Why (and how) your tuition costs go upKendra Nixon, Content Editor Ever wonder where tuition costs come from or how they are decided? Scott Strawn, VP for Business and Finance explains how SNU’s tuition amount is decided each year. Strawn and the school board meet annually to decide what tuition, along with other costs, will be for the fol-lowing academic year. Factors that go into this decision include com-paring costs of other institutions, economic influx and simply finding the “sweet spot” for delivering high quality education. “Our board is very sensitive to tuition costs,” Strawn said. The board tries to keep in line with in-flation and face costs like businesses do. The number of scholarships and financial aid impacts the ability to

deliver quality education. SNU re-ceives around $1.75 million from churches and alums. In total, each student receives on average around $1,000 from scholarships and fi-nancial aid.

“The rules and regulations of financial aid have gone crazy,” Strawn said. His job as the VP for Business and Finance is to provide quality education and keep up with other

private, Christian universities with-out over-charging the students. Tuition has increased each year an average of 6.3% from 1999-2012. However, the average increase of tuition, fees, and room and board all together is 5.6%. SNU is con-sidered to be on the lower-end of the scale in comparison to other private, Christian universities. Each university has the same obligations to keep in line with inflation, health insurance increases, and financial aid rules and regulations. Even though it is his first year as VP for Business and Finance, Strawn admits that SNU hasn’t done a good enough job of com-municating price increases to stu-dents. This information is avail-able online, but Strawn is looking

into ways to make the information more accessible. The full board will meet in May to discuss the tuition price for the 2013-2014 academic year. After they meet, the cabinet must approve and the information is sent out for incoming students. The advertised price for the univer-sity fluctuates based on where the student lives, meal plans, whether they use SNU’s health insurance or not, as well as other factors. Tuition varies on the many programs that SNU provides. Programs include traditional un-dergraduate, adult studies, degree completion, or international stu-dents. The price configuration can be found at http://snu.edu/future-students.

“The rules and regulations of

financial aid have gone crazy.”

SNU custodians: Our interview with Melody HardingRonna Fisher, Assistant Editor They tell you hello every time they see you, they keep our campus pretty and clean, and they love get-ting to know you. Now get to know you friendly SNU Custodians. The Echo (TE): Tell me a little bit about yourself. Melody Harding: Well, I’m Melody Harding, and I grew up in South Africa as a missionary kid. I moved there when I was almost three. I graduated from Mid-America Naza-rene University in 1989 with an as-sociate of arts. I have four children . . . I came to work at SNU in 2006,

and cleaned the religion building and the third floor of Hatley for four years, and then I was in Brack-en and then covered several other buildings. I have been in the library since October 2011. I am also the substitute mail person. I gradu-ated from SNU with a bachelor of science in organizational leader-ship on December 8, 2012. I actu-ally got my diploma in August of 2012. And, I am now in the masters program pursuing a master of sci-ence in management, and I’m due

Continued on page 2 Melody Harding (right) poses with Dr. Jones. Photo provided by Harding.

6612 NW 42nd St. Bethany, OK 73008 (405) 491-6382TheEchoFebruary 1, 2013

Volume 84 Issue 15echo.snu.edu

Fellowship of Christian Athletes - What is it? Why go?

Read more on page 4

Friends and lots of coffee-Tips for Senioritis

Read more on page 5

2NEWS2.1.13

Our interview with Melody Harding, continuedto graduate with that in 2014. My daughter Cherokee will be graduat-ing at the same time with her bach-elor’s degree. TE: What do you like about working at SNU? Harding: The Christian commu-nity. TE: What is the most interest-ing thing you have found or seen while working at SNU? Harding: We were cleaning the dorm, and I found a ring with Jer-emiah 19:11 on it. So, I took it to Student Development and told them if no one claimed it could I have it, and they gave it to me. It was right when I needed it, because I was going through a really hard

time. So, it was just perfect. TE: So, I heard that your par-ents lived in a house where the religion building now stands? Harding: They moved two weeks just before I was born. So, that’s why it was very interesting that when I came to SNU I worked in the religion building. And, the other thing about the religion building is, I was going through my divorce when I was working there, and the professors and Lorie were my sup-port. TE: So, you recently graduat-ed, and now you are getting your masters. What has that experi-ence been like as a single mom who is also working full time? Harding: It has been very tiring.

Because it’s like having three full time jobs: school, work, and moth-er. TE: What brought you to SNU in the first place? Harding: Well, I was working at a Christian school when we moved here, and I didn’t get a paid salary. It was just my children’s tuition that I was working for. So, then, when my marriage broke up I had to get a job that paid cash, so I first went to work at a daycare for a few months, but you don’t get any benefits at a daycare, like sick leave for one. And, my friend Jan Chafey, who was working in the English department at the time, suggested the job. TE: Outside of work, school, and kids, what do you like to do

when you have free time? What are your interests or hobbies? Harding: Reading, photography, and spending time with friends. TE: What do you like to read? Harding: I love to read Karen Kingsbury books and Francine Riv-ers. TE: Do you have any advice or tips for making it through col-lege? Harding: Doing all your reading. TE: Do you have a favorite Bi-ble verse? Harding: Well, there’s Jeremiah 29:11 and Psalms 61:1-2, “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

Got questions you want answered in Campus Questions?

Email them to echo@mail.snu.edu

Q: Why are the supports outside the Science Building blue?

A: “The blue color is actually the original color all the steel columns were in 1968. The architect of this building and many others on campus at the time was Ray Bowman,

of Bowman, Nicek and Associates. He used this color on all the structural steel in that day. In fact most of the buildings on campus used these two shades of “Bowman Blue” on all the exterior steel. The architect of our new science building addition and I have chosen to renew these colors for the existing science building for two reasons. One,

because it is a bit of an homage to the original architect, and also because these colors will actually compliment the modern design of the new science building. We currently

have our painter resealing the window systems in the existing science building and while he is there, repainting the window panels and columns in this same blue.”

-Ron Lester, Director of Facilities Management

CAMPUS QUESTIONS

Continued from page 1

OPINIONSTheEcho February 1, 2013 Page 3

Beth Gray, Guest Writer A trash can isn’t where you want to be. And if your résumé isn’t padded to the hilt, that will most likely be your fate—another name chucked into a bin by a curmud-geonly Human Resources manager. Trust me, I know from experience. At the end of my sophomore year at SNU, I realized I wasn’t involved in any scholastic organizations. I thought I’ll apply next year. Besides, after college no one will care if I was involved or not. Wrong. Busi-nesses take your academic prowess into consideration. As a person on the brink of ap-plying for a doctoral program and less than a year away from getting married, I desperately need job se-curity. By “job security” I’m not re-ferring to a part-time position at the GAP—which, by the way, is fine—but I’m talking about the kind of job security that allows for annual salary and benefits.

In an effort to make my résumé more competitive I joined five var-ious honor societies. None have proved as helpful to me as Mor-tar Board. The beauty of Mortar

Board rests in its universal notori-ety; it’s a nation-wide senior honor society whose name is immediately recognized. During my final interview for a position I coveted based on the job security it provided, a position I now possess, the interviewing staff member looked at my résu-mé and said, “Oh, I know Mortar Board,” he paused slightly, “Con-gratulations.” Essentially, when you have aca-demic societies on your résumé,

you are conveying winsome infor-mation about yourself to poten-tial employers. Take for instance a fellow Mortar Board member, senior Emily Sloan. Emily is in a handful of honor societies, several of which specifically relate to her preferred field of employment: counseling. Although Mortar Board isn’t necessarily a society for psychol-ogy students, Emily explained why she joined the organization: “I am very excited about the opportuni-ties Mortar Board offers, specifi-cally the opportunities relating to graduate school scholarships.” Mortar Board rewards hard-working students by offering aid to their future academic endeav-ors. However, even if you aren’t interested in pursuing graduate school, Mortar Board indicates to employers that you have a brilliant work ethic. Now its time to talk about ap-

Live in your mom’s basement or actually succeedplying for Mortar Board! Each Mortar Board chapter has differ-ent admission standards. Southern Nazarene University’s chapter ac-cepts students with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Regardless of your certain-ty that you meet the criteria, apply! Mortar Board gives discretion to individual chapters in terms of choosing new members. If your application shows exceptional leadership or service skills, this in-formation will be taken into con-sideration. Don’t be the person who gradu-ates college and ends up in their mom’s basement while holding down a job at the GAP—which, by the way, really is fine—be the person who takes life by the horns. Apply now, juniors! To apply or learn more about Mortar Board, contact Amy Long-necker at alongnec@mail.snu.edu.

“A trashcan isn’t where you want

to be.”

Applications for Editor-in-Chief positions availableHow to Apply

Due date

Requirements

To receive an electronic version of the application, please email: Melany Kyzer, mkyzer@snu.edu

Applications are due Friday, February 15, by 5 pm to Melany Kyzer. Applications must be submitted electronically.

Completed at time of selection 3 full semesters of university class workCurrently attending Southern Nazarene UniversityCumulative grade point average of at least 2.50 or maintained at least 2.50 for each of the two preceding semesters

Then what? Once your application has been received, you will be contacted by the Publications Board for an interview. Interviews will take place on Thursday, February 21, from 3:00 pm-5:00pm.

Scholarships Scholarships are available for both editor-in-chief positions.

TheEcho

STORMSPORTS

Keepup

with results

and scores

at snuath-letics.com

TheEcho February 1, 2013 Page 4Fellowship of Christian Athletes: What it’s all about

Kira Roberts, Layout Editor Fellowship of Christian Athletes takes place every other Monday on the second floor of the Sawyer Center and is an opportunity for any SNU athlete to get connected and spend some time in worship together. According to co-pres-ident, Colby Connel, it is a great opportunity for athletes to get to-gether and use sports to relate to each other and the role their faith has in that. Connel is a senior sci-ence education major and is on the basketball team. “My favorite part about it is get-ting to share what’s on my heart and hear what’s on other athlete’s hearts,” Connel said. “Often times it’s a great place to give and receive encouragement to be a light in the locker room to our teammates who need to hear about Christ. I think it has an impact on our stu-dent body because many people that come to FCA are leaders on their team and are encouraged to use their leadership role as a min-istry opportunity.” Along with the other co-presi-dent, Angela Zanotti, Connel plans meetings, gives out information from the FCA organization, and speaks within the meetings. They address the needs that many team-mates have and discuss how they can make a difference, as well as lift those needs up through prayer. Many non-Christian schools

also have FCA groups and SNU gets the opportunity each year to spend time with these other col-legiate groups at statewide FCA events. Connel said that one of these events is coming up on Feb-ruary 8th at Life Church in Ed-mond. He said that this is a great opportunity to play games, eat free

food, and take part in worship with other student athletes across Oklahoma. For more information about get-ting plugged in, speaking, playing worship music, or joining for the February 8th event, contact Colby Connel, Angela Zanotti, or Coach Paul McGrady.

SNU

AthleticsPhoto by Jasmine Misner

Make sure to support the basketball and baseball teams in their upcoming

games!

Arts ENTERTAINMENTTheEcho February 1, 2012 Page 5

Conquering senioritisKendra Nixon, Content Editor “Noun. A crippling disease that strikes seniors. Symptoms include: laziness, an over-excessive wearing of track pants, old athletic shirts, sweatpants, athletic shorts, and sweatshirts. Also features a lack of studying, repeated absences, and a generally dismissive attitude. The only known cure is a phenomenon known as graduation.” –Urban Dic-tionary If you’ve ever been a senior before, whether it was in high school or in college, you understand the concept of senioritis. Some may argue that senioritis is a myth; it’s just some-thing students make up to give them an excuse to be lazy. But I would like to counter that. Not only have I caught the disease, I have seen the smartest and hardest working stu-dents go down. The students you’ve known for the past four years who never miss class, study an excessive amount, and actually wear jeans to class everyday (who does that?) are starting to waver. They are more eas-ily persuaded to miss a class, put off studying, sleep in, and wear sweat-pants (crazy, I know). Now this isn’t a problem neces-sarily. People do it all the time, right? Wrong. It IS a problem. And ironi-cally, the problem is also the solution: graduation. On one hand, graduation is at their fingertips. It’s so close that they think they can start to slowly dwindle off. But that isn’t the way to go. Without a strong finish, a senior could be three hours short of gradu-ation. And if you’re a senior, you know how frustrating that would be. So how do you find motivation to get through that last semester, those last classes, and those last assign-ments? I have searched the campus far and wide to get advice from the

wisest of the wise, the brightest of the bright, the motivatedest of the motivated. Anyway, according to senior

Bekah Barkocy who is on her “vic-tory lap,” just knowing that she’ll be done having to meet teacher’s deadlines and listening to their rules is enough to get her through. She looks forward to being able to design her own things in a real life setting. “My dad’s paying quite a bit for

“Just keep your head up and get through it and have a positive at-titude while doing it even though you’re annoyed at everything be-cause there are a lot of younger students looking up to us,” Barkocy said. Wiedemann’s advice was to talk to your friends and say, “come on man, motivate each other!” Dimi-tri’s advice was plain and simple, “Over-caffeinate.” Whether it’s finances, caffeine or the simple will to get school over with, it can be easy to find the mo-tivation you need to survive this last semester. So reach deep down and find what motivates you to finish strong, but don’t miss out on the journey along the way. As a very wise Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”

me to go here so I want to finish strong,” Barkocy said regarding what keeps her motivated. “I can feel like I achieved something at the end of the day” Senior Dusty Dimitri has dis-covered a different way to motivate himself to get through this last se-mester: “Drink a lot of coffee, try to stay extra caffeinated and make sure there’s something fun to do at the end of classes.” Coffee is one cure to seniori-tis, but it might not be enough for some. Senior Kim Wiedemann has already started her countdown to graduation: “I just realized I have 14 weeks left. I can power through it because I’m ready to graduate.” These seniors are not alone in their struggle to defeat senioritis, and they offered some advice for everyone else looking for some motivation.

Coffee is one cure for senioritis, but it might not be enough for some. Photo by mr_wahlee used under Creative

“Coffee is one cure to seniori-tis, but it might not be enough

for some.”

6A&E2.1.13

Brad’s movie review: Age is just a number, right? Brad Crofford, Editor-in-chief Yes, she is almost 80 years old. Yes, he does appear to be in his late teens or early twenties. And yes, Harold and Maude is one of my favorite films. Released in 1971, this cult fa-vorite tells the story of two vastly different people who come to care about each other very much. Har-old is a privileged young man who is obsessed with death. Maude is a 79-year-old woman who is in love with life. When they meet at a fu-neral, little does Harold know how radically his life is about to change. I will leave it at this somewhat enigmatic summary of the plot in order to allow you to discover the film’s delightful little surprises for yourself. Harold and Maude is one of those movies that you either love or hate. Personally, I love its dark, quirky, unusual humor. I love the contrasting perspectives about

life that Harold and Maude rep-resent. It is a successful combi-nation of absurd situations and thoughtful reflections. The soundtrack is one of the best parts of the film. It features Cat Stevens’ music, lending a nostalgic feel to the movie and one that is refreshingly differ-ent from those of modern films.

Both the beginning and ending scenes make brilliant usage of his music, but in very different ways. While the opening scene uses

a long, mysterious, somewhat claustrophobic tracking shot, the ending scene combines several scenes in one of the most emo-tional montages I have ever seen. (It’s up there with the beginning of the new Star Trek.) However, many people can-not get over the age difference between Harold and Maude. I challenge you to suspend your judgment and look to the deeper meaning of the film. If you do that, I feel confi-dent you will feed inspired rather than disgusted. Still skeptical? The Ameri-can Film Institute has created lists of the top 100 movies from the past 100 years in various catego-ries. Harold and

Maude ranked #45 for “100 Years...100 Laughs,” #69 for “100 Years...100 Passions” and #89 for “100 Years...100 Cheers.” It has a rating of 8.0/10 on the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) and an 86% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It is avail-able for free to both Netflix and Amazon Prime subscribers. Do yourself a favor: watch, laugh with, and be inspired by Harold and Maude.

Jake’s movie review: Harold and MaudeJake O’Bannon, Columnist Have you ever been in the middle of watching a movie and you think to yourself, “What am I doing with my life right now?” I had a mo-ment like that this past week when I watched, (based on the recommen-dation of editor-in-chief, Brad Crof-ford) the 1971 cult classic “Harold

and Maude.” Have you ever heard of it? I can almost guarantee that the majority of you answered “no” to that question. And if you said

“yes” it’s most likely because you stumbled across it while browsing Netflix. Directed by Hal Ashby, “Har-old and Maude” tells the story of a young man around twenty one (Harold) whom, for lack of a bet-ter phrase, is tired of it all. With a mother who is trying to control every aspect of his life, especially his dating life, and an uncle who wants him to join the military, Har-old finds refuge in bizarre activi-ties such as faking his own suicide and attending funerals of people he does not even know. At one particular funeral burial site, Harold spots an older woman (seventy-nine years old to be pre-cise) sitting at the base of a tree eating an apple. She appears again at the next funeral Harold attends, which becomes the first place the two talk. It was at this moment when I realized the Maude was the original “Quirky Girl.” You understand what I mean by quirky

a few times.” Maude proceeds to show him just what living means. I watched this movie with my friend Nick Chafey. At one point he said, “That was absurd.” This was pretty much my thought through-out, because the things Maude did were in fact absurd. From stealing police cars to uprooting trees on a

girl, right? It’s all over recent cine-ma and television. It is Kate Win-slet in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” Natalie Portman in “Garden State,” or Zooey Descha-nel in every role she has ever done. This character is prominent in cur-rent pop culture, but Maude started it all in 1971. There is a reoccurring sensa-tion that comes from characters like these. They show people what it means to really live - they wake people up from stale lives. As with the movies mentioned above, Har-old begins to learn from Maude that there is more to life than he knows. There is a point where Har-old says, “I haven’t lived…I’ve died

“Have you ever been in the middle of a movie and you think to yourself, ‘What am I doing

with my life right now?’”

“Do yourself a favor: watch, laugh

with, and be inspired by Harold

and Maude.”

Continued on Page 7

Photo from Wikipedia.

Macy Sliman, Staff Writer Dating is a phenomenon that continues to baffle experts… and pretty much everyone else as well. It’s even more of a strenuous ac-tivity on a small campus commu-nity like SNU, nestled in this tiny town of Bethany. What’s even more draining than the fact that it is over-thought is that it can also get rather pricey. In an effort to help out, here are some date ideas perfect for the evening out on a dime. Get ready to leave the cell phone on silent, have a great time taking your date out on the town and not break the bank. The good thing about Bethany is the proximity it has to Oklahoma City, where there is always something to do. One of my favorite places to go when the weather is lovely is the Myriad Gardens. This is a 17-acre botani-cal garden in the middle of down-town on the southwest corner of

7A&E 2.1.13

Dating on a dimeReno and Robinson, and there is no entrance fee. Even if it’s a bit chilly, it’s a fun place to take a hot cup of Starbucks, slap on some warm clothes and just

wander. There are pathways all around that make for a scenic walk and some tables are set up if you would like to bring a lunch along. Besides, cold weather is a great excuse for some cutesy cuddling. If you are feeling really edgy bring a blanket, settle out on the grass and watch a movie on your laptop. After your pleasant walk

around the garden or even for the less outdoorsy peeps out there, there is always Nonna’s restaurant on Bricktown. This charming little European grill has an outdoor patio that over-looks the canal. It’s a great place to get dessert and listen to the live bands that play there. If you’re just feeling a movie kind of night, make it at the Winchester Drive-In The-ater. This is an adorable drive-in Movie Theater on Western with just a six-dollar entry fee. If you have access to a truck, pile the back with as much fluffy stuff as you can: like mattress, blankets, pillows, anything for a comfy film watching time. Take some snacks and settle in for a unique movie experience with your girl. After the movie, take some back roads to where the city lights can’t be seen and go stargazing. Now, fellas, I know what

you’re thinking. All this stuff is super cheesy but trust me: chicks dig cheesy. They might say they don’t or they might not say anything at all but they do. Use some of these ideas, and you will get some good brownie points. Just take a chance, be cheesy and it’ll best the most fun you’ve had on a date on a dime. Photo by Kevin O’Mara used under Creative Commons License

public street, Maude did what she wanted whenever she wanted. She was not afraid of rules, because she just wanted to live. Okay, here comes the weird part, so buckle up. Harold and Maude eventually fall in love. While watching the movie, this fully blew my mind. I’m cool with age differ-ences, but sixty years seems a little much. Well, I’ve been enlightened since then. I have realized that it was not Maude in physical form that Harold was falling in love with. Rather, it was life according to Maude that he was falling for. Through Maude, Harold realized that life was full of so much more than fake suicides and funeral ser-vices. Life is what we make it, and what we make it can be pretty in-credible.

I never thought I would have learned such a valuable lesson from a movie with such an ab-surd concept. But I must admit, I am happy that Brad suggested this film to me. Thanks, Brad. And make sure you check out his review of the same movie in this week’s edition so you can learn from the true expert. Give this movie a shot. If anything, you can hear an incredible soundtrack by Cat Stevens. And when you find yourself asking, “What am I do-ing with my life right now?” take a moment to really think through that answer. You might just learn something.

Continued from page 6Movie review

“I know what you’re thinking. All this is super cheesy,

but trust me: chicks dig cheesy.”

The ECHO is the weekly student newspaper of Southern Nazarene University and is a long-standing member of the Oklahoma Collegiate Press Association. Viewpoints expressed in the paper are not to be considered official standard-bearers of the university or its sponsoring denomination. Editorials on the op/ed pages that are generated by the ECHO staff--and therefore have no byline--express the opinions of the editorial staff but not necessarily of the administration, faculty or staff of Southern Nazarene University. Personal columns with bylines as well as opinions reprinted from subscription wire services or other publications by permission express the opinions of the writer and not necessarily of the editorial staff of the ECHO or the administration, faculty or staff of Southern Nazarene University. The ECHO publishes a public forum called “Letters to the Editor” and invites readers to express themselves here. The editorial staff requests that letters not exceed 250 words and reserves the right to edit them for clarity and brevity. All letters must be signed. Send them to The ECHO, SNU Box 2541, or through e-mail at echo@snu.edu. Letters will not be returned. Unless otherwise marked, letters received by The ECHO that deal with newspaper content or practice will be considered for publication. Information on advertising can be obtained by emailing the editor-in-chief at echo@mail.snu.edu.

Editor: Brad Crofford

Adviser: Melany Kyzer

Content Editor: Kendra Nixon

Layout Editor: Kira Roberts

Assistant Editor: Ronna Fisher

“Give this movie a shot.”