Bike & Build participant Brian Phillips poses with his bike, which he will soon be riding cross-country. Every summer, Bike & Build organization sends many young people on a summer long tour to raise awareness for affordable housing projects. (photo by Victoria Stahl)

OU Student Spends Summer Giving Back

While many students will be relaxing or catching up on classes this summer, junior Brian Phillips will be spending his summer months on a cross-country journey, donating his time to the affordable housing charity, Bike & Build. Phillips is still looking for donations to his cause and is reaching out to friends and family for support.

According to its website, Bike & Build is an organization that takes a group of people on a bicycle ride across the United States to raise money and awareness of affordable housing efforts. Each participant raises $4,000 for the trip and spends the summer riding their bike from town to town while stopping along the way to build houses with local housing organizations.

"I'm really excited to get involved with community service organizations," Phillips said. "It is something I have always wanted to do but for one reason or another, I haven't gotten around to getting out there and actually doing it. I think it is awesome that each person has to raise their own money for the organization and do all the work for the charity. It is going to just be a lot of fun biking across the country."

The application process for this year's cross-country routes is already completed, but Bike & Build has added a shorter "Capital Ride" route for those who cannot sacrifice an entire summer. To donate to the cause or to Phillips' progress, go to Bike & Build's donation page, where those wishing to help have the ability to donate to specific riders . For more information visit bikeandbuild.org.

For more of Brian Phillips's interview click play.

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Matt Wyles and his dog pose in costume Saturday night while waiting for the Mardi Gras parade to start. Saturday's parade is Oklahoma's only Mardi Gras celebration. (photo by Victoria Stahl)

Mardi Gras Celebration Comes to Norman

Norman will host a Mardi Gras parade tonight, February 21 for the 15th year in a row. Residents of Norman and visitors can witness Oklahoma's only Mardi Gras carnival, which will take place in downtown Norman.

Traditionally, the Mardi Gras parade takes place on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, but earlier this year, Mayor Cindy Rosenthal declared February 21 as Norman Mardi Gras. According the the Norman Mardi Gras Parade Committee, the parade will include animals, costumes and performances by music and dance groups. The theme of tonight's parade is "Celebrating Ancient Cultures - In a Time Warp."

"Norman is the only town in the state that has a Mardi Gras parade," said parade participant Joanne Sellers. "Norman is a town of culture, so let's show off with our culture."

The carnival will take place in the Norman Historical Downtown Arts District and will begin at the Santa Fe Depot on Jones Avenue at 6:45 pm. It will travel north to Main Street, east to Crawford Avenue, south to Comanche Street, and will circle around again at Jones Avenue. For more information call 360-3279.

Campus Club Takes On Movie Project

The Student Film Production Club is currently taking applications from students wishing to participate in the upcoming movie project "OU, I Love You." The SFPC is looking from students from all colleges on campus to be involved in the production.

According to the project's co-chair, Virginia Duke, the project is based on the film "Paris, Je T'aime" which is a compilation of short films about love in Paris. "OU, I love you" will have a similar theme and take place on the OU campus.

"We are trying to make it an interdepartmental project," Duke said. "We are trying to get people to help out and write from the Journalism Department, and help out from Fine Arts, etc. We want to use this opportunity to branch out, and to use this as a learning experience because a lot of being a student film maker is learning and we figured this was a good way for as many people to learn about [film making] as possible."

Duke said the SFPC is accepting screenplays and director reels from experienced writers and directors and the deadline for those applications is Feb 20. Anyone who wants to participate as an actor or crew member, regardless of experience, can e-mail sfpc@ou.edu

New Exhibit Arrives at Sam Noble Museum

Museum patrons at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History observe photographs by Jim Brandenburg in the museum's special exhibit "Touch the Sky." University of Oklahoma students can view the exhibit for free through April 12, 2009. (photo by Victoria Stahl)

New Exhibit Showcases Nature Photos

A new special exhibit opened today at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. Jim Brandenburg's "Touch the Sky" collection of photographs gives viewers an insight into life in the prairie ecosystem.

According to his website, in 1999, Brandenburg and his family established the Brandenburg Prairie Foundation to preserve and expand native prairies. Now, Brandenburg uses his photography to tell the story of the prairies that people do not get to see. His photographs focus on the environment, weather and wildlife of the grasslands.

"The photographs are beautiful," said museum patron Andrew White. "They really make you feel like you are there."

The exhibit runs today, Feb. 14 through April 12 at Sam Noble and admission for students is free. For more information, visit the museum's website at www.snomnh.ou.edu.

Campus Performance Raises Awareness

To assist in an 11-year struggle against sexual violence, the University of Oklahoma participates in the V-Day movement for the tenth time since 1999 this month. Students can join in by volunteering for or by attending the performances of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" on campus.

According to its website, the V-Day movement has been raising money and awareness since 1998 to strengthen the anti-violence movement. Worldwide performances of "The Vagina Monologues" and other plays raise money for anti-violence movements in the United States, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Director Anna Holloway said that one of the biggest problems in our society is that we don't talk about sex in healthy ways, and this show does just that.

"The things people don't know about the show: It's not about profanity, it's not about lesbians, it's not about women trashing men. It's about women being healthy with their own sexuality which is something they should be able to share with everyone," Holloway said.

"The Vagina Monologues" will perform February 23rd and 24th at 7 p.m. in Meacham Auditorium in the Oklahoma Memorial Union, and tickets are $7. Students can volunteer by contacting the Women's Outreach Center on campus at (405)325-4929.

Programs on Campus Aim to Prevent Sexual Violence

After recent reports that sexual violence cases on the University of Oklahoma campus more than doubled in 2007, some students may be concerned about what to do in case of an emergency situation. The Women's Outreach Center on campus offers a few classes that can prepare students for dangerous situations.

Two programs, Sexperts and the Sexual Assault Awareness Program, are aimed at providing education and preventing sexual violence on our campus. Students can complete training that can help prepare them for dangerous situations that can occur on college campuses. Kathy Moxley, the Coordinator of the Women's Outreach Center can help prepare students for situations away from campus as well.

"We know the OU campus is safe, but students go away for spring break and they leave the safety of the campus. We want them to be prepared," Moxley said.

Students can get more information by visiting the Women's Outreach Center office on the 2nd floor of the Oklahoma Memorial Union or from the organization's website at www.ou.edu/womensoc.

Course- and College-Specific Fee Increase

Soon, students may see an increase in course- and college-specific fees. While this increase will not affect the mandatory fees charged to all students enrolled, it will affect students in the colleges of business, journalism, and arts and sciences, as well as those enrolled in the Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City.

According to the regents' meeting agenda, the increase will allow those colleges affected to increase and maintain the number of instructors in the colleges. Hopefully, the increase will improve the educational experience for students at OU,but not all students are happy about paying more for classes, and even offer up their own suggestions.

"It would be nice to have more teachers in the departments, but raising students' fees isn't the way to go. It seems like the school could cut down on athletics spending and give a portion of that back into education," junior Brian Phillips said.

Students can look for those fee increases in Fall 2009.