Safety First. The OSU-Tulsa Police Department was recently recognized for achieving certification from the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police.
Every aspect of OSU-Tulsa's Police Department was evaluated in depth, including policies, procedures, operations and employee training. Executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police, Stacey Puckett, said the department had to successfully meet national standards in 12 critical areas to achieve certification.
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities across the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses. It is enforced by the U.S. Department of Education.
Okie Stance. Governor Mary Fallin released a statement supporting the ruling of a federal appeals court in Atlanta that the "individual mandate" contained within the federal health care law was unconstitutional. The federal panel said in the majority opinion, "This economic mandate represents a wholly novel and potentially unbounded assertion of congressional authority."
Fallin released the following statement:
"I am pleased that yet another federal court has agreed that the 'individual mandate' contained within the president's health care law is unconstitutional," Fallin said. "Oklahomans have made it clear the federal government under no circumstance should be allowed to force citizens to purchase health insurance. As this case moves through the federal court system, I look forward to continued validation that the 'individual mandate' is unconstitutional and in contradiction with the free market principles that have made this nation great."
Don't Hate Message. A public service campaign developed last year to fight bias, bigotry and racism is being re-launched this month with the debut of two 30-second television spots.
"This Machine," which showcases Oklahoma musicians speaking out about social justice and human rights, was created by a group of artists, communicators and creative professionals.
The campaign benefits the nonprofit Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice. Last year's effort included advertisements in magazines and newspapers, a social media campaign, a concert and the website occjrocks.com.
Creators said they drew inspiration from legendary Oklahoma singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie, who often performed with the words "This Machine Kills Fascists" on his guitar.
For the OCCJ campaign, musicians were asked what "This Machine" means to them. They scrawled their responses with black paint, were photographed with the guitar and were interviewed about how music fights prejudice and hate.
Heart Healthy. Osage Casino employees attended the annual health fair at the Osage Event Center in Tulsa.
The Osage Nation Nutrition and Osage Nation Home Health Nurses were represented as well as 20 other vendors providing nutrition information and health care services.
  Osage Casino Health Fair |
Employees asked questions about their health and took advantage of cholesterol and glucose screenings and blood pressure checks from area health care organizations. Health fairs during the year are available to more than 1,000 casino employees.
Over the past few years, Osage Casino has offered several health benefits to employees to become healthier. The "Change How I Live Life (CHILL)" challenges employees to compete for points by exercising, eating right, and limiting alcoholic beverages and tobacco use. Wellness challenges have helped employees reduce their Body Mass Index and a Million Dollar Milers team of employees participates in several 5K walks/runs throughout the year.
Job Well Done. Tulsa Public Schools has demonstrated significant improvement in Academic Performance Index (API) scores and other performance indicators during the 2010-11 school year according to preliminary reports issued by the State Department of Education today. The final report is expected to be issued on Aug. 25.
Initial findings show the district's schools are having a measurable impact on student achievement. Highlights include:
Sixteen of the 24 TPS schools on last year's list of schools in need of improvement increased their total API scores this year. Their total API scores grew an average 28 percent; A total of 45 TPS schools achieved AYP this year, compared with 29 last year; Nearly 56 percent of TPS schools improved their total API scores.
Thirty-five schools have tentatively been identified to be on the state's list of schools in need of improvement for the 2011-12 school year. After closures and restructuring due to Project Schoolhouse, 22 schools on the list remain open
Visit tulsaschools.org for additional information.