Oct 3, 2014 Print Edition

Oral Roberts University · October 3, 2014 Tulsa, Oklahoma · Vol 49, No. 4

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NEWSTen guys compete for“Mr. ORU”PAGE 4

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FEATURESMantosterone Monday makes its returnPAGE 7

SCENE Be smart with your caffeinePAGE 16

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2 • Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 • THE ORACLE

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THE ORACLE • Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 • 3

ORU sees another year of growthEnrollment increases amidst globalization

ORU announced enrollment growth for the sixth straight year this week. The 3,481 students currently en-rolled at ORU shows an increase of 78 students from spring 2014 enrollment. 222 more students are attending the university since fall 2010. “We are deeply committed to con-tinuing to create avenues for future students from around the world to gain access to our unique whole person education,” ORU President William M. Wilson said. The student body is becoming in-creasingly diverse as well. The continued growth comes during a university push for globalization.

Kristy SturgillManaging Editor

October 2014

Students from 84 countries and all 50 states are enrolled in classes on campus. Albania, Denmark and Malawi are among the 11 newly represented na-tions in 2014. “The first week I saw a lot more people walking around looking con-fused. So, they had to be either fresh-men or transfer students,” junior Ryan Martin said. Returning students have seen a change in demeanor among the newest members of the ORU community. “It does not feel like the freshman class is much bigger in numbers per say, but they do have a new feel, enthusi-asm and just a different heart. Most of the interactions I have had with this new class have had a positive feel,” said

Flashback Friday: Movies then and now

ORU’s Student Association showed “Remember the Titans” on the lawn this past Tuesday. Thirty years ago this same week, the administration was making changes to SA’s movie policy. Tracy Reed wrote the following in an Oracle article in 1984— “ORU is a Christian institution, and we should be showing movies that project what the University is about,” said Dean of Student Affairs, Jack Wallace. “The reason for this change is to focus student’s eyes back on the original purpose of the university: To train students to hear God’s word. This is being accomplished by going back to showing ‘G-rated’ and ‘Christian’ movies only.” Currently, SA movie decisions are directed by what the university permits. “A lot of the movie choices are based off the discre-tion of administration,” said SA’s Chief Programs Director Zachary Swalley. SA goes through Director of Student Leadership Aaron Brown to get approval for a movie. “SA begins the movie selection policy by submit-ting suggestions to myself,” said Brown. “If I believe the content of the movie is appropriate and beneficial for

our student body, I then confer with the VP for Student Life, Dr. Daniel Guajardo, for his final approval.” Brown says content, not ratings, determines what is shown on campus. “This can seem subjective, but it allows an appro-priate parameter for SA to show movies ranging from ‘Monster’s Inc.’ to the ‘Hunger Games’ to the ‘Passion of the Christ.’ These movies range from G to PG-13 to R,” said Brown. “Having stringent parameters limits the ability to discuss content and benefit to the student body.” “Remember the Titans” is a ‘PG’ film. Thirty years ago, the showing of this movie would most likely be prohibited by the ORU administration. Of course, the football film wasn’t even produced until 2000. According to the Motion Picture Association of America, a “G”’ film indicates that it is approved for the general audience, and nothing within should of-fend parents if their child views it. “PG” films suggest parental guidance, because some material in the movie may not be suitable for children. MPAA established the rating system in 1968. The ‘PG-13’ rating was added to the system in 1984. MPAA added the rating due to the popular opinion that some ‘PG’ films were becoming too vio-

lent. This was the same year the ORU administration made the movie policy changes to SA. Showing “Remember the Titans” paid homage to ORU’s former mascot, the ‘Titans.’ #FlashbackFriday

Morgan ReevesContributing Writer

Students sit on the lawn between Claudius and EMR to watch “Remember the Titans.” Movies on the lawn have been popular events at ORU for years.

Graphic by Rebecca Glenn

Photo by Abrienne Summerer

student Zack Ripley. Senior Tanika Childs attri-butes the positive attitude among incoming students to the 50th anniversary celebration. “When I came to school this year, I saw so many faces I did not recognize walking around,” Childs said. “I really think the new students are catching a vision that just was not taught when I arrived here.” President Wilson continues to make big plans for the days ahead. “In today’s competitive higher education environment, I am excited to see the number of non-traditional, online learners joining our ranks, and I look forward to getting to know these

students, as well as our traditional residential students, who made ORU their educational institution of choice,” Wilson said.

News


Ryne VineyardContributing Writer

‘Most eligible bachelor’

University dedicates week to address

human trafficking

Nathan Roberts (middle) stands next to friends Zach Holderness (left) and Jake Haynes, holding his Mr. ORU trophy.

On Sept. 25, Student Association hosted the Mr. ORU Pageant to crown the most eligible bachelor on campus. Twitter served as the primary source for contestant nominations. “There were so many nominations,” sophomore Jessica Holler said. “It was hard to only pick 10.” Holler and senior Zachary Swalley hosted the event as 10 students gath-ered on the chapel stage to compete for the title of Mr. ORU. “We had freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, MOG boys, YB boys. We’ve had guys you’ve never heard of,” Holler said. “We didn’t just have your typical spunky people. And they were all funny.” Many students came to watch, some wielding signs with the names of contestants. Junior Nathan Roberts was selected

as the winner. “The 10 nominees sought to en-tertain students and embody the personality of ORU,” said Roberts. “I believe teamwork set me apart from the competition. My song and dance part-ner Michael Clayton was an integral part of my success. Every man needs a good wingman, and I found the ‘Buffalo Wild Wingman.’” The event was part of “Golden Days,” a week dedicated to inspiring school spirit in the student body. “It was so nice to see people come,” Holler said. “People should be proud of our school. We have done so much. Our school has accomplished so much. Oral [Roberts] did a great thing opening up our school, and we had fun.” Holler hopes Mr. ORU will become an annual event. “We had a great turnout,” she said. “I think we can do better, but we did good for the first time.”

Photo by Frank Whitaker

ORU will host “[Re]claim” from Nov. 8-11. This anti-human trafficking event will attempt to inform and combat the number one international issue plaguing today’s society; human trafficking. This event got its beginnings after President William M. Wilson challenged the Christian Worldview Committee to work on events and meetings targeted toward address-ing this global issue. Assistant Professor of Interna-tional Relations Dr. Ruby Libertus will organize the event with in-ternational relations students and Operation Mobilization. “We will [also] be collaborat-ing with Dr. Clarence Boyd’s office and Spiritual Life formation, clubs such as Global U and Social Justice, and academic departments such as behavioral science, to show how dif-ferent majors play a part in educat-ing students on how to combat this pervasive, highly profitable prob-lem,” said Libertus. This event will include guest speakers who are involved with anti-human trafficking organiza-tions around the world and survivor testimonies. To kick off the event, ORU alumnus and NGO Sower of Seeds Project member John Anthony will speak on the second floor of the Armand Hammer Alumni-Student Center. Sower of Seeds,

Brooke ThomasFeatures Editor

Student Association crowns junior student as Mr. ORU

based in Keller, Texas, has produced mini-documentaries on their work rescuing women and girls that have been trafficked in India. They focus on rehabilitation. Sunday’s events will include guest speaker Sarah Bowling. Bowl-ing is the co-host of “Today with Marilyn and Sarah” with her moth-er Marilyn Hickey. She will discuss her non-profit, Saving Moses and the work they do in Cambodia. On Nov. 10, a panel of speakers, including ORU Provost Dr. Katha-leen Reid-Martinez, Momentum Global’s John DeYoung and rep-resentatives from Women’s Coali-tion, the Demand Project, Truckers Against Trafficking and the FBI will be assembled to discuss the epidemic. The awareness session will be moderated by Danielle Disk of Operation Mobilization. Weather permitting, the confer-ence will conclude with an outdoor concert, speakers from local and state government and the releasing of lanterns to recognize those who have been trafficked and the various countries affected by the issue of human trafficking. This event will be free and open to to the public. “We hope that the Mayor Dewey Bartlett will read a procla-mation on a day of justice Nov. 12 in chapel,” said Libertus.


ICD takes New Zealand

This winter break, the ORU International Community Development majors will travel to New Zealand. The students hope to gain professional, hands-on experience that will help prepare them for a career in the development world. Samantha Shinn, the student leader for the trip, says she’s excited to experience the culture of New Zealand and go on her first airplane ride. She’s also looking forward to assuming her leadership role. “I’m a little nervous about my leadership position but also super excited about what God is going to do through it,” she said.

Ann ChinworthStaff Writer

Students become legislators: OIL begins the bill-writing process

Every semester, ORU’s Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (OIL) prepares a series of bills to present at session in Oklahoma City. At their Tuesday meetings, OIL members spend an hour working on their bills or presenting mock-up legislature sessions. “Since it is a mockup of the Oklahoma State Legislature, we don’t really write bills on federal things,” said senior Rosina Albanese, Speaker of the House Emeritus. “A lot of people come in wanting to write about things like ObamaCare or things like that because those are hot button issues on a federal level, but we deal with the state legislature.” The process of writing bills is launched by an idea. Any ORU student can bring in a bill. “We’ve had plenty of people from ORU who have presented,” said Brandon Richards, Head of the Senate. “Last year, one biology major and one chemistry major wrote a science bill, and it passed through both houses, and it was really good.” Richards said writing a bill can be a rewarding experience. “That’s because you literally get to

Madison McDanielStaff Writer

create change in Oklahoma, even if it’s just pretend. It starts off with an idea. You see something that’s wrong with Oklahoma statutes, and you decide that you want to change it,” Richards said. Each bill must run through a series of steps before it becomes a law. It must pass through both the Senate and the House before the governor of OIL signs or vetoes it. “If it’s passed then it could actually be brought up to the actual senators in the House of Representatives. We’ve actually had multiple bills come from OIL that have become actual law in Oklahoma,” Richards said. Albanese enjoys the preparation in presenting a bill as well as the public speaking aspect. “If your bill hits the floor and gets to be presented in front of the 150 people who are in the House from across the state, you have a two to five minute author’s explanation where you explain your legislation, your heart behind it and why it’s unique from other things that may already be in existence,” Albanese said. “Doing that prep work where people will question you and preparing your answers, is something that I really think is fun.” OIL works on writing bills to

make change not only at the collegiate level, but at the state level as well. “The change you’re making here may seem like a fantasy, but in reality, it is a reality,” Richards said.

The team is comprised of six students and two professors. While in New Zealand, they will work with an orphanage run by the brother of ICD Adviser and Associate Professor of International Community Development Dr. Solomon Hailu. “We will also be learning some traditional dances and songs,” Hailu said. “We will be doing some team building exercises like building a raft. We will be snorkeling and other such things.” Students going on the trip will receive credit for the trip for travel studies, internship or humanities. The trip will take place during winter break from Dec. 6 to Dec. 22.

Students David Jones, Mandy Yanovitch, Rosina Albanese and Eric Yoder talk during an OIL meeting. The group won several awards while competing in the state competition last year, and their work could result in state level legislation being passed.

Photo by Caleb Shong

“You literally get to create change in Oklahoma...”

- Brandon Richards


Is Tulsa the most dangerous city in this or ‘any parallel universe’?

Students’ social media pages were re-cently flooded with new reports ranking Tulsa as the most dangerous city in the United States. Blog site MyLife.com published the ranking. Levels of city safety were based on population, number of police officers in the city, vehicular fatalities, property crime, registered sex offenders and the number of people listed with health care coverage. Such statistics could possibly be de-ceiving when regarding how dangerous a city may be. Director of ORU Cam-pus Security Gerald Isaacs, who also has worked for the Tulsa Police Depart-ment, said he was aware of the rankings and agreed that the criteria was unusual. “Why the number of people who

had health insurance was a criteria, I have no clue, and they don’t either,” Isaacs said. The most popular way to determine the most dangerous cities is usually by considering a city’s violent crime rates. Forbes has accounted for rape, mur-der and aggravated assaults in the past when doing its rankings, unlike the blog site’s approach. Had violent crime rates been weighed heavily, Tulsa would rank lower on the list. “Many of the homicides in Tulsa are related to gang or drug-type violence or domestic violence,” Isaacs added. “If you are not involved in criminal activity yourself or domestic violence at home, the chances are you are never going to be a victim.” Tulsa has seen a decrease in crime within the past year. Police want to

Solomon WilliamsStaff Writer

assure residents they are continually striving to keep the city safe, despite recent reports. Tulsa Police Officer Jill Roberson says the city’s statistics are encouraging. “Right now, our crime rates are down about 15 percent to the previous year. We have about a 90 percent solve-rate on our homicide cases, so nothing is being left behind,” Roberson said. Tulsa residents and ORU students can be encouraged violent crimes rates are dropping, but Roberson said citizens should always look to be wise and take heed of their surroundings. “We always encourage the citizens of Tulsa to be more aware,” she said. “Being aware and educating yourself about your surroundings is always going to help you.”

CRIME GOES ONLINE

GET AN APP. Interested in neighborhood or national crimes? Follow arrest, arson, assault, burglary, robbery, shoot-ing, theft and vandalism crimes in your area at www.spotcrime.com.

REPORT A CRIME ONLINE.To make an online police report, go to www.tulsapolice.org. This site is not for emergencies or in-progress crimes, criminal activity requiring immediate action, anonymous reports of criminal activity, collisions oc-curring on interstate highways or crimes occurring outside the Tulsa city limits.

Media expert Phil Cooke will speak this Thursday on how Chris-tians can convey their faith in a culture that pins sleeping cats at one moment and watches a viral video next. Vetted by the ORU Christian Worldview Committee, Cooke brings an expansive knowledge of branding, advertising, filmmaking and faith to his lecture “The Gospel, Pop Culture and The Digital Future: Sharing Our Faith with the Most Distracted Generation in History.” His Burbank, California-based com-pany, Cooke Pictures, develops media for nonprofit organizations and world leaders. He has appeared as a source on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News and blogs for Huffington Post. His books

include “Jolt!: Get the Jump on a World That’s Constantly Changing,” “One Big Thing: Discovering What You Were Born to Do” and his newest book “Unique: Telling Your Story in the Age of Brands and Social Media.” Cooke’s lecture will begin at 7 p.m. in Christ’s Chapel. It is free and open to the public.

Media mogul to speak on cultural dizziness

OracleStaff Reports

Courtesy photo


Community of togasMantosterone Monday aims to bring unity in EMR

Men dawning togas marched into Zoppelt, taking their seats for the night’s festivities. Some chanted; some danced. Monday, Sept. 29 marked the return of Mantosterone Monday and the first all Ellis Melvin Roberts [EMR] com-munity meeting. “This was just to promote unity among the different floors of EMR,” head chaplain Brandon Pemberton said. “We believe EMR has a very strong culture and a very strong impact on ORU itself. We wanted to reinforce that and provide the men an opportuni-ty to come together as a unified whole.” Mantosterone Monday was conceived

last year by students Zach Holderness, Nathan Roberts and Austin Whitaker. “It hasn’t been going on for centu-ries,” Whitaker said. “But centuries from now, [people] will say ‘It’s been going on for centuries.’” This year, EMR head leadership took charge of the event. Before the compe-tition, all of EMR gathered in Zoppelt for a joint community meeting led by head resident advisers, academic peer advisers and chaplains. Students were encouraged to wear to-gas. Most students draped themselves in bed sheets and other Greek-related items. Guys from the wing Republic went against the theme and came dressed as ninjas. They arrived 10 minutes late to the meeting, dashing through the auditorium

before silently taking their seats. The meeting featured a game of Jeopardy and speeches about topics re-lating to EMR. The noise level contin-ued to grow as the night progressed. Student Nathan Dufour said the “crazi-ness” of the meeting may have prevent-ed the message from getting across. After the meeting, everyone gath-ered on the lawn between Claudius and EMR for a tug-of-war tournament. Wyatt Bullard, chaplain on Kings-men, felt like the game and community building moments were successful. “I feel like a lot of the traditions and cultures [in EMR] are shifting for the better,” Bullard said. “The dynam-ics, especially with the second floor, are changing a lot.”

Up until last year, the second floor of EMR was closed to students. This year, it opened as a freshman floor. This is the first year ORU dedicated an entire floor to freshmen. Freshman Matthew Samuelson lives on Anchor, EMR 2 East. He competed with his wing in the games. “It was a magnificent battle to the end of our voices,” Samuelson said. “I feel extremely proud of my dorm. I know that I’m in the greatest dorm in the history of the U.S.” Mantosterone Monday will con-tinue throughout the year, happening once a month. “This year is going to be a good year,” said Pemberton. “EMR is a strong dorm, and I believe it’s going to keep improving.”

Dominique JohnsonEditor-in-Chief

Top: Students from the wing Republic dress as ninjas during the EMR hall meeting. Compared to their noisy peers dressed in classic greek attire, the ninjas sat mostly still during the meeting.

Top right: Students Zach Holderness and Nathan Roberts helped found Mantosterone Monday last year.

Right: The guys from MOG cheer during the event. Nathan Roberts, Drew Wilson, Jake Haynes, Artem Anderson and Gabe Gabe Kanelopoulos represent their dorm wing Men of God (MOG).

Photos by Nick Conroy


Israel is a nation marked with conflict. Since bibli-cal times, Israel has been entangled in controversy and with the ongoing conflicts in the Gaza Strip, the tension is far from over. Now, ORU’s Campus Israel Alliance club is fo-cused on bringing the facts to these controversies. “The way the club can help Israel is by telling the facts and telling the truth,” said club Vice President Kyle Hanson. “It is not that we provide a different per-spective, it is that we want people to know the facts, so they can make their decision to support Israel.” Last week, the Campus Israel Alliance club hosted their first meeting aimed at sharing their mission along with overall information on how to get involved. Club president Tiana Woods said she is happy for the opportunity to share her passion for Israel and looks forwards to informing students about the country. “Our mission [on campus] is to educate and inform all of you [students] why you would want to be pro-Israel, why you would want to be supporters of the state of Israel and what you can do,” said Woods. “We are going to provide the necessary tools, knowledge and experience you need to make the decisions that you want to make and that is by giving you educational op-portunities.” More than 6,000 miles away from the U.S., Israel is still strongly linked to Christians. Christian Worldview Professor Felipe Ornelas spoke about supporting Israel, despite different beliefs in accordance to biblical scriptures.

Valeria HernandezStaff Writer

Israel Alliance Club focuses on informing students

“Jesus made Jews and Gentiles one. That’s what He is about: breaking down the wall of partition be-tween us,” said Ornelas. “Jesus should break down the partition between Christians and Jews. He came so that we could become one. That’s the goal.” The evident partition between Israel and Palestine puts the region under a constant spotlight. The recent attacks on Gaza and the West Bank have brought the area back into the spotlight of controversy concerning who is at fault for the losses in the Middle East. For Campus Israel Alliance, information is primordial in order to form an accurate perspective of the conflict. “I don’t see it as a conflict between the people from Gaza and Israel,” said Hanson. “I see it as a conflict between Hamas and Israel and [also be-tween]Hamas against people from Gaza. [The club] can help Israel by telling the facts and truth. That’s not something that Hamas does, and that’s not always something you see in the news, it’s not that we provide a different perspective. It’s that we want people to know the facts.” Different seminars are going to play a part in the club’s activities for the year, and there will be various guest speakers who are willing to share their knowl-edge of Israel. Post-graduate student Ricardo Casta-ñeda attended last week’s meeting and left convinced it was a great learning experience. “The meeting was really good,” said Castañeda. “You can tell the leadership knows about the topic. It is not random people talking, but they love what they are doing, you can see it. They have passion for Israel.”

Expect “apologetics” tweeting to be a part of your general education. Dr. Jeffrey Voth’s Christian worldview and culture classes are using the hashtag #CWVC on Twitter as a class forum for students to de-fend their positions on present-day issues. “I think that it engages them culturally and meets them where they’re at,” Voth said. He said his teacher assistants bring up a cultural issue that “could be a little bit edgy.” “I let the students talk about it, and then they tweet about that question,” said Voth. He said the use of social media in the classroom can bridge generations and promote better discussion between students. This semester, students were assigned a question about racism and it’s prevalence in America after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Other, more hypotheti-cal questions on moral relativism and whether or not birthdays are selfish make up the “Apolo-getic Moment” every Tuesday in class. “Tweeting their responses is worth class credit. By using social media, the students are getting the word out there about various ‘Apologetic Moments’, receive credit and are staying engaged in class,” said senior teaching assistant Jolene Rimes. During these defending-their-position moments, students review the comments made by their classmates. Voth encourages them to express their viewpoints on each topic and provide the reasoning behind their statements. The questions are posed to extract individual worldview responses and evoke thoughtful insight from the students. “The topics that we are assigned to tweet about are usually very broad. If we don’t agree or know how to explain ourselves, we can tweet a quote that helps support our point of view,” said sophomore Cingza Gin. “For example, I tweeted, ‘your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words and your words become your action.’ The right quote can be extremely relevant to the kinds of topics that we discuss.” As with any intellectual setting, conflicting viewpoints will clash against each other. “It depends on the group of students. The 2:20 p.m. class tends to argue and debate a little more, in a healthy fashion, than the 10:50 a.m. class,” said Voth.

#HashTag assignment

Kaylin ThomsonStaff Writer

Israel Alliance Club vice president Kyle Hanson speaks during a club meeting. Photo by Rebecca Olvera


On a campus where opinion varies drastically on the topic of security, ORU Director of Security Gerald Isaacs has developed an attitude of loving stern-ness toward those he has been tasked with protecting.

“I look at it like my kids, because my kids went to school here. If we keep them safe and give them an opportunity to grow, then we are successful,” Isaacs said.

Isaacs served as a Tulsa Police Of-ficer for 27 years.

Campus security works hard to ensure safety, but Isaacs acknowledges they are not always perfect.

“We make mistakes,” Isaacs said. “Don’t think bad of all of us because of one bad situation. Because that’s the same guy that may be out here, you know, saving your life tomorrow.”

For Isaacs and his staff of 43, duty to the students runs deeper than a title.

As a patrol sergeant in the Tulsa Police Department, Isaacs worked the graveyard shift in the surrounding area.

The amiable professional relation-ship he developed with ORU during that time led to an invitation to come on as director of security. Isaacs attained the rank of Supervising Detective and was looking for a change of pace.

“I retired on Friday and came to work here on Monday,” Isaacs said.

That was 11 years ago. The role he now plays heading campus security is very different.

“As a police officer, our objective in the field is to catch the bad guy. Basically, find somebody who is doing something wrong and prevent it or stop it. Here, it is all prevention,” said Isaacs. “I’m not here to see if I can catch you doing something

A one-to-one interview with Director Gerry IsaacsJJ Johnson

News Editor

Meghan DrakeOnline Editor

Meet Security Officer Landerous Meredith What is your job description as a security officer? “Our main objective here is to maintain a safe environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors,” he said. When it comes to the actions a security officer can do, Meredith said officers know, without question, the scope of their authority. “There’s no grey area. We know what we’re supposed to do here,” he said. “Other students give their accounts and that’s their account. But you have to take the full sto-ry because students and people, they give their account, but there’s always a reason.”What is the student perspective towards campus security? “Positive, very positive,” he said. “They appreciate security. I’ve had students come bring us snacks, cookies just to say how much we thank you.” “Sometimes I am going and getting off my shift, headed home and students stop me outside and say, ‘Hey, we appreciate you.’ That just makes us feel like, ‘Wow, okay.’ It’s our job, we get paid to do it, but there is a certain more level of ownership than just we’re getting paid. Really, it’s a calling.” A funny moment from your experience as a security officer? Meredith said he met an alumnus on his missionary trip to Haiti this year. Dur-ing a late night meeting in the bunks, the alumnus recalled a time when a group of guys were wrestling on the fourth floor in EMR. “He said, ‘Oh yeah, I remember the time a bunch of us guys were in EMR on the fourth floor, and we were wrestling and we were just rowdy,” Meredith said. “They were so loud and boisterous, they called security and we came up there. When security got off the elevator, they looked and they said, ‘What in the world [is] going on here?’ And they said, ‘We’re just wrestling,’ and the guys [were] beg-ging, ‘Please, please, can we do it one more time? One more time? One more time? Let us go one more time.’ And he said, ‘Alright.’ “I said, ‘What? He did that.’ If that would have been me, I would have said, ‘No, it’s over now.’” What are functions that security officers do that students may not know of? “We are pretty much aware within five minutes [if ] any strangers come on campus.” “We are here for you guys,” he said. “Sometimes we’re security, sometimes we’re a father, sometimes we’re a big brother, big sister.” “I’ve seen some tough guys come off the police force, gruffy,” he said. “But when they get around the students for awhile, they melt.” Editor’s Note: Security Officer Landerous Meredith has worked at ORU for nine years. This is an edited and condensed version of the interview.

wrong. That’s not my role at all. My role is to make sure you’re safe.”

In an average week, the security de-partment may see eight to 10 calls from students. Isaacs said those calls result in three to four visits by local emergency services. Campus intruders, like the protesters on campus several weeks ago, are another routine problem faced by the security force.

Despite these situations, parking is the most familiar issue security deals with.

“Every day we have five to eight thousand people in and around cam-pus. If there is an event in the Mabee Center, we have 10,000 or more,” Isaacs said. “Most of the conflict we actually have involving us and students has got to do with parking.”

There are 11 parking lots on the ORU campus. The majority of the resi-dential student body parks in the Upper,

or H Lot. Those with special passes may park in the Lower, or G Lot. Commut-ers park in the Commuter, or E Lot.

No students can park in the Execu-tive, or K Lot, on the Northeastern side of the Graduate Center.

These spots are reserved for execu-tive level and tenured faculty.

Isaacs says problems come when students park in places they should not park. He suggests when faculty and staff cannot find places to park in their as-signed lots, it prevents them from meet-ing their commitments.

Despite the day-to-day conflicts, Isaacs is positive about the relationship between security and students.

“I was up at the cafeteria today, and I probably had 20 students that just stopped by and said, ‘Hi’,” Isaacs said. “I hope they feel all of my people are approachable.”

SECURITY TIPSEmergency?Call extention 7750 first.Security will call 911 and direct emergency re-sponders to you.

Use items you carry if attacked:Books, pencils, etc. can be used as offensive weapons.

Take Precautions:Don’t hitchhike.In a car:Don’t pick up hitchhikers.

Scared of the dark?A security escort is available whenever you have to walk alone at night.

Above: Security officers Mindy Wolf and Travis Cox stand outside of the security guard shack. In the middle of the photo shoot, Cox rushed away to respond to a call. Below: Cox and Wolf hang by a security golf cart.


Photo by Meghan Drake

From the 2014 Annual Security Report

10• Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 • THE ORACLE THE ORACLE • Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 • 11

On a campus where opinion varies drastically on the topic of security, ORU Director of Security Gerald Isaacs has developed an attitude of loving stern-ness toward those he has been tasked with protecting.

“I look at it like my kids, because my kids went to school here. If we keep them safe and give them an opportunity to grow, then we are successful,” Isaacs said.

Isaacs served as a Tulsa Police Of-ficer for 27 years.

Campus security works hard to ensure safety, but Isaacs acknowledges they are not always perfect.

“We make mistakes,” Isaacs said. “Don’t think bad of all of us because of one bad situation. Because that’s the same guy that may be out here, you know, saving your life tomorrow.”

For Isaacs and his staff of 43, duty to the students runs deeper than a title.

As a patrol sergeant in the Tulsa Police Department, Isaacs worked the graveyard shift in the surrounding area.

The amiable professional relation-ship he developed with ORU during that time led to an invitation to come on as director of security. Isaacs attained the rank of Supervising Detective and was looking for a change of pace.

“I retired on Friday and came to work here on Monday,” Isaacs said.

That was 11 years ago. The role he now plays heading campus security is very different.

“As a police officer, our objective in the field is to catch the bad guy. Basically, find somebody who is doing something wrong and prevent it or stop it. Here, it is all prevention,” said Isaacs. “I’m not here to see if I can catch you doing something

A one-to-one interview with Director Gerry IsaacsJJ Johnson

News Editor

Meghan DrakeOnline Editor

Meet Security Officer Landerous Meredith What is your job description as a security officer? “Our main objective here is to maintain a safe environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors,” he said. When it comes to the actions a security officer can do, Meredith said officers know, without question, the scope of their authority. “There’s no grey area. We know what we’re supposed to do here,” he said. “Other students give their accounts and that’s their account. But you have to take the full sto-ry because students and people, they give their account, but there’s always a reason.”What is the student perspective towards campus security? “Positive, very positive,” he said. “They appreciate security. I’ve had students come bring us snacks, cookies just to say how much we thank you.” “Sometimes I am going and getting off my shift, headed home and students stop me outside and say, ‘Hey, we appreciate you.’ That just makes us feel like, ‘Wow, okay.’ It’s our job, we get paid to do it, but there is a certain more level of ownership than just we’re getting paid. Really, it’s a calling.” A funny moment from your experience as a security officer? Meredith said he met an alumnus on his missionary trip to Haiti this year. Dur-ing a late night meeting in the bunks, the alumnus recalled a time when a group of guys were wrestling on the fourth floor in EMR. “He said, ‘Oh yeah, I remember the time a bunch of us guys were in EMR on the fourth floor, and we were wrestling and we were just rowdy,” Meredith said. “They were so loud and boisterous, they called security and we came up there. When security got off the elevator, they looked and they said, ‘What in the world [is] going on here?’ And they said, ‘We’re just wrestling,’ and the guys [were] beg-ging, ‘Please, please, can we do it one more time? One more time? One more time? Let us go one more time.’ And he said, ‘Alright.’ “I said, ‘What? He did that.’ If that would have been me, I would have said, ‘No, it’s over now.’” What are functions that security officers do that students may not know of? “We are pretty much aware within five minutes [if ] any strangers come on campus.” “We are here for you guys,” he said. “Sometimes we’re security, sometimes we’re a father, sometimes we’re a big brother, big sister.” “I’ve seen some tough guys come off the police force, gruffy,” he said. “But when they get around the students for awhile, they melt.” Editor’s Note: Security Officer Landerous Meredith has worked at ORU for nine years. This is an edited and condensed version of the interview.

wrong. That’s not my role at all. My role is to make sure you’re safe.”

In an average week, the security de-partment may see eight to 10 calls from students. Isaacs said those calls result in three to four visits by local emergency services. Campus intruders, like the protesters on campus several weeks ago, are another routine problem faced by the security force.

Despite these situations, parking is the most familiar issue security deals with.

“Every day we have five to eight thousand people in and around cam-pus. If there is an event in the Mabee Center, we have 10,000 or more,” Isaacs said. “Most of the conflict we actually have involving us and students has got to do with parking.”

There are 11 parking lots on the ORU campus. The majority of the resi-dential student body parks in the Upper,

or H Lot. Those with special passes may park in the Lower, or G Lot. Commut-ers park in the Commuter, or E Lot.

No students can park in the Execu-tive, or K Lot, on the Northeastern side of the Graduate Center.

These spots are reserved for execu-tive level and tenured faculty.

Isaacs says problems come when students park in places they should not park. He suggests when faculty and staff cannot find places to park in their as-signed lots, it prevents them from meet-ing their commitments.

Despite the day-to-day conflicts, Isaacs is positive about the relationship between security and students.

“I was up at the cafeteria today, and I probably had 20 students that just stopped by and said, ‘Hi’,” Isaacs said. “I hope they feel all of my people are approachable.”

SECURITY TIPSEmergency?Call extention 7750 first.Security will call 911 and direct emergency re-sponders to you.

Use items you carry if attacked:Books, pencils, etc. can be used as offensive weapons.

Take Precautions:Don’t hitchhike.In a car:Don’t pick up hitchhikers.

Scared of the dark?A security escort is available whenever you have to walk alone at night.

Above: Security officers Mindy Wolf and Travis Cox stand outside of the security guard shack. In the middle of the photo shoot, Cox rushed away to respond to a call. Below: Cox and Wolf hang by a security golf cart.


Photo by Meghan Drake

From the 2014 Annual Security Report

10• Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 • THE ORACLE THE ORACLE • Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 • 11


SPORTS

or use a timeout to go make a player change and everything.” Other noticeable differences include that FIVB players can touch any part of the net ex-cept the top stripe while NCAA players can’t touch the net at all.. A ball hitting the ceiling in the NCAA is still in play, while in the FIVB it would be out. “I like [the] NCAA better because the game’s faster,” Poljasevic said. “You need to think faster. Ev-erything is quicker.” Despite the adjustment, Sirola said international athletes usually possess more skill because they prac-tice every day in club. “[In the U.S.] you only practice two or three times a week. U.S. players are practicing less than European people and anybody else.” International players also have the advantage of playing for their national teams where they face pro-fessional opponents. “Every single game there prepared me for this here,” Poljasevic said. “Because now when I step on the court and play Pepperdine, who is No. 36 in the nation, I’m not scared.”

Imagine being the best at something, then having the rules completely change. This is the challenge fac-ing ORU’s international volleyball players who come from international rules to play under NCAA rules. “I would say it probably takes them a good full semester to adjust to the food, to the school, to the practice, time management and overall just the vol-leyball competition,” ORU Head Coach Sheera Sirola said. Serbian junior middle blocker Jovana Poljasevic and Croatian sophomore outside hitter Nika Mosta-hinic both agree. One main difference between the Federation Internationale de Volleyball [FIVB], the organiza-tion overseeing volleyball outside of the U.S., and the NCAA is the libero position. The libero is a position that can only bump the ball, not set or attack. NCAA teams are limited to one libero while FIVB teams can have two. “I think the two libero rule is amazing,” Poljasevic said. “You don’t need to wait a certain amount of time

Internationals face new volleyball rules

David SauerSports Editor

Solomon WilliamsStaff Writer

Jovana Poljasevic from Serbia and ORU’s other international players face the challenge of having to re-learn new rules for NCAA competition.

Photo by Nick Conroy

#ORUFrosh50: Managing life, baseball, rules ORU students have successfully tra-versed the divide from team manager to player many times. Rafael Jimenez and Elijah Garcia had the same high hopes of making the ORU baseball team, but NCAA rules have made them ineligible. Incoming freshmen with athletic experience often take on the role of a team manager with the intent to improve their skills and try out for the team the following year. According to Senior Associate Ath-letic Director Scott Williams, NCAA rules prohibit baseball student-manag-ers from playing for the school where they serve as manager. The NCAA placed a 35-man limit on collegiate baseball rosters in 2007.

As a way to maneuver through loop-holes, teams would hire undeveloped players as managers in order to poten-tially make them a part of the roster later. Garcia and Jimenez came to ORU with hopes to make the team in tryouts. When the roster was full, the two were offered the opportunity to stay a part of the team as managers. The freshmen were faced with a difficult choice to forgo their eligibility and hopes of ever playing for ORU in the future. “Before I took the position as man-ager, Coach let me know that there is an NCAA rule if I took the position, I would not be able to play all four years,” Jimenez said. Garcia said he was not aware of the

rule prior to trying out for the team, but receiving knowledge about it did not jeopardize his future plans. “If I wanted to play somewhere else, I had other opportunities at smaller schools. I could be okay with not play-ing. Baseball would have been a bonus to what God has me doing here. I was okay with being able to put baseball down and still be a part of the team,” Garcia said. Jimenez is content with the idea of never being able to play again, but he does not think the rule is fair. “Some guys are not necessarily good enough for Div. I to start out with, but as long as you train, you might be able to get better and make the team,” Jimenez said. Jimenez may even entertain the idea

of appealing the NCAA rule if he feels he has improved to the point of making the roster. “You could have a situation where you have a player on the team who is performing the manager duties and still be a member of the team,” Wil-liams said. It would be permissible if a student does not want to transfer and agrees to fulfill a manager role without the title. By rule it would leave the door of opportunity open to play for his school. He would still have to be one of the 35 players allowed on the team. For now the baseball managers are sacrificing the opportunity to play for the team in order to get a small taste of baseball life.


MLB playoffs: Best record doesn’t mean best team

The long awaited excitement of Oc-tober baseball is finally here. The playoff brackets are set after a long season and several down-to-the-wire races. The Los Angeles Angels (98-64) and Washington Nationals (96-66) earned home-field advantage in their respective leagues. The best record does not always equal the best team. Both the Angels and the Nationals will have to prove they are the best. The Royals, Tigers and Orioles will look to knock off the Angels in the AL. While the Giants, Cardinals and Dodgers look to do the same in the NL. In the postseason any team can win it, and that creates the drama that makes October baseball exciting.

Russell DorseyStaff Writer NLDS Breakdown

The Cardinals won the NL Central by one game and will face the Los An-geles Dodgers. L.A. held off a late push by the San Francisco Giants to win the NL West.

Cardinals vs. Dodgers In a rematch of the 2013 NLCS, the Cardinals and the Dodgers face-off in the first round of the playoffs this season. The Dodgers are much like the Detroit Tigers in the fact that its pitch-ing staff is headlined by big names like Clayton Kershaw and Zach Grienke. The Dodgers also boast a high-powered offense that could carry them all the way to the World Series. The Cardinals don’t have the offen-sive fire power of other teams this post-season, but they do have is a solid and consistent rotation. 20-game-winner Adam Wainwright can shut down any

team, at any time. The Cardinals have the championship pedigree that very few teams have. Cardinals vs. Dodgers will be one of the more competitive series in this postseason. When the Cardinals beat the Dodgers last postseason they had one of the best rotations in baseball. The Cardinals pitching staff can take over a series, but the Dodgers’ offense is too potent to be held down. Dodgers win series 3-2.

Giants vs. Nationals The Nationals are the most complete team in the National League. They have a good balance of young talent and veteran experience. Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper look to come of age and turn into superstars. The Giants made the postseason as the second wild card team. They played and defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in

ALDS Breakdown

Tigers vs. Orioles The Orioles’ power-packed lineup led the majors with 211 home runs. The O’s are led by center fielder Adam Jones and designated hitter Nelson Cruz. Cruz led baseball with 40 home runs this season. Chris Davis hit 26 homers before landing a 25-game suspension for violating the league drug policy. He will miss the first eight games of the postseason. The Tigers come into the postseason as the best-hitting team in baseball, batting .277 as a club. Detroit will trot out the last three AL Cy Young winners in order to pitch against the Orioles. Max Scherzer (18-5), David Price

(15-12) and Justin Verlander (15-12) have been streaky this season, but they have playoff and World Series experience, counting for double in October. In the postseason, good, experienced pitching is a priority, and the Tigers defi-nitely have that. The Orioles even with such a potent lineup will miss Davis’ in the middle of its lineup.Tigers win series 3-1.

Royals vs. Angels The Angels are the most complete team in the American League this post-season. The rotation is solid and the a bullpen won’t give up a lead late in games. The offense is powered by phenom and MVP frontrunner Mike Trout. Trout and company led the MLB in runs scored

Tigers Angels Cardinals Giants

Orioles Royals Dodgers Nationals

Tigers 3-1 Angels 3-0 Dodgers 3-1 Nationals 3-2

National LeagueAmerican League

the NL Wild Card game on Wednes-day night 8-0. The Giants strong championship pedigree has helped them reached the World Series twice in the last four seasons, winning their most recent trip to the Fall Classic in 2012. They also have a veteran team with experience in the postseason, and the fire to get to their third World Series in five years. The Nationals are the better younger team, and have an advantage over the Giants in many areas, but look for the Giants to give the Nationals all they can handle in the NLDS. Nationals win series 3-2.

(773) and runs per game (4.7). The Kansas City Royals are back in the playoffs for the first time since 1985. K.C. defeated the A’s 9-8 in the AL Wild Card game Tuesday night to move on to the ALDS. The Royals were last in the American League in home runs and walks, but still managed to win 86 games, with great defense and an excellent bullpen that come in handy as well. The Royals are an excellent story, and baseball is glad to have the storied franchise back in the postseason, but the Angels are just the better team. This series will be fun to watch, unless you are a Royals fan. Angels win series 3-0.

Internet Photo


Domestic violence takes over sports world

Domestic violence has been the topic of conversation for the sports world more than the sporting events themselves lately.

Professional athletes are prominent personalities in American culture, particularly for youth. Athletes are considered

role models.Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice

was arrested for punching his then-fiancé in the face and knocking her unconscious. He proceeded to drag her out of the elevator where she lay prostrate. Rice only received a two game suspension, light compared to the league’s four-game suspension rule for sub-stance abuse.

On May 8, a new video was discovered which showcased the entire altercation, causing the NFL to suspend Rice from the NFL indefinitely.

On Sept. 12, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was indicted for child abuse. Peterson allegedly spanked his son with a switch until it broke the skin on his legs. It has been a controversial dispute of whether or not this disciplinary action was abuse or a simple spanking.

Football has been highly scrutinized, but it’s not the only sport dealing with domestic violence issues. The NBA also has a high rate of domestic abuse cases.

In February, New York Knicks shooting guard Raymond Felton was arrested and charged with gun possession after pulling a gun out on his then-wife. He was later released on a $25 thousand bail.

Statistics show that the NFL and NBA lead all sports in domestic abuse arrest.

The results are mind-blowing, yet the trend continues to trail upward. The point is that America’s beloved athletes need to be held to higher standards.

Fans are tired of hearing about abusive behavior and are ready to get back to seeing what these high profile athletes should be doing: scoring touchdowns.

Parrish Purnell Jr.Staff Writer

Ryan Woods & Meghan Drake Staff Writer Online Editor

Breaking the cycle of violence

With video footage of Ray Rice knocking out his then fiancee in an elevator and a subsequent newsreel of players with domestic violence charges, all eyes are on the NFL’s new policies regarding domestic violence. Now, a player convicted of domestic violence will sit out six games on the first offense. On the second offense, a lifetime ban from playing in the NFL will be issued. October marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month, highlighting the harsh reality that the NFL acts as a microcosm of society rather than a shameful outlier. One in three women has been the victim of physical violence by an intimate partner, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Approximately 42.4 million women in the U.S. have experienced rape, violence or stalking by a partner in their lifetime. Oftentimes, domestic violence incidents are wrapped in a cycle of power and control by the abuser. “Statistics show the average number of times a vic-tim will leave and return to their abuser is seven times before they decide to leave for good,” Sgt. Stephanie Jackson of the Tulsa Police Department (TPD) said

in an emailed statement. “The most dangerous time for our victims is when the decision has been made to leave the abuser.” Oklahoma is no exception to national domestic vio-lence stats. According to a 2010 study by The Violence Policy Center, Oklahoma ranked 17 in the nation for number of females murdered by men in single victim/single offender incidents. In 2009, 18,686 adults and children sought help from Oklahoma’s 30 certified do-mestic violence programs. Jackson, a TPD family violence unit supervisor, said certain initiatives are in place to combat the cycle of domestic violence, including the Victim’s Rights Card, the High Lethality Rapid Intervention Team that assesses lethality in an incident and the Family Safety Center. When an officer arrives on the scene, a victim’s rights card will be handed to the victim that asks ad-ditional danger assessment questions that are unique to domestic violence incidents. “We understand it is a hard step in the process be-cause of the family dynamics that play a factor in every case. This is not some stranger our victims don’t know; instead it is their loved one,” Jackson said. “Love may break your heart at times, but it should never break your bones.”

Ray Rice speaks at a press conference on May 23 with then fiancee Janay Palmer.Internet photo


Theatre department starts prep for British comedy

Review: “Holy Ghost” movie puts God in spotlightVictoria Atterberry

Scene Editorfrom skeptical to amazed. The idea of creating a movie com-pletely led by the Holy Spirit is a new one, and viewers should take into consideration Wilson’s credibility as a director and a Christian. “If someone doesn’t know the bibli-cal teaching of the Holy Spirit, he could possibly make some mistakes. You can assume that sometimes the Holy Spirit is leading you, when it’s just your own idea,” said ORU Professor of Church Ministries and Theological Studies Samuel Thorpe. “Holy Ghost” is the latest install-ment of Wilson’s Christian films. The often controversial topic amongst believers and non-believers has gener-ated considerable interest leading up to the debut. Thomson Matthew, Dean of the ORU College of Theology and Minis-try, said even non-believers could find interest in this movie.

“They [non-believers] are curious to see it,” Matthew said. “They may not agree with the message, or they may not get it, but we have to trust that the Holy Spirit could prompt and touch some hearts.” “Holy Ghost” will debut on Oct. 11 at Crestwood Vineyard Church in Okla-homa City at 5 p.m. Admission for the one-night event is free.

SCENE

Darren Wilson director and founder of Wanderlust Productions released what he feels is a film completely led by the Holy Spirit, titled “Holy Ghost.” The 113-minute film “Holy Ghost” follows the adventures of director Wil-son as he travels the globe. He travels with no script and no preparation. His mission is to show others the love of Christ. Wilson wants others to know that the Holy Spirit is real and can move in their lives as well. ORU sophomore Rohan Aby saw this mission as he watched the movie. “One of my favorite parts is [when] they go into this Hindu Temple, how they go by faith and to see the passion in which they are going. I was amazed,” Aby said. Wilson talks to people on the streets. After hearing their stories, he prays for them, and their faces change

Dafne Basave-Mead wears many hats, literally. As the official costume designer for the ORU Theatre De-partment, assistant professor of theatre, newlywed and pastor’s wife, she will now also take on the new role of director for the production of “The 39 Steps.” The comedic play will make its ORU debut on Nov. 6. “I actually was suggested by Courtneay [Sanders] and Laura [Holland],” Basave-Mead said. “I’ve seen the show myself, and it’s a very comedic show. It has its challenges, but I know it will allow me to strength-en the actors and their abilities.” Out of a cast of four people, three of the actors play multiple characters. Senior theatre arts major Shekinah Bauman welcomes all of the show’s challenges as an opportunity to grow as an actress.

“I hope to gain more experience, especially in comedy, because it is a different communication pro-cess than children’s shows,” she said. “It’s a different process communicating to an older audience.” Bauman has appeared in “The Great Cross Coun-try Race” and “The Cat in the Hat.” She is taking on her first lead role to complete her character analysis for her senior project. “I think this show will be a drastic contrast from ‘Diary of Anne Frank,’ but it is going to be just as great. They aren’t comparable, but I think that we are in need of a lighter show to follow ‘Diary,’” Bauman said. Basave-Mead shares this same vision for her actors and the audience. “I want them not only to have a good laugh, but also to be reminded that theatre can bring joy,” she said. “It can be a reminder that God also uses joy as a relief of the circumstances that we might face in our lives.”

Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, Basave-Mead arrived in the U.S. after her father accepted a job in the country. “My dad was hired by a non-profit organization in the U.S. to develop Hispanic Christian leadership, so we had to move to Houston,” she said. Basave-Mead’s desire to learn under solid Chris-tian values and principles led her to Oral Roberts University. She graduated from ORU in December 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Drama, Television and Film. Basave-Mead has designed for ORU theatre productions since August 2012 for shows like “Hello Dolly,” “The Cat in the Hat” and most recently “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Basave-Mead teaches fundamentals of acting, make-up design and costume design when she is not designing.

Erica LudwigContributing Writer

Director Darren Wilson traveled the world in an attempt to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirt.

Courtesy Photo

“We have to trust that the Holy Spirit could prompt and touch some hearts.”

-Dr. Thomson Matthew

> For movie, art, restaurant and other reviews, log on to www.oruoracle.com.


Drink responsibly

Ann ChinworthStaff Writer

Apple released the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on Sept. 19, resulting in a record-breaking 10 million units sold in three days. “It’s a great phone. It has many simple features the old iPhones were lacking,” said junior Zach Bernadsky. The phone has a faster processor, sharper camera, quicker Wi-Fi, finger-print technology and a new operating system. The new features have Apple calling the phone, “a new generation of iPhone that’s better by any measure.” “I had a Droid [Android] for a while, but that was mostly because of the interface and the size,” said junior Taylor Graham. “Now that Apple has stepped up their game, I loved switch-ing back. It’s beautiful, and it connects with my computer, so it’s perfect.” Apple released a statement in re-

Unveiling the iPhone 6sponse to reports of the iPhone 6 Plus phones bending, saying that a mere nine customers contacted Apple within the first six days of sales concerning the issue. The new version of the phone has a sleeker, yet larger design. The iPhone 6’s 4.7-inch screen and the iPhone 6 Plus’ 5.5-inch screen with Retina HD display compete directly with other popular phones on the market. The thin design allows the phone to fit in the palm of a hand despite its large screen. “I have the 6, and I love the display. It is a good size, and it looks really crisp,” sophomore Joshua Sauceda said. “The camera is great, too. I’m looking forward to Apple Pay.” Apple will release Apple Pay this Oc-tober. The service will allow customers to use credit cards, gift cards and store

Fall at ORU signals the beginning of all-nighters, cram studying and midterms. Many students reach for caffeine to fight fatigue. What some students don’t realize is that when consumed excessively, caffeine can have adverse effects on the body. “When I drink a single cup of coffee, I feel more focused, more productive and alert, like everything is right in the world. If I drink more than one cup, I’m so jittery I can’t get anything done,” said ORU senior Rosina Albanese. Albanese is currently taking 15 credit hours, work-ing as many as 20 hours a week and is involved in extracurricular activities including O.I.L., Christian Legal Society and Model United Nations. Albanese, and students like her, depend on a little boost to get them through the day. After studying all night for a midterm, caffeine is a readily accessible way to get energy back. Coffee, energy drinks and teas contain caffeine, a chemical that stimulates the central nervous system. It makes con-sumers feel more alert and focused, but danger lies in overconsumption.

A single cup of coffee contains 95 milligrams of caffeine, according to the Mayo Clinic. A safe amount of caffeine intake is anywhere between 90 milligrams and 400 milligrams. Once the 400 milligram mark is passed, the consumer will begin to feel the detrimental side effects of overconsumption. These include jitters, headaches, heart palpitations, insomnia and a rapid heart rate. Caffeine, like other stimulants, possesses addic-tive properties. If students typically drink caffeinated beverages every day and do not get their daily “fix” of caffeine, they may begin to experience the symptoms of withdrawal. The most common symptoms of caf-feine withdrawals are headaches, irritability, lack of concentration and fatigue. Alternatives are available for students looking to fight fatigue. Instead of reaching for another cup of caffeine, a student may consider taking a jog, doing some jumping jacks, drinking an eight ounce glass of water or taking a 10 to 15 minute power nap. Albanese has some advice for students as well. “Learn your coffee limits during a time that’s not super stressful so you know how well you perform when you really need to,” said Albanese. “Don’t forget to sleep.”

How to avoid a caffeine crashKalista BalagiaContributing Writer

Student Josiah Wiens studies outside of Hava Java with a cup of coffee. Students often over-consume caffeine, leading to negative physical symptoms.

Photo by Abri Summerer

membership cards all from their phone. Apple’s fingerprint technology will allow users to pay in an easy, secure and private way. Apple will release their first gen-eration of watches in early 2015. The watch will have many iPhone features including text, email, music and calen-dar reminders. The watch will act as a remote for the iPhone camera, Apple TV and iTunes, and will share the users’ fitness levels with their iPhones. “[The new iPhone] is the most advanced phone on the market with the most advanced operating system there is,” said graduate studentYvann Kar-amoko. “Apple continues to innovate, and I look forward to Apple Pay and the Apple Watch.”

Photo by Audrey Gray

ORU student David Finley checks his email on his new iPhone 6.


Three more days of awesome

Newsboys rock the state fair

The Tulsa State Fair has been in full swing since Thurs-day, Sept. 25, but there is still three days of the “11 days of awesome” left. For those who have missed the festivities so far, don’t worry. The fair will stay open until Oct. 5. Enjoy all the fair’s attractions including delicious foods, thrilling rides, unique shops, fun carnival games and more. Grab some friends and indulge in all the fair has to offer. Specialty Foods: The fair brings hundreds of specialty foods to Tulsa. Keep it traditional with hot dogs, cheeseburg-ers, corn on the cob and freshly squeezed lemonade. For those who like their treats covered in tasty bat-ters, try fried oreos, fried Nutella sandwiches or fried peaches. Savor the fair’s newest foods such as deep fried avocado bites and its original minneapple pie served with vanilla ice cream. Thrilling Rides: The best part of the fair is its hair-raising rides. Have a scream on rides like Fireball, Delusion and Screamer. Spin in all directions, hang upside down and make sure to hold on to your seat.

Daily Attractions: Take some time to enjoy the free daily shows and attractions. Shows include Perondi's Stunt Dog Show, Flippenout Trampoline Show, Team FMX Bike Show and the American Petting Zoo. Souvenirs: Don’t leave the fair without grabbing a souvenier. Specialty shops are planted across the fair grounds of-fering clothes, jewelry, trendy gadgets and more.

The Newsboys rocked the Tulsa State Fair Monday night on the Okla-homa Stage as a part of their “We Believe Tour.” “The concert was a neat experience overall,” concert attendee and ORU

senior Grant Reynolds said. “I love outdoor concerts because it feels open to more people. My favorite part was seeing a whole crowd raise their arms in worship at a public event.” The Newsboys played mostly songs from their recent albums, “God’s Not Dead” and “Restart.”

Victoria AtterberryScene Editor

David SauerSports Editor

Students stand with the Newsboys after a concert. From left: Band mem-bers Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, ORU students Joe Bass, Andres Sanchez, Rhema Bible College student Samantha Macie and band member Michael Tait.

Courtesy photo

Sophomores Olivia Taverna and Courtney Dilley enjoy the Tulsa State Fair.

Did you have an adventurous weekend? Tweet us your pictures at @ORUOracle

Courtesy photo

“They weren’t what I expected,” concert attendee and ORU sophomore Emily Tackett said. “The lead singer talked about real stuff. It wasn’t just a concert to them. They were trying to make a difference, and I could tell.” They opened with the song “Born Again,” one of only two songs sung from the similarly titled album. “Restart” dominated the concert, with eight out of the 17 songs played coming from the band’s newest release. The Newsboys also treated fans to some older works from the pre-Tait era. The Newsboys performed “He Reigns,” released in 2005, and “Something Beautiful,” released in 2006. The band also played “Where We Belong,” a song included in their upcoming album. “Hallelujah for the Cross,” a collection of hymns, is set to be released on Nov. 4. The Newsboys closed with “Je-sus Freak.” The crowd’s already loud cheering only got louder with drum-

mer Duncan Phillips’ performance on a spinning drum set. The drum set first raised up and rotated with Phillips still playing. Then, the drum set turned on its side, giving the crowd an above-view of Phillips drumming. After the band left the stage, the crowd’s cheers quickly turned into a chant of “God’s not dead,” referring to the Newsboys song with the same name. The fans were quickly pleased when the band played a clip of the movie “God’s Not Dead,” followed by coming back out to sing the song itself. The band finished worship-style with their rendition of “Revelation Song.” “I was thrilled that they were invited to the Tulsa State Fair,” Reynolds said. “They are one of the most popular con-temporary Christian bands today, and they are taking a stand with their music through their message that ‘God’s not dead.’”

“The best part of the fair, apart from eating your weight in fried food, is

getting to have fun with your friends along with thousands of other Tulsans

on a beautiful fall night,” Dilley said. “It makes me proud to be an Okie.”

-Courtney Dilley


Syndicated Cynic:ISIS? ISIL? Does it matter?

Affording Education

MUSE

Acceptance into ORU is easy compared to what comes after receiving the acceptance letter. Paying for school becomes an inter-esting process when most scholarships require either residency or citizenship. Most international students are under an F1

student visa. In order to obtain this document, the student must go to a U.S. consulate for an interview. The main purpose of the interview is to prove pro-spective students have the funds to live in America. From the beginning of the studying abroad process money is a decisive factor. For international students, things work a little dif-ferently. Affording education is a big monster. With-out loans or financial aid, students must rely in other sources to finance their schooling. I still remember the international advisor speak-

Greg BrownMuse Editor

Valeria HernandezStaff Writer

It would seem as if we are at war again, at least on the “air strike” level. Our enemy is as mysterious in title as it is

in tactics, and there is quite a controversy concerning what we, as good American folk, should call the terror group that we are currently attacking. Now, there are a few names that are frequently used to refer to the group. ISIS is probably the most popular, followed by ISIL and the Islamic State. Quite frankly, I think everyone who has read/watched/listened to even the least

credible news sources in the past two months knows exactly which terror orga-nization is being referenced by many of these three titles, but, yet again, political polarization has to make things just a bit more difficult. When President Obama addressed the threat caused by the Islamic State, he re-ferred to the group as ISIL, and that put a lot of Republican panties in a bunch. The letter “L” here seems to be the subject of a great deal of controversy. The Arabic name of the group in question is “Al-Dawla Al-Islamiya fi al-Iraq wa al-Sham,” which translates to “Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham.” Al-Sham is the region oinquestion here, so what exactly does this word mean? In short, it depends on who you ask. Some would say that “al-Sham” is refer-ring to Syria, which, of course, yields the name “ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and

Syria).” On the other hand, there are in-dividuals that prefer to translate the term to “the Levant,” leaving us with “ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).” The Levant could include as much as Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, the Palestinian territories, parts of Cyprus, Turkey and Israel, which does not sit well with those criticizing President Obama’s acronym of choice. Some claim that the President’s use of the word “ISIL” shows a “true allegiance” to those opposing Israel, as the term, according to these individuals, denies the existence of Israel because of its implied Islamic exclusivity. So there are real-life people out there that say our President is denying the existence of the Jewish state by saying it is included in the Levant. A large number of level-headed Americans (even pro-Israel Christians), though, that see no harm in the inclusion

of Israel in the Levant region. The fact of the matter is, however, that the final “S” or “L” that is used to end your preferred Islamic State acronym is not cut and dry, as both represent the same Arabic word that, quite frankly, does not translate very well. If we really want to start knock-down, drag-out battles with each other and further criticize our lead-ership over such an issue while this terror organization is doing all it can to bring Western ideology to its knees, then we may as well give up now. This is a time to stand together against the Islamic State, regardless of political affiliation and preferred letter choices. Whatever you want to call these ex-tremists, they’re bad news, and it’s impor-tant to get back to whole words like Iraq and Syria without the caliphate attached.

ing over the phone telling me to “take a leap of faith,” as I was trying to find a way to afford college. After calculating frightening TMS payments, it was time to come to ORU. It is not easy coming to a new country, clueless about how the bill is going to be paid. It is terrifying that the effort might be potentially wasted if provision doesn’t come soon enough. ORU is one of the few institutions in the U.S. granting up to $20,000 in scholarship money to non-citizens taking not only academics into consideration, but also a spiritual and healthy life style. ORU doesn’t seek particular nations; they seek Christ-followers. Many internationals find hope in the Whole Person Scholarship, but still have to cover the rest of the living expenses and the remaining bal-ance after tuition. ORU provides multiple job opportunities that help provide for the rest of the expenses. The work-study program, departmental and leadership scholarships are some of the ways international students find financial relief. More often than not, provision is found once you step on campus.

“ I still remember the international advisor

speaking over the phone telling me to ‘take a leap

of faith.’”

For many, America not only signifies the land of the free but a country of growing opportunities. The U.S. helps to get an outstanding education and prepare students to serve their native countries. Pay-ing for tuition out of pocket can be overwhelming at times, but education is certainly an investment worth paying. “God bless America,” for God has blessed us through America.


Out of state voting is easy duty for students

Accord-ing to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, only 49 per-

cent of students ages 18-29 voted in the 2012 election. Election season is coming in a month. Non-Oklahomans have a short amount of time to ensure their votes make it to the ballot box. The earlier out of state voters cast a ballot the better. “The best way to vote from out of

state is the absentee ballot,” said Grant Reynolds, President of the College Republicans ORU Chapter. Students can vote three ways by registering early, registering to vote in Oklahoma or requesting an absentee ballot. Voting by early registration requires the individual to travel home and vote in a designated location. Although early registration prevents worry of uncount-ed ballots it’s not always an easy task. “Living 10 and a half hours away makes it difficult to get up and travel home to put in an early ballot,” said Gabriel Griffin, Chaplain for the ORU Christian Legal Society. Voting by Oklahoma registration can get tricky. A voter has to be a resi-

dent of the state. The most convenient way for a col-lege student to exercise their Second Amendment right is an absentee ballot. Absentee voting from out of state is not a quick click of a button, but it is simple. In order for this process to go smoothly, request a form as soon as possible. It can take two or three weeks to get an absentee ballot. To request the ballot, you must register in your residing state. After registering, the state government site will have a link to request an absentee ballot. The form will ask for Social Se-curity, the reason for the absentee ballot and your political party. Once the form is completed you must mail it to the county in which you live and the first

step is over. Once the ballot arrives in the mail, it’s necessary to mail the ballot back immediately after receiving it in order to meet the deadline. “There are students on campus who are very involved in politics and educated, but just need a spark to vote,” said Reynolds. With advanced technology, it is possible to keep up with the political system and make educated decisions no matter where you are. The first step in having your voice heard in government is getting access to a ballot. “It’s not very hard, but it is about time management,” said Griffin. “Being out of state is not an excuse to not do your civic duty as an American Citizen.”

Alejandro CevallosContributer


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