Panel discusses eating disorders, causes and cures

For many reasons — from images in the media to varying youth environments — many students feel pressured to look a certain way, which can lead toward possibly harmful eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. But students are often their own best line of defense to help each other, according to members of OU's medical community who participated in a panel on eating disorders Wednesday night in Dale Hall as part of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

Sponsored by The Women's Outreach Center, the event began with a segmented screening of the HBO documentary "Thin", which follows four women in a Florida treatment center. It was followed by a panel discussion with three members of the OU Athletics Department, two of which work in PROS, Psychological Resources for OU Student Athletes, and a adjunct professor who teaches a course that discusses body image as it relates to the media.

Discussing what students should do when they believe a friend may have exhibit symptoms related to an eating disorder, Stacy Lemmert, the Director of Athletic Dining, said not to brush off initial responses of denial. "If you confront that person, nine times out of 10 you'll get excuses," Lemmert said.

A large theme of the panel discussion revolved around eating disorders rarely being connected to food. Many people are concerned with image or have other aspects of their life that they can't control, like grades, relationships and so on. By taking control of their eating habits, said Dave Botsford, a pre-doctoral intern at PROS, those people feel like they have control over something.

For online lists of the types of eating disorders, their symptoms and ways to help, go here and here.

If you or someone you know may be exhibiting signs that are related to eating disorders, here are some local resources that can help:

OU Counseling and Testing
Goddard Health Center, Rm 201
405-325-2911

Psychological Resources for OU Student Athletes (PROS)
Prentice Gautt Academic Center
405-325-8535

Disordered Eating Center of Central Oklahoma (DECCO)
Norman, OK
405-292-1000

Connie Fox, Ph.D and Donna Wade, LPC
Oklahoma City, OK
405-842-0543

New campus magazine looks for student editor

OU students interested in gaining managerial journalism experience are being asked to apply as editor of OU's first-ever general interest magazine, a new publication under OU Student Media that is scheduled to debut this coming summer.

The magazine, which has been considered for years, said Lori Brooks, adviser for the Features Department of OU Student Media, will be similar to an airline magazine as it will appeal to a general audience with a variety of stories about OU. But since this magazine, which will be published in full-color, glossy paper, is the first of its kind at OU, Brooks said they are looking for students who have a creative vision on what the campus needs as far as coverage, ideas about balancing the needs of readers and staff, and the ability to craft a new deadline schedule and manage content flow.

"They should walk in the doors with ideas that they can articulate what this magazine can be," Brooks said.

Applications to be the editor of the new magazine, which will produce five issues a year — one summer, two spring, two fall — are due by 5 p.m. March 2 in the Student Media business office, which is housed in Copeland Hall, Room 149A. The editor is expected to be chosen in the spring. Previously, it was required that editorial positions in OU Student Media were filled by students who worked in the department, but that has been waived for this publication. Applications are available here.

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In other OU Student Media news, the department received word Wednesday, Feb. 19, that its 2008 yearbook package — Sooner 2008 and Crimson Traditions 2007 — is a finalist for the Pacemaker award, given by the Associated Collegiate Press and considered the Pulitzer Prize of collegiate publications. The package won that award last year.

Gaylord recommended for reaccreditation

The five members of a national accrediting foundation that evaluates journalism programs left OU's Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication on Wednesday having told Gaylord Dean Joe Foote that the college will be recommended for reaccreditation, meaning it complies with the nine national standards that "legitimize" a journalism program.

Foote said the evaluation, which occurs every six years, gives the college a chance to examine its strengths and weaknesses so it can improve. After spending three days talking with students, faculty, staff, alumni and external members involved with the college, the five-member team left a draft of its findings with Foote, OU Provost Dr. Nancy L. Mergler, and OU President David L. Boren.

"We were very pleased," Foote said of the report. "No surprises. Every weakness were things we knew about and were already addressing." Foote added that the team, which is from ACEJMC, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, was "exceptionally impressed with the facilities and what has happened to the college in the last six years," noting the addition of several faculty members and the construction of an additional wing to the building.

While it is highly expected that Gaylord College will be reaccredited,a title it has held since 1949, Foote said an official announcement will not be made until ACEJMC, which has accredited 112 programs worldwide, announces its final decision in late April/early May in Portland, Ore.

Reaccreditation members vist Gaylord Monday

Five members of an journalism accrediting organization will be visiting OU's Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication next week to talk to students about their experience at the college and consider whether it deserves reaccreditation, a process that occurs once every six years.

The first meeting Monday, Feb. 16, will be with all Gaylord students and the Tuesday meeting will be divided by major. The members of the American Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC) will be grading the college in nine categories, the most important of which, according to Gaylord Dean Joe Foote, who is the longest-serving member of ACEJMC at 13 years, is a college's curriculum.

Foote said for a university like OU, reaccreditation isn't a necessity as it is at a smaller college, but it can be a way to gain national recognition. "We're trying to lift our standards through (this evaluation)," said Foote, who added that he was at a similar evaluation last week at Arkansas State University.

Currently, about 108 universities are accredited, Foote said, and the ACEJMC Council will make its decision regarding OU in late April.

Stadium temporarily closed for construction

Students, faculty and staff who favor running stadium steps will have to avoid the south end of the west side of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium starting Monday, Feb. 8, as it will be closed for up to 10 days because of construction, according to a release sent to OU student-athletes on Feb. 5.

Contractors will be installing electrical conduit under the drive inside Gate 1, which is phase IV in the stadium renovations.

"I don't even know what I would do to (replace that workout)," said OU student Jahna Elizondo, a visual communications senior. "(Running up) hills? There's not many hills around here."

Signs will be posted near Gates 11 and 12 to direct pedestrians toward the north end of the stadium rather than walking through the south end. Access to the football visiting team areas, such as the dressing room, training area, and coaches locker room, will remain open.

Pita Pit expansion to cause temporary closing

The popular OU student eatery Pita Pit, located at 311 W. Boyd St., is expected to close for one day in the next two weeks due to construction that will ultimately expand its breadth to allow many more patrons.

The construction, which began two weeks ago when ownership of the space next door concluded, will considerably expand Pita Pit and the changes include nearly 20 more tables, another bathroom, two plasma flat-screen TVs, and a projector that will be used to watch football games.

Jessica Greff, an employee at Pita Pit who has worked there for three months, said she doesn't anticipate any issues other than when the wall is separating the two spaces is knocked down. She added that the new expansions will be more exciting for students, saying "come watch football games, (play) video games, and there is even talk of getting a DJ."

The agreement to expand the current Pita Pit location to the space next door was made in August, but construction has been delayed. Construction is scheduled to be completed sometime within the spring semester.

No recognition of Paris' record planned just yet

The OU Athletics Department hasn't made any immediate decisions for how to recognize OU women's basketball star Courtney Paris and her NCAA-record game double-double streak, which ended Monday night, but there will be some sort of commendation, a spokesman in the office said Tuesday.

Paris' streak of 112 games with at least 10 points and 10 rebounds ended Monday night in the No. 2 Sooners' 80-70 win against No. 12 Tennessee at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City when she recorded just 9 points and 12 rebounds. The streak began Dec. 5, 2005 against UCLA and lasted 1,159 days.

Paris was modest when asked her reaction to any sort of recognition, saying in an email she hopes the department would "recognize it as a team accomplishment because that's what it was. There's no way I would have gotten to 112 without the people surrounding me."

Paris, a 6-foot-4 journalism senior from Piedmont, Calif., was a consensus first-team All-American last season and is projected to be one of the first picks if not the first pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft, which is scheduled for April 9 with the Atlanta Dream holding the first overall pick.