Elias Brinkman / Collegian

a student newspaper of the university of tulsa august 24, 2015 issue 0 ~ volume 101

Learn about Tulsa history p. 3

Guide to gay Tulsa p. 6

Feeling hungry? p. 7

WelcomeFreshmen!

Graphic by Eli Brinkman

Going back to school does not have to mean that summer is over. On August 29 Tulsa will be play-ing host to an epic summer bash that promises, “live music, food, drinks, water, and of course the biggest slip and slide ever to hit asphalt.”

The thousand foot water slide will be located at 1500 S Main St., with four ways to experience the event.

If you want to be a “Single Slid-er” you will receive a wristband for one slide anytime during the day, a drawstring bag, temporary tattoo and a mouthguard to wear while sliding. However, you have to bring your own inflatable tube to slide, or buy one at the event.

Regular Registration is $20 and ends 8-22-15

Late Registration is $25 and ends 8-28-15

Day of Registration is $30 “Triple Sliders,” receive a

wristband that allows them to slide three times throughout the day along with an inflatable tube, mouthguard, tattoo and drawstring bag.

Regular Registration is $40Late Registration is $45

Day of Registration is $50A Two Hour Unlimited Pass is

also available and gives the slider full access to the slide between 9am - 11am. Only a limited num-ber of these tickets will be re-leased. Unlimited pass sliders also receive a drawstring bag, mouth guard, inflatable tube and a hat.

Regular Registration is $60Late Registration is $65Day of Registration is $70Anyone over 16 can experience

the event by volunteering as well. Slide the City, the organization re-sponsible for the event, is accept-ing volunteers online.

Slide the City has done similar events across the U.S. and in Can-ada and China.

The purpose of the event, which initially seems counterintuitive, is to promote water conservation. At the end of the event all of the wa-ter used will get recycled back into the community and all participants are asked to sign a pledge to be more conservation conscious.

Slide the City will also be do-nating a portion of the profits from the event to Generosity.org, which is an organization working to pro-vide clean drinking water in devel-oping countries.

So, when you are sliding your way down one thousand feet of fun on your giant inflatable tube you can relax in the knowledge that you aren’t hurting the envi-ronment.

The Collegian: 2 24 August 2015News

Ground-breaking ceremony scheduled for

Gathering Place

Zoorassic Park 2 is a roaring good time

This summer the Tulsa Zoo is housing a temporary exhibit of animatronic dinosaurs. Titled “Zoorassic Park 2,” this is the sec-

ond time the zoo has had such an exhibit.

Eleven species are represented, though only nine of them are tech-nically dinosaurs. Many of them have been represented in the Ju-rassic Park franchise. They are: Ornithomimus, Compsognathus, Acrocanthosaurus, Quetzalcoat-lus, Dilophosaurus, Sarcosuchus, Baryonyx, Carnotaurus, Tricer-

Zoorassic Park offers an en-joyable experience, though it lacks accuracy.

Brennen VanderVeenStudent Writer

The Tulsa Zoo’s interpretation of the Tyrannosaurus Rex lacks the feathers of its real life counterpart. Zoorassic Park 2 will be open until the end of August and admission is five dollars.

Get super excited about the thousand foot slip and slide coming to Tulsa.

Slide the City slides into Tulsa

Courtesy slidethecity.com

Slide the City will be in town August 29, bringing with it a 1000-foot-long slip and slide.

September 20th, 2015 marks a new beginning for an ambitious project years in the making. On this date, the ground-breaking cer-emony for Tulsa’s much-anticipat-ed Gathering Place will occur and construction will officially begin.

First unveiled in June 2013, the Gathering Place Project is an ef-fort to construct an extensive pub-lic park along the Arkansas River.

The effort is spearheaded by George Kaiser and the Kaiser Foundation, who have generously donated $200 million to the proj-ect including $50 million in land amounting to roughly 80 acres. This is the largest gift to a public park in United States history.

Additionally, the Kaiser Foun-dation and River Parks hope to reach $150 million in private do-nations, of which they have al-ready raised $116 million.

The project will be completed in phases. Phase 1 involves con-struction spanning the River Parks trail from approximately 27th to 34th Street, as well as land along the Midland Valley Trail and the Blair mansion site. Phase 2 and 3 are expected to bring the park’s total boundaries to an impressive 100 acres.

But wait, you say. What’s so special about this park? What does it have that other Tulsa parks don’t?

The Gathering Place is un-precedented not only because of its size and its origins, but also because of its whimsical and in-novative design. One of the de-fining features of the Gathering Place is its network of interactive playground features. Plans include

playgrounds designed to look like towers, a play area specifically for small children, cliff-like rock fea-tures, and (my personal favorite) a Water Labyrinth where fountains will form ever-changing walls of water for kids to run through and explore.

Features for visitors of any age include wetland gardens and the Sky Garden (rumored to have a crystal-clear view of the Oklaho-ma sky), as well as a Great Lawn, Rocky Beach, and a lodge where visitors can rent athletic equip-ment or games such as Frisbee.

The cherry on top of this lovely public park sundae is the inclu-sion of a trail system along the Arkansas River, allowing visitors to walk, run, bike or explore trails with a gorgeous river view.

In an interview with the Tulsa World, leading contributors to the project seemed optimistic about its success and its positive impact on the Tulsa community.

River Parks Authority Board Chairman assured that the park “will make a huge and wonderful difference to the city of Tulsa,” while River Parks Executive Di-rector Matt Meyer calls the Gath-ering Place a “game-changer.”

Not only will the addition of more green space provide a se-cluded natural area for people to relax and gather (as the park’s name implies) amongst the hustle and bustle of Tulsa’s urban envi-ronment, the park also has ample room for exercise, exploration, and interactive play for kids of all ages.

While ground may be broken in a few short weeks, construction likely won’t be completed until late 2017. However, as a fervent supporter of all things outdoorsy, I am thrilled to see what the Gather-ing Place has to offer the city of Tulsa in coming years- and I’m sure countless Tulsans are as well.

A Gathering Place for Tulsa is scheduled to be completed sometime in 2017.

Hannah Kloppenberg Commentary Editor

atops and Tyrannosaurus rex.The Ornithomimus is an os-

trich-like dinosaur related to the somewhat more famous Gallimi-mus. Compsognathus were small, carnivorous dinosaurs that ap-peared in Jurassic Park: The Lost World and Jurassic Park III.

Acrocanthosaurus looks some-what like a smaller Tyrannosau-rus.

Quetzalcoatlus was a pterosaur and “one of the largest flying crea-tures of all time.”

Dilophosaurus was the dino-saur that appeared a frilled, poi-son-spitter in Jurassic Park.

Sarcosuchus was essentially an extremely large prehistoric croco-dile.

Baryonyx was a large piscivo-rous (fish-eating) dinosaur that very roughly resembles one of Jurassic Park’s Velociraptors, but with a much longer snout.

Carnotaurus resembles a Tyran-nosaurus with horns and was the main predator in Disney’s Dino-saur.

There are a few qualities that make the exhibit more of an enter-tainment experience than an edu-

cational one. Firstly, of the eleven species, there is only one omni-vore and one herbivore. Second-ly, despite the name being “Zoo-rassic Park,” eight of the species are from the Cretaceous period.

Also, there are a few inaccura-cies with the dinosaurs. Several of the dinosaurs are thought to have possessed feathers, including the Ornithomimus (whose name means “bird mimic”) and Tyran-nosaurus rex.

The Baryonyx has an excep-tionally colorful pattern since it was designed by a twelve year old who won a contest. Finally, the information sign for the Dilo-phosaurus notes that “films depict this dinosaur with a neck frill and spitting venom, neither attribute is supported by the fossil record.” Yet, the animatronic versions do spit out water.

Still, the exhibit is very enjoy-able. Signs offer some informa-tion about the dinosaurs, includ-ing their region, period and diet. A zoo exhibit should both educate and inspire the public, and carni-vores are just cooler.

Also, while Tyrannosaurus rex

probably had feathers, a feathered T. rex is not the king of reptiles that we’ve seen rule Isla Nublar. An unfeathered T. rex invokes genuine, if inaccurate, nostalgia.

The spray from the Dilopho-saurus comes unexpectedly, even as one tries to capture a photo-graph of the liquid falling from its mouth. Also, in summer’s heat, it’s a much more welcome surprise than the one that species provided Dennis Nedry.

Finally, the animatronic aspect makes it all the more enjoyable. The sheer size of a fossilized skel-eton or even statue is awe-inspir-ing, but seeing the apex predators’ eyes move and then look right at you provides a different experi-ence entirely. Hearing the sounds of the creatures and standing right beside (or under) a moving di-nosaur with large teeth is an ex-hilarating experience for the child inside.

The exhibit will remain open through August 31. Admission to the attraction is five dollars for the general public and four dollars for zoo members.

Kayleigh ThesenvitzVariety Editor

Hardesty Hall has been in the works for almost a year and a half now and we are glad to see it fin-ished.

On Wednesday August 16th stu-dents begun moving into the build-ing, and the Center for Global Ed-ucation, Career Services, Student Affairs, New Student Programs and English Institute have already moved in.

Associate Dean of Global Edu-cation and Director of Global

Scholars Dr. Lara Foley said the CGE was grateful to have more space after moving out of the tiny house on sorority row where the Center for Global Education was previously located.

The departments were given the green light to move in on Friday August 7th and were mostly set-tled in by the 14th, just in time for Freshman Orientation.

CGE is located on the third floor and its hours are 8:30 - 5:00 every day. Students can make an ap-pointment online or walk-in and talk to a student representative at any time.

Shelly Holly, the Director of Career Services, said the depart-ment was, “happy to finally be settled in a permanent location,” after being tossed around between

John Rogers Hall and the Student Union for the last 2 years because of all the renovations going on.

Holly was excited to announce that career services now has 10 new interview rooms for recruiters to use and plenty of Job Fairs com-ing up right as school starts. The list of Job Fair and Open House Dates can be found on the Golden OpporTUnities website.

If you need help from Career Services for job-placement or building your resume they are available from 8:00 - 5:00 by ap-pointment every day, or walk-ins on Wednesdays.

For students, amenities include luxurious lounges on each floor, a student kitchen, free laundry ser-vices and two free-standing clos-ets in each room.

News The Collegian: 324 August 2015

I’m sure by now you’ve all been thoroughly welcomed to Tulsa, but on the off chance that you have no friends or something, let me be the first to say it: Welcome to Tulsa! We’re an exciting midwestern city with a lot to offer the incoming freshmen, returning sophomores, juniors, and seniors, or venerable graduate students.

Now, despite what some of our more fashionably world-weary peers will tell you, Tulsa is a pretty interesting place. Although a rela-tively young city, Tulsa has borne witness to a unique slice of Ameri-can history.

Tulsa got its start as Tallasi, a Lochapoka and Creek settlement. The town was established under the Creek Council Oak Tree. Al-though the tree is long since gone, a public park and monument to the tree exists in its place at the cor-ner of 18th Street and Cheyenne Avenue.

So maybe I haven’t sold you on Tulsa being cool yet, especially since the first thing I mentioned was an important tree. For a while, Tulsa was simply a Native Ameri-can settlement in what was then known as Indian Territory, the finish line of the Trail of Tears. After a while, however, white set-tlers began to move in, as they do. That’s when things got messy.

Tulsa basically became some-thing of a spaghetti western for the first few decades of its history. The Beginning of Tulsa, a chronicle of early Tulsa history written by one of its first citizens, lists fighting cowboys, bounty hunts, gunfights, and treasure discovery along with store openings and church events.

One such event was the ransack-ing of a local general store by the

Kayleigh ThesenvitzVariety Editor

Allow the Collegian to wel-come you to its weird little town.

As you can see, Tulsa history is interesting and colorful. This photo depicts a southbound view of Main Street in 1893.Courtesy tulsahistory.org

Tulsa history: Cowboys, Indians and Sid Vicious

Dalton gang, a notorious gang of outlaws that operated in the area.

In 1901, oil was discovered in the neighboring Creek town of Red Fork, drawing fortune-seekers from around the country. A few en-terprising Tulsans invested in ac-commodations, and Tulsa quickly became the place to stay and play for oilmen and workers alike.

The ensuing decades saw Tul-sa’s population grow to roughly 140,000, as well as the erection of much of Tulsa’s iconic downtown.

Early Tulsa was home to the Greenwood District as well, also known as Black Wall Street. Greenwood was a wealthy, suc-cessful African American com-

munity, which was a controversial thing to be in the early 20th cen-tury. When a black shoe shiner was falsely accused of harassing a white woman in 1921, the result-ing outrage led to the Tulsa Race Riot.

Over the course of sixteen hours, Greenwood was almost completely destroyed by a white mob, resulting in an estimated 300 deaths, along with hundreds of de-stroyed businesses and thousands left homeless. Those responsible for this tragedy were never brought to justice, and it was not until 1996 that steps were taken to establish a reliable record of the events.

But not all Tulsa history is de-

pressing, I promise. For example, in 1924 Cain’s ballroom was built, and it would eventually be-come the home of Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys, who played a jazz/country hybrid called Western Swing.

Cain’s is also notable because it hosted one of the last complete Sex Pistols concerts. Sid Vicious even punched a hole in the wall, which is pretty brutal. The concert hall is still standing, and continues to host the likes of Blues Traveler, Glass Animals, Run the Jewels, and even GWAR.

Tulsa is additionally known as the Birthplace of Route 66. In 1925, Tulsa businessman Cyrus

Avery established the US High-way 66 Association. The great highway runs through what is now 11th street, right next to TU’s cam-pus.

And that’s Tulsa. Sometimes exciting, sometimes depressing, but never, ever boring. So the next time some clove-smoking hipster tries to give you a line about Tulsa being lame, take them down to America’s highway and ask them what they think of that. And if they still say it’s lame, you can always push them in front of a bus. After all, that’s what our crazy-ass cow-boy ancestors would have wanted.

Students, staff move into Hardesty Hall

Following the unveiling of Hardesty Hall, students and staff alike get used to their new digs. Wednesday, August 26 at 5:30pm

International Welcome Back PicnicJoin us for a picnic on the New U to welcome our incom-

ing international students and welcome back our returning international students with a multicultural variety of food, games, and live music!

Presented by the Association of International Students and the Office of International Student Services.

Thursday, August 27 at 6:00pm

First Thursday - Hardesty Hall DedicationJoin us at one of the biggest events of the year, First Thurs-

day!Doubling as a student organization fair and the Hardesty

Hall dedication, you’ll be able to pick up freebies, get in-volved in an organization or two, grab a snow cone from Josh’s Sno Shack, and watch fireworks in celebration of TU’s newest residence hall, Hardesty Hall!

Enjoy live music and enter a drawing for a chance to win Free Chick-Fil-A for a year!

Dedication and fireworks at 9 p.m.

Friday, August 28 at 4:45pm

Football 101Come to Chapman Stadium and learn about American

Football, a major part of the U.S. college experience. Prac-tice drills on the field with players and learn about the rules of the game. Come early to watch the team practice at 3:30pm!

Food and drinks will be provided.

The Collegian does not produce all event descriptions in the Community Calendar. Contact News Editor Fraser Kastner at fraser-kastner@utulsa.edu with events.

Giselle Willis Cuauhtle / Collegian

Pictured is the completed Hardesty Hall. It will house students, the Center for Global Education, Career Services and other student services.

Fraser KastnerNews Editor

the Collegian : 4 24 august 2015

This summer the TU family lost one of its most prolific members.

Tommy Hudspeth, a long time fixture in the Tulsa football community, died this July at the age of 83 in Tulsa.

Star-football player, class president, as-sistant coach, athletic administrator, fund-raiser extraordinaire: Tommy Hudspeth has worn many hats during his long tenure at the University of Tulsa.

Hudspeth came to TU from Afton, Okla-homa in 1949 where he became a star de-fensive back on the highly successful Tulsa football teams of the early 1950s which compiled a 26–5–2 record between 1950 and 1953.

His role as a leader of the football team was only the start of Hudspeth’s long rela-tionship with the university.

After serving two years in the Air Force after graduation and coaching high school ball, Hudspeth returned to TU as an assis-tant coach in 1957. He stayed at TU until 1960 when he left to become an assistant in the Canadian Football league.

Hudspeth’s career then meandered to Brigham Young University—where he won the school’s first conference champion-ship— to the University of Texas El Paso, to the Detroit Lions of the National Football League.

Hudspeth would return to Tulsa again in the 1980s, serving first as the president of the Golden Hurricane Club and later for-mally rejoining the university in the office of athletic development.

That Hudspeth left a mark on TU is wit-nessed by the number and longevity of the references to him in the pages of the Colle-gian archives, with his name appearing over 100 times in total and over seven decades, from his arrival in 1949 to his interview with the Collegian for homecoming in 2012.

These articles speak not just of a football player, coach or administrator, but of a role model, a joker and a friend.

A Collegian profile of him published on November 14 1952 marveled at how Hud-speth—know as ‘Hots’ to his teammates—managed to juggle academics, football, ROTC, fraternity life, and being senior class president, a role he won despite apparently not running a campaign. The picture pub-lished with the article, showing Hudspeth holding the various hats representing his roles at TU, encapsulates not just his time as a student, but his lifelong relationship with the university.

In the 1950 season, an injured Hudspeth was forced to miss a game against the Uni-versity of Detroit. The Collegian’s sports section the next week mused that “you never miss the water ‘til the well runs dry”, and that “Tommy Hudspeth was the water last week”.

For over sixty years, Tommy Hudspeth has been the water for so many in the TU community, and he will be missed by all who had the pleasure to know him.

J. Christopher ProctorEditor-in-Chief Emeritus

neWs

TU legend Tommy Hudspeth passesBeloved football player, coach and administrator leaves behind a 60-year legacy at TU

Photos courtesy of the Collegian archives.

Photos courtesy Alex Reinert and Sarah Power

the Collegian : 524 august 2015

The Collegian is looking for student writers as well as staff to assist with graphics, photography, advertising and more.

Join us at our first meeting of the year on Monday, August 31 for the opportunity

to work for an award winning publication and enjoy some delicious free pizza!

Meetings every Monday at 5:00 PM

Aspire to Greatness

Looking to make an impact on campus and beyond?

If you’re new to Tulsa, and a fan of watching sports, you might be wondering where you can go to see all your favorite sports. Wonder no more! This is your guide to the different teams around the city of Tulsa.

Tulsa Drillers Founded in 1977, the Drillers be-gan as the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, but in 2003, they switched to the Colorado Rock-ies. Just this past offseason they switched again, becoming the Dou-ble-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. While minor league baseball might not be as exciting as it is in the majors, you still get the oppor-tunity to see some great players as they make their way on up. Some players that played for Tulsa throughout the years include; Matt Holliday (Cardinals), Ubaldo Jimenez (Orioles), Ivan Rodriguez (retired) and Sammy Sosa (retired). This season the Drillers have a record of 24–25 and sit one game back of the Springfield Cardinals for the top spot in the Texas League North. The Drillers play at the ONEOK Field in downtown Tulsa, which is a short drive from campus, and the tickets start at roughly $7 per game. Parking is pretty easy: there are paid lots and street parking. The Drillers play until the first week of September, but pick back up again in early April.

Tulsa Roughnecks FC The Roughnecks are Tulsa’s newest sports team, having begun playing just this year in the United Soccer League, and they are not currently affiliated with any Major League Soccer team as many of their competitors are. The team’s name is a homage to the early Roughnecks that played in the North American Soccer League during the late 70s and early 80s. With their record currently sitting at 10–9–6. the Roughnecks are cur-rently in position to take the final playoff spot in the USL Western Conference with three games left before the end of the regular sea-son. The Roughnecks are owned by the Tulsa Drillers, so they share ONEOK field, converting the base-ball diamond into a soccer pitch during their home games. Their season ranges from the end of March to mid-September depend-ing on playoffs.

Tulsa Oilers Tulsa’s hockey team, the Oilers, plays in the Western Conference of the ECHL. Founded in 1992 as part of the Central Hockey League, the Oilers were one of two teams to play in every season before the CHL was dissolved in 2014. They were approved as an ex-pansion team by the ECHL soon after, and played their first season as members of the ECHL in 2014–15. Last month they announced their affiliation with the Ameri-

can Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose, and the National Hockey League’s Winnipeg Jets. In their first season in the ECHL, the Drillers finished 4th in the cen-tral division earning a spot in the divisional round of the playoffs. They lost four games to one against the first seeded Allen Americans. The Oilers play in the BOK Cen-ter downtown with plenty of park-ing available throughout the down-town area. Their season will start in mid-October and run through April or May depending on the playoffs.

Tulsa Shock Tulsa’s WNBA team, the Shock, was founded in 1998 in Detroit, but moved to Tulsa before the 2010 season. While they had great success in Detroit—winning three championships and four confer-ence titles, they have not been able to make the playoffs in their five years at Tulsa. The Shock has had some of the best players in the WNBA includ-ing; Deanna Nolan, Katie Smith (women’s basketball all-time pro-fessional scorer), Cheryll Flood and Liz Cambage. This season started off well as the Shock jumped to a 10–7 start, but they became plagued with injuries as the season wore on, losing seven of their last eight. They currently sit in third place in the Western Conference with a record of 11–14. Unfortunately, it was suddenly an-nounced that with full approval of the WNBA owners, the Shock will be moving to Dallas-Fort Worth following the 2015 season. The Shock play at the BOK Cen-ter downtown.

Golden Hurricane Finally of course, there’s our Golden Hurricane. TU, while a small school, is still able to support

being a part of a Division I confer-ence in every sport played, recently moving from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference. One of the greatest perks about being a student here is free admis-sion to every Tulsa game: football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, wom-en’s volleyball, softball, track and field, rowing, golf and tennis. Last year, our first year in the AAC, Tulsa won four conference titles in men’s soccer, women’s and

men’s cross country and women’s tennis. This year, we’re looking to add even more to that number. For any student sports fans, you can’t beat Tulsa accessibility and price. Every home game is on cam-pus and free to attend. Men’s soccer kicks off the return of Tulsa sports on Monday, August 17 at 7:30 against SIUE. In addition to these teams, there are lots of different niche sport-ing events around the Tulsa area, including dirt car racing and indie professional wrestling (which is an absolute blast to attend). Be on the lookout to find them all.

Hello everybody! It is Tara again (from the gay Tulsa thing), but this time, I want to talk to you about mental health.

Transitioning to college can be hard. Maybe for you it will be a total breeze and you will not have any problems – and if that is the case, great!

However, if you find that you are having a hard time adjusting, or that maybe you feel anxious or unhappy, or just sort of different, it could be beneficial for you to reach out and get some help.

Most mental health issues begin between the ages of 18 and 24. At TU most of us are right in that age range – so it is fortunate that there

are a number of fantastic resources in Tulsa, some right here on cam-pus!

First and foremost, I encourage you to go to the Alexander Health Center. There are a handful of counselors there who want to help you, but you have to be willing to go to them.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, or even just a little off, it can’t hurt to go to the health center. Whether you have a diagnosable condition or are “just” coping with a lot of stress, they can help you – and it is free!

They are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 12 pm and 1pm to 5pm. You can call them at (918) 631-2200 – but if you are in crisis, and they are open, you can walk in. Just let them know it is a crisis.

If you find that you are in crisis, you can also call the National Sui-cide Prevention Lifeline at 1(800) 273-8255.

If you want local support you can call the COPES hotline, which is a service of Family and Chil-dren’s Services, at (918) 744-4800.

If they sense that there is an im-mediate threat, they may opt to in-tervene in person. Other important phone numbers include the Trans Lifeline (877) 565-8860 and the Trevor Project (866) 488-7386 for LGBT folks.

There are a number of support groups through the National Alli-

ance on Mental Illness in Tulsa, a full list can be found at www.na-mitulsa.org/groups.

NAMI also has a couple of edu-

cational opportunities either for folks experiencing mental health issues or their caretakers or friends and family members. These are lo-cated under the “education” tab on their website.

Another important local mental health group is the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma. If you are looking for a referral, call (918) 585-1213, and they will help you out.

They facilitate free mental

health screenings and they also host a number of support groups. Their website is www.mhaok.org, and a full list of resources can be

found under the “get help” tab.There are so many great re-

sources for mental health in Tulsa. If you are having any problems, please do not hesitate to utilize them.

If you are unsure whether see-ing a counselor is for you, remem-ber that it cannot hurt to try (did I mention that the health center is FREE. Like no money, you guys).

It takes a lot of strength to seek professional help – try to remem-ber that there are other people on campus who have experienced what you are going through, and that it gets better.

The first step is getting help (and seriously the health center costs you $0.00. So go there!).

Full disclosure: Tara Grigson is president of HeadStrong, which is a mental health advocacy group. Headstrong meets on Tuesdays at 8pm in the Blue House (behind Chapman hall).

Hello folks! Welcome to Tulsa. If you are new to Tulsa, or even if you have lived here your whole life, you may have heard that we are a red city, in a red state, in a red region.

Consequently, you may have assumed that it is basically impos-sible to be a queer person in Tulsa. I am here to address these assump-tions and to tell you that it is okay to be gay in Tulsa.

Which brings us to our first LGBT resource on our very gay tour of Tulsa: the Little Blue House.

It is easily identifiable, because

it is literally a little blue house. It is always open and every-

one there is affirming and kind. It houses United Campus Ministry, which supports a number of stu-dent groups, including Pride. Join us at 12 o’clock on Wednesdays for a free vegetarian lunch!

Our second stop is at the 6th largest gay community center IN THE WORLD: the Dennis R. Neill Equality center, which houses Oklahomans for Equal-ity. OKEQ is led by Tulsa’s “gay mayor” Toby Jenkins.

There are activities taking place at the equality center every single day of the week, and it is open 365 days a year. Find more information on their website: www.okeq.org.

OKEQ is also responsible for the Equality Business Alliance, where you can find basically any-thing you might need (bakers, doc-tors, financial advisors, and also

everything else).If you are under 21 and looking

for a club: Club Majestic, down-town, is the place for you! If you go on the right night, you might bump into the Sisters of Perpetual

Indulgence. It will be very clear who they are.

If you are looking for a sup-port group off campus, you should contact Vic Weiner (they/them) vweiner@yst.org. You will make friends and your pronouns and name will be respected.

The other support group option takes place right here on campus: what I like to refer to as super-secret LGBT support group, which

is a totally confidential group that meets at a secret time and place. Contact jennie-wachowski@utul-sa.edu if you are interested.

Are you a religious queer per-son? There are a vast number of

local churches that will LOVE you and affirm your identities (there are also some that won’t, avoid those).

Christian options include All Souls Unitarian, St. Jerome’s Ecumenical Catholic, Boston Av-enue United Methodist, College Hill Presbyterian, and Fellowship United Church of Christ.

There are some options for peo-ple who are not Christian as well

(although they are fewer, because Tulsa is largely Christian): the Is-lamic Society of Tulsa is open and affirming, as well as Temple Israel Synagogue. There are many other examples on the OKEQ website.

So basically, it is okay to be gay in Tulsa. I’m not going to lie, some people will discriminate, and not everyone will be kind.

However, compared to the occa-sional burst of bigotry or hate, the amount of kindness, love, affirma-tion, and support is overwhelming. Tulsa is the very heart of the heart-land and it shows.

Full disclosure: Tara Grigson is Presbian (president/lesbian) of Pride at TU, the on-campus LG-BTQSIA+ advocacy organization. Pride meets at 9pm on Thursday in the Little Blue House (behind Chapman Hall).

The Collegian: 6 24 August 2015

A guide to gay Tulsa: Local LGBT+ resourcesThe resources available to the LGBT+ community in Tulsa are more varied than one might expect.

Tara GrigsonStudent Writer

Mental health resources available in TulsaRegardless of mental health diagnosis, there are plenty of resources that students should not be afraid to use.

Tara GrigsonStudent Writer

“If you are unsure whether seeing a counselor is for you,

remember it cannot hurt to try”

Matt RechtienSports Editor

A sports fan’s guide: Tulsa sports teams

Friday, August 28Women’s Soccer vs. SIUE;

Hurricane Stadium, 5.30 p.m.Volleyball @ Nebraska; 7

p.m.Men’s Soccer vs. St. Louis

University; Hurricane Stadium, 8 p.m.

Saturday, August 29Volleyball vs. Pittsburgh;

Reynolds Center, 10 a.m.Volleyball vs. Grand Canyon;

Reynolds Center, 5.30 p.m.

Sunday, August 30Women’s Soccer vs. Mc-

Neese State; Hurricane Stadi-um, 2 p.m.

Men’s Soccer vs. Sacramen-to State; Hurricane Stadium, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 1Cross Country @ OSU State

Duels; Stillwater, OK, TBA

Friday, Sept. 4Volleyball @ College of

Charleston; Tuscaloosa, AL, 2.30 p.m.

Volleyball @ Alabama; Tus-caloosa, AL, 7 p.m.

Men’s Soccer @ Virginia; Charlottesville, VA, 6 p.m.

Women’s Soccer @ Missouri State; Springfield, MO, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 5Football vs. Florida Atlantic

University; H.A. Chapman Sta-dium, 2.30 p.m.

Volleyball @ Southern Mis-sissippi; Tuscaloosa, AL, 5 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 6Women’s Soccer vs. Central

Arkansas; Hurricane Stadium, 2 p.m.

Men’s Soccer @ North Caro-lina; Chapel Hill, NC, 6 p.m.

‘Cane Calendar

August 28 - September 6

“It is okay to be gay in Tulsa”

Sports fans have numerous oppurtunities to have fun at Tulsa sporting events.

sportslogos.net

sportslogos.net

sportslogos.net

sportslogos.net

sportslogos.net

sportslogos.net

Health / Sports

Food The Collegian: 724 August 2015

If you like your crust garlic-y and doughy, yoursausage freshly ground and your pies

unreasonably humongous, then Andoliniʼs is theplace for you. Also, if youʼre up for some late

night drinks and slices.

The Caf (Pat Case Dining Center) Monday - FridayBreakfast : 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.Continental : 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.Lunch : 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.Soup & Sandwich: 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.Dinner: 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. SaturdayBrunch : 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.Dinner : 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.SundayBrunch : 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.Dinner : 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

The Smoothie Bar Monday – Friday12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Baja Jacks Monday – Friday11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Benvenuto Cuccina Italiana Monday – Friday11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Chick-Fil-A Monday – Friday10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Collins Fitness Center Cafe Monday - Thursday8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.Friday8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Einstein Bros. Bagels Monday – Friday7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Hurricane Hut Monday – Sunday5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m

Pizza Hut Monday - Friday11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.Saturday11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Star Ginger Monday – Friday11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Subway Monday - Friday7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Sushi Blu Monday – Friday9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m

Tossed Monday – Friday11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

On-campus dining options and hours

Save yourself the heartache of standing forlornly at the doors of the caf fifteen minutes after closing and check out the Collegian’s handy guide to on-campus dining hours.

Kayleigh ThesenvitzVariety Editor

The University has tried “its best” in the last few years to pro-vide a variety of dining options for students and faculty. Although we are thrilled to no longer be limited to The Caf, Chick-Fil-A, Hurri-cane Hut and Subway, the addi-tions of Benvenuto’s, Baja Jack’s, Einstein Bros., Star Ginger, Sushi Blu, Pizza Hut and Tossed have only done so much to stave off our culinary boredom.

However there are plenty of great and cheap places to eat near campus as well. The options extend well above what we have space to print, yet my personal suggestions are Maxxwells, Ty’s Hamburgers, Coney Islander, Arby’s, Taco Bell and Rib Crib. Billy Sim’s Barbe-cue is also nearby, but if you go in-side you might as well transfer to OU because we don’t take kindly to traitorous sports fans.

Maxxwell’s Restaurant is an elegant representation of the histo-ry of Tulsa, and is located roughly three blocks from campus on 11 St. Although it could be on the high-end of the average college stu-dent’s budget, they have specials including $5 Burger Sundays and Half Price Appetizer Tuesdays.

Appetizers I would recommend include the House Made Kettle Chips that come with ranch and spicy ketchup dipping sauces for four dollars, or the Roasted Garlic Tahini Hummus with pita bread for seven bucks.

If you aren’t craving one of the many fancy burgers on the menu, I recommend the B.E.L.T for eight dollars or for a vegetarian op-tion there is the Grilled Vegetable Sandwich for nine dollars.

Ty’s Hamburgers has a quaint, small-town atmosphere, but don’t let the carpet floors throw you off. Although the menu doesn’t con-tain a lot of options, if you are craving a good burger and greasy fries, the 14 block trek down Har-vard is well worth it.

The Chili Cheese Fries are amazing and only $3.50. The fa-mous hamburger, which could conservatively be ranked an eight on a scale of one-to-ten, cost $4.25. And if my recommendation isn’t good enough, rumor has it that President Upham is a frequent visitor.

Coney I-lander is easily the most affordable restaurant near campus, and it boasts the second best view of campus, being right across the street.

The seating is cozy, and during the lunch rush you’ll probably be forced to sit by strangers. They don’t have a large selection of choices, but they definitely deliver if you want a cheap and greasy co-ney.

The chili, cheese, onion, and mustard coney is $1.65 and the Frito Pie costs $4.87, so if you val-ue affordability over quality this is the place to eat.

Arby’s is admittedly a large chain that can be found anywhere in the country, but the Arby’s across from TU has one thing that no other franchise has: a claim to the best view of TU’s campus. Also, the inside is decorated with a mural of Captain Cane and tributes

to TU sports. While you are enjoying the

school-pride atmosphere you can try their iconic menu items, like the Roast Beef Sandwich ($3.29), Curly Fries ($1.99) and Jamo-cha Shake ($2.49), or you could try one of the limited-time spe-cials they are constantly cycling through.

Taco Bell is another chain simi-lar to Arby’s, but it is a favorite among college students because it is relatively cheap, and they are open until 2:00 A.M. most nights, and 4:00 A.M. on Fridays and Sat-urdays.

The menu is large and they are constantly trying to push new foods on their customers, so if you are craving a Taco wrapped in a giant Nacho Cheese Dorito while you are finishing that essay due to-morrow, it only costs $1.49.

Although Rib Crib is now a chain found in 8 states throughout the U.S., the location by campus was the very first one, and was converted out of an old house that used to sit there in 1992.

It is a typical barbeque joint with country music playing on the radio, and although it is on the higher end of what most col-lege students can afford, it is well worth the cost.

The Half-Rack of Baby Back Ribs, their most iconic menu item, is $15.99, but personally I would recommend the Super Spud which has all the meat and starch that anyone could want for only $8.99.

So when you are three months into your first year and have grown tired of the same fare day after day, pull out this paper that you saved for no particular reason and try these off-campus options.

Off-campus dining options for less than ten dollars

Tired of the on-campus dining grind, but still trying to save a couple bucks? The Collegian’s got your back.

Kayleigh ThesenvitzVariety Editor

Want to grab some food, but don’t know the Brady District from Broken Arrow? Well today’s your lucky day! Collegian alum Conor Fellin has compiled a completely comprehensive and entirely objective guide to making food decisions in Tulsa. Just follow the arrows to gastronomic bliss.

With the changing season and coming Fall Semester, there is a chance you may-ple find yourself in need of a refreshing walk around campus.

Everyone feels a little stressed some-times, so why wood-n’t you take a stroll and see these five trees we absolutely reviewed. So slow down a bit, don’t be a sap, prune your expectations, and leaf the cypress-sure of ever-green day life to walk with us through a tour of the trees.

Tree Number One: We elm-bark on our journey with a classic. The bowl cuts in front of Sharp Chapel are modest, uniform, and otherwise unassuming. Tranquilly they wait, remaining steadfastly rooted in their ways. A juni-perfect specimen. They will never change, just like your high school friends.

Tree Number Two, Electric Booga-

loo: Next, acorn-er stone of the university. This staple of campus keeps us grounded. It stands tall, looming over our hopes and dreams, confident that it will stand tall long after our oaks and dreams have succumbed to rot. Located between Tyrell and Sharp Chapel, it watches. You may mope and wil-low in your own self pity, but it cares not. Harsh and cynical, you won’t impress it.

Tree Number Tree: If you wood kindly join us at our next destination, we lazily lumber over to the grove next to McFarlin. This is the best place. Shielding from the sun’s cruel rays in the summer, you will find most pasty and pale individuals huddled underneath its canopy. It lends itself well to those in need of a place to sleep publically, should you find yourself dormant. Do not lower your guard, however. This is a shady part of campus, not as wholesome as frater-nity row. It’s probably best not to go there after eight in the leaf-ning.

Tree Number Fir: At fir-st glance, it looks to be a proud and strident tree, co-nifer-dent in all fields. Yew may think it to be a run of the mill example of the flora of campus. However, do not be deceived. This crabapple of an excuse is actually commit-ting high tree-son. Upon further investiga-tion, the truly sick-amore act is revealed. In

tree-ality, this a-palm-ination is lilac-luster and pining for attention without giving full effort. We know the truth, half of this mon-strosi-tree is dead and disappointing. One look and you too will be rhododen-done with it. Birch, please. Sway in your lane.

Mambo Number Five: Finally, we have arrived at the end of this trainwreck. You’ll be aspen in awe of our next destina-tion. Surely a poplar addition to campus, it really spruces up the place. Starting next semester Hardest-tree will be the home of

many bright eyed and bushy tailed squirrels. Standing three stories tall, it is the pride of campus, you’ll never find yourself arbor-ed with it.

I sincerely apologize for this article, I’ll go ahead and stick a cork in it.

It’s fall again, and that means yet another drove of woefully unprepared freshmen have arrived at TU, their eyes filled with youthful wonder and their hearts unsullied by the inevitable weight of college life.“I’m so excited!” exclaimed Britney Lei-bowicz, who still doesn’t quite realize what she’s in for. “I’m gonna major in nursing, but I also want to rush and maybe join some clubs.”Leibowicz, who within three months will be crying in her dorm, wondering how it got this bad, seemed pleased when this reporter told her there was always room for one more at the Collegian.While freshmen usually have a rough time adjusting to the strains of university life, few take it harder than out of state students. Darius Martin, who is currently brimming with excitement, is one of such students.“It just feels so liberating to get away from my family,” said Martin, who will seri-ously consider dropping out and moving back home by Christmas. “I love them, but they’ve been driving me crazy.”At press time, only one of the freshmen had begun to crack after getting a glimpse of the reading list for her Exposition and Argu-mentation class.

the state-Run Media24 august 2015

State-Runthe

media¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Ryan StaRkweatheRBarking mad

University students prepare for semester of tears and anxiety

After spending his entire summer work-ing a retail job six days a week, University of Tulsa sophomore Stephen Samson noti-fied the State-Run Media that he is “really excited” to start the new semester.

Samson expressed his anticipation at the prospect of a new source for his daily anxiety. Between nagging customers and exhaustive hours spent taking stock after work, the idea of sleepless nights spent at the school library “started to sound really inviting,” said the 20 year-old biochem ma-jor.

“Work was fun in the beginning,” reports Samson, “But around the middle of July I found myself counting the days till the start of the fall semester... I’m really looking forward to having a new source of all my stress.”

Samson announced that, like the stress from his summer job, he will let the semes-ter’s tension and dread build up slowly over the course of a few weeks. “I’m starting off the semester with a new determination,” he told State-Run correspondents, “but I know that by the middle of September I’ll be too disillusioned to even care.”

At that point, Samson reports he will “just have to hold out for next semester” to renew his willpower.

Many students dread the return of homework and lectures. We found a student who actually welcomes the change of pace.

FRaSeR kaStneRConsumed by ennui

One of our writers took the effort to compile this list of trees because he didn’t have anything better to do.

Definitive ranking of university trees

You know… I just started this job as Head Propagandist, but already I’m having to fill my section with my own articles.

It’s the beginning of school. Shouldn’t you all be more motivated? I just kind of lucked into this position, honestly.

At the start of the summer, I found myself stranded on an island with the former editor. We were told that only one of us could make it out alive.

We tried to find some other way to survive, but eventually we had to acknowledge there was no escaping for the both of us. I knew at that point I was the one who had to make it out. He had his chance. He’s older than me, anyway, so it’s fine, right? It’s fine.

Hey! Whoever pulls the strings around here, do you really think surviving a one-on-one battle on a private island in the south pacific is what qualifies someone

for an editing position at a newspaper?But despite the circumstances behind

the hiring process, I’m determined to do my best this year.

Even if it means forsaking my duties and delving deeper into a world in which I must abandon all my friends and family, I will find the ones responsible for this. And I will make them pay.

Caitlin woodSDoesn’t want to remember what happened this summer

Letter from the Head Propagandist: A dark beginning

First off, welcome. I hope during your next few years here at Tulsa that you find The Void a place of warmth, compassion, and encouragement. Our goal has always been to inspire greatness in and to remind our readers of their importance and the meaningfulness of their lives. Should you ever feel down, stare into the vast emptiness of The Void, and you might just find that something stares back.

We dubbed you freshmen mostly for its similarity to the word freshmeat. That is all you are to us. My first piece of advice is to remember that always. This institu-tion cares about you about as much as you care about an ant. There are thousands of students, faculty, and staff members to deal with so why would anyone care that the sink in your room is flooding and the carpet is wet. Expect no helping hands and always be watching for the looming shadow of a size 12 boot of oppression above your head.

Secondly remember that you will fail. Your failures in school will far outnumber your successes and your successes will re-

ally be just less disastrous failures than your classmates’. Always have in the back of your mind the difficulty of finishing your degree and the statistical likelihood of you dropping out and never doing anything pro-ductive with your life. As a wise fast food cashier once told me, “It is better to never try and never fail than to ever attempt to reach your greatest potential.”

It may have sounded like I inferred that if you complete your degree you could pos-sibly make something of yourself. That’s a lie. A degree is nothing more than a testi-mony to one’s ability to bluff and remem-ber things for short periods of time. Real life will slap you in the face with your own inadequacies. Even if you are naturally in-telligent, motivated, and were somehow able to acquire the skills necessary to excel in your field, none of it matters. Your ac-tions are inconsequential. No matter how much “good” you do for our earth you are still ultimately useless. Oblivion inches for-ward with each day and that is the only truth worth paying any attention to.

Dearest, fresh faced readers, I hope this guide will prepare you for the times to come. Lastly, from the bottom of the shriv-eled black thing that pumps liquid nitrogen through my veins, welcome to TU.

adam luxThe oculist of nihilism

Prepare your eyes to look deep into the void of adulthood.

Caitlin woodSReady for fall break

The beginning of college is an exciting time to re-invent oneself and take the first steps to becoming an adult. Unfortunately, being an adult sucks.

The start of the school year is a time for new beginnings. But we all know people don’t change. Some things you can never take back.

So you’re starting college

ChRiStopheR thomaSPun Consultant

Graphic by Elias Brinkman