the scribe
A Look Inside the ISSUE
The official student newspaper of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. March 2 to March 8, 2010 [Volume 34; Issue 20]
Mt. Trashmore: Sustainability efforts move mountains
NEWS
Taking care of business: UCCS Business School teams with Better Business Bureau to help create award for ethical practices
page 4 SEAS members dig through one day’s worth of UCCS trash and pick out recyclables. They found that about 50% could have been recycled.
CULTURE
Kay Wynarsky “Mass Effect 2:” Sexual harassment, aliens and rocket launchers
page 5
Chaplin’s “The Kid”: Oldfashioned fashioned film with an orchestral twist
page 8 PARADOX Administration implements “grade freeze”
page 9
kwynarsk@uccs.edu
On Feb. 24 the Sustainability Office piled all of the trash from the day in the El Pomar Plaza creating Mt. Trashmore. Students from SEAS then sorted through the trash to see how much could have been recycled. Over the past several years, UCCS has strived to create a more sustainable campus through various initiatives. From starting a recycling program, con-
structing LEED certified buildings, creating an Office of Sustainability, to signing a nationally recognized Sustainability Strategic Plan, UCCS seems to have everything required for a “green” campus. But is it all working? Linda Kogan, Director of the Office of Sustainability, thinks so. Kogan, who has been with the office since its creation in 2005, has seen plenty of change at UCCS. Since introducing singlestream recycling early last year and competing in Recyclemania (a nationwide, college recycling competi-
tion), recycling rates have gone up. The rates vary from week to week but have been as high as 36.4 percent and are currently at 28.89 percent. Before single-stream, it averaged 26 percent. As for UCCS’ ranking in Recyclemania, the campus is currently in 97th place out of 247 participating colleges. High performance buildings have become a key point for the green movement on campus as well. The Recreation Center and the Science and Engineering Building are both LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
E-books take sales: Is print dying?
Gold certified buildings. In order to be certified, five major areas of requirement must be fulfilled: Sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. The Recreation Center’s pool solar thermal system is a hallmark of the buildings’ green initiatives, saving twothirds (67 percent) on gas costs. “And the other third we use to heat the pool is natural gas,” said Tim Stoecklin, Associate Director of Campus Recreation. “We’ve gone several days without
Kevin Kassem
even having to turn on the heating.” Taking the steps to ensure an environmentally responsible and sustainable building is not always the quickest or most inexpensive choice, but Stoecklin believes in the cause. “It goes beyond the LEED certification. If it wasn’t worth the effort, we wouldn’t do it.” “It’s the right thing to do. Not just for money or the environment, but for our patrons as well,” he added. UCCS is seeking LEED Continued on page 4
The state of parking
Top 10: Bands that would have been better than 3OH3!
page 9
OPINION Dueling Opinions |Public School Bill of Rights | Religious Bill of Wrongs A patriotic reminder
page 10 Freshman Rob Painter experiments with a Sony PRS-900 e-book reader.
SPORTS Mountain Lions on track
page 11
In the Middle
When is the best time to park? page 7
Jessica Lynch jlynch@uccs.edu
Last December loyal hardback readers, book collectors and avid page flippers shook with fear. Amazon, America’s largest online retailer, had just hit a startling milestone: Kindles had taken over top sales figures, and physical books had been thrown to the back burner.
Proponents of e-books have discovered a world of simplification. From the comfort of their home, or the coffee shop downtown, electronic books can be downloaded, stored and accessed efficiently. These e-books are not only widely available, but also instantaneous and, according to some, environmentally conscious. They can save valuable time and money, but most importantly, the lower back muscles of diligent students. Rather than
Kevin Kassem
strain under the weight of five textbooks, one computer can easily store thousands of ebooks. E-books can also be interactive and contain stimulating audio and video, as well as larger font sizes for the sleep-deprived student. The UCCS library has thousands of available ebooks for students. Students can easily access these electronic books from the Kraemer Library Catalog, Continued on page 4
When students are not complaining about tuition and grade forgiveness, they are complaining about parking. Since the universities inception, parking has been a problem at UCCS, a problem that only continues to increase as the student population continues to expand. UCCS has a large commuter population, which means more of the student body anguish over the availability of parking. Between the campus’ location and its high percentage of car-owning individuals, students are often pressed to find a spot before roll call; and the future of the campus’ plans to improve parking remains uncertain. To find out more about current parking, see the feature on page 7.
CONTACT | phone: (719) 255 - 3658 | fax: (719) 255 - 3600 | email: scribe@uccs.edu | website: www.uccsscribe.com
2
editorial
March 2 to March 8, 2010
scribe staff
Welcome to the real world
Jackie Parkinson Editor-in-Chief
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the nationwide unemployment rate was at 10.6 percent for January 2010. The Colorado unemployment rate was 7.3 percent, and for El Paso County it was 8 percent. These rates are not the reassurance students need upon graduation. After years of schooling, activities and making sure resumes stands out, how can we compete with older, more experienced people under this looming unemployment rate? Graduates this May will be faced with the decision of whether to go out into the real world or stay and complete another few years of graduate schooling. With three months until graduation, some of us believe that it would be easier to stay in school and complete higher schooling, but while that may be the convenient decision, it may not be the right one. The thousands of dollars in loans, the school work, and living within the financial means of a student for even longer should give us pause. Then again, what are we up against in the real world?
A number of things: A slowing (or at least bottoming out) economy, higher unemployment rates and declining business openings, and of course, people with years and years of experience as the competition. To soothe our nerves, we may log on to Monster or Career Builder and scan the job market to see if there is anything to apply for. But how many people are out there looking at these very jobs, possibly with more qualifications than us? These days a bachelor’s degree doesn’t guarantee security: it guarantees a foot in the door, if you’re lucky, but full entrance is nowhere near a sure thing. So how do graduating seniors keep themselves from blending into the mass of jobless individuals, both newly graduated and long-employed? Product differentiation. For those of you who think that it is alright to just be a student and nothing else, here’s a newsflash: it isn’t. So get up from that couch and get a job. Even if it is a job working at Starbucks, some work experience is better than no work experience. If Starbucks doesn’t work out, how about an internship for credit? This way you can take one less class and have some work experience all in one. Internships are not as difficult to find as you may think, and the UCCS Career Center can be a big help. While some of these opportunities are unpaid, there are also paid internships out there. Even if it is not for much, something is better than nothing.
Then there is volunteer work or getting involved in a sport or activity that interests you. Whether it be an intramural, club or writing for The Scribe, extracurricular activity, when coupled with valid work experience, makes you look well-rounded and can improve your employment prospects straight out of college. Showing that you do something other than go to class every day makes it seem as though you have a personality, and a personality is sometimes what makes you stand out from the crowd. One idea not often mentioned in post-graduation employment discussions is finding out what most people in your field cannot do well and then learning how to do it well. While this may be a crude generalization, most business, science, nursing, and engineering majors have complications writing, but if you show writing experience on your resume, who do you think they will hire: You, a competent writer who can type up memos and press releases, or the kid who types with two fingers? Even if these ideas do not immediately work, always remember that the worst thing you can do is to give up on yourself. There will be jobs out there, and having a degree puts you in a decent position compared to your non-degree-holding peers. So if come May you have trouble finding a job, keep in mind that you need to keep trying. Sometimes perseverance makes the battle worth it in the end. ◆
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striving to present the truth to the students by creating an open forum for opinions and ideas
Editor-in-Chief Jackie Parkinson
Managing Editor Tim Canon
Copy Editor Randy Robinson
Culture Editor Avalon Manly
Opinion Editor Byron Graham
Campus News Editor Catherine Jensen
Sports Editor Matthew Crandall
Layout Editor Rosa Byun
Advertising Manager Sarah Tindell
Business Manager Robert Rodriguez
Tim Canon, Steve Farrell, Byron Graham, Veronica Graves, Brock Kilgore, Greg Reilly
Reporters Rhiannon Conley, Jessica Lynch, Lauren Mueller, Rob Versaw, Averi Walker, Kay Wynarsky
Photographers Kevin Kassem, Ariel Lattimore, Carrie Woodruff
Layout Designers
Alec Bishop, Shreya Raj
Cartoonist Arno
Web Designer Dorian Rogers
Marketing Intern Amanda Luchini
Interning Reporters Brandi Ballard, Jessica Vaughan, Carly Webb
Interning Photographer James O’Shea IV, Chelsea Bartlett
Distributor Donald Trujillo
Advisor Laura Eurich
Information: Archives
Letters to the Editor
Distribution Policy
Additional copies of the current publication volume will be available in The Scribe office. The Scribe keeps issues from the past five volumes for internal use only. The Office of University Records will handle any request for additional issues from the past five years and beyond.
The Scribe strongly encourages Letters to the Editor. Letters intended for publication must not exceed 300 words, must be legible and must include the writer’s name and telephone number. Letters must be turned into The Scribe office, emailed or delivered to The Scribe mailbox in the ROAR office by 5 p.m. the Friday before publication. The Scribe reserves the right to reject Letters to the Editor that are libelous or obscene or anonymous, and has the right to edit as necessary due to space limitations, grammatical or spelling errors and AP style guideline errors.
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Columnists
Publication and News Rack theft. A person commits the offense of publication and/or news rack theft when he or she willfully or knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over more than three copies of an edition of a publication distributed on campus. A “publication” includes any periodical that is distributed on a complimentary basis. A person who violates this provision is responsible for compensating the publication for all reasonable costs incurred, including, where appropriate, the refund of advertising fees.
For more information about The Scribe, email requests to: scribe@uccs.edu
Recycle
...this paper ...your graded papers ...soda cans
tues: 3/2
wed: 3/3
Get Fit Club @ Rec Center 12 p.m.
Cardio Circuit @ Rec Center 6:30 a.m.
Vinyasa Flow Yoga @ Rec Center 12:15 p.m. Sharpen Your Skills @ Upper Lodge 5 p.m. Battle of the Bands @ The Blacksheep 8 p.m.
Student commuter donuts @ SENG 7:30 a.m.. Battle of the Bands @ The Blacksheep 8 p.m.
student life thurs: 3/4
Aquacize @ Rec Center 6:30 a.m. Vinyasa Flow Yoga @ Rec Center 11:45 a.m.
fri: 3/5
sat:3/6
Little Murders – FREE for UCCS students @ Osborne Studio Theater (UHall) 8 p.m.
Ballroom Dance @ Rec Center 4 p.m.
Ski Bus to Arapahoe Basin @ Rec Center, contact dbowan@uccs. edu for info
Softball vs. NM Highlands @ Mountain Lion Field 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Softball vs. NM Highlands @ Mountain Lion Field 12 and 2 p.m.
Little Murders – FREE for UCCS students @ Osborne Studio Theater (U-Hall) 8 p.m.
Tango Red Tapestry @ The Blacksheep 7 p.m.
Cardio Circuit @ Rec Center 5:30 p.m.
sun: 3/7
Little Murders – FREE for UCCS students @ Osborne Studio Theater (U-Hall) 8 p.m.
mon: 3/8 Cardio Circuit @ Rec Center 6:30 a.m. Margaret Randall author talk @ The Lodge 12 p.m. Margaret Randall poetry reading @ Kraemer Library Apse 7 p.m.
weekly calendar
quote of the week:
“I remain just one thing, and one thing only — and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.” - Charlie Chaplin email quotes of the week to: scribelayout@gmail.com
Practice, Practice, Practice!
the first person to bring both of these completed sudoku puzzles will receive a $10 La’au’s Tacos gift card. bottom floor UCenter rm. 106
1 easy, 1 medium
✁
cut and stick between the pages of your textbook (you know, the one you never read)
✁ You are HERE
BOOKMARK of the week
Tue March 2 + Get Fit Club @ Rec Center 12 p.m. + Vinyasa Flow Yoga @ Rec Center 12:15 p.m. + Sharpen Your Skills @ Upper Lodge 5 p.m. + Battle of the Bands @ The Blacksheep 8 p.m. Wed March 3 + Cardio Circuit @ Rec Center 6:30 a.m. + Student commuter donuts @ SENG 7:30 a.m.. + Battle of the Bands @ The Blacksheep 8 p.m. Thur March 4 + Aquacize @ Rec Center 6:30 a.m. + Vinyasa Flow Yoga @ Rec Center 11:45 a.m. + Ballroom Dance @ Rec Center 4 p.m. + Cardio Circuit @ Rec Center 5:30 p.m. Fri March 5 + Little Murders – FREE for UCCS students @ Osborne Studio Theater (U-Hall) 8 p.m. Sat March 6 + Ski Bus to Arapahoe Basin @ Rec Center, contact dbowan@uccs.edu for info + Softball vs. NM Highlands @ Mountain Lion Field 12 and 2 p.m. + Tango Red Tapestry @ The Blacksheep 7 p.m. + Little Murders – FREE for UCCS students @ Osborne Studio Theater (U-Hall) 8 p.m. Sun March 7 + Softball vs. NM Highlands @ Mountain Lion Field 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. + Little Murders – FREE for UCCS students @ Osborne Studio Theater (U-Hall) 8 p.m. Mon March 8 + Cardio Circuit @ Rec Center 6:30 a.m. + Margaret Randall author talk @ The Lodge 12 p.m. + Margaret Randall poetry reading @ Kraemer Library Apse 7 p.m.
4
campus news
March 2 to March 8, 2010
Taking care of business:
UCCS Business School teams with Better Business Bureau to help create award for ethical practices
Business students study in Dwire’s atrium between classes.
Catherine Jensen cjensen@uccs.edu
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Southern Colorado and UCCS’s College of Business recently teamed up to create the GE Johnson Award for Marketplace Ethics, an award which recognizes community businesses that exhibit ethical business practices and commit to maintaining a fair marketplace. Assistant Professor of Marketing and International Business Tracy GonzalezPadron helped initiate this partnership between UCCS and BBB. Prior to this award there was not one in the marketing category that examined ethics, according to Gonzalez-Padron. Businesses within the profit and non-profit sectors may be nominated, as long as they reside within the twentyfive counties of the BBB of Colorado. UCCS’s business school
has been involved with programs in the past where students have offered assistance to award recipients. Glenn Sommerfeld, a graduate student at UCCS who worked with a medical company called RITON, assessing the company’s ethics, said of such programs, “If you look at the climate we are in now, with everything from Enron in the ‘90s to the current credit card crunch, a lot of big businesses in the U.S. have really taken a turn and made unethical decisions in order to make bottom dollar. Future leaders need to be aware that this is not only bad business, but it can have huge ramifications on the economy as a whole.” For the GE Johnson Award, MBA students taking “Business, Government and Society” helped design the questions asked of businesses up for nomination. Each semester different classes will be involved. “It fits well with the MBA class because part of it looks at the social responsibilities of business. This course as-
Ariel Lattimore sesses the ethical practices of local businesses. The class nominates a business when they believe they are doing this well,” Gonzalez-Padron said. According to the website’s eligibility statement, applicants must “exhibit high ethical standards of behavior towards customers, suppliers, users, shareholders, employees, and communities in which they do business.” Businesses may nominate themselves or be nominated by employees or customers. Gonzalez-Padron said the award will also benefit the students involved. “This is one more way students can be seen as the dependable employees Colorado is looking for, not only for their people skills but how they handle ethical situations. This illustrates that they understand what is important to Colorado business and it will make them valuable employees.” Businesses may be nominated through July 30. The winner will be announced in September. ◆
New ethics code to target cheaters Carly Webb cwebb@uccs.edu
In further efforts to attempt to thwart cheating and improve academic honesty at UCCS, the educational policy and university standards committee has come up with a revised code of ethics. Intended to not only help faculty deal with cheating students but also provide students who have unfairly been accused of cheating with a clear recourse of action. The chair of the Educational Policy and University Standards (EPUS) committee, English professor Tom Napierkowski, said the new code of ethics will make enforcing academic honesty less arbitrary. “The new code seems to me as an effort to declare the ethics code and to clarify the procedure to be followed when a student
violates the code,” he said. Faculty currently have many options when confronted with cheating that do not require notifying the dean or provide any means of tracking. Instructors and professors can “downgrade, compel a rewrite, fail the test or assignment, or fail the student in the course,” said Associate Dean of LAS, Rex Welshon. Further and more stringent punitive actions like a permanent note on the transcript, suspension, or expulsion requires a dean’s permission, and these numbers are tracked. Since 2002 there have been two instances of cheating that resulted in suspension and one that led to a student being expelled. According to Welshon, the most common form of cheating is plagiarism. “Most plagiarists are either ignorant or sloppy in citations,” he said. There was also a situation where students were the perpetrators of organized cheating,
and all students involved received an F in the course. The hope is that the new code of ethics will protect students by providing a clear appeals procedure. EPUS committee members also anticipate faculty members being more comfortable following appropriate courses of action to reprimand and punish cheaters. Sandy Berry-Lowe, Associate Professor of Biology and EPUS committee member, is looking forward to the new handbook because some professors “don’t know there’s a real procedural policy.” She said that cheating is very difficult to prove and plagiarism is definitely the most common form of cheating she has encountered. “One of the major focuses we had in our deliberation was to clarify and make the appeals process more regular,” said Napierkowski. The new code of ethics will be in place and followed next fall semester. ◆
Mt. Trashmore: Sustainability efforts move mountains (cont.) Continued from page 1
E-books take sales: Is print dying? (cont.) Continued from page 1
as well as other sites such as NetLibrary. NetLibrary has over 10,000 electronic books covering topics such as business, religion and literature. Other e-book sites are on hand to search, and students can rely on these services to provide valuable results. With easy access comes strained eyes and blurred vision, though, and many UCCS students are resisting the e-book movement. Bryan Collins, a UCCS Book-
store employee, said that though the store offered 25 e-books this spring semester, few students exhibited preferences for them. “Personally, I don’t like e-books because I don’t want to stare at my computer screen for that long. Plus, I’ll get too distracted with Facebook and such.” Other e-book disadvantages include tactile loss, lack of familiarity and comfort, and with overall awkwardness. Highlighter-
hungry students may also find e-books dissatisfactory, and the printing fees to be expensive. Though more Kindles did sell, the financials are still shaky for Kindle, as the company loses $1 for every Kindle book sold. Nonetheless, Amazon’s goal of Kindle ubiquity has not been too farfetched. Though some resist the e-book movement, it seems that e-books have found a successful niche in the marketplace. ◆
Nichole Ridenour and James Vedral recycling their Jazzman’s cups. certification for the renovated Science Building and the Conference and Events Center. In 2007, all University of Colorado schools signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) – a pledge to work toward carbon neutrality. Part of the commitment is to reduce emissions on campus by 20 percent by 2020.
Other smaller, but still notable “green” highlights include the use of hybrids as campus police cars, which save the Public Safety Department roughly $400 a month. On the academic side, minoring in sustainable development has been popular among students in the last three years. Although Kogan feels the move toward an environmentally conscious cam-
Carrie Woodruff pus has been positive, she explained there is still a lot more work to do. “Sustainability covers every part of the University. Reducing emissions, having efficient lightning, working with a local food program, green purchasing - it all needs to be done.” She also stated, “Our biggest challenge on campus is getting students to recycle. Reduce waste and to change the culture.” ◆
culture
March 2 to March 8, 2010
5
Mountain Italian: Mangia Mangia “Shutter Island:” Worth the wait
Brock Kilgore
Mangia Mangia’s unassuming Woodland Park location.
Brock Kilgore bkilgore@uccs.edu
To the uninitiated, Woodland Park is a “bedroom” community of Colorado Springs – or a relatively close suburb that really is “out in the sticks.” Today, Highway 24 up Ute Pass is our easiest route into the mountains, as it was to the Ute Indians and gold miners; hence the name of our county, El Paso, or “the pass.” Most UCCS students know Woodland Park as the only real outpost of civilization before the emptiness of South Park, or the last place to pick up anything you may have forgotten before hitting the road. Weather in the Pikes Peak region is fickle. It snowed everyday during the severalday window I had to go up to Woodland Park and explore a rumored new brewery. On the last day I decided to just go for it, and ended up driving through a “Where the heck is the road?!”- type of whiteout. When the forthcoming Woodland Park Brewery
turned out to be little more than stored brewing equipment, I turned recalled a friend’s advice of the area: She said a place called Mangia Mangia, or “eat eat” in Italian, was fast becoming the local favorite, so I had to check it out. Located across the street from the dinosaur museum in the skeleton of an old fast food joint, this simple Italian eatery is worth the stop. Once in from the snow, the subtle interior feels like a café on the Mediterranean, where soft opera music warms and soothes. A seat at the café-style bar affords a view of the chef in action in a clean, professional openair kitchen. If you have a designated driver, pitchers of the outstanding Italian beer “Peroni” are only $11. The dinner menu contains all the classics ($10 to $17) but a student, usually passing through, will probably encounter the more reasonable lunch menu (served 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Mangia Mangia offer hearty classic sandwiches like the homemade meatball or sausage hoagie, Reuben and Colorado cheese steak, as well as innovative spins like
the Tuscan turkey and the tasty Mangia burger (all $7 to $8). Praise for the daily homemade soup was the first thing out of the waitress’s mouth, which was a good sign. Having spent many years in Italian kitchens, I have always said, “The proof is in the pasta.” Cheap pasta, like cheap bacon, sucks, and properly salted and cooked pasta is not consistently easy. Mangia Mangia shines in the pasta department. Lunch pasta is $7 to $8 and includes an excellent salad, but could use more of the delicious garlic bread. My favorite pastas were the pignoli with roasted garlic, baby spinach, and pine nuts, and the carbonara with bacon, eggs, and cheese. ◆ 4/5 stars Mangia Mangia 34 East Grace Ave Woodland Park, CO 80863 (719) 687-3400 Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Byron Graham bgraham2@uccs.edu
Originally slated for release last October, Paramount ultimately gave the world another five months to wait for “Shutter Island” – and the wait was entirely worthwhile. Paramount opted to delay the film’s debut, unwilling to finance an Oscar campaign and unsure of its profitability in the crowded autumn marketplace; but the promotional poster hung above the Cinemark concession stand, taunting me for those dreary months, reminding me of the wait ahead for an eagerly anticipated new project from one of my favorite auteurs. Though I cursed Paramount for their apparent folly of delay, the company’s logic has yielded a $40 million box office gross thus far and earned director Martin Scorcese the most lucrative opening weekend of his career. It would appear that large sums of money are more persuasive to studios than the quiet rage of a college student.
In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Teddy Daniels, a Federal Marshall sent to investigate an escaped patient (Emily Mortimer) from Ashcliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, located on Shutter Island, off the craggy coast of Massachusetts. Daniels commences “Shutter Island” by broodingly vomiting from sea sickness which – unfortunately for the Marshall – is only a precursor to the suffering ahead. With his partner, portrayed by the instantly sympathetic Mark Ruffalo, Daniels investigates the almost supernatural disappearance of the aforementioned patient, a woman who drowned her children but lives in rigid denial of her crime. As the two feds interrogate the disturbed patients and the evasive staff headed by the never-creepier Sir Ben Kingsley and Max von Sydow, it becomes clear that strange things are afoot at Aschliffe Hospital. Things only worsen when they become stranded on Shutter Island by a Nor’easter storm. I’m reluctant to summarize the plot any further, because Shutter Island is so enthralling in its unfolding that
to spoil any twists would be to deny readers the pleasure of hashing through the mystery at the heart of the film. The movie practically demands repeat viewings and leaves viewers with lingering questions. DiCaprio delivers another outstanding performance in his fourth leading role for Scorcese, humanizing a character pushed to the limits of his sanity. I haven’t read the Dennis Lehane novel that screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis adapted for the screen, but I intend to scour its pages for insight into this puzzle of a movie. “Shutter Island” is not without flaws, but creating engrossing entertainment in such existential territory is enough of a triumph to gloss over a few dream sequences that felt a bit too on-the-nose. “Shutter Island” is one of those rare films that truly warrants a second viewing – so see it twice. ◆ 4.5/5 stars Rated R 138 minutes (2 hours, 18 minutes)
“Mass Effect 2:” Sexual harassment, aliens and rocket launchers Rosa Byun gbyun@uccs.edu
As I infiltrated a massive assault headed by three major alien gangs, I noticed that an important space tank mechanic had turned his back on me and an electric prod sat buzzing, alive, on the crate next to him. To taze or not to taze? – that is the question. A question indeed, and one I answered by shocking the poor guy in the back. “Mass Effect 2,” a sequel released for the XBOX 360 and PS3 on Jan. 26, is a game made up of thousands of such choices. Do I stop a naïve gang member wannabe
from signing on to a sure massacre? Do I help a falsely accused pick pocket at a space mall? Rocket launcher or sniper rifle? Should I buy that pet hamster? Do I allow an alien who hates and insults the human race to survive a mass plague? Should I sexually harass my shipmates? Should I trust anyone, including the people who have brought me back to life and outfitted me with high-tech gear? These moral dilemmas occur with frightening regularity and even the first dialogue choices you make in the game decide who lives and who dies. The choices are never overwhelming, though, thanks to the surprisingly realistic and often hilarious dialogue.
Miranda Lawson, crewmate on the left, stands next to a female Shepherd (not Astroturf). The pilot on your ship, the Normandy SR-2, seems to be a homage to the character Wash from “Firefly:” He is in a constant, hilarious, not-quite-friendly battle with the ship’s spying AI,
and has some of the funniest dialogue in the game. The battle system mimics the cover-based FPS genre with auto-cover and coverbased shooting mechanics. If you don’t find cover, you
will not survive this game. All of the guns have a good feel to them and every shot feels satisfying. The AI is entertaining, with enemy robots or aliens or whoknows-whats always pre-
senting a fun, fast-moving challenge. I played as a female character named Astroturf, an Infiltrator class with a special cloaking ability and natural affinity for sniper rifles, who hit on everybody on staff for kicks. She had a long life full of alien ass-kicking and drunken stumbling. “Mass Effect 2’s” main appeal lies not with its fast and fun battle system, but with its seemingly effortless creation of characters for whom you end up caring: characters that you come to understand, and characters with whom you develop a history. RIP, Shepherd: You were a grossly perverted, cruel leader, but I’ll still miss you. ◆
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
When should I park?
| Parking |
Photos below by Chelsea Bartlett
12:00 pm
Photo above by Ariel Lattimore
LOT 3
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The Present and Future of Parking Averi Walker
12:00 pm
LOT 4
Parking on the UCCS campus is a widely-recognized and oftencomplained about problem. In the 2007 UBAC Student Satisfaction Survey, the primary concern for UCCS students was parking, with an overwhelming 80 percent of students identifying it as their principal problem on campus. The future of parking does not seem to be presenting any immediate resolutions either. The next parking addition is planned to go in between Lot 1 and University Hall, beginning with a surface lot made of gravel or dirt, and then possibly a parking garage. The timeline for this project, however, is unknown due to budgeting issues. The largest obstacle to adding parking is budget concerns, followed closely by the simple issue of space. Parking decisions are usually made by a group of people, including the campus architect, the Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance and the Chief of Police. The budget presents an issue for several reasons. Most importantly, the parking budget is not predetermined. Parking is considered an auxiliary system, meaning that there is no state funding. Thus, the parking budget is generated through the selling of parking permits, paid visitor parking, and fine revenue. The revenue generated then goes to paying the parking garage bond, personnel, operating costs and maintenance. The recent budget was an estimated $1.6 million, with $800,000 going to the parking garage bond. While the parking garage bond is still being paid off, any new significant parking costs are difficult to work into the budget. For example, the repaving of Lots 3 and 4 that is scheduled will cost $350,000. To understand the “organized chaos” of UCCS parking, as parking department officials call it, there are some important factors to look at. Most relevant to consider is the ratio of parking space to parking permits sold. The ratio is 2.1 permits sold to every one parking spot. There is a total 1,900 HUB spots on campus, meaning that there were about 3,990 permits sold this semester. The ratio is determined by the natural turnover of parking spots based on class schedules. Vice Chancellor Susan Szpyrka said the formula is based on the number of total parking spots on the campus, when the highest number of students are on campus and historical parking usage. According to Jim Spice, the campus chief of police, UCCS always undersells permits and then creates a waitlist. The waitlist release is based on daily lot counts where the number of parking spots available at the busiest times of the day is used to determine if more parking permits can be released. So far this semester, 50 permits from the waitlist have been released. Spice commented, “You can’t say we don’t have enough parking, it’s just not right on campus.” He cited Lot 6 and Level 4 of the parking garage as examples of where to find spots, and encourages the use of Four Diamonds transportation as an extremely efficient system. Spice also said that the parking department takes student complaints very seriously. In fact, the Monday/Wednesday/Friday and Tuesday/Thursday/Friday permits were adopted from a student recommendation.
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4 Diamonds
awalker@uccs.edu
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culture
March 2 to March 8, 2010
Chaplin’s “The Kid”: Old-fashioned fashioned film with an orchestral twist Looking for a new way to watch a movie? Or perhaps a different spin on Philharmonic Orchestra performances? The Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra and the Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts will present two special showings of the 1921 silent classic “The Kid,” starring Charlie Chaplin on March 6 and 7 in an atypical viewing fashion: While the movie’s playing up on the big screen, there will be a live orchestra scoring the film. “We have a big 20- or 30-foot screen, and the actual movie was sent to us
Rhiannon Conley rconley@uccs.edu
Information March 6 and 7 Pikes Peak Center 190 S. Cascade Ave. 80903 (719) 520-7453 $14 to $54
A little play with a lot of substance
‘Little Murders’ will run through March 14 at the Osborne Studio Theatre. James O’Shea IV
Avalon Manly amanly@uccs.edu
Theatre ‘d Art’s “Little Murders” opened last week at the Osborne Studio Theatre, one floor below Theatreworks in University Hall, their first play of 2010 and a continuance of last semester’s theme: Illusion. “Little Murders,” by cartoonist and dramatic satirist Jules Feiffer, debuted on Broadway in 1967 – and expired after only a week’s run. Feiffer had written it in response to President John F. Kennedy’s assassination four years prior, specifically, about the “false sense of security America has developed, and what happens when that’s shattered,” explained Carol Sinon, an actress, production photographer and sometimes-public relations guru for Theatre ‘d
Art.
Frank Rich of the New York Times, who reviewed “Little Murders” in May 1987, postulated that the play’s first attempt (in 1967) was a year too early – for in 1968, crime and murders became ample fodder for TV. “Little Murders” hit the second stage in 1969, to much wider popularity, possibly because the populace was more open to its thenedgy content. “Little Murders” revolves around the Newquist family, an average collection of average Americans with above-average levels of dysfunction. Rife with opposing philosophies, godlessness and paranoia, this satirical comedy can readily be considered “dark” but, as Rich pointed out, the play becomes more humorous as the decades go by, and “the unorthodoxies [the characters] find so shocking and threatening – atheism, ho-
mosexuality, pacifism, nihilism – [become] mainstream fare for contemporary Middle America.” Angie Kinnett, the director of Theatre ‘d Art’s “Little Murders,” professes that the theme of Feiffer’s work is not without contemporary relevancy. In the wake of Sept. 11, 2001, Americans felt again the destruction of their sense of security. Sinon pointed out that a lack of trust between even people as close as neighbors and the lengths to which one will go to protect family are still symptoms of that event, and are well-addressed in a tale like “Little Murders.” “Little Murders” will run through March 14, playing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 8 p.m. Tickets are available for reservation at Theatre ‘d Art’s new number, (719)357-8321, and are $10 for general admission, $5 with a student ID, and free for UCCS students. ◆
from the owners in France. The orchestra will play underneath the screen and it will be very much like going to a movie in the ‘20s or ‘30s when all the movies were silent and if you were lucky you had an orchestra,” said Nathan Willers, Marketing Coordinator for the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra. “Usually, though, there was just an organ of some sort,” he added. The fact that the film will be accompanied by a whole, live orchestra is a special treat. The film, “The Kid,” is a heartwarming story about the relationship between a tramp and a young boy. Comedy and adventure ensue as the tramp, played by Chaplin, tries to reunite the boy with his mother. “We just really wanted to get some film into the season to make sure we’re covering as many genres as
possible and reaching out to as many audiences as we can,” said Willers. “It gives us more diversity in our programming.” The presentation of “The Kid” is the first of the philharmonic’s 2010 and 2011 season. There will be two showings of this performance. The March 6 pops performance features a Chaplin double feature with “The Idle Class” alongside “The Kid,” which begins at 8 p.m.; and tickets range from $14 to $54. The March 7 performance is a kid’s philharmonic event. It only includes the film “The Kid.” The show starts at 2:30 p.m. and tickets are $20. The Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra released its full 2010-2011 schedule in late February, which can be viewed on it’s website at http://www. csphilharmonic.org. ◆
Advertise: (719) 255 - 3469
the news is full of contradictions
satire : irony : hilarity
“Still, if a statement cannot reasonably be interpreted to be one of express or implied fact, it cannot be libelous. This means that humor columns, spoofs, cartoons and satire are protected as long as readers understand that the material is not intended to be taken seriously.” - Student Press Law Center
Naming war waged over new Events Center Randy Robinson [rrobinso@uccs.edu] Controversy has ignited regarding the name of the New Events Center with two major donors contending for rights to the name. On Feb. 16, Martha Ingrasham donated $2 million to UCCS, double the amount donated by the Jim and Janet Gallogly, who are both UCCS alumni, last month to name the New Events Center. Ingrasham, a recent winner of the Colorado Lotto Powerball, has added $150 million to her bank account. “I already paid off all my bills. And my family’s bills. And my friends’ and neighbors’ bills, too. I didn’t know where else to put the money,” stated Ingrasham. The naming feud began when Ingrasham sought to donate to the university. When she learned about the New Events Center and the Gallogly donation, she decided to up the ante. “I figured if they were going to get to name the building with a cool one million, why couldn’t I get something named after me too?” she added. Unfortunately for Ingrasham, there were no other buildings on campus that were lacking a name, despite horribly libelous and irresponsible claims in The Scribe that an Even-Newer Events Center was planned to be built within the next year. School officials considered granting the renaming privilege to Ingrasham for a building with a more lackluster label, such as “Columbine Hall” or “The Science Building,” but she declined. “Martha specifically wanted the Events Center named after her,” said custodian Bill Heyers. “But the Gal… uh… Gallowees… or whatever - they already beat her to it. The school basically said if she gave more than a million they’d consider it.” “We absolutely did not say that at all,” retorted Robin Hooperpops, the Vice-Vice Chancellor of Students, in phone interview. “Well, actually, yeah, we did sorta say something like that,” she added. “How’d you hear about it?” Students, however, have their own opinions concerning the naming of the center. “That’s just wack,” quipped senior Dustin Dustoff. “We the students paid for that building with our tuition and fees. We didn’t even get a choice to ‘donate.’ They should let us vote on the new name for the Events Center.” Freshman Jillian Padilla noted, “For two million bucks you’d think she’d get her own private bathroom in there. If I dished out that much cash to the school, they’d better commemorate me with a gold fountain out in front of the library. Wait, wasn’t there supposed to be a fountain there anyway?” When asked what she planned to name the new building, Ingrasham replied, “Oh, I think the name they have right now works just fine, don’t you think?” That’s right: The New Events Center will be the name if Ingrasham gets her way. The Galloglys were not available to comment. It is unknown whether or not they will tack on another million to the donation, for a total of $3 million, to regain the right to name the Events Center. ✪
Administration implements “grade freeze”
Top Ten
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Ringo Starr: Battle of the Bands will determine which lucky performers gets to play with Ringo. Ringo’s awesome drum-playing abilities paired with UCCS student’s grandiose skill; should be an amazing concert.
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The Who: We could rent some walkers and wheelchairs to get them onto the stage; after all, everyone now knows who they are because of the SuperBowl.
Tim Canon [tcanon@uccs.edu] Chancellor Anne Shmokley announced last Wednesday a new “grade freeze” policy as part of a broader effort to combat state budget cuts to higher education. The policy, the main intention of which is to encourage repeat enrollment in certain “high volume” classes – yoga was specifically mentioned – will prevent any further changes to all grades of 59 and below across campus, effective immediately. This means that those with grades of F will be locked into those grades “to ensure a steady stream of students failing required courses and having to take them again,” said Shmokley. “We are fiercely determined to keep tuition at manageable levels,” Shmokley explained in a campus forum. “That said, we need money. Badly. So we’re implementing what we like to call ‘creative solutions’ to make up the deficit.” The freeze is part of a broader array of proposed ‘creative solutions.’ Not all students are on board with this ‘creative solutions’ strategy. Senior Shane Furlybrows, an engineering major, said the policy was unfair. “Engineering majors are screwed,” he said. “A lot of us take a few weeks to really get the hang of some of this ‘women’s studies’ crap, doing poorly on the first few tests and projects and picking our grades up as the semester goes on and we become accustomed to the indoctrination. We may as well not even try now.” Furlybrows said he has no plans to transfer and will probably just retake ‘Intro to Race and Gender,’ which he is currently failing, his professor said, “because he doesn’t correctly understand and interpret the infinite wisdom of Audre Lorde.” Junior June Jerrylicious, a communication major, was thrilled about the policy. “I have a 4.0,” she remarked. “I’m currently getting A’s in three classes and a B in the other, with plans to make up tests, homework, quizzes, brown-nosing, and participation points through bonus projects due right before finals. So I’ll probably get A’s in all of them.” “I guess I should start planning my projects,” she said, sifting through her Crayola box. “I usually color some pretty pictures depicting some aspect of communication. What color should I use this semester?” ✪
Bands that would have been better than 3OH!3
Scribe Staff
paradox the
8 7 6 5
Kanye West: He’ll introduce the Chancellor’s intro and say that Bruce Benson (CU President) was better suited to introduce him. Spice Girls: Tell me what you want, what you really really want. We want a reunion, with cat fights. String Cheese Incident: The ten liberal hippies in Colorado Springs will flock to this jam band concert. Ticket sales will be through the roof!
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Carrie Underwood: For those who enjoy country- just make sure there is extra security in the parking lot. We don’t want any keyed cars, ripped leather seats or broken headlights. The Wiggles: They may be hard to book, but they are famous with the parents of UCCS, and even their name is fun to say.
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Britney Spears: Her boys could go to the Family Development Center for a guest appearance, all the papparazzi would put UCCS on the map and the Office of Student Activities could say, “Oops, we did it again.”
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Lil’ Wayne: He could hand out free lollipops and everyone likes free lollipops.
Michael Jackson: Because only the Office of Student Activities could raise MJ from the dead. scribe@uccs.edu
10 opinion Religious Bill of Wrongs Byron Graham Oh, Colorado State Senator Dave Schultheis, you’re such a reliable source for apoplectic rage. Whether insulting mothers with HIV or comparing President Obama to 9/11 hijackers over Twitter, Schultheis functions ideally as an ignorance delivery system. America needs ignorance delivery systems, and when Schultheis forgets his primary function and attempts legislation, it can be nerve-wracking. Colorado Springs’ Schultheis has devoted his public career to restricting the rights of people with whom he disagrees – particularly pro-choice women and immigrants – and trying to shoehorn proselytization into public school curricula. Schulthies’ latest Senate Bill 10-089, which would have expanded religious expression in Colorado public schools, was defeated before leaving committee last Monday as Schultheis’ Democratic opponents mounted a passionate counter-argument. Had the initiative passed, the “Public School Religious Bill of Rights” would have been posted in public schools and thrown current education policy into upheaval. The bill would open the floodgates for grievance forms from religious students and their parents; any school policies inconsistent with the murky provisions delineated in the web-accessible bill would leave the board of education vulnerable to litigation. A full-text PDF of the bill is available online, and much to my surprise, at first
it seemed that many sections of the bill proposed little more than reinforcement of current school policies. The language was more generic and non-denominational than I’d been expecting from the pious Mr. Schultheis, but two specific provisions, among others that followed, made the senator’s dominionist intentions clear: This bill was meant to function as a Christian Bill of Rights. Consider the two following provisions I transcribed from the text of the bill: - A Parent or guardian of an elementary school, middle school, or junior high school student to excuse his or her child from any class or the use of specific course material that is inconsistent with the parent’s or legal guardian’s religious beliefs. This provision would have allowed over-involved fundamentalist Christian parents to deny their children an education in the sciences because evolution conflicts with their belief that Jesus wrangled dinosaurs. Not only do I recognize the futility of parents trying to protect their children from information, but I think that challenges to one’s beliefs is essential for spiritual development. - Recite religious material when an oral recitation is assigned if the material fairly meets the educational purpose of the assignment. I don’t accept the premise that the Bible ought to be included in the canon of scholastic literature, not only because of the exclusionary implications manda-
March 2 to March 8, 2010
Dueling Opinions
| Public School Religious Bill of Rights |
VS.
bgraham2@uccs.edu
tory readings from scripture would have for agnostics and members of minority religions. Religious texts absolutely do not belong in an academic curriculum. I’m not diminishing the Scared Writ’s historical significance, nor denying the innumerable allusions to biblical im-
sfarrell@uccs.edu
agery that appear throughout the annals of literature. I think a capable instructor could conceivably assign readings from the Bible to a mature class within the context of cultural and historical analysis, a dynamic that only seems possible at the university level. ◆
A patriotic reminder Steve Farrell
Colorado State Senator Dave Schultheis (Rep., Colo. Springs) is pushing forward state legislation to allow individuals the option to express religion in Colorado school districts. This proposed “Public School Religious Bill of Rights” would (in theory) be split into two bills, one to accommodate parents and students, and the other for teachers and school employees. Students would have the right to exchange religionthemed greeting cards, refer to their religious beliefs in classroom assignments if desired, and sing songs with religious messages around, say, Christmas. On the other hand, the bill proposes that teachers would have the right to mention or refuse to mention religious rhetoric in their classroom discussions. Now, for the record, I don’t think this bill stands a chance of making it into law as most liberal officials will cite a conflict with “The Establishment Clause” under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. However, the mere fact that some in power still hold enough gumption to stand up for the very JudeoChristian values on which our nation was founded is a refreshing fact, and speaks volumes about those who continue to hold true to the traditions that our Founding Fathers left for us to build upon. To the loony anti-religious few I can just sense cringing at the end of that last sentence, yes, some of our
Founding Fathers such as Samuel Adams and Alexander Hamilton were clearly Christians, according to historical documents handwritten by them (April, 1802 letter to James Bayard, 1772- The Rights of the Colonists).
“However, the mere fact that some in power still hold enough gumption to stand up for the very Judeo-Christian values on which our nation was founded is a refreshing fact.” The truth is that the constraints of political correctness have stretched so far in the time we live in, that most people with public influence are too timid to take a forthright stance on promoting any issue of involving religion. It’s just too easy to be labeled a “religious zealot”, “racist”, or “Nazi” for that matter; oh and by the way, the mere mention of every one of those labels instantly kills the credibility of the one issuing the label. (Don’t believe me? Just Google “The Institute for Propaganda Analysis,” which was established in 1937 by Kirtley Mather and Edward A. Filene). Senator Schultheis’s proposed bill may or may not hold much weight when it comes time for the votes, but I applaud him for appropriating his bestowed power by the people and for the people by reminding everyone from where we stem as a nation. ◆
| Take Down | The grass is always greener on the other side
Veronica Graves vgraves@uccs.edu
As of late, Democrats seem to be extremely disturbed whenever they lose a seat in Congress. Early this year there were ten Democratic retirements out of the House (compared to the fourteen Republicans), and two retiring Senate Demo-
crats (compared to six Republicans). So what’s the big deal? It seems as though Democrats should be celebrating; they are losing fewer seats to retirement and resignation than their political nemeses, the Republicans. Why the panic? There is a reason the Democrats appear to go mental every time they lose a congressional seat. The United States is quickly losing interest in Obama and his leftist Congress. This once super cool, spiff y Obama Promised Land is looking more like a desert of empty promises, and the Democrats know it. There is a segment of Americans who will never be satisfied. They tend
to want whatever they don’t have. They become angry with whoever is in charge. Unfortunately this section of the populace is driven by self-interest, rallying behind a cry of “I deserve.” This sense of entitlement often leads to much action with little or no logical backing. In 2006, President Bush’s second term was under way. This section of entitled, “feel good” Americans decided at that time that the liberal party looked more promising, and voted accordingly. This irrational reaction produced huge gains in Congress for the Democrats. The ideology of this country is shifting once again. Self proclaimed former liberals are turning into Re-
publicans, and Republicans are finally turning into conservatives. People are often being reminded that nothing the government does is ever as good as the private sector. Only 6 percent of the American people polled believe with confidence that the government bailouts actually helped the economic recovery (that is roughly the same amount that believes that Elvis is still alive and that aliens exist). Even Congress seems to be losing its faith in the promised Obamaland. As recently announced retiree Evan Bayh stated, the institution of Congress is “in need of serious reform.” Perhaps it was this attitude that drove his, and others’, retire-
ments. Congressman Bayh’s statement of retirement frightened captain Obama so badly, that Obama himself unsuccessfully attempted, in a sign of desperation, to convince Bayh that the ship wasn’t sinking. Apparently, Bayh did not believe him. Could it be that even liberal congressmen are getting sick of the underhandedness of the Obama administration on topics such as healthcare? Could it be that Americans are seeing through the Obama facade even faster than they got tired of Bush? It took one and a half terms under Bush’s presidency for Americas to walk over to the Democratic side of the fence; it took less
than one year for Obama to be abandoned. When states like Massachusetts start voting conservatively, I would think it safe to say that Americans are sprinting to the conservative side. The movement of power back and forth between parties is not necessarily a bad thing. At its best, it keeps the U.S. government getting absolutely nothing done. Just when one party is about to do something radical (like shove a completely unconstitutional healthcare bill through Congress), the people decide that they no longer wish to see the end of the fairy tale Obamaland. And the retiring Democrats, including Bayh, got the memo. ◆
sports
March 2 to March 8, 2010
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Men’s and Women’s Basketball: Playoff hopes remain alive for men, women aim to finish season strong
Left to right: The men’s basketball team huddles. Seniors Janean Jubic and Lauren Holm.
Matt Crandall mcrandal@uccs.edu
The regular season has nearly come to a close for Mountain Lion Basketball. The men and women played their last two home games at the Gallogly Events Center over the snowy weekend of Feb. 20. The home finale began Friday, Feb. 19 against Colorado Mines. The men came into the competition with a one-game lead over both Nebraska-Kearney and Chadron State for the fourth and final spot in the
East Division of the RMAC playoffs. The Mountain Lions needed at least one win over the weekend to secure some leeway in the race for a playoff berth, and were able to do so. Despite playing great defense, holding Colorado Mines to a stiff 40.8 fieldgoal percentage and just 16.7 percent from 3-point range, the defensive effort was not enough as UCCS fell 56-67. Junior Ben Feilmeier led the team in scoring with 12 points while junior Luke Hristou followed with nine points. The lady Mountain Lions, coming off an explosive win against Nebraska-Kearney
101-93 just one week earlier, shared a similar fate, as they lost 60-79 against Colorado Mines on Feb. 19. Contrary to the women’s struggles this season, there was no shortage of competitive play or effort. UCCS led by as many as six points in the first half and kept the game in reach as they trailed by one point with 4:41 left in the half. Colorado Mines finished the half with a 15-6 run and outscored UCCS 27-10 halfway through the second half which, ultimately, put the game away for good. Sophomore Ashley Miller’s high output of 15 points led the team in scoring while
Photos by Doug Fitzgerald, courtesy of UCCS Sports Information junior Mallory Lowe added 12 points. Saturday’s games against Colorado Christian brought a little more success for Mountain Lion Basketball. The men defeated the Cougars 70-64 and play from the bench provided the spark that lifted the team to victory as they scored 30 points and shot 66.7 percent from the field. For the second night in a row, Ben Feilmeier led the team in scoring with 14 points and junior Jordan McClung contributed with 12 points and five assists. The Mountain Lions (1015, 8-9 RMAC) managed to get their must-win vic-
tory and are now tied with Colorado Christian (10-13, 8-9 RMAC) for third place in the East Division of the RMAC. The men’s team saw several players step up over the second half of the season, and their win over Colorado Christian may have been evidence of just that. “Our junior college transfer Brent Jones has made some big strides as of late,” head coach Russ Caton said. “Our freshman point guard Damar Hill is bringing us alot of energy and speed off the bench [and] junior Rob Howe has become instant offense and energy for us in the past few weekends.”
The bitter-sweet weekend ended when the lady Mountain Lions (6-18, 2-14 RMAC) fell 58-84 tothe Colorado Christian. The powerhouse Cougars outrebounded UCCS 48-26 and shot an impressive 52.5 percent from the field, compared to 32.1 percent from UCCS. Freshman Lauren Wolfinger and sophomore Payden Ackerman led the team in scoring with 16 points and 11 points, respectively. Immediately following the games, Janean Jubic and Lauren Holm were given honors as they completed their last collegiate home game on Senior Night. ◆
Mountain Lions on track: Looking forward to conference
Left to right: The track team looks forward to the coming outdoor season. Senior Alex Vasquez leads the 4x400.
Rob Versaw rversaw@uccs.edu
On Feb. 19 the Colorado School of Mines hosted its annual Twilight Meet, a chance for local teams to get a final tune-up in before the RMAC championships. Despite the small field, the black and gold Mountain Lions did not disappoint.
Freshman Lauren Graham added this meet to her list of individual victories in the pole vault clearing 3.50m. Despite the victories she still wants to do better, “I’m still a little frustrated about my last attempt at 12’5’’ because I still don’t even know what I hit the bar with, and it fell down as I was getting off of the pit. But, it does give me confidence going into conference next week because I know that I can clear that
bar and the next one.” Coach David Harmer agreed, “Things went well. We (had) some very encouraging performances.” During the second heat of the Men’s 800 meter, one competitor was not watching and stepped onto the track. Senior Alex Vasquez recounts, “We had our heat set up perfect, David [Harmer] would take us through 400 then Russ [Slade] through 600 and me
and Chris [Reynolds] finish. But, at the beginning of the race, this guy was standing on the track and we all collided and [it] just messed us up.” As the race developed, fortune didn’t favor the Mountain Lions. “Things went well and I moved to the front only to get cut off again on the last turn by some guy with a video camera. I ended up winning the heat only to miss provi-
Courtesy of UCCS Sports Information sional by a narrow margin, something I felt positive about with how I felt being sick. I feel like if the trip ups hadn’t happened, I would have qualified, but again, that was out of my control,” recounted junior Captain Chris Reynolds. Despite the adversity, Reynolds is confident going into next week. “I feel like because I’ve won my last five races on the track that I’m in a position to go for
it at Conference, hopefully qualify for Nationals, and try and win the race. Overall, I feel like our team as a whole is ready to go all out at conference and that we’ll again set more and more records that last year. Everyone is ready.” “I’m excited to get out there and race Conference, the guys are fit, I’m excited to see what we can do,” explained freshman Sam Feldotto. ◆