Feb. 2, 2015 by The Scribe

Since 1966

Vol. 39, Iss. 16

Monday, Feb. 2, 2015

IN BRIEF NEWS

STEM

UCCSScribe.com University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Heller Center explains expansion ideas, hosts 50-year book event

Opinions about local opportunities for jobs vary 2

Neighbors

Relations with surrounding neighborhoods better, still tense 3

CULTURE

‘Boy Next Door’ Thriller movie just like all the rest 5

Reisher Scholarship Program sent students to Puerto Rico over winter break 7

megan lunsford | The Scribe

The Heller Center, left, and Heller Center director Perrin Cunningham, right.

Evan Musick emusick@uccs.edu

OPINION

Curse words When cursing may or may not be appropriate, especially in a school environment 9

Online classes Advice from students about the pros and cons of online classes 9

SPORTS

Men’s track Distance Medley Relay team leads indoor season 11

Rage Cage

Student aims to inspire others to support university athletics 12

Tucked away behind the overflow parking lot across the street from Trader Joe’s lies the secluded Heller Center. Owned by UCCS, the center provides a venue for art exhibits, concerts, lectures and meetings. The Heller Center was donated in 1999 by Larry and Dorothy Heller. The center was originally their home. Larry was an artist from Philadelphia while Dorothy was the first woman officer of the Colorado Springs Police Department. The home was donated to UCCS by Dorothy to carry on Larry’s eclecticism and Dorothy’s sense of helping others. Currently, the center has several works in progress to increase exposure, including physical expansion. “We are limited by the terms of the gift by Mrs. Heller about how much we can build here,” Perrin Cunningham, Heller Center director, said. “Right now, we can build approximately five thousand square feet.” One of the areas of the master plan calls for a space that can seat 100-120 people that can be used for anything ranging from lectures to performances, dance, music and film. Cunningham also

mentioned the possibility of more studio space to be used for pottery, weaving, old fashioned photography and print making. An archive and research space is also desired. Much of this growth is to occur within the next three to five years. A small garden is also on the grounds and is used to teach students about gardening. A greenhouse is also part of the center’s future plans. More trails, better signage, a small catering kitchen and coffee bar are also a few things Cunningham believes will make the Heller Center more attractive. MacAulay mentioned that a trip to the center during student orientation would increase the center’s exposure. Offering incentives for professors to hold classes at the center is also an idea. In November, The Heller Center held an event that celebrated “Discovering Place, A UCCS Field Guide.” The event invited Tom and Carole Huber, who edited and authored the book, along with other contributors and friends to celebrate with live music, food and companionship. “Discovering Place, A UCCS Field Guide,” celebrates 50 years Continued on page 2 . . .

Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative teaches integrity in the classroom April Weﬂer aweﬂer@uccs.edu

Upon graduation and entrance in the workplace, students may find the business world to be more compromising than academic environments. Corruption can happen in the best of businesses, at any point in time, due to a lack of ethics and integrity. The Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at UCCS looks to prepare students and equip them with the necessary ethics, integrity and other principles needed to wade through the tide of corruption. On Dec. 8, the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative approved $11 million to continue the program at 11 universities throughout Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Utah, including UCCS. UCCS was invited to apply to the Daniels Fund

Ethics Initiative when it was created in 2010. The fund was created by Bill Daniels, who helped introduce business ethics in the classrooms of the University of Colorado at Denver. The focus of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative is the teaching of principlebased ethics, “trying to do the right thing regardless of the situation,” said Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, director of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at UCCS and associate professor of marketing in the College of Business. Daniels said “I have always believed a person’s integrity is the cornerstone of success in business and an indispensable part of personal relationships built on trust,” according to a plaque in Gonzalez-Padron’s office. Some of these principlebased ethics are integrity, building trust in Continued on page 2 . . .

News

Feb 2, 2015| 2

(continued from page 1) Daniels accountability and respecting others. “It’s not easy. You have to build [ethics] like a muscle,” Gonzalez-Padron said. The Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at UCCS is administered through the College of Business, but applies to all of the schools. “From the past five years, we’ve made great strides into getting ethics in the classroom in each discipline. However, we know we have more to do, including focusing on ethics in sport,” Gonzalez-Padron said. She said that there is

a large sports presence on campus, such as sports management, that they would like to reach with the initiative. “That’s what we’ll be doing in the next five years,” she said. Additionally, the program would like to incorporate more of southern Colorado by offering ethics to local businesses through the ethics program. The initiative at UCCS has partnered with organizations such as El Pomar and the Junior Business Achievement in the past.

“Damage to a company affects all employees. Schools need to ensure students are equipped to handle those ethical dilemmas.” — Tracy Gonzalez-Padron

Director of UCCS Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative

“We hope to be able to involve the community even more,” Gonzalez-Padron said. “I would encourage more student involvement,” she added. She said there is a student chapter for the Center of Public Trust, which provides opportunities for students to hear guest speakers talk about ethics. Students interested in

(continued from page 1) Heller of UCCS. Cunningham mentioned that the event was so successful that attendees had to be strongly reminded of the time to leave. Peak FreQuency, a resident organization of the music program of the Visual and Performing Arts

Department has held various concerts at the center. MacAulay recalled one of their outdoor performances in August, 2012. “People that came, both from UCCS and the community just raved about it,” she said.

Fund Ethics Initiative

getting involved with the chapter can visit the website at studentcpt.org/uccs. Gonzalez-Padron said that Daniels felt it was important for schools to offer this curriculum, which is why the grant was initiated, as part of his plan for the foundation. “Damage to a company affects all employees. Schools need to ensure

students are equipped to handle those ethical dilemmas,” she said. In addition to teaching ethics in the classroom and around the community, the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at UCCS has Fellows, consisting of professors from different colleges and departments, that champion ethics education in their discipline. “They look for interesting ways to learn about ethics and encourage students to participate in activities and share their approaches with faculty so we can all learn,” Gonzalez-Padron said.

House, 50-year book

Recordings ranging from bird songs to train whistles were accompanied by musical pieces that were composed by the individual artists. The performance, along with the location of the center resulted in a successful concert.

No more than 120 people are allowed to visit the Heller Center at one time. This is due to available space, the surrounding neighborhood and a rare blend of Colorado grasses that covers the center’s front lawn.

Several upcoming events include concerts by Peak FreQuency, hikes throughout the open space and various lectures in April. For more information and a schedule of events, see the Heller Center’s website: http://www. uccs.edu/~heller/.

Colorado Springs ranks 18th best for STEM professionals Eleanor Skelton eskelton@uccs.edu

Students graduating in STEM disciplines often move out of the area, although the Front Range area was once the “little silicon valley” in the 80s. Last December, UCCS attempted to address this issue in a higher education conference, in part aimed at keeping STEM graduates local. Colorado Springs ranked 18, with Houston/The Woodlands area number one and metro Denver fourth, according to an analysis published this month by WalletHub.com. The report included data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Department of Commerce. Houston ranked first for highest annual median wage when adjusted for cost of living. Colorado Springs was fifth. Gross annual median wage calculations placed New York City highest, Dallas second. “I think it’s a secure field, the science field,” said Emily Danis, a freshman biomedical major, studying to become a physician’s assistant. Danis said job security was a key factor in determining her major, in addition to personal interest. “My career path will be as a professor and research physicist,” said Jewell Anne Hartman, graduate

megan lunsford | The Scribe

An example of one of the chemistry labs that STEM students may use.

physics student and lab instructor. “I would also like to become involved with bionanotechnology business as well, handling things from an industry side, but simultaneously working in research and as a faculty professor.” “I do believe that Colorado Springs is excellent in STEM resources because it has a large base for Department of Defense between three military bases and also all the companies such as Northrup Grumman, Lockheed Martin, [and] ITT,

that hire science-oriented jobs,” Hartman added. Reactions from faculty to the report, based on their experiences living in the area, varied. “All of the students in our graduating class last year who wanted to stay in industry in the area got a job,” said Janel Owens, assistant chemistry professor. “Our students went to Pyxant, the coroner’s office, CPI. Another one went to NexGen Pharma.” Previous graduating classes

expressed more interest in attending graduate school rather than enter the workforce, said Owens. The 2014 class wanted work experience to help shape their specialization in graduate school. Owens mentioned that the engineering and technology side of STEM plays a bigger role in Colorado Springs employment. She expressed hope that chemistry would continue to grow as the region expands. Owens said graduating students seeking employment

should gain experience through undergraduate research. Other professors mentioned difficulties in finding STEM employment. “The only thing I even saw as an opportunity was Orange Glo products out of Denver,” said Brett Mayer, crganic chemistry lab instructor. “There’s virtually nothing around here.” Mayer worked in the chemical industry on the east coast before relocating to Colorado Springs several years ago. “With a master’s degree in chemistry, the opportunities as a chemist are slim to none out here. There are some biotech startups [for student internships].” Organic chemistry professor, Allen Schoffstall, has lived in Colorado Springs since 1967. He remembers Intel moving in, and then out of the area between 2000 and 2010. Jenny Dorrington, director of the Math Center, believes engineering plays an important role in the ranking. “Most of the people that tutor here and then major in engineering or math are getting jobs,” Dorrington said. “Most of the math jobs have been in teaching, although I do know one of our senior majors is now working out at Peterson, doing some computing work for them.”

News

Feb 2, 2015 | 3

Campus relations with Cragmor neighborhood rocky, but improving Eleanor Skelton eskelton@uccs.edu

Some of the Cragmor neighbors over the last 50 years watched the campus grow from classes held in condemned houses on the bluffs to the current campus. Tensions between UCCS and the surrounding neighborhoods increased over the last several years, like adolescent growing pains, but last year’s parking regulations and decreased partying seem to indicate an improvement. Last September, the Gazette stated parking near University Hall as a continued problem in an article by Bill Vogrin. But problems with the neighborhoods five months later have cooled off, according to some current residents. “They’ve had some get-togethers next door, but nothing that disturbed us,” resident Sanford Smith said. Smith and his wife moved to Colorado Springs from Georgia two years ago. He used to live near Powers and Airport before relocating to Cragmor four months ago. Smith now lives in the house on Acacia Drive previously occupied by Adam and Katie Garvert, interviewed by the Scribe regarding the Good Neighbors policy over the last two years (Sept. 3, 2012 and Sept 2, 2013).

racHel ricci | The Scribe

Neighborhoods, which used to be full of student cars, are now emptier due to campus regulations.

The Garverts had expressed plans to move and raise their children in a different neighborhood due to the parking problem and loud college parties. But Smith said the area surrounding the campus is quiet compared to others. “There’s not a lot of hustle and bustle that would normally come with college towns. I’ve been in Chapel Hill [North Carolina] several years back, and that is busy. Understanding how that was, it’s not like that. I see students walk back and forth…but it’s nothing like it used to be there.” Other locals expressed agreement. “The situation has improved immensely,” Gwen Martin said. Martin has lived in her house since 1963. “A car might park on the

weekend, but they’re allowed to do that,” she added. Before the city regulations limiting parking were put in place, Martin said parked cars blinded her view on both sides of her driveway, causing a traffic hazard when backing out. “They were using my front yard as a party place at all hours of the night,” Martin said. “This past semester, I haven’t had any problems, not even a bottle broken. I used to come out in the morning and there would be broken glass all over my driveway.” One current resident at the house on the corner of Meadow and Acacia, who asked to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, explained that he had ended the party scene and most of the college students had moved out. He explained the

landlord started towing people who tried to park on the lot instead of the streets. Others feel that the situation remains difficult. “Students being students, you know if you can blame somebody else, go ahead because you didn’t get up 20 minutes ago like you should have,” said Edy Kline, who has lived off Meadow Lane since 1999. Her parents bought the house in 1968. “I yell at them. There was a girl just the other day. I started to back out. And there was nobody coming [and] she walks right behind the truck, and is she looking at anything except her phone? No. Plus, she’s plugged in,” Kline said. “Then she sees the truck out of the corner of her eye, and she goes right by. I rolled my window down and I said you need to look before

you walk across driveways because we can’t always see you. And she’s like ‘what?’ And I said ‘walking around plugged in is not a good idea when you’re around traffic.’ I said ‘you need to stop and look when you cross driveways.’” “If someday I back over one and it’s because [they’re distracted], I’ll probably get out and kick them to death if they’re not dead yet because they’re not little kids,” Kline added. “Stop and think people. It’s two or three tons headed toward you.” Kline said Meadow has not had the parties and noise violations elsewhere in the neighborhood. Students who can no longer park in the surrounding neighborhoods or the University Village shopping center utilize the free parking at Four Diamonds. But not all students are satisfied, due to shuttle lines and safety concerns. Vivian Harmon, senior history major, transferred from Pikes Peak in 2013. She believes the university should add a stop at lot 580, the overflow lot off of Nevada, to the shuttle route. “The overflow lot is not safe to park at in the evening or after dark because it has no lights to go to Four Diamonds to catch the bus and the trail is below the street so no one can even see you,” she said.

sAtIre

Feb 2, 2015 | 4

Disclaimer: The contents below are intended as satire.

Groundhogs on endangered species list; people panic Sunee Daie scribe@uccs.edu

Groundhogs are officially on the endangered species list, leading to concerns from Americans everywhere about when winter will end. The news came last week when a Pennsylvania citizen remarked that they were seeing less and less holes in the ground. They were concerned when they hadn’t twisted their foot in awhile. Officials immediately scoured the area and took note of the decrease in burrows. “We are absolutely shocked,” Bucky Long, director of the Whistle-Pig Preservation, said. “Last we recorded, groundhogs were thriving and even overpopulating the area.” “We think it’s due to an increase of teenagers in the area,” Woody Smith, a local resident, said. Both Long and Smith know that teenagers tend to torture the groundhogs when they get bored. “They throw sticks of

dynamite in the holes, or roll Molokov cocktails into their burrows,” Smith said. “It’s terrifying to think about the ways that these teenagers go after those poor rodents,” Long said. “I just don’t get it.” In order to preserve the remaining population, Long and his team have set up barriers and are working on encouraging breeding. They have also provided the defensive arms to the groundhogs. “We think that by teaching the groundhogs self defense that they’ll be able to keep those teenagers away,” Long said. “We are training them to defend themselves in the best way possible,” former Marine Lieutenant Arthur Stone said. He and his team have provided the land-beavers with machetes, TNT and machine guns. “We hope that by providing these tools that the critters can finally stake their claim and live their lives peacefully.” Another concern arises about when to expect the end of winter. Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, celebrates the time when the

courtesy | Thechive

Groundhogs in Pennsylvania are arming themselves against extinction.

rodent emerges from the burrow. The theory is that if the day is cloudy, spring will come early. If the day is sunny and the animal

sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. But with no groundhogs, there can be no reliable animal to

predict the change in seasons. “We haven’t seen Punxsutawney Phil in a long time,” Will Danley, president of the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, said. “I can usually spot him out in the fields somewhere, but he hasn’t poked his head up in awhile. I’m getting very worried. How will we know when winter will end?” Tourists are issuing complaints, as well. “I drove here all the way from California. I expect to see a groundhog,” Lindy Crane, a San Francisco resident, said. “It’s a tradition for me to bring my family here for the celebration. I would hate to break that just because some teenagers were bored,” Corney Swills, Punxsutawney resident, said. Long encourages locals and tourists to keep their hopes up. There’s a chance that Phil escaped the malicious attacks. “The kids didn’t throw dynamite everywhere. There’s a great chance that they missed his hole. He just might be scared to come back,” he said.

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Culture

Feb 2, 2015| 5

UCCS Radio hopeful to win three college radio awards DeKeveion Glaspie dglaspie@uccs.edu

Out of 1,000 colleges and for the first time in 11 years, UCCS Radio is a finalist for three Intercollegiate Broadcasting System awards for Best Online College Radio Station, Best Use of Social Media and Best Specialty Show “The Screening Room.” On March 7 the IBS Radio Awards Ceremony will be in New York. The IBS is a non-profit organization that recognizes the best of college radio across the nation with other categories such as best promos, social media and overall best radio stations. Former UCCS Radio manager Brandon Ortega was central to the nominations and expressed that the radio staff has worked hard to earn the nominations and believes their programming is excellent. “We are a great station and are finalists because we look to make a difference and be influential in our local and campus community through the

power of college radio,” Ortega said. In the category of Best College Online Radio Station UCCS Radio is in competition with other college radio stations such as Radio DePaul of DePaul University of Chicago, KCR Radio at San Diego State University, UIC Radio at the University of Illinois and The Wolf Internet Radio at University of West Georgia, Carrollton. With stiff competition, Ortega recognizes the accomplishment of getting three nominations. “When it comes to the Best Online College Radio Station nomination there is not one particular thing that has allowed us to reach this point,” Ortega said. “[We] were able to create a vision of what we wanted the radio station to become.” The UCCS nominee for Best Specialty Show is “The Screening Room.” As the home for film news, movie reviews and film lovers everywhere, Kyle Guthrie, Alexander Nedd and Audrey Jensen share the honor of nomination in the

courtesy | uccs radio

IBS Radio awards from 2014. UCCS Radio is a finalist for three awards.

show’s first year. (Guthrie is a reporter for The Scribe, Nedd is the Opinion Editor and Jensen is the Culture Editor for The Scribe.) Angie Flores, host of “Latin Flavor and Cowboy Boots and

Pickup Trucks” believes Ortega contributed to the nominations. “He was very passionate about his radio station and he had the goal by the time he left UCCS that the radio station would be left on a successful

note,” Flores said. “Schools such as Pikes Peak Community College and CSU-Pueblo are live on the air whereas UCCS Radio is internet based. Having two or three listeners is awesome. It means that people are actually logging on and listening,” Flores said. Flores thinks the nominations can serve as motivation. “With these nominations, it can let other DJs know that if they can give it an extra step in their show they too can be nominated.” With students graduating, the radio station would like to target incoming freshmen in the fall 2015 semester. Communication majors are their initial target because when students of that major work with the station they are also earningw school credit. “We want to share the music and radio culture with our communities and have been very active with our social media accounts,” Ortega said. For those who are interested in joining UCCS Radio or just wanting to give it a listen, visit http://www.uccsradio.com.

‘The Boy Next Door’ is more like the cliché next door Alexander Nedd anedd@uccs.edu

Rating: 2/5 Stars

Neighbors can lend you a hand, supply a much needed cup of sugar or become your worst nightmare. Such is the case for the latest stalker thriller to hit the box office. Directed by Rob Cohen, “The Boy Next Door” follows the semi-interesting hookup between a neighbor and a married woman with a family and the jarring consequences of their affair once one of the parties gets too close for comfort. It’s not hard to figure out who that is. With a beautiful cast, the R-rated feature gives viewers a couple of twists, but it’s a plot that can be seen from a mile away and viewers will have no problem predicting. The attractive mother and high school English teacher, Claire Peterson (Jennifer Lopez) is in the middle of a marriage crisis with her husband Garrett (John Corbett) and has kicked him out, leaving her alone to take care of son Kevin (Ian Nelson). It just so happens that fate plays a role in Claire’s life when super-senior Noah Sandborn (Ryan Guzman), after the recent death of his parents,

courtesy | Imdb.com

Noah Sanborn (Ryan Guzman), left, threatens Claire Peterson (Jennifer Lopez).

courtesy | imdb.com

Thriller movie ‘The Boy Next Door’ premiered on Jan. 23.

moves into the neighborhood to take care of his sick uncle. Although respectable at first, Claire is no match for the swooning power of Noah and his perfectly chiseled… personality. This combination

proves too much for Claire as she is seduced by him during a drunken night out with friends. Realizing her mistake, Claire explains the situation was no more than a one night stand, even going so far as to

tell him it was a mistake on her part. But Noah is a hard boy to say no to and is also very jealous, a trait that turns this movie from a romantic into a pyscho, raging thriller. The acting and chemistry on set is great. It’s the predictability and cliché twists that destroy the potential the film has from a great cast. Best friend to Claire, Vicky Lansing (Kristen Chenoweth) gives the feature great comedic and witty dialogue while Claire and Noah’s love scene is one to rival the soon to be released “50 Shades of Grey.” The movie also follows a criminal investigation aspect that ties back to Noah’s parents, and offers some heart stopping moments when the audience sees that Noah has great

potential to harm those that are around him. Unfortunately, “The Boy Next Door” doesn’t live up to its expectations. Drowned by clichés, the film’s climax almost serves as a reward for those who have managed to stay and watch. But the climax is not enough to save the overall film. The concluding action exemplifies some of Lopez’s best work and stunts, but the lack of creativity falls heavy on the whole movie. With stronger options available at the box office such as Oscar buzzworthy “Selma” and “American Sniper,” this film serves as the perfect reminder that just because it looks good on the outside doesn’t make it great on the inside.

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Culture

Feb 2, 2015| 7

Scholarship students take trip to Puerto Rico

couresty | eyeontherainforest.com

Reisher family and Daniels Fund scholars traveled to Puerto Rico to build concrete wall and sustain waste gardens.

Audrey Jensen ajensen4@uccs.edu

Before Puerto Rico was colonized by Spaniards and then Americans, it was 100 percent tree covered. By the 1960s Puerto Rico, only 5 percent was left. Thanks to organizations such as Eye on the Rainforest and volunteers from UCCS, Puerto Rico is back to 65 percent. From Jan. 12-18, 19 UCCS Reisher and Daniels Fund Scholars traveled to Patillas and San Juan, Puerto Rico to contribute to maintaining a homestead, Las Casas de la Selva, for researchers and scientists dedicated to the Tropic Ventures Sustainable Forestry & Rainforest Enrichment Project. This project and homestead allows staff to learn more about sustainability and economics in the rainforest.

According to junior and Reisher Scholar Laura Bell, there are only four tree species native to Puerto Rico left. “[Researchers] are trying to find out where the trees grow and where they don’t,” Bell said. Some of the students were designated brick wall builders for the homestead while other students worked on pruning a waste garden. Sophomore and Daniels scholar Catherine Donaldson helped build the wall in order to prevent landslides from damaging the homestead. “We had to mix concrete on the sidewalk, it was definitely hard,” she said. “We made foundation out of concrete and just started to build bricks.” Students began each day of work at 9 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m. for four days straight. Donaldson expressed that the rainforest environment made the volunteer work

strenuous. “I definitely think because it rained so much there it was very muddy and slick. Every time we did work we had to be careful not to fall and slip. Especially when you’re carrying cinderblocks and heavy concrete across slush,” she said. “It was ridiculous how much mud there was. It was in the 80s most of the week but we had to wear long sleeves and pants. Most people left their dirty clothes there when we left,” sophomore and Reisher Scholar Kasey Allen said. Students not building the wall were busy maintaining the waste garden, where waste water goes directly into two tanks under the garden. The scientists are trying to bring more awareness to this new ecosystem. For planting trees and gardening, students had to use

organic compost developed over two years mixed with woodchips and human manure. After this mix fills a bucket it is then dumped into a compost pile. Allen said that the researchers working on the organic compost have been working at this location for 15 years. “They’re trying to bring awareness to sustainability and waste and figure out how to sustainably create forestry. They haven’t figured out how to harvest without deforesting the island,” Allen said. Aside from the labor, the students were able to spend two days in the town to enjoy a street fair with over 250,000 people. According to Donaldson the biggest challenge while in Puerto Rico was the language barrier. She was glad there were a few students that came along who were fluent in

Spanish. Bell explained a situation where one of their advisors ordered what she thought was going to be a tostada but ended up receiving a grilled piece of bread. Donaldson enjoyed experiencing a new culture even with the challenges of communication. “It was a very cultural enriching project, we were not only doing a great thing, but experiencing a different culture. All of the scholars that went had never seen the rainforest before. In Puerto Rico it’s a constant rain pour 90 percent of the time,” she said. The Reisher and Daniels scholars will be hosting a cultural awareness event on Feb. 24 in the Upper Lodge from 5:30-7:00 p.m. with speakers, Puerto Rican food, salsa dancing and a picture slideshow from their trip.

Grammys and Oscars: Who and what to watch for Alexander Nedd anedd@uccs.edu

This month welcomes two of the most cherished and respected annual award shows, the 57th Grammy Awards and the 87th Academy Awards. Each showcases raw talent and outstanding work of individual artists who have dedicated themselves for the better part of the year. 2014 was a great year for music, premiering new artists and songs with Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy”, Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass,” and Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me,” all of which have their singles nominated for Record of the Year at this year’s Grammys. Song of the Year is up for grabs by five artists which include Taylor Swift (“Shake it Off”), Meghan Trainor, Sam

courtesy | moviefone.com

The 57th Grammy Awards will be live on Feb. 8. The Academy Awards will be live on Feb. 22.

Smith, Sia (“Chandelier”) and Hozier (“Take Me to Church”). Nominations for other genres include country, rock, R&B and rap. Popular artists that could go home with a gold record player include Nicki Minaj (“Anaconda”) for Best Rap Song, Carrie Underwood/ Miranda Lambert (“Somethin’

Bad”) and Keith Urban/Eric Church for Best Country/Duo Performance and Ryan Adams and U2 for Best Rock Album. When you’re not listening to your favorite music, movies can be an escape from reality. When done correctly, there is nothing more pleasurable than a film that can make its mark on cinema history.

For 86 years the Academy Awards have praised films that have pushed past boundaries, documented historical events and saw actors give performances of a lifetime. The award anticipated for by media and dreamt for by film production crews is the Best Picture award. This year’s nominations include

“American Sniper,” “Selma,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Boyhood.” “Birdman,” “Whiplash” and “The Theory of Everything” round out the category. A number of actors and actresses up for an Academy Award include people who have displayed extraordinary roles on the big screen. Favorites include Bradley Cooper in “American Sniper” and Meryl Streep from “Into the Woods.” The Oscars’ categories include awards for best animated film, actors in supporting roles, best music, direction, cinematography and costume design. The 57th Grammys will be televised live on CBS on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. The 87th Academy Awards will be televised live on Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. on ABC.

eDItorIAl

Feb 2, 2015 | 8

Ethics drive The Scribe, journalism, hopefully you Jonathan Toman Editor-in-Chief

Samantha Morley Managing Editor

Taylor Hargis Copy Editor

Eleanor Skelton News Editor

Audrey Jensen Culture Editor

courtesy | amaZonaWS.com

Scribe Staff scribe@uccs.edu

Ethics are hard. Being ethical is not the easy way, it is the hard way. It requires thought, collaboration and a lot of hard, behind the scenes work. And as journalists and as a publication, we face ethical questions on almost a daily basis. It’s at the forefront of our industry, as it should be. There’s a reason a code of ethics is in our staff handbook, and given to every employee that comes onto the staff. It’s easy, as journalists, to fall prey to unethical behavior. We don’t need to tell you about the reputation journalists have, it speaks for itself. So it has to be monitored, always. It has to be monitored within our staff, because if we act retroactively, it is already too late. Here’s what happens if our internal controls fail and we violate our ethics: Readers lose trust in the newspaper, student journalism and journalists in general. Then those same readers, who happen to be almost exclusively college students, go out into the world with the

impression that journalists and news outlets are not to be trusted. Then, those students who are now in the world don’t bother to try to get information of any kind. And our country suffers from a dreadful lack of knowledge. No pressure. As The Scribe is a business, it is fitting that we approach our ethics from a business perspective. Several facets of how we do things influence our ethics, and how we are ethically perceived by those around us. First, transparency. We hold nothing from students. Our door is always open, come in and say hello and find out what it is that makes us tick. Second, trust. This is a two-way street for journalists. Not only do we have to trust the people we talk to for our stories to give us correct information (and double check with someone else just to make sure), but we also have to be considered trustworthy by the people that talk to us. If we are not trusted, not only would people refuse to talk to us, we would also not have a newspaper. Third, integrity. All Scribe staff is expected to act in a certain way that

represents both themselves and the newspaper well, and hold themselves to a very high standard. Fourth, accountability. We will always stand up and take responsibility for what we write and photograph, be it a positive or negative thing. Fifth, fairness. We strive to report on UCCS with an eye toward all sides. Granted, students are our primary concern as we are students as well. But there are always two sides to a story, and we look to make our news stories as fair as possible. Finally, respect. We know that the people we talk to are, in fact, people. We do our job with another overriding theme: to minimize harm. Our goal is to report what happens at UCCS, not ruin lives in the process. We will not always be perfect. No one and no organization is. But hopefully we can live up to these standards to the best of our ability, and keep them as a pillar of ethical standards for us to always strive for. And we hope you can find (or have already found) ideas that can help govern your life, and find goals and ideals that you can stand behind with pride.

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Feb 2, 2015 | 9

The benefits of swearing Limit your cursing, be aware of who you’re speaking to can be awesome

Kyle Guthrie kguthri@uccs.edu

Many see swearing as uncontrolled outbursts by people who are unable to make their point without the use of sharp expletives to drive their point home. Others see it as a human emotional response in order to properly convey an emotional status during an argument or punctuate a particular point. I see it as the latter. My opinions may be skewed by my lifestyle. I grew up in Los Angeles County and spent nearly eight years in the military. Casual swearing has been common in my life. Dropping the occasional swear during a conversation to add a dose of humor or make a particular point can help convey the emotional connection to your statement, and works great with discussion centering around humor, disbelief, anger or excitement. Researchers at Keele

University in England have found that swearing can also act as a coping mechanism to help people feel more resilient and relaxed in life. Using it can help people deal with emotion and ease pain, and in one study they found that swearing helped raise pain thresholds by up to 73 percent. The study also found psychoanalytical support for the theory that people who swear casually tend to be more honest and trustworthy. But does swearing belong anywhere in a university discussion, particularly with the professors themselves? I find professors who drop the occasional f-bomb to be a breath of fresh air. In my experience, professors who swear tend to be much more invested in what they are teaching, and in turn, I am much more interested in the topics. I’m not advocating that professors should be dropping curses left, right and sideways during lectures. A professor who swears too much can get old really fast if they insist on transforming the lesson into a Tarantino film. But when a professor occasionally drops a curse here and there to accentuate a certain point or idea, they come across much like a human being who cares about what

they are teaching versus a professor who reads from a lesson plan and drones on and on. Is it unprofessional for a professor to swear during class? Hell yeah! But can it be effective and help to create an emotional connection between the professor and student? Absolutely! There is also the added benefit of creating an environment for young college students that helps prepare them for the real world. Whether you swear or not, you can’t deny that once you begin a real career path you are going to encounter a lot of swearing at your workplace. And apparently that’s not a bad thing. Another study done by the University of East Anglia in Great Britain found that when used in non-abusive ways, swearing helps enable the development of coworker relationships. They also found that once these relationships form, swearing can also serve as a means for coworkers to form cohesive work groups and teams. Swearing still has a bad stigma attached to it, and many believe that it has no place in a professional setting. But when you get out into the real world and the land of careers, research and professional work relationships continue to prove otherwise.

Audrey Jensen ajensen4@uccs.edu

If it hasn’t happened already, it will at some point in your life. You stub your toe or someone cuts you off in the fast lane and suddenly the f-bomb drops like a hammer. It would be a lie to say that curse words never cross my mind or occasionally roll off my tongue when I am having a bad day. But as a communication major, several professors have reiterated that the audience loses respect for those who use profanity when publicly speaking or who are in a role of leadership. Whether it’s my own mouth or others, cussing has been a part of every day for what seems like my entire life. I was taught by my parents that using certain words is forbidden because of the effect it can have. But sometimes even they forget to follow their own rule. Cursing can be used for a variety of reasons

from joking around to calling people names, but I have to agree with my professors: when certain people in specific roles curse they lose credibility and respect. In a setting such as hanging out with friends or family, it might not be as important to keep an eye on your tongue. But if you are in an important role or speaking at an event then you should watch what you say. Aside from the type of speech you are giving, you want the audience to listen and admire you. As soon as you say one curse word, your audience automatically loses confidence in you and your speech. I try my best to avoid cursing because I do not find it necessary. A month ago I said the f-word out loud for the first time and, just like having your first legal drink, it was not very exciting. There is an unlimited amount of words that can be used to express my emotion without speaking profanely. I’m not trying to say that if someone curses that they are a bad person, but having seen cursing used in abusive situations it has a negative connotation for me. Some argue that a person in a higher-up position or a public speaker who curses can appeal to their listeners. Maybe this works at a rock concert or informal

event, but never in a professional setting. When you are placed in a position of power there is a standard held to be formal and polite and that does not include cursing. When people curse it says that they do not have much respect for me or others listening. I appreciate honesty and reality as much as the next person, and I would rather my friends and acquaintances say what they are truly thinking and be who they are to me, but if you are a professor, a motivational public speaker or my boss, please refrain from cursing. I would never disrespect or think less of someone just because they cursed, but there is instantly a diminished sense of authority between the person and me when their language becomes unprofessional. We do not live in a perfect world and many people would disagree with me and say that cursing is awesome and would hate to see a world without it. But cursing has done a lot of damage as well and I do not want to add to the negativity that may come with it. If you really need to let out a venting f-bomb or two, fine, you are human and you have the freedom to do so. Just be aware of your surroundings, your audience and who it might affect.

Online classes: Pros and cons and how to stay on track

Megan Lunsford mlunsford@uccs.edu

UCCS is ranked among the top colleges in the U.S. for online graduate programs. I’ve never personally taken an

online class before, so I decided to take a plunge this semester and see what UCCS’ online classes have to offer; I enrolled in an online jazz history course. I’ve heard plenty of positives and negatives concerning online classes compared to the traditional in-class setting. I am a very visual learner. I’m hoping that aspects of online classes coincide with my particular learning techniques. In my first week of “class,” we were required to post in a discussion forum, where we

“The only advice I would give you is to keep on top of all the deadlines. No one is going to tell you in class when something is due, you have to keep track yourself.” — Mary Carmack introduced ourselves and were required to reply to a certain number of other students’ introductions. I found this to be very similar to ice-breaker activities often used in on-campus classes. I asked my fellow classmates if they had any helpful tips to ensure my success in my first online venture. “The most valuable

advice I could give is don’t treat it any differently than your other classes,” said Erik Lukken. “What I do with my online classes is I set aside a specific time slot each week, as if I was attending the class on campus, and dedicate that time to this class specifically. “After a couple of weeks it will become

a habit and you’ll find yourself always caught up on the material.” This absolutely makes sense, and was a great piece of advice. I can imagine that it would be easy to forget about an online class, since attendance is not necessarily required. “I have taken many years of online classes, and I love them,” said Mary Carmack. “I think it is so much easier to study on your own time, at home where you can think and study at your own pace.” “The only advice I

would give you is to keep on top of all the deadlines. No one is going to tell you in class when something is due, you have to keep track yourself.” Steven Cody said that staying on top of an online class is simply about logging in to see what’s going on. “As one who has taken several online classes I would say the best advice is to stay ahead on all work. Spend time daily logging in and reviewing material so that it always stays fresh the whole semester.”

lIFe on the BluFFs Sudoku

Top Ten

Sweet Salty Tweets

1 1

Reasons the Broncos didn’t make the Super Bowl Jonathan Toman jtoman@uccs.edu

just weren’t 10 They good enough

“I really like my Politics

professor. #uccs” @rachcull

5 2

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

Feb 2, 2015 | 10

“Sitting in my Financial

Accounting class on a Monday morning. While I’m not stoked for the course, I’m a bit excited. #UCCS”

@JCCPalmer

7 5

“You know you’re best

friends when you call each other after parties to recap what happened #uccs #mesa”

@Mandacuteee

Austin Bluffs construction

Sunsets aren’t orange

Young Colts can beat Old Broncos

No Tebowing was involved

Bad memories

The Ghost of Ray Lewis

Andrew Luck’s beard

Peyton Manning’s forehead

1 Deﬂated footballs Campus Chatter Alexander Nedd, anedd@uccs.edu

What should students watch now that football is over? Grace Klaus, environmental science and geography, junior “I’ve been watching ‘Empire.’ I can’t tell if it’s good or not.”

Andrew Jensky, geography, senior “‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Vikings’ and ‘Shameless.’ It’s epic!”

Capture

Clyde

Jaime Gray, art history, freshman

This week

Tues

Fri

Thurs

at UCCS 6

GSA: Clyde’s Social 6 p.m. Clyde’s Pub

“Netflix. I’ve been watching ‘Once Upon a Time’ and ‘Game of Thrones’.”

Win a prize! Come to The Scribe office (UC 106) and tell us where the picture was taken.

Chit Chat: Hip Hop & Chocolate 7 p.m. Downtown GOCA

‘Detroit’ by Lisa D-Amour 7:30 p.m. Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theater

Wed

Sat

Water Volleyball Tournament 7 p.m. Rec Center Pool

Welcome Back Party Ice Skating 7:30 p.m. 1705 E. Pikes Peak Ave.

Sports

Feb 2, 2015 | 11

Basketball intramurals start up, free agent program offers alternative

megan lunsford | The Scribe

Spring intramurals at the Recreation Center are almost underway.

Brandon Applehans bappleha@uccs.edu

Basketball is one of the main draws for Division II Athletics at UCCS. The same applies for the intramural leagues at the Recreation Center. Mallory Barger, coordinator of Intramurals and Club Sports, believes intramurals are still as intriguing to students as the day she became a Mountain Lion. “Basketball is one of our most popular sports,” she said. “Each spring we have students looking forward to it. We usually have around

30 teams sign up and we’re looking for more this year.” Games will be held on Mondays and Tuesdays, with start times from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. “We do all of our games during times that are convenient for students,” said Barger. “Most people are done with classes by seven, and those that aren’t done until later can sign up for the nine or ten league.” The entry fee is listed at $40 per team, which means $5 per player for an eight-person roster. Four weeks of league games are played with singleelimination playoffs following for the top 50 percent of teams.

“We try to keep the cost really low,” said Barger. “Those charges just help supplement [the Rec Center] for paying officials and other things. We normally price all of our intramurals based off of how many people are on a team.” Teams have filled up, but a program called free agency can offer an option. “If someone doesn’t have a team to sign up for, you can sign up under a free-agent, and someone who has created a team can pick you up,” said Barger. “We see freshmen come in and join teams of people they didn’t know, and those people end up being

their friends all through college.” “The best part is meeting new people and new friends with similar interests,” added Barger. “There are a lot of health benefits of staying active, being involved, but what we push is really getting involved with the university.” Barger hopes students branch out in their sport choices. “I want to see more people get involved and try things that they haven’t already played,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to sign up for a sport you have never played before because people can learn and play the sport.” “That’s the beauty of intramurals.”

Distance Medley Relay focus for men’s track and field indoor season Jonathan Toman jtoman@uccs.edu

Keep an eye out for the distance medley relay team this season. Or two eyes, if you can spare them. That’s the event Mark Misch, head men’s track and field coach, highlighted for the indoor season which began before winter break. “There are unique times with unique opportunities based on the personnel around you,” he said. “They feel it’s a great opportunity and the whole season was set up with that in mind.” Senior runner Carson Aberle, along with senior Kyle McCloskey, senior Ryan Buchanan and freshman David Kimaiyo are the likely runners for the DMR. “It felt like this year is a big opportunity for us,” Aberle said. “I honestly don’t care about individual results, I’d rather have the relay do well.” The focus on the DMR came from the runners last fall, said Misch. “We think it plays to our strengths,” said Aberle. “Everything fell into place with the people we have.” Misch anticipates that eight teams from the conference will achieve a national qualifying time in the DMR, the only question is the time they get and the order they finish. That leads to a possibly strange season for RMAC teams. “You might not win anything during the season, then you’ll win the national championship,” Misch said. The indoor season is often

courtesy | sports information

Kyle McCloskey, left and Carson Aberle, center, competed in the outdoor season last spring.

overlooked by teams, due in part to the shorter season, said Aberle. Often, coaches use the time as a transition phase between the cross country season in the fall and the outdoor track season in the spring. Misch said that it is tough to come off the cross country national championships (Dec. 6) and go right back into competition. “It’s a very short season,” said Misch. “You have to be careful how you use emotional energy.” Younger runners focus more on training during the indoor season, said Misch, while experienced runners get a bit more leeway due to their experience. Often, the weather this time of year will dictate the

training schedule. The team will spend the majority of their time at meets at the Colorado School of Mines track. Four of the seven meets for the Mountain Lions before the RMAC Championships are in Golden. The newly resurfaced track runs fast, is relatively close to UCCS and brings solid conference competition according to Aberle. The track is considered undersized, at 188 meters. “It’s definitely the tightest track we run on,” said Aberle. “All the others feel wide open in comparison, like outdoor almost.” “Most of our guys have run it enough and know how to negotiate

that,” said Misch. “If you put the right competition and the right folks together, the results are going to be good.” Aberle said with the DMR in full view, and with the fact that this is the last indoor season for him and McCloskey, the focus and number of repetitions has increased. “It’s more an expectation among ourselves, we know that we can do well,” he said. “We know that no matter how the race is run we’ll be in position to be successful.” The DMR team, along with the rest of the indoor track and field team, will continue their season at the Western State Alumni open in Gunnison, Colo. Feb. 6-7.

Sports

Feb 2, 2015| 12

Student idea sparks ‘Rage Cage’ at sporting events Brandon Applehans bappleha@uccs.edu

When attending a game in Gallogly Events Center, be prepared to hear some noise from the Rage Cage. Senior Garrett Byrd started the group to motivate the Division II athletic teams by showing school spirit for every home game. Byrd, a communication and marketing major, sought out T-shirts that read: “Rage Cage” to get student involvement for sporting events. “I thought of it in the summer,” he said. “I figured it would be fun to coin the phrase where we could start a student section. All the Division II schools have one so why can’t we?” Byrd, on pace to graduate in May, got the idea while working at Sports Authority. With the only benefit being a

slight discount for the printed shirts, he put forth the money with hopes that students would join the trend. The t-shirts read “UCCS Rage Cage” on the front, followed by Wayne Gretzky’s famous quote “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” Sophomore communication major Tyler Glendale was one of the first members of the Rage Cage. “I was the first one on board,” he said. “I was here to help lead and now I’m doing the social media aspect. I made the Twitter for it and we’re just basically trying to get everyone involved.” The Twitter page has racked up nearly 200 followers. “I think we have started something big,” said Byrd. “I believe it will catch on. Last year we coined the phrase ‘Best fans in the RMAC,’ for

Reilly flood | The Scribe

Senior Garrett Byrd shows off the Rage Cage shirt.

basketball.” He started with a dozen shirts, offered the shirts for

$15 and sold out. Byrd has now proposed the idea to the Student

Government Association so that he may receive funding for the project. “I made 12 prototypes of the shirt, and I handed them out at the Metro State game,” he said. “It started to generate a lot of interest so I talked to the SGA and I’m trying to get them to approve the shirts and sponsor them.” His vision is for “Rage Cage” to be a more official part of UCCS. “At first I was thinking of it as extra money,” said Byrd. “I thought of going in another direction, of having the school sponsor it, with rather than just one student backing it, I think it would explode.” Byrd hopes that each night in Gallogly Events Center could be a blackout event, with his shirts filling the stands. “I would love for [the shirts] to catch on where the whole student section has one,” he said.

Kubatzky named interim head coach as team begins track season Brandon Applehans bappleha@uccs.edu

Corey Kubatzky has been named interim head coach of the women’s track and field team. He replaces David Harmer, who left the university on account of the expiration of his working visa. “I coached here five and six years ago,” said Kubatzky. “I worked under coach Misch while Harmer was here working with the sprint group at the time. I was around in the fall to make the transition a little smoother. I leaned on them quite a bit.” Kubatzky, now back as a Mountain Lion, received help in the coaching transition.

“I’m very fortunate to come in with a great group of ladies,” he said. “It has made things a lot easier. Sarah Kettlecamp, the assistant coach, has been a part of the program and made the transition very smooth. I actually recruited her as an athlete five years ago.” Kubatzky looks to continue the recent success of the program. “I think in the past few years, the upperclassmen have done a good job of creating a team atmosphere that’s very competitive and driven to be one of the best teams in the country,” said Kubatzky. “I think the freshmen have picked up on that. When you come into a program where

those are the expectations, it’s easier to get going and go with that.” Leading the way for the team early in the season is junior Melanie Diep. She claims that the team chemistry for the mountain lions has never been better. “Our chemistry is ridiculous,” she said. “We all have similar majors and are all helping each other out all the time. Everyone treats each other well and cheers for them.” Sophomore Heather Bates agrees that the team chemistry is unlike any team she has been on. “The team chemistry is my favorite part of being at

UCCS,” she said. “Even when I have a bad race, I can’t be mad for too long because it’s impossible to not end up laughing and having fun around the guys and girls I am surrounded with.” The first two races of the season took place at the Colorado School of Mines. In the Colorado Mines Alumni Open, sophomore Hayley Gantt won the 200-meter dash. Kubatzky sees the length of the season as well. “Indoor meet in January, so we are not super sharp right now,” he said. “The main thing is seeing people compete well. Times will come.” Diep finished sixth overall in the Mines Twilight Open

Jan. 24 with a time of 2:23.90 in the 800-meter run. Senior sprinter Jessica Todd took fourth place in the 400-meter dash. Bates finished fifth in the mile run with a time of 5:23.03. “It was a really fun race,” said Diep. “The girl and I were going head-to-head at the very end, and it was a really cool realization that ‘Hey, I am in pretty good shape right now.’” “That was very far from my usual time for that event,” said Bates. “It was the first meet and we only just began training so I am just going to shake it off and focus on races ahead.” The Mountain Lions are next in action Feb.6-7 at the Western State Alumni Open in Gunnison, Colo.

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