Stillwater’s Environmental and Safety Services staff will host the fifth annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

The collection, in the ESS parking lot, 901 S. Lowry St., will be a drive-through event that will take about 15 minutes per carload.

“We’ll take virtually any type of household pollutant like pesticides, herbicides, paint, paint products, fuels, household cleaners — a pretty wide spectrum,” said Doug Gable, industrial pretreatment coordinator and coordinator of the event.

Gable said volunteers from virtually every city department will participate, as well as members of the Stillwater Recycling Coalition and Stillwater High School environmental club.

The event’s purpose is to keep electronics and products that are relatively safe in households from becoming hazardous in a landfill, said Scott Byrd, environmental science graduate student and Stillwater Recycling Coalition president.

“All those computers that go into our landfill, all that arsenic and boron and lead ends up in our water eventually,” Byrd said.

Most items will be collected for free. However, M.S.E. Environmental Inc., the company Stillwater contracted to dispose of the hazardous waste, will collect $13 for discarded computer systems or computer parts. Other electronics will cost 20 cents per pound.

“We just simply don’t have the budget to pay for that,” Gable said.

It usually costs Stillwater about $30,000 for disposal and recycling during the event, Gable said.

At the first station of the event, tires will be collected and participants will fill out a survey and give information about any electronic products they bring. Volunteers will then unload items and take them to an area called the “hot zone,” where they will be sorted and packaged for hauling to recycling or incineration locations, Gable said.

Last year 12 tons of household pollutants were collected and kept out of the landfill.

Alan Laird, H.E.W. Waste Systems scale manager, said the city saves $27 per ton on waste diverted from the landfill.

Sarah Fultz can be reached via e-mail at news@ocolly.com.

The first thing that came to my mind as I looked at the “party pics” posted on the www.tolerance.org Web site was “what in the hell were they thinking?” In case you are one of the thousands on campus living in a myopic media haze, you have no idea what I am talking about — yet.

But the good ole’ boys at Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity decided to have themselves a little shin-dig and called it the “Come as you are Bizarre.”

Three of the members then made the conscious decision to let their “true colors” show and dressed up as a Ku Klux Klan member, a prisoner (with striped coveralls) in blackface and a beer guzzling redneck brandishing his Confederate flag bandana and overalls.

Now what made this one picture very “bizarre” is the fact that the redneck and the white clad Klan member were holding a noose above his fellow black-faced fraternity “bro’s” head. And, to top it all off, they all three looked very proud of their accurate portrayal of a racially motivated lynching. Folks, there is no two ways to look at this incident. This is a hate crime. Unfortunately, to many of us here at OSU, this sort of thing comes as no surprise. Racism and hatred of diversity still runs rampant throughout this campus.

Racism has simply been institutionalized. As Bryant Clark, President of the African American Student Association indicated to me during the protest Thursday in front of the library, “I was not surprised when I saw the pictures — hate still exists. It just usually occurs behind closed doors.”

Well, not this time. Now we have proof in full 300 dpi, digital format.

Further proof during the protest was quite obvious. Though many students stopped to voice their concern and support, many more just walked on by. I heard one girl mutter, “I don’t get involved in these things.” Did she really mean to say, “I don’t care if it these incidents happen”?

Something is seriously wrong here. Let’s go back to my original question — “What in the hell were they thinking.” Some of you may say — well they just weren’t thinking.

Unfortunately, they were. They were thinking that this was a great idea.

They were thinking that this was an accurate portrayal of our “Southern heritage.” They were thinking that everyone else at the party “condones this,” and that no one would care. They were thinking that it was funny.

So what should be done about this act of hatred? How can this injustice be righted? Will our university take a leadership role in delivering a penalty or will they just take care of it “behind closed doors?”

Last year, Auburn University students were indefinitely suspended and two fraternity houses were closed after students wore a Ku Klux Klan costume and blackface to fraternity Halloween parties. Also last year, a fraternity house at Ole Miss was suspended for the same thing.

There are questions that need to be asked about this sensitive issue.

This university could do itself a favor by allowing for some deep soul searching when it comes to racism on campus. OSU should also consider serious disciplinary actions. It is also important to act in solidarity, and allow leadership to come from the African American community rather than from our white dominated administration.

In the mean time, educate yourself. Hatred is not fun! The Afro-American Student Association plans on having a Town Hall meeting on this issue next Thursday evening. Please watch for details.

he Stillwater Blues Festival is back with bigger names and more artists than ever, but this year the “bikes” are gone and the music will have to stand alone to draw an audience.

The festival starts at 5:30 p.m. today and runs all day Saturday at the Stillwater Community Center, Eighth Avenue and Duck Street.

Once the “Bikes ‘n’ aBlues Festival,” the event has added a second stage. It also changed its name and focus since splitting from the Harley Owner’s Group last year.

“We parted as friends,” said Gloria Short, festival director. “We just both got too big to hold the event together.”

The fifth annual festival is free and open to the public, and will feature blues musicians from across the country.

Big Al and the Heavyweights, headliner from New Orleans, will take the main stage at 9 p.m. Saturday.

The Stillwater Blues Festival has received the Oklahoma Tourism Department’s Red Bud Award, and the Oklahoma Blues Society has called the festival one of the best in the state, Short said.

She said musicians from North Carolina, Pennsylvania, California and elsewhere called her “wanting to be a part of it.”

“(The blues festival) is bringing the whole U.S. attention to Stillwater,” she said. “To get into the festival they’re willing to help us out financially instead of just playing. They’re really willing to go the extra mile.”

Mac Crank, Stillwater Blues Festival founder, said blues fans do not usually travel far to attend festivals, but “we have an enthusiastic base for any kind of blues here in Stillwater.”

Crank said blues music has a wide appeal and anticipates an eclectic audience.

“It has an awful lot to offer,” he said. “It’s the basis for all the music that’s contemporary.”

And for those who are still unsure how they feel about blues, he said, “Try it, you’ll like it.”

Allen Murphy, festival committee member, said he is looking forward to seeing an audience that is at the festival for a common purpose.

“This year we did it on our own to see if we can really make it alone,” he said.

Short said the festival will include “lots of food, vendors anywhere from fried tomatoes to fried peaches to barbecue, turkey legs and authentic Indian tacos.”

Obstacle courses and other games will be available for children, she said.

Blues in the School, a group of junior-high and high-school students, In the Zone and Zen Okies will play tonight.

At 10:30 p.m., the bands and other special guests will hold a jam session inside the Stillwater Community Center.

On Saturday, Chebon Tiger opens at 11:30 a.m., followed by Karen Vance, A.J. Johnson, Why Not, Garrett “Big G” Jacobson, Big Daddy and the Sauce Monkeys with guest Scott Ellison, Andrew “Jr. Boy” Jones, and Big Al and the Heavyweights on the main stage.

On the second stage, Debbie Henning, Pamela Van Kirk, Watermelon Slim, Miss Amy and White Lightnin’, May Day and The Dustin Pittsley Band will play.

Murphy is looking forward to hearing all of them.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of new talent,” he said. “A lot of the young blues artists aren’t as well known as the people on the main stage, but the people on the main stage really rave about them.”

Kathleen Barron can be reached via e-mail at news@ocolly.com.

The recently released photographs of three Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity members have grabbed the attention and emotions of many students.

“I don’t know, I don’t understand people’s way of thinking,” said Lauren Garner, nutritional science junior. “That’s not how I was brought up, by any means, so to me that seems very foolish, and makes me kind of angry.”

One student, who is in the Air Force, said his reaction to the photographs was similar to his reaction to a foreign enemy.

“I have to leave for Turkey on (Oct.) 11,” said Ronnie Battle, finance junior. “We have two types of terrorists, foreign and domestic. I’m going over there to fight terrorists, and we have terrorists here. It’s like they’re supporting domestic terrorism.”

For some students, the nature of Oklahoma State University’s student body leads them to think feelings like these do not exist.

“I see OSU as being so diverse. That anyone could be that cold towards a race is unbelievable,” said Seth Vaughan, business management senior.

“Minorities face discrimination every day, it’s not just a college thing. It’s pretty sad how we judge people,” Vaughan said. “There’s still Klan chapters in America that are still having meetings and rallies or whatever, and for someone to dress like that, depict that in a fraternity, even if they are just doing it for fun or whatever, it’s just not right.”

Some students think racism is prevalent throughout this region.

“They’re bigots,” said Corey Barlow, leisure service management junior. “They’re all over Oklahoma, they’re all over the Southwest, what are you gonna do?”

One of the most common reactions to the actions of the AGR members is surprise.

“You never know what people are going to do. I don’t know where they were brought up, I don’t know what their parents taught them,” Garner said. “When you hear something like that, it’s always going to take someone by surprise because it’s not really accepted behavior anymore.”

Even though the photographs were taken at a fraternity-sponsored event, students do not think they are a good portrayal of the greek community.

“I don’t necessarily know that you can categorize the whole greek community over that one incident,” Garner said. “That would be like me saying that the whole student body of OSU thinks like that, when just those couple guys thought like that.

“I don’t think the whole greek community is represented properly like that, because I know a lot of people in it (the greek community) that don’t think like that.”

Thursday night at the Interfraternity Council meeting, President Patrick Lissonnet addressed the issue.

“This incident was the actions of a few people and in no way does it represent the view of Alpha Gamma Rho or the Interfraternity Council,” Lissonnet said.

Lissonnet said IFC would not take action against the chapter at this time and would leave that action to the chapter itself.

Kyle Manahan, Sigma Nu president, said the actions of AGR members do not properly reflect AGR, the greek community or OSU.

He said this came as a shock because he views the AGRs as hardworking, friendly guys.

“It’s not problems that haven’t been happening for the past 25 years. It needs to be changed, and unfortunately, I don’t know the answer,” he said.

Manahan said Sigma Nu has minority members.

The OSU Student Government Association has issued a statement about the photographs taken at the AGR party.

“The Student Government Association strongly condemns the actions that took place at the fraternity party,” said Court Smith, SGA president, in a news release about the incident.

SGA members said they were shocked by the photographs, but commend the American Student Association’s peaceful demonstration on the library lawn, according to the release.

Some students think the university is not doing enough so far to discipline the fraternity.

“I believe they (AGR) should be gone because that’s what would be done to us (African-American greek organizations),” said Ebony Combs, human resource management junior. “The school says they don’t condone it, but they don’t do anything about it.

“I think that’s the problem, is that they’re not scared. They can get away with whatever they want to do.”

While the implications of the photographs are a big deal now, Garner thinks the incident will soon be forgotten.

“Honestly, I think it’s just another thing that is going to happen,” she said. “People probably won’t think about it much longer, it’s just another one of those passing things.”

Although welding ceased Thursday night, homecoming has not been abandoned.

Kristin Berry, vice president for public relations for Kappa Delta, said the sorority still plans on participating in homecoming with the fraternity.

“I’m sure they are doing everything they can to handle this situation they are in to the best of their abilities,” Berry said.

Three Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity members were suspended from the fraternity Thursday for their contributions to racially offensive pictures, which have outraged many Oklahoma State University students.

The pictures were taken at the fraternity’s Sept. 20 party, themed “Come As You Are Bizarre.”

One of the men was dressed in a prison suit with his face painted black and another man was dressed in a Ku Klux Klan costume. In one picture, a man in overalls and a Confederate flag bandana held a noose over the man in black face.

The photos shocked black students, prompting them to gather Thursday afternoon on the library lawn. They distributed fliers with the AGR pictures and urged students to sign a petition demanding disciplinary action be taken against the fraternity.

“Obviously, it shows their views and how they see African Americans not only on campus, but worldwide,” said Bryant Clark, African American Student Association president. “It does not surprise me because racism still does exist behind closed doors. It’s history repeating itself.

“Our reaction was just to be appalled. We found it very offensive, but we weren’t surprised.”

The fraternity, which has no black members at OSU, released a letter of apology to OSU President James Halligan, calling the members’ actions “culturally insensitive and completely unacceptable.”

AGR President Brad Atkinson also apologized to OSU’s black community in the letter.

“This incident has been extremely embarrassing for our organization, but it’s also been a wake-up call that we need to recommit ourselves to the Alpha Gamma Rho covenant to respect the dignity of all people,” the letter states.

The fraternity is inviting negative thoughts about itself and the university, said Roderick Montgomery, Afro-Am member and president of Alpha Phi Alpha, a black fraternity.

He said he was shocked when he saw the photos.

“The shock kind of subsided when I realized you can’t really expect too much of people,” he said. “You see things like that and you think — ignorance.

“Only way to combat ignorance is to educate.”

Michael Jackson, Alpha Gamma Rho National Board of Directors grand president, said the fraternity does not condone any behavior of this type and will not tolerate it.

In addition to the three men who are no longer part of the fraternity, AGR could face tougher penalties as the national office conducts an investigation.

“l believe that this incident reflects horrible judgment and is absolutely in poor taste and is inexcusable,” Jackson said. “But I would hope that as we all work to craft an acceptable disciplinary action that we could keep in perspective that there are many fine men who were members of that chapter not only today and who have been over time and will be in the future.

“The actions of these guys absolutely in my view do not reflect the very vast majority of the way people both believe and act in that chapter or, frankly, on the Oklahoma State campus.”

Kyle Nichols, noble ruler of Kansas State University’s chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho, agreed that this incident should not reflect on the fraternity nationally.

“I know the guys at Oklahoma State pride themselves, and they have one little mess-up or one little flaw and it’s going to just blow up,” he said.

AGR is a predominantly white fraternity, geared toward men studying agriculture. However, Nichols said the Kansas chapter has one black member.

The OSU administration has no plans of taking any disciplinary action against the fraternity.

Lee Bird, vice president for student affairs, could not be reached for comment; however, she sent a letter of reprimand to the fraternity.

Freedom of speech must be taken into consideration when determining what course of action to take against the fraternity, said Ival Gregory, manager of Greek Life.

“There is an issue of freedom of speech,” Gregory said. “Freedom of expression is also freedom to be stupid, which we have a very clear example of that in these pictures.”

Tom Keys, assistant vice president for student affairs, said the OSU administration is aiming for a long-lasting solution to the problem.

“What is represented here is an issue of constitutional rights in terms of freedom of expression, so we are trying to take a more educational and developmental approach rather than a punitive approach, so we do not bring freedoms of expression into this,” he said. “Do we think that it was unacceptable, intolerable? You bet.”

In an e-mail to the OSU Diversity Board, Earl Mitchell, associate vice president for multicultural affairs, suggested diversity training for the fraternity. He also said the university has a need for diversity curriculum that is a requirement for general education.

“I don’t know how many ways we can spell ‘S-T-U-P-I-D’ in the English language, but it now can be spelled with the Greek letters ‘Alpha Gamma Rho,’ ” Mitchell said.

“If we still have students that do not understand the seriousness and significance of the Klan or lynchings, then we are failing as an institution of higher learning,” he said.

The AGR incident has drawn state and national attention, and the Oklahoma president of the NAACP, Richard Allen, said if action is not taken against the fraternity, the NAACP will become more involved in the matter.

“I don’t know what OSU’s reaction will be, but I would assume the officials will take the appropriate action to stop it,” Allen said. “It is not so much common, but it happened at a couple of universities in the South, but they took immediate steps to rectify it and let those fraternities know they wouldn’t tolerate it.”

Allen said he hoped the same action would be taken at OSU.

“We don’t hope — we expect it to happen. If it doesn’t happen, then of course we will be more concerned about it and more involved in it,” he said.

Afro-Am will hold a town hall meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday to further discuss the incident. The place is yet to be determined.

“Making light of issues that America has struggled with throughout its history … in every aspect it is wrong,” Montgomery said. “Something of that magnitude should not be made light of in any fashion.”

Brandi Ball, Cass Rains and Katy Jones also contributed to this report.

Arthur Webb deals with racism every day. He comes from deep in Mississippi and is no stranger to prejudiced eyes. The actions of Alpha Gamma Rho members on Friday, Sept. 20, only heightened his life-long wish for peace and unity.

The Academic Outreach coordinator is not angry or vengeful. He is saddened but hopeful Oklahoma State University will rise above. He urged the community to learn from this, just as he did in 1983 at Ole Miss.

“I worked there (Ole Miss) three years before coming here,” the calm, collected Webb explained. “We had major problems with the Klan.

“It was a real nasty situation, real tense. Much like life and death,” he said.

He remembered students who protested in response to a black cheerleader’s refusal to raise a rebel flag during competition. Webb was an employee of the university at the time and the night of that protest is burned into his memory forever.

“I didn’t know if I was going to make it out alive,” he said. “But God is good.”

Webb believes his faith led to the dispersal of the hostile crowd of 700. With no police officers in sight, Webb and his African-American counterparts escaped harm.

“I thought about that when I saw the pictures,” he said.

Webb urged the Oklahoma State community to unite behind this disheartening issue, but not to make judgments until all the facts are presented.

“I think (unity is) needed. If not, things like this will continue,” he said. “My suggestion would be, let’s find out what happened, how and why.”

He stresses the importance of a thorough investigation of the incident. Webb questioned whether the proper steps will be taken to handle this incident.

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable if they discovered that the guys came into the party and people cheered,” he said. He hopes that somebody tried to stop them.

Feeling comfortable is a gift Webb has been forced to work for.

“I’m an ethic minority, I have brown skin,” he said with a crack in his voice. “I’m super sensitive to this.” He cited another black face incident at OSU in 1986.

“I live it. I live the life. I am an ethnic minority in this country. The world which I live is very different,” Webb said. “I’m impacted by this all the time. I have learned to adjust and adapt my tolerance level.”

The 47-year-old Webb receives degrading looks in the supermarket on a regular basis and is given less than satisfactory service at certain Stillwater establishments.

“I hate to say it, but that’s the truth. Sometimes we need to speak the truth, and it may make people uneasy and unhappy.”

The protesters on the library lawn Thursday held signs reading, “No Struggle, No Progress.” Arthur Webb has lived the struggle and seen the progress and has advice for the younger African Americans and other minorities on campus. He asked that they place their faith wisely.

“My faith in Christ is what keeps me here,” he said as the tension in his voice subsided. “If you grew up in the ’60s and the ’70s in Mississippi, then you normally wouldn’t debate your faith with people like you see people debate now. I know what brought me through it, and that’s what keeps me here safe and sound.”

Fighting prejudice with anger will not solve this country’s problems, Webb said.

“Keep a level head, subdue your passions. Wait and see what the facts are and the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” he said. He hopes the process will not take long and action by the fraternity and university will be swift.

“I don’t think this is a blip on the screen,” Webb said. “It’s sad that at this day and time that we still have to deal with this situation and any situation like this.

“We’ve had all the talk about being united. All the American flags, and emblems, and ‘God Bless America’ commercials. People should stop and think, ‘why would this take place at this particular environment at this day and time, when we have the impression that there is evil from without,’” he asked.

“This is not really coming together as one nation, under God, indivisible,” he said.

“But we can be and we should be. To reach that point, we need to be more honest and open about it and not be defensive or offensive or hold grudges,” he said.

“These guys, if they did it, my prayer is that they be forgiven,” he said. Webb said this could happen to anybody, white or black.

“The next time, they may be the one’s to say ‘that’s wrong, I’ve learned from my mistakes.’”

John Estus and Sean Hill can be reached via

e-mail at news@ocolly.com

Oklahoma State University students experienced a taste of Asian and Vietnamese culture for the first time Thursday at the Lunar Festival on the library lawn.

Also called the moon festival, it is a representation of the end of the harvest season, when parents return to their children after a long time of harvesting.

“Farmers in Asian countries are always in their field working, away from their children, and during this festival they try to make up for the time they lost by spending time with their kids,” said Sean Cooper, English sophomore and vice president of the Asian American Student Association.

This was the first year for the event, put on by the AASA and Vietnamese American Student Association.

The members of AASA and VASA started the show with the Lion Dance, which symbolizes good luck and tradition.

A dancing lion, in Vietnamese culture, is said to drive away the evil spirit and bring good luck.

The fashion show that came next displayed the traditional clothing of Southeast Asia.

Nayntara Sasidharan, broadcast journalism sophomore, said the costumes were colorful and vibrant.

Members of the organizations performed a skit that explained traditions surrounding the Lunar Festival.

“It combined American humor with Asian traditions,” said Mayur Vyas, finance senior and multicultural affairs chairman of the Student Government Association.

There was also a traditional Vietnamese dance performed by members of both associations.

The Fire Dance received a lot of applause from the audience.

“I thought it was absolutely breathtaking,” Sasidharan said.

The festival also displayed colored lanterns for sale.

The moon cake — a steamed Chinese pastry that looks like the craters in the moon — and the traditional Vietnamese pastry “Patechaud” were also for sale.

“Being the minority community here, this is a significant time for us to share our culture with the OSU students,” said Christine Garcia Co, electrical and computer engineering sophomore and president of AASA.

She said the basic theme of the festival is community and family togetherness.

“The idea of the show was passed around in both the organizations and we made it happen,” Co said. “It is a good way to diversify the student body even more.”

Vyas said he was happy Americans enjoyed the program as much as he did.

The one-and-a-half-hour program ended with all the participants, from the lion dancers to the people carrying lanterns, parading across the library lawn calling people to join them.

“It was a wonderful blend of both American and Asian cultures,” Vyas said.

Nagila Perumal can be reached via e-mail at news@ocolly.com

Every student at OSU should give a personal word of thanks to the three imbeciles from Alpha Gamma Rho who set race relations on this campus back about a hundred years.

If the small minority of non-white students on this campus didn’t have enough reason to be suspicious of its hordes of WASPs, they certainly do now.

If you haven’t seen them — or heard — several pictures surfaced on the Web of AGR’s recent “Come as you are Bizarre” [sic]. Among the pictures were a student dressed like a Klansman (yes, that Klan), another like a prototypical redneck and another — unfortunately, not making this up — in blackface and a black and white prison costume (yes, that kind of blackface).

Without pointing out the obvious, there are several disturbing aspects to these pictures. First, this happened at a college function, albeit a private one, in the 21st century.

Second, three men smart enough to get into a university — this university — would think that this is funny or, better yet, that they would see a camera and ham it up. Yes, a camera.

Third, that in many of the pictures (which were originally posted at www.geneseephoto.com, a party picture-taking service) there are several people laughing about what they’re doing. What’s worse, the fact that three students did it or that so many more saw nothing wrong with it? Complicity is as ignorance does.

Fourth, this is a house of men that consistently has some of the best grades of any organization on campus, who ritualistically wins homecoming and who – up until now – went against the stereotype of fraternity life. In other words, these are otherwise intelligent men who, by not stepping up and saying that something was indeed very wrong (the evidence of which is in the myriad of pictures with the three fellas in a variety of wacky poses) showed the Power of One is obviously not very strong at AGR, at least when it comes to making fun of grand ol’ traditions such as lynching and blackface.

To add to the hilarity, it was an anonymous student who sent the pictures out. Everywhere. Apparently, either one relatively shock-able guest at the “Come as you are Bizarre,” one scared to death member, or one soul at Genessee saw that, whether or not this was a private party, this was just plain dumb.

So now that the obvious has been pointed out, what is OSU to do? What is AGR National to do?

On OSU’s end, there is obviously a conflict. First, this was a private party. Second, free speech – even really stupid free speech – is protected, especially in private.

On the other end of it, though, if they don’t do something along the line of kicking the house of campus, it’s going to make OSU look like a bunch of cracker-toting bigots (something that’s obviously not far from the truth to begin with).

For AGR National, if it doesn’t revoke the OSU chapter’s charter, it will make the fraternity look about the same.

Unfortunately, the actions of three will now taint the entire house. I talked to a few AGR alumni about it, and they were predictably furious about the stupidity involved.

Then there’s the idea of leadership. Did anyone in the house see the way they were behaving? Did they not think that maybe this is just a bit too bizarre?

“It was a private party,” is obviously not an excuse and I’m assuming the powers that be at AGR realize this.

Furthermore, now that the story has escaped the Poke State Bubble, it paints Okies – not exactly a people who reside in a place where black and white walk hand-in-hand (I would reference the Tulsa race riots as exhibit A) wholly as bigots, something that is profoundly not true. (If you were a black family, would you send your children to OSU after seeing those pictures? I sure as hell wouldn’t).

By representing OSU in the worst possible manner, they have damaged our collective reputations elsewhere, have sent a gunshot wound into the body of race relations here and have disgraced their house, the greek system, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, all while reaffirming the beliefs of many non-white students here that they are merely guests on honkey soil.

What an ugly story and what a shame.

Ciao.

Cross country isn’t a spectator sport. Most people don’t even understand why people want to run that far when no one’s chasing them.

And then there’s Jason Woolhouse, who runs up mountains for fun.

Woolhouse, a sophomore on Oklahoma State’s men’s cross country team, placed third in the junior division of the World Mountain Running Championships in 1999. He was invited to be on the team again this year, but declined because the training would get in the way of the Cowboys’ cross country schedule.

“I got named in the team to go to World Champs, and it was a big deal,” Woolhouse said. “It was a big TV presentation back home. I trained for it over the summer, but then I pulled out at about the start of July — mainly because it couldn’t fit in with the cross country program over here, and it was going to screw up the team too much.

“I was pretty sour about it for awhile, ‘cause I really wanted to go — it was a free trip to Austria. But it was a 12-K, straight uphill race, and I couldn’t really warrant the training over here in Oklahoma. I was putting in good miles, but at the end of the day, I couldn’t really warrant it.”

The Cowboys won their season opener in State College, Pa., this season, and Woolhouse was the individual winner, coming in almost a minute ahead of the second place finisher on the 5.2 mile course.

OSU men’s cross country and track coach, Richard Weis, said Woolhouse is the team leader that everyone on the team looks up to.

“He’s a great student athlete,” Weis said. “He’s been Academic All-American individually, and he’s been on two Academic All-American teams. The only thing he hasn’t done yet is make All-American in running, and he’s well capable of that.

“He’s run fast enough, he just hasn’t done it on that day.”

Woolhouse originally signed with Boston University in 1998, but got cold feet coming out of high school and decided to stay in New Zealand. He said when he got home from the World Mountain Championships in 1999, he decided New Zealand had nothing for him. The two men who had beaten him, an Italian and an Austrian, both signed large contracts, while Woolhouse wasn’t offered any.

Woolhouse cited Weis as his main reason for coming to OSU.

“When all the other coaches were jackasses — wanting to go over stats and all that, coach Weis would just call me up and want to talk for a couple of hours — and do it every week,” Woolhouse said. “Even before we knuckled down and talked about times and all that, we’d already talked forever. It was just coach Weis — and the cross country program — it’s a really good program.

“He (Weis) had a way with words.”

Woolhouse has had to do most of his training at OSU by himself, since he was the only Cowboy to qualify for indoor and outdoor nationals in track and field.

“It was really hard running by yourself over here in Stillwater where nothing’s going on,” Woolhouse said. “I get asked if I’m gonna stay in the states every week, and I’ve really got nothing concrete. I got another two years here. I’ll just live for the day, and we’ll see what happens.”

Woolhouse added that he has big plans for his future, including a trip to the Olympics in 2004.

“Next year, I want to get my 5-K time in for Athens,” Woolhouse said. “I really want to run that Olympic qualifying time next track season. And if I do, I’m in a perfect situation. I’ll be one year out already with the qualifying time.”

Woolhouse’s personal record in the 5-K is a 13:47. He said he’ll probably have to run around a 13:20 next year to qualify.

“Maybe New Zealand Athletics will see that it’s (his qualifying time) fast enough and I’ll have an entire year of non-stop buildup for Athens,” Woolhouse said. “I’d be disappointed if I didn’t get the time.

“I’ve really got my sights on getting it one year ahead of time.”

Katy Jones can be reached

via e-mail at

kjones@ocolly.com

Oklahoma State University and the International Friendship Committee of Stillwater will host the fourth annual International Hospitality Day on Saturday.

Randall Beckloff, sponsored student specialist for the OSU International Students and Scholars office, said International Hospitality Day was started because the International Friendship Committee was looking for new ways to encourage friendship between residents and international students.

“This year we are expecting 100 students and 30-35 host families,” Beckloff said.

Tim Huff, director of International Students and Scholars, said the day allows host families to entertain international students for an afternoon.

It also allows families to spend time with international students without the living arrangements of foreign exchange programs, he said.

“This day gives international students exposure to the average American family,” Huff said.

“Some international students have graduated without setting foot in an American home,” Huff said. “It’s a tragedy.”

Some international students said they are interested in how American families live.

Deepa Khadka, electrical engineering freshman, said she does not know anything about American families.

“Every time I see them, I get confused,” Khadka said.

Kashif Khan, computer science graduate student, said he would love to meet an American family to see the similarities and differences from his family.

He said there are a lot of stereotypes of American family values, and it would be nice to see if they were true.

Anyone who is interested in sharing an afternoon with an international student may contact Gerry Auel, study abroad coordinator, in the OSU Study Abroad office, 060G Student Union, or at 744-8569.

Any international students who are interested may contact Beckloff in the International Students and Scholars office, 076 Student Union, or at 744-5459.

Shannon Crabbs can be reached

via e-mail at scrabbs@ocolly.com.

Oklahoma State University has had two bias-motivated incidents involving international students this semester, compared to 13 incidents reported last fall.

“We’ve heard of two incidents this academic year but don’t have enough information to complete a follow-up,” said Lee Bird, vice president for student affairs.

Both incidents reported involved verbal harassment, and there were no physical altercations or serious injuries due to the incidents.

When incidents involving any group of people on campus occur, a bias-motivated incident intake sheet is completed and filed with the Office of Student Affairs, Bird said.

“We (the university) have a vehicle to deal with these incidents,” Bird said.

Advocate offices and organizations aid in dealing with campus hate crimes and bias-motivated incidents. These advocates, ranging from law enforcement and community offices to OSU departments, are designed to decrease tensions between minority students and create a safer environment for all students.

Although some thought the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks could spark more conflict involving international students, there have been few problems this year.

Bird said most of the incidents last fall occurred after Sept. 11, and most involved international students.

“My observation is that everything seems to be relatively normal on campus now,” said Tim Huff, manager of the International Students and Scholars office. “And at this moment in time, it looks like we have weathered the storm pretty well.”

OSU has more than 2,100 international students enrolled, many of whom have avoided incidents.

“I was expecting something really worse,” said Manal Siddiqui, vice president of the International Student Organization. “I did feel they (international students) might be endangered.”

Many worries and fears of OSU officials and international students have dissipated, due to the support given by faculty and students.

“International students were given a lot of support from Americans, and they are really educated and strong-minded not to think that it was because of these students that these attacks happened,” Siddiqui said.

The threat of bias-motivated incidents not only worried international students, but American students of different cultures. They, too, have had little trouble involving bias-motivated incidents.

Understanding is what has kept many incidents from occurring on campus, Siddiqui said.

Those who witness or are involved in a bias-motivated incidents are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Affairs, 201 Whitehurst, to file a report.

Cass Rains can be reached via e-mail at crains@ocolly.com

One bad apple spoils the bunch. Well the bad apples I discovered Thursday on www.tolerance.org not only spoil the bunch, but they leave a stench worse than a skunk taking a dump. The stupidity that I am referring to is the “Come as you are Bizarre” that was held by the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity Friday, Sept. 20.

Members of the AGR fraternity came to this function adorned in Ku Klux Klan hoods and some came in blackface. The sheet clad members went on to depict the lynching and beating of the other member in black face. This insensitive and ignorant racist act resulted in public outcry from not only the African-American community but from many white students as well. It resulted in a protest outside of the library Thursday. The actions of a few individuals reflects horribly on OSU, its faculty and the majority of students. It saddened me personally to see this and see people in the pictures hugging and laughing with one another. I got the feeling that they didn’t have a problem with what they were doing. Apparently the leadership of the fraternity didn’t have a problem either because the offensive individuals weren’t kicked out or turned away. What needs to happen to the group? I feel that there should be severe sanctions brought forward to the organizations with some input from the African-American community. If fraternities are given probation for hazing pledges, then this fraternity should be suspended indefinitely for their offensive acts. There should be an apology given in person by the fraternity to the African-American Student Association and the community as a whole. There needs to be to an apology to the campus at large on the front page of the O’Colly paid for by the fraternity. The AGR house should not be allowed to participate in any homecoming activities as this would reflect bad on the university, students and alumni. The sorority that was grouped with the AGRs should issue a statement of disapproval of the groups actions and be paired with another fraternity house. Whatever the outcome of disciplinary actions it can’t take away what has been done. When things like this happen, good and bad results can be expected. One positive is that hopefully there will be a serious dialogue concerning race and race relations on this campus. Another positive is that there will be a coming together of concerned students on this campus. Just like Sept. 11 when we all came together because there was an attack on America, the same should occur because this obviously was an attack on a historically submerged segment of the United States. So if we can come together for the nation, we surely can come together for this campus. It however is unfortunate that something bad has to happen before we can come together and talk about issues that affect all students. Hopefully people who don’t usually attend Afro-Am (in particular whites and athletes) can come see that there is more to our organization that just crisis management. The only bad thing I hope doesn’t happen is an act of violence taken out against the AGR fraternity. I am a firm believer that the best way to fight ignorance is not with violence but with education and dialogue. I hope a few people who don’t reflect the views of the African-American community don’t go out and do some crazy stuff. Just like AGR doesn’t reflect the views of all whites, a few black folks who just want to fight don’t reflect the views of all black people on campus.

I hope the university handles this matter with the utmost swiftness and in searching for a decision let education be the main goal. Forgive them, father, for they know not what they do.

While many Oklahoma State students didn’t even know the university had an equestrian team, the Cowgirls have been riding to success since their inception in 1999. In 2000, the Cowgirl Western team captured a national title.

“There is not one girl on our team that won’t shovel manure, clean tack or be willing to help out with anything,” said freshman team member Mary Beth Ede. “Not a lot of people realize how hard we work to be so good at this.”

The Cowgirls have a little under a month to prepare for their first show at West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas, on Oct. 26.

Last year the Cowgirls rode away from Canyon with a first place finish.

The Cowgirls held tryouts for the team on Aug. 21-23. OSU set a new record this year when 65 athletes tried out for the team. Out of those that tried out, the Cowgirls were only able to keep 17.

OSU returns 38 riders from last year, which puts the team’s active roster at 55 girls, which is also a record.

“I’m as impressed as I have ever been,” said OSU coach Larry Sanchez. “I feel very confident with the core group of girls coming back and am excited about the young faces returning.”

The Cowgirls are currently practicing off-horseback anywhere from 3-5 times a week as they prepare for the upcoming season. The practices consist of 15 minutes of running and abdominal workouts, which help out with the balance necessary to ride on a horse effectively, and getting a general feel for each horse, according to Sanchez.

Last year’s Cowgirls finished second at the IHSA (Inter-Collegiate Horse Show Association) in the Western discipline and seventh in the Hunt-seat discipline. OSU welcomes some of its top riders back from a year ago in Emily Hoaglen, Laura Brawdy and Luann Ulrich.

Last year Hoaglen finished seventh in the walk-trot division, Brawdy finished second in the walk-trot and Ulrich captured a National Championship for the Cowgirls, leading the Western team to a Reserve National Championship.

OSU has set a team goal to win in both the Hunter discipline and the Western discipline at nationals, said Sanchez.

“Right now we are working on making every aspect of our riding to help it be as consistent as it can be,” said Sanchez. “I feel this will help us be prepared for the season for head-to-head shows and tournaments.

“We have some very skilled riders here,” said Sanchez. “Our riders are some of the best in the country and world for their age.”

Brian Nachtwey can be reached

via e-mail at

bnachtwey@ocolly.com

It’s wasn’t another happy-go-lucky night of welding and homecoming preparations outside the Alpha Gamma Rho house Thursday night. Instead, the brothers abandoned their nightly project to seclude themselves from the rest of campus, Stillwater and the world.

It is amazing how rampant ignorance is on a campus dedicated entirely to the acquisition and seeking out of knowledge. A horrible example of how ignorant some are on our campus was posted on the Internet, for anyone with a modem and monitor to see and read, anywhere in the world.

The university already lost a large amount of pride when our own athletes couldn’t stop beating one another, but this incident makes those events seem like minor infractions, comparatively. How much shame does our university have to endure simply because a few select groups cannot use better judgment?

The incident involving the AGR house is one of immense tragedy and will not soon be forgotten by anyone. The shame that it brought to our university will never be forgotten, leaving those few disgraceful images in the minds of others when the letters OSU are mentioned in sequence.

There was a time when graduates could take pride in their orange pride. Others would focus on our accomplishments and achievements. But now, with the immense overshadowing of so many horrible occurrences, trying to find pride anywhere near campus has become quite challenge.

Swift action needs to be taken on the part of the university and others involved with the greek system. Allowing this type of behavior to go unpunished any significant amount of time will only make this institution look worse. An apology after being caught does not constitute reparations for an act or acknowledgement of the audacity of an act. It only represents immaturity and fear of consequences — not knowledge and understanding of guilt. Racism shouldn’t tolerated at all, especially on a campus striving for diversity in the year 2002. What those students and fraternity members did in those pictures is exactly what this university does not stand for.

All the talk is over with, all the cupcakes are off the schedules and Big 12 Conference play starts tonight for the Oklahoma State Cowgirl soccer team and the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The game will be at 7 p.m. at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex.

The Red Raiders are returning eight starters from last year’s team that went 4-15 and finished 11th in the Big 12. TTU started out well by beating Syracuse (3-1) and Colgate (2-1) on its opening weekend this season, but have lost six straight games since then.

“We can play with any team,” said TTU coach Felix Oskam “We just need some players to step it up, who have a fire lit on their behinds.”

Oskam is in the midst of his sixth year at the helm of TTU.

Junior forward Catie Arsenault, junior midfielder Kerri Campbell and sophomore defender Roxanne Frilot all lead the way for the Red Raiders in 2002. All three players are tied for the team lead in points with four points each.

The Cowgirls and Red Raiders met last season, when the Cowgirls narrowly defeated TTU by a score of 2-1. The Red Raiders went into halftime with a 1-0 advantage despite being out-shot 13-4.

OSU rallied back to tie the ball game up in the 85th minute, and Jere Boykin came up huge by hitting the game winner to score her first goal as a Cowgirl.

The Cowgirls will enter Big 12 play as the only team going in undefeated at 8-0 and only the second team to achieve that in conference history (the other being Nebraska).

“They are on a roll right now, they are a much improved team from last year,” Oskam said.

With its eight wins, OSU has already reached the number of victories last year’s team has posted, before even putting a foot into conference play yet.

OSU coach Karen Hancock picked up her 50th career win Sept. 18, against Northeastern State University in a 2-0 victory. The Cowgirls also picked up a 2-0 win against Drury on Sept. 22.

In its last two shut-out victories, OSU has out-shot its opponents by a 30-7 margin.

“We haven’t necessarily played Big 12 quality soccer in some of our games,” said OSU assistant coach Colin Carmichael. “But, we’ve taken care of business and feel confident going into this weekend.”

OSU sophomore forward Jolene Schweitzer, sophomore midfielder Krista Dedmon and sophomore midfielder Nikki Wojtowicz lead the Cowgirls statistically going into the weekend. Schweitzer leads the team in points with 12 and goals with five, Dedmon has knocked in two goals and four assists, and Wojtowicz leads the team with seven assists.

“We are better equipped this year going into the Big 12,” said Carmichael. “We are more athletic and have more team speed, which is a necessity in our conference.”

Both Schweitzer and sophomore forward Courtney Robb have ankle injuries that have kept them out of play and are listed as day-to-day, but are expected to hit the field tonight.

Sunday the Cowgirls play host to Baylor. OSU will square off against the Lady Bears at 1 p.m. at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex.

Brian Nachtwey can be reached

via e-mail at

bnachtwey@ocolly.com

Ignorance is but an excuse. And ignorance when combined with humor, or rather a sad attempt thereof, forms a risky product. Please do not misunderstand — I enjoy a good laugh as much as anyone else.

But members of OSU’s Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity clad in both blackface and the robe of a Ku Klux Klansman are not funny. It is morally reprehensible, completely unacceptable and simply bigoted.

Thursday morning, posted on a Web site known as www.tolerance.org, was an account of a “costume party” held on Friday, Sept. 20 and hosted by Alpha Gamma Rho. The party theme was “Come as you are Bizarre” and apparently coming-as-you-are is simply a misnomer for expresssing inherent racism and mocking such historical tragedies as lynchings, hangings and whippings.

In one photo a young man sporting a Confederate bandana holds a mock noose above the head of another individual dressed in blackface and prison garb. To the side of the individual in blackface is another person sporting the white cap and gown of a Klansman.

Other photographs depict such culturally unique slogans as “Southern By The Grace of God,” which is emblazoned upon the arm of a festive partygoer. Judging from the pictures, alcohol freely flowed at the event. Perhaps most disturbing of all is the fact that there are clearly others in the photo backgrounds — students partying, people walking by and more. That is perhaps the most tragic aspect of the photographs. Apparently no one prevented, or maybe even thought twice about, the photographs being taken. I do not know about others, but I believe I would notice if a nearby white man was simulating a whipping of another man in blackface and prison clothes.

But perhaps I’m unique in that way.

According to www.tolerance.org, an anonymous e-mail from an OSU student informed the Southern Poverty Law Center (a non-profit organization, according to its Web site, which combats “hate, intolerance and discrimination through education and litigation” — www.tolerance.org is one of the programs of the Law Center) that the pictures were posted on the Web site of a local photography company. I have yet to be informed as to why any photography company for any purpose would post such pictures.

Ival Gregory, manager of OSU’s Greek Life office, was notified and made a call to the chapter president of Alpha Gamma Rho. Vice President of Student Affairs Lee Bird stated in the article that fraternity leaders had been met with and given a letter condemning the behavior.

It has been suggested that fraternity members undergo diversity and sensitivity training. Phil Josephson, executive director of Alpha Gamma Rho, said that the fraternity may face penalties from national headquarters.

I will firmly admit I am not fully informed concerning the happenings at the party a week ago. I am also not necessarily knowledgeable about what intent there was for either the event itself or the costumes.

I cannot fully state that every member present in the photographs is an avowed racist any more than I can state that Alpha Gamma Rho’s membership is bigoted.

I am sure many students on this campus have friends within the organization and would not believe such comments.

Due to the fact that fraternity members have not been terribly open concerning the event, I write this sadly uninformed. I simply hope for a sincere explanation from the fraternity.

Squirting refs, cussing out wealthy donors, nudging people out of your way with your Lexus; it’s all in a day’s work for Mr. Randy Moss.

Moss, who was weeping like a child last night while talking to ESPN’s Suzy Kolber, spent a night in jail after pushing a 27-year-old traffic control officer, Amy Zaccardi, around on a Minneapolis street until she fell off the car.

Zaccardi, who is not a police officer but a city employee, wasn’t seriously hurt.

Moss was charged with failure to obey a traffic officer and careless driving. Mr. “I’ll play when I want to” faces a $1,000 fine on each charge and a maximum stay of 90 days in jail.

Witnesses say the driver looked to have no intention of hurting the agent or causing trouble, which makes this entire episode all the more ridiculous.

Just speculating here, how could you not intend to cause trouble when you physically bump a person with your car, no matter how fast you are going?

This entire incident is so ridiculous, but as long as the ratio of touchdowns outweighs embarrassing stunts, the higher-ups in the Vikings organization will continue to keep today’s Michael Irvin around.

Marijuana was found in the ash tray of Moss’s car, and of course the purple problem denies smoking the doja while driving. The receiver said others had recently used his car.

Apparently, a few of those friends were members of the New York Mets. Another ridiculous story to recently surface found around seven of the Mets players have been partaking in the weed.

These stories are all ridiculous, but not as ridiculous as . . .

. . . trying to pay attention to high school football games in Lawrence, Kan.

During a recent game, the Lawrence Journal-World reported Kansas football heavyweight and coach Mark Mangino was seen yelling at officials after his son’s football game Friday night.

Mangino’s son, Tommy, the quarterback for Lawrence High School, was removed after being hit hard in the team’s 26-7 win over Olathe East.

The former Oklahoma offensive coordinator was apparently upset and being a protective father.

Outside reports also said the player who made the hit made a comment to the younger Mangino.

It was something to the effect of “Mangino, I’m going to eat your lunch.”

It is now clear to why the Kansas coach went into an uproar.

Quick thought: If anyone recalls the old burger-chain Big Ed’s, Mangino could double for the drawing of “Big Ed.”

Remember, he was the rotund chef with an even more rotund burger in front of him.

Well all that is ridiculous, but not as ridiculous as:

— The thought that Iowa State actually has a chance against Nebraska tomorrow.

The possibility that the Cyclones actually have a Heisman Trophy candidate on their team.

Sure, Troy Davis was good at running back, but Seneca Wallace is even a talent-step ahead of Davis.

— The recruiting class Oklahoma State has reeled in so far.

A recent addition, talented Lawton running back Andrew Alexander committed to the Cowboys.

Alexander was a huge Nebraska fan, but was turned around by the OSU coaching staff.

Alexander, who has 455 yards and seven touchdowns in three games, gives the Cowboys 10 verbal commitments, already.

OSU already has commitments from Millwood’s Donovan Woods and Corey Muse.

— The realization that OSU’s last football star, R.W. McQuarters shares the initials with the next Cowboy star, Rashaun Woods.

— The stunts the AGR fraternity pulled recently, but nothing is that ridiculous.

Only about five hands went up when African American Student Association President Bryant Clark asked members of the organization if they were surprised when they saw racially derogatory photos from an Alpha Gamma Rho party surface Thursday.

“We should always be prepared. We know this exists,” Clark said. “It’s not ignorance. It’s stupidity.”

Afro-Am’s regularly scheduled meeting became a place for concerned students to voice their opinions about what action should be taken regarding the photos, taken Sept. 20 at a party themed “Come As You Are Bizarre.”

The photos, which depict three AGR members in black face and Ku Klux Klan costumes, caught the attention of black students, bringing them together on the library lawn Thursday afternoon to distribute fliers and pass around a petition calling for disciplinary action against the group.

At least 200 students filled the seats in Student Union Case Study One, and those that couldn’t find seats lined the walls and stood in the doorways.

“Some say it’s free speech,” Clark said. “I think differently. I don’t want to pry in on anybody’s free speech, but if you’re going to be a fraternity at OSU that should not be tolerated.”

Clark challenged the Oklahoma State University administration to “follow their policy of having no tolerance.”

“Let’s not react to this with hate,” he said. “Use that same determination on your head. Use your mind,” he said.

Following Clark’s speech and a reading of AGR’s apology letter to OSU President James Halligan, Tom Keys, assistant vice president for student affairs, spoke on behalf of the administration.

Not since 1970 has an incident of this nature occurred at OSU, he said. The administration was offended, appalled and angered by the photos.

“We’ve been asleep with these kinds of issues, hoping that we’d never have to deal with them again,” he said.

Diversity should be celebrated, and the student body must come together to resolve the issue, he said.

“We’re very quick to point out the problems but not to devote the time to fix those problems,” he said. “The harder part is to come together as a campus to change attitudes.

“Will you help us do that? Will you be patient and tolerant enough?” he asked the group.

Students responded to Keys’ challenge with a sea of questions and comments.

The Sexual Orientation Diversity Association executive board attended the meeting, and President Josh Collier expressed the group’s desire to stand by Afro-Am in an effort to “stop hate on this university.”

Holding a sign reading “Stop Hate at OSU,” Collier said, “SODA is committed to standing beside you in this fight. We will not tolerate it, and we don’t expect you to.

“We must unite ourselves because together we can do anything.”

Keys said the intent of the administration was not to tolerate hate.

“Don’t think I’m asking you to tolerate it,” he said. “I’m asking you to be patient.”

OSU alumnus Sandino Thomas came from Tulsa to attend the meeting and challenged black students not to forget about what happened at the AGR party.

“Don’t just come together now,” he said. “Be ready to do something three months from now, three years from now.”

Thomas’ mother was an OSU graduate, and he said things haven’t changed much since her days here.

“This is painting a bad picture on OSU. On all of us,” he said. “Keep this in the front of your mind. Don’t leave it up to the administration.”

The goal of the administration is to hold AGR accountable and find a long-lasting solution to the problem, Keys said.

“You may not agree on the university’s stance on the issue right now,” he said. “It’s a developing process for us. The position taken may appear to you to be a weak stance.

“I ask that you not judge the final outcome of this tonight. If this is the last you hear of this, hold us accountable.”