Free burgers, activites honor storied school tradition

Students enjoy a fun, free afternoon of burgers and activities to honor one of the university’s biggest traditions at the campus union on Wednesday, October 8.

The 8^th annual Bevo Burger Bash was held near the East Lawn of the Oklahoma Memorial Union. Students and faculty in line were greeted by the friendly faces of the Union Programming Board as members of the board packaged together hamburgers on a plate with a side of Lay’s potato chips and Oreo cookies.

Goers of the event had the choice of eating at the courtyard tables next to the booming speaker playing popular, contemporary music or settle inside the union where various screens aired vintage Red River Rivalry football highlights.

Alexandra Grant, 3^rd year advertising major and the Union Programming Board’s engagement director, was in charge of this year’s event.

“The Bevo Burger Bash is a way for students to celebrate the Oklahoma [versus] Texas game every year,” Grant said.

The Bevo Burger Bash is a relatively new campus tradition made to commemorate one of the school’s most storied rivalries. Saturday’s football matchup between the Sooners and the University of Texas Longhorns marks the 109^th meeting between the two schools.  The Longhorns mascot is a steer named Bevo. Every Texas football games, Bevo rests at the endzone sidelines while facing the field.

For students in Norman, there’s no better pastime on a Wednesday before the game than to cook up some burgers labeled “Bevo” and serve them for lunch. From the student’s reviews, Texas-bred steers taste pretty well.

“The burger is delicious,” senior Diem Pham said.

Committee members of the Union Programming Board were well integrated with the event, from creating and planting lawn signs and posters to serving plates of food to passing students and faculty members. Because of the board’s diligent effort, student who have not attended past events or were previously unaware followed the commotion of the line entering the courtyard.

“I came through [the union] to get to the library and I saw a lot of people,” senior Tisha Pinder said.

While music is blaring, crowds of people are eating and videos of highlights are displayed, students were also able to participate in a raffle. Each ticket is two dollars per ticket and a bundle of three tickets for five dollars. The winner received a Destiny Playstation 4 console bundle, a package worth almost $450 in major retail stores.

Grant looks forward to the future of this event and hopes to add even more school spirit to next year’s bash. She is already brainstorming for idea to bring to the table for 2015.

“I think it would be neat to being in even more OU spirit to the event,” Grant said. “Maybe everyone is encouraged to wear an OU shirt to where it becomes a campus wide spirit day.”

Pedagogies of brown lgbtq

BY HONEY CARANZO

Students and faculty gathered together to listen to an interactive discussion regarding the pedagogies of the brown LGBTQ community. 

The event was presented by OU’s Program Advisory Board, Center for Social Justice, Women's Outreach, Student Life and Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. They served free cookies and drinks during the event. It was held October 9 from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Regents room at the Oklahoma Memorial Union.

This was the first event held at OU regarding brown LGBTQ communities. “With the attacks on ethnic studies, Latinos, and LGQTQ communities it was a good way to have a discussion on how it’s important to have these discussions,” said Velazquez.

The speaker, Dr. Richard T. Rodriguez, graduated from the University of California at Berkley. Dr. Rodriquez spoke on the pedagogies of brown queers. Dr. Rodriguez divulged his background and dealings with his sexuality. During his lecture, Dr. Rodriguez examined films regarding LGBTQ hispanic latinos and how to be aware of la joteria (queer people) in the classrooms. “We still have a long way to go not only in offering so called positive images of LGBTQ people but also offering an array of images that do justice to the diversity to the LGBTQ population,” said Dr. Rodriguez. 

Freshman Carina Queiroz came to the event to support her uncle, Dr. Rodriguez. Queiroz commented “how different it is for brown society and white society and how there is a rift.” 

This event is one of many held during OU’s Hispanic Heritage month. 

Students Voice Opinions of Change

­­­BY CONNOR GALVIN

As the weather changes so do student’s opinions on various topics at the University of Oklahoma’s Norman campus.

Change is something that is constantly occurring at college campuses, but from student’s perspectives the change they want isn’t occurring. For University students, coping with the changes that the faculty and governance put in place is a norm, however many feel they can’t vocalize an opinion on what should change.

“I feel like many times that my opinions regarding professor changes go unheard,” said Grant Powell, a broadcasting junior. Near the end of the year, evaluations are given from students to their professors, however some students feel that it is more difficult to give feedback during the semester.

In many instances difficulty with a professor can result in students speaking to the dean of the college in an attempt to get the situation to change. This attempt in change can be a difficult approach as there isn’t a guarantee anything will change.

Other students have spoken out on issues that are consistently mentioned such as the issue of parking on campus or campus drainage systems.

“I wish that they would do something to fix the rain problem because it’s awful to walk anywhere in the rain,” said Emily Morris, a broadcasting junior. The issue of the campus-wide drainage system is one brought up every year and seemingly no action takes place to provide a fix.

“I never bought a parking pass because I thought it was too expensive,” said Hayley Jamil a journalism freshman. The price of parking increased this year causing many students to choose not to purchase a parking pass and forego any on campus parking options.

Beyond issues of campus change, some students feel there should be a social change that occurs amongst the staff regarding entering the school.

“They asked me, ‘What’s your major?’ and I said ‘I don’t know” said Joseph Mando, a microbiology junior. Major discovery services are available for students, however accessibility of these services may need to be brought into question when students are pressured into a significant decision.

However difficult some of these issues appear, changes will not occur purely thorough verbal complaints. Action on the part of the students must occur for change to take place.

The University does accept comments and concerns regarding issues to be fixed, however it may take more than a complaint for students to get their way.

Gearing up for graduation

Seniors at the University of Oklahoma were preparing for graduation with the help of a university held event from Monday through Wednesday in a local campus building.

Seniors that were anticipating graduating in December received help from Graduation Gear-Up, a university held function created to offer a convenient way to get all the items and information a graduation candidate would need. The event was held in Beaird Lounge, found on the second floor in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. The event was on Oct. 6-8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

Graduating among thousands of people may intimidate future graduates when preparing for graduation, but this event is designed to give one-on-one attention to those who needed it. Many students found it helpful, such as Murat Turkbey, a petroleum and mechanical engineering senior. According to Turkbey, Graduation Gear-Up has helped him with any information he did not know beforehand.

“Students here are getting personalized attention and that helps them when they are getting prepared for graduation,” Turkbey said. “A lot of people are nervous about graduation, but this helps ease that.”

The event was meant to make the transition from a student to a graduate as seamless as possible. Graduation Gear-Up had booths with information about convocation, graduation ceremonies and preparation for after college. Along with this, there were booths from OU clubs and organizations ranging from OU Alumni, OU Honors College, Women’s Outreach Center and many more.

“The students are very thankful for this event,” said Caitlin Steves, student worker at the graduation office. “The process is very convenient, it just makes sense.”

Not only did it provide helpful information, but graduation candidates were also able to purchase their cap and gown, announcements, class rings and a Sooner Yearbook. If seniors wanted to take pictures in their cap and gown for the yearbook, or for personal reasons, they had that option provided by Norman Party Pics, a local photography business.

“The entire objective for Graduation Gear-Up is to make it as convenient as possible for everyone,” Steves said. “It is putting everything a senior needs to know all together in one place.”

This was not the only chance to attend the event; Graduation Gear-Up is also held in the spring semester, for those planning on graduating in May. It is held every fall and spring semester on the Norman campus and each spring semester on the OUHSC and Tulsa campuses.

Students turn out for free lunch

BY KATE BERGUM

Students line up to receive their burgers at the Bevo Burger
 Bash Oct. 9 in the Oklahoma Memorial Union Courtyard.

University of Oklahoma students queued up in the afternoon sun Thursday to enjoy free burgers, chips and cold soda.

OU’s Union Programming Board served 600 burgers during the event, held from 12 to 2 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union courtyard, said Alex Grant, the engagement director for the UPB, in an email.

This is roughly the eight year the UPB has held the event, which serves as a way for students to celebrate the OU v. Texas football game, Grant said in an email. 

Junior Stephanie Eyocko came to the event, which she learned about from campus posters, to show her support for OU in the upcoming game, Eyocko said.

Eyocko waited in line for her burger with psychology junior Brittny Dike. The two planned to head down to Dallas for the weekend and wanted to show their team spirit, Dike said.

However, the Bevo Burger Bash had a stronger pull than football: free lunch, Eyocko said.

“I have a telepathic thing for food,” Eyocko said.

The allure of free food drew biology senior Reema Verma, who found out about the event on Facebook, to the Bevo Burger Bash as well, Verma said.

 Verma sat down at a table in the courtyard to enjoy a burger with her friend, biochemistry senior Alizay Paracha.   The students waited for five minutes in a line to get her food, Verma said, but it was well worth the wait.

“Who says no to free food?” Verma said. 

Grant felt that the event was a success, she said in an email. 

"We ran out of food, the weather was great and I definitely saw a lot of happy faces getting a free lunch," Grant said.<iframe width="480" height="270" 

Freshmen adjust to college life, OU helps

As students across the University of Oklahoma’s campus cram for mid-term tests, first year students are still studying another issue: how to be a college student.

Freshmen often deal with homesickness and other problems near the middle of the semester, said Megan Denney, academic adviser in College of Exercise Science.

In addition to homesickness, freshmen students need to adjust to their newfound independence, dealing with sharing a room, time management and financial responsibility, Denney said.

“A lot of topics they haven’t had to deal with on their own, so they’re finding they’re having to adjust to and sort of delve into in their first year experience,” Denney said.

However, freshmen don’t have to make these adjustments alone, Denney said.

In the Gateway to College Learning program, for which Denney teaches a class about health and wellness, instructors help first-year students find the tools they need to succeed.

“It’s equipping them. We can’t do it for them, but we can tell them what they need to know,” Denney said.

In her class, Denney teaches her students about time management, emotional intelligence and maintaining a healthy sleep schedule, she said.

“They’re trying to balance between what they knew and what’s new to them,” Denney said.

In addition to taking part in the Gateway program, which Denney said she recommends, students can help make the transition from high school to college before their first semester even begins.

OU’s summer freshman orientation program, Camp Crimson, provides students with a unique experience to open up and make new friends, said Armando Melendez,  the camp’s MC this summer.

Though some of the more than 2,000 students who take part in the orientation enter the program bold and prepared, that isn’t the case for many, Melendez said.

“The majority, unfortunately, kind of come in and they’re really timid, they’re freaking out,” Melendez said.

Camp Crimson counselors strive to provide a safe environment where students can grow, Melendez said. During the experience, students meet other incoming students and an older student-mentor, Melendez said. They also learn about the academic resources at OU, Melendez said.

“You’re going to have a great time, you’re going to get tons of resources, and then in addition to that, you’re going to make friends,” Melendez said.

Whatever the program they decide to participate in, Denney said she suggests that freshmen take the advice of teachers and older students, she said.

“A lot of times they think that we don’t know because we haven’t gone through what they’ve gone through, but we have,” Denney said. “And, you know, if they could take our mistakes and our lessons our victories and apply them to their own lives, they’d be better off for it.”

Parking services aids commutes via Twitter

By John Walker and Honey Caranzo

The University of Oklahoma parking department keeps students informed on parking spots, lot closings, bad weather and recommendations to aid morning commute.

The OU Parking Services tweet available parking spots Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. The twitter account aims to help students find parking during the busiest hours of the day.

Two undergraduate interns at the parking department make their daily morning routine inside the OU faculty vehicle around the Asp and Elm parking garages before making their way to the student parking lots. With a smartphone in hand, they send out notifications to nearly 3,000 twitter followers of the available parking spots. However, parking is first-come, first-serve and spots fill up quick.

“The parking spots available are tweeted, but if people retweet it 15 minutes later it becomes invalid,” Vicky Holland said. “Parking fills up fast.”

Vicky Holland is in her fourth year as the public relations and market specialist for the OU Parking Services. She is the writer, designer, event planner and primary interviewer for the company.

Holland encourages students to go to the Lloyd Noble Center if they cannot find a parking space on campus. The multipurpose arena does not require a permit and students will be able to ride a shuttle to a destination stop to class. The shuttle was implemented in 1980 to alleviate the parking issue.

“The last tweet of the day says ‘Hey, if you can't find parking, go to Lloyd Noble, park there and ride the shuttle to class,’” Holland said.

Holland recommends to students who attend classes in the late morning or in the afternoon or those who cannot consistently find a parking spot to return their permit in exchange for a refund. The value of the permit, however, decreases each week after purchase.

 The Norman campus is looking to add two new parking garages, including one located south of Lindsey Street.

The parking services department places an emphasis on making the unit known across campus. The OU Parking Services have passed out flyers at Wagner, handed out free key chains, set up at the graduate, transfer and resource fairs, provided information at Camp Crimson and advocated their program to the university’s social networks.

Initially suggested by the Student Government Association, OU Parking Services is currently in its 3rd year of parking assistance. While the parking department does not extend their updates to other social media networks, Holland is pleased with the traction they have developed on Twitter.

“The responses have been overwhelming,” Holland said. “I feel the services are greatly appreciated.”