Tag: interview

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Kaitlyn at Cross

An important part of the freshman housing experience is made possible by resident assistants. As my peers and I are beginning to look at housing options for our sophomore year, many are choosing to apply for positions as RAs. Today I talked to Kaitlyn Reichenberger, my RA for freshman year. 

Kaitlyn is a sophomore from Dallas, Texas. Her life on campus includes studying psychology, organizing Campus Activities Council’s Film Series, and working as an RA in Cross. As with many students, becoming an RA was a good option for Kaitlyn to pay for housing.

“I was working as a room and board student,” Kaitlyn explained, recounting her freshman experience. “I worked in Headington Hall, and I hated it.”

Becoming an RA was a better option than working a scheduled job in housing and food. 

Kaitlyn’s interactions with her RA as a freshman also contributed to her decision. 

“I had a good relationship with my RA,” she said. “I learned how to do my job and not be up in everyone’s business.”

Katilyn felt equipped for the position thanks to some of her other freshman experiences as well.

“Just dealing with a lot of issues,” she said. “My roommate complained to me, and I would be like, ‘oh, you should do this’.”

The position matches up with her personality, too.

A self-described “helper”, Katilyn loves her role as an RA.

“I take care of people. I’m a big sister. My siblings, I’m like their mother, and it’s fun to have that here too.”

Kaitlyn is happy living without a roommate. She likes having her own space. The people on our floor make her job more enjoyable as well.

“Our floor is the calmest floor in Cross,” she reported.

One downside to the job is dealing with parents. 

“I get calls at the desk all the time from parents.”

Sometimes this is over things as small as a mom worrying that it’s already eleven o’clock in the morning and her son still hasn’t texted her back.

“Either that or having to deal with loud people,” Kaitlyn added. Luckily that does not happen too often on our floor. 

Another fulfilling part of the job is the connections Kaitlyn has made with other RAs.

“There’s some people in Cross staff that I have a great relationship with…it’s nice having friends that you work with.”

The girls on Cross 4A are definitely lucky to have such a friendly upperclassman looking out for us!

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Sustainability on Campus

I have always been interested in environmental issues, but since I arrived at OU I have already gained a much more in-depth understanding of how to be an effective steward of the environment. Much of this knowledge has come from my environmental studies class, but there are many resources on campus to create a more sustainable university. This week I talked to the chairman of the Sustainability Committee in SGA Congress. Jake Lange answered some of my questions about our campus’s recycling, sustainability initiatives, and more. 

One of the important roles Jake’s committee plays is monitoring the actions of other groups on campus to make sure environmental responsibility is being upheld. 

Jake explained this as making sure there are “no lapses in sustainability that are in our power to fix.”

One example of this is when they passed a funding bill to stop the SGA budget from supplying student organizations with confetti and balloons since these items usually end up as litter. 

“The other side of it,” he explained, “[is] letting our members identify what they want to work on and pursue that.”

The sustainability committee provides an opportunity for students to investigate and solve environmental issues on campus. 

“Often what our committee does is it serves as a portal,” Jake told me. “[It lends] a lot of credibility and access to resources in pursuing [environmental] interests.” 

The big project Jake has worked towards is getting reusable food containers on campus. The project got put on hold because of the pandemic, but I was fascinated to learn about the impact the sustainability committee could have on reducing campus waste. Already, campus dining has moved away from using styrofoam for to-go cups and containers. Jake has worked to take this a step further. Jake described the project as “the hill I will die on.” The project was very close to going into effect before the pandemic put it on hold. 

“[The] cost is way lower,” Jake told me. The university had everything set up to partner with a company called OZZI, which Jake explained uses vending machines and tokens to dispense and return reusable to-go containers. It would be a big change that would have a big impact, and it has already been successfully implemented at several other universities across the country. Hopefully Jake will get to see the plan put into action before his time at OU comes to an end. 

When I expressed my interest in recycling, Jake was able to give me some insight into campus recycling. OU has a partnership with a contracting company that picks up recycling on campus. 

Because of this, Jake explained, “what you can recycle through the city of Norman is different than what you can recycle through OU.”

One of the main issues I have noticed with recycling is people’s awareness of what and how they should recycle. 

“That’s something we have kind of tried to work on,” Jake told me. “The Department of Energy and Sustainability has also been working on new signage.”

As far as knowing what is recyclable, Jake assured me, “It’s actually pretty easy…Plastics one and two are recyclable. On campus, glass is recyclable in the city of norman it is not…things like aluminum cans…paper that is not contaminated with food waste… it’s not actually that complicated.”

When you work towards a more sustainable campus, it is pretty easy to see positive change go into effect. 

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Dean Walker on Journalism and Free Speech

It is difficult to discuss free speech without addressing freedom of the press. My Intro to Media professor, Dean Yynette Walker, gave me her insight into the role the press plays in freedom of speech.

Journalism, she explained, is rooted in free speech.

“The whole reason that we do our work is because we believe in the right to free speech and our right to exercise that right.”

Journalists create awareness about community or national events. This allows people to speak up about the issues that affect them.

“We try to give information that people need to know to keep them informed to make better choices.”

If citizens want to actively engage in free speech, their words will be much more effective if they are well informed. 

“Read the news,” Dean Walker advised. She told me that most of the facts journalists uncover are open records to the public, but the average person probably does not know how to get to such records. This is where journalists come in. They help make this information easily accessible to everyone.

“Read it from a variety of sources,” she advised. “Then you will be armed with enough information to…use your voice and that free speech.”

Journalists also hold our elected officials accountable. 

“We have the right to ask them questions.”

Sure, politicians do not have to answer everything, but they generally understand the importance of being transparent with their constituents. Journalists play a vital role in this. 

“[There is a] relationship between reporters and leaders,” Dean Walker said.

Journalists keep up the conversation between the people and their leaders. In this way, they serve as watchdogs.

Today, the role journalists play in free speech is often downplayed, especially when words like “fake news” get thrown around.

“Fake news as a term used to be about satire and jokes,” Dean Walker shared with me. “Over time, leaders corrupted that term and began to accuse reporters of lying and creating stories that are not true.”

Sure, this happens, but these stories are not produced by credible journalists.

“Leaders use that term knowing full well that it’s not applied to credible journalists, but they use that term to basically dispute what a journalist is saying because they don’t like what they said…even though they know it is true.”

This poses a threat to free speech because it stands in the way of journalists doing their jobs.

“That is a big challenge, but it’s been a challenge throughout all of time for reports to develop relationships with their communities,” Dean Walker assured me.

To establish trust, journalists must build this relationship with their audiences.

 “I actually do care about this community and I want to get this information to help you.”

These are the responsibilities, challenges, and rewards that come with the field of journalism. On a final note, Dean Walker shared with me the thing she believes is most important for people to understand about free speech.

“That they have it, that it’s important to use it, and that they should research credible sources to inform their free speech.”

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Free Speech Across the Board

Free speech is significant across many different areas of our lives. Some of these connections are more obvious than others, but Free Speech Week allows us to stop and consider all different aspects of this freedom. I talked to several of my professors this week to find out more. 

Dr. Lindsay Marshall is my instructor for gateway to belonging. This required freshman class seeks to help freshmen find their place at OU and foster a sense of community and belonging here on campus. Dr. Marshall shared with me the role free speech plays in creating spaces of belonging.

Being able to speak our minds without restriction from the government is important.

“That’s crucial to us being able to find belonging to each other,” Dr. Marshall explained. “When institutions of power determine how we engage with each other, it ensures that we can’t be our authentic selves.”

This authentic self is something we discuss in class quite frequently. However, Dr. Marshall expanded on this: there is a level of responsibility that comes with free speech if it is going to be truly capable of extending belonging to all. 

“Freedom to speak is not the freedom from consequence.”

Being reckless with our speech is just as dangerous as an institution controlling our speech. Luckily, if we respect the value of free speech, we can learn to wield it responsibly. 

On a more personal note, Dr. Marshall explained what free speech means to her.

“It’s important to me because I think decent is one of the most crucial tools that we have for seeking a more just society.”

Next, I spoke to my environmental studies professor. Dr. Rebecca Sherry gave me some examples of the role free speech plays in environmental issues. Once again, this topic lined up very well with what we had already been discussing in class. 

“I have a few examples within this lecture,” she told me after class. “Some substance was banned or regulated, but in most of these cases, initially the press was heavily involved. A journalist made people aware of issues with particular chemicals or substances.”

This is generally true for all types of environmental issues. 

“Getting information out there that can sway public opinion has been important to a lot of environmental regulation.”

The right to free speech allows people to raise awareness whenever something is not right in our society. 

When I asked Dr. Sherry what free speech means to her, she acknowledged that she had never thought much about it.

“Since I never felt I didn’t have it, it’s hard to say.”

Upon further consideration, though, she had an answer for me.

“Any improvement always starts with talking about what’s wrong, so the ability to criticize our government…it’s absolutely necessary to improving life.”

I found this really insightful. Free speech is something we often take for granted. This is why Free Speech Week is important. It causes people to slow down and appreciate what we have.

With this in mind, the last professor I talked to was Christina Audas. She has lived in many countries around the world. I wanted to find out if she had experienced life in places where freedom of expression is more restricted than it is in the United States. 

In some of the places she has been, Professor Audas was aware of a difference in expression.

“I’d say there’s more fear of oppression to speak freely…I don’t think folks feel as emboldened…I don’t know if that’s because there’s actual lived experience of violence happening, or if it’s just part of the culture.”

American culture puts a lot more emphasis on free speech than some other parts of the world. It’s up to us what we do with this. Professor Audas uses this to encourage understanding across cultures. Respect is an important part of utilizing free speech.

“If I hear someone say something in class…I try to use those opportunities,” she explained. “We need to create spaces of humanity.”

As you go through the rest of your week, take time to think about the many areas of your life that are affected by free speech!

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Tavana Farzaneh on the Importance of Free Speech

How does free speech affect our community on campus? How can we uphold the values of free speech on our campus? To answer these questions, today I talked to OU’s student body president, Tavana Farzaneh. 

Tavana’s office is located in the union in a section I’d only been in once before. I pretended not to be a scared little freshman as I knocked on the door to talk to someone of great importance. However, after being greeted with smiles and a lot of love from a tiny dog, I realized I didn’t need to worry. Tavana is a student here just like me. She is eager to talk to anyone and is full of encouragement. However, with her position, she has had many experiences that have given her first-hand examples of the importance of free speech. 

“Within the Student Government Association, free speech is huge,” she told me. “Especially in congress, it’s important that you are able to express what you believe freely.”

With so many backgrounds on campus, people may disagree. As long as it is not hateful, these conversations can be used to make our university a better place. 

“Because I love [the university] so much, I can criticize and improve this place as much as possible, and free speech is a huge way to do that,” Tavana told me. 

This potential for improvement is exactly what makes free speech important. We need to have the space to criticize the university and not be in fear of retaliation so the things that need fixing get fixed. It won’t ever be perfect, but when we express issues and work together, we can shift the culture to make continuous improvements. 

As student body president, Tavana carries a huge responsibility when it comes to free speech.

“I think understanding that everyone has their own voice, but it’s just that some people’s voices are heard louder than others.”

Tavana sees it as her job to amplify the voices of students who often go unheard.

“I have the power and the privilege where I can express that for them,” she said. She gets to use this to give others space to speak. 

“My responsibility is to put aside my personal beliefs and make sure that I recognize someone whether I agree with them or not…try to make sure everyone’s voice is really heard.”

Tavana encourages others to speak freely and to speak loudly. 

“There’s been times whenever I’ve spoken up about something where I’ve had tears in my eyes, and I’m actually shaking.”

However, this vulnerability is sometimes what it takes to make change happen.

Respecting the opinions of others is another important part of effectively putting free speech to use. 

“If you learn to be able to disagree with people but have this positive discourse, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing…look at someone else’s perspective and understand where they’re coming from.”

In doing this, Tavana has learned patience and understanding. These have allowed her to be the advocate her peers need. She knows how to speak up for herself and for those around her. These are qualities we should all keep in mind when we stop this week to appreciate the true power of our right to free speech.

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Public Relations Interview!

As I have spent more time in Gaylord College, my interest in studying public relations has increased. As the time for enrollment for spring classes approaches, I have sought out opportunities to talk to different people about majors and career paths. This week I got to talk to Lori Stevens, an OU public relations alumni. 

When Lori was in Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, it did not look the same way it does now. She was at OU a few years before the current College of Journalism building, Gaylord Hall, was completed. You had to know your way around to find the newsroom or the yearbook room. Today, all the studio spaces and workrooms for Gaylord are together in Gaylord Hall with study spots and classrooms mixed in. However, Lori still remembers the “family feel” Gaylord college had, even without the brand new, fancy building. This family feel is something that has already stood out to me in my short time at Gaylord. As this was a very positive thing Lori remembers, I am glad this tradition has continued within the college. 

Lori was not always a Gaylord major. She started as a pre-med major, and switched to public relations her senior year. 

“[It was] a little bit of a crisis moment,” Lori recalled. “I was going to do orthopedic surgery…this is what I said I was going to do since third.”

She told me a little bit about her process of choosing PR.

“I really had some friends that were in journalism. I knew that I had always done well with writing.”

Though she could not see herself as a journalist, she came to realize that her strengths and interests lined up with public relations. 

“I think I did really appreciate the writing opportunities I had in PR.”

Additionally, many of the classes she had enjoyed over the years were related to social sciences. This interest turned out to be very useful for understanding, predicting, and changing human behavior, skills that come in handy for PR.

Many people have told me about the great connections and networking opportunities Gaylord college provided them with. Lori’s stories echoed this sentiment. One of her favorite Gaylord electives was a class about public relations in sports.

“Mick Cornett taught it.” Lori told me. “He was mayor of Oklahoma City for a while, but before that he was a sports reporter.” 

Through this class, Lori was connected to other public relations professionals. For one assignment, she got to interview someone who worked for the Miami Dolphins.

These connections also led Lori to an internship.

“Someone from the NOAA Weather Center came and spoke about their PR experience or opportunities there, so I chatted with her after the meeting and ended up doing a small internship.”

Today, Lori’s career has taken her beyond the realm of public relations, but she still uses the skills she learned from the major. 

“I speak a lot with the work I do. I’m either teaching or instructing or giving presentations.”

The writing and speaking skills she honed can be used anywhere. She also gained graphic design experience through another elective. This has allowed her to create designs or brochures.

“That’s been helpful and cost saving, and fun for me to have that sort of creative outlet.”

Lori even learned about research.

“Different types of research methods that would work in a qualitative setting,” she explained.

Overall, Lori is a great example of the wide variety of opportunities that come with a major in public relations. As my college career continues, I cannot wait to discover more!

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Welcome Back to Tornado Alley

Sunday night after the OU/Texas game, Oklahoma decided to welcome us back to Norman with some wild weather. After a rush to beat the storms to campus and a mad scramble to claim a spot in the parking garage, a bona fide tornado warning was issued for Cleveland County. There is a little rain, a lot of lightning, and a few hundred freshmen gathered in the black box theater on the first floor of Cross A. 

Before the warning had officially been issued, I stepped outside to take a look at the sky, as any good Oklahoman would. Lucy D’Braunstin stood beside me admiring the purple bolts flashing across the sky.

Lucy is from Orange County in southern California, so this is her first tornado experience. I asked her what she knows about tornados.

“Just that they are really windy, they involve lightning, and you typically have to shelter.”

Somewhat correct. I really love the way tornadoes work – the perfect combination of warm and cold fronts, humidity, and good old Oklahoma wind. But Lucy knows all she needs for surviving Oklahoma weather. When people started sending messages about taking shelter in the GroupMe, Lucy followed the crowd and did not have to worry. 

“I feel fine now just cause everyone else seems fine.” 

She certainly does not look nervous. 

“I think I feel fine cause I can’t see it,” she admitted. We are back inside the black box, and more students are starting to trickle in. 

I asked Lucy about her thoughts on storm chasing, and she told me she has no interest in that.

“I think it’s cool and brave of [people], but that would not be me. I think lightning is pretty, but it’s the thunder…it scares me.”

While we were talking, everyone’s phone alarms started going off. We were officially in a warning. Lucy looked around, then we just looked at each other and laughed. The whole situation is surprisingly calm. 

Next Lucy told me how tornado warnings compare to the severe weather she is used to in California. Earthquakes are the main threat from her home town. 

“I enjoy that there are [tornado] warnings. There’s sort of warnings for earthquakes,” she explains, but it is not the same. I pulled up the radar for her to look at. That’s one thing I like about tornadoes; you can see where they are going and when they are gone. 

The threat of tornadoes died down before the 8:30 end time of the official warning. All that remained was a severe thunderstorm warning and a flood watch. My car is safe in the parking garage, so I am not worried. Lucy and I both hung out in the black box a little longer after the warning ended. People are slowly trickling out, but mostly happy to sit around with blankets and laptops with Netflix and NFL football showing on the room’s two tvs. 

I did not expect to be taking shelter at college until the spring, but Oklahoma likes to keep us on our toes. Here’s to an exciting end to an even more exciting weekend. Wherever you are, stay safe and stay dry! And maybe go rewatch a few more highlights from OU’s comeback victory over the Texas longhorns.

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OU Days of Action – Protest at Evans Hall

Going back to school in person this year was a big deal for many people. This brought different emotions for different people – joy to spend more time with friends, relief at not having to attend zoom classes every day, and fear of the continued spread of the COVID-19 virus. In the time since we have been back on campus, over a month by now, it’s common to know someone who has gotten sick since move-in. 

We can’t wish the pandemic away. Students and faculty have been calling on the university to do more when it comes to protecting campus. This was emphasized with the OU Days of Action that took place on Monday and Tuesday. Some professors canceled classes or moved them online, and some students made the choice not to attend class in solidarity with the cause. 

The University of Oklahoma Chapter of the American Association of University Professors has an Open Letter detailing requests for changes in OU’s pandemic policy (1). These include mandatory vaccines for everyone on campus, a mask mandate for public indoor spaces, and standing up to the state legislation that prohibits these actions; further requests include greater options for working and learning remotely, as well as hazard pay for faculty (3).

Not everyone felt the widespread effect of the Days of Action. I only had one elective class canceled between the two days. I did, however, join my Informed Citizens Discussion Group in observing the protest held outside Evans Hall on Tuesday afternoon. 

There was a short speech going on when my group arrived. The speaker talked about the University’s responsibility to take a firm leadership stance on pandemic issues. 

“The governor has no say in what happens at OU sporting events or in OU classrooms,” he announced. He explained that these decisions fall instead to the university’s Board of Regents. 

“OU is tying its own hands.”

I am not sure what I expected from the protest, but the reality was a calm, respectful event with mostly adults, a handful of students, and a few small signs. The purpose seemed to be to give people the opportunity to participate in a discussion of their COVID-19 experiences. Organizers of the event encouraged everyone to step up and share these stories in letters to the OU Board of Regents.

Interestingly, the event brought out a few counter-protestors. One student had a sign that read “Vaccination passports are pro-segregation”. A reporter stepped up to interview him, and a  history professor came over to engage in a calm debate. 

There were also signs in support of the protest. Many professors held posters that read “our leadership fails us on workplace safety”. I also got to talk to two students, both named Emily, who had brought homemade signs. 

The Emilys and their signs

One of the Emilys explained to me that she came not only because she is a student, but because her mom is a professor. 

“The university isn’t doing anything to protect us, and that’s not fair,” she told me.

When I asked what they wanted the university to do differently, Emily said she would like to see an indoor mask mandate as well as a vaccine mandate, respecting medical exemptions.

The other Emily said that though she supported the cause, she had not walked out on any of her classes. She shared her belief that boycotting class “falls on faculty to cancel, even though it’s important to students, too.” Nevertheless, she took the time to be a part of the protest between classes.

The overall attitude of the protest was one of support and sincerity. It was held to make a statement and rally support. However, it also provided an opportunity for those struggling to come together to have their experiences validated. 

Whether or not you agree with the requests of the protestors, this attitude of support and genuine concern for others is vital to our community here at OU. If you have not already, take time to listen to what those around you are going through. Just as the university has stated in their COVID-19 policy, we are in this together. Hopefully, the efforts of the protestors will result in a greater attitude of compassion across all of campus. 

Sources:

The University of Oklahoma Chapter of the American Association of University Professors. “Open Letter to University Decision-Makers.” 11 Aug 2021.

The University of Oklahoma. “OU Together.” OU Together, www.ou.edu/together. Accessed 23 September 2021