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To err is human. To x it is TNE Policy. Corrections can be found on Page 4.To report a correction call 918.444.2890. TNE Web site: www.nsunews.com

Volume 104, Issue 36 Tuesday, July 16, 2013 | Tahlequah, Okla . 744 64

Identity theft is morecommon than ever, but itcan be stopped.

See page 3

Fit under construction

Fitness Center relocatesto UC while facility isremodeled.

See page 4

continued on page 2

continued on page 2

Supreme Court rules DOMA unconstitutional

Prevent identity theft

NSU responds to NCAA tennis infractions

Keli Ho man/Contributing PhotographerScot Leverson, Osage resident, and Jonathan Clark, Los Angeles freshman, sit together in

front of Seminary Hall. They are one of an estimated 132,000 same-sex couples a ected byDOMA.

TRICIA PRICETNE WRITER

The Supreme Court decisionon Defense of Marriage Act and

Proposition 8 has caused a na-tional controversy to stay on theforefront of media coverage.

DOMA was originally from1996. Recently, the SupremeCourt ruled DOMA unconstitu-tional. Thus, same-sex marriedcouples have the same bene tsand tax breaks as heterosexualcouples.

Justice Kennedys opinion saysthat DOMA was struck down be-cause it violated the due process

clause of the 5th Amendment,said Daniel Savage, associate pro-fessor of polit ical science. Thismeans that DOMA illegally de-prived same-sex couples of their

liberty.Prop 8 was a ban by opponentsagainst gay marriage. Prop 8 waspassed by the voters of Califor-nia. Then there was backlash andthe ban was appealed. Prop 8 wasthen found as unconstitutional.

There was another appeal on June 26 to repeal the most recentSupreme Court decision.

The Supreme Court refusedto hear the case because thegroup who

ASHLEY ROGERSTNE EDITORIAL BOARD

After more than a year of in- vestigation, the NCAA released apublic report detailing infractionsby NSUs womens tennis team.

The governing body of colle-giate athletics determined then-head coach Ron Cox exceededNCAA limits by providing meals,transportation and gifts to stu-dent-athletes. In addition, Coxgave six student-athletes a total of

$1,300 cash shortly after enrolling at NSU, delivering money to theirapartments for personal use untilscholarship checks were issued,according to a report released bythe NCAA.

Due to these indiscretions, the

NCAA imposed penalties includ-ing public reprimand, a $5,000

ne and a one-year probation.NSU is still eligible for postseasonplay, provided they remain in fullcompliance with NCAA guide-lines.

The investigation began inMay 2012, after a con dentialsource noti ed the NCAA of pos -sible rules violations in the wom-ens tennis program.

Tony Duckworth, director of athletics, said

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continued from page 1

continued from page 1Womens tennis remains optimistic despite rulings

Same-sex marriages to receive equal beneftsbrought it to

court had no merit for a case.In terms of the Prop 8 case,

the U.S. Supreme Court decideswhich cases to accept from stateactions and heavily scrutinizeseach case seeking an audience,said Dr. Shannon Bridgmon, as-sistant professor of political sci-ence. Fewer than one-tenth of 1

percent of cases is ever heard bythe Supreme Court. The Courthas routinely used legal standing as a way to avoid taking on an is-sue.

The Supreme Court did notmake a ruling on same-sex mar-riage where Prop 8 was con-cerned.

They made the decision the

case was not relevant because theprosecution was not an individualperson who was harmed by thelaw.

Savage said striking downDOMA means the federal gov-ernment cannot treat same-sexmarried couples differently fromopposite-sex married couples.

However, Oklahoma has its

the NCAA contacted him in August to notifythe department they were going to investigate. They followed up aweek later with a phone call thatincluded Duckworth, NSU Presi-dent Steve Turner and universitylegal counsel.

The next week, investigators

started a three-day investigationon campus, conducting inter-

views with various individualsthey felt had knowledge or possi-ble involvement in the infractions.

Duckworth said the athleticsdepartment conducts rules edu-cation regularly.

Most every head coaches

meeting we do some elementof rules education, said Duck-worth. Its an unfortunate situa-tion where the individual involvedchose to go a different direction.

Duckworth said the depart-ment will use this incident to helpavoid any future violations.

I think as we educate the

entire department of athletics,theyre going to have a muchbetter awareness of not only thethings that occurred in the casewere dealing with here, but Ithink all compliance matters,said Duckworth. Its safe to as-sume everyones going to be reallyon guard.

A trial was avoided with a sum-mary disposition process.

This cooperative effort allowsthe committee to review infrac-tion cases in written form.

NSU, Cox and the NCAA worked together and agreed withall penalties and actions taken.

Not only does NortheasternState, our former coach and theNCAA agree, we also understandthat now that weve signed docu-ments in agreement with whathas happened, theres no recourseat this point, said Duckworth.We were heavily involved in the

process all along. We were notsurprised or shocked by the endresult.

NSU self-imposed sanctionsprior to the NCAAs penaltiesincluding a vacation of all wins,records and awards in which inel-igible student-athletes competedfrom 2009-2013 and cancellation

of the fall 2012 womens tennisseason.Once the investigation started

in September it was very clearthat we had some ineligible stu-dent-athletes, said Duckworth.Thats when I recommended toPresident Turner that we cancelour fall season, so we did not playineligible students and create big-ger problems for us throughoutthe NCAA investigation.

During this time, Cox retiredafter 41 years with the university,and NSU alumna Amanda Stonewas hired.

I think what she accomplishedthis year, under some challenging circumstances, speaks for itself,said Duckworth.

The womens tennis team n -ished 23-4, was second in theMid-America InterscholasticAthletic Association conferenceand advanced to the round of 16

in the NCAA playoffs.She did all that coming in, in

January, with a team she inheritedthat did not compete in the fall,said Duckworth.

Duckworth said the team hasbeen resilient in dealing withthe uncertainty throughout thecourse of the year.

Fortunately, for us, we did nothave any scholarship reductionsor any postseason ban, and noneof the sanctions are impacting any of our other nine sports, saidDuckworth. I think the team willbe ne, now that the sanctions arepublic.

Duckworth said the team cannow move forward and have abright future with a new coachand many solid athletes returning.

At the end of the day, this isan unfortunate situation thatdoes not re ect the values andthe expectations that Northeast-ern State or Northeastern StateUniversity athletics has, saidDuckworth. We accept the pen-alties and the probation that hasbeen handed down by the NCAA Committee on Infractions, andwere excited about our futureand excited about putting this be-hind us and moving forward.

own state-level DOMA and aconstitutional amendment, whichrefuses to recognize same-sexmarriages. This ruling has noimmediate effects on Oklahomaresidents.

I do believe the implicationsof the DOMA ruling will be his-toric, said Thomas Teague, stu-dent body president. This sets

up the battle for gay marriagestate by state, and this will not ef-fect NSU students directly at thistime.

This controversy of same-sexmarriage has been in the spotlightfor many years in America

With recent Supreme Courtrulings this issue remains a con-stant for America.

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Fitness Center temporarily relocates to UC JENNIFER CLARK TNE WRITER

Making the university a stron-ger campus begins with remodel-ing the Fitness Center on campus.Starting with a budget of $5 mil-lion, the Fitness Center is sched-uled to launch the rebuilding andremodeling of the facility withinthe next few weeks. The FitnessCenter will be completed August2014.

The money came from acredit-hour fee that students havebeen paying, so the project is fullyfunded by the students, saidTodd Enlow, director of auxiliaryservices.

The Fitness Center has manynew additions and upgrades.

There will be new health and ki-nesiology classrooms with of ces,a student health center and a sec-ond story indoor track. The newup-to-date building could helpthe universitys look.

Until the nal project is com -plete, all of the machines havebeen moved to The Undergroundof the University Center.

If we really wanted to main-tain continuity and service to thebest we could, it would need to

be on campus and a place stu-dents go to begin with, said TimFoutch, vice president of opera-tions.

Moving the Fitness Centerinto the UC will make it moreconvenient for students to work out. Showers, dressing rooms and

lockers will be built downstairsfor student use. The Taco Shack will no longer be food oriented.It is redesigned into storage anda check-in desk for students using the Fitness Center. On-campusresidents will continue to use thefacility for free.

The move of equipmenttoday has been better than ex-pected, said John Hinton, direc-tor of recreation facility for NSUFitness Center. We changed the

layout, and I like it much better.Many resources are in the

University Center such as food,of ces, mail and meeting space.Students who use the tness cen -ter relocation can grab a beveragefrom the bookstore or a new out tfor their next workout in the fall.

I think there is a good chancesales could boost because of thetemporary move of the FitnessCenter, said Cole Martin, man-

ager of RiverHawk Shoppe.For more information, call the

Fitness Center at 918-444-3980or visit the relocation in the UC.

Jennifer Clark/TNEMaintenance crews work together to move tness equip-

ment to The Underground of the UC. Students can work out inThe Underground until the Fitness Center remodels scheduledcompletion in August 2014.

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July 16, 2013OPINION

Adviser: Cassie Freise ext. 2874Editorial Board: Meredith Barker ext. 2890

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Ad Manager: Kyle Eubanks ext. 2890

TNE Staff: Suzi Allen Jessica BrooksJennifer Clark Kathy DrakeTricia Price Angela Walker

TNE Ad Staff: Darryl Crenshaw James Johnston

POSTMASTER: Send PS from 3579 to NSU, Tahlequah, Okla., 74464-2399. The Northeastern (USPS # 395-580) is publishedweekly throughout the year except college holidays by Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Okla., 74464-2399.Periodicals postage paid at Tahlequah. Postmaster: send address changes to Northeastern State University, Tahlequah,Okla., 74464-2399. For more information about advertising, classified or display, call 444-2890, seven days in advance ofdesired publication date. Editorial statements in The Northeastern and readers letters reflect those of the individual writersand not necessarily those of The Northeastern, its editors, staff, adviser or the administration of NSU. The opinions andcomments therein do not necessarily reflect the policies or beliefs of the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges or theregional universities and that the student newspaper is not an official medium or expression of the Board or the regionaluniversities. The Northeastern is a public forum. All submissions become property of The Northeastern. This publication wasprinted by The Muskogee Phoenix and issued by NSU as authorized by House Bill 1714. Four thousand copies were printedat a total cost of $695 for 32 pages. The Northeastern is a member of the Associated College Press Association, Oklahoma

Interscholastic Press Association, Society of Collegiate Journalists and College Media Advisers. e-mail address: tne@nsuok.edu.

Technology increases identity theft opportunities

Photo courtesy of freerangestock.comCredit card theft is one of many ways an identity thief can

obtain personal information. The Federal Trade Commissiono ers step-by-step instructions in the case of identity theft.

Time and money are bothimportant to many people. Onething that could completely de-plete the money, time and reputa-tion of a person is identity theft.

Identity theft is becoming moreand more prevalent in todays so-ciety. According to TransUnion.com, 8.6 million Americanhouseholds suffered some type of identity theft and fraud in 2012.

The convenience of onlineshopping has begun drawing on-

line consumers. In addition toconsumers, thieves and hackershave also ourished. The iden -tity thief can nd out credit cardnumbers and personal informa-tion to drain nances.

Identity theft not only affectsthe victim, but also the victimsfamily and friends. Credit scores,medical bills and savings are allat risk when it comes to identitytheft.

Stealing mail and taking olddocuments are ways identitythieves nd information. It is im -portant to shred anything withpersonal information prior tothrowing it away. When paying bills by mail, it is advisable to

drop them into an of cial U.S.Postal Service mailbox. This pre-

vents others from taking outgoing mail that could include checkswith bank account informationon them.

Being conscientious of the in-formation in your wallet is cru-cial, as well. Many people carrymultiple credit cards with them atall times. It is a good idea to carryonly the select cards you use on adaily basis. One should also keepthe customer service numbers fortheir card accounts separate fromtheir wallet. This allows you tocall and cancel accounts in theevent of a theft. Always double-check your credit card statements

just in case fraudulent activity hastaken place. The sooner you areaware, the better.

ATMs can be a prime placefor theft to take place. It is im-portant to stay aware of your sur-

roundings and look for anyonewho seems too interested in yourtransactions. Any ATM can be setup for copying account numbers

while still providing money.Keeping your social securitycard in your wallet is also not ad-

vised. It is best to memorize yoursocial security number and leavethe card in a safe place at home.

There are ways to preventidentity theft. Do what you canto minimize the damage to yourreputation and funds.

Another way to avoid iden-tity theft is to safeguard personalinformation on computers andhandheld devices, including yourmobile device.

Dealing with the cleanup of identity theft can be tedious andtime consuming, but not impos-sible. According to the FederalTrade Commission, if you are the

victim of identity theft there arethree immediate steps you shouldtake.

The rst step is to place aninitial fraud alert. Reach out to

any of the three national credit-reporting agencies to report that

you are an identity theft victim.Ask them to place a fraud alert on

your credit le and con rm theywill notify the two other compa-nies.

Secondly, call all three agen-cies, explain that you have placedan initial fraud alert and orderfree copies of your credit report.You may also ask each companyto show only the last four digitsof your social security number onthe reports.

Lastly, create an identify theftreport by completing the FTCsonline form for reporting fraud.

Unfortunately, even the mostsavvy individuals can still havetheir information stolen. Educat-ing yourself, staying aware andbeing responsible is crucial to pre-

venting thieves from getting yourinformation.

Using preventative measureswith personal and nancial infor -

mation can save more time andstress in the long run.

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Researchers work to develop clean waterKATHY DRAKETNE WRITER

The human body does notpossess the ability to process theamount of salt contained in sea-water.

Drinking seawater cannot sus-tain life and only further exacer-bates the effects of dehydrationand often leads to more seriousissues such as kidney failure anddeath.

A team of chemists at Univer-sity of Texas at Austin is working with chemists at the University of Marburg in Germany to developa water chip.

The chip would aid in solving the problem of whole communi-ties in under-developed countrieshaving potable water.

This project spawned fromour previous work developing a

technique called bipolar electrodefocusing, said Kyle Knust, fourth year chemistry graduate studentat UTA. This is a method to en-rich and separate ions in micro-channels.

By applying three volts to anelectrode embedded in a smallplastic device with microchan-nels, the research team is able tomanipulate ions, or salts, in sea-water.

This effectively redirects themthrough a separate channel, al-lowing the desalinated water to

ow into another channel.To date, the team has success-

fully achieved 25 percent desali-nation.

For drinking water, however,99 percent of the salt must be re-moved.

Just because we are removing

the salt, that doesnt mean the wa-ter is potable, said Knust. One

must make sure there are no del-eterious microorganisms. Typi-cally, adding an active chlorine-containing species, which thenmust also be removed, does this.

This is part of the post-treatmentprocess.More time and research is nec-

essary to get the prototype waterchip to a large enough scale toeffectively desalinate suf cientquantities of water.

I dont know exactly whats go-ing to happen when they upscalethis, said Dr. Jody Buckholtz,assistant professor of chemistryat NSU. From what I have gath-ered in my own electrochemistryexperience, when you upscale,problems that you didnt have be-fore magically appear.

Knust acknowledges his teammay encounter challenges whenupscaling the device and has en-listed the help of engineers atanother university to work on theissue so his team can continue tofocus on achieving drinkable wa-

ter.If the UTA research team is

successful in producing a devicethat desalinates large enoughquantities of water, it could beused across the world to improvethe quality of life.

I think it would be an amazing thing if they could develop thatand take it to Haiti, said NeddiBadgett, Ft. Gibson resident.

Badgett has traveled to Haition mission trips with her church.

Ive been in some villageswhere the mission only provided

water to the construction teamand so they had a water tower,but the [indigenous] people hadto walk for miles, said Badgett.

Badgett said the Haitian villag-

ers do not readily have access toclean water and are forced to usewater that is potentially contami-nated.

The contaminated water leadsto diarrhea and other illnesses,and is too laborious to haul formiles, so a lot of the peoplechoose to not drink water.

This is an island surroundedby ocean and salt water, yet thesepeople do not have enough todrink, said Badgett. This would

be an amazing tool for these peo-ple who really need a good watersource.

For more information on thewater chip, visit www.utexas.edu.

Kathy Drake/TNEDr. Jody Buckholtz, assistant professor of chemistry, dem-

onstrates how to remove a solvent. This method is one of many used to separate salt from seawater.

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TRICIA PRICETNE WRITER

NSU helps students with jobplacement during and after col-lege.

There are many jobs availableon campus in multiple depart-ments.

The on-campus jobs are avail-able in almost every departmentat NSU, said Megan Edmonds,former NSU student.

There are many perks of anon-campus job.

Some departments organizeevents for students.

Student workers often assist,and work experience can be apositive addition to a studentsresume.

Edmonds said the experienceshe received as a student workerat NSU helped her to receive a

student job at OSU.Many students would agree ev-

ery college student can use spend-ing money.

Student workers also makecontact with of ces besides theirown.

This is an opportunity for net-working with in uential people atthe collegiate level.

I love my job in the StudentAcademic Success Center, saidDerek Combs, Inola junior. My

job has given me many opportu-nities I would not have otherwisehad.

Students who work off campuscan run into a few problems.

The establishment may notwork around the students classschedule, which can result in poorattendance.

The student may also have towork dif cult hours that interfere

with study time.Certain establishments do not

take off the same days as campus.A student may have to work

when they could be taking daysoff to go home or take vacationsfor school holidays

I also never have to work weekends and I get off everyholiday campus is closed, saidCombs. You cant beat a deallike that.

Many students workers also get

off at 5 p.m. on the majority of weekdays.

I love my job in the Univer-sity Advising Center, and I enjoyhelping people, especially incom-ing freshman, said Keshia Kin-caid, Stilwell senior.

Kincaid said she has always en- joyed helping others.

She said her job lets her do thatand get paid while doing it

To nd open positions for on-campus jobs, visit www.nsuok.edu.

Under the Admissions tab,click on the Financial Aid tab.

When that page loads, click onthe Student Jobs tab on the left-hand side of the page.

Listings for student jobs may befound under the nancial aid tabon the admissions page.

NSU ofers student employment Campus decorates

Tricia Price/TNELisa Johnson, guidance specialist, straightens a few

decorations in the TRIO o ce. The TRIO o ce recentlywon the Disney O ce Decorating Contest. Their themewas based o the movie Jungle Book.

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Scholarship named in honor of Dr. Maher ANGELA WALKERTNE WRITER

Dr. Tiffany Maher is remem-bered at NSU through a newscholarship opportunity. Thescholarship was created to honorthe memory of Maher throughthe NSU Foundation, which is a501c3 charity that allows tax ben-e ts for charitable donations. Thefoundation is exclusively for thebene t of NSU and all monies

received are moved to NSU forscholarships or other programs.

Dr. Turner spoke with herparents, said Peggy Glenn, ex-ecutive director of NSU Foun-dation. They were immediatelyinterested in doing something inher memory at NSU and wantedto create a scholarship.

Glenn said she worked withMahers parents and brother to

come up with a description of why it was being established andwhat the requirements are.

The applicant must have aminimum 2.5 GPA, major inchemistry and serve at least 20hours of community service ata senior center, nursing home oranimal shelter. The scholarshipamount is $500 yearly.

The scholarship introductiondescribes Dr. Maher as a friend,advocate, student mentor, andan exceptional educator who washighly respected in the Collegeof Science and Health Profes-sions. As well, she was describedas being an outstanding scholar,an extremely high-quality andgifted teacher and a friend of ev-eryone she met. In 2013 she wasalso awarded NSUs highest rec-ognition, the Circle of Excellence

Award for Teaching.The scholarship process be-

gins when an applicant lls outa one-page application. The ap-plications are then sent to the

dean of the College of Scienceand Health Professions, who willchose a committee to recommendthe recipient. As well, the scholar-ship is established as a permanentendowment, to ensure the per-petual funding without depleting the principal gift.

This is a way that they [herparents] can see her work con-tinuing here at NSU, said Glenn.They were happy to do it and

excited that it is being awardedso quickly after being established.We wanted to make that happen

while everyone was still thinking about her.Students remember Dr. Maher

and her love of teaching.I think the new scholarship

named in her honor is perfect,said Jacci Alworden, Sallisawsenior. Dr. Maher would haveloved it. She was always one tonurture the love of chemistry inher students, and the fact thatmaybe in some way her memory

will live on in recipients of thescholarship seems very tting.

Faculty and those Maherworked with remember Maherand respond positively to thenew scholarship dedicated to hermemory.

I think its very appropriate,sad Dr. April Adams, departmentchair for natural sciences. Dr.Maher cared very deeply aboutstudents, and it makes perfectsense that we have a scholarship

to honor her.Adams said Maher was many

things, including a hard worker,an excellent writer, and engagedin research. She said Maher co-ordinated the general chemistrylabs and supplemental researchand also trained peer tutors. Shesaid Maher went above and be-

yond in many ways.Thats not who she was, said

Adams. Thats what she did.And she did those things becauseof who she was.

Glenn said Mahers parentswanted the scholarship to go tosomeone recognized by faculty asdemonstrating Tiffanys spirit andlove of life.

This sentiment is echoed in stu-dent response.

I hope the recipients of thescholarship honor her memoryand cherish their education as

much as Dr. Maher cherishedwatching her students grow tolove science the way she did, saidAlworden.

To nd the application, visithttp://scholarships.nsuok.edu/Foundation/MaherScholarship.aspx

To make a donation visithttp://tinyurl.com/maherschol-arship.

Angela Walker/TNEA memorial wall for Dr. Ti any Maher is featured in the Sci-

ence Building at NSU. The Dr. Ti any Maher Memorial Scholar-ship has been created in her honor.

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NSU partners with Dell for up-to-date computersSUZI ALLENTNE WRITER

NSU has partnered with Dellto breath new life into on-campustechnology with the computer re-placement program.

The computer replacementprogram is a really comprehen-sive program to replace all theuniversitys computers, saidStephanie Gillen, director of ITclient services. Its a lease pro-

gram so all the computers areleased.

Gillen said about one-third of the computers are taken out andreplaced. The IT department,

Dell and a third party calledEbryIT will come in and take outthe old computers before install-ing the new ones.

They will also ensure new com-puters have proper software in-stalled.

Making sure they put every-thing where it goes and every-thing is matched up and putting all the software, said Justin Nor-wood, service desk coordinator.Different programs on the com-

puters previously are there andmonitor the whole process.

Norwood said he works withthe groups of student workers,who help assist the companies to

successfully get everything up toworking standards.

Basically the way it works is

we come in and replace comput-ers alongside them, said Gillen.Then we come back in with ourgroups same day to install soft-ware and things like that.

Gillen said they install pro-grams in student areas rst. Thestudents are the rst to receive thenew computers, before faculty or

staff.The other cool thing we aredoing is targeting students areas,really targeting academic areas,public areas, and labs that are abig priority for the university,said Gillen. We want to reallytarget the student areas rst andget the good technology into thehands of students.

Gillen said they think aheadand work out any small prob-

lems in case they come up againstthem.

What we used to do was, forexample, if I got a new computerthen my old computer would goto the coordinator, said Gillen.Then the coordinators comput-er might go to a secretary, thenthat persons computer might go

to a student worker. Student work-ers were on the oldest computers.So, what has happened with thisprogram is student workers areon the newest computers becausethey were the oldest.

The replacement programwill begins July 16 and should becomplete by Aug. 18.

For more information, visithttp://its.nsuok.edu/Computer-Replacement.

Suzi Allen/TNE

Brandon Goad, technology support technician, updates software in the Webb Building. NSUpartnered with Dell to keep hardware up-to-date campus wide.

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Cherokee Capital Blue Star Mothers seek donations JESSICA BROOKSTNE WRITER

The men and women of themilitary give their lives every dayfor America, and the Blue StarMothers work to give back tothem.

Billie Walker, Cherokee Capi-tal Blue Star Mothers president,started the chapter two years ago.

She had been a part of achapter of Blue Star Mothers in

Muskogee and wanted to start achapter after she moved to Tahle-quah.

Walker currently has a son inthe military.

The Blue Star Mothers sendboxes of supplies to deployedmilitary.

They support veterans, POW,MIA, families of fallen military,Yellow Ribbon and Wounded

Warrior projects.They are a nonpro t organiza -tion consisting of family mem-bers of the U.S. Armed Forcesand veterans.

We get our addresses fromthe family members of deployedmilitary, said Elizabeth Hamil-ton, Cherokee Capital Blue StarMothers treasurer. Sometimeswe receive addresses of deployedsoldiers from the National Guardor Ar my.

There are many ways for peo-ple to help.

People can donate or purchasesupplies, donate postage, spon-sor a fundraiser, assist in activitiesand box items to ship.

Brittany Pearsall, Pryor senior,has donated several items to thedonation boxes that have beenplaced around town.

One donation box is located onNSUs campus.

It is on the lower level of the li-brary by the doors leading to thelibrary parking lot.

Donation packages includeitems such as pillows, socks, can-dy, movies, games and more.

Packing boxes and organizing donations begins at 4:30 p.m. thethird Thursday of every month,and the meeting begins at 5:30p.m. at the retirement village

Wisdom Keepers, which is acrossfrom Go Ye Village, on the sec-ond oor.

In order to be a member, U.S.citizenship is required and a childor grandchild must be a militaryservice member.

Membership dues are $20 a year.

An associate must be a UnitedStates citizen with a desire to fur-

ther the chapter.They do not have to have a

child in the military or pay dues.Military members or veterans

who need assistance may call theBlue Star Mothers at 918-207-1655.

For more information, visitwww.bluestarmothers.org.

Jessica Brooks/TNEElizabeth Hamilton, Cherokee Capitol Blue Star Mothers treasurer, shows where she has

placed a donation box with a list of supplies needed in the NSU library. The donation box islocated on the lower level by the doors leading to the library parking lot.

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www.nsunews.comCourtesy of Weather.com

Oregon approves Pay It Forward JESSICA BROOKSTNE WRITER

Good Samaritans have anony-mously paid it forward by paying for surgeries, coffee or something as small as topping off an expiredmeter to help someone avoid aticket.

This idea of helping those inneed has been around for years,but it is now the concept behinda new program to help college

students.Pay It Forward is a plan that

could enable more students toafford college in the upcoming

years.Oregon legislature has ap-

proved Pay It Forward.It allows students to attend

public Oregon universities andcolleges free of tuition costs andstudent loans.

Many college students stressabout how to pay for college orhow they will be able to pay off student loans.

This concept will help takethose worries away for students.

However, it isnt completelyfree.

Students will have 3 percent of their paychecks after graduationdeducted for 25 years.

This deduction will help payfor future students to attend col-lege for free, as well.

One problem Pay It Forward

has encountered is how to paystart-up costs.

This is an estimated at $9 bil-lion for Oregon universities alone.

The Economic OpportunityInstitute, a nonpro t policy groupin Seattle, conceived the Pay ItForward idea.

This idea is partially based on aplan used in Australia.

If the plan passes by the 2015legislature, it would help thosestudents whose degree may not

provide enough wages to affordbills and necessities while paying off loans.

According to The Huf ngtonPost, a student whose adjustedgross income is $600,000 over a24-year span would pay $18,000for his or her four-year degree.

A student who makes $2.5 mil-lion over that same time framewould pay $75,000.

An individual who does notearn any income would contrib-ute nothing to the fund.

According to the plan, studentsgraduating from a two-year col-lege would have 1.5 percent tak-en from their paychecks, insteadof the 3 percent that those whograduate from a university wouldhave to pay.

For those who attend some col-lege but do not graduate, theywould pay a pro-rated portion of their incomes.

This is not a loan, said John

Burbank, executive director of the Economic Opportunity Insti-tute, in an article in the Huf ng -ton Post. Youre paying forward,essentially, so your contributionswould enable the next genera-tional cohort of students the samefree access.

Although Oregon is the rststate to take a step toward the PayIt Forward model, legislators inother states, including Washing-ton, Vermont, New York, Penn-

sylvania and Wisconsin, have ex-pressed interest.

If Pay It Forward reachesOklahoma legislature and passes,NSU, along with other collegesand universities, could be greatlyaffected.

With student loan rates jump-ing from 3.4 percent to 6.8, stu-dents either detour from collegeor worry how they will be able topay off loans.

The plan would allow cur-rent students at NSU to feel lessstressed about how to pay for tu-ition.

Also, prospective studentswould have more incentive to en-roll at NSU, as well as other uni-

versities.Current and prospective stu-

dents can reach out to the statelegislature at www.usa.gov to en-courage passing Pay It Forwardfor Oklahoma colleges and uni-

versities.

Angela Walker/TNERick Beutelschies, Market Caf supervisor, talks to NSU

Tennis Camp attendees as they line up for lunch. The NSUTennis Camp is a summer continuing education class ledby Tahlequah High School tennis coach April Quiett.

Campers enjoy cafe

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July 16, 2013FEATURE

www.nsunews.com

Summer cyclists take extra precautions JENNIFER CLARK TNE WRITER

As the weather warms up, bik-ing to work, or just for fun, be-comes more appealing and com-mon. With this warm-weatheractivity come some risks. It is im-portant to understand the rules of the road, both as a cyclist and adriver, to keep the roads safe foreveryone. To get ready for bikeseason, it is important to be aware

and prepared.I ride my bike for several rea-

sons, the rst being that I justplain like the thrill of it, saidDustin Woods, NSU alumnus.Also it is a great low-impact wayfor me to stay in shape. There issomething very uid and naturalabout man-powered machineslike a bicycle. It is zero-emission,beer-and-burrito-powered transitsystem.

There are a few precautionsthat need to be taken into con-sideration before taking off on abicycle ride.

Wearing a helmet can help pre- vent a traumatic brain injury inthe event of an accident. Somestates require bicyclists under acertain age to wear a helmet, buthelmets are a good idea for ridersof all ages. Make sure the helmetis properly tted to protect thebrain in case of an accident. Also,replace helmets after impact oraccident. The positioning, straps,and size all factor into wearing ahelmet properly. Bike stores canhelp with situating the helmet.

At night time, instead of onlyre ectors, have blinking lights,because they can be seen, saidDavid Rogers, owner of Paceline

Cyclery.Visibility can be an issue for bi-

cyclists in the dark. Adding whitefront lights and red backlights tothe bike, plus re ective tape orclothing, can also help ensuremotorists can see bicyclists in thedark. Visibility is not only an is-sue late at night, cloudy days andearly mornings can impair mo-torists ability to see bicyclists on

the road, too.Downtown-Tahlequah riders

should be extra cautious, becausecar doors opening can take justone person not paying attentionright off their bike, said Rogers.

Obeying the rules of the roadcan be easy. Drivers and bicyclistsare expected to observe traf crules such as stop signs and redlights. Ignoring traf c rules can

lead to injuries, which are oth-erwise preventable. Never ride

against the ow of traf c, driversand pedestrians alike may not beexpecting bicyclists riding in thatdirection. Also stay in the properlane, and adults should not rideon sidewalks. Tahlequah is work-ing to put share-the-lane logosaround town to help everyonebe precautious. Avoid distractedriding much like driving, wait tocheck cellphones until safely off the road.

Being aware, prepared and

careful on the road will help makeTahlequah bikers safe.

Tahlequah area cyclists havebeen working on bike trails andsafety for many years, said JoshReasor, president of Green Coun-try Cyclists. In 2009, Kathy Tib-bits spearheaded what is todaythe Green Country Cyclists, anon-pro t organization that rais -es money for trail development

and bike safety. Green CountryCyclist will be giving away a totalof four helmets to kids under 12

years of age, at a value of $40.You must bring in this article.The fth kid to come in wontget a helmet, but ask for the freePaceline T-shirt from Dave.

When following the rules of theroad and taking necessary safetyprecautions, bicyclists can enjoyan outdoor activity that includeshealth bene ts.

The exercise aspect of riding frequently and staying in shape isimportant, said Dana Boren-Bo-er, instructor of media studies. I really enjoy riding with othersand my child. It is a great wayto get around town and see thingsfrom a new perspective.

For more information, callPaceline Cyclery at 918-456-0235.

Jennifer Clark/TNE Josh Reasor, president of Green Country Cyclists, rides his

bicycle to keep his endurance up in preparation for a race.Reasor rides on the right side of the road following the lawand sharing the road with cars.

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