Vaginas making an impact

The V-Day organization was giving out condoms and other contraceptives outside of the auditorium. (Photo by Colbi Beam)



Jennifer Wilt speaking about her experience at the Vagina Monologues.

Students can raise money to stop violence against women by attending the Vagina Monologues.

While enjoying the performance of the Vagina Monologues audiences are also introduced to a number of issues dealing with violence against women. V-Day raises money to end violence against women and has open shelters and safe-houses around the world.

"I learned a lot at the Vagina Monologues about domestic violence," Jennifer Wilt, freshman, said. "Especially during the video at the end because I haven't really been exposed to that information before, so it was very eye opening."

The next performance will be at 7:00 pm tomorrow, February 24, 2009 in Meacham Auditorium. Tickets are $5 with a donation of a personal care item, or $7 without.

Women's basketball has taken another win

Sooners huddling up at half time. (Photos by Colbi Beam)


OU women's basketball took the lead against number five ranked, Baylor Bears, Saturday and hope the win will boost their ranking in the Big 12.

The Sooners set a new school record Saturday, February 22, 2009, with their 20th straight win. It was a tight game with OU leading by six points after the first half. The game ended with the score 66, Sooners, to 58, Bears.

"The momentum at the game this week was really awesome," Leslie Hartsook, junior, said. "The student section was packed and you could see how the full stadium really influenced the game overall. Hopefully we will be ranked number one and students will want to come and support their nationally top ranked team."

The next home game will be against OSU in Norman at 12:00 pm Saturday, February 28,2009 at the Lloyd Noble Center. Students are admitted free with a student ID.

Women's Gymnastics Taking Another Victory

OU gymnasts standing to accept their team win. (Photo by Colbi Beam)


OU gymnasts waiting to see their results. (Photo by Colbi Beam)

OU's women gymnasts took first place at the meet Friday and are hoping for more audience support from students in their next big meet.

The number 11 ranked gymnastics team won titles on beam, vault, floor, along with the highest overall score at the Lloyd Noble Center Friday, February 20, 2009. The sooners team tally of 196.35 barely beat number 13 ranked, Mizzou, with a score of 196.225.

"Well this win for the team meant a lot to us but for the rest of this season it did not set anything in stone for us," Melanie Root, sophomore gymnast, said. "This win was not an easy one for us and the University of Missouri is going to want to beat us that much more at the Big 12 competition. We are always striving to get more audience, it always makes the floor routines that much more fun."

The last home meet, "Senior Night", will be Friday, March 6, 2009 at 7:00 pm at the Lloyd Noble Center. Students are admitted free with a student ID.

Students for a Democratic Society are ready to make a change

One goal for SDS is to extend library hours to keep the doors open to students later at night. (Photo by Colbi Beam)

Students for a Democratic Society has come back to OU after almost 40 years. Students may soon see changes at the university ranging everywhere from library hours to a new student newspaper.

The Students for a Democratic Society, SDS, lead the student movements throughout the 1960s, and was kicked of the OU campus in its first life. Now a new group of students have restarted the club with all new goals in mind. Their goals range from the state legislature to everyday problems existing at OU.

"I joined the new SDS to help develop some intellectual discourse here on campus," Nick Stanley, freshman, said. "Also, to create a place where students can ask questions."

The SDS will be having their next meeting 7:00 pm. Monday, Feb. 16, 2009 in the lobby of Dale Hall. You can learn more about this organization on their facebook group: OU Students for a Democratic Society.

A Sooner Mardi Gras celbration

Freshman Taylor Derring is preparing for the parade by making her Mardi Gras mask. (Photo by Colbi Beam)

Oklahoma's only Mardi Gras parade will take place here in Norman. Some Catholic students are excited about sharing their traditions with the Norman community.

This will be the 15th annual Mardi Gras parade in Norman. The theme this year is "Celebrating ancient cutures-- In a time warp" and the celebration will include floats, revelers, musicians, dancers, and animals in a family friendly setting free of charge. Last year's parade brought in more than 3,000 visitors; planners are anticipating an even bigger turn out this year.

"It is nice to have a celebration of this event because there aren't very many Catholics in Oklahoma," Gigi McCormick, senior, said. "It is good to be able to share this fun celebration with the Norman community and experience Mardi Gras in its true fashion."

The parade will begin 6:30 Saturday Feb. 21, 2009 in the historic downtown arts district of Norman.

The Big Event 2009

Students will be volunteering again this year in OU's annual Big Event.

Volunteers will be able to spend an entire Saturday giving back to their community. Big Event brings in thousands of volunteers each Spring to say "thank you" to their community. Volunteers are sent out in groups to volunteer at various locations around the Oklahoma City/Norman metropolitan.

"I will participate in the Big Event again this year because it is really a great way to help out the community here," Elizabeth Evans, sophomore, said. "OU is a big part of the Norman and Oklahoma City and it is great to be able to give back to the people that support us students."

The Big Event 2009 will take place Saturday, March 28, 2009 and students can apply to volunteer at bigevent.ou.edu.

Juicy Campus Closing

Taylor Mangrum checking juicycampus.com (Photo by Colbi Beam)

Juicycampus.com will be shut down today by the founder and CEO of the website.

Students will now have to look for another way to gossip on the web. Juicycampus.com, a popular gossip sight for many college students, will be shut down tonight, February 5, 2009. This news was posted on the website founder and CEO, Matt Ivester's blog yesterday, February 4. Ivester said that he blames the economy and says that the website couldn't pull in enough revenue to keep it going.

"I am sad," sophomore Taylor Mangrum said. "It is entertaining and fun to look at! So many other students got on it and you actually got to see what people had to say!"

The website is to be shutdown as of February 5, 2009.

Another Fee Increase

OU President David L. Boren recommended an approval of a slate of college- and course-specific fee increase at the OU Board of Regents meeting Wednesday

Students in the Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, and the colleges of business, journalism, and arts and sciences will have to begin saving their money. The fees approved by the regents include a $3 per-credit hour addition to the enrichment fee at the Michael F. Price College of Business and a $5 per-credit hour addition to the enrichment fee at the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

"It is frustrating," Heather Hall, Advertising sophomore said. "It is like every semester, every year they put their students more in debt to save the flower beds or something! I know that this has been a bad year on the economy, but it has hit all of us."

Boren had hoped to prevent fee increases for this year, but due to a state budget shortfall reaching nearly $600 million, this was difficult. Boren said the new fees will keep OU "treading water" through a difficult fiscal year and hopefully allow the administration to avoid raising tuition and mandatory fees next year. The fees will go into affect Fall 2009.