Since 1966
Vol. 40, Iss. 18
Monday, February 15, 2016 SCRIBE.UCCS.EDU /UCCSTHESCRIBE
UCCS Student Newspaper University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Sherpa Trail, closed since August, shut down until at least fall 2016
@UCCSSCRIBE
IN BRIEF NEWS
BI Program
Unique degree plan continues to gain students 3
Payroll
New system causes problems with workstudy student employee payment 4
CULTURE
Vagina Monologues
Production looks to raise awareness of women’s issues 5
‘Satchmo at the Waldorf’ Broadway play to come to Theatreworks 6
OPINION
Columbine Hall The worst built building on campus 9
Face to Face
Handle your fights in person 9
SPORTS
Baseball
New head coach sets groundwork for new team 11
Life on the Bus
Team camaraderie on the way to out-of-state games 12
AUSTIN CHASSE | THE SCRIBE
The entrance to the Sherpa Trail from the back side of Alpine Village. The trail will not be open until at least the beginning of fall semester 2016.
Audrey Jensen ajensen4@uccs.edu
A popular route hiked by students and faculty was the Sherpa Trail. On Sept. 4, students received an e-mail that the trail closed on Aug. 17 “due to an incredibly high volume of rainfall that the campus received over the summer.” In addition, the email said that on Sept. 2, to discourage students from using the trail, the lights were removed so students wouldn’t use the trail after dark. The trail has remained closed since August. Students living in Alpine Village have two options to get to main campus. One is the Sherpa Trail, a pathway that runs behind the Rec Center between Alpine Village and Summit Village, shortening the commute to main campus. The other is the concrete spine in front of the Rec Center.
With the closure of the trail, students were forced to use the spine during Rec Center construction. This semester, there are 728 students living in Summit Village and 523 students living in Alpine Village, said Ralph Giese, director of Residence Life and Housing. Students in Summit Village head toward Alpine Village to get to Roaring Fork Dining Hall. According to the Trails and S.O.L.E. coordinator Andrea Hassler, .25 miles of the .36-mile-long trail will be reconstructed and redesigned by THK Associates, Kiowa Engineering, and Drexel, Barrell and Company. The trail will reopen, but that will not be until at least the start of fall semester 2016. When it does, it will no longer be for night use, as the lights will not be replaced. It will also be reclassified as a “recreational” trail. (Continued on page 2...)
AUSTIN CHASSE | THE SCRIBE
Pictured in October, the Sherpa Trail shows signs of damage.
Campus sexual assault victims choose confidentiality over criminal action Abbie Stillman astillma@uccs.edu
Sexual assault is a serious issue, one in which UCCS victims choose to report the offence confidentially and not criminally. Student victims have reporting options. The Counseling Center offers confidential reporting while the UCCS Police Department gives
the option of criminal reporting. “In the past year, we have had about four or five victims a semester,” said Mental Health Services director Benek Altayli. These victims typically come in by referral from someone who has noticed they are going through hardship. This amount is more than those who report an incident through public safety. Police lieutenant Marc Pino,
who has worked at UCCS for 12 years, said nine out of ten sexual assault cases will go unreported. According to the 2015 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, there were two cases of rape and two cases of fondling reported in 2013, as well as one case of fondling in 2014. There were no reported cases of sexual assault in 2015. (Continued on page 2...)
In the past year, we have had about four or five victims a semester. – Benek Altayli, Mental Health Services director, on sexual assault at UCCS
News
February 15, 2016 | 2
(Continued from page 1) Sherpa Trail closure continues “It needs to be open in a safe and thoughtfully designed manner,” Tamara Moore, executive director of Auxiliary Services, said. Two bids have been placed to redesign Sherpa Trail. The Rec Center reserve account, which comes from student fees, has $70,000 for trail construction and improvements and will be primarily for Sherpa Trail, according to Moore. “We’re required every year per our bond documents, the bond holders require we put money into reserves to back up investments, to maintain facility and quality of their investment,” Moore said. “We have to make sure we have our ducks in a row moving into the fiscal year, we want to know what those solid numbers are so we can prepare for it,” Rec Center director Skyler Rorabaugh said. Rorabaugh said this budget could change depending on what THK finds in their
research. Hassler said they have considered applying for outside grants. Susan Szpyrka, senior vice chancellor for Administration and Finance, made the decision to close the trail after conversations with other campus organizations. Rorabaugh said the critically damaged section of the trail is 800 feet and is primarily made up of the staircase behind Summit Village. Hassler said that over time, rills and gullies (channels in the ground) formed and impacted the trail. “From a lot of the rains…a lot of the rocks in the trail were becoming more exposed. It was happening slowly over time, so we were kind of aware of it, then there was really an exponential difference that happened on the trail.” “When rains came in April and May, there wasn’t as much vegetation to hold on to areas around the trail. It continued
throughout the summer,” Hassler said. Rorabaugh said that as a trail’s traditional path breaks down, people create additional routes. “There are spaces in that trail that are 20, 25 feet wide. If a puddle forms there you go around it, so we just continue to damage it rather than going into repair. The rain opened areas that took it out of control,” he said. Rorabaugh said the damage to the trail was due in part to the new residential housing construction and increase of traffic on the trail over time. “I think it’s a very fragile habitat, very fragile environment. I think that’s been seen all across campus,” he said. Hassler added that the trail was not designed for water to properly drain and leave the surrounding area un- impacted. A trail day volunteer opportunity is scheduled for April 30 and a survey will be sent to students as a part of the trail planning process. Students
interested in volunteering can contact Hassler. According to Moore, the Sherpa Trail was a social trail created by students cutting behind the Rec Center. “There wasn’t a lot of thought put into making it a sustainably designed trail; it was a need to get a path from new campus apartments over to main campus,” she said. “We don’t get a lot of water here, (but) when we do we get a
lot of it really quickly. So it starts to look like a trail, people start to use it as a trail,” Hassler said. “Originally it was not planned. This makes most sense as a path used from Alpine village to get to class or main campus.” After the apartments were built in Alpine Village, Moore said auxiliary services decided to add steps, lighting and a public safety call box since a lot of people started using Sherpa trail.
AUSTIN CHASSE | THE SCRIBE
Pictured in October, the stairway of Sherpa Trail shows visible damage.
(Continued from page 1) Campus sexual assault victims Altayli said some victims seek counseling without having reported the assault. In these cases, the counselor will ask if they would like to know about the reporting process. In this situation, UCCS police will explain the process and offer as much support as possible. Altayli said most of the sexual assault victims they help were victimized off campus. There are various reasons why a victim will refuse to report the incident. “Victims feel ashamed, embarrassed, blame themselves for the assault, or think people will blame them due to
historical events,” said Altayli. “Many victims think, ‘what did I do to make this happen to me?’” Most sexual assault cases will be resolved in therapy within five or six counseling sessions, Altayli said. Pino said in most cases, the victim already knows the suspect. “Victims should not be scared to report their case, everything we deal with in the Wellness Center is confidential,” said Altayli. Reporting sexual assault or stalking (in person or in cyberspace) is mandated for
everyone at the university. According to UCCS’ administrative policy statement, sexual assault is defined as any sexual intercourse, however slight, with any object, by any person upon another person that is without affirmative consent and/or by force. Once a sexual assault has been reported to UCCS police, the case is given to investigators on campus to look into. There are various resources on campus students can use if they think they are in trouble or think someone else might be in trouble. 55 emergency
phones are scattered throughout campus, and public safety is available for any type of complaint. The Counseling Center is also available for those who know someone that has been victimized. The center is bound by confidentiality agreement to not share your story with anyone unless you have vocalized plans of hurting yourself or someone else. Pino has only heard of one case where someone was falsely accused of sexual assault. False accusations are considered a felony in the Colorado Revised Statutes.
“In those cases, the person to report is trying to get them in trouble,” said Pino. In Pino’s experience, there have been no cases where someone has reported sexual assault and then recanted their story.
Campus Resources UCCS Department of Public Safety: 719-255-3111 Counseling Center: 719-255-3265
Black Student Union hosts events in honor of Black History Month Kyle Guthrie
kguthri2@uccs.edu
The Black Student Union is hosting a series of events on campus to commemorate the month of February, Black History Month. The goal of these events, according to BSU, is to display African-American culture as well as history. The movie “Dope” will be shown on Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in Dwire Hall 121 and a “Blast from the Past” event will be held Feb. 22 at Berger Hall from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. A showing of “Selma” will be held on Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. in University Center 302. Junior communication major Mykinthia Ebron, BSU president, explained how the club has improved. “The Black Student Union has been around for several years on campus, but we have
had some issues getting proper recognition over the last few years,” said Ebron. “There have been some problems with organization and proper communication in the (club), but we have created a better foundation for BSU.” Ebron said that the “Blast from the Past” event is the most exciting. Different sections of history will be outlined along will free food, trivia and a silent auction. She also explained the significance of BSU hosting these events. “I think since the BSU didn’t have much of a presence the last few years we were definitely pressured to get a lot of information going with Black History Month in order to help expand the diversity within the university,” said Ebron. Ebron explained that the BSU is a very diverse club.
“The Black History Month events that we are putting on are not just to display black history itself, but culture as well, and how there are
different aspects of culture throughout thae world,” Ebron said. Students can join the club regardless of race.
COURTESY | UCCS BLACK STUDENT UNION FACEBOOK PAGE
“Just because we are called the Black Student Union definitely does not mean that we only accept blacks,” Ebron said. “We are definitely a very diverse club, and I think that is something important to emphasize.”
The Lowdown BSU Black History Month Events Showing of the film “Dope” Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m. Dwire Hall 121 “Blast from the Past” Event Feb. 22, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Berger Hall Showing of the film “Selma” Feb. 24, 6 p.m. University Center 302
February 15, 2016 | 3 News Unique Bachelor of Innovation program keeps growing Halle Thornton
COURTESY | INNOVATION.UCCS.EDU
hthornto@uccs.edu
UCCS is the only university to offer the Bachelor of Innovation program, and it continues to grow. The program, started in the fall of 2007, is a group of degrees that look to put students at the intersection of two or more fields to help create innovation, according to their website. Terrance Boult, El Pomar Endowed Chair of Innovation and Security at UCCS and professor of computer science, explained that the program started with 31 enrolled students, eight of which were in business and 23 in engineering. Boult said there are now around 390 official BI majors currently enrolled, and 1,200 students are in BI classes. Boult came to the university to develop and launch the program. “I came to UCCS in 2003 with a, then secret, plan, to develop the BI,” Boult said. “The first few years I operated in ‘stealth mode’ where I worked to show that UCCS students had the ability to do what was needed in the innovation core.” Boult designed the core courses and the overall program, and, in the early years, taught all of the courses. “Eventually we were able
to hire faculty and have been extremely lucky to hire amazing faculty and instructors.” Boult now teaches two to three BI courses in addition to his computer science courses. Since 2007, the program has added majors in the College of
Education and the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. “The innovation core provides unique courses that help students learn the process of transforming ideas into impact – which is how we define innovation. The courses are team-taught and bring
multiple viewpoints and expertise into the class,” said Boult. Boult also explained that the program brings in people from the community to coteach courses, adding another dimension of realism as well as unique networking potential.
“The cross-disciplinary core of the BI gives students choices to add depth in complementary skills areas. The BI innovation core courses do all this while covering the majority of the compass curriculum requirements.” Boult said the innovation core courses are fun and engaging. “Engaged students learn better and retain more, especially for the ‘soft skills’ needed for effective teaming and innovation,” he said. “The hands-on projects give students skills, experience and confidence while also providing them stories that are very impressive during interviews.” Boult explained that the program gives students the opportunity to apply some of the major material in real problems long before they graduate. The innovation core courses are team-based and real-world oriented. The program follows a non-uniform grading system and gives students the ability to fire their team members. “At the content level, there is unique content in writing including writing proposals for real money, as well as the study of business law and intellectual property,” said Boult. “If you are student thinking about the BI, talk to a BI student, then join us and start making your own impact,” Boult said.
News New payroll system problems lead to manual review 4 | February 15, 2016
Joe Hollmann jhollma3@uccs.edu
CU’s new payroll system went live on Dec. 3 and has caused issues with faculty and student paychecks. Human Capital Management, the new payroll system, was an upgrade from a 12-year-old process. The issues affected around 20 work-study student employees actively working at UCCS from Dec. 3 to Jan. 30. Shannon Cable, assistant director of Financial Aid and Student Employment, said the problem was how the new system allocated funds to pay the students. HCM was allocating 100 percent of the funds from the department the student worked in, instead of the correct ratio, where 74 percent of the funds come from the work-study awards and 26 percent come from the department. Even though most of the problems were resolved within one to two days, Jeanne Durr, executive director of the Human Resources Office, said it is unacceptable to have these problems in the first place. “This is an ongoing problem we need to sort out so these
problems don’t happen again,” she said. Durr said she is still confident the features that come with the new HCM system will be beneficial once it stabilizes. Because of the incorrect distribution, Employee Services must correct the department’s over-allocated budget, then report to the state and federal government, who awards funds for work-study programs. Cable said they must have all corrections to payrolls fixed by July, or else there could be government audits to the awards. “The system has the capability to function in the way we want it to, but that’s not to say it hasn’t been a season of challenge,” Cable said. Cable is part of a team that manually reviews every student employee’s payroll who worked during this time, ensuring every dollar was accounted for. “The work-study funds are important to campus and ultimately important to students,” Cable said. Cable said they are reviewing payrolls for the
COURTESY | CU.EDU
Human Capital Management, the new CU payroll system, has experienced funding allocation problems.
entire student employee population, not just the 20 students affected. The 2015-16 average number of student employees on campus is around 1400. Cable also said the departments are taking these new system problems seriously. “The main thing is that we want to reassure our students that we have the utmost confidence in the new HCM system in spite of the early
challenges we faced.” Durr explained the new system makes it easier to upgrade from one version of the system to the next, while the old system prevented any sort of upgrades and was outdated. IT works directly with Cable to help ensure that there is administrative ability to allocate the work-study funding to the right accounts, according to Cable.
The system has the capability to function in the way we want it to, but that’s not to say it hasn’t been a season of challenge. – Shannon Cable, assistant director of Financial Aid and Student Employment, on the new CU payroll system
Culture
February 15, 2016 | 5
65-year-old graduate student lives in dorms, wants to attain Ph.D. Joe Hollmann
jhollma3@uccs.edu
There are not many adults who can call themselves a grandparent, industrial researcher and a college student who lives in a dorm. But Carol Collins can. Collins is a 65-year-old graduate student in the public affairs program and lives in the dorms with other students. Collins will graduate in the spring of 2017 and hopes to obtain her Ph.D. She has grandchildren older than her dorm mates. “I talk and converse with everyone on campus. The students in the dorm are exceptionally nice and polite,”
I don’t know what I really want to be when I grow up. – Carol Collins, 65-yearold graduate student in the public affairs program who lives in the dorms
COURTESY | CAROL COLLINS
Carol Collins, pictured in front of the mountain lion statue, is a graduate student who lives in the dorms.
said Collins, who loves to have a drink at Clyde’s and talk with the employees. “I think living on campus at any age is really special.” Collins said she is always focused on school and really enjoys that she doesn’t have to cook her own meals. Originally from California, Collins worked on the east coast under former New
Jersey Gov. John Corzine, implementing sustainable and renewable projects in the 526 municipalities of the state before moving to Maryland to do research for the military. She worked with the Department of Defense and has over 40 years of experience in industrial research development and hopes to write sciencefiction books along with
government policy. She also co-owned a law firm. Of all of the places she has lived, Collins said she loves Colorado the most. Collins came to UCCS because of her retirement. “I wanted to retire in the mountains, to come back to the west,” said Collins. She decided to enroll in the School of Public Affairs, in
hopes of writing public policy, particularly in areas respective to her extensive industrial research career. She is currently a research assistant to Edin Mujkic, assistant professor in the School of Public Affairs, and is on the student advisory board for the program. Her interest at the moment lies specifically in cybersecurity and public policy put in place if electricity and internet grids go down. Collins said she came to Colorado after retiring from a self-made water harvesting business. She moved to Colorado to be with her daughter, but enjoyed not having a specific goal to achieve. “Being destitute was cool,” she said. Collins is still unsure of what she will do with her degree. “I don’t know what I really want to be when I grow up,” said Collins. Her advice to her fellow college students is to understand that careers will change over time, and to accept challenges along the way.
Vagina Monologues seeks to educate students about women’s issues Rachel Librach rlibrach@uccs.edu
Sometimes, people need to be reminded of the beauty of the human body, especially when they are constantly criticized by society. The MOSAIC office hopes to help with that goal by hosting the second annual Vagina Monologues Feb. 2021 in Berger Hall. The event is a series of skits performed by students to convey, sometimes via humor, the serious issues that many women face. All proceeds from the event will go to TESSA, a nonprofit organization that works with domestically abused and sexually assaulted women. Campus organizations The Wellness Center and Respect On Campus will also be present. The offices and organization will answer questions and provide information on support groups. The skits include topics such as rape, sexual abuse and appreciation of one’s body. A great deal of the material is based on personal experience, according to sophomore women’s and ethnic studies major Quinita Thomas. 13 female students volunteered to read their stories, a smaller cast than
COURTESY | SPECTRUMTHEATRE.WORDPRESS.COM
last year. “The Vagina Monologues” was originally a play written by Eve Ensler. Ensler wrote it to bring awareness to the plights facing women across the world. “Eve Ensler is a hero
Students should watch the play to educate themselves that rape and sexual abuse is an actual thing that we need to address. Women will not be sexualized and objectified for the male’s benefit. – Quinita Thomas, sophomore women’s and ethnic studies major, on the Vagina Monologues
because I didn’t think people would ever write about this kind of stuff but I’m glad she did. It’s really inspirational,” said Thomas, who will read a piece at the event. “I did (Vagina Monologues) last year because I love acting and I actually cried when it was over. I had so much fun that I volunteered to do it again this year,” added Thomas. Graduate student Lisa Colon is also returning to the production after being inspired by the blunt nature of the play. “I was in awe that someone took the time to ask women about their vaginas, because you know that’s not something most people are comfortable talking about,” said Colon, who will be performing a narrative about watching the birth of a baby. Some skits are performed
by one person and others are done in groups, according to Brian Garris, graduate assistant for MOSAIC. “We advertised on campus and in the community, so anyone who had an interest in sharing their stories had the opportunity to audition and, per the mission of the Vagina Monologues, everyone who wants to be included is included,” he said. Garris directed the first Vagina Monologues at UCCS. “We were looking for ways to bring more inclusion of women’s issues and raise awareness about those identities just to make the campus more educated,” he said. Thomas said the event is a fun opportunity for students to get involved. “Students should watch the play to educate themselves that rape and sexual abuse is an actual thing that we need to
address. Women will not be sexualized and objectified for the male’s benefit,” said Thomas. Colon added that men should see the play, too. “Guys need to see this play because they should know that a woman’s body is more than just flesh and that there is true beauty in it,” she said.
The Lowdown What: The Vagina Monologues Where: Berger Hall When: Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. How much: $5 for students, $8 for general admission Tickets can be purchased at the University Center information desk
Culture
6 | February 15, 2016
GOCA exhibit looks to bring awareness to surroundings DeKeveion Glaspie dglaspie@uccs.edu
Artist Jenene Nagy has been perfecting her exhibit for two years and is ready to share with the community. GOCA 1420 is hosting her exhibit, “disappear here,” until March 12. Upon entering the exhibition space, the architectural piece brings calmness over the viewers. From a viewer’s perspective, the focal point of the piece is the bold colors. One aspect of Nagy’s exhibit is the different vantage points of the installation. Nagy hopes to grab attention from viewers by making them aware of their surroundings. If you stand in a certain area in the room, the pieces come together, creating a flat image. The art has personality, which leaves a lasting impression on its viewers, according to GOCA director Daisy McGowan. “It has a little bit of humor with its bright poppy colors and there is an element of delight and surprise. Then you realize that there was a lot of
planning and attention that went into it,” McGowan said. “It’s a sculpture, but it flattens out in a photograph and looks like a painting.” Nagy’s installations made an impression on McGowan. “She really took over a space in very interesting ways,” said McGowan. “We don’t always know what it is going to look like
so we give them a bit of space for risk taking and experimenting.” The photographic effects of the artwork help draw students in, according to McGowan. “I think the students really connected with it. Right now there is a trend of people taking selfies with art so we saw a lot of that. It’s a very photogenic piece.”
RACHAEL DEEGAN | THE SCRIBE
The Lowdown What: ‘disappear here’ Where: GOCA 1420 (Centennial Hall) When: Through March 12 Wednesday through Saturday, Noon to 5 p.m. RACHAEL DEEGAN | THE SCRIBE
Los Angeles based artist Jenene Nagy created ‘disappear here’ for GOCA 1420.
How much: Free for students
‘Satchmo at the Waldorf’ highlights acclaimed stage actor Thompson Hannah Harvey
hharvey@uccs.edu
Seeing a Broadway show may be considered a once in a lifetime opportunity to some, but UCCS students can do just that this month. Theatreworks presents “Satchmo at the Waldorf” at the Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theater Feb. 18 through March 6. “Satchmo at the Waldorf” is about jazz musician and American icon Louis Armstrong. The play takes place at New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel in 1971, a few months before Armstrong’s death. Armstrong is the main character, narrating his own life story to the audience, including his trials, tribulations and supposedly strained relationship with manager Joe Glazer.
We have never before had an actor of (Thompson’s) reputation and quality on our stage. Not many other theaters have, either. – Murray Ross, artistic director of Theatreworks, on John Douglas Thompson, who plays Louis Armstrong in ‘Satchmo at the Waldorf’
Louis Armstrong is portrayed by John Douglas Thompson, who will also play the role of Armstrong’s manager. “If you want to know what great acting is, alive, up close and personal, this is your chance. He has power, warmth, character and red blood in his veins. He is incredible, and yet always entirely real,” said Murray Ross, artistic director of Theatreworks. Theater instructor Leah Chandler-Mills said she recommends students attend the play because of Thompson’s charisma on stage. “Having seen him in person, I think he’s going to be astonishing,” said ChandlerMills. “We have never before had an actor of (Thompson’s) reputation and quality on our stage. Not many other theaters have, either,” said Ross. Ross said he saw Thompson at the sold out show in New York and immediately wanted to bring it to the Theatreworks stage. The show has toured in three locations in the U.S. so far. These include New York, Los Angeles and now Colorado Springs. Ross said the life of Armstrong can be inspiring to anyone of any demographic because of his legacy. “He was the greatest jazz trumpeter of all time,
COURTESY | THEATREWORKSCS.ORG
John Douglas Thompson plays Louis Armstrong in the play ‘Satchmo at the Waldorf.’
and then became a beloved popular entertainer and singer. Everyone can relate to Louis Armstrong,” Ross said. The show is an opportunity for students to see an original $150 Broadway show for free. Students should take advantage of this, according to ChandlerMills. One aspect of the play is the one-man cast. Even though Thompson is the only actor, he still has an ability to engage the audience in what he is saying. “As an audience member, you’re allowed to look into a famous person’s private
moments. Here, the words and personality come across,” said Chandler-Mills. “I think it is very, very brave to go out on a stage and it’s all on you. It’s one person, and he has to deliver.” One aspect of Thompson’s presence is his voice. He can adapt it to fit any character and he does so very well, according to Chandler-Mills. “His voice is such an amazing instrument. He can be brassy, big, loud and purring. He has a very wide range of characters,” she said. Armstrong overcame
Thewhich Lowdown obstacles, can be inspiring to students, What: ChandlerMills said. ‘Satchmo at the Waldorf’ “We all have limitations imposed onWhere: us and the universality of having to Dusty Loo Bon Vivant overcome whatever stigma Theater we’re living under will speak to everybody.”When: Feb. 18 through March 6 Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Sundays at 4 p.m.
How much: Free to students
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EDItorIAl
February 15, 2016 | 8
Remember the best deal at UCCS – Go see a play Jonathan Toman Editor-in-Chief
Audrey Jensen Managing Editor
Eleanor Sturt Copy Editor
Evan Musick News Editor
Hannah Harvey Culture Editor
Alexander Nedd Opinion Editor
Alexander Nedd
Life on the Bluffs Editor
Taylor Garcia Sports Editor
COURTESY | INVISIBLEVOICES.ORG
All plays at UCCS, including those conducted by Theatreworks, are free to UCCS students.
Scribe Staff scribe@uccs.edu
Right now, you are probably missing out on one of the best continuous deals UCCS has to offer its students. You can go to any student or professional play for free. Always. Student plays are expanding as organizations such as Parterre Stage gain traction. For the 2015-16 season of Theatreworks (its 50th year, by the way), that has meant plays such as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Private Lives,” “Ghosts” and “Born Yesterday.” At this time, that means the play “Satchmo at the Waldorf,” which runs until March 6. But guess what, folks. This play was originally a Broadway show. It has toured in three places in
the United States. New York and Los Angeles are two of them. The other is Colorado Springs. That’s crazy awesome. As UCCS students, we are offered opportunities that we would not have otherwise. Use of the Rec Center is free for us, and we can attend Student Life and Leadership events with speakers that most people will only ever see on TV. Those things are obvious. The fact that you can go and see a Broadway play just down the hill for free somehow seems to escape the notice of the general UCCS population. Going to a play is something that seems like a good idea, but excuses such as work or school usually seem to come up, and the event is dismissed as it takes too much work. But, once you do go to a play, the
experience becomes a memory that is treasured. There is something magical, personal and immersive when attending a live play. The colors are more vibrant, the interest is deeper and the lives of the characters become injected into yours. There is a sense of community, especially in seeing a student-run play, as you watch your peers transform into someone else. They work out of love for the theater. They seek to entertain you. They want to explore ideas through the medium of becoming someone else. And on some levels, they are exploring themselves. Remember the positives that can come from seeing a play, especially those of the caliber that we have access to as UCCS students. And, whenever possible, try to make some time to get out and take it all in.
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OpINIoN Prison for students: Let’s take a look at Columbine Hall
February 15, 2016 | 9
Joe Hollmann jhollma3@uccs.edu
Columbine Hall, one of the largest classroom buildings on campus, is one of the primary structures for many Letters, Arts and Sciences students and faculty. Situated on the west part of campus, it houses a computer lab, the communication and writing centers, and a couple of really good vending machines on the bottom floor.
Yet, this building consists of massive architectural flaws that bug me to the core. As a transfer student from the University of Colorado at Denver where I studied architecture, we were taught to think critically about the designs of buildings, and Columbine Hall fails miserably on many fronts. Let’s start with the classrooms. This building might just have the best view of the city and the mountains in the entirety of Colorado Springs. It has an unobstructed view of Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, downtown and probably New Mexico if you looked hard enough. So what did the people who built Columbine do with this incredible view?
They decided to not put a single window in a classroom. Zero. They built a prison for college students. Maybe they thought that beautiful views of our city and natural light would be poisonous to our learning experience, more so than artificially lit prison cells where we are chained down by chairs attached to their desks. Let’s give all the professors and their offices room-wide windows to help them work, think and wonder. But the students? Not a chance. Instead, they decided to put windowed-alcoves away from the classrooms, which on any given day at any given time you can visit, and find next to no
one utilizing. These alcove hallways on the very edge of the building get no traffic as they are so far removed from the main hallway that unless you are aimlessly wandering on one of your breaks or have a class in one of the hidden rooms next to them, you probably don’t even know they exist. Switching gears, let’s shift focus to the east stairwell. The dreaded east stairwell. This four-story structure is supposed to aid in the traffic flow of students going from floor to floor. Instead, the intersection produces more awkward encounters on a daily basis than high school reunions have in their entire existence. The doorways to the
stairwell are only big enough for one person to go through at a time and the doors are situated so abnormally it makes it difficult to see if someone is coming in or going out. This combination of poor planning and tiny doors makes it a nightmare for anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves using the stairwell during the time allotted between classes. There are also problems with the tiny common areas on the the west end of the second and third floors, where a total of eight people can use couches and chairs. The area is so closed off no one ever feels comfortable even going in. There is the massive vaulted entrance foyer, where a huge area of space
goes unused. There is the confusion of entering the building and finding yourself on the second floor without using stairs. There are the terribly fake columns laced on the outside of the entrance, childishly hinting at classical architecture while the rest of the building resembles more of a cardboard box than a Greek temple. The list goes on, but the point is this: for an institution that prides itself in critical thinking and innovation, Columbine Hall stands apart in architectural illiteracy and missed opportunities, existing only as a building with bland classrooms. Future building planners of UCCS please, take note.
older brother applied to clown college last year. No joke. I’ve heard a lot of punch lines in my upbringing and like to tell jokes myself. But humor at another person’s expense isn’t funny. I’m not saying people can’t laugh at blonde jokes if they’re brunette, or at short jokes if they’re 6-feet tall, but deliberately telling a joke and using someone as the punchline is downright rude. There is a fine line between laughing with someone and at someone.
That line is defined by how well you know the person. When this line is crossed again and again, it hurts to watch the person telling the joke and the person who is the punchline. This often happens when people meet for the first time. A joke can break the ice, or it can completely offend someone. People attempt to use this same tactic with new acquaintances as they do with old friends. My close friends and I have jokes about my
clumsiness or the fact I am a theater major. I’m comfortable with friends sharing a laugh over my poor balance and choice in career, so it’s fine. I can also make jests at my friends’ life choices, whether it’s majoring in art or applying for clown college. But if I meet someone new and make a joke about their decision to join the circus, it wouldn’t be funny. It would be rude and an insult to mock their chosen career. At UCCS, I see people make jokes about certain majors. It isn’t cool when
other majors tell jokes where the stupid theater major can’t find a job. It’s not OK to laugh at the math major because he may not have the best social skills. A lot of these major-related jokes also fall prey to stereotypes. We can do better than that. So how do we fix this problem? Make yourself the punchline. Self-mockery is the best form of humor. When someone can point the plastic squirt gun at their own face and
pull the trigger, it is far funnier than if another person falls victim to the joke. Making yourself the punchline also keeps you humble. You don’t hate yourself, but know that you have humor in your own life, and are comfortable sharing that with others. There is no shame in that. So keep on telling jokes, UCCS. But be aware of your punchlines. Humor requires a bit of modesty and a risk in being laughed at. The cure? Laugh with them.
Stop laughing at the expense of others, use yourself instead
Eleanor Sturt esturt@uccs.edu
I love a good laugh. I was raised in a family where humor was very prevalent. I like to think of myself as quite funny. My father is very humorous, my sister makes me giggle and my
Cut the online drama, address how we resolve conflict with one another
Alexander Need anedd@uccs.edu
Snapchat. Facebook. Instagram. These are the social media influencers that rule our generation with relative ease. An open window into the lives of our friends is simply a click away. Unfortunately, so is the drama. I’m not immune to this syndrome. I’ve had my fair share of blowups with close friends and even talked back against perfect strangers who, for whatever reason, have
crossed my path in a manner that I didn’t like. If there is one dire condition we all share, it’s the fact that we are human. But there is always a right way and a wrong way to deal with conflict. Sadly, our generation often chooses the latter. The other day I received a screenshot of a virtual fight that took place between a pair of two ex-friends. The argument moved onto a social media platform, drawing in hundreds of users to witness a relationship crumble into a pile of twitter mentions and clickable likes. Is this what fighting has come down to in the 21st century? Are we still in high school? Fighting happens.
Maybe you and a roommate don’t always get along. Your boss wasn’t impressed with a project you worked months on to prepare. Your sister took your favorite toy when you were six and you haven’t had the nerve to say something about it yet. Conflict is a part of life. “Fighting with friends is something that is normal but how we
The argument moved onto a social media platform, drawing in hundreds of users to witness a relationship crumble into a pile of twitter mentions and clickable likes.
deal with it is quickly getting out of hand,” said freshman communication major Chris Barr. “We used to maybe not speak with one another or maybe just tell your (close) friends. Now it’s like a daily thing to see Facebook friends or strangers fighting with one another.” Not all fights are physical, but they nonetheless can leave deep wounds within. It’s time we address how we fight, and more importantly, how we resolve struggles with one another. Fighting behind a screen allows no real time for closure and can sideline the fight to be dealt with later on. Sharing posts on social media and talking with your friends negatively
about a situation also adds unnecessary drama. Saving screenshots and texting your friends behind a person’s back because of an argument is not the proper way to address a conflict. Neither is sharing a post on your social media wall for everyone to see. Conflict needs to be resolved face-to-face. I know, it’s a foreign concept, but that’s how your parents dealt with fights. Why have we put aside the element of human interaction? Yes, it’s uncomfortable. No one actively looks to put themselves in an awkward position with a friend or a loved one. It’s only natural that we try to resolve issues in a way that seems easy, but this can hurt us in the long run.
“I definitely think it’s best to talk with one another and not let it build up inside,” said Cody Odden, a sophomore studying biology. “It’s easy to talk to other friends but sometimes it leads to gossip and you can end up making the situation worse.” “Have a close friend mediate if you’re afraid emotions will get high,” Odden added. These examples assume the relationship will continue, but sometimes that is not the case. Relationships break, and not always on good terms. While it’s OK to vent feelings and be upset, it’s time we cut the social media drama out of the process. Talk to one another. Learn from one another.
LIFe on the BluFFs Sudoku
Bring your completed sudoku to the Scribe office (UC 106) for a prize!
1 3
9
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6 3
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the year! @UCCS & @MSUDenver celebrating 50 years I turned 30 years old, the #Denver #Broncos won Superbowl 50!” @NickOtaWang
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@SydLove15
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Valentine’s Day regrets Halle Thornton, hthornto@uccs.edu
a life-size teddy 10 Buying bear from Costco
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McDonald’s
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Drunk texting your ex
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Watching sappy movies just to cry
“Wow never seen so 6
many Broncos fans at UCCS until today lol”
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Top Ten
Sweet Salty Tweets “This year has been quite
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February 15, 2016 | 10
“@UCCS that’s the real thing” @fazadam1
n I stagram n o S C C U
Tinder Valentine’s date
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Taking yourself out to dinner
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Going on Craigslist to find a date
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Going on that date
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Not going on that date
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Not buying yourself enough chocolate
WordSearch (Beyonce Edition)
“While I am not the biggest fan of going to school, at least the view is epic. #uccs #rockymountains #colorado #coloradosprings #rockymountainhigh” @rmbgeo
“These mountain views from school are on point #coloradosprings #rockies #pikespeak #uccs #campus #purplemountains #snowtoppedmountains” @madisonleigh32
“‘Raise your hand if you’ve been asked as an artist to draw something for free’ #UCCS #thestruggleofanartmajor” @shanahrella
Campus Chatter Joe Hollmann, jhollma3@uccs.edu
Who is your favorite president?
Jessica Palomera-Garcia, sophomore, nursing “Abraham Lincoln, because he completely changed history and worked for equality of all citizens.”
Blaze Walker, junior, accounting “I would say Ronald Reagan, I really liked his foreign policy and how he handled terrorist threats.”
Shekonah Gordon, senior, biology “Barack Obama, he came into the presidency in a rough spot, and he came in with a lot of pressure and handled a lot of issues well. He handled inner and outer conflict well.”
Baby Boy Check On It Crazy In Love Flawless Formation
Freakum Dress If I Were A Boy Upgrade U Single Ladies Run The World
Girls Partition Rocket Naughty Girl Irreplaceable
February 15, 2016 | 11 Sports Head coach Hajek plans for baseball program future
Taylor Garcia
tgarcia@uccs.edu
UCCS added a baseball team in September, and in November, Dave Hajek was introduced as the first head coach of the team. Now, Hajek can begin to form his plan for building a program. “We are about building an atmosphere that you are playing for something bigger than yourself, for your family, university or teammates,” he said. “It’s not about getting to the pros. You’re playing for something that you remember for the rest of your life.” Hajek explained this is a tough mentality when building a program from the ground up. With the limitations of recruiting such as short trips and email communication, it can be difficult to find players that fit his mentality. “I am still trying to get to know the process, there are plenty of players who want to play here and plenty of coaches who want to send players here,” he said, “The word I like to use is daunting.” Hajek is glad to be at UCCS because Colorado Springs is his hometown, but also due to the support he has already felt from the athletic department and school administration. He has been able to formulate a plan to prepare for the first spring season, which is a year from now.
He wants to bring in about 60 players and trim that down to 30 by the first game. “I have a list of names, but who do you give scholarships to? I have all these spots I’m looking to fill but how will these guys fit together? It’s a lot to think about,” he said. Hajek wants to hold tryouts in May after the high school season is done. He has received interest from Arizona to Canada, but added that he doesn’t want to overlook local talent. After coaching for more than 12 years within the Colorado Rockies organization, getting to run his own collegiate program has been an adjustment for Hajek. “You have an athlete with a different mindset, they’re searching for opportunities in their career and they’re hungry to take advantage of the opportunity to get a degree and play a sport they love,” he said. With recruits visiting campus, Hajek said the unpredictability of Colorado Springs weather can be a concern. “Weather is a challenging part of recruitment. I have to be realistic with the recruits and explain the possibility of the snow really at any time, but I try and prepare them and not let it discourage them,” he said. UCCS has made arrangements with The Arena, Wasson High School and
COURTESY | SPORTS INFORMATION
Dave Hajek was named the first head UCCS baseball coach in November.
Memorial Park to accommodate the new team, which gives them at least one indoor venue to practice at during bad weather. Hajek said there are discussions with the Colorado Springs
Sky Sox organization about using their field as well. Hajek spoke with his alma mater, Cal Poly Pomona, and scheduled the team’s first official game for Feb. 2, 2017.
Alex Welsh reflects on impact of Reese’s, hopes to play professionally overseas Jonathan Toman jtoman@uccs.edu
Over the last seven games entering play on Feb. 12, Alex Welsh has averaged 28 points per game for the men’s basketball team. Around the same time the streak started, Welsh started to eat mini Reese’s cups every morning, five or six of them. Coincidence? Welsh doesn’t think so. “I’ve been eating candy when I wake up, and it’s been working for me,” Welsh said. “I’m kind of superstitious, so I don’t want to mess it up.” The senior forward has served as an unshakable presence for the men’s basketball team, setting the career UCCS rebounding record in a loss against CSU-Pueblo on Feb. 5. The toughness that led to the rebounding record also helped him deal with a dislocated pinky finger, which he suffered in a game the summer before his senior year of high school, after Welsh received a pass from a teammate. “My pinky was facing the complete opposite way,” Welsh said. “My coach was yelling at me, he was like ‘get back Welsh, get back,’ and I just walked toward the bench and put my hand up, and he was like ‘oh, shit.’” He said it didn’t hurt, most likely due to shock. “But it was crazy to look down and see my finger facing the wrong way.” According to Welsh, on the long RMAC bus rides that can mean heading to New Mexico or Nebraska, who has control of the movies can be important. The men’s and women’s team share the bus, so this has meant films such as “Pitch Perfect” and “Frozen.”
COURTESY | SPORTS INFORMATION
Senior forward Alex Welsh has seen an increase in scoring in the last few games, something he attributes to mini Reese’s.
Coaches can have their say, too. “One time, Coach Culver took over the movies and made us watch like three Rocky’s,” Welsh said. Welsh started playing basketball when he was five years old. “That was from day one, as soon as I could I started playing,” he said. He also got pretty good at soccer, but his passion laid with basketball, even with pressures to play football in high school. “(My dad) would always ask me, ‘would you want to miss basketball season because you got hurt in
football,’ and I would say, you know, ‘no.’” After coming to UCCS and spending four years here, the people at UCCS is what Welsh considers the best trait of the school. “I could count on one hand the people I don’t like that I have met here over four years,” he said. Welsh graduates in May, an event he has mixed feelings about. “The mixture of being excited to be done with school, and also mixed with being terrified of the real world,” Welsh said.
“It’s a weird feeling man, like I’m so ready to be done with school and class, but then I’m like, what am I going to do?” The plan is to stay in shape and practice, as he hopes to continue playing basketball overseas after graduation. To do this will require an agent, among other plans, something Culver will help him with, Welsh said. “And then yea, just try to finish strong, get my degree, graduate college and then hopefully continue to play basketball as long as my body and mind let me.”
Sports Basketball road trips: Keep an eye on the fruit snacks
February 15, 2016 | 12
Taylor Garcia
tgarcia@uccs.edu
Anyone down for a road trip? Depending on the time, it’s either dead silent or so loud you can’t think. The temperature is never at a reasonable level, either you’re in a t-shirt and shorts or you’re so cold you have your knees tucked into your hoodie. Don’t ever get up to get snacks if you aren’t willing to become the snack distributor. And if you can’t find the good fruit snacks, the upperclassmen are hiding them. Be careful where you step, because there is probably a person laying there. This makes getting to the bathroom like an extreme ropes course, where the floor is lava and feet are crisscrossed over the aisle.
Don’t ever get up to get snacks if you aren’t willing to become the snack distributor. And if you can’t find the good fruit snacks, the upperclassmen are hiding them.
When we want to watch a movie, a lone volunteer is sent to the front of the bus. The choice is often difficult because the men’s and women’s teams share a bus, so while the girls may want to watch “Frozen,” I can guarantee none of the guys are going to support that choice, even if they secretly want to. Each bus ride is its own event. The four feet of space I get suddenly becomes my world, and whatever position I fell asleep in last time for some reason doesn’t work this time. The worst trips that we take are the eight-plus hours to Rapid City and Spearfish, South Dakota, the nine hours to Salt Lake City, the winding five-ish hours to Grand Junction, and the eight hours to Chadron in Nebraska. But the worst of all is the 13 hours to Silver City in the south of New Mexico. Those weekends are particularly hard, because we spend more time on the bus than on the court playing. Those long weekends especially suck when either team loses. Losses are heavy on the bus. We get on and lights are out immediately, no movies
TAYLOR GARCIA | THE SCRIBE
The women’s basketball team on their way to Chadron, Nebraska.
and usually no talking. Those rides are the worst. Bus rides already suck without having hours to think about everything we did wrong in the game. With travel partner changes
in the RMAC, Chadron is now partnered with Regis University in Denver. So on Friday, we traveled the eight or so hours to Nebraska, played, and then
turned around to make the trek back to Denver to play. It was awful. I’m thankful we were closer to home on Saturday night, but that was not a fun trip. But the best times on the bus are when we aren’t on the bus at all. It’s when we are waiting in a restaurant like a mob of kids. And no matter how much heads-up we give a restaurant, they always seemed surprised that we followed through on our reservations. Then, as we are led to our tables, we are stared at. It’s quite obvious, too. Maybe it’s the matching gear. Maybe it’s the fact that about six of the girls are over 5’10.” From October to March, our lives are spent with the same 19 people. We see each other every day and spend more time in the gym than anywhere else. And while we lose all of our weekends during those months, coaching and playing the game we love makes up for those long bus rides. *Editor’s Note: Taylor Garcia is an assistant coach for the women’s basketball team
Intramural dunk, three-point contest comes to Rec Center
ALL PHOTOS BY AUSTIN CHASSE | THE SCRIBE
Deshon Alcock, top left, holds the shirt he won for the 10’ slam dunk contest. Students participated in the intramural dunk and three-point contests on Feb. 11 at the Rec Center.