Articles

Talon News • 22nd February 2024

Cafeteria Cuts to Balance Budget

Oklahoma Christian University’s cafeteria is not immune to the budget balancing on campus. Increased theft and decreasing student numbers caused UDining to make changes in their budget.


The most visible change students have seen in The Branch is the absence of styrofoam cups and lids for taking drinks to-go.


“We were spending an average of $1,600 a week on cups. Students had talked with us about sustainability, and we were losing more money with how many pieces of orange chicken that can

Talon News • 8th February 2024

Campus Police Monitoring Apartments After Auto Thefts

A series of vehicle thefts have occurred in the apartment parkings lots of Phase 3, 4, 5 and 6. Campus Police are working with Oklahoma City Police and Edmond Police to apprehend the suspect.


Criminal activity began Jan. 14 when a flatbed trailer was stolen from Phase 5. The trailer was then used in the theft of an ATM. Jan. 20, a student’s silver Kia had the black window broken into, but nothing was stolen because the car’s alarm sounded.


On the same morning, at 3:44 am, the suspect who

Talon News • 25th January 2024

Talon Tips: How to Save When Buying Your Books

My textbooks could have cost $350 this semester, and I would have been stuck with them for the rest of time unless I chose to resell them for a cost lower than when I purchased them. But, all six of my books have been rented for a total of $150.


How did this money magic happen? My secret is a website called Chegg. I discovered this semester Chegg is a secret I have kept to myself for too long. I assumed we were all using Chegg and found no reason to bring it up in conversation, because who w

Talon News • 18th January 2024

Faculty and Staff Affected by Budget Cuts

Due to budget cuts, Oklahoma Christian University has laid off several faculty and staff members. The budgeting issues mainly stem from a decline in enrollment and the ending of government COVID relief funding.


Provost Brian Starr discussed how administration planned a reaction to the financial deficit of the university.


“We had to make some painful adjustments because we’ve got to live within our means. The ultimate reason we have to live within our means is because it’s really importan

Talon News • 16th August 2023

Oklahoma Christian Welcomes New Provost

This fall, Oklahoma Christian University welcomed a new provost, Brian Starr, to campus. Starr sat down with the Talon to share his story and his new role in carrying out the mission of Oklahoma Christian.


The expertise Starr brings to campus is threefold: he has been a teacher, administrator and minister in various environments.


After getting his undergraduate degree from Abilene Christian University, Starr pursued an MBA at the University of Texas at Austin, which he described as the “

Red Liberty Media • 26th July 2023

A Trad Take on the Barbie Movie

This review contains my bigger thoughts from this year’s summer blockbuster, Barbie.

The summer movie plastered in pink was an upbeat, heartfelt and fun film which asked a lot of important questions about societal roles and identity. Two camps dominate the Barbie discussion, one adoring it and the other, primarily made conservatives, disowning it. Barbie does have its flaws like any other movie, especially in a day where Hollywood is drowning in left-wing views, but there is still value in what

Red Liberty Media • 16th February 2023

The Truth About the Trans "Insurrection" in Oklahoma

Monday Feb. 6 I drove to the Oklahoma State Capitol and saw a few people gathered with trans flags outside the building. It was 8:30 in the morning, they were calm and quiet.

I parked my car and ran to my office, caught in the excitement of the first day of session. I’m an intern at my state Capitol in the Senate Communication Department. As the morning went on, the group of trans activists grew and got a little louder.

As I have quickly come to learn though, most days in the Capitol during se

Talon News • 24th August 2022

Perceptive or Deceptive: A Look into "Intro to the Good Life"

In the fall of 2021, Oklahoma Christian University altered the general education Bible requirements. This change reduced the required Bible class hours from 16 to 12 and included some new courses.


The new curriculum begins with a course titled “Foundations: Intro to the Good Life,” required for all freshmen. The class is held on Sunday evenings beginning at 7 p.m. and lasting until 8:40 p.m. In addition, hour-long break out groups are held at various times throughout the week.


The course

Talon News • 25th October 2022

Q&A with Jervis Campbell

Chris Renzema and Jervis Campbell performed in the forum at Oklahoma Christian University this past Friday night. To learn more about Renzema, click here.


How would you describe yourself as an artist?


“Probably more in the soul, gospel world is how I like to describe my music. I like to have a good time on stage, but I’m a more chill person in general.”


In as much detail as possible, could you walk me through a day on tour?


“When you’re at the beginning of a tour, you load up the v

Talon News • 8th April 2022

Behind the Scenes of the Oklahoma Abortion Ban

On Tuesday, April 5, Oklahoma lawmakers passed Senate Bill 612, which outlaws all abortions unless necessary to save the life of the mother. The bill was approved by the Oklahoma Senate on March 10, 2021, and passed in the House on Tuesday with a 70-14 vote. The bill now moves on to be approved by Gov. Kevin Stitt, who has previously promised to sign any bill limiting abortion. If signed into law, people performing illegal abortions will be sentenced to 10 years in prison or be charged $100,000

Talon News • 2nd March 2023

Brandon Tatum Now Serving as Gov. Stitt's Chief of Staff

Brandon Tatum, former Oklahoma Christian University employee, has been appointed Chief of Staff for Governor Kevin Stitt. The Talon interviewed Tatum to discuss his new responsibilities and the ways Oklahoma Christian prepared him for this position.


What did you do when you worked for Oklahoma Christian?


“I started out helping the university with online education. We spent time looking at health and implemented online degrees inside of hospitals and inside school systems to help solve the

Red Liberty Media • 20th October 2022

Journalist Missing Since FBI Raid of His Apartment in April

James Gordon Meek has an impressive track record of investigative journalism. However, he has not been seen or heard from since April 27, 2022 which is the day the FBI raided his Virginia Apartment.

John Antonelli, Meek’s neighbor, described what he saw the day of the raid. The event occurred early in the morning, just before sunrise. He a “black utility vehicle with blacked out windows blocking traffic in both directions on Columbia Pike.” More militaristic vehicles began to crowd the area and

Talon News • 5th September 2023

Calendar Controversy: Changes to Next Year's Academic Calendar

Oklahoma Christian University announced its decision to return to a more traditional academic calendar. Instead of continuing the post-COVID schedule, the university will revert to its fall semester beginning in late August and continuing until December.


Students have had mixed responses to the news. The majority of the negative feedback stems from the shortened winter break, giving students less time to spend with family and increasing travel costs.


Junior Alista Richardson expressed he

Talon News • 25th September 2023

Oklahoma Christian Baseball Team Reaches Largest Player Count to Date

The Oklahoma Christian University baseball team has reached a player count of 94 between its junior varsity and varsity teams. The high volume of players has created new opportunities and challenges for the team.


Head baseball coach Lonny Cobble explained how the team grew to its current size.


“This number isn’t normal, we’re bigger than some football teams around the country. We were recruiting like normal,” Cobble said. “We had guys who wanted to walk on and be a part of the program and

Talon News • 14th February 2023

Relationship Advice from Our Faculty

Oklahoma Christian University has many professors who, in addition to teaching us, serve in long and happy marriages. In honor of Valentine’s Day, The Talon has reached out to these professors to hear their best relationship advice.


Trey Orndorff, the chair for behavior and social sciences, shared the advice he received from his grandfather.


“If you always put the other first, always view things from their point of view instead of your own, then you will have a long and happy marriage,”