CAMPUS BRIEFS: Student charged with lewd acts with a child

Student charged with lewd acts with a child

An OU student who has been charged with performing lewd acts with a child will appear next week in court, according to a Cleveland County District Court affidavit.

Isaiah Christopher “Chris” Hamburger, drama sophomore, was charged Oct. 5 for molesting a 4-year-old girl.

The affidavit states Hamburger “denied any wrongdoing and requested counsel.”

Norman Police began looking into allegations of molestation July 6 when the victim disclosed to her mother that “Uncle Chris” had “made her do yucky things.” On July 8, the victim was taken in for forensic review at the Mary Abbott Children’s House where the child confirmed she was molested while visiting her grandmother’s house in Norman where Hamburger lives while attending OU.

Hamburger posted bond and appeared with counsel Oct. 6, according to the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department.

-Ricky Maranon/The Daily

Norman Health system honored for clinical excellence

Norman Regional Health System received an award from the Oklahoma/Arkansas regional office of VHA Inc. for achieving clinical excellence in the areas of improving overall clinical quality, outstanding performance in infection prevention and outstanding performance in emergency department care.

Norman Regional also won the Superior Clinical Performance Award, beating out 30 other organizations.

“Being awarded the Superior Clinical Performance Award, especially when surrounded by other very accomplished hospitals is a wonderful achievement. This speaks to the dedication of our staff to quality care and patient safety,” said Norman Regional President and CEO David Whitaker in a press release.

The award for improving overall clinical quality is based on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and joint commission core measures.

VHA Inc. is a national care network based in Irving, Texas, with 17 regions across the U.S.

“By recognizing these selected hospitals with clinical quality awards, we hope to demonstrate that hospitals can overcome the financial obstacles that often stand in the way to achieving clinical excellence,” said Dr. Bruce Naylor, vice president of clinical improvement and medical director for VHA’s Oklahoma/Arkansas region, in a press release.

-LeighAnne Manwarren/The Daily

CNBC's Jim Cramer to speak with students and alumni

Free student admission tickets to the taping of CNBC’s “Mad Money with Jim Cramer” will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today in the Oklahoma Memorial Union.

Cramer will visit OU Oct. 29 to speak with business students and alumni at a dinner, and Oct. 30 he will tape his show before a live audience of OU students.

For more information, contact the Price College Office of Alumni and Development at 325-2500.

Free art lecture be Texas-based photographer

Art photographer Michele Wambaugh will give a free lecture today at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave.

“From Degas to Abstraction” begins at 10:30 a.m in the Sandy Bell Gallery. Presented by The School of Art and Art History, the lecture is open to the public, but seating is limited.

Wambaugh, a Texas-based artist, is best known for her photographic series “Exposed: The Performer Backstage,” which documented the backstage environment of over 40 major dance, theater and opera companies in North America and Europe, including Broadway musicals.

Wambaugh’s other series include “Women and Tribals of India” and “World Signage.”

For more information or to see a calendar of future events, call 325-2691 or visit art.ou.edu.

Transportation committee to discus commuter rail

The City of Norman’s Transportation Committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday to discuss a possible commuter rail service from Norman to Oklahoma City and Oklahoma City to Edmond, according to the meeting’s agenda.

The Association of Central Oklahoma Governments will discuss facilitating a commuter rail study from Norman to Oklahoma City and Oklahoma City to Edmond.

Other agenda topics include CART, SafeRIDE and extended service reports, as well as a review of streets to be considered in the existing five-year street improvements project.

The meeting will be at Norman City Hall, 201 W. Gray St.

Deadline for UOSA Student Congress seats approaches

The deadline to apply for a seat in the fall 2009 election in UOSA Student Congress is 5 p.m. Thursday in the Conoco Leadership Wing of the Oklahoma Memorial Union room 181.

Students can run for open seats in districts that represent their field of study.

Jeff Riles, UOSA fall 2009 general elections chairman, stated the following districts have open seats that students can apply for:

2 – Arts

1 – Architecture

2 – Business

1 - Atmospheric and Geographic

4 – Communications

1 - Continuing Education & Liberal Studies

1 - Earth and Energy

4 – Engineering

4 – Humanities

1 – Languages

4 - Life Sciences

2 - Physical Sciences

4 - University College

—Daily staff reports