Nov. 16, 2015 by The Scribe

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scribe.uccs.edu Vol. 40, Iss. 12

Monday, November 16, 2015

IN BRIEF

cribe University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Mt. Trashmore comes to El Pomar Plaza MEGAN LUNSFORD | THE SCRIBE

NEWS

Battle of the Departments

Departments compete to donate food to Clyde’s Cupboard 2

Guns on Campus

MEGAN LUNSFORD | THE SCRIBE

Students and the Office of Sustainability participated in the annual Mt. Trashmore event at the El Pomar Plaza on Nov. 12. The event, which looks to raise awareness about recycling, involves sorting a day’s worth of UCCS trash.

Gun laws allow concealed carry on campus 4

CULTURE

R.A.C.E.

APISU invites students to explore other cultures with event 5

Narrativ App Students make collaborative app for writers 6

SGA pays clubs at Halloween carnival, encourages student involvement Hannah Harvey

OPINION

Speeding

You are responsible for what happens when you drive 9

Transgender Discrimination Violence against LGBT community must stop 9

SPORTS

Volleyball

Team plays in RMAC quaterﬁnal Nov. 17 11

Basketball

Women’s basketball will spend the holiday competing 11

hharvey@uccs.edu

The Student Government Association offered an incentive of $200 to each club that participated in the Halloween Carnival on Oct. 28. Each club selected an activity from a pre-approved list to compete in an additional challenge. $300 was awarded to each club that won one of three categories: most spirited, most decorated and student’s choice. Students voted on which club they thought best fell under each category in a survey; there were more than 150 responses. Lindy Lions won best decorated, student’s choice went to Christ in Action for their ring toss and most spirited was awarded to Delta Sigma Pi. “We had a lot of surplus money, so this was a way to get that money out to the clubs, which is where it should be going anyway,” said Zach Woolweaver, SGA president. A total budget of $10,413.86 was put aside for the Halloween Carnival, according to Erin Bolinger, director of finance and chair of the Budget Advisory Committee of SGA. Woolweaver founded the carnival last year. A total of 25

clubs participated in this year’s carnival, held in Berger Hall. “Some of (the clubs) were repeats, some of them weren’t. It was good to see new groups getting involved on campus. You definitely see a lot of fluctuation from year to year in club involvement,” said Woolweaver. “It isn’t that we get $200 in cash, it’s more that we just get $200 that we could use for school events, so it stays within the school,” said Steve Marzulla, sophomore finance major and chair of pledges for Delta Sigma Pi. Courtney McNeilly, senior business major and vice president of finance for Delta Sigma Pi, said she is unsure of what they will use the money for, but that DSP will vote on what the funds will go toward. Clubs must follow the funding guidelines set in place by the SGA. The money they received from the carnival must be used for school events. “We could take the $200 and use it to pay for the space or catering for an event, but we can’t take it off campus,” said McNeilly. “Some would say that $500 is a lot to earn, but we try to find a creative way to reward clubs and give to the students,”

said Erik Nudson, sophomore in business management and senator of Business.

AUSTIN CHASSE | THE SCRIBE

Members of the Lindy Lions Club at the Sultan of Swing booth.

News

November 16, 2015 | 2

Clyde’s Cupboard preps holiday donations with department help Abbie Stillman astillma@uccs.edu

Clyde’s Cupboard hopes canned food and other items will fly into donation boxes around campus as they hold their second annual “Battle of the Departments.” Different departments will compete to raise the most donated items. Clyde’s Cupboard is also holding its traditional thanksgiving basket drawing. This year, “Battle of the Departments” is hosted by a health care sciences class. “This is the second year we are doing ‘Battle of the Departments.’ It went so well last year, they decided to do it again this year,” said senior health care science major Taylor Lowe. Lowe said last year they received well beyond their goal for donated items. There are 22 participating departments that include Academic Advising, Admission and Records, the Athletic Department, the bookstore and

more. An email is sent to all the participating departments three weeks prior to the beginning of the battle to prepare. They RSVP via email and receive handmade boxes for the donations. Lowe said they made around 30 donation boxes this year, because several departments requested two or more donation boxes. The department that donates the most food and toiletries wins. The winning department receives a catered breakfast from Dining and Food Services. Departments can also participate last minute and still win the battle. Financial Aid won last year and they didn’t sign up until the last day, according to Lowe. Lowe asked that people avoid donating Top Ramen because they have too much of it. “If you are going to donate, we need items such as peanut butter, canned fruits, breakfast

items like cereal, nutrigrain bars, breakfast bars and oatmeal.” She added that donated items should not be expired. 2,500 items have been donated so far, said Lowe. The goal is to reach 4,000 items. “We really want to raise awareness that Clyde’s [Cupboard] need donations year round, get out knowledge about Clyde’s Cupboard and what they do,” Lowe said. Next year the food drive will be passed on to another class. Clyde’s Cupboard is also preparing a Thanksgiving basket. Volunteers prepare the basket, which contains ingredients for a traditional Thanksgiving feast such as turkey, gravy, stuffing and more. Each time a student visits Clyde’s Cupboard, they can put their name into a basket and then a name is drawn for the winner of the Thanksgiving basket, said Nicole Brown, Clyde’s Cupboard president.

COURTESY | UCCS GRADUATE SCHOOL FACEBOOK PAGE

This food drive box is located outside of AOB 106.

Hollywood actress Olympia Dukakis to share a prologue with students and community April Wefler awefler@uccs.cedu

Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis is coming to UCCS. Dukakis, who won for her supporting role in the 1998 film, “Moonstruck” and is wellknown for “Steel Magnolias,” will speak on Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. in Berger Hall, as part of the Prologue series. The talk will consist of a 45-minute interview and a following Q-and-A with the audience. Kevin Landis, director and assistant professor of the VAPA theater program, said Dukakis will be leaving Colorado Springs to perform a one-woman show on the West Coast. “She’s got a lot to say. I mean, Olympia started as a great theater artist, still is,” he said. “She’s 84 years old, and she’s still doing onewoman shows, I mean, she’s incredible.” Landis said he asked Tina Packer, a mutual friend, if she could call Dukakis about giving a Prologue. “Olympia said, ‘yeah, sure, have him call me.’ It’s sometimes as easy as that. Good people in the arts, good

AUSTIN CHASSE | THE SCRIBE

Kevin Landis, director of the Theatreworks program, hosts a series of lectures, also known as prologues.

people in academia, want to be helpful,” Landis said. “Sometimes there’s this fear of approaching people because what, she has an Oscar? So what? She’s a teacher. She wants to spread what she knows,” he said. Landis created the Prologue series in 2010 as a way to connect UCCS students and the Colorado Springs community with important people in national and regional theater.

I don’t want to create a sense with Prologue that art and theater specifically is elitist and just based in New York or Chicago. Some of the greatest, richest, most wonderful things that are happening in theater today are happening at the regional level. – Kevin Landis, director and assistant professor of the VAPA theater program

“I don’t want to create a sense with Prologue that art and theater specifically is elitist and just based in New York or Chicago. Some of the greatest, richest, most wonderful things that are happening in theater today are happening at the regional level,” Landis said. “What I want is a conversation in some ways between New York and Colorado Springs,” he said. Landis said the Prologues are essentially a conversation between people interested in the arts and academia. “When I was coming up with a name for the series – Prologue’s great, I love it, but one of the things we were banding about was just calling it Theater Conversations, because that’s what it is,”

Landis said. There are three different formats for Prologues: the interview, lecture or workshops. Landis said that when a famous person is featured in a Prologue, such as Dukakis, playwright Paula Vogel or actor Brian Dennehy, it is typically in an interview format. “It’ll be me and that person on stage, and I’ll throw questions and hopefully let the person do most of the talking. And then we turn it over for questions from the audience and the audience always gets an opportunity to ask what they want,” Landis said. If the Prologue is given by a professor, it’s either as a lecture or workshop. Packer, Shakespearean actress, playwright and founding

artistic director of Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, Mass., did a workshop with theater students. Future Prologues include a roundtable discussion with locals in December, Broadway choreographer Larry Keigwin in January and actor John Douglas Thompson in February. Landis spoke to the importance of the Prologues. “We need to have more conversations about art, especially as regional criticism is dying. We don’t have much criticism in local newspapers; we don’t really have any local newspapers anymore,” Landis said. “And so there’s no intellectual, rigorous discourse about theater – I shouldn’t say there’s none; there’s not enough,” he said. Landis said 200 to 300 people regularly attend the talks. Although the Prologues are free, he recommended that students and the community reserve tickets. At press time, 400 tickets were given away for the Prologue.

The Lowdown What: Olympia Dukakis Prologue Where: Berger Hall When: Nov. 17, 6 p.m. How much: Free, but reserve tickets

November 16, 2015| 3 News The ‘Big Six’: an equation for workplace success Anne Benfatti Special to the Scribe

A recent Gallup poll revealed that college graduates are more likely to be successful when they enter the workplace if they complete the “Big Six.” Graduates with this set of experiences have more professional accomplishments than those who don’t undertake those six involvements, according to the poll. While the poll discloses that three percent of college students have completed the “Big Six” during their time in school, each experience on its own can provide more opportunities in the workplace. Nearly 25 percent of college graduates have none of these suggestions.

“I know that I will be successful when I graduate because I have taken the extra steps in order to do so,” said Curtis Pacheco, junior biomedical science major. “I have interned with a new doctor every summer to ensure I get the experience I am going to need to get into medical school and become a doctor myself. I keep my grades my top priority.” Graduates who lacked the experiences were engaged 25 percent of the time on the job. Those who completed the “Big Six” had a workplace engagement rate of 65 percent. “Apart from learning in class, I hold my own study groups on a weekly basis to refresh what my fellow classmates and I have learned in other courses we’ve

taken together,” said junior Daniel Otter, who wants to become a mechanical engineer when he graduates. “My goal is not just to pass the class, but to retain all the information,” he said. The poll also found that better grades may not indicate workplace success because employers don’t know how people work with others just by analyzing a resume or grade point average. Graduates who had a teacher concerned for their success can nearly double their workplace achievements. Otter and junior mechanical engineering major Aaron Cassio agree that professors play a key role. “I feel like it is so important to get to know your professor,

and for them to get to know you,” Otter said. “They know most of what you are trying to learn, and when you actually make an effort to talk to a professor, they are usually helpful and reassuring.” “I have had professors who could care less and have no compassion for their students,” said Cassio. “I have also had professors who really care. The ones who have shown that they want me to do well are the reason I believe I will do well when I graduate.” Editor’s note: As part of COMM 2900, Writing for the Media, students submitted articles that tied a Gallup poll to the local area. The best was selected for use in The Scribe and is printed here.

The ‘Big Six’ college experiences that lead to workplace success, according to a Gallup poll : • A professor who makes the student excited to learn • A professor who genuinely cares about the student • An encouraging mentor • Working on an extensive project • An internship or job that allows the student to apply classroom lessons • Extracurricular activities and organizations

Chemistry professors teach remedial course, hope for future student success Evan Musick emusick@uccs.edu

AUSTIN CHASSE | THE SCRIBE

Intro to Chemistry is one of the remedial classes offered at UCCS

to take the other class or the next class from,” she said. Vivian also explained that general chemistry is not meant to be a “weeder” course, which seeks to filter students out at a low level before reaching higher level courses. But, the pass/fail rate said otherwise, even with approximate numbers. “Out of every hundred students enrolling in gen chem, half drop. Of the remaining half, half fail. That means 25 percent effectively pass,” said Vivian. “In order to increase the retention rates at UCCS, those numbers have to change,” he said.

“We call it boot camp for gen chem,” said Geiger. Geiger explained that he and Vivian don’t teach the class in a standard manner. “We both enjoy chalk talks. We think that students benefit better from having to write

that have actually been administered from other classes,” said Vivian. “We will break them in by giving a lot of quizzes and exams. They’re not necessarily graded, but we want to put them in the seat, and have them feel some of the pressure of being in a test or a quiz and start adapting to that,” he said. Vivian said the intent is to have students deal with the stress of exams, so by the seventh or eighth time they can say “oh yea, another quiz, bring it on.” Once students have been taught these basic requirements, Vivian and Geiger want to see if they get students in general chemistry who “come in and hit the ground running.” “That’s what we’re going to find out in the spring,” said Geiger.

“

One analogy we often use is that there’s this belief that going from high school chemistry to college chemistry is like going from college football to the NFL. People think that’s one rung. It’s not, it’s 10. – Chemistry instructor Sam Vivian

“

With a low pass rate in one professor’s general chemistry class, CHEM 1001’s team of professors seek to improve student success in this subject. CHEM 1001 is a remedial chemistry course taught by chemistry instructors Sam Vivian and Terry Geiger. They believe that students don’t often know the required material to be successful in general chemistry and other classes. They hope to solve this by co-teaching CHEM 1001. Vivian explained that students attend these classes for reasons which range from being out of school for a period of time to not having a chemistry background. “One analogy we often use is that there’s this belief that going from high school chemistry to college chemistry is like going from college football to the NFL. People think that’s one rung. It’s not, it’s 10,” Vivian said. Vivian teaches general chemistry and a 4000 level biochemistry class, while Geiger teaches organic chemistry. This is their first semester teaching CHEM 1001. Vivian explained why he and Geiger started teaching CHEM 1001. “We were very tired and frustrated with students who couldn’t do certain things that we felt were prerequisite,” said Vivian. Savana Brown, sophomore biology major, said she had taken CHEM 1001 before it was taught by Vivian and Geiger. She is currently taking general chemistry taught by Vivian. “I think it would have been better if I would have taken it from the teacher I was going

material down, rather than power point.” He further added that their students are required to have notebooks, and work problems. Also, while the class does not count for credits, it does affect GPA. “They’re learning problem solving skills more than chemistry,’ said Vivian. “We teach them dimensional analysis, conversions, we do teach them necessary chemical skills. Our students can tell you a limiting reactant in a problem, but they may not be able to tell you what kind of chemistry reaction it is,” said Geiger. Vivian said the skills students learn in this class can apply to other classes such as physics and biology. Another teaching method Geiger and Vivian employ is using previous exams. “We bring in exams

AUSTIN CHASSE | THE SCRIBE

Chemistry courses are often held in the Centennial Hall Auditorium.

News

4 | November 16, 2015

Campus concealed carry allowed, students mixed on support While carrying guns on campus is allowed with proper training and documentation, open carry, the practice of carrying a weapon on display so everyone can see, is not. Brian McPike, executive director of Public Safety, explained that our policy only allows for concealed carry of guns on campus. “The way that the campus interprets everything is that with an open carry, when you’re on campus you will be approached more than likely by a campus police officer who will come up and stop you,” McPike said. McPike explained the qualifications and criteria someone must have in order to carry on campus. “(You can carry on campus) if you have a valid concealed weapon permit and you properly conceal the weapon and you are of legal age… then you have a right to carry on this campus or any other CU campus as far as the law is concerned,” he said. “A concealed weapons permit means it must

be a weapon that can be concealed. We consider that something like a handgun or a pistol, not a rifle or something like that,” he said. McPike added that while there are concealed weapon carriers on campus, they have never caused any problems for the department. “We have never had any issues (with concealed carriers),” McPike said. While legally carrying on campus is allowed, student approval is mixed. Katelyn Huddleston, junior history major, said

“

I don’t necessarily think it is a good or a bad thing. It doesn’t make me feel any safer to have people with concealed weapons, in fact it boosts my insecurity a little bit. But as long as you’ve got your license or whatever then you can do it if you know how to use it. – Katelyn Huddleston, junior history major

“

kguthri2@uccs.edu

“

I think it’s a good idea; I’m totally for it. If you are able to conceal carry then obviously you know how to use the weapon. And with everything going on, we should all be able to protect ourselves. – Ana Hernandez, senior English major

“

Kyle Guthrie

COURTESY | THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM

Open carry is not allowed on campus.

that while she doesn’t feel particularly safer with people carrying weapons legally, she is OK with the act. “I don’t necessarily think it is a good or a bad thing,” Huddleston said. “It doesn’t make me feel any safer to have people with concealed weapons, in fact it boosts my insecurity a little bit. But as long as you’ve got your license or whatever then you can do it if you know how to use it.” Ana Hernandez, senior English major, is more

supportive of the idea of carrying on campus. “I think it’s a good idea; I’m totally for it,” Hernandez said. “If you are able to conceal carry then obviously you know how to use the weapon. And with everything going on, we should all be able to protect ourselves.” Students who openly carry or bring a concealed weapon onto campus without a permit will have consequences. “If you come on campus and you do not possess a concealed weapons permit

and you are openly carrying, then you are not following regional policy,” McPike said. “That can be considered a felony under Colorado’s revised statute.” Students who conceal carry but cannot provide documentation are also punishable. “If we document somebody who has a concealed weapons permit and they refuse to provide documentation, they can be charged with an offense. There are three different charges: a felony charge, a misdemeanor charge and a petty offense charge,” said McPike.

C ulture Geo Club to host annual GeoQuiz night Abbie Stillman astillma@uccs.edu

Students fascinated with reading maps may want to check out the annual GeoQuiz Night. The geography club is hosting the fourth annual GeoQuiz night on Nov. 19 from 6-8 p.m. at Clyde’s. The theme for GeoQuiz will be map exploration. The club hosts the event in hopes of getting the community involved in geography. “The GeoQuiz is meant to bring people together. It is open to the public and there is no registration, no paperwork and no fee. Just show up and have fun,” said Jesse Miller, senior

geography and environmental studies major. Students and faculty are asked to come up with 40-45 questions for the quiz. Alex Sinchak, junior geography and environmental studies major, will read the questions and ask participants to write their answers down. She randomly selects entries from a hat and the winner is the first person to get the answer right. The winner will be awarded a prize, consisting of globes, maps and anything the club can gather from donations.

November 16, 2015 | 5

Sinchak said she hopes a lot of people will show up for the event. “It should be lot of fun and a good chance to discuss future events that we would like to do.” The geography club discusses physical geography, rock formation and human geography, which covers social, political, demographical and digital aspects. The club also takes trips to learn more about geography and to hear from professors and fellow students about research and results on certain geographical topics. They attended the regional

Association of American Geographers conference in Kearney, Neb. Oct. 2-3. The club participated in field trips to geographicallythemed areas and toured Lake McConaughy, the largest lake in Nebraska. The rest of the conference consisted of 15-20 minute presentations by faculty from different universities and undergraduate or graduate students of their research. The club is free and any student can join. Interested students can visit their Mountain Lion Connect page at Geography and Environmental Studies Club and their Facebook page at UCCS Geo Club.

Money Matters seminars offer students valuable ﬁnancial information Kyle Guthrie kguthri2@uccs.edu

The UCCS Financial Aid Office hosts a series of lectures for students seeking financial advice. Mountain Lion Money Matters hopes to provide students with financial advice they will need in the near future. The topics include everything from rebates, scholarships and coupons to loan repayment. Nicole Gomez, loan counselor for the Financial Aid office, discussed the diversity of the workshops offered to students. “We have workshops such as ‘The Art of Couponing’ and ‘Game of Loans,’ which is geared more toward

COURTESY | UCCS.EDU

seniors or graduating students who are going to be in loan repayment soon,” Gomez said. “We have done ones on identity theft, budgeting, so they’re more geared towards life skills, and revolve around things that students told us they wished they had learned before moving out of mom and dad’s house,” she said. Gomez said the general life skills and budgeting workshop benefit students

the most. After coming to UCCS in 2011, Jevita Rogers, director of the Financial Aid Office, said in 2012 the university applied for a grant, which helped lead to Money Matters. “We were awarded the grant, and it was geared toward financial literacy for graduate students,” she said. But the office wanted to expand the audience who could benefit from the talks.

“We did not want to limit it to just graduating students,” Rogers said. “So we took it upon ourselves to extend it further. The purpose is to increase financial literacy for the student body.” Rogers said the Financial Aid office is working hard to get word of the seminars out to students in a variety of ways. Michelle Toro-Dietz, assistant director of Financial Aid, mentioned other incentives to attend the seminars. “We are starting to get a group of students coming to each one,” Toro-Dietz said. “We provide a card for them, and if they g o to three workshops out of five, then you get a free T-shirt.”

“We have students that are coming to all five, and they’re starting to come together. That engages them on campus and they want to be here and belong,” she said.

The Lowdown What: Final Mountain Lion Money Matters fall workshop ‘Game of Loans’ Where: University Center 122 When: Dec. 3, 6 p.m. How much: Free

APISU hopes to broaden students’ horizons with R.A.C.E. Rachel Librach rlibrach@uccs.edu

The Asian Pacific Islander Student Union will be leading students on an international tour, no plane ticket required. APISU is hosting its eighth annual Raging Cultural Event on Nov. 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Berger Hall. The event will showcase six different Asian cities, allowing visitors to learn more about the respective cultures of those areas. Thomas Huang, SGA senator of Multicultural Affairs and former president of APISU, said he believes this event gives students a greater sense of involvement, having learned about something new and different. “We have received positive feedback from people from an Asian culture, whether they were born here and learned about it or whether they immigrated

COURTESY | UCCS APISU’S FIFTH ANNUAL RACE FACEBOOK PAGE

here and were able to see us trying to teach people about their culture. Both sides have been very happy about it,” Huang said. Students will be able to visit each of the tables at the event and learn about the different cities’ cultural identities and what they are known for. An activity will be held at each table in correlation with their cultural significance. Huang encouraged students to feel like they are

traveling with their passport from city to city and learning about a variety of different cultures. Once their passport is completed, students can turn it in and receive free lunch provided at the event by a local Chinese restaurant. “It’s overall a great experience as a student to be able to attend these events and feel like you are much more involved,” Huang said. Huang said it took a considerable amount of time

and money to research cities, order food, organize the tables and find other clubs on campus that would be interested in helping out. “We have spent around $1,400 to $1,800 and we have incorporated other groups such as the Indian Student Alliance who might be able to help us with hennas, and UCCS Radio, who will be taking care of all of our MP3 files,” he said. Huang said students have been giving positive

feedback, which has been the main motivation in hosting this event every year. “We have received a lot of positive feedback and that’s how we have been able to confirm that we wanted to continue this event every year.” He said the few negative comments from students are also just as valuable in determining how APISU will tailor future events. “The negative feedback we have received has been very small, mostly concerning an underrepresentation of certain cultures. We have worked hard to adjust and fix that,” he said. This year, on the back of the passports, there will be a short survey for students to fill out and leave additional comments about the event. Information and details on R.A.C.E. can be found on Mountain Lion Connect under the UCCS student page.

6 | November 16, 2015

Culture

New student-created app hopes to offer chance to continue the story DeKeveion Glaspie dglaspie@uccs.edu

Instead of drawing pictures on a phone screen in Words with Friends, creative writers and readers will be able to download a new app that will allow users to create a story and interact with other writers. Narrativ, a new app co-founded by students Connor McCormick and Dan Lemmond, started out of Startup Weekend. The twoday event allows participants to create their own business idea and present it to real investors. “It’s crowd-sourcing creativity through collaborative storytelling,” McCormick said. McCormick explained that one person starts a story with their post, then a second person can add on to their story and a third writer can either continue the story or branch off the first writer. At any point in the story a user is reading, they can swipe to the right and change the direction of the story. “You’re going to get a big

web of content and the best content, the best story, is voted up to the top,” he said. The application will be free to download and available on all mobile devices. It will have an editor’s function where users can make contributions after exporting to Google Docs. McCormick said they could take these storylines and sell them through the app, Kindle Books or maybe do a partnership with Shutterfly. “What’s cool about that is if you are a user of the app you can legitimately say that you are a published author,” he said. Although they had hoped to be finished with the app in three weeks, McCormick said he has limited experience with programming and the time took longer than he originally pictured. “We have to publish to three different platforms: mobile, IOS and Android, so all those require different programming,” McCormick said. He added that they also had to fire half of their team

COURTESY | CSBJ.COM

Students Connor McCormick and Daniel Lemmond are co-founders of Narrativ.

right after Startup Weekend. The team working on the application believes in quantity over quality. “We believe quantity equals quality. So the number of contributions means the number of how many people created a story or who have added to a story is what it makes it most valuable,” McCormick said.

Additionally, he said they will be targeting fans and fantasy story authors. “We are also going to be speaking to Comic-Con here in the Springs. We met the lady who runs it so she will have us speaking at three or four of their events this year asking people if they are interested in it,” he said. McCormick believes the

app will have a functioning prototype in three weeks. Students that are interested in using the app can go to narrativapp.com and submit their contact information. When the app is available, they will be notified. Those who also want to make suggestions can email McCormick at founders@ narrativapp.com.

Students share Thanksgiving traditions, what to do with your leftovers DeKeveion Glaspie dglaspie@uccs.edu

Thanksgiving festivities typically consist of three F’s: food, family and football. But not every family celebrates the holiday the same way. My Thanksgiving is nothing close to traditional. Every year is unpredictable, and the food is usually untraditional. One year we may have Jamaican food or go to a friend’s for Filipino food. Instead of having just one Thanksgiving dinner, we typically have four or more, so we start eating early in the day. Some families set up the Christmas tree following Thanksgiving dinner while others break the wishbone. ReBecca Hollifield, junior English special education major, said she enjoys the holiday with friends, family and plenty of food. “I always make way too much food and invite over any single friends and family who don’t have plans. Also, football,”

Hollifield said. Having people over for the holidays can be welcoming, but Thanksgiving cleanup means figuring out what to do with all the leftovers. Leah Moreland, senior accounting major, shared how her family gets creative with leftovers. “We always do a turkey, and for leftovers I invented the turkey bowl. It is layers of green beans, turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy on top. Then I microwave it,” she said. Pinterest is a good place to look for Thanksgiving ideas and how to recover from the day. You can start a new family tradition by finding new and creative ways to get rid of leftovers. One good way to get rid of leftover food is to give it to someone in need. There are many homeless people who will need a meal the day after Thanksgiving. However you spend your Thanksgiving, be sure you are surrounded by friends or family, whether in person or through a small screen. And also lay back, eat and relax.

November 16, 2015 | 7 Culture Parterre Stage offers creative opportunities for students hharvey@uccs.edu

The French word “parterre” translated is “on the ground.” In theater, this term encompasses a diverse audience. For the students who run Parterre Stage, the same principle applies. Parterre Stage is a subdivision of the UCCS Theatre Company that hopes to provide a higher professional standard for those interested in theater. Students of all majors and years, including graduate students, are encouraged to be

involved in productions. The subdivision went into effect this past year after senior theater students coordinated with Kevin Landis, theater professor and program director. “In the creation of the UCCS Theatre Company, we are creating more defined guidelines and definitions as to which shows fit into which seasons,” said Erik Brevik, senior theater major and managing director of Main Stage Season, another subdivision of the UCCS Theatre Company. Alex Williams, senior theater major and board member of

Parterre Stage, said the company wanted more organization for shows to be held professionally. “It’s also hard to spread awareness about the company because of its location at University Hall. A lot of students don’t even know that there’s a theater over here,” he said. Brevik said that with the sense of professionalism, many opportunities have been offered, including workshops with acclaimed actors such as Olympia Dukakis and sponsorships for services such as concessions. Parterre Stage differs from

MEGAN LUNSFORD | THE SCRIBE

Kim Almaca, sophomore VAPA major, at the opening night of ‘Circus of Dreams,’ a Parterre stage production.

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Main Stage in that it is student run; productions are put on by students, for students. “Having a student-run board lets us have our own identity,” Brevik said. Parterre seeks to hold its productions in unconventional locations, including the West Lawn. “The Circus of Dreams,” held in September, is a perfect example of a Parterre show, according to Brevik. According to Williams, Parterre Stage is mainly for creative works, as many students involved are playwrights who are looking to produce their own work. Productions can range from interpretive dance to interpretations of classical theater. “We have a nice blend of classical works, contemporary plays and on top of that, students are encouraged to create original work,” Williams said. Additionally, Parterre offers devised performances. A devised performance is a collaborative effort where actors create a plot based off of a dance, musical or social movement. These performances may be anything the student desires to produce. “Devised performance is a creative work that is non-textual,” Brevik said. “It’s not held back by any sort of boundary or

parameter of traditional, theatrical expectation.” Students in the devised performance class, including Brevik, had the opportunity to perform at GOCA 121 along with international artist Eiko Otake. The subject of the production was based upon nuclear bombs. “We took the themes and extrapolated them with our own physical interpretation and approach to what the work means. We wore burned clothing and we performed in the middle of the downtown area and spectators could roam around the GOCA building,” Brevik said. Brevik encouraged students to get involved in theater, particularly Parterre. He said students don’t have to be theater majors to get involved in productions. “Every position is encouraged to have an assistant; the great thing about an assistant capacity is that a designer on a show is encouraged to have someone who has never done it before help them,” Brevik said. The appeal of Parterre lies in the familial atmosphere of the productions, said Williams. “I think a huge reason people stick with it is because we all treat each other really well,” he said.

Tourism... Naturally.

Hannah Harvey

e DitOriAl Deﬁne your own holiday season

November 16, 2015 | 8

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COURTESY | CINDI ALBRIGHT - FLIKR

Be thankful this holiday season and celebrate how you see fit.

Scribe Staff scribe@uccs.edu

Meanings change over time, and so do holidays. In America, days like Thanksgiving and Christmas are considered a special day for many people in our culture. But that doesn’t mean they are the same. For one person, Thanksgiving can be a day to watch and celebrate their favorite football team. For another person, they may not give a rat’s hat about football, but feel Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate their friends and family. Whatever a holiday means to

Davy Mellado

you, let that be the meaning behind it. Your Thanksgiving does not have to hold up to a stereotypical holiday. You don’t have to eat turkey, ham or mashed potatoes. If that is your tradition, great, if not, that’s OK. If you go all out for Thanksgiving, great. If you have a simple turkey sandwich, wonderful. Holidays are not about what you do, it is about who you are with, even if that’s just you. Make that your priority. People always stress out about making the day perfect, when you should relax and enjoy the time you get to spend with people you don’t see every day.

We tend to get caught up in the holidays complaining about our problems. Holidays give us the opportunity to slow down our hectic lives and enjoy each other’s company (even if they are your in-laws). These days also remind us what we have to be thankful for – food, people, shelter, a job, school, etc. Instead of complaining that you can’t find a parking spot on campus, be thankful you have a car to park in the first place. Holidays put life into perspective. The small issues we face on a daily basis are pushed aside so we have the chance to see what’s really important.

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Opinion

November 16, 2015 | 9

Take responsibility behind the wheel; remember what your actions can cause

Alexander Nedd anedd@uccs.edu

Nothing was going to stand in the way of my ultimate goal of meeting my favorite driver before a NASCAR race. At least I thought nothing would. Let’s flashback to May. A surprise hailstorm turned the backroads of Colorado toward I-70 east into a complete mess. I suddenly found myself an hour behind schedule and

in danger of not making my dream come true. Not wanting to miss this rare opportunity to see a NASCAR driver, I decided to channel my inner-racer and put the pedal to the medal. Unfortunately, so did an unmarked Dodge Charger driving in the opposite direction that flipped a U-turn across a grassy median. It’s funny how the colors red, white and blue symbolize freedom until they are flashing in your rear-view mirror. I was cited for going 96 in a 75 miles per hour zone. Upset? No. I was furious. I didn’t hurt anyone, no one was even around. I rationally began to make up examples that approved of my law breaking.

It wasn’t until I was venting toward my mom that her disappointment and the reality of the situation set in. “You could have killed someone, Alex; you of all people should know that.” Kill someone. The weight of those words from my mom still makes me shudder. Most of us believe we will never kill someone in our lifetime. But the reality is this: we each bring a weapon to school every day. We don’t consider our vehicles a weapon, despite the “Hunger Games” style of thinking we embrace as we search for parking on campus. It’s a mindset that has desensitized our generational response to speeding and its

consequences. We’ve heard the stats before. Car accidents are the number one cause of death for adults ages 18 to 24 in the United States, a car crash occurs every ten seconds, etc. But for whatever reason, that doesn’t stop us. We live in a generation that accepts these faults. It’s OK to text while driving, as long as it’s only for half a second. It’s OK to race our friends down the road when the light turns green when we don’t see other cars around. It’s OK to completely cutoff that lady; she started it. These are all scenarios I’ve encountered while driving with friends. So how do we change the way we look at

driving? Statistics don’t work. But reality does. And the reality is not pretty. The next time you’re behind the wheel, consider that it could be the last time you see your family. That’s what I thought when my mother scolded me on my poor decision. I could have killed myself, as well as the driver next to me. Imagine after everything you’ve worked for to get to UCCS, to have it taken away, whether by death or justice, all because of a lapse of judgement behind the wheel. That scares me, and I hope it scares you, too. As a NASCAR fan, I’ve seen my share of incredible crashes at 200

miles per hour. While these drivers place themselves in danger and are protected by stateof-the-art machines and other safety features, typical drivers like us aren’t that skilled. Speeding reduces the time you have to avoid a crash and increases injuries you might receive. It is also the only factor in driving that you can have complete control over. There is no excuse. We have to take responsibility for what we do behind the wheel. We have to talk to our friends about their actions as well. It’s a dialogue that needs to happen. I didn’t get to see my favorite driver that day, but I did live to see the rest of the race.

It’s a necessity to end anti-transgender violence, think about what you say

Hannah Harvey hharvey@uccs.edu

“Trans woman fatally shot in head in suspected hate crime.” We see these types of headlines too often. In a society full of socially progressive millennials, I’m shocked to see that these crimes still occur. As the Transgender Day of Remembrance

nears on Nov. 20, it’s important that we remember to extend respect, kindness and open-mindedness to one another. You should never judge someone based on their identity; you have no idea what they are going through. This year, visibility among the trans community has increased considerably. Companies such as Netflix are doing their part to be inclusive and intersectional by hiring transgender actors and actresses, in addition to focusing the subject matter of the shows on the LGBT community. Two Netflix original

series, “Orange is the New Black” and “Sense8” are great examples. Trans actresses like Laverne Cox and Janet Mock are doing amazing work to bring awareness to the negative stigma that surrounds the community and to empower trans individuals as a result. Many individuals are beginning to share their stories of stigmatization, discrimination and overcoming the challenges associated with these. But, this carries a few unfortunate repercussions. According to The Advocate, 21 transgender

women have been murdered in the United States this year alone, the majority of victims being women of color. These murders are typically gruesome and go unsolved a majority of the time. Sadly, media seem to ignore this violence and instead focus on sensationalizing it rather than condemning it. Why does this keep happening? More importantly, why does it feel like we aren’t doing anything to stop it? Anti-transgender violence can extend beyond acts of physical violence; these people are often denied housing, employment, education

and medical care. I see this as fear of change. I understand that traditions are hard to let go of. I understand that many people may feel that the loss of “traditional” values can be threatening. But, I don’t understand why this is an excuse to take out microaggressions on someone who is just going about their day. How can violent acts be justified if they were never warranted by the other party in the first place? I think the first thing that we as a society can improve upon is our language. The way we speak about others needs

to change. There are some terms that are politically incorrect and hurtful. We must think about the connotation of the words that we are using to describe others. The associations to these words are extremely negative. How would you feel if someone used a word just to hurt you and make themselves feel superior? On this Transgender Day of Remembrance, think of all the lives that were lost in unnecessary acts of violence. You can participate in the Transgender Day of Remembrance by attending or hosting a vigil to honor lives lost to anti-transgender violence.

Stop complaining about your food sensitivity, be aware of those with real food allergies

Eleanor Sturt esturt@uccs.edu

Juice cleanses, vegetarian and sugar-free diets are all trending food fads right now. I, for one, have not jumped on the mediaridden trend boat and cut certain foods out of my diet, because I actually like to eat. I do my best to eat healthy and keep my body

healthy, but new food trends that cut out major food groups such as gluten, sugars and lactose are both ridiculous and insulting. I was born with a nut allergy – not an intolerance or a sensitivity, but an allergy. There is a difference. Allergies are reactions due to the immune system incorrectly detecting a substance as harmful, which can sometimes result in severe repercussions. Intolerances are due to the digestive system lacking a particular enzyme, preventing the body from breaking down a certain food. Some intolerances can be fatal such as celiac disease, which is a severe gluten

intolerance. What most people mean when they say they have an intolerance or an allergy, is a food sensitivity. This is when the body reacts unpleasantly to certain foods, maybe giving the person headaches or stomach cramps. This reaction is not as deadly as the other two but can be equally uncomfortable. It happens for a variety of different reasons such as chemicals used in the preparation of the food, or it’s a combination of foods that can cause the sensitivity. Telling me about your food sensitivity is insulting. I was born with an anaphylactic nut allergy,

meaning when I come in contact with this food, I get hives. If I eat nuts, my throat will swell, causing suffocation that can lead to death. I don’t often bring this up in conversation because, well, who cares? It only needs to be brought up if a group of friends and I are going to eat, and I can’t eat at places like Chick-fil-A or Texas Roadhouse. Other than that, it doesn’t need to be brought up because no one else cares. But people with food sensitivities feel the need to let everyone know that they are on a low-carb, low-sugar, no-meat, gluten free diet. It is rude to complain

to me that strawberries upset your stomach, but you choose to have them sometimes because you still really like them. I don’t get that luxury. If I eat nuts I will die. There is no “But I can have them on a cheat day.” I can’t even eat foods produced in the same factory where nuts are processed, because if the tiniest piece of nut ends up in my slice of pie, it will cause a dangerous reaction. I’m not complaining about having my allergy. I have gotten used to it, and it is rarely an issue, but I am extremely tired of having to listen to these people’s problems that they actually know little to nothing about.

If you are going to say you have an intolerance, be sure that is what it is. Most of the time it is probably a sensitivity. Educate yourself on the subject, because it can help you stay healthy. You might not have a lactose intolerance; maybe your body just can’t handle a gallon of ice cream every day. If you approach this conversation with a little more knowledge and are aware that there are people who have serious deadly food allergies, I will be glad to talk to you and listen to your frustrations with your sensitivity. I get it; it can be pretty nasty. Until then, stop the food fads; you’re missing out on some seriously good food.

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Sweet Salty Tweets “Thinking about transferring to CU Denver... good idea or no? UCCS just isn’t it for me”

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Things to talk about with your family during Thanksgiving Dinner

Audrey Jensen, ajensen4@uccs.edu

Politics

9 Cat videos 8 The new Star Wars movie Starbucks coffee 7 The cup debate

“At least UCCS parking is

preparing me for Black Friday.”

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@nikkilee11

6 Your friend’s dating life 5 Your dating life 4 All 99 of your probelms

3 Black Friday shopping plans

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@MrByrness

2 Your crazy aunt or uncle 1 Life plans (or lack thereof)

Campus Chatter Hannah Harvey, hharvey@uccs.edu

Are you prepared for winter? Rob Teti, geography and elementary education, senior “Like, have I gathered enough nuts to survive?”

Logan Maples, engineering, junior “Do you mean, like, jackets?”

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at UCCS

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of Nations and Mon Parade Chinese Dragon Dance

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11:30 a.m. Copper House to University Center

Fri

Tues Language Table: German

Transgender-Focused Safe Zone Training 2 p.m. University Center 122

Noon Table outside Berger Hall

Sat

Women’s Basketball vs. Northern State 7:30 p.m. Gallogly Events Center

Sports

November 16, 2015 | 11

Women’s basketball looks ahead to completion of non-conference schedule hharvey@uccs.edu

While some students are hosting out-of-town family, the women’s basketball team will host out-oftown opponents. UCCS will play two games over fall break at the Gallogly Events

Center, on Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. against Johnson & Wales University from Denver and on Nov. 28 at 5:30 p.m. against Saint Martin’s from Washington. These two games will complete the non-conference schedule for the Mountain Lions, who will then enter RMAC play.

JONATHAN TOMAN | THE SCRIBE

The women’s basketball team completes a drill during practice.

UCCS was picked to finish second in the RMAC in the preseason poll. Predicting how the games will play out, though, can be difficult. “I think that it’s hard to predict, but we have a different connection on the team. We’re working a lot harder this year,” said junior forward and health sciences major Tori Fisher. Senior guard Gabby Ramirez, a criminal justice major, was unsatisfied with the poll results. “I feel like this is our chance to prove everyone right and I honestly feel like we should’ve ranked number one [in the RMAC poll], so this is just a reason to play really well,” said Ramirez. Fisher added that last year, the team’s defense was a weakness, but this is an element that they have been working to improve this season. “Coach [Shawn] Nelson has been preparing us mentally and our practices focus on energy and competition,” said Fisher. “Our defensive mindset is very in tune with everything and our offense is getting to where it needs to be as well,” added Ramirez. The Mountain Lions do not compare themselves to their opponents. Ramirez said the

team does not watch film of their opposition, but instead focuses on what they can do to improve themselves. But one thing the team can compare is the size of their opponent. “In the past, Johnson & Wales had a smaller lineup. We have a lot bigger players. They will play more outside, so post-play will have to defend the outside,” said Fisher. Fans can expect the team to display a quick pace of play. “You can expect a really high energy, fast-paced game. We like fast break opportunities, in comparison to other teams,” said Fisher. Before the fall break games, UCCS is at home to take on California State – East Bay on Nov. 20 and Northern State on Nov. 21. Both games tip-off at the Gallogly Events Center at 7:30 p.m.

“

You can expect a really high energy, fast-paced game.

“

Hannah Harvey

- Junior forward Tori Fisher

After critical losses, volleyball looks to adjust, get out of slump before RMAC Tournament Taylor Garcia tgarcia@uccs.edu

After a four-game losing streak dropped the Mountain Lions from 10-3 in the RMAC to 10-7, the team fell from a tie for second place in the conference to a possible seventh seed. Three of the four losses – to Chadron State, CSU-Pueblo and Western State – were to teams below UCCS in the conference standings. With the RMAC tournament starting Nov. 17, the losing slump couldn’t have come at a worse time. But the team is staying optimistic. “The four losses haven’t been from what is on the other side of the net, it’s been us,” sophomore setter Morgan Evans explained. “It is what it is,” said junior middle blocker Cassidy Bush. “There were teams we should have taken care of. We need to learn from our losses and right now we are learning a lot. Winning the RMAC is definitely not out of reach.” The team has one remaining regular season game, against Metro State on Nov. 14. As a result of the string of defeats, head coach Chrissy Elder has implemented a new offense, moving key players around and bringing in some younger ones.

“

There were teams we should have taken care of. We need to learn from our losses and right now we are learning a lot. - Junior middle blocker Cassidy Bush

COURTESY | SPORTS INFORMATION

Junior Cassidy Bush goes up for a spike in a match. Bush and the rest of the Mountain Lions play in the RMAC quarterfinals Nov. 17.

Elder moved Bush to right side and filled her spot in the middle with freshman Lauren Brown. Evans and Bush explained that the offense will be much faster and gives the team a new, dynamic way to approach the game. “It gives us a lot more offense and a more controllable defense,” Elder said. With Bush moving to right side, she will play over previous starter sophomore Celeste Henderson and a substitute, freshman Miranda Sanchez. “[Henderson and Sanchez] are handling it well. It is never easy going

through growing pains,” Elder said. Evans said the freshmen have been waiting for their opportunities to step up and now Brown has a chance. She also explained that freshman Christina Mandico will have a chance to step up on defense when she rotates in for Bush. Elder is hopeful that the changes will help her team. “As a staff, we feel like we have to help them out at practice and holding them accountable to their individual mentalities,” she said.

Evans said the mentality of the team has changed as well. “Being in a slump creates a pointby-point mentality,” she said. With the RMAC tournament seeding yet to be determined by press time, it is still up in the air who the team will face. “To get where we want to go we have to see [Mesa, Mines and Metro]. We just have to come out every night and compete,” Elder said. The Mountain Lions will play in the first round of the RMAC Tournament Nov. 17.

“

spOrts

November 16, 2015 | 12

Fall sports wrap-up: men’s golf wins conference title, soccer teams fall in RMAC Tournament Jonathan Toman jtoman@uccs.edu

Men’s Golf The Mountain Lions won both RMAC events of the fall, leading to the 12th conference championship in program history. Sophomore Colin Prater won two individual titles as well.

Men’s Soccer Record: 13-5, lost in RMAC Tournament quarterfinals Highlighted by a six-game winning streak in the middle of the season, the 13 wins were the most in a season since 1998. The Mountain Lions fell 1-0 to CSUPueblo on Nov. 4, ending their season.

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Men’s and Women’s Cross Country

Women’s Soccer

Record: 11-7-2, lost in RMAC Tournament semifinals The victory in the RMAC quarterfinals against New Mexico Highlands on Nov. 4 was the first playoff victory in program history. The Mountain Lions lost to Fort Lewis 2-1 on Nov. 6, ending the 2015 season. The 11 wins was the second most in program history.

The men advanced to the regional meet on Nov. 7, where they finished ninth and did not advance to the national meet. Similarly, the women made it to regionals and finished seventh, and did not advance to nationals. It was the first time since 2010 that neither team advanced to the national meet.

Women’s Golf

Volleyball

UCCS finished fourth and seventh in the two RMAC events of the fall. The fourth place finish was the best finish in team history when you factor in the number of teams in the tournament. 2015-16 is the third year for the program.

Record: 15-11 entering play Nov. 14 A six-game winning streak in the middle of the season was countered with a four-game losing streak near the end of the season. The Mountain Lions earned an RMAC Tournament berth for the second straight year and will play in the quarterfinals Nov. 17.

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