Feb. 11, 2013

ROTC, page 4

the Monday, February 11, 2013

Inside this

Issue news

Patagonia page 2 Vice President Vincent Stanley will speak on campus about sustainable business.

culture Breast cancer awareness page 5 Charles MacGregor shares what inspires him to fight for a cure.

Valentine’s Day dates page 6 Feb. 14 festivities don’t have to be extravagant or expensive.

opinion Women in combat page 9 After women have been limited on the battlefield for years, they should be allowed to fight in combat roles.

sports Track and field page 11 The indoor track and field team seeks to dominate in the RMAC conference.

cribe Vol. 37, Iss. 14

UCCS Student Newspaper

Recycling legacy to continue atop Mt. Trashmore Nicholas Beadleston nbeadles@uccs.edu On most days, a mound of bloated bags bursting with garbage is symptomatic of a sanitation strike.

Not so on Feb. 12, when the refuse from every receptacle across campus will be collected and piled in El Pomar Plaza.

The resulting heap, dubbed Mt. Trashmore, will be intended to serve as a visual example of how much daily waste UCCS produces.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., student volunteers will descend on the pile and begin to sort through the mess, removing and sorting recyclable material.

The third annual Mt. Trashmore will be hosted by the Office of Sustainability and is a key event in Recyclemania, a 10-week nationwide conservation competition involving more than 500 schools.

As a participant in Recyclemania, UCCS is attempting to set the bar high by reaching a 40 percent recycle rating.

Photo courtesy of Office of Sustainability Mt. Trashmore, pictured from last year, is an annual tradition at UCCS. Recycling rates vary from week to week, but so far this semester, the school has been hovering around 35 percent.

Josh Hendrickson, volunteer and events coordinator at the Office of Sustainability, is confident the goal is within reach.

“If we all make it a focus to do our part, by doing really simple things like putting your food waste into compost when you’re in the UC, and your cans and bottles into recycling rather than trash, then

40% should be a breeze,” he said in an email.

One of the cornerstones of this year’s campus conservation effort is composting. Composting renders food waste back into nutrient rich soil rather than relegating it to a landfill, where it would produce high levels of methane gas.

Methane, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, is reported to be the second highest gas produced from human activities

in the United States and can be twenty times more detrimental to the environment than carbon dioxide.

This year, the Office of Sustainability is attempting to engage even more students than ever before. “We’re really promoting clubs or fraternities rallying together to make a difference,” Hendrickson explained.

In order to maintain student health and safety during this event,

any hands-on work is preceded by an orientation and training session.

Additionally, each volunteer is provided with gloves and a white suit.

Last year, students and staff participating determined 56 percent of the landfill bound items could have been recycled or composted.

Some of the items found were in working order, and a few were in unopened packages. Still, members of the Office of Sustainability remain optimistic that this can be UCCS’ best year for conservation yet.

Eric Basco, zero waste coordinator, summed up the spirit of Mt. Trashmore and conservation efforts on campus, saying, “Since this is a teaching community, we believe this is the best place to make changes.”

Individuals or groups interested in volunteering for the Mt. Trashmore event, or learning how they can help further participate in Recyclemania, can contact the Office of Sustainability by emailing sustain@uccs.edu or S calling 255-3089.

SGA appoints Zhao as new director of finance Peter Farrell pfarrell@uccs.edu On Feb. 1, Chen Zhao was appointed by a majority vote of the SGA Legislative Council to fill the director of finance position.

The position was previously held by Jeramiah Burton, who stepped down Jan. 23. Burton could not be reached for comment.

A former representative at large in the SGA Legislative Branch, Zhao is adjusting to his new responsibilities. He indicated he is adamant about establishing stronger connections with students and club leaders.

“I’m pretty involved with clubs, and I like to talk to people to see what they think,” Zhao said.

Two prerequisites were noted on the director of finance application, including current enrollment in three credit hours and good aca-

demic standing within the applicant’s particular college.

Zhao’s prior experience with SGA and academic pursuit in accounting and finance gave him experience relevant to his new position.

His stated goal on the SGA website is to “make a better UCCS and become a [Certified Public Accountant].”

As director of finance, Zhao will head the budget advisory committee and is responsible for $275,000 gathered from student activity fees, which is allocated for on-campus club funding and events.

Zhao described himself as a “people person” and willing to collaborate with club leaders to help them present their proposals. He said he’s available Monday through Thursday from 9-10:50 a.m.

For a club to receive funding, it must submit

Photo courtesy of Chen Zhao’s Facebook page Chen Zhao, a former representative at large, has been named director of finance. a proposal to the Budget Advisory Committee, which is then passed onto the House for final voting if cleared by the BAC. According to the BAC guideline document, the composition of the committee beyond the director of finance must include, “At least three (3)

members from the House of Representatives; at least two (2) members from the Senate; at least one (1) member from the Judicial Board; at least one (1) Student at Large member.”

“I want both BAC members and clubs come to the [weekly] meeting prepared, so I can defi-

nitely help a club if they need to prepare a proposal,” Zhao said.

Zhao described his anticipated model for club interaction as a “win-win,” noting that SGA gains recognition while clubs also receive funding to promote their causes and reach out to potential members. S

News

Page 2

February 11, 2013

Patagonia marketing executive to speak about sustainability April Wefler awefler@uccs.edu TV, radio, the Internet – advertising tends to be everywhere in a consumer society trying to sell more products. But are they sustainable?

Vincent Stanley, vice president of marketing with Patagonia Inc., will speak Feb. 18 from 5-7 p.m. at University Center Room 302 about this concern.

He will discuss Patagonia, a company attempting to manufacture more ecofriendly products, and how it became sustainable in addition to providing tips on how other businesses can do the same. Students for Environmental Awareness and Sustainability is sponsoring the free event.

The club wanted sponsor Stanley’s visit after watching “180 Degrees South,” a 2010 documentary starring Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Doug Tompkins, co-founder of clothing company The North Face.

Photo courtesy of bookpassage.com Vincent Stanley, Patagonia’s vice president of marketing, will visit UCCS on Feb. 18.

While trying to summit a mountain, Chouinard and Tompkins were stranded on Easter Island, or Rapa Nui. The Polynesian is-

land in the southeastern Pacific Ocean is where indigenous tribes competed against one another to create the largest moai,

a human figure carved in rock. Trees were used to transport moai until the last tree on the island was cut down.

“They started experiencing mass amounts of erosion, so they couldn’t grow as much food, and the population dropped off significantly,” said Andrea Hassler, co-chair of SEAS and geography graduate student.

“What we learn from Rapa Nui is that if we do not have a sustainable vision of our actions, can we do this in 100 years? Can we keep on doing this?

We’ll lose what it is that we value most.”

Hassler explained, “Many indigenous people were being threatened by the introduction of hydroelectricity. What comes along with that is that the landscape that used to be just a river passing through it in a mountain valley is now a lake. You have a loss of certain resources that [were] once there.”

Patagonia employees helped protect an area of

land around the Patagonia region in which a hydroelectricity plant was projected to be developed. It is now a nature conservation.

“So not only were they protecting this pristine, natural place, they were also ensuring that the people that lived and depend on those natural systems do not have their way of life compromised,” Hassler said.

“In America, we just like to consume, and it’s what keeps our country going. Patagonia says, ‘OK, that’s fine, we all need stuff to survive, but we don’t need cheap crap.’

We should have a high regard for our material possessions,” Hassler said.

“What they’ve done is remarkable with their fair labor standards,” said Drew Johnson, chair of the Green Action Fund and a senior majoring in business. He added that workers in India and Asia are proud to work for the company because they’re treated well.

Stanley’s visit may draw a mixed audience. “I think it’s for anybody who will be part of an organization, household, government or business. We have choices, and I think it’s applicable for everyone,” said Linda Kogan, Office of Sustainability director.

“It’s a great example for students to see how a business can be profitable but still take into consideration social and environmental issues,” said Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, director of the Ethics Initiative and assistant professor.

She added that companies have been struggling with how to minimize a negative impact on the environment and create social value while focusing on the profit-making objective of business.

“We consider Patagonia a thought-leader in how to do that – setting [a] standard in the industry that others follow,” she said.

“Students will come back with an appreciation of what business has been able to do.” S

2020 Strategic Plan released with expansion as focus Samantha Morley smorley2@uccs.edu Changes are in store for the university as it continues to expand, including a tuition hike across eight years.

Last summer, UCCS adopted a 74-page strategic plan formally detailing goals that aim to improve key university values from 2012 to 2020.

Tom Hutton, executive director of the Office of Media Relations and Internal Communication, described the document via email as a “roadmap for the next few years in such key areas such as academic programs, student enrollment and student facilities.”

The construction of the plan started in the summer of 2011. The CU Board of Regents continually reviewed the document until its finalization last year. Students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members aided with the development of the plan.

“There were also open sessions where literally hundreds of people offered their thoughts or ideas or simply asked

questions, an important part of the plan’s development,” Hutton wrote.

There are 12 overall strategic goals within the plan. Each goal consists of a chart detailing desired actions, measurable outcomes and what area should be responsible for the goal.

For example, the first goal is to “foster academic programs that serve diverse communities and develop intellectually curious and globally, culturally competent graduates,” to be handled by Academic Affairs.

Within the first few pages of the plan, Chancellor Pamela Shockley-Zalabak dedicates a letter to readers stating that “we live in exciting times” and “in the coming eight years, we plan to accomplish great things.” The letter goes on to explain how the plan will be implemented and what effects it will have on the school.

The letter also touches on economic assumptions regarding the Colorado Opportunity Fund, tuition rates, faculty and administrative (F&A) reimbursements and various other financial top-

ics.

For tuition rates, the document states that the “plan over the first four years would project a 6 percent annual increase in rates for resident students and a 3 percent annual cost increase for non-resident students over the base year rates.”

Hutton states that the “economic impact of UCCS on Colorado Springs could be as much as $750 million annually by the time this strategic plan in completed.”

Over the next eight years, students, faculty, alumni and the overall community of Colorado Springs will work together in order to achieve these goals.

According to Hutton, Chancellor ShockleyZalabak often says that “Colorado Springs cannot be a great community without a strong university. And UCCS cannot be a great university without a strong community.”

The 2020 Strategic Plan may be found online in PDF form (uccs. edu/chancellor/strategicplanning-2020.html) or in hard copy format in Hutton’s office. S

News

February 11, 2013

Page 3

Former UCCS professor Hydration station opened charged with sexual assault in Columbine Hall Nicholas Beadleston nbeadles@uccs.edu On the night of Jan. 23, 40-year-old Bryan Mertz was arrested on charges of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust.

Mertz was a science teacher at Air Academy High School as well as a former part-time lecturer in the science department at UCCS until last year.

According to information in an affidavit of probable cause issued by El Paso County Court, police discovered a sketch of the student and “several other mementos from their relationship” in a subsequent search of his premises.

Mertz was charged with sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust.

Due to the nature of the relationship, Mertz’s actions could be viewed as a pattern crime, a class three felony in Colorado.

The term “pattern crime” does not necessarily indicate that Mertz was involved with multiple individuals, only that multiple illegal interactions with a single individual have taken place.

Despite referencing intimate interactions, court documentation did not make any mention of sex.

Email inquiries sent to both District 20’s Assistant Human Resources Superintendent David Peak and the district’s Public Information Officer Nanette Anderson regarding Mertz’s employment record were answered with a reiteration of the public statement issued by the district.

Additionally, Anderson wrote that “[u]nder the

Photo courtesy of Colorado Springs Police Department

According to court documents, Mertz said he had a relationship with a student.

Public Records Act, Academy District 20 is obliged to maintain the privacy of this person. Therefore, I am unable to disclose any further personal information.”

Mertz was part of the UCCS faculty from 2002 until the spring semester of 2012, during which time he taught one lecturebased class in the biology department.

Tom Hutton, university spokesperson and executive director of the Office of Media Relations and Internal Communication, stated that “[t]he University is not aware of any behavioral complaints by students about Mr. Mertz during his time here.”

When asked if Mertz had left of his own volition or if he had been asked to vacate his position by the university, Hutton indicated that it was a matter of Mertz’s position not being renewed, as the university needed an instructor to teach multiple classes.

The news of Mertz’s arrest has resonated within both the current student population and among alumni.

Liz O’Connor, a recent mechanical engineering graduate from UCCS and

current operations manager at Mt. Sinai Hospital, was “surprised and astonished when [she] heard the news.” She indicated he was a volunteer EMT. Multiple attempts to reach Mertz at his address of residence north of Colorado Springs failed.

However, one neighbor, a former teacher in the Harrison School District, said she had seen and heard the student in question numerous times on Mertz’s property during the timeframe of the alleged relationship.

When the neighbor confronted Mertz about the details of the relationship, he explained they had met at Starbucks and she was 21.

His behavior first came under suspicion early the day of his arrest when information regarding inappropriate conduct with a student was reported to Air Academy High School’s school resource officer.

This information was passed on to detectives in the El Paso County Police Department’s Crimes Against Children unit, and after further scrutiny of Mertz’s actions, an arrest warrant was issued.

To protect the identity of the student, a white female, her name was redacted from court documents before they were made public.

Mertz is currently out on a $25,000 bond and waiting further pending legal actions.

Students with personal concerns or information relative to the ongoing investigation are advised to contact the UCCS Police at 255-3111 or the Colorado Police Department at 444-7000. S

Photo by James Sibert Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak cut the ribbon at the hydration station ribboncutting-ceremony.

Mikaila Ketcherside mketcher@uccs.edu The second-floor water fountain in Columbine Hall has a new look.

On Feb. 1, the Green Action Fund and Chancellor Pamela ShockleyZalabak unveiled Columbine Hall’s new hydration station, otherwise known as a water bottle filling station.

In 2012, students voted to eliminate selling bottled water on campus.

The GAC views the hydration stations as a step toward this goal.

“Students have been really excited to have these. They are an alternative to using water fountains and have been well received as a part of the Take Back the Tap initiative, which will eliminate selling bottled water on campus,” GAC Chair Drew Johnson said.

“This is a celebration of student voices being heard. Without student support, the hydration stations would otherwise

not be funded,” Johnson said.

The hydration stations were funded by the GAC, which costs $5 a semester, and will be on the student election ballot for renewal in March.

On Feb. 8, the Student Government Association Senate voted 6-1 with edits to renew the Green Action Fund, sending the legislation back to the House of Representatives.

The GAC has multiple projects in the works for sustainability, like a solar-powered golf cart to assist senior citizens traveling around campus.

Another is Good Food, a program that aims to engage students in preparing organic and local food as well as serving nutritious food at events on campus.

A lucid dashboard, another project, will be also installed and is an interactive kiosk for students to view the electricity and water consumption of buildings on campus.

An off-the-grid solar shed project will allow intramural teams to view real-time status updates and compare themselves nationally while saving energy.

“We hope students will see the value of chipping in $5, which will enhance the campus in ways that are otherwise impossible,” Johnson said.

The GAC has headed multiple sustainable projects, including replacing fluorescent bulbs with LED lights, planting trees in the Lower Plaza, implementing smart clock irrigation to save water, creating a student garden in collaboration with SEAS and assisting in restoring Austin Bluffs Parkway north of the campus.

Students can participate in making UCCS greener by becoming involved with the GAC or with clubs, such as Students for Environmental Awareness and Sustainability or Engineers for a Sustainable World. S

News

Page 4

February 11, 2013

Marksmanship training arms cadets with weaponry skills Samantha Morley smorley2@uccs.edu White buses slowed to a stop on the side of the road. Cadets filed out of the vehicles. Before them, a command tower and several numbered foxholes. Soon, they were grabbing their helmets and earplugs, preparing themselves for a day of marksmanship training.

Donald Caughey, enrollment and scholarship officer for the Southern Colorado Army ROTC, explained that the Feb. 2 training was meant to teach cadets how to “group and zero.” It also provided an experience for seniors to train underclassmen.

Paper targets were positioned 25 meters from the foxholes. On the paper was a black silhouette where firers were supposed to hone their skills.

In the middle of the target was the zero mark.

The goal of each shooter was to hit on – or close to – the zero mark within three shots. Each shot should also be in close range to the next, indicating the shooter was learn-

Photo by Nick Burns Cadet Copeley fired a weapon for the first time while learning firearms safety and the fundamentals of marksmanship. ing consistency.

Kayla DeJardin, MS4, and Elizabeth Hill, MS3, grouped their first shots within the lower left corner of the target, indicating their M-4 sights may need readjustment. “It’s common for right handed people to shoot in the lower left,” said Caughey.

Kimberly Copeley, a freshman nurse, fired her first gun that day. “It was unexpected,” she said.

Because of her nursing course, Copeley missed a simulation training that would’ve instructed her with laser sights that showed simulated shots.

Instead, she prac-

ticed dry firing until she felt comfortable enough for the real thing. After the first round, she approached her target.

Two of the three shots hit the paper in the top and bottom left corners. With some instruction, realignment of sights and a few more rounds, Copeley

tightened her shots to hit close to the zero mark.

“We also teach the cadets the four fundamentals of marksmanship,” said Lt. Col. Mark Thompson.

The fundamentals include a steady position, good aim, breath control and trigger squeeze. “We teach them to learn how to

use their natural breathing while shooting,” he said.

During the firing, cadets with two-faced red and green signs signaled the command tower about the safety on the range.

If anyone was downrange while cadets were in their foxholes, the signs displayed red. Green indicated that everyone was in a safe position and shooters could fire when instructed to do begin.

Cadets switched on and off with their partners, each taking a turn in the foxhole. Once a firer displayed acceptable consistency and aim, the target could be removed.

The next task was to fire at a paper with several variously sized silhouettes. Large or small, each black shape was to contain four bullet holes.

A bit more familiar with the feel and operation of her M-4, Copeley summarized her experience as “eventful” but that she feels she still has a way to go.

“About 25 percent of cadets have never shot a gun before,” Thompson said. S

Culture

February 11, 2013

Hell-bent miscreants collide on ‘Cuckoo’s Nest’ stage Nick Beadleston

Breast Cancer Awareness Committee gains momentum

Peter Farrell

pfarrell@uccs.edu

nbeadles@uccs.edu A cavalcade of crazies, clad in loose-fitting scrubs and bathrobes, parades around an institution as a haggard staff looks on.

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” running Feb. 14-24 at Theatre ‘d Art, is a play based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Ken Kesey.

Within a year of its release, Kesey’s story was adapted for Broadway by Dale Wasserman.

This manifestation of the play explores a host of concepts including rebelling against authority, fighting conformity and the dynamics of malefemale relationships. It is the first co-production between Theatre d’Art and Star Bar Players.

The play will be Mike Lee’s directorial debut, a piece he chose because he felt it struck a good balance between the novel and the movie.

Lee recently received his theater minor from UCCS and has performed on various stages around Colorado Springs, including the Manitou Arts Theater.

With regards to the scope of the show, Lee remarked, “It’s an army working on this thing.”

Much of the scenery is done by Curt Layman, a local artist whose works have been featured around the community, including at UCCS. The story is set in a mental institution run by Nurse Ratched. Beth Clements-Mosley breathes cold life into the character to convey the nurse’s steely countenance.

The natural order of things is shaken up with the arrival of one Randle P. McMurphy, played by Jason Lythgoe.

McMurphy sets his sights on disrupting the established order. While initially he would have the audience believe this is for his own personal pleasure, it becomes evident that McMurphy may be less in control of his actions than even he is willing to admit.

From the instant he explodes on stage until the moment he is dragged off of it, Lythgoe’s leering smile and burning eyes sear into the souls of the audience.

“I’ve got to go to

Page 5

Photo by Nick Burns Questions of sanity, the status quo and mental illness come to light in the production by Theatre d’Art and Star Bar Players in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” these animal places,” said Lythgoe, summing up his portrayal of McMurphy’s combative nature.

Far from allowing Lythgoe and Clements-Mosley to steal the show, the rest of the cast members support the realism of the sanitarium.

The ward is inhabited by two groups of patients: the supposedly curable “acutes” and the “chronics” who are decidedly beyond rehabilitation.

Notable among these groups are the stuttering suicidal Billy Bibbit (Christian O’Shaughnessy) and the intelligent but conflicted closet case Harding (Greg Lanning).

And of course there’s Chief Bromden, a gargantuan, broom-toting inmate reminiscent of John Steinbeck’s gentle giant Lennie.

Jon Andujar plays the Chief and captures the bent and broken beast, who, while outwardly submissive, has eyes and ears that miss little.

The cast is rounded out with several staff members, including the timid puppet Dr. Spivey (Mark Cannon), whose strings are held by Nurse Ratchet but often tugged by McMurphy.

There are also the sadis-

tic aides Warren and Williams, played by Dareece Walker and The Scribe’s own Alexander Nedd.

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” takes place with little changed scenery but manages to cover quite a bit ground.

The frequent comedic moments in the performance stand in stark contrast to the flashes of madness and violence, and in a way, serve to express the duality of the human condition.

The play may well leave audience members even more unable to define insanity than when they arrived. S

The Lowdown

Charles MacGregor, an English and women’s ethnic studies major, has witnessed and lived through the pain that breast cancer causes.

Two years ago, MacGregor’s girlfriend was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 16. A year after initial readings, her cancer was in full force.

Empowered to help his girlfriend in any way possible, MacGregor partnered with Taylor Counterman last semester to create the Breast Cancer Awareness Committee.

Designed as a support group and less of an awareness group, it boasts 40 members and is the first of its kind at UCCS. During the turbulent months that followed, MacGregor drew upon the support of his fraternity brothers at Sigma Alpha Epsilon, saying it kept him sane.

“Everything else in my life went to the back burner,” he said.

For a time, things were uncertain, and MacGregor was willing to stop his academic

pursuits to support and encourage his girlfriend, who had the potential of starting chemotherapy.

This past Christmas, MacGregor’s girlfriend’s cancer was declared in remission.

MacGregor said that it was “one of the best Christmas presents I have ever gotten.”

The two-year battle has left a strong imprint on MacGregor, who has developed an appreciation for the struggle and the new perspective it has given him.

“I’m young, I understand that ... [but] what I’ve learned over the past two years is, ‘Life can be unfair, but you have to face it.’”

MacGregor said he is intent on “following the footsteps of Susan G. Komen” in pursuing a cure.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest numbers, 211,731 women were diagnosed with breast cancer, and 40,676 died from the illness in 2009.

There are no prerequisites to join the club.

Non-students and anyone who is interested in supporting the club’s cause can participate in

the group’s biweekly meetings in University Center, Room 309.

The club is preparing its first charity ball, an outreach and fundraising event to support individuals facing the reality of breast cancer. The ball is tentatively scheduled for March 15.

As well as the upcoming charity ball, the club will be partnering in upcoming Relay for Life events.

All of the proceeds from the charity ball will go toward Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a foundation for breast cancer research.

Counterman, vice president of the club, is looking forward to raising financial support after enduring her own ongoing battle with breast cancer and the complications it has caused for her.

“I want to help [affected individuals] out in any way that we can,” Counterman said.

The club has hopes for what breast cancer research will bring.

“I want to see, when I’m 40 years old, a day where the death toll, instead of being 40,000 a year, is zero,” MacGregor said. S

Someone you know has a new job. :)

What:

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

When:

Feb. 14-24, 7:30 p.m., Thursdays-Sundays Feb. 17 and 24, 4 p.m.

Where:

Theatre ‘d Art 128 N. Nevada Ave.

How much:

$15, $5 for students with ID, $10 for seniors and military

But it doesn’t come with health insurance. :(

Birth control • Emergency contraception Well woman exams Planned Parenthood health centers have grants that may cover the cost of breast and cervical cancer screenings 3958 N Academy Blvd. #108 719.573.8880

3480 Centennial Blvd.

719.475.7162

www.pprm.org

Culture

Page 6

February 11, 2013

Valentine’s Day Dance aims to be fun and informative Mikaila Ketcherside mketcher@uccs.edu One in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.

But awareness and respect are more than statistics.

They involve everything from recognizing abusive relationships to analyzing media content.

February is “got respect?” month for Respect on Campus, and the Lindy Lions Swing Club is collaborating with Respect on Campus to present the first annual Valentine’s Day Dance Feb. 14 in Berger Hall.

The Swing Club has hosted dance events in the past, and ROC is already socially connected to the Swing Club, so the two groups decided to work together to arrange an entertaining and educational event.

Entertainment at the dance will include a demonstration and dance lesson presented by the Swing Club and a brief presentation from ROC about the services they offer. There will also be food.

The dance’s schedule is arranged to benefit both organizations and allow

The Lowdown What:

Got Respect?

Valentine’s Day Dance

When:

Feb. 14, 6 p.m.

Where:

Berger Hall

How much: Free

them to present what they have to offer to UCCS. Carrie Horner, education specialist with ROC, suggested working together for the event. “She wanted to lighten the mood of her event,” Mary Weber of the Swing Club said in an email.

“I thought it would be a good way to try to get more people involved with both of the clubs so that we draw them in and hopefully have them continue to come dance. I also have a strong respect for the ROC group.”

ROC plans to contribute funding for food, display materials and information concerning building healthy relationships and preventing dangerous ones.

The group is arranging

Photo courtesy of UCCS Respect on Campus’ Facebook page Respect on Campus and the Lindy Lions Swing Club are hosting the first annual Valentine’s Day Dance. multiple events throughout the month of February in support of National Dating Violence Awareness month.

Other ROC events this month include a Healthy Relationships workshop Feb. 21 and “Scandalous Messages in Media: A Closer Look” Feb. 26.

Later in the semester, ROC will present “Inter-

active Theater: Exploring Abuse in a Same-Sex Couple,” “Take Back the Night” and “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes.”

The organization’s purpose is to raise awareness and inform students about dating and domestic abuse, stalking and sexual assault.

It aims to educate students, faculty and law

enforcement to recognize the signs of dangerous relationships and help those in need.

ROC educators offer workshops all year concerning the dangers of domestic abuse, including role-playing simulations, case studies and interactive theaters.

The Swing Club is a competitive organization

that will be participating in the Intercollegiate Swing Battle this year against other colleges.

Members meet Monday nights in Berger Hall from 7-10 p.m. A dance lesson is given from 7-8 p.m. and from 8-10 p.m. there is a two-hour social dance including Lindy Hop, East Coast, Charleston and Blues. S

Five fun, inexpensive ways to spend Valentine’s Day out Alexander Nedd anedd@uccs.edu We all have trouble finding that perfect gift or unique date night out when it comes to that special someone. Couple that with trying to save a buck, and it just might be impossible.

The season of love doesn’t have to be heartache on your wallet. For Valentine’s Day, there are some ideas in town that don’t have to ruin your budget.

Splash! 115 N. Tejon St., $25 How does trading

a fork for a paintbrush sound? In downtown Colorado Springs, Splash offers classes for couples to learn basic art techniques while recreating a preselected painting. Couples can also choose to sample local wines and beers as they paint.

The sessions last from

2-3 hours. For Valentine’s Day, Splash is featuring a special class that includes a free glass of wine and chocolates from a local chocolatier.

Students receive a $5 discount. Once done, you’ll not only be able to take home your beautiful masterpiece, but you’ll

Photo by James Sibert Splash! is a downtown venue where patrons can receive painting instruction and a glass of wine at the same time.

also have a unique experience.

“Warm Bodies” Movie theaters everywhere, $10 It’s your typical love story – only dead. In postapocalyptic fashion, a plague has divided zombies from human survivors in a war to stay alive.

However, one zombie starts his own immunization when he falls for a human survivor after saving her from a zombie attack.

What ensues are countless mishaps and romantic events between the unlikely duo, sure to remind everyone that love can overcome even the most, er, loveless situations.

Tucanos Brazilian Grill 3294 Cinema Point, $30 per person Travel halfway around the world without leaving your seat. Tucanos Brazilian Grill offers an exclusive dining experience for couples with all-you-caneat meat. A buffet of vegetables and sides are ripe with Brazilian heritage.

Once seated, guests find a wooden token painted with red and green sides

on their table. Turn your token to the green side, and you will be served with more than 30 different meats that are sautéed, grilled and seasoned to perfection.

Candy Bar 124 N. Tejon St., $5-$15 Satisfy that sweet tooth with this 50s-style candy shop located in the heart of Colorado Springs. Candy Bar offers something for everyone with more than 360 different candies. Choose from an arrangement of chocolates, gummy bears, jelly beans or sour gummies.

Seven Falls 2850 S. Cheyenne Canyon Road, $18 per couple Colorado offers breathtaking beauty along the Front Range. Nicknamed “The Grandest Mile of Scenery,” Seven Falls exemplifies the heart of Colorado landscape.

The setting is offering a “Heart Dazzling” display this Feb. 14 only. Sweethearts will be able to hike along trails from 6-9 p.m. and enjoy illuminated light displays throughout the region. S

Culture

February 11, 2013

Page 7

Unconventional zombie protagonist gives life to love flick Samantha Morley smorley2@uccs.edu Rating:

Falling in love is hard enough without a craving for brains.

“Warm Bodies,” adapted from Isaac Marion’s novel, applies this lesson to a zombified protagonist who unexpectedly becomes enamored with a human.

R (Nicholas Hoult) encounters an attractive girl, Julie (Teresa Palmer), and begins to feel a literal transformation in the core of his heart.

After viciously attacking Julie’s boyfriend (Dave Franco), R devours the brains of the dead lover and gains warm memories of a time before the zombie apocalypse.

Afterward, R saves and kidnaps Julie and holes her up in his home, an airplane clustered with vintage records and memorabilia.

He struggles with his inner creepiness in his at-

Photo courtesy of thewarmbodies.com Zombie-love comedy “Warm Bodies” opened Feb. 1. tempt to woo the shaken girl. The two gradually warm to each other’s company and become pals.

The progression of the film is smooth and quick during the first half but becomes painfully slow when Julie and R begin their pursuit of persuading humans and zombies to cooperate. The movie would have maintained

viewer concentration if it kept to its original pace.

Otherwise, the film inspired a new idea of romance between those living and risen from the dead. The fresh concept was enough to keep me and others amused enough to sit through the entire 97 minutes, which felt longer than it was.

The movie offers the

best of both worlds for viewers interested in the annihilation of the undead. Aside from the first 20 minutes, zombies were scarcely shot to bits. Instead, zombies and humans teamed up to kill “bonies,” the next stage of death for zombies.

The lovey-dovey viewers also get a healthy dose of romance when R and

Julie cultivate their relationship.

Zombies, romance and comedy make up the intrigue of this movie. Audiences get to experience the insight into R’s mind as he narrates his every thought.

Viewers begin to understand zombies as critical thinkers instead of mindless, brain-eating corpses.

Switching to rooting for humans and zombies to overtake the evil bonies then becomes a challenge.

There is disappointment, however, in the fact that the movie sticks to characters that are similar to teenage romance sagas such as Twilight.

Palmer, for example, looks like a compilation of Kristen Stewart and Scarlett Johansson. She is cute, spunky and can (thankfully) act, but she is a common character that plays into the female desperation role for a good portion of the film.

Hoult, on the other hand, still portrays a typical teenage boy, but his ability to display emotion without much verbal assistance is something to be appreciated.

“Warm Bodies” contains enough gore to keep zombie fanatics enticed but also plenty of scenes containing heartwarming events that inspire our inherent desire for love.

Dead or alive, this movie proves that, as long you aren’t a “bony,” you can be cured by love. S

Opinion

Page 8

Love and affection should not be reserved just for Valentine’s Day Staff Editorial scribe@uccs.edu We can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened, but Valentine’s Day has become the most negative day of the year. Instead of reciprocating the love, many tend to withhold it or go in the opposite direction with sheer bitterness.

Valentine’s Day is like going on a diet – no matter whom you tell, you’re going to get an opinion on the issue.

In the past, The Scribe has published annual themed issues for the holiday, featuring everything from graphic adult store reviews to romantic gift ideas.

We received backlash about how we dared to acknowledge college students are having sex, and some years, we found our racks hidden or empty as thieves made a silent protest.

We would also receive email accusations of helping fuel Hallmark’s conspiracy to shame us all into buying generic, nice messages for one another.

Love and sexuality, of all topics, sparked more anger and bitterness than just about any other topic we have addressed.

We have gone with a slightly different approach this year. While we do

the

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons Valentine’s Day bitterness tends to be about more than just chocolates these days. have some “love” articles, we’ve been quite a bit looser with the theme.

For many, Valentine’s Day is just another day that might occasion a gift between family, friends or significant others.

IBISWorld, a U.S. market research organization, projected the average expense per person this Valentine’s Day will be $134.08. That’s about a nine-cent increase from last year.

Even so, as college students, we probably won’t meet that average or exceed it with extravagant romantic getaways and diamonds. Smaller gifts, like candy and flowers, are expected to be more popular this year.

They may be excessively advertised, but they’re not harmful. Sometimes we express our love or appreciation for someone through our words or the occasional swipe of a

credit card.

How each one of us prefers to be romantic isn’t our place to judge, and complaints about little gifts may hint at dissatisfaction deeper than just commercialism and excessive PDA. Maybe the bitterness so often expressed this month stems from not feeling appreciated until society dictates it for the sake of one holiday.

Routinely stressed and exhausted, we are a community of busy students that deserves to be appreciated and reminded we are loved every day, and we need to reciprocate that love with others.

If we have not been reminded in some time, then why? We should be more vocal and change how we treat one another on a regular basis, not change our behavior on a just single day on the calendar. S

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February 11, 2013

Letter to the Editor: The Scribe is boring and uncontroversial My biggest problem with Aaron Collett’s opinion article about interdepartmental “politics” was that it came off as him whining.

It only focused on one student’s issue with taking a few classes that didn’t go toward his major. I think that’s why they made open electives.

While these “politics” may have been interesting to read about, it turns into an opinion that the administration is out to get him.

This could have been a real story if he had checked to see if other students had this issue and if the administration is really playing politics or if they just don’t care. No sources, no facts or evidence – just complaining.

This has also become my biggest grievance with The Scribe – it’s become boring. No controversial articles, no real investigative journalism. I spend enough time reading textbooks, so give me something interesting and wild.

Ian Penn The Scribe always aims to improve the quality of its reporting and choose the most important stories that interest students. To this end, we have made several changes to the way we handle topics and investigate stories.

We are also setting up a page on our website for students, faculty and staff to submit tips and send in topics that we should cover or stories that we should investigate further. Those wishing to remain anonymous can still submit tips.

As always, students wishing to submit story ideas or a Letter to the Editor can email scribe@uccs.edu.

The Scribe Staff

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Opinion

February 11, 2013

Page 9

Women in combat roles a change made for the better

Nick Burns nburns@uccs.edu On Jan. 24, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced women would no longer be restricted from front-line combat roles.

Many still believe women cannot physically or emotionally handle the battlefield. As a society, we still feel like we cannot allow our women to die in combat.

The time for debate is over, and the full integration of the armed services in all roles was only a matter of time.

As Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said about

the decision, “It reflects the reality of 21st century military operations.”

Throughout our history, we see acute stories of women taking part in war for our country, including as spies, nurses, cooks and even those disguised as fighting men to take part in the battle.

These exceptional women, until their discovery – usually after sustaining injury or sickness – performed at the same level of men.

In today’s 360 degree battlefield, it is a discredit to say that women should not see combat, as 152 women have already died in the War on Terror.

Many more women have been injured due to the risks of war, and countless more have taken part in firefights.

War, combat and death are indiscriminate to age, gender or race. We cannot and have not limited the cost of war to only men.

Nor historically have women and children been safe from dying because of conflict. So what are

we protecting them from?

We try to portray women as some form of weaker sex, to be coddled. For every woman you show me that shouldn’t be in a combat environment, I will show you a man I would not want to be next me in combat.

Comparable research on male and female stress and performance since the 1970s in the law enforcement community found that female police officers performed at the same physically challenging levels and acted in the same situations as their male counterparts. Their lives depended on it.

The studies also showed that women handled stress better and in healthier ways than their male counterparts despite often being thrust into the most stressful of situations.

Recognizing the fact that women as a gender are generally physically weaker should not disqualify the small minority of “tough enough” women that want to take

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Marine Lioness teams were a necessary and unconventional addition of women to the battlefield in recent years. on the challenging life of, say, infantry.

The Pentagon will never allow changes that undermine America’s combat effectiveness. The standards to become a female infantry soldier or Marine are high, and only the tough will pass. The battlefield is an unforgiving hell of body, mind and soul hardship. Only the capable make it through.

This nation’s fighting force receives all the tools and training it needs to perform its job in the theater of war. All this new policy will do is afford the same tools, training, conditioning and chances to survive in the hell of combat to the women who are hard enough to make the sacrifices. We do it for our male soldiers in these roles already.

For a modified popular Shakespeare line, “For he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother… or sister.”

For those women who take ownership of the upcoming challenges to fully integrate into the U.S. military, I salute you. As my favorite infantry Marine gunnery sergeant always told me, “Stay low and keep firing!” S

Te’o not the one responsible for online girlfriend hoax

Taylor Eaton teaton2@uccs.edu According to news site CNET, “8.7 percent of Facebook profiles are fake.”

That is about 83 million fake Facebook profiles.

Knowing that many fake Facebook profiles are out there, we should not be surprised that some of them are being used to lure innocent romantics into fictitious relationships.

One of the more wellknown relationship scam victims is Notre Dame’s linebacker Manti Te’o, who unfairly became a victim in more than one way.

Te’o was befriended

on Facebook in 2009 by “Lennay Kekua,” supposedly a Stanford volleyball player. During their online courtship, Te’o fell in love with Kekua and was crushed when she lost her battle with leukemia on Sept. 11, 2012.

On Jan. 16, however, news broke that Kekua was a fake woman made up on Facebook. The question remained: Was Te’o a part of this hoax?

Te’o had nothing to do with the hoax of Kekua.

Having a girlfriend die is of no benefit to Te’o or anyone for that matter. It did not make his football career successful nor did it make his playing any better than what it already was.

Te’o, and Notre Dame as a whole, does not benefit at all from these misfortunes. This whole hoax has thrown Te’o’s life into a complete chaotic circle.

Why would he make up such a lie?

Notre Dame itself has

been a vivacious supporter of Te’o. The campus has come together to back up its star player with reinforcement, just like they should.

However, many of those who are not a fan of Te’o are quick to mock his anguish, showing distastefulness and bitterness.

This is a true scam that was in no way Te’o’s fault.

But because of this, Te’o could be looking at upcoming career issues – issues that might just push

Te’o back into a secondround draft pick.

But Te’o’s career should not be permanently damaged with these lies and attacks about him being a conspirator.

Te’o made a huge mistake and has suffered enough. Te’o should not be made to suffer any more – he needs to be able to focus on his own life and career.

After all, he is just a college student who allowed himself to fall in love. S

Not all stalkers disguised as fictional sparkly vampires

Shelby Shively sshively@uccs.edu Whether single or taken this Valentine’s Day, many fantasize about their own perpetually hot werewolf or sparkly vampire.

Twilight haters love to make fun of the sparkle, but the truly heinous part of the series is not its gall

in claiming to be a vampire story but the way it romanticizes domestic abuse and stalking.

Colorado law defines stalking in three different contexts; the one relevant to “Twilight” is C.R.S. 183-602 (1) (c).

According to this law, stalking occurs if a person knowingly and repeatedly follows someone else “in a manner that would cause a reasonable person to suffer serious emotional distress and does cause that person … to suffer serious emotional distress.”

Let me dispel some argument now by first saying that Bella Swan is not a reasonable character. I realize that she does not

experience serious emotional distress as a victim of stalking for that reason.

A reasonable person would be terrified to know a 90-year-old man she barely knows, one who compares the smell of her blood to “[his] particular brand of heroin,” has been watching her sleep, even breaking into her room to do so, for months.

Of course, this 90-yearold man looks like he is 17, and she has already developed an obsession for him.

When in an abusive relationship, recognizing warning signs can be difficult, even more so in the midst of an obsession.

Let’s jump ahead a cou-

ple books to “Eclipse.”

A classic warning sign of domestic abuse is isolation. This is exactly what it sounds like – an abusive person tries to control his/ her victim’s social interactions, often not allowing the victim to interact with specific people.

Edward really hates Jacob, so he tells Bella that she’s not allowed to see him anymore. Sure, he tells her it’s for her own safety.

Those young werewolves can’t control themselves, so he really only cares what’s best for Bella, right?

Not really. He only cares about controlling Bella and isolating her from her

friends.

Intimidation is another classic abuse tactic.

In the first book, Edward shows Bella all that he is capable of as a predator.

He tells her he is an ideal killer in every way, and she wouldn’t have a shot against him.

That is intimidation. He wants her to fear him. In “Breaking Dawn,” when Bella wakes up literally covered in bruises, she was not the victim any accident.

I recognize this as domestic abuse and stalking because I chose to educate myself about these issues back when I was in high school.

The vast majority of

people are not educated about domestic abuse, and they don’t realize how easy finding a true Edward can be.

If someone tries to isolate you from your friends and family, tries to intimidate you, repeatedly calls or texts you or if you notice any behavior indicating a need for control, those are signs of an abuser.

Those who think they are in an abusive relationship have many resources at their disposal, including the Counseling Center on campus. TESSA, a local women’s shelter, also has a 24-hour crisis line at 633-3819.

There is always a way out. S

Page 10

Life on the Bluffs

Campus Chatter Aaron Collett, acollett@uccs.edu, photos by James Sibert

There are more than 20 million students in America, and more than 10,000 of them are at UCCS. Their opinions matter.

February 11, 2013

Top Ten

Worst things to hear from your date on Valentine’s Day

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

“How does the dollar menu sound?”

“That’s about $50 more than I have.”

Tessa Holme, senior, psychology What is your opinion on the new policy allowing women into combat roles in the military?

I think it’s really good because, obviously, it shows equality in the military toward women. I think it’s a good step. I don’t think it should be taken lightly.

But I think that women can do that sort of stuff, especially if they’ve been trained well.

Deanna Harmon, sophomore, nursing What is your opinion on the new policy allowing women into combat roles in the military?

I think it will be interesting to see the longterm psychological effects because our culture is set up where the man is the protector, and if they’re in combat with women and watching women get blown up, that’s going to change the dynamic on the battlefield.

Because if it’s just one of their male buddies, they mean a lot to them, but they’re not going to feel the same need to protect them as a female on the battlefield. Once they get home, they’ve seen all that damage to women, and it will be interesting to see if domestic violence rates go up and how that will play out. I think overall, it’s probably a negative to it, but a part of me thinks that if women can meet the physical standards of men, why not?

Alex Carbo, senior, human biology What is your opinion on the new policy allowing women into combat roles in the military?

For me, I don’t care if you’re a woman or not. If you want to serve, and you want to prove that to your country, you can do combat. Because, really, if you want to serve, then you should be able to do anything you need to. S

Dog House Diaries

“You didn’t tell me your roommate is so hot.”

“Looks like we’re out of gas.”

“Wow, your picture makes you look thin!”

“I shouldn’t have gone for the all-you-can-eat breadsticks.”

“Officer, I swear. I was just holding that for a friend.”

“I couldn’t rent a limo in time, but I got a sweet deal on an eight-person van.”

“My ex wanted to make this a group date. Hope you don’t mind.”

“You didn’t tell me your mom is so hot.”

Sudoku

Bring your completed sudoku to The Scribe Office (UC 106) for a prize! Last week’s sudoku Puzzle 1 (Very hard, difficulty rating 0.85) answers can be found at uccsscribe.com.

6 9

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8 4

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2

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9 Comic courtesy of thedoghousediaries.com

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This week at

UCCS

Tuesday, Feb. 12 Red Pancakes University Center 7:30 a.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 13 Café Scientifique Clyde’s 6 p.m.

Mt. Trashmore El Pomar Plaza 10 a.m.

Wednesday Night Live!

GOCA 121 7:30 p.m.

2

9 5

Thursday, Feb. 14

Friday, Feb.

Got Respect? Valentine’s Day Dance Berger Hall 6 p.m.

Clyde’s Comedy Series Clyde’s 6 p.m.

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/sudokugen/ on Wed Feb 6 16:21:55 2013 GMT. Enjoy!

Workshop: Study Smarter, Not Harder University Center, Room 122 Noon

Slam Dunk/Three Point Shootout Contest Rec Center 7 p.m.

SGA House University Center, Room 303 8:30 a.m.

Sports

February 11, 2013

Indoor track and field looks to take control in RMAC

Golf rivalries tee off excitement for casual observers best.

Jonathan Toman jtoman@uccs.edu

Photo by Nick Burns The UCCS indoor track and field team has set its sights on a top rank in Division II.

Kyle Marino kmarino@uccs.edu The UCCS indoor track and field team began its 2013 campaign earlier this year with ambitions of overtaking Adams State as the best team in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and forcing its way into the national spotlight.

The road to becoming a national powerhouse will be tough and will require a lot of hard work and dedication for both the men’s and women’s teams.

The RMAC is one of the toughest conferences in the entire nation, with three teams being ranked within the Top 25 of Division II indoor track and field.

“The RMAC is like the SEC of football or the ACC of basketball – it is a really tough conference with a lot of good teams,” said sophomore Carson

Aberle.

One of the teams that UCCS strives to overtake as one of the RMAC’s most formidable foes is powerhouse Adams State.

The Grizzlies stand in the way of UCCS’ goal of becoming the best in the RMAC. “Our goal is to be better than Adams State,” senior Mike English said. “No one likes them; they are solid and recruit from Europe, making them tough to compete against.”

In order to overtake the Grizzlies, the Mountain Lions will have to rely on strong team chemistry and hope the bond they share as a team will push them over the top.

“We have a good team and good team chemistry,” English said. “We practice together, hang out together and most of us live together.”

In addition to the bond they share as a team, there is a sense of confidence

and swagger among this tight-knit group.

“Everyone on this team thinks they can be a national champion,” Aberle said. “Everyone thinks they can be the best out there, which is awesome.”

It will take a lot of time and effort from the UCCS indoor track and field team to reach an elite status in Division II. “We want to get to nationals and really put ourselves on the map,” Aberle and English said. “We want to be able to hang another banner in the Gallogly center and be a part of school history.”

The season is young, and the team is shaking the rust off, but with the attitude of champions and team chemistry, the group looks to make 2013 one for the history books. S

Page 11

For most people, golf is the epitome of boredom.

To think that someone took the time to write an article about it is almost nonsense.

But, as in many sports, golf enjoys added enthusiasm when there is a rivalry within the game.

And for golf to be successful in 2013 and beyond, there must be a rivalry between some of the game’s best players.

In golf history (could I have put any two more boring words together in the same sentence?), the sport has always enjoyed added excitement when two or more players challenge each other to be the

The epic battles between Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, and Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen created some of the best moments in the history of the sport.

There are many good players in golf right now that can carry on that legacy, but there are three I would like to highlight: Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

These three carry almost all the star power the sport has to offer at the moment. Entering the 2013 season, McIlroy was the No. 1 ranked player in the world with Woods at No. 2.

On Jan. 28, Woods made an opening salvo in the 2013 PGA tour season, with a four-stroke win at the Farmers Insurance Open in California.

A week later on Feb. 3, Mickelson made a statement of his own with a win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open by, you guessed it, four

strokes.

I cannot wait to see what happens when the three of them are on the course at the same time, with all of them at the top of their game.

Such a possibility lends enthusiasm to the sport and is necessary for golf to continue to be something people will watch.

Something about the sport that has always fascinated me: More than not, it is you against yourself, and no one else can control what you do.

In the immortal words of American golfer Bobby Jones, “Golf is a game that is played on a fiveinch course – the distance between your ears.”

Self-reliance is just one of the many unique qualities that the sport of golf possesses.

Still, the game is better with a rivalry. In fact, it must have a rivalry. With Woods not as dominant in recent years, the casual golf observer needs motivation to watch.

These three have the capability to provide. I just hope they deliver. S

Editor’s note: English works as The Scribe’s business manager.

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uccsscribe.com Photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Molly A. Burgess Tiger Woods no longer dominates golf, opening an invitation to competitors.

Sports

Page 12

February 11, 2013

UCCS adds women’s golf program starting Fall 2013 Kyle Marino kmarino@uccs.edu Beginning in Fall 2013, UCCS will be adding a women’s golf team.

The women’s team will represent the 14th intercollegiate varsity sport offered on campus.

For years, nine by the count of Athletic Director Steve Kirkham, people have asked why there is a men’s golf team and not a women’s team on campus.

“Well, a lot of young ladies have figured out there is scholarship money available increasing the quality of women golfers,” Kirkham said.

“Also, we went [through] a Title Nine review, and figured now is the logical time to expand athletically.”

UCCS is one of the most rapidly growing schools in the nation.

Adding a women’s golf team may expand the interest level and attract dif-

Photo by Nick Burns Athletic Director Steve Kirkham discussed UCCS’ incoming women’s golf team. ferent students looking to become future Mountain Lions.

“Every time we expand, it expands our interest level around the state,”

Kirkham said. “Different sports bring different groups of people that want to attend UCCS.” Currently, there are no head coaching candidates

for the women’s golf team.

The process for filling the head coaching vacancy will not begin until April 1, at which point the vacancy will be offered and

candidates will emerge.

After a candidate is chosen, the new head coach will start the recruiting process.

“We will open April 1,

make the announcement, we have a committee put together,” Kirkham said.

“We will find someone, get them turned loose and start recruiting. That is the biggest thing.”

The women’s team will feature about 10-12 female golfers and will have three “equivalencies” similar to scholarships that will be offered during the recruiting process.

The women’s team will compete in Division II and will be inserted into the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Building a winning culture may take time, but Kirkham expressed confidence that the prestige of UCCS will bring the best women’s golfers to the campus.

“Our campus is an A-plus, our city is an Aplus, [our] facilities are an A-plus, our degree program is an A-plus and our coaches are an A-plus.

Everything is an A-plus.” S

Softball team swings into new season with fresh outlook Seth Polich

spolich@uccs.edu On Feb. 1, the UCCS softball team started the 2013 season with a commanding 19-3 victory over Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rival Regis University.

The game was the first of five the Lady Mountain Lions would play in Denver over the weekend, also snagging wins against Adams State and Metro State.

UCCS softball was picked seventh of 13 teams in the RMAC preseason poll. The new season marks a chance for softball to improve upon its 22-23 (20-20 RMAC) record last from last year.

“We’ve been picked No. 1 and it didn’t work out; we’ve been picked last and it worked out,” said Head Coach Scott Peterson. “It doesn’t mean anything. Doesn’t mean anything to any coach.”

With only one start-

ing player lost to graduation as well as a host of talented newcomers, both the team’s coaching staff and players are excited about this season’s possibilities.

“We were a .500 team last year, and we’re better than that,” said Peterson. He will rely on the five seniors on this year’s roster to guide the team, one being returning outfielder Landry Davis.

“Expectations are high; we have a lot of talent,” said Davis.

The biggest improvement over last season is likely to be seen on the pitching mound. “We’re going from one year of pitching experience to six years of experience,” Peterson said.

Senior pitcher Becca Smith has returned to the softball diamond after missing the 2012 season. The team has also welcomed back pitchers Jessica Belsterling and Kory Kulpins from a year ago.

Speed and team defense are also possible areas of improvement over last season. “We have a lot of fast girls who will be stealing bases,” said Davis.

While many positives can be taken away from the preseason and first week of play, there is still a long season ahead with many other teams also looking to be atop the RMAC conference.

“The RMAC is just a grind,” said Peterson.

“Every weekend is huge.

To say that there is one team we look for would be an insult to the rest of the teams.”

Despite the difficult schedule, the Mountain Lions indicated they are prepared for whatever challenges the new season brings. “We’re one of the fittest teams,” Davis said. “That’s what keeps you strong.” S

Photo by Nick Burns Jessica Belsterling pitches for the UCCS softball team

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