Nov. 9, 2015

the

Since 1966

scribe.uccs.edu Vol. 40, Iss. 11

Monday, November 9, 2015

IN BRIEF

cribe University of Colorado Colorado Springs

New SGA vice president selected

NEWS

Online Security

Phishing attempts can pose problems for students 2

Transgender

Health Benefits Transgender students offered coverage at the student health center 4

CULTURE

Uber Part II

What we drivers don’t tell you 7

DAVY MELLADO | THE SCRIBE

The newly appointed vice president Travis Tafoya looks forward serving his term.

Bedlam Knights

Sword fighting club meets on campus 7

OPINION

Landlords

Don’t take a good living situation for granted 9

Acting Black

Stereotypes do not define me as an individual 9

SPORTS

Women’s Soccer

The women’s soccer team wins first playoff game 11

Kyle McCloskey

He’s hard to keep up with both on and off the track 11

Evan Musick emusick@uccs.edu

On Nov. 5, the Student Government Association held a Senate meeting, during which they decided who would fill the vacant position of vice president, which was previously held by junior Ariana Borders, who resigned.

According to SGA’s constitution, under article X, the president will recommend an eligible student to the position, and then the Senate will vote whether or not to approve the nominee.

President Zach Woolweaver nominated Travis Tafoya as the new vice president. Tafoya was appointed by the Senate, but the nomination was met with some criticism.

Joseph Conrad, senator at large, asked “Is the student body even aware that this happened?”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Woolweaver said.

Woolweaver explained his nomination of Tafoya.

“He plays off my strengths well and I trust him completely.

I would trust him with my life, honestly,” he said.

Conrad asked how Woolweaver reconciled selecting a vice president, who receives a stipend from student funds, without consulting the student body.

Woolweaver responded by stating that he and Borders were elected by the student body, and were entrusted by them to make

the correct decision.

The SGA Constitution does not require a student vote for the filling of a vacant vice president position.

“I think under my powers, especially within the documents, (I can) make this decision autonomously,” Woolweaver said.

He added that he was glad the decision was being made in the largest senate meeting audience in a year. There were between 10 and 15 students present.

Tafoya is a junior psychology student. He is chapter president for Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the philanthropy chair.

He has also been involved in various leadership trainings, and works in the pre-collegiate development program.

Conrad asked if Tafoya would have time to conduct his SGA duties along with his other commitments.

“I’ve been involved in all these things, and I don’t do them lightly. I don’t put half effort into anything,” said Tafoya.

Tafoya continued by explaining he had started in Sigma Alpha Epsilon as a freshman. Within a year and a half, he got the organization chartered at the national level and at UCCS. Tafoya explained that he did not take the situation lightly, representing the student body and being elected by the senate.

Woolweaver said he would not have nominated Tafoya if

he did not feel Tafoya could manage his time.

Tafoya added he would step down from the pre-collegiate development program if selected to dedicate time to his role as vice president.

Woolweaver said there were several candidates under consideration.

“I considered a few actually, more than 10,” he said to the senate.

Woolweaver said he discussed the decision with Borders, SGA Director of Finance Erin Bolinger, SGA Advisor Sabrina Wienholtz, and SGA Graduate Assistant Sarah Long. He said they thought Tafoya would be “fantastic for the position.”

It was also noted by Conrad that “the SGA is not the most cohesive group of people,” and he asked how Tafoya would foster a better working community.

Tafoya responded that he had experience in getting others to come together during his time with SAE. Tafoya said he worked with the chapter to acknowledge differences between returning and new brothers, but also worked to explain they were all there for the same purpose.

The vote was then cast, and Tafoya was confirmed with eight in favor, one against.

In an interview the next day, Tafoya said he was “very excited about the position.”

Tafoya also laid out his next

steps as vice president.

“Definitely the first thing I’m going to do is try to get a better understanding of how the organization is functioning now,” he said.

“I’ve done a lot in the past few weeks reading the documents, and I’ve done a lot with the university the past few years understanding how student government works, and what they’re role here is,” he said.

Tafoya explained he will facilitate the leadership and development training internal to the SGA. “That’s going to be one of my biggest goals, is helping the members of SGA grow in their leadership abilities and understanding what their role is here on campus,” he said.

Tafoya added that he wants to work toward getting more student participation in student government.

“I think a big part is just inviting them. I think a lot of students are either unaware, or some students may be uninterested. I think a big part is to just to promote that and give them the knowledge that they may want, and if they want it, it’s there for them to take,” he said.

Currently, the positions for senators of Education, Engineering, and Sustainability are open along with senator at large. Students interested in applying can find the application on Mountain Lion Connect or email SGA at sga@uccs.edu.

News

November 9, 2015 | 2

Phishing attempts continue, security training for students desired kguthri2@uccs.edu

A recent email telling UCCS students that their login information will reset unless they enter it in the next two hours has been hitting mailboxes of multiple students.

But it was not UCCS that sent it out.

Emails and attacks such as this are created with the aim of tricking targets into unknowingly giving away their information to an unknown party.

The most recent “phishing” message to appear in student inboxes is one of the latest of a string that has been hitting UCCS mailboxes in the last few years.

These attempts have created phishing appearances with UCCS attachments such

as faculty names and the UCCS logo.

Thomas Conley, information security officer, explained how attacks like these are part of a constant battle in the information technology world.

“These attempts are happening all of the time, and this is nothing new,” Conley said. “Sometimes a phishing attempt will come out that looks better, so we might have more people falling for it.”

Conley explained what phishing is. “(Phishing) is an email that lies about who it is from, and trying to fool you into doing something, whether it be visiting a website or entering information,” Conley said. “It is specifically crafted to fool you into doing something that you actually

are not.”

The IT department has filters and blockers in place to try to capture as many of these attempts as possible, but Conley explained that despite their best efforts, some attempts will inevitably get through, and the best defense is common sense.

“One thing we have to do is prepare everyone for when they get these phishing emails because they will get through,” Conley said.

Conley said most people realize these e-mails are phishing attacks and don’t fall for them.

Some students seem to have a grasp on what to look for. Jonathan Kuerschner, a freshman business major, said even though he does not use the internet that much, he still knows what to look out for.

“I know the basics for

the Internet,” Kuerschner said, “things like if they have inconsistencies in names and

“

There is security training required (for phishing) for anyone coming to work here. Sadly, that does not extend to students.

– Thomas Conley, information security officer

“

Kyle Guthrie

all that stuff, it could be bad.”

Even with students possessing a better grasp on phishing than they did years ago, Conley said he hopes to get programs out to help students.

“It is all a work in progress,” Conley said, “I don’t know if it is part of the welcoming orientations, but we do need a campaign.

There is security training required (for phishing) for anyone coming to work here.

Sadly, that does not extend to students.”

Regardless of year, major or occupation, every student is susceptible to these attacks, and Conley said he wants students to at least be aware of the basics when dealing with phishing attempts.

“If you are not expecting an email, you should not be giving that email any information,” Conley explained. “It’s like being called at home and giving your credit card number over the phone. If something comes to you out of the blue, don’t trust it.”

Work study awarded based on financial need, no significant difference from student hourly April Wefler awefler@uccs.edu

1,455 students employed on campus hold either student hourly positions or work study positions.

Work study is awarded to students based on financial need and can be funded by the state or federal governments or UCCS. “It’s a type of financial aid that is earned through working in a position,” said Shannon Cable, assistant director of student employment for Financial Aid. In order to be eligible for work study, students must complete their FAFSA’s by the priority date, March 1.

Some students believe

work study makes them an easy hire.

“Supposedly (work study) makes me more hirable because they (the employer) don’t have to pay as much,” said Harlee Wollyung, a junior English major who transferred from Florida. Wollyung works at Coffee at Columbine.

“I just kind of applied my freshman year and stuck with this job. It’s the only job I’ve had on campus,” said Corey Wright, senior criminal justice major. Wright works at Kraemer Family Library.

Wollyung and Wright said they were not aware of the major differences between being a student employee and being a work study employee.

Student hourly is paid

in full by the department the student works in. Work study, however, is paid for by 74 percent from financial aid and 26 percent from the department.

“Sometimes, departments are not able to pay 100 percent of students’ wages, but can come up with 26 percent and can start to employ some of these students because they are able to pay a small percentage. It really increases job opportunities,” Cable said.

“For all intents and purposes, student hourly and work study are the exact same.

They get paid the same rate, do the same job, get paid bi-weekly, there’s not really a significant difference,” she said.

Cable explained there are no negative marks against the student in applying for a needbased work study.

“The benefit for having a work study for a student is if it’s a need-based work study, it doesn’t count against them when they record their FAFSA’s,” Cable said.

She said several community organizations and most departments offer work study programs. Currently, these include the Pikes Peak Library District, Children’s Literacy Center and the Colorado Springs Pioneer’s Museum.

“We have a ton of offcampus work locations,” Cable said.

Some departments include

the Family Development Center, the Rec Center, Dining and Food Services, the Office of Financial Aid and the Bursars Office.

“Whether the job is work study paid or student hourly, it provides a student with a great campus connection and it helps them be more successful overall here as a student,” Cable said.

“Our student hourly and work study employees really do a great amount of work for our campus,” she said.

“They really do so much for the campus that we couldn’t function without them.”

For more information about work study jobs on campus students can go to www.uccs. edu/stuemp/workstudy.html.

Methods to commute on campus can pose safety problems astillma@uccs.edu

Skateboards, longboards, bicycles and even Segways are a few of the modes of transportation used on campus.

Segways, introduced in 2002, are a balancing, electronic means of wheeled transportation. Some have handles, while others simply require the rider to stand on them.

According to executive director of Public Safety Brian McPike, some of these transportation modes are turning into an issue.

“We are planning on starting a campaign to put together guidelines for those who use skateboards, longboards, bikes and segways on campus and in the dorms,” McPike said. “A vehicle was actually hit by a long boarder not long ago who

“

These transportation methods can become something very serious when being careless.

– Brian McPike, executive director of Public Safety

“

Abbie Stillman

made no effort to slow down or stop.”

The long boarder was injured and McPike said he is worried about how long it will be until people are riding around and texting.

“This could really turn into something dangerous,” McPike said.

“I have seen people on boards crash a few times, which is a bit worrisome,” said

MEGAN LUNSFORD | THE SCRIBE

The self-balancing electric scooter is one way students get around campus.

freshman psychology major Noah Burnham.

Burnham said he also heard Segways referred to as ‘hoverbullets.’

“I have not seen (Segways)

inside yet,” he said.

McPike asked that students riding skateboards, longboards, bicycles and Segways to be extremely careful for they will be charged criminally if they

hurt anyone or cause damage to someone’s property.

“These transportation methods can become something very serious when being careless,” McPike said.

News

November 9, 2015­| 3

UCCS hosts event for students to learn about monetary fraud Rachel Librach rlibrach@uccs.edu

In 1983 and 2012, Rita Crundwell embezzled over $53 million from the town of Dixon, Ill. She established herself as the sole manager of the financial accounts and wired money from the town’s revenue to her personal bank account.

UCCS hosted “Watch. Ask. Decide: Ethical Leadership Town Hall Meeting” on Nov. 5 in the Upper Lodge to present Crundwell’s case and discuss in detail how this respected and trustworthy citizen was able to commit fraud.

According to the 2014 Global Fraud Study by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the typical organization loses 5 percent of revenues each year to fraud.

The event featured a short preview of Kelly Richmond Pope’s documentary, “All the Queen’s Horses,” which follows Crundwell’s case and spotlights the thoughts and reactions of the townspeople and those closely affected.

Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, director of Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at UCCS, believes

AUSTIN CHASSE | THE SCRIBE

Students and community members listen to a fourm discussing ethical leadership.

that this event is educational for students from all disciplines and is a good way to gain networking and real life experience from community members and other businesses.

“There are always going to be people who are not doing the right thing and you need to know how to spot it and report it,” she said.

“Businesses who hire our students want to hear how we are training them to recognize these behaviors and what they are doing to combat them,” she added.

Senior criminal justice major Quinn Coogan said this case was interesting to learn about since it relates to his major.

“It’s not really easy to find places where this kind of panel is going to happen, you can’t just read about it in the news,” Coogan said. “It’s really nice that the school puts things on like this, and it can be your foot in the door for things too.”

Martin Cheruiyot, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice, said he

enjoyed learning about the case.

“It was nice to see and scary to see that some people have all this trust built up with them and even though they are showing all the red flags, they could still get away with it,” he said.

“Just to see how our school life transfers to what’s going to happen in the open world, I think that’s useful to everybody,” he added.

Sheridan Kalletta, a member of workforce development in the entrepreneurship division at Pikes Peak Community College, attended the event in support of its relevance and out of personal curiosity.

“I like to support what each of the educational institutions do in town. I was also curious for myself in terms of the ethics question and how it plays into the community here in Colorado,” she said.

“I think it was beneficial just to have the conversation, and I think that it’s also very interesting when other individuals come from other communities and they raise issues that we don’t have here in Colorado Springs, and they make us think about that in a greater context,” she said.

E-cigarettes increase in popularity Abbie Stillman astillma@uccs.edu

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Whether through clouds or smoke, some students are able to get their nicotine fix through a variety of methods.

According to the campus Smoking and Tobacco Policy, which was revised in January, an e-cigarette is defined as “a devise containing nicotine-based liquid that is vaporized and inhaled, used to simulate the experience of smoking tobacco.”

E-cigarettes were first created in 1963 by Herbert A. Gilbert, according to onvaping.com. There are various types of e-cigarettes people can choose from such as e-cigarettes, vape pens, two mod (module), box mod and more.

There are rules surrounding e-cigarettes on campus.

Vaping is not allowed indoors, and those who do vape are required to use the use them in the designated smoking areas around campus.

Sophomore psychology major Benjamin Graf said he used to smoke up to a pack or more of cigarettes a day before switching to an e-cigarette.

“My endurance and mood have changed sharply. Just vaping at a low nicotine level I have found that I can do physical activities without stopping to catch my breath.”

He said that many people use e-cigarettes as a tool to wean themselves off cigarettes.

“If you are willing to quit

COURTESY | THE-BEST-ELECTRONIC-CIGARETTE-REVIEW.COM

E-cigarettes have become more used on campus.

cigarettes I absolutely recommend it. The switch is really hard though and you have to find an appliance that fits your needs,” Graf suggested.

According to Brian McPike, executive director of Public Safety, students vaping indoors is not a big issue.

“I did have one occasion where a student was vaping on campus, I just asked him to go ahead vape outside instead and he obliged,” said McPike.

McPike said there have been no complaints about students vaping in dorms or classrooms, and added that more and more people are vaping as opposed to using cigarettes.

“I have seen people smoking e-cigarettes in Columbine,” said English major Katherine Parra, who added that she has seen about as many people smoke cigarettes as people who are vaping.

Graf explained there is a significant cost different between cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

“Cigarettes can slowly drain your money and it gets exponentially worse for your wallet as you begin to smoke more and more, if you smoke as much as I did you’ll find yourself spending roughly $100 a month on cigarettes.”

Graf prefers the vape he uses as the delivery method, and added it can be difficult to keep from smoking if someone does not have their vape with them.

“I will find a way to get a cigarette. I know it is against ‘not smoking’ but the withdrawal symptoms are so undesirable.”

Graf tried to quit smoking cold turkey.

“I tried vaping and it has worked way better than I expected.

“I have found with vaping I am usually OK all day,” Graf said.

News

4 | November 9, 2015­­­

New license plate offers students and alumni chance to show school spirit April Wefler awefler@uccs.edu

A new license plate has been created for students and alumni who want to show their Mountain Lion pride on the roads.

The plate can be purchased at the Department of Motor Vehicles, for a onetime fee of $50. All proceeds from the license plates go to the DMV. “I think for alumni in particular, it’s fun for them to see the plate out on the road and reminisce about their time on campus,” said Jennifer Hane, director of alumni relations and the annual fund for University Advancement.

She said the plate is purchased at the DMV and

“

Many of our alumni and students said, ‘you know, the old plate kind of looks like a taxi plate,’ which it actually does. I saw a taxi plate and thought, ‘that is our plate.’

– Jennifer Hane, director of alumni relations and the annual fund for University Advancement

mailed to the student or alumni a few weeks later.

“All of the other universities in Colorado – maybe not all, but the large majority – have very successful license plate programs that their alumni and students love and really rally around,” Hane said.

“We wanted to have an opportunity to create that similar kind of school spirit and pride at UCCS,” she said.

Elizabeth Grimme, junior communication major, said she wouldn’t purchase the license plate. “$50 is a little steep for someone who goes to school full-time and works two jobs.

If it was 20 or 30 bucks, I’d probably buy one, but $50 is a little steep.”

Alumna Mikaela Resende said she would purchase a license plate for $50.

“That’s not bad. I saw it, I didn’t know how expensive it was. I thought it was going to be terrible.”

Hane said they created the first UCCS license plate in 2008, which had the old UCCS logo and mountains.

The new license plate is the second one the school has created.

“Since the first one had the old logo, we knew that we wanted to change it, actually, even before we got our new logo a few years ago,” Hane said.

“Many of our alumni and

COURTESY | JENNIFER HANE

UCCS is now selling Mountain Lion license plates for students and alumni for school spirit.

students said, ‘you know, the old plate kind of looks like a taxi plate,’ which it actually does. I saw a taxi plate and thought, ‘that is our plate,’” she said.

Hane said alumni and students wanted the Mountain Lion face on the license plate.

“Our athletic programs have grown and we’ve had so many successful years, like with basketball, I think that there’s a lot of interest for people to show that support,” Hane said.

In compliance with the request, the new license plate has a gold sky and the Mountain Lion athletic face between the numbers and letters.

The redesign cost $200,

which came from the Alumni Relations budget.

Hane said the license plate acts as a great marketing tool.

“I’m sure you constantly see Colorado College plates and Boulder plates and things like that out there,” she said.

Hane said CU-Boulder usually sells over 200 plates a month. “(That’s) just crazy to me. But I think it’s a fun way for students and alumni and faculty and staff to really show their Mountain Lion pride wherever they go,” she said.

“I do think as graduation approaches for people, they really start to think about the time that they had on campus and some of the experiences that they’ve had here that

will really continue to shape the rest of their lives. So I think it will probably be most popular with seniors and with our alumni,” she said.

Those who would like to purchase the license plate have to print an exemption form, different from when people had to present a certificate from the alumni office to get a license plate.

“We recommend that people take our exemption letter with them when they purchase a plate so that they do not have to make two trips,” Hane said.

Students can find the exemption form and more information about the UCCS license plate at http://www. uccs.edu/alumni/tools/lpp. html.

“

Student Health Insurance now offers coverage for transgender students Hannah Harvey hharvey@uccs.edu

The Student Health Center now offers certain benefits to transgender students through student insurance.

Benefits for transgender students include hormone therapy, which is covered under prescription benefits, as well as psychotherapy which is covered by a co-pay for a regular office visit.

Surgical transitions are also covered, but the coverage may only apply to a portion of the cost.

Up until this semester, coverage was only offered to staff members that identified as transgender. CU-Boulder has been offering transgender students coverage for the past 20 years, according to Wardenburg Health Services at CU-Boulder.

“If an individual elects to have surgery, there are some portions that are covered, but they have to go through Aetna for that to get a full explanation of benefits,” said Stephanie Hanenberg,

MEGAN LUNSFORD | THE SCRIBE

Transgender students are now covered for different benefits at the Student Health Center.

director of the Student Health Center, in an email.

Hanenberg oversees the insurance plan and said she has been working to obtain coverage for transgender students since she took over

the plan six years ago.

Aetna is a health care benefits company that offers medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans. Student Health Insurance is provided

to students via this carrier.

“Aetna decides what aspects are deemed medically necessary and what surgeries they do not put in that category,” said Hanenberg.

Two insurance plans are offered at UCCS through the Student Health Center: the Student Insurance plan and Clyde’s Care. These plans differ in their pricing and coverage.

The Student Insurance plan comes with a premium, co-pays, and deductibles, in addition to coverage to see specialists and to stay in a hospital. This plan applies to more than just on-campus health-related ventures.

Pricing differs if a student wishes to obtain this plan for a semester or annually.

Clyde’s Care is only for on-campus health and counseling services. With Clyde’s Care, students receive Student Health Center office visits, in-house labs and procedures, with the exception of sutures, and six therapy sessions at the Counseling Center, all without any additional cost.

Clyde’s Care costs $125 a semester.

For more information regarding student health plans, visit www.uccs.edu/ shc/insurance.html.

Culture

November 9, 2015­­| 5

Residence Life and Housing hopes to help students transition to college life Rachel Librach rlibrach@uccs.edu

Moving to a college campus for the first time may be intimidating for some students.

But between RA’s, Residence Life and Housing staff and the students themselves, transitioning to dorm life can be easy despite the possible pitfalls of living in close proximity to one another.

“I love everything about living on campus; the view out of my window, the people I’ve met. I really can’t say anything bad about it,” said Kirill Stepanchuk, freshman mechanical engineering major.

Like Stepanchuk, freshman Jessica Davis, a nursing major, also said she enjoys support from her RA. “He’s really interactive with us. He really wants to get to know us, what’s going on in our life, if we’re homesick, or if we are having any issues adjusting to the campus,” said Davis.

Ralph Giese, director of Residence Life and Housing, said one of the hardest transitions in life is moving

away to college.

He said the RA’s offer students outlets to talk and learn about new events or resources they can take advantage of that will help improve their college experience.

“Probably our biggest challenge is bringing a diverse group together and creating an environment that is conducive to living and learning and having a great time with your college experience,” Giese said. “(Our staff is) trained to help students seek out those resources and find ways to connect to people around them,” he said.

John Hegg, freshman game design major, said the lounge and laundry rooms always seem to be congested and dirty.

“We’re [in the laundry room] for probably twice the length that we should be because it’s just so cluttered all the time.

I wish the buildings would be kept cleaner,” he said.

Giese said he realizes this issue as part of what is to be expected with students utilizing public space.

There are two custodian

AUSTIN CHASSE | THE SCRIBE

On-campus housing helps students transition to college.

crews on campus, one for Summit Village and the other newly hired for Alpine Valley.

But Giese said cleanliness is also up to students.

“It’s always a challenge in group quarters to keep things clean, especially if someone drops something and chooses not to pick it up. There also needs to be some sense of responsibility among students to help keep their living space and the public space around them clean whenever they leave the room,” Giese said.

One advantage students said about living on campus is the convenience for their classes; having the ability to wake up sometimes 10 minutes prior to a class and still managing to make it on time.

“I didn’t expect the school to be set up on a spine like it is. I thought all the student housing would be clustered at one end of campus and we would have to walk across the school just to get to class,” said Elijah Ross, freshman health sciences major.

Freshman nursing major

Kennedy Watson hoped to live on campus for what she called the “stereotypical college experience.”

“I thought there was going to be a lot of activities with the students, and there was, and I expected to make a lot of friends just by living on campus, and I know I have,” she said.

“I like living in the dorms a lot; my roommates are great, my RA’s are pretty wonderful and there’s a lot of stuff to do,” she said.

Free items on campus funded by student fee, clubs use promotional material Hannah Harvey hharvey@uccs.edu

Students can count on being offered a free T-shirt, water bottle or food almost as much as they can count on being assigned homework on a nightly basis.

Walk into the second floor of the University Center and you will be greeted by friendly faces, as various organizations and departments hand out free, promotional items that include clothing, water bottles, candy and sometimes even food.

But students may be curious

to find out how the plethora of free things is funded.

All events hosted by the Office of Student Activities are free to students, including some promotional items. OSA is student-funded, meaning that the Student Activity Fee each student pays at the beginning of the semester is used to fund programs and promotional items.

“Some of that money is allocated to purchase those items like water bottles and T-shirts,” said Stephen Cucchiara, assistant director for OSA.

The items that a club uses to promote themselves vary depending on what students want.

“It’s whatever students have the ability to order. It’s not what’s available, it’s what students desire,” Cucchiara said.

According to Cucchiara, clubs and organizations have to request funding from SGA. Clubs and departments can also fund their promotional items by fundraising.

Clubs can promote themselves in two ways: internally, by appealing to potential club members or by

asking for funding to purchase promotional items. Clubs will often book an informational table to hand out their promotional items if they choose to take the second approach.

“Informational tables are mostly educational, in that there is not transition of money.

The club’s mindset is that ‘Oh, you got information from us, here’s a pen,’” said OSA graduate assistant for clubs and organizations Corrie Keener.

If a club wishes to book a table for fundraising purposes to sell items on campus, they have to pay a $10 tabling fee per day.

“Depending on what items they’re selling, there’s a lot of back end in Student Life and Leadership with collecting taxes, payments and orders,” Keener said.

If a club or organization wants to promote themselves in the University Center, then they must contact Event Services to schedule their event and book a table.

Students can find out information about the events through the bulletin board in the UC, the events calendar on the UCCS website and Mountain Lion Connect.

Professors, students still see benefits of taking notes by hand Kyle Guthrie kguthri2@uccs.edu

In a technology-dominated world, a typical question on a college campus is whether laptops or notebooks are better for taking notes.

The Scribe asked 15 students whether they preferred using a laptop or a regular notebook to take notes in class.

All 15 stated they preferred the older method of pen and paper over a keyboard due to a variety of reasons, ranging from “better retention” to “personal preference.”

Bailey Buss, freshman political science major, said her notebook preference is due to better retention.

“I prefer a notebook, only because I feel like I not only get it down better, but I can

memorize it a lot better if I can write it myself,” Buss said.

Andrew Toal, freshman business major, also chooses to work with a notebook.

“It is a lot more hands-on than the electronic aspect,” he said.

Mary France, a lecturer of Latin and ancient Greek for UCCS and local high schools, allows laptops in her class. But, she said she highly encourages the use of notebooks.

She explained the reason for this is the decline of spelling abilities that auto-check fosters.

“On some high school exams I just graded, 100 percent of upper level (high school) students misspelled the word ‘deceive.’ They spelled it either ‘decieve’ or ‘decive,’ so I think that is part of the problem with spellchecks, and there are some things I think they just

COURTESY | PEXELS.COM

Despite the use of laptops, old-fashioned note taking is still prevalent.

have to do the old fashioned way,” France said.

Kathleen Johnson, senior instructor of English, explained that while she prefers notebooks over laptops for taking notes, her attitude is a little more lenient than other

professors due to the use of phones in classrooms.

“Laptops aren’t that much different than phones,” Johnson said.

“I would rather see a student have a laptop than a phone because I think they are more

deliberate and conscious about their use.”

An article on the Scientific American website cited research by Pam Mueller and David Oppenheimer that discovered that while taking notes on a laptop is much faster and results in more notetaking, students who took notes freehand had a deeper understanding of the subject, and were able to retain the information much better.

Some researchers believe laptops allow students to take notes much more rapidly, which allows them to write them down word for word as the professor lectures.

But those who write freehand must paraphrase, making them absorb the information in a way that relates best to them, the article said.

Culture

6 | November 9, 2015

Spotlight: Art history professor spent time abroad, enjoys astronomy and sci-fi DeKeveion Glaspie dglaspie@uccs.edu

Not everyone would guess that art and science would mix.

But for VAPA professor Lauren Kinnee, astronomy is just as interesting as art history of ancient civilizations.

Kinnee holds a doctorate and master’s in art history of ancient Greece and Rome and is a visiting professor of art history.

Kinnee started at UCCS in 2009 and teaches Egyptian, Greek and Roman art history.

This semester, Kinnee is teaching modern art, a special seminar on warfare and a class on visual culture in ancient Greece and Rome.

Kinnee said if she could have taken a minor when she was in college, it would have been in astronomy.

“I keep on thinking that I should take classes while I’m here. I was really into astronomy in general, but as well as planetary geology,” she said.

Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Kinnee grew up playing ice hockey and continued the hobby into her college years, while training as a yoga instructor.

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She has studied both French and some Italian. She is also a volunteer interviewer for those who want to apply to Yale, her alma mater.

Additionally, Kinnee has spent time in Paris on and off since she was a child and in Rome, as part of a fellowship for research on Roman material.

After teaching at a community college in Michigan and at Colorado College, Kinnee came to UCCS and has been going back and forth between UCCS and CC, which she said provides her with many opportunities to branch out.

Kinnee said her favorite part of working at UCCS is the students and learning about the backgrounds that led them to attend UCCS. “(At) other schools I’ve taught at, the students there go straight into college and do a lot of growing up there and I think that’s fantastic,” Kinnee said.

“But there are also a lot of kids who’ve been told their whole lives they had to go to college. Those kids I watch how much pain they are in, and they often wind up leaving and not coming back. Here I see a

mix of both.”

Kinnee said she also loves to see how she can help students achieve their goals.

She enjoys “Breaking Bad” and other TV shows about danger and murder.

“I love ‘Orphan Black’ and am big into sci-fi. I guess one of the things in my modern class was shocked by was that I played a lot of video games and one of my close friends is a video game designer,” Kinnee said.

10 years from now, Kinnee sees herself still living in Colorado Springs.

“Hopefully here, that would be nice, the thing is that the job market is really unpredictable in my area. So you can never know for sure,” she said.

“I think that if you had asked me that 10 years ago I wouldn’t have had any idea of what it would be like now, but now I think the only thing I know everything is uncertain but I love it here and I keep on getting chances to stay and I hope I keep getting more,” she added.

Next semester, she will offer classes about women in art, a senior capstone and an independent study on Georgia O’Keeffe.

DEKEVEION GLASPIE | THE SCRIBE

VAPA professor Lauren Kinnee.

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Bedlam Knights offers recreation for sword enthusiasts, spectators Kyle Guthrie

kguthri2@uccs.edu

If you have ever walked by the Upper Plaza on a Friday afternoon, you may have been met by the sight of college students sword fighting.

The sword fighters are part of The Bedlam Knights, an SGA recognized and funded club that focuses on recreational sword fights.

Zoe Anderson, senior English major, said she has watched the club every once and while and thinks it looks like fun.

“It looks like they’re having a lot of fun, and they’re willing to use that space to just express themselves,” she said.

Orientation tours often misidentify the group as a Live Action Role Playing (LARPing) group, but the organization has moved far past its LARPing origins.

“People haven’t really made the connection that it is just sword fighting. Every tour group mentions the ‘LARPing Club,’ but that’s actually our sword fighting club,” said Shawn Partin, club president.

Partin, a senior computer science major, said while

the club started out with a focus on LARPing, they have adjusted their cause to focus on recreational sword fighting.

“We did actually start out tied in with LARPing. The original club president threw it together as a way of practicing LARPing, which we actually did,” Partin said.

“A lot of people on campus sort of decided, ‘Oh, Sword fighting. That looks like fun.’ and so that’s pretty much the core of it now, just giving people the opportunity to do something fun every weekend,” he said.

Partin explained that although the group has a Facebook page, its public displays are the primary medium for recruiting new members.

“The best way to find out more is to just stop by on Fridays. It pretty much makes people say ‘What on Earth are they doing? Can I join in?’”

Partin said.

“It’s the sheer novelty of weird people doing odd things, and it actually looks like fun,” he said.

Partin said he joined the club after seeing them sword fighting.

MEGAN LUNSFORD | THE SCRIBE

From left to right; Daniel Combs, Micah Orcutt, Shawn Partin and Thomas Wilson.

“Honestly, one day I was walking to the library to start working on an English paper. I saw a bunch of people swinging swords at each other, and I thought to myself, ‘I have to join that, that looks like fun.’” he said.

Partin spoke to the misunderstood notion of the club being LARPers.

“I’m pretty sure that the rumor that there is a LARPing club actually came from our club,” Partin said.

Partin said joining up with other LARPing groups outside of campus is common among club members.

“There is another organization, and a lot of our members actually join in with them. They’re called Amp Guard, and that’s something that meets up every Saturday at Palmer Park, and some of our members meet up with them too. They are much more LARPing-oriented,” Partin said.

He said everyone is welcome to join the Bedlam Knights.

“It’s open to absolutely anyone, regardless of skill level, time constraints or commitment. If you have 10 minutes to stop by on Friday and have some fun, you are more than welcome to,” he said.

For more information on this group, students can visit their Facebook page by searching “The UCCS Bedlam Knights.”

Confessions of an Uber driver part two: What we don’t tell you Alexander Nedd anedd@uccs.edu

Uber is a downloadable app that allows me to pick you up using my own car and drop you off at half the expense of a taxi.

The service is so popular, it’s created backlash in other countries and cities and is considered a staple for college students.

What I’m sharing with you now is considered privileged information.

I’ve driven for Uber for four months, and within that time, I have managed to grasp what is expected by both other drivers and customers that we pick up.

Put simply, there are major do’s and don’ts.

While each fare is different, you can prevent making costly mistakes by following these guidelines. It also makes life easier on the driver.

Here is what Uber doesn’t tell you.

Those that frequently use Uber might be familiar with paying higher prices during peak times (usually Friday and Saturday nights, around 2 a.m. when the bar closes).

Uber defends its surge pricing by saying it’s essential to ensure all customers receive the fastest trip arrival time while also providing an incentive for drivers to stay online. The policy works when it’s not a major holiday.

On Halloween, I picked up a

couple from downtown Colorado Springs and drove them to Powers Boulevard. When I finished the trip, the fare totaled $150.

The couple was not happy.

While I am not in control of Uber’s pricing and fare calculation, I can warn others to pay attention to their rates before requesting a ride. Uber does warn customers of high peak times before you request a ride.

When this happens, wait five minutes and request again. It can save you a ton of money and a lot of frustration.

While Uber is still growing in Colorado Springs, its popularity soars just 60 miles to the north, in Denver. This is where I do the majority of my driving.

On any given Friday night, I can be sure to make almost $100, even starting as late as 9 p.m.

But, despite the extra cash, there are dangers to traveling that far, specifically when customers leave their valuables.

From keys to weed, I’ve given back a number of items to customers who have had the privilege of riding with me. And trust me, it is a privilege.

While it is my responsibility to give objects back to their respective owners and not steal, driving back to you wastes time, gas and takes away from my ability to make more money.

If an Uber driver has tracked you down, as I have for many customers, understand the

sacrifice made.

Have your address ready.

Uber is relatively new in Colorado, and every day, drivers are learning new places that are not in their communities.

Hopping in and telling to go to so and so isn’t the smartest move. Also, giving turn by turn directions increases the chance of me missing a turn and you having to pay more.

Please, to make matters easy on everyone, have an exact address ready, and make sure it’s the correct one you want. The driver doesn’t, and shouldn’t take responsibility for a wrong address given by you. Be sure to have it read out and tell us if you believe you made a mistake.

(Bonus) We like tips.

While Uber allows drivers to keep 80 percent of the fare, costs such as gas and keeping our car clean fall on us. If you believe your driver did an amazing job, tip them.

It makes a big difference and softens the hit to our wallet to drive you. Is it mandatory?

Absolutely not. But I guarantee every driver you tip gives you a five star rating, even if it’s just a two dollar tip.

Uber driving is amazing, and I truly enjoy it, but with any work there is always room for improvement.

With these guidelines in place, the Uber experience can only get better. Follow them and you’ll have five star service each time.

e DItorIAl A Veterans Day reminder, lesson

November 9, 2015 | 8

the

cribe

Jonathan Toman Editor-in-Chief

Audrey Jensen Managing Editor

Eleanor Sturt Copy Editor

Evan Musick News Editor

April Wefler Culture Editor

Alexander Nedd Opinion Editor

Alexander Nedd

Life on the Bluffs Editor

Taylor Garcia STAFF SGT. BENJAMIN STRATTON | WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

This veterans day, take a moment to remember the sacrifices made.

Scribe Staff scribe@uccs.edu

Veterans Day, which falls on Nov. 11, is often a misunderstood holiday.

In a town with such a high presence of military, this should not be the case.

People often don’t know the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day was created following the Civil War, as a day to pay tribute to the people that died in service. Veterans Day, on the other hand, was created to honor all veterans.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs website, although World War I didn’t officially end until the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919, the actual fighting ceased on Nov. 11, 1918.

President Woodrow Wilson declared that Nov. 11 would forever be

Armistice Day. “The reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory,” he said.

Armistice Day, later known as Veterans Day, was celebrated with parades, public meetings and a brief break from work at 11 a.m.

On May 13, 1938, Congress officially recognized Nov. 11 as a legal holiday. Congress planned for the day to be dedicated to world peace.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation and signed HR7786, which renamed Armistice Day to Veterans Day. Veterans Day includes all those who have served their country, whether it was in the Korean War, Vietnam, Persian Gulf or Iraq.

Sports Editor

Megan Lunsford Now that we’ve had a history lesson, take time this Wednesday to remember what it has taken to secure our freedom.

Because more often than not, we take it for granted.

It doesn’t take much – just stop in a moment on your day, and take a moment to reflect.

But don’t do it because you feel obligated, do it because it’s the respectful thing to do.

Veterans are still raging a war, just not overseas. Many are facing problems such as post-traumatic-stress-disorder and financial care here in America.

Veteran’s Day should also highlight the need to help these individuals.

We live in Colorado Springs, it is a real possibility that someone near you is a veteran. You probably know at least one.

Talk with them. Learn from them.

We want to hear from you! Here’s How:

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‘Can you hear me now?’ because I am sick and tired of your phones

esturt@uccs.edu

Due to the use of smartphones, being polite is a thing of the past.

I am talking about being present, in the moment, and not having the courtesy to put down your phone.

Is the junk on your phone really that important? The person

The amount of collisions I have seen on the Spine with speedy bikers, skateboarders and texters is incomprehensible.

I have even seen two people walking, staring at their phone and walk into each other. They made little grunting noises and continued

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I have even seen two people walking, staring at their phone and walk into each other. They made little grunting noises and continued on their way. Not even a real apology, just a prehistoric ‘Ugh.’

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Eleanor Sturt

in front of you is giving you their time, and most don’t even consider looking up from their phone screen.

It is really difficult to have a conversation with someone who is more interested in their Facebook feed than you.

Some people are much more fascinated with a Snapchat of the turkey sandwich their sister had for lunch.

There are multiple infractions people have when using their cellphone, especially on campus.

Multitasking is a talent we all yearn for, but walking in a straight line and texting is something that few successfully accomplish.

on their way. Not even a real apology, just a prehistoric “Ugh.” Or ordering coffee.

People will order and pay without looking up from their hand-held universe. The baristas are people too and deserve your attention when you order.

OK, so maybe I am guilty of this next one, but I hate it when phones ring in class.

If your phone goes off in class, not only is that distracting to the rest of the class, but it is extremely rude to the professor. They prepared a lecture/lab to help you learn, but you don’t have the decency to silence your phone and give them the attention they

deserve.

Silence your phone in class and stick it in your pocket. If it vibrates, and it may be important (family member who is sick, dying parakeet, etc.) leave the room and check. Otherwise, ignore it!

Professors, this rule applies to you too. If you don’t turn your phone off before class, you cannot expect your students to do the same.

Students, you are paying for this class, and you are certainly not learning the curriculum beating level 214 of Candy Crush.

I know being separated from the online world for a whole three hours is

horribly difficult. What if something important happens? What if your best friend’s boyfriend’s third cousin breaks up again, and you don’t know as soon as it happens?

When did having a “social life” mean cutting yourself off from fellow human beings to connect over the Internet?

Remembering to silence your phone before class can be hard, but give it a go, or even turn it off completely if you are feeling extra brave.

Let’s bring back courtesy to the classroom.

I’m sure your friends will appreciate it. I know I will.

Living on campus better in the long run than paying rent off campus

Taylor Garcia tgarcia@uccs.edu

When I first came to UCCS, the university wasn’t prepared for the amount of freshmen that enrolled.

I was placed in the overflow housing down on Nevada Avenue by Costco, in what was then called the Sunset Creek Apartments.

The university turned buildings of two bedroom apartments into dorm rooms to

accommodate the overflow.

Two-bedroom apartments aren’t very big, even just for two people. UCCS also decided it would be a good idea to put two people to a bedroom.

A shuttle system was implemented to help get us to campus. If you ride the bus now, you know how difficult it is to make it to class on time.

That one semester I lived at Sunset Creek, I had to ride the bus that left the apartments at 6:30 in the morning to make my class at 8 a.m.

Sharing a one-person closet with someone else, one bathroom between four girls, learning how to cook, figuring out why no one does their dishes and running out the door without shoes on to

make the bus.

It was all a part of the magical college experience.

Bullshit.

At semester, my roommates found a way to get on to the main campus and I found a house to move into, which was great. But, you have to have a good enough reason to withdraw from campus living, or buy your way out.

It cost about $950 to get out of my contract.

The university explained that the price included a month of rent and other living expenses such as meals.

Living on campus was rough for those five months, but it was easier to be angry at my “landlord” because it was the university in its entirety. It was the man,

the institution, there was no specific person that my anger could be channeled upon.

That changed when I moved off campus.

The first house I moved into was great.

I was with teammates and I had my own room, the landlord was kind enough to let me know that it had been converted from a utility closet to a bedroom.

Regardless of the size, it was my room.

I didn’t mind living at that house, it was expensive because the house was completely furnished and our landlord was extremely helpful. But this spoiled me for my second landlord.

I went from a furnished, six bedroom house to an unfurnished three bedroom duplex.

Despite the reduction, my rent didn’t change by that much.

The first time I realized that my roommates and I may have an issue with my third landlord was when we sat down to go over the rent agreement. He claimed he paid for our water usage, a statement that turned out to be false.

He also raised the rent without letting anyone know. I soon began to realize the difference between dorm life on campus and living on your own.

Rent per person on campus is about $880 a month (give or take) and rent for me each month is usually between $440 and $460.

I know I can’t complain, but now I miss on-campus living.

If you live on campus, enjoy it. You don’t have to worry about parking passes and walking from Alpine Village can be a pain, but walking 20 minutes each day (uphill) to class and then another 20 minutes any time you may need to go home is a pain.

But running back to your dorm? No problem.

Almost any kind of scholarship you receive can be put toward living expenses as well as tuition. You can’t always do that off campus.

And lastly, you pay one bill all at once. That is mind blowing, since after each month I get four or five different bills that don’t conveniently come at once.

My advice? Stay on campus and count your blessings.

I alone have the ability to define myself

dglaspie@uccs.edu

I am black, my voice is not.

My skin color does not define who I am or where I came from.

Forgive me for being confused when I

“

I didn’t know the skin color you were born with came with a script.

“

DeKeveion Glaspie

hear, “You don’t act or sound black,” and I will forgive you for your adolescent comments and misinterpretation of who I am based on what media say.

Do I sound “white?”

I didn’t know the skin color you were born with came with a script.

When I first transferred to UCCS, it was clear that diversity was not reflected in the classroom. But the students were friendly and I felt comfortable, until I went to my friend’s race and gender

class.

When my professor brought up AfricanAmericans, eyes shifted in our direction.

I felt as if we were the template for the ethnicity group and their actions. What people fail to realize when it comes to African-

Americans and any other race, is that we are individuals.

Everyone thinks and acts differently. Yes, there are similarities, but that doesn’t define us as a whole.

Language is one of the ways we communicate with each other and establish a culture.

On and off campus, I have experienced both ends of being expected to know a language based on your ethnicity.

People are surprised when someone of Hispanic or Latin

descent does not know Spanish and, at the same time, they are shocked that I do.

This is for all races here at UCCS. It doesn’t matter if you are Black, White, Asian or Hispanic.

To Ashley who sounds like Keisha and Darius who sounds like Bob. To the mixed people, who sounded too white for their black side, but feel the need to switch it up when they are around black people.

For those who after introducing themselves, are automatically

judged as being from the hood or from across the border. It’s OK to be black and not have rhythm or white and have a little junk in the trunk. Color is not a definition of who I am and it is not a definition of who you are.

I am not the crazy girl you see on World Star.

I am not the black female twerking in the music videos, nor am I the words or accent that comes from my mouth.

I am DeKeveion Zhan’e Glaspie, and I sound and act like me.

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What are you thankful for?

Christina Patton, sport management, sophomore “I’m thankful for my family and the opportunities I’ve received.”

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Sports

November 9, 2015­­ | 11

Spotlight: McCloskey hard to keep up with, looks to find role in coaching Alexander Nedd anedd@uccs.edu

Keeping up with Kyle McCloskey is a tough challenge both on and off the race track, and that’s exactly how he likes it. A cross country and track runner, McCloskey is often a busy man juggling school, work and friends.

“I’m always tired,” the senior said with a laugh. “I sleep very minimally.”

But for him, the benefits outweigh the consequences. McCloskey’s passion is running, so much so he stayed an extra year at UCCS while still working toward his bachelor’s degree in communication.

“I took less credits throughout my four years to make it so I could have an extra year in cross country and track,” McCloskey said.

McCloskey began running in his sophomore and junior year of high school.

He graduated from Manitou Springs in 2011 with one goal on his mind, competing on a college level.

“My dad wanted me to do sports and I really enjoyed running and was one of the fastest people on my football team,” McCloskey said. “I figured I would give it a shot.”

McCloskey is a middle distant runner and specializes in the 800-meter run. But this year he also has set his sights on the 1500-meter run.

“I really started to click with (that distance),” McCloskey said. “I’m really going to focus on that for this next outdoor season in track.”

McCloskey and the rest of the cross country team participated in the regional meet on Nov. 7 in Canyon, Texas to determine which teams make the national meet on Nov. 21. Results were not available at press time.

COURTESY | SPORTS INFORMATION

Student Kyle McCloskey runs anchor in the distance medley relay at the National Indoor Championship in the spring.

“I’m more so a track athlete than cross country, but I’m not going to turn my head away from a challenge,” McCloskey said.

When McCloskey isn’t running, he’s outside enjoying the moments life has to offer behind a camera lens, often with friends.

“I really like going out and taking film and pictures, just recording,” he said. “I’ll videotape them snowboarding or dirt biking.”

McCloskey also works at the Center for Creative Leadership where he started as a

landscaper and has since moved his way up into the facilities management team. He helps maintain 66 acres of land.

McCloskey would like to continue his passion for running after school.

“I’m looking into assistant coaching if I can,” he said. “Being around the sport, I’d love to play that and extend that for as long as I can.”

The journey McCloskey has had will not be forgotten when graduation comes in May. “It’s been intense, I never thought I would make it all over the country just from

running,” McCloskey said. “Everything I’ve learned from college, interacting with others around you, I can really say came because of being an athlete.”

He offers this advice to students who might be on the verge of being burnt out with college.

“The only way to do it is to try and have a positive attitude, try not to stress,” McCloskey said. “Don’t let the little things get to you.”

“Stay healthy and take care of yourself,” he added.

in the 40th minute and sophomore Bailee Jameson in the 79th. It was also senior goalkeeper Brandi Arsenault’s sixth shutout of the season.

The team took on Fort Lewis in the RMAC tournament semifinals Nov. 6, falling 2-1. Results were not available at press time.

Winning the RMAC tournament guarantees a berth in the national tournament. If the Mountain Lions do not win the RMAC, they must be in the top six of the regional ranking to advance to the national tournament. In the last South Central Region ranking of the season, the Mountain Lions were tenth.

The Mountain Lions finished last season with a 6-11 record, missing the RMAC tournament.

“This year compared to last year we play so much more as a team,” said sophomore Grace Ramsden “We have come together and have won the games we were supposed to.”

“We are more solid overall and our backline is better, we have a new solidarity.

Plus everyone is more comfortable with the ball and each other,” she said.

Even with the new team cohesion, they have faced struggles this season.

The team has suffered many injuries this season, losing experienced midfield

players such as senior Megan Avery and senior Brooke Tominello at one point or another. Arsenault suffered a hand injury allowing Ramsden to step in while she was recovering.

Ramsden explained that along with her, other players have had to step up due to the injuries.

“Our bench has had to step up and fill those midfielder roles. Ann (Odom) has stepped up and Bethany (Leliefield) has had playing time there but has taken on more responsibility.”

Odom is a freshman from Texas and Leliefield is a sophomore transfer from Idaho.

Women’s soccer wins first playoff game in school history Taylor Garcia

tgarcia@uccs.edu

It is Colorado, but it was still a surprise when the first week of November was marked with 75 degree highs. But winter came knocking Nov. 4, when the women’s soccer team took on New Mexico Highlands in the first round of the RMAC tournament at Mountain Lion Stadium.

The wind was relentless, pulling at jackets and nipping at noses, but that didn’t keep fans from seeing the first playoff win in school history.

UCCS won 2-0 over Highlands, with goals from sophomore Dana Shellhorn

Women’s basketball team enters season with increased defensive focus

Jonathan Toman jtoman@uccs.edu

Defense. That’s the buzz word for the women’s basketball team this year.

Head coach Shawn Nelson is optimistic about his team, and the Mountain Lions will have a new focus for the season. It’s that defense, which gave up an average of 68 points per game last year.

“We’re going to try to be a lot better defensively than we were last year and still put up a bunch of points,” Nelson said.

The leading scorer from last season, Abby Kirchoff, graduated. According to Nelson and senior guard Gabby Ramirez, that means the responsibility of scoring will be more distributed through the team.

“Last year, Abby (Kirchoff) scored a lot of points, but so did Brittany (Hernandez)

and Brittany’s back and so did Tori (Fisher) and Tori’s back, Gabby can score, she’s back,” Nelson said.

“We have plenty of people that are back that can score,” he added. “The scoring’s going to come from a lot of different people.”

Ramirez said the team has to depend on everyone now, not just one player.

“We have to rely on everyone getting buckets, being confident and shooting,” Ramirez said.

That balance not only translates to scoring, but also to the team philosophy, and that means the improved defense will be key, Nelson said.

“We have to be more balanced,” he said. “There’s going to be nights where we don’t shoot well or play well offensively, and that’s why our defense has to be a lot

better than it was.”

Ramirez has seen this focus transfer toward the amount of time spent working on defense.

“Last year we had a good record but our defense was terrible,” Ramirez said. “You know the offense is going to come but defense is what we’re mostly focused on.

Scoring will come with the defense.”

The Mountain Lions finished last year 26-7, including 12-1 at home in the Gallogly Events Center.

“I thought we played in front of great fans last year,” Nelson said. “Nobody ever really has a home court advantage unless your fans are into it.”

He also thinks that record should’ve been 13-0, part of his motivation to improve the defense. The lone defeat came in a 92-89 loss to Regis.

“(That was) too many points to give up at home,” he said.

The Mountain Lions open with six straight home games to begin the season.

Most of them are in-region games, the results of which Nelson said helped them in the postseason last year.

“People that don’t believe that your non-conference schedule is important, they’re crazy because that’s how you end up getting to the national tournament,” he said.

The experience of making the last 16 of the national tournament last year is motivation for this season, Ramirez said.

“I think we got a taste of it last year, so I feel like we’re more hungry now,” she said.

“I feel like we’re ready, I think we’re ready for anything.”