asks Cooper to travel with his daughter Amelia Brand [Anne Hathaway] and other explorers to embark on a mission to find a new home for the human race to live. When unfore-seen challenges arise, Cooper must choose between seeing his children again or saving humanity. “Interstellar” is more than just an entertaining sci-fi movie. Sacrifice, love and bravery are just a few of the themes that give “Interstellar” invigorating depth. The film travels far beyond the typical space explorarion theme. It suavely shifts from earth to space, mak-ing what happens on earth just as important as what

happens in space. A father’s love for his children is tested, impossible choices are made and each mistake becomes more and more costly. Shocking twists and mind-blowing revelations will hold audiences to their seats, keeping them wanting to know how this space plight will end. Superb graphics brought this excellent plot to life and left no question about what another planet able to sustain human life will look like. The film’s 169 minute length could be a turn off for many movie goers. In spite of its lengthy runtime, “Interstellar” is a film you don’t want to miss. Be pre-pared to travel deep into the cosmos while discovering the meaning behind it all. Four out of five stars for the well-produced sci-fi, “Interstellar.”

Courtesy Photo

Flashback Friday: Some things never changeMorgan ReevesContributing Writing

Excitement for the Christmas sea-son is swelling up across ORU’s cam-pus. The Christmas tree is standing tall in the Hammer Center, and the prayer garden lights are shining. In the 1984 Christmas edition of the Oracle, students had the opportunity to have a Christmas message printed to their friends and family for five cents per word.

The two-page spread of notes were printed with green and red ornaments decorating the pages— To: My favorite psycho. Don’t kill too many people over Christmas break and don’t try to take over the world without me. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. From: A lickable nose. P.S. GIVE HER UP!!! HOSE: I asked Santa to bring you a fuller head of hair, but he said that he was all out. Somebody named Larry

came and took his entire supply (“just in case”). Have a joyful celebration of the Savior’s birth, anyway. And thanks for everything. MJ. Greg Crouch: Thanks for the won-derful racquetball match. However, I think you had better take some lessons over Christmas break!!! We’ll have a rematch after the holidays. Maybe you can beat me this time...Miss Ellie Vator. Randy B. In Texas: I may not be able to pay you a visit: I totaled my car

on the last trip and haven’t replaced it yet. Anyway, have a blessed Christmas season!! Love, your old SW friend. Current ORU students can learn some important Christmas lessons from these 30-year-old holiday greetings. Keep your nose lickable, remember Santa is fresh out of hair, take some raquetball classes over break and don’t total your car. Merry Christmas from 1984.



Syndicated Cynic: Fake news and all of you

Internationals: How to survive Oklahoma’s cold

MUSE

Greg BrownMuse Editor

Valeria HernandezStaff Writer

Today I learned quite a bit from Facebook. According to posts by my often-distant Facebook

“friends,” five celebrities died, 300 other individuals contracted the Ebola virus and President Barrack Obama was impeached twice.

That’s what a quick browse through my timeline told me anyhow.

The funny thing is, in just about half the time that it took me to read one of the aforementioned articles, I proved all of them false. My methodology was simple, really. I did a quick internet search using Google on whatever these

After all was said and done though, the posting of this story did noth-ing but start unneeded arguments and reflect poorly on the intelligence and, in turn, the viewpoints of the original poster, which is probably the exact op-posite effect that he or she had wished to have in sharing the false article.

So, maybe a quick fact check is in order before posting that article about the kindergarten class in Kentucky that all died of Ebola or the article on the president’s recent associations with the Muslim Brotherhood. The pride you save may be your own.

Fictionalized stories posing as fact in order to push an agenda of one sort or another work only as dividers, and they often detract from the importance of the real events occurring around the world at any given point.

And, Christians, even though lies fueled by ignorance are not necessarily sins, per se, they are certainly obnoxious.

audacious stories claimed, and I could very easily find information that con-firmed that these stories were hoaxes.

Why then, were they posted to begin with?

To be completely honest, I couldn’t come up with a reasonable answer. What I did decide, though, is that the average Facebook-using American is easily tricked into sharing false content on the internet without first fact-check-ing said information.

Whether this is the result of an at-tempt at monetary advancement, politi-cal fueling or fear mongering, it is bad news for everyone. These posts drive the ignorance of the American public. And public ignorance is very dangerous.

Seriously, there is absolutely noth-ing gained by furthering ignorance and manufacturing sensationalism for fellow internet users. Not only does it make the person posting it look bad, it causes the hurling of unneeded emotions and

drama among those surfing the web. Take, for instance, a recent story I

saw about high-ranking officials in the White House that are being charged by Egypt for having deep ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, a violent Islamist group that has had rough relations with the Egyptian government since the group’s inception.

As soon as this story was posted on-line, people began commenting in favor or against the article, and the argu-ments became very heated. Names were called, slurs were thrown and it was not a good time.

Yes, otherwise kindhearted Ameri-cans were at each other’s throats because of a lie, and that lie was spread by an individual that I’m sure had the purest intentions. He or she probably just wanted to show the rest of the world the terrible things that those on the other side of the political spectrum were capable of.

Hello, wintertime. It is cold indeed. Oklahoma went straight into winter without further warning than an icy morning after a warm, sunny day.

From here on, days are going to get colder, and layers are going to get

thicker. But, as with everything in life, this too is just a season.

For many students who come from warmer countries, this year is their first encounter with heavy winter. Enjoy bundling up, gaining some extra pounds from countless cups of hot chocolate and playing with snow whenever it comes—chances are, you won’t feel like that next year. Get the full experience now before you start dreading winter.

first time you will buy these articles of clothing. Some students’ wardrobes might not be enough

to get through the cold. Back home, you simply don’t need many winter items. Luckily, you are in the United States of America, where you can find clothes for extremely cheap prices. Thrift shopping is pretty popular, and you can find great deals or take advantage of Black Friday and get a great cozy coat. Investing in coats and thick sweaters will bless your time in Tulsa.

Buy hot beverages if you still have Sodexo at this point. Winter is the perfect excuse to continuously get your favorite warm drink while you commute to your dorm or classes.

Rejoice. Oklahoma is not the coldest state in America by a

long shot. Compared to the -11 degree lows in Jack-son, Wyoming this week, we are the fortunate ones.

There are some key suggestions for surviving this winter without hibernating most of the season.

It’s all about the layers. There is no such thing as too many layers, but make sure to use clothes you can easily take off. As soon as you step indoors, heaters will make you sweat. You will be extremely hot by the time you get to class.

Get a windbreaker jacket. Oklahoma’s winter wouldn’t be quite as bad if

it wasn’t for the wind factor, and these jackets are fabulous for windy snow days. Believe it or not, windbreakers actually make a difference in keeping you from feeling the biting cold wind that makes you shiver to the bone.

Cover your extremities. You probably never noticed this, but your extremi-

ties could potentially be hurt if exposed to the cold for too long. Hats, earmuffs, fluffy socks and gloves are a must for this season. The warmer you keep these parts of your body, the better. For many, this is probably the


Aren’t you a little old to be using a pacifier?Jordan Buie

Contributing Writer

Infants de-pendent on a pacifier never wants to let it out of their sight. They cry in a panicked frenzy when it’s not visible

or accessible to them. The same is true for students’ dependency on technology, specifically cell phones. The majority of students feel comforted when their phones are at their fingertips and get stressed when they are not accessible.

One of my professors recently referred to students’ cell phones as their pacifiers. Even if students are not actively using their phones in class, most likely, they will be set on top of the desks for visibility or set on vibrate in their pockets so they can feel a notification.

The use of cell phones in the class-room is not just an ORU problem. It’s American epidemic. The improvements

in technology have become a distrac-tion in the classroom and are hindering students from learning. Some schools have banned the use of cell phones in the classroom.

“I think that each student should be able to use their phone if they want to,” junior psychology major Katie Fowler said. “If that means they aren’t paying attention, that’s their responsibility. They are adults, and if they don’t want to en-gage in the lecture, that will affect them in the long run.”

Scholastic.com agrees that schools should lift the ban as well saying that “students should be allowed to use cell phones for educational purposes.”

BenefitOf.net says the use of tech-nology in the classroom “motivates students” and “provides easy access to information.” Students can find infor-mation quickly, allowing the teacher more time during the lesson.

NBC News did two studies to see if the use of technology gadgets were mak-ing people less intelligent. The first study found that “people who are interrupted

by technology score 20 percent lower on a standard cognition test.”

The second study demonstrated that some students, even when on their best behavior, can’t concentrate on homework for more than two minutes without distracting themselves by using social media or writing an email.”

Students need to minimize distrac-tions by putting their cell phones away during class. The continuous buzzing of notifications and text messages not only distracts the student from receiving the lesson, but affects the entire classroom setting. A distracted student disturbs the teacher from his or her lecture and other students from focusing on their work.

“I think it should be up to the teach-er in the class. I see on one hand how having a cell phone would be useful for dealing with emergency situations, but I see on the other hand how 80 percent of students having their cell phones out would be a distraction to the teacher and other students. I tend [to lean] toward the no cell phones rule,” junior engineer-ing major Brennan Harrup said.

Assistant Professor of Media Chris Putman informs her students on the first day of class that cell phones are not allowed. The only exception for phone usage would be for an emergency.

“It distracts me when I have to watch a student trying to hide the use when I'm lecturing,” Putman said. “They think if they sit on the back row, I can't see them. In fact, the back row is the easiest for me to see.”

A student setting their cell phone aside for a brief period of time is a lot like a baby not being able to use its paci-fier. The difference between the two, is that the baby will eventually grow out of the dependency on its pacifier, and students will continue to grow more de-pendent on using cell phones through-out their lives. Although cell phones are beneficial in many ways, they are a proven distrac-tion. It will increase performance levels and cause signficantly fewer interrup-tions for everyone if you take a break. Don’t worry, your phone will be right where you left it after class.

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