23 april 4 issue all

Since 1966

Vol. 40, Iss. 23

Monday, April 4, 2016 SCRIBE.UCCS.EDU /UCCSTHESCRIBE

UCCS Student Newspaper University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Mountain lion statue moved to new home

@UCCSSCRIBE

IN BRIEF NEWS

Bennet Omalu Next significant speaker in series 2

Gender Pay

Pay for male professors more than female professors 3

CULTURE

Theatreworks

Recent play humorous, lacks plot 7

The marble mountain lion statue, which had been located in the lower plaza outside the University Center, found a new home on March 25 when it was transported to its new location

astillma@uccs.edu

MOSAIC to celebrate LGBT community 7

OPINION

statue will continue, as paving stones, flower beds and lighting are added by summer. The move was made to put the mountain lion in a more prominent location on campus.

Tuition affects every student, whether they are on financial aid or not.

For the 2016-17 school year, tuition will rise 4.62 percent. For resident undergraduate lower division students, that means a $435 increase from this year to a total of $9,863 per year.

According to assistant vice chancellor for Finance and Human Resources Gayanne Scott, tuition will rise for two reasons: UCCS is expanding and Colorado does not fund higher education well.

“We are generally in the bottom three or four of state funding per student for higher education,” said Scott.

Next year, UCCS is expecting

a funding cut from the state of $400,000 and the following year a little under $900,000.

“Those are our two levers, tuition and state support,” said Scott.

For 2015-16, tuition increased by 3.5 percent. For 2014-15, it increased by 3.2 percent.

Junior marketing major Kelsey Clark said she is already taking out loans.

GPS

Required freshman courses unnecessary 9

Love

Stop tellin’ me to love myself, love others first 9

SPORTS

Football

Why UCCS is better off without a football team 11

Softball

Team looks to remain in solid RMAC position 11

The mountain lion was donated to the university by Chan Bergen in honor of his late wife, Melitta. The nearly twoton statue had been located in the lower plaza since 2004.

Tuition to increase by 4.62 percent for 2016-17 Abbie Stillman

Drag Show

in the middle of El Pomar Plaza between the Osborne Center and the north entrance to the library.

According to a UCCS Communique article, aesthetic changes to the area around the

JONATHAN TOMAN | THE SCRIBE

MEGAN LUNSFORD | THE SCRIBE ARCHIVES

The Bursar’s Office handles tuition payments from students.

“(I’m) questioning if my degree will be enough to pay back what I will eventually owe.”

Junior health sciences major Thomas Mitchell said, “My parents pay for my education, so if it goes up I would pay the difference.”

Final budgeting takes place over a course of several months.

The campus process starts in the late fall.

For students receiving scholarships, rising costs shouldn’t affect them too much because the money goes into their financial aid package. Scott recommended students explore all options for school.

“For students that don’t get scholarships, I’d say they have to look all over Colorado.”

Scott added that for a CU degree, UCCS is still the best priced.

Per year for a Colorado resident student, the cost difference between CU-Boulder and UCCS is $7,135, Scott said.

She encouraged students to look at the strategic plan so they can get a better idea of where UCCS is going and to pay attention to politics in Colorado.

If students search for the strategic plan on UCCS’ webpage, they will find an eightyear plan that includes goals for the school, students, tuition increases, enrollment growth increases and compensation increases.

News

April 4, 2016 | 2

Zika virus changes local blood donation requirements Kyle Guthrie

kguthri2@uccs.edu

There may be some bad blood on campus, but it doesn’t stem from any rivalries.

The Zika virus can cause an infection known as Zika fever. Symptoms include fever, rash, muscle or joint pain, eye pain or redness and headaches, and can be dangerous if left untreated.

The virus can spread through mosquito bites, blood donations, sexual intercourse or from a pregnant mother to baby.

The recent spread of the virus to parts of South America, Mexico and the Caribbean has health officials at the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerned, particularly when dealing with blood donations from college campuses such as UCCS. As a result, local blood drives are tightening the reins on their donations, having to add new criteria that donors must meet.

Morgan Dunmire, the Colorado Springs community donor representative for Bonfils Blood Center, said that the FDA updated their deferral policy in March so that anyone who traveled to the Caribbean, Mexico, Pacific Islands or other

COURTESY | BONFILS.ORG

The Bonfils Blood Center logo.

countries with the virus cannot donate blood until 28 days after returning to the U.S. This means students who traveled to equatorial countries, namely during spring break, are at risk of exposure to the virus and can be deferred.

“Obviously our number one goal is to ensure that the blood supply is safe,” Dunmire said. “As much as we agree with it though, it is difficult. The amount of deferrals we could see could be enormous … especially for a college.”

Dunmire said that while traveling to a sunny, foreign beach is a good way to get barred from donating, the stipulations don’t stop there.

On March 14, the FDA indicated that if you had sexual contact with anyone who traveled to any Zika virus areas in the past three months, you would also be deferred.

The stipulations have

COURTESY | FUN GUY INSPECTIONS/FLICKR

Mosquitos can carry the Zika virus and spread it to humans.

been put in place due to the communicability of the disease in equatorial locations such as South American countries and Caribbean islands, according to Dunmire.

Local students returning from out of the country are not the only ones at risk, however, as UCCS hosts several exchange students from equatorial countries.

Exchange students such as Vinicius Alverenga, a senior majoring in electrical engineering, are also at risk from their home countries.

“I live in Brazil, but I came here in August to study,” Alverenga said. “I plan on going back after the semester.”

The CDC and FDA hope that by instituting these deferments, they can keep the donor blood supply Zika-free.

Even with the new policies, Dunmire said Bonfils encourages students to donate blood at one of its upcoming events. There will be blood drives on April 11, 12 and 20 in University Center room 116.

Obviously our number one goal is to ensure that the blood supply is safe.

As much as we agree with it though, it is difficult.

The amount of deferrals we could see could be enormous … especially for a college.

– Morgan Dunmire, Colorado Springs community donor representative for Bonfils Blood Center

Bennet Omalu, portrayed in ‘Concussion’ film, next Significant Speaker hharvey@uccs.edu

Bennet Omalu, challenger of the NFL, is coming to UCCS. As part of the Significant Speaker series, forensic pathologist and renowned physician Omalu will speak in Gallogly Events Center on April 19 at 7 p.m.

Tickets are on sale in University Center for $5 for UCCS students, faculty and staff.

Housing students with a 3.2 GPA or better will also have the opportunity to have dinner with Omalu before the event begins.

The renowned physician’s topic is “Don’t Break the Rules, change the game: How Bennet Omalu single-handedly changed American football, professional sports and how a person can make small steps to spark a major change.”

Omalu discovered Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a degenerative disease of the brain, in late NFL player Mike Webster in 2002.

He was the first physician to publish studies of the disease, which typically impacts athletes who have suffered blows to the head and multiple concussions.

His studies presented controversy for the NFL, as he found evidence of the disease in eight more football players who had died as a result of traumatic head injury and in veterans that had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

His work with the disease inspired the 2015 film “Concussion,” where Omalu is portrayed by Will Smith.

Most can relate to Omalu’s topic because of its broadranging applications.

“He is profound in his research, renown in his discovery and can provide lessons on how we all can overcome any challenge we may face,” said assistant director of Student Activities Stephen Cucchiara.

The event may be interesting for those who are planning on continuing into pre-health careers, but Omalu’s willingness to challenge the NFL can be relevant to all students.

“The NFL is one of the country’s most powerful enterprises,” added Cucchiara.

“During a certain time of the year, they own a day of the week and this man challenged them on their response to one of the most controversial topics that surround

COURTESY | POSTERBROPHYFOOTBALL.BLOGSPOT.COM

Hannah Harvey

COURTESY | COMMUNIQUE

Bennet Omalu was chosen as the significant speaker for 2016.

Bennet Omalu inspired the story of the 2015 film ‘Concussion.’

professional sports.”

The Significant Speakers series was founded in 2011 and has occurred every year since, according to Cucchiara.

“Our goal is to find speakers that meet the following criteria – present on a relatable topic to a college community, have widespread interest from students and the topic is one of global discussion,” said Cucchiara.

Past speakers have included LeVar Burton, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye. The only

out, so students are encouraged to buy tickets now. Usually, 500 to 1,000 people attend the event.

Students should come see Omalu, because he made great strides in obstacles that he faced, according to Cucchiara.

“Everyone can learn something from the work he did, regardless of if we are in healthrelated fields or not,” he said.

The Scribe attempted to reach Omalu for an interview, but he was not available by time of print due to his traveling schedule.

aspect of the series that differs from year to year is the speaker, but the process for choosing the individual stays the same.

A student committee is selected by staff members to choose the speaker for the event.

The 10-12 student committee discusses options over the summer and conducts research to make a list of who they want to speak.

A vote is put out to the student body after staff review the list.

The event is projected to sell

News

April 4, 2016 | 3

Male teachers paid more than female, department critical to pay Joe Hollmann jhollma3@uccs.edu

According to data released through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System by the U.S. Department of Education, men are paid more than women in all five categories of full-time instructional faculty at UCCS. The data, which is part of an annual report of faculty and staff on campus, compared the weighted average monthly salaries of male and female full-time instructional faculty across four categories: professor, associate professor, assistant professor and instructor.

Robyn Marschke, director of the Office of Institutional Research, said it is difficult to determine if UCCS accounts for the difference or if anything can be done about it.

Marschke said every year the university conducts an internal review of equity to see if it has a systematic problem.

“It’s really hard to get meaningful results,” said Marschke, adding there are too many variables at hand to truly

Your department is the number one driver in how much you get paid.

– Robyn Marschke, director of the Office of Institutional Research

compare faculty.

She explained variables like rank, merit, committee involvement and even articles published can all determine salary.

“You get down to comparing one person to maybe one or two other people,” she said, when all variables are taken into consideration.

Marschke said one possible reason for the wage gap is self-segregation, or the personal decisions of male and female faculty to go into certain departments and disciplines.

“Your department is the number one driver in how much you get paid,” she said.

The university does not determine the differences of department compensation, but rather looks to what is going on at the national level.

“We look at the market rates;

we don’t establish a hierarchy,” Marschke said.

Despite the lack of meaningful internal results, some faculty still believes there is a real problem.

Catherine Grandorff, an English instructor, is one of the faculty who is working to combat the problem of wage discrimination at the university level.

Grandorff serves as chair of the Women’s Committee, a standing committee in the faculty governing body called the Faculty Assembly.

“When an issue of pay discrimination based on gender comes to our attention, we advocate by providing information and support,” she said in an email.

The purpose of the Women’s Committee is to address the concerns of female faculty,

including fairness of recruitment and retention, recommending ways to help in the success of women faculty, and assessing the cultural climate of the university as it pertains to advancement, productivity and appropriate compensation.

Part of Grandorff’s concern is that UCCS is participating in the problem of wage discrimination.

“In a sector that should be at the forefront of combating sexism, we are wasting an opportunity to be leaders and instead perpetuating the problem of the wage gap,” she said.

Grandorff said there needs to be more done to effectively check wage discrimination.

“An Equal Rights Amendment at the national level would help, and though it has been encouraged for decades and analogues instituted in other countries around the world,

we remain without federal protection, which makes it difficult,” she said.

One of current checks the university has in place is a grievance procedure that individual faculty can file for several reasons including perceived wage discrimination.

The university reviews the grievances and may look into it, but according to Marschke, information about the outcomes of the grievances is private information.

Grandorff said the data suggests UCCS still has a long way to go in terms of having effective checks against wage discrimination, but is hopeful the data will lead to change.

“I hope that this data can be used for positive reflection and change, so that UCCS might set a good example for the academic community by working to eliminate the pay gap in the very near future.”

In a sector that should be at the forefront of combating sexism, we are wasting an opportunity to be leaders and instead perpetuating the problem of the wage gap.

– Catherine Grandorff, English instructor and chair of the Women’s Committee of the Faculty Assembly

Never a Victim class hopes to help students stay safe Abbie Stillman

astillma@uccs.edu

Never a Victim, a selfdefense class that took place March 31, was for anyone who wanted to learn how to defend themselves against violence.

Including a classroom setting and physical participation, the event covered information such as statistics on violence against women, prevention, domestic violence awareness and more.

Participants were encouraged, but not required, to

partake in the physical aspects of the class. Each participant also received a packet of information on how to be more observant and aware if you are in a bad situation.

Colorado Springs resident Doris Rivera-Black started the class four years ago. UCCS is one of several locations in the Colorado Springs area where the class is taught.

Rivera-Black was the victim of domestic abuse for several years until her eleven-year-old daughter changed her mindset.

ABBIE STILLMAN | THE SCRIBE

Tyler Larson, left, and Robert Koski, right, practice basic self-defense.

“My daughter is my hero, when she said she waits ‘till I go to bed just to make sure she doesn’t have to call 911, I said ‘that’s it,’” Rivera-Black said.

“You always think ‘it won’t happen to me’ until it does happen to you.”

Each participant had different reasons for being in the class.

Exercise science junior Lexy Tatham said she wants to be prepared when she goes hiking.

“I go hiking a lot on my own and want to be well-prepared.

I definitely feel comfortable using the techniques I learned while on my own.”

Junior criminal justice and psychology major Megan Womack said she liked that the class didn’t involve using weapons.

“Honestly, I wanted to kick some ass; I already have a pocket knife I carry everywhere.”

Domestic abuse is not just physical, it can be in varying forms such as mental and emotional abuse. The class offered a list of red flags to be aware of if you think you are being abused or think someone else is being abused.

Some signs of abuse could include controlling behavior, manipulation, financial dependence on the abuser, blaming everyone else, violent behavior, constant criticism and unfounded jealousy.

Being aware of your surroundings and keeping private information off the internet is crucial, the class explained. Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and online dating sites are easy ways for a potential abuser to find you.

After instruction, students were then able to practice the demonstrated skill with a partner or on an instructor.

Students were also allowed to try more than once until they were comfortable with the technique being used.

One of the most important pointers instructors offered is to trust your instinct, or, as they called it, your sixth sense.

If you feel like something is wrong, it probably is.

They also offered several preventative pointers such as knowing where you park, having your keys where you can reach them and making as much noise as you can.

ABBIE STILLMAN | THE SCRIBE

The redman suit is used to demonstrate an attack response.

The Lowdown What: Never a Victim Self-Defense Class Where: University Center room 122 When: April 30, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

How much: Free to Students (register through Mountain Lion Connect)

News

4 | April 4, 2016

English, science and math classes see highest number of withdrawals Evan Musick emusick@uccs.edu

Like dandelions being pulled from a front lawn, students might believe that some classes are designed to weed them out.

As of mid-March, there were 3,413 course withdrawals among 728 courses within the college of Letters, Arts, and Sciences for the fall 2015 and part of the spring 2016 semesters.

“These would be people who had to appeal in order to get a ‘W’ on the transcript,” said Robyn Marschke, director of Institutional Research, in an email.

A withdrawal grade is given when a student withdraws from

the class after census date.

Students do not receive a refund for these courses.

In no particular order, the top ten classes that have experienced the most withdrawals are Chemistry 1401, 1402, 1411 and 1412, English 1310 and 1410, Biology 2010, Math 1040 and 1350, and Psychology 1000.

Among these classes, there were 748 course withdrawals for the fall 2015 and part of the spring 2016 semesters.

The subject areas that generated the most failures in the fall, in no particular order, were psychology, chemistry, physics and energy science, biology, economics, math and the Gateway Program Seminar.

Howie Hill, junior computer science major, has taken a majority of these classes. He said some were easier than others.

When it came to General Chemistry II, he said the class was not constructed well.

“I thought it was harder than it had to be,” said Hill.

Hill said he passed the class, but saw many of his peers struggle, adding that a lot of entry level courses he had taken seemed to be harder.

One course that he took was Calculus I, which he also thought was difficult. He said that once he took a higher level course, it was tailored differently.

“By the time you get to the

Calculus III level, they work to keep you,” he said.

Dakota Wilch, sophomore computer science major, had a different perspective on these classes. He is currently taking English 1350.

“If you put in the work for that class, you’ll see the grade you deserve,” he said. “It’s not the professor’s fault; it’s the material he is teaching.”

Peter Braza, dean of LAS, said that he didn’t know of any classes that were specifically designated to remove students.

“Some courses are just hard,” he said.

Braza added that completing a difficult course is beneficial for a student.

“You can get confidence in

those courses,” he said. “You can (succeed) in a hard course, you can do it in a job.”

buried under a growing mountain of personal debt.

For the average student, their loan debt accounts for an average between 36 and 57 percent of their total annual income.

“I was able to take out loans and go to UCCS for three years before I dropped out, even though it’s been a year and my loans have come out of deferment, I still don’t make enough to begin paying them off, which means that my debt total is steadily growing from interest” explained Nalani Dowell, a would-be senior at UCCS. When you factor in all

the costs of post-graduation living including rent, utilities and other luxuries like cable and internet, it’s no wonder that a majority of students post-graduation continue to defer their loans, ignoring the consequences of increased debt over time.

These increased levels of debt are also responsible for a higher reported credit card debt among many Americans to help supplement their income.

Most millennials complain that the average salary upon graduation is not enough to support a household and maintain a comfortable

lifestyle, thus making them more likely to carry three times the amount of credit cards than older generations.

“I have to rely on my credit card in order to buy textbooks and groceries; if I didn’t have a credit card I wouldn’t have enough to make ends meet with my monthly salary from the school,” said Chris Roth, senior.

The rising costs of tuition due to diminishing state investments into postsecondary education is also a reason for an increase in student loans nationally.

While many media reports

place the total balance of student loan debt at over the $1 trillion mark, the loan breakdown at UCCS is a lot less intimidating.

The average debt total for graduating students at UCCS is $25,860, while the national average sits at $27,850. This number is also better for students who are residents and receive in-state tuition.

Classes with most withdrawals in the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences 2015-16 listed in no particular order

Chemistry 1401, 1402, 1411 and 1412 English 1310 and 1410 Biology 2010 Math 1040 and 1350 Psychology 1000

Student loan debt, a terrifying gateway to a better life Andrea Moeller

Special to The Scribe

Taylor Fabian summed up the problems he faces in 12 words.

“I’ve got 99 problems, and all of them are student loan debt,” said Fabian, a junior.

A recent study by Gallup explained that in America’s debt-filled economy, student loans are responsible for the highest levels of indebtedness across all generations.

While UCCS enrollment is at an all-time high, the majority of students, especially millennials, are

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.

Colorado Springs mayor speaks about economic impact of UCCS Jonathan Toman jtoman@uccs.edu

Colorado Spring mayor John Suthers came to campus on March 31 in an event hosted by SGA. He discussed the infrastructure challenges and successes that the city faces, along with the economic impact of UCCS on Colorado Springs.

While Suthers said UCCS currently contributes around

$400 million to the Colorado Spring economy, he said that in the next five to seven years, the city expects UCCS to be a “$1 billion a year economic driver in Colorado Springs.”

The main reason for the expanded impact, Suthers said, will be the development of the North Nevada corridor, with buildings such as the existing Lane Center and planned Ent Center for the Arts, medical branch of the CU system and

cybersecurity hub at the current Mortgage Solutions Financial Expo Center now owned by UCCS. Suthers said that when he grew up in Colorado Springs, the city had 40,000 people in it.

Now, he said, the city has over 40,000 college students.

“College students are a big part of the fabric of our community,” Suthers said.

The mayor took audience questions after speaking.

JONATHAN TOMAN | THE SCRIBE

Colorado Springs mayor John Suthers speaks in the University Center.

CULTURe

April 4, 2016 | 5

Fraternity hopes to impact community with car show Kyle Guthrie

kguthri2@uccs.edu

Delta Sigma Pi is sponsoring a car show on April 17 at Gold’s Gym to benefit Reach Out Worldwide, a charity organization co-founded by the late actor Paul Walker.

The show will feature cars of all makes and models, with prizes awarded for achievements such as best diesel car, best classic car and cleanest car.

Vice president of fundraising for Delta Sigma Pi Courtney McNeilly is one of the members in charge of the event.

“It was my creation, along with my husband and my

committee, to do a car show as big as it is,” said McNeilly, a senior human resources management major.

Over 1,000 people have expressed interest in the car show on Facebook. The event differs from other activities that the fraternity has done in the past, said McNeilly.

“We did the 5K in the fall, and I wanted to try something a little different in order to captivate a different audience, so we decided to do a car show.”

The event is meant to be a new approach to fundraising, which should be done for benevolent purposes, according to McNeilly.

“Fundraising could be interpreted multiple ways. I feel like right now with Delta Sigma Pi, we need to be able to get our name out and showcase what abilities we have as a fraternity and we need to do that for a good reason; it can’t be a greedy reason, because that’s not right.”

Reach Out Worldwide looks to provide experienced first responders to areas of the world that are in crisis.

The fraternity will also offer free club fundraising booths to groups that can provide five volunteers for the event.

Junior electrical engineering major Ramon Arroyo said he could see an event such as the car

show coming to UCCS. “I think a car show would be very interesting to have on campus. I’d be very interested to see what was out there,” said Arroyo.

Delta Sigma Pi hopes for a high turnout to support the event.

“We feel like this is really something that can be continued down the line, and it’s something that can make an impact, not only to students, but the community and Reach Out Worldwide,” McNeilly said.

Students can get involved by going on the Reach Out Colorado Springs Auto Show page on Facebook to find out more information.

The Lowdown What: Reach Out Colorado Springs Auto Show – Hosted by Delta Sigma Pi and Pikes Peak Diesel Where: Gold’s Gym, 1409 N. Academy Blvd.

When: April 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

How much: Free to spectators (donations encouraged) $20 to register a vehicle

How to get the best out of your graduation announcements

Alexander Nedd anedd@uccs.edu

If you’re a senior about to graduate, allow me to offer my sincere condolences to your sleep schedule and eating habits.

For seniors, it’s easy to let graduation slip your mind between scheduling senior exit exams, attending classes and applying for jobs. But if you haven’t begun the process

of preparing for graduation, you’re already in the danger zone of missing out.

Allowing yourself time to pick and choose your graduation announcements seems like a privilege in an ideal place and time. But don’t fret; there are simple tips that can get you on track to give yourself the acknowledgement you deserve upon leaving in May. First, students can always make their own announcements. This is the cheapest option and you can be creative. Also, the copy center offers inexpensive ways to send out your invitations, with color copies starting at 25 cents on regular 8.5x11 paper.

But there is a certain satisfaction in getting announcements professionally done.

The first way to do this is through Jostens. Their website offers features and different packages ranging from $90 to $200. A basic package will include 25 announcements, envelopes and return labels.

Other packages include certificates and a higher number of cards to hand out.

If Jostens isn’t your style, there are other options that offer better bang for your buck.

One website that offers a great deal of variety and more customizable options is Signature Announcements.

The website offers three different package options that also include different styles to choose from.

Compared to Jostens, the website offers more details with your graduation, and even additions such as an official seal. The price range for

announcements is anywhere from $69 for 25 announcements to $90 with additions.

What you save in money might not save you in time, though. The average shipping period is 14 business days without a rush delivery. A rush delivery will cost an extra $30.

If you do choose to order online, be aware of clickbait.

Many websites have additional offers that seem perfect in the moment, but these additional offers aren’t always what they seem to be.

Be wary of the costliness of these extra additions. Think carefully about a custom frame for your diploma or another tassel that is already included when you purchase your cap and gown.

It also doesn’t hurt to have someone by your side while you pick out your

announcements. While it’s ultimately your decision, a second opinion and set of eyes allows for fewer mistakes and another perspective on what to choose.

While each company website offers pros and cons, there are universal standards that should be remembered.

Allow yourself plenty of time for shipping and handling or extra money for a rush delivery. Even ordering in store will require time to process your order.

If you placed an order this week, the earliest time it might arrive would be April 18. Keep in mind you also have to mail those invites out once they arrive. A rush order is highly recommended.

Don’t forget graduation. It’s a special time and an event that cannot be made up.

UCCSlead leadership program grows, available to all students Joe Hollmann

jhollma3@uccs.edu

There are many opportunities for students to advance and develop strong skills in leadership. UCCSlead is one of these, and it continues to grow.

Students have the opportunity to learn leadership skills through UCCSLead, which started last fall and now has over 400 students. Participation in the program involves training on Saturday modules. The next module is April 9 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The program is free, requires no qualifications to participate and looks to help create student leaders.

Chancellor Pamela ShockleyZalabak hopes the program will grow to 1,000 students, according to UCCSlead program coordinator Madison Yates.

“We want to build a new generation of leaders,” said Yates.

The program originated as a way to help students develop leadership skills without having

to be in the Chancellor’s Leadership Class. The CLC is very competitive, according to Yates. UCCSLead allows for a wider variety of students to develop leadership qualities.

UCCSlead was created to give an outlet to those who wanted to develop leadership skills after an excess of CLC applications were received. It hopes to create a broader culture of leadership on campus, according to UCCSlead director Garrett Gatlin.

“We wanted to create an entirely new program that would be open to all students, and provide high quality leadership development,” said Gatlin.

Each element of UCCSlead has been designed with a purpose, according to Gatlin.

“We have incorporated elements proven to be critical in the development of successful leaders. Our program has four main components of training, academic coursework, networking and experience.”

According to Yates, the program revolves around three certifications that are awarded to

COURTESY | SLL.UCCS.EDU

A screenshot from the newly updated UCCSlead website.

individuals in the program who meet certain training, academic and experience requirements.

The certificates build on each other and become more intensive, adding more requirements the further a student goes in the program. Here is a brief overview of each certification: Transformative Leadership Certificate Two modules of intensive, all-day training on periodic Saturdays on campus (one per semester) Take one leadership class Eight hours of community service

Breakthrough Leadership Certificate Complete one more additional module on campus Take an upper division course in leadership Eight more hours (16 total) of community service High Impact Leadership Certificate Complete one more final module on campus Take one more leadership class; must have taken Seminar in Leadership and Organizational Change (COMM 4950) Serve in a leadership role on campus

Some of the activities on the Saturday modules include self-assessment tests for areas like personality and skills as well as group activities and lessons taught by members of the Creative Center for Leadership, a third-party company that helps train high-level executives in leadership.

As for the effectiveness of the program, Yates said it was a little early to tell. The first UCCSlead graduating class will be this May. “Since we are so new, we don’t quite know that,” Yates said. “(After graduation) we can see how effective the training and certifications will be.”

CULTURe

6 | April 4, 2016

Student activities hopes to provide de-stress with week of events Hannah Harvey

ROAR DAZE EVENTS

hharvey@uccs.edu

As the stress of finals quietly approaches, it’s important to remember to take some time and have fun with friends. The Office of Student Activities wants to help students do just that.

Hosted by OSA April 4-9, ROAR Daze will have a special event each day incorporating various departments, clubs and organizations on campus.

ROAR Daze has been around for 10 years and is the longest-standing tradition on campus, according to assistant director of Student Activities Stephen Cucchiara.

“Most universities have a spirit week, but this is our annual spring week,” said Cucchiara.

ROAR Daze was originally a two-day event, but over the years, it has grown to encompass an entire week. The variety of events has changed, but there are some events that have become traditional for the spring week, typically held in April.

“We usually bring in a hypnotist, which is our longest tradition. Over the past four years, we have incorporated the drive-in

Monday, April 4: Trivia, 6 p.m., Clyde’s

Tuesday, April 5: Hypnotist Sailesh, 8 p.m., Berger Hall Wednesday, April 6: Sports Day Bubble soccer noon to 3 p.m., West Lawn Dodgeball (7v7) 7-11 p.m., Rec Center NOOH ALRASHID | THE SCRIBE ARCHIVES

The bubble bump soccer games from ROAR Daze during fall of 2014.

movie and black light dance.

Over the past two years, we have also tried to incorporate sports and wellness,” said Cucchiara.

According to Cucchiara, 2,000 students attend the events as a whole. For events like the drive-in movie, 200600 students attend. 300-400 students attend the black light dance and 300 students see the hypnotist.

While some traditional events continue, others, such as Family Day, have been done away with due to a lack

of student interest.

If the events lack attendance and students don’t like them, the event will no longer be a part of ROAR Daze, according to OSA main stage programmer Alan Wilson. A survey is conducted every year to determine what students want to be a part of the spirit weeks.

Having one week of events engages both traditional and nontraditional students on campus, according to Wilson.

“If we do one event, it

goes unnoticed a lot of the time, but one week builds a bigger audience and builds a sense of community on campus.”

The goal is to reach all student demographics.

Commuter and nontraditional students are primarily targeted through events like the drive-in movie and black light dance.

“We’ve done a much better job diversifying and pulling away from having the same students show up at every event,” said Wilson.

Thursday, April 7: Passport Conference, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., UC third floor (students must register on MLC) Drag Show, 7 p.m., Berger Hall Friday, April 8: Drive-in movie – ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ 7 p.m., Lot 580 (students must register on MLC) Saturday, April 9: Blacklight Dance, 8 p.m., Berger Hall

CULTURe

April 4, 2016 | 7

‘Archangels Don’t Play Pinball’ has energy, humor, but no plot line quality Rachel Librach rlibrach@uccs.edu

Rating:

Theatreworks’ “Archangels Don’t Play Pinball” is a goofy play composed of slapstick humor and a series of unfortunate events.

While the student actors put in great effort memorizing their parts, the play itself was disjointed and repetitive.

The play dates back to 1959 where it was first composed by Dario Fo and performed in Italy.

“Archangels don’t play pinball with people’s lives,” is a metaphor used throughout the play to symbolize the main character’s sense of initial betrayal and confusion for the events that have taken place in his life.

The play features a gullible man named Lofty (Alex Williams), who is tricked by his devious gang of friends. Lofty goes through many hilarious trials and tribulations throughout the play, including having his identity mixed up.

The play opens on a group of Milanese men who are all trying to play a prank on the local baker and scam him out of 100,000 liras (Italian currency).

After the gang gets their money, they continue with their plan to convince their gullible friend, Lofty, that

he is marrying an Arabian princess, when, in reality, she is a mere prostitute.

Lofty confides in his new bride, Blondie (Chloe Kishkiras), that he isn’t as idiotic as he seems, but plays the part so that he can scam his friends.

Lofty is found out by his friends and decides to leave to Rome.

After Lofty leaves, his paperwork is mixed up with a labrador retriever’s. The only way to remedy this is for Lofty to impersonate a dog.

He is purchased by a circus owner, but he runs away and convinces everyone that he is a senator.

It was easy to be drawn into the action and amused by the exaggerated humor and practical jokes.

Theatreworks’ rendition of “Archangels Don’t Play Pinball” was a chaotic and often times exhausting series of events that conveys the unpredictable and illogical game that is life.

Revolving around the metaphor that a higher being plays with people’s lives like a game of pinball, this play is impractical and humorous to an extent.

The quality of acting by students was evident.

Each actor had tremendous energy, running around the stage, climbing the props and delivering paragraphs of dialogue at such a fast pace that one could get lost in the conversation.

Student actor Trey Burns

did an exceptional job playing not one, but five different roles throughout the play, keeping the identity of each character clear and separate. Ranging from a French pastry cook to a womanizing senator, Burns was consistently entertaining.

Williams portrayed just the right amount of silly in his own character to make all the scenes seem appropriate for Lofty to be stumbling through. His charismatic stage presence drew in and amused the audience by the exaggerated humor and practical jokes.

The play itself was fastpaced with a lot of dialogue crammed into every scene.

The events themselves seemed so disjointed from one another that it gave the impression of no real story line.

The stage was simple and circus themed. While the play didn’t seem to have a consistent circus theme, other props were carried in between scenes to better depict the action. The songs were humorous and enjoyable, but the comedy was often repetitious and resembled slapstick humor.

The Lowdown What: ‘Archangels Don’t Play Pinball’ Where: Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theater When: Until April 10 Thursdays-Saturdays: 7:30 p.m.

Saturday matinee (April 9) at 2:00 p.m.

Sundays at 4:00 p.m.

How much: Free to Students

RACHEL LIBRACH | THE SCRIBE

The circus-themed set of ‘Archangels Don’t Play Pinball.’

Annual Mardi Gras drag show celebrates LGBT culture Halle Thornton

hthornto@uccs.edu

Hosted by MOSAIC to raise awareness and celebrate the LGBT community, the second annual Mardi Gras Drag Show will be in Berger Hall from 7-8:30 p.m. on April 7. The show is free to UCCS students, faculty and staff.

Graduate assistant from the LGBT Resource Center Brian Garris said that the members of MOSAIC and the LGBT Resource Center originally created the idea that has since become a popular annual event.

Garris also explained that the event is a fun and engaging way to experience queer culture.

“The event is bringing awareness, but is also a celebration of queer identities,” said Garris.

Around 200 people came to last year’s show, according to Jesse Perez, assistant director of MOSAIC. While it is important to have educational events such as lectures from members of the LGBT community, it is

also important to connect and be visible in other ways on campus, according to Perez.

“It is important to have things to identify with, and bring in diversity from many different people’s backgrounds.”

Perez explained that drag is a huge part of LGBT history and, at its core, was and continues to be an uplifting event to recognize the LGBT community.

Perez said that the event is “in your face and over the top.”

The goal of the event is for all that attend to have a good time while celebrating LGBT culture.

The Lowdown What: Mardi Gras Drag Show Where: Berger Hall When: April 7, 7-8:30 p.m.

How much: Free to students

EDITORIAL

April 4, 2016 | 8

Remember bravery, impact of solid journalism Scribe Staff scribe@uccs.edu

Journalists, such as those at The Scribe, spend almost all of their professional time writing about and photographing people other than themselves.

But with the field of journalism under almost-daily attack nationwide, it is good for both us and readers to recall the positives that come from solid journalism, as well as what we lose when it isn’t done right and citizens undermine and undervalue its impact.

Journalists are some awfully brave human beings.

There’s the obvious danger that journalists can be in, when they cover events in war-torn areas of the world or find themselves in the

middle of a protest that turns violent.

But the less obvious, yet no less potent danger that journalists put themselves through is their writing and photography.

Every time a writer puts pen to paper or a photographer prints a photo, they open themselves and their work to examination and ridicule. Often, it’s their name and a photo attached – it’s impossible to run and hide from that.

Both writing and photography can be personal, and journalists make both public. Journalists risk everything, including their reputation. They don’t post anonymously like many detractors of journalists, hiding behind a screen, and have to be ready for whatever ridicule or punches come their way.

Journalism, in at least one way, is

very similar to teaching and serving as a member of the police force.

When it’s done well, no one notices.

But when it’s done wrong, all hell breaks loose.

Here’s the problem: these brave people in journalism are going away.

And when we lose solid journalists and journalism, our society suffers.

Who is there to keep the powerful in check, no matter their position? Without journalists, the message is controlled entirely by those in power, be it in politics, the private sector, or even in individual households.

They can get away with whatever they want, and no one will say anything, leaving those out of power without a voice.

The built-in watchdog of democracy vanishes.

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

Letter to the Editor

Should instructors at UCCS be labeled as scabs?

I am writing in response to an article published in the Scribe on 14 March 2015 “Majority of credit hours taught by non-tenure track teachers” by Joe Hollman. Maybe I read this article incorrectly, but I have not found a single instructor who didn’t find the article (unintentionally) hilarious.

I propose that this article makes little sense other than to label instructors at UCCS as the second choice of instruction at UCCS. This is according to Robyn Marschke, director of the Office of Institutional Research who explains that the reason that tenured and tenure track professors are not teaching all classes at UCCS is due to cost. Apparently instructors are cheaper to obtain.

This article had such potential to demonstrate how superior the education at UCCS is when compared to other academic institutions. It could have shown how fortunate undergraduate students are at UCCS to have instructors who

are here to teach exclusively.

Instead it demonstrated that instructors at UCCS are second class scabs at UCCS. If a prospective student or a parent of a prospective student at UCCS were to read this article, what would they think? I fail to see why it was even published without due diligence.

In speaking with many of my fellow instructors at UCCS, we share a common theme: We all want to teach. We took pay cuts to teach and all the instructors I know hold advanced degrees in their field. Many bring a decade or more of industry experience including management experience.

Is there anyone better to advise graduating seniors about the job market and how to land their first job? Lecturers bring with them into the classroom real examples of what problems students will be required to solve when they enter the work force.

The quality of instruction at UCCS is superior to other academic institutions. Tenured, tenure-track,

instructors, and lecturers all care very much about the quality of education provided to the student at UCCS. I doubt if a student at UCCS cares about the details of compensation and/or job security of the faculty standing in front of them in the classroom, they care about the quality of the instruction provided by that person.

Respectively, Terry Geiger Editor’s Note: The article referenced above did not seek to disparage any specific category of teacher at UCCS. It was printed to show the difference in pay between teachers on campus.

Geiger is an instructor in the chemistry and biochemistry departments on campus.

To read the original article, visit scribe.uccs.edu/?p=4919.

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OPINION

April 4, 2016 | 9

The twisted logic of mandatory Gateway Program Seminars

Joe Hollmann jhollma3@uccs.edu

In college, you typically get to choose the classes you want to take and the path you wish to travel.

I understand the importance of socializing students to the university, becoming acquainted with the resources available on campus and warming up to other students in small 15-person sections.

But the principle of mandatory classes at the college level is a

twisted logic that exploits student’s money, time and energy that is better used elsewhere.

If UCCS is truly an institution of higher education, you would hope the students admitted are already prepared with middle school skills such as study habits and note taking.

So why does UCCS support required freshman seminar classes?

The idea of using a class to develop friendships is reminiscent of the awkward high school, round-circle icebreakers.

The fact that over five percent of credit hours taught on campus are freshman seminar classes is astounding, particularly when the classes focus on fickle hobbies and interests rather than solid

preparatory curriculum.

As an institution that strives to champion openmindedness, freedom of choice and support of the students, GPS fails to exemplify these ideals.

At its core, the message of GPS classes is that students can’t handle the educational and relational basics of college.

To deem that all students entering into the care of the university cannot choose what is best for them and seek out resources on their own time is a sad reflection of the faith the university has in its students.

UCCS thinks students need as much help as possible and should pay over a thousand dollars in tuition to relearn skills they already know and become friends with

people who they will probably never talk to again after the class.

Other programs that familiarize students are perfectly valid, such as orientation or freshman resident student activities.

But mandatory freshman classes, that prove to be of little worth, overstep the bounds and are slightly offensive.

If I enjoy cooking, climbing or running, social media does a better job of connecting me with other students than a class of 15 ever could.

Syllabi give ample information about teacher expectations, and if I want to get acquainted with a professor, then I will seek that out.

I believe the student body has enough ability to think critically and responsibly to take the

necessary actions to succeed in college.

College can be a scary place, but that is usually because a student is drowning in debt (from freshman seminar

classes) and family or relational crises, rather than because they don’t know how to talk to an instructor.

Not everyone has a bad experience in GPS classes. In fact, some have great experiences, and I applaud you for your positive experiences.

But I also encourage you to look critically at the costs and benefits of this policy.

Luckily, I escaped the grasp of a freshman seminar. And I am glad to know I was able to choose a class I wanted rather than one that was forced upon me.

College classes should be the clay in which you can sculpt your own pottery, not a prescribed, manufactured mug given to you and told to drink from.

Notice that you’re not just reading to learn, as we do in the classroom today.

Our education starts with mostly hands-on activities, which includes asking questions about anything that pops in our heads. But as we grow up these concepts vanish.

Are we really benefiting from this style of education?

We should understand that not everyone learns the same. Some of us learn by reading textbooks, watching documentaries or asking questions to further our understanding.

UCCS needs to offer alternative teaching techniques.

If a student has

dyslexia, you may want to give them less to read to not overwhelm them, which might lead to them feeling stupid.

I grew up with dyslexia, A.D.D., social anxiety and depression.

These diagnoses don’t help your learning abilities; it’s that much harder to earn decent grades. If your teachers are unable or unwilling to work with your ‘differences,’ you’re not going to learn much.

There needs to be a fundamental change in how classrooms and lectures are organized.

This must go right to the steps of Washington.

We don’t learn the same way we did back in the

1980’s, and who’s to say that system was the best anyway?

I am very lucky to have parents who wanted me to be successful in a school environment and find a school that could teach me in a way I could comprehend the material.

I started earning A’s and B’s in classes where I didn’t think that would be possible.

I had teachers offer us several different options for an assignment, allowing us to pick what worked best for us and go from there.

This enabled us to use our creativity and make the assignment more applicable. Learning should be fun, and

teachers should try to allow students more freedom with their lessons.

A big part of the issue is the schools that offer these alternative learning styles tend be quite costly.

Many people cannot afford the prices of these schools and basically get screwed over.

In “Good Will Hunting,” a brilliant young man dubbed a genius was discovered by a professor. He had no money and a lengthy rap sheet, but could reiterate an entire novel if you asked him too. Once his genius was discovered, the government jumped at the opportunity to hire him.

Life will always

provide vastly more educational value than a classroom. Field trips and other school related activities that involve life experiences are crucial for learning.

Teachers and professors might want to consider having students find life experiences for class credit or have them complete projects and papers on what they have experienced.

Learning should be fun and exciting. Typical lecture courses might offer some fun aspects, but it would be nice to see teachers try to be more creative with lesson plans.

We would all benefit more from hands-on learning.

more important than that of others.

This seems all wrong.

Being proud of who you are is important. But I am tired of being told to love myself. More importantly, that I have to love myself before I can love others.

We live in an individualistic culture where the world revolves around one person rather than a community.

Individualistic cultures feed creative minds and encourage people to stand out. I am all for people celebrating what makes them different.

But what I’m not OK with is people putting

themselves on a pedestal as if they are better than the rest of the universe.

People who encourage others to “love themselves” or “do what makes you happy” drive an egotistic, self-centered mindset.

Sanskrit, one of the official languages in India, has 96 words for love. English has only one.

English “love” refers to romantic love, the love between friends, and even the deep appreciation for inanimate objects.

What type of love is our society telling us to use when it says “love yourself?”

It isn’t really clear.

Should we love ourselves as a friend, or the way we love our favorite soda?

It doesn’t matter as long as we know how to achieve this self-love: self-fulfilled happiness.

Self-centered love is driven by making ourselves happy. If we are happy, then we love ourselves.

People seem to think there is a connection between loving oneself and being happy.

“If I lose 30 pounds, I will be happy and love myself.”

“If I go on a vacation, I will be happy and love myself.”

People use the phrase “you do you” almost as an excuse to do whatever makes them happy.

I know mothers who post on Facebook that they left their kids with their mother for a couple weeks to go do yoga on the beach. Their kids miss school, but, hey, you do you.

People will leave their families because they are no longer happy, but, that’s OK; you do you.

We have been taught that it is OK to do what makes us happy, because it will make us love ourselves. It doesn’t matter if we hurt people we care about, as long as we are happy.

Sadly, people seeking love out of self-fulfilling happiness are in for disappointment.

Happiness will not make you love yourself. Loving yourself shouldn’t even be a goal.

Look for contentment instead. Being content is not found in oneself, but in others. Love others.

Serve others.

Love isn’t a glass you must fill in order to help other people. Making yourself happy will not increase your state of life; contentment will.

So, please stop telling me to love myself.

I am quite content loving others. You should be too.

At its core, the message of GPS classes is that students can’t handle the educational and relational basics of college. To deem that all students entering into the care of the university cannot choose what is best for them and seek out resources on their own time is a sad reflection of the faith the university has in its students.

Teaching methods need an update, real-life application

Abbie Stillman astillma@uccs.edu

A few weeks ago you turned your clocks forward one hour, but, for just one moment, I want you to go back.

You’re in first grade.

You are creating art projects daily, learning about dinosaurs, making little books for your parents and experiencing other hands-on activities.

Stop telling me to love myself; I want to love others

Elanor Sturt esturt@uccs.edu

Love yourself. That seems like great advice, but truthfully, it’s rubbish.

I see posts online that compare love to a glass of water, stating that you need to fill your glass before you can give to others. Or posts that say your own happiness is

LIFe on the BLUFFs Sudoku

Bring your completed sudoku to the Scribe office (UC 106) for a prize!

COURTESY | HTTP://PUZZLES.CA/SUDOKU.HTML

7 8

5

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Classes that should be offered at UCCS Eleanor Sturt esturt@uccs.edu

UCCS is my favorite place to sit in my car and ignore my responsibilities”

@jamie_baldinger

3

“Clipboarding at UCCS today

9 7

&

Top Ten Sweet Salty Tweets “The parking garage at

4 2

April 4, 2016 | 10

5

and a student just asked me if I was the ‘Big Government Sucks girl.’ Momma I made it” @EmilyyHolt

8

“@AlisonMFOX21 That’s so

on Instagram S C C U “#uccs #it’snowing #Colorado #fridaybeforespringbreak #coloradosprings #itsmarchyo” @paolacarrasco96

true 23 miles to the nearest @DunkinDonuts from my house. But at UCCS they make donuts and sell them at coffee shops” @maurice_paez

10 Underwater basket weaving 9

Intro to parking

8

How to open a brewery/ coffee shop/dispensary

7

Intro to cooking: Microwave meals

6

Journalism

5

Yoga with cats

4

You can even

3

Intro to adulting

2

How to navigate uccs.edu

1

Intro to finding buildings on campus

Campus Chatter Abbie Stillman, astillman@uccs.edu

What’s your worst midterm experience?

Garry Moyer, sophomore, undecided

“Just wanted to share the start of my art final.

It’s supposed to deal with a social issue so I chose the relationship between coyotes and farmers.” @coralskull

“Nothing like ending a great (busy) clinical day with a little sweat session #clinicals #nursingschool #ymca #secondhome #fitness #workout #cardio #girlswholift #whitescrubs #nursingstudent #uccs #bethel #colorado #livingvibrant” @lizzou22

“For my gen chem midterm, I lost track of time and didn’t know the midterm was the week of until about a day or two before.”

Dan Schledewitz, freshman, accounting “My worst midterm experience was when I walked into the wrong class for a midterm. I was also 10 minutes late.”

Zach Buchanan, senior, history and education “A bunch of my classes try to cram in tests before spring break; it just feels rushed.”

SPORTs

April 4, 2016 | 11

Why an undefeated football team is better than a real one, for now

Taylor Garcia tgarcia@uccs.edu

I am not sure if the bookstore sells them anymore, but there used to be these t-shirts that said “UCCS Football Undefeated Since 1965” or something like that. It was the best t-shirt, because it’s technically true.

Man, having a football team

would be so awesome, right?

Wrong.

We assume that football teams generate as much revenue as they spend, but they don’t. On their website, the NCAA broke down the Division II athletics expenses for schools with football teams and schools without.

In 2011-12, schools with a football team set aside $5.3 million for athletics, while schools that don’t have football set aside $4 million.

The average revenue generated by schools with a football team was $624,000. Schools without football made an average of $314,000.

So yes, football creates more revenue. But $1.3 million dollars of expenses isn’t dented by the $310,000 revenue.

Along with looking at athletic expenses, the NCAA broke down how football teams affect institutional expenses as a whole.

From 2004-12, football-playing institutions have increased total institutional expenses from 5 percent to 7 percent. For non-footballplaying institutions, that number increased from 4 to 5.5 percent.

Those increases in institutional costs or athletic expenses are over a period of eight years, and don’t include the initial costs of creating a team. Athletic scholarships would shift from being spread across the athletic department to mainly the football team.

The UCCS motto is “reach higher.” Our athletics can’t reach higher when, for however many years, they bog down their students with an outrageous athletic fee to offset the obscene start-up costs to create a football team.

Our athletic fee was increased in March, not with solely athletics in mind, but the student body and the club sports on campus as well. The

fee increased to $9 per credit hour, but our athletic fee is still lower than other schools within the RMAC. CSU-Pueblo’s athletic fee is $12.65 per credit hour. Adams State’s fee is $11.68 per credit hour.

While that difference doesn’t seem huge, having a football team adds up quickly. The $3.65-cent difference between UCCS and Pueblo means almost a $44 difference for a 12-credit-hour student each semester.

It’s also a matter of space.

We all know that parking is terrible, can you imagine adding a football stadium that needs its own parking lots? There is nowhere to put it.

Currently.

But that is the beauty of where UCCS is at right now. It is growing and expanding each year so a football team isn’t a reality for us who are currently attend ing, but maybe 10 years down the road it will be.

Softball looks to get on the same page for season’s second half Taylor Garcia tgarcia@uccs.edu

While the rest of the student body hopped on flights to exotic places or drove home to see mom and dad, the softball team finished their midterms and prepared for their games over spring break.

The Mountain Lions swept Black Hills State in all three games on March 20 and split four games against Colorado Christian and Western New Mexico March 24 and 25.

After those games, the Mountain Lions are 16-12 overall and sitting at fourth in conference standings with a 1310 record. The top eight teams make the RMAC Tournament.

“The girls haven’t been out of any of the games we have lost, it’s always been little things. But now we’re getting everyone on the same page,” said head coach Rikki Rothbauer.

Senior outfielder and pitcher Dani Fonseca explained that anything can change at the end of a game. She highlighted the 11-9 UCCS win against Black Hills State on March 20, when the Mountain Lions came back from a 9-2 deficit in three innings.

“It always comes down to the very last out and anything can change in a matter of a few batters,” she said. “The whole team gets into the game because it takes every single person in order to win.”

COURTESY | SPORTS INFORMATION

Outfielder and pitcher Dani Fonseca runs home during a game.

Fonseca explained that each game this season has been different. Rothbauer agrees, explaining that the season has been a quirky one.

“At the beginning our defense and pitchers were really strong and our hitting was a little behind,” Rothbauer said. “Now our hitters are hitting really well and our defense and pitchers are catching up.”

Fonseca is confident that the team has the stamina to finish the season higher

in the RMAC standings than they are currently.

“We are sitting in fourth place and very comfortable with where we are heading into the second half of conference play.”

Rothbauer explained that when hitting was struggling the team changed their focus during practice. Hitting involves more individual drill work and that has allowed them to hone those skills.

She added that defense and pitching

are different from hitting.

“It comes down to us getting ourselves situationally ready and getting the ball in quick. For the pitchers, it’s about simulating the lineups of the hitters they are going to see,” said Rothbauer.

“They have to know who is a power hitter, who walks most, who strikes out and the lefties who try to beat the ball to first base.”

Rothbauer knows the season can wear on her players and explained that her main job is keeping them mentally strong and their confidence high.

“The good thing is we have been nowhere near peaking because only one side of our game has been good at different points. We’ve got to get the team going in the same direction at the same time.”

Fonseca understands her role in keeping the team focused on their goals during practices and games while remembering to have fun.

“We, as a team, do a lot better when the environment is fun and everyone is in a good mood. We spend so much time on the field and our season is so long that you can’t stay focused every practice and every game for the entire time. That just burns everyone out, you have to keep things fun and exciting.”

The Mountain Lions last series of home games will be April 16 and 17 against Metro State University at Mountain Lion Field at the Four Diamonds complex on Nevada.

Men’s, women’s track and field move into outdoor season Halle Thornton hthornto@uccs.edu

The men’s and women’s track and field teams have finished a successful indoor season and now look to continue that success in the outdoor season, which began March 11.

In indoor, the men’s team competed in the RMAC Championships on Feb. 27, finishing 11th. David Kimaiyo ran a seasonbest time of 8 minutes, 28 seconds in the 3,000-meter run, finishing 12th overall.

Kimaiyo, a sophomore finance major, said the indoor season went OK with the challenges they face.

“I thought the team did well overall with all of the obstacles with training and weather.”

The women’s indoor team finished ninth at the RMAC Championships.

The distance medley relay team qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 11, and finished 11th with a time of 11 minutes and 59 seconds.

The four-runner team was made up of Melanie Diep, Chelsea Martus,

Molly Klotz, and Chantelle Fondren.

Fondren, a business graduate student, explained that in the first 1,200-meter leg of the relay, Diep was tripped, but quickly got back on pace.

“That’s how racing goes,” said Fondren, explaining runners get pushed around and tripped up frequently.

Both teams have competed in three outdoor meets so far this spring, with one in California at Occidental College and two in Colorado Springs at Colorado College.

At the Occidental Distance Classic

in Los Angeles on March 11, Sam Bauer of the women’s team finished 57th of 119 runners in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 18:45.45, the best time in her UCCS career.

On the men’s side, Kyle McCloskey finished eighth out of 133 runners in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 3:55.88. Kimaiyo ran the fourth-fastest time in program history for the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:42.27.

Both teams will travel to Boulder for the Colorado invitational on April 9.

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