Oklahoma Institute for Diversity in Journalism

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OU fights ‘rape culture’ with education and awareness

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As the subject of campus rapes from Stanford to Baylor to Vanderbilt and beyond grab headlines across the nation, it resonates at the University of Oklahoma as well. According to the 2015 Sooner Safety and Fire Report, OU had 12 sexual offenses reported to law enforcement in 2012, 22 in 2013 and 18 in 2014. However, many more cases have been reported to the Gender and Equality Offices, OU Advocates and Title IX. Data released to The Oklahoma Daily in fall 2015 shows the university’s Title IX Office has received 70 more sexual assault reports since 2012 than the safety…

The race against rape culture

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When most people think of going to college they think of all the the cool things they’re going to do, being sexually assaulted is not one of them. Campus rape culture exists at every university in America, and is a constant battle to fix. The University of Oklahoma is trying to combat sexual assault by first, educating freshmen at Camp Crimson, and second, by providing resources like crisis lines and advocates to victims. But, what’s causing people to do these attacks and are the new changes really helping? Major Bruce Chan of the OUPD said the department takes several helpful…

Nutritional Options on the University of Oklahoma Campus

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The transition to college can be a stressful time for some, especially when it comes to food. Cafeteria food will probably not compare to a home cooked meal, but the OU Food Services offers programs that keep the students needs in mind. Frank Henry, Director of Food Services, was instrumental in implementing the Fitter Foods Initiative, a program that offers food portions of five hundred calories or less with less sodium and fat, which are available at select OU restaurants. Along with accommodating students who choose to eat healthier, the OU Food Services staff also provides vegan, Halal and gluten…

OU Hopes to Improve Eating Habits with Healthier Options

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What you eat largely impacts the way your mind and body function. A simple shift from drinking soda to drinking water can do much more for you than cinch your waistline. But not everyone knows that. That is why OU’s Huston Huffman Fitness Center will be hosting a new ‘healthy eating’ class this summer. Heather Kirkes, coordinator at The Houston Huffman Fitness Center said, the goal of the ‘Full Plate Living’ class is to instill education that encourages students to embrace better eating habits. “What effects I found interesting for the healthy eaters are, more than ever, their mood changes;…

Ditch the desk: Alternatives to sitting at work may increase productivity

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After years of working at OU, Nicole Kendrick, Assistant Director of Freshman Programs, said she was tired of sitting at a desk all day. The strain on her back, and on her productivity, was getting to her. She looked for a way to make the workday easier on her body. She found it in a standing desk. In a country where obesity is on the rise and people are spending many hours at their desks, some may need a new way to get work done. According to WebMD Health news, “a new analysis links prolonged sitting to greater odds of…

Oklahoma milkweed supply decreases, affecting monarch butterfly migration

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As recently as 2008, Oklahomans were able to witness hundreds or even thousands of monarch butterflies on their journey south for the winter. However, last year festivalgoers at Monarch in the Park in Blanchard, Oklahoma, only saw a few butterflies. One local factor contributing to the population decrease of monarchs is the killing of milkweed plants in the Midwest, particularly with herbicides and roadside mowing. Global factors include deforestation and urban development, as well as biofuel development. These factors are “indicators that we are poisoning our environment,” said Robert Robbins, a Smithsonian curator of Lepidoptera — or the order of…

The Purrrrfect way to spend your ‘Caturday’

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The third annual Internet Cat Video Festival will arrive at the Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City Saturday, August 1. Organizers call it “Caturday.” The festival is one of several touring this summer. Most people pay a fee to see the videos in other cities, but Tinker Federal Credit Union is underwriting it in Oklahoma City, so it is free to the public. Starting at 7 p.m. there will be pre-festival events, including live music, ice cream and face painting. The videos start at 9 p.m. According to the Myriad Botanical Gardens website, the festival celebrates “the world’s most aloof…

Native American-themed mascots falling from one Capitol Hill to another

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Renewed debate about Native American-themed mascots is rippling from the Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., to the one in Oklahoma City. Prompted in part by the legal fight to force the renaming of Washington’s National Football League team, school mascots are getting attention from the public, and questions as to whether or not schools should change those mascots are asked more frequently. Closer to home and after weeks of controversial debate, Capitol Hill High School this spring abandoned the Redskins nickname its sports team had played under for 88 years. “We started to notice that schools in other surrounding areas…

Some flood victims denied insurance

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Earlier this year three feet of rushing water came up from the nearby creek and into Norbert Heckman’s home. The muddy water destroyed some things in its path, and rose as far as 18 inches. He moved into his home in Indiahoma, which is in Comanche County, in 2008, and was told he could not get flood insurance by Humble Insurance Agency. “When I asked my (insurance) agent if I could get (flood) insurance, he said I could not because I didn’t live in a flood zone,” Heckman said. A flood zone, sometimes called a floodplain, is a low-ground area…

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