May 5, 2014 by The Scribe

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UCCSScribe.com Vol. 38, Iss. 28

Monday, May 5, 2014

Cinco de Mayo University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Summer weather is around the corner as students wrap up their classes for the spring semester. Weather was nice starting in late April.

IN BRIEF SCIENCE AND BUSINESS

Vogl Economist speaks at UCCS on anti-corruption and the necessity for transparency in the 21st century 4

CULTURE

Radio show

Husband and wife sing mellow hip-hop tunes at the UCCS Radio spring concert 5

OPINION

Cinco de Mayo The Mexican Independence Day is more widely celebrated in America 9

Club Sports Association looks to distance from SGA Jonathan Toman jtoman@uccs.edu

Some at UCCS are not willing to wait for student government funding to come to them. The Club Sports Association recently submitted a proposal to the Student Government Association’s Budget Advisory Committee to request $32,000 from the club funding money for specific club sport use. Since then, the BAC has voted on the measure twice. April 16 the vote passed, five yes, two no and one abstain. On April 22 the count was five no and two abstain, and the vote failed. The email informing the CSA of the final decision, provided to The Scribe by Chen Zhao, SGA director of finance, highlighted the reasons for their reluctance to pass the measure. According to the email, accountability exists but is

“not being utilized.” Additional concerns were that the proposed structure would not allow for any SGA oversight, new club sports would not be supported by the funding structure and clubs would not “be funded under equal funding process” (meaning some sports might receive a disproportionate share of the funds). “The more we think about it, the more concern we have,” said Zhao, regarding the proposal. “The current funding guidelines work well.” Zhao expects $86,000 will be allocated for all student clubs next year, to include club sports. Club sports present individually to SGA BAC for funding from the student activity fee. Individual teams are capped at $3,000 dollars for the amount they can request. Mallory Price, coordinator of club sports (both a UCCS staff position and a CSA

position), highlighted club development and accountability as reasons for the change. “It’s modeled after our peer institutions; we want to get ourselves up to par,” said Price. Randy Rosso, student treasurer of the CSA, came up with the idea for separate funding. “Why don’t we have a separate fund that we can get money out of instead of going to SGA,” Rosso said. Rosso explained club sports at colleges around the country are self-funded through a separate fee. “Club sports sometimes require more expenses than normal clubs,” said Rosso. “They have more liabilities and the possibility to rack up more expenses than a normal club might.” These costs can include rent of facilities for home games, equipment and national governing body membership dues.

SPORTS

Women’s track Track and ﬁeld team will complete their season at the RMAC Championships 11

james sibert | the scribe

TEXT "THELODGES" TO 313131 FOR MORE INFO

Rosso felt his proposed change could lead to higher levels of play. “I don’t want to say we need it more than other clubs,” said Rosso. “(Club sports’) functionality is different than a normal club. He indicated club sports have different expenses, liability and responsibilities from other student clubs. The CSA is looking at other options for next year. Options include the use of Plant Funds, a rollover fund of unspent club funds from previous years. Rosso indicated they would ask for around $39,000 – $3,000 for each of the existing 13 club sports. “That Plant Fund is only used for if (SGA) needs to allocate more money but otherwise it’s just kind of sitting there from years and years past,” said Rosso. Another option would be for the club sports to present to the Continued on page 2 . . .

News

May 5, 2014| 2

Pulitzer Prize winner to present ‘Other Than Honorable’ at UCCS Jesse Byrnes jbyrnes@uccs.edu

Pulitzer Prize winning Colorado Springs Gazette reporter Dave Philipps will present a behind-thescenes view of “Other Than Honorable,” the series that earned him journalism’s highest award, May 8 in the Centennial Auditorium. The three-day series, published by The Gazette in May of 2013, showed how injured veterans were being discharged from the military without receiving proper benefits. The series explored cases of injured veterans being punished for minor misconduct, harassed and forced to do difficult labor. It also addressed the Army’s struggle to respond to claims of abuse and neglegence. Some discharged soldiers came home from war with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and committed offenses likely linked to their injuries. This misconduct resulted in those soldiers receiving “otherthan-honorable” discharges, stripping them of their benefits. Philipps’ series showed the number of soldiers discharged annually for misconduct was at its highest level since 2009. “We didn’t do this work for

courtesy | michael ciaglo

Gazette reporter Dave Philipps, left, interviews Maj. Gen. Joseph Anderson, who commanded Fort Carson from November 2011 to March 2014, for the ‘Other Than Honorable.’

any recognition,” Philipps said, according to The Gazette, after receiving the news while still at the airport in Washington, D.C., where he was traveling as a finalist for a different award. “To have national recognition, with what we were able to do and at a mediumsized newspaper and for this issue, is amazing,” he added. Philipps will take the UCCS

audience behind the scenes of his Pulitzer win, highlighting stories and information in and outside the “Other Than Honorable” series. Afterward, Gazette managing editor Joanna Bean, and photographer Michael Ciaglo, who both worked on the project, will join Philipps for a Q-and-A panel. They will also take questions from the audience.

UCCS students, staff and faculty are encouraged to attend, as well as members of the community. A reception with free food will follow the panel. The event is sponsored by The Scribe, Office of Student Activities and Office of Veteran and Military Student Affairs. Free parking courtesy of UCCS Parking Services will be available in Lots 1 and 3.

The Lowdown What: ‘Other Than Honorable’ Who: Gazette’s Dave Philipps, Joanna Dean & Michael Ciaglo Where: Centennial Auditorium When: May 8 7:30 - 10 p.m. How much: Free

Sixth annual Move-Out event seeks to repurpose discarded furniture Nick Beadleston nbeadles@uccs.edu

In this country’s throw away culture, there is rarely an opportunity to salvage something that might make someone’s life better. To close out the semester, The Office of Sustainability and Residence Life and Housing will be hosting their sixth annual Mountain Lion Move-Out event. Student and staff volunteers will help load two Discover Goodwill trucks with furniture left behind by departing housing students. The event will run from

May 12 through May 17, 9 to 5 p.m. (9 to noon on the final day). “It really is a coordinated team effort,” said Nancy Gadachy, Student Health Center program assistant, who began the program in 2008. She expressed appreciation at being able to divert landfill bound refuse to a better cause. After all the furniture is returned to Discover Goodwill and weight, the organization sends UCCS a check. Last year over 7,000 pounds of furniture were taken away and $362 was returned to the UCCS

(cont. from page 1) CSA and request funds. Then the CSA would recommend an amount to the BAC. At print time neither of these options had been discussed with SGA. Next year, Rosso said the CSA will look to create a

Residence Hall Association to be allocated for scholarships. “It was a small amount, but at least they were compensated for what they have so generously (helped donate).” Gadachy said, despite the timing of the event, during finals week, she expects a good turnout based on past participation. “I’m so very appreciative to everybody involved to come together like this and become a team,” Gadachy said. In future years, the university hopes to have Discover Goodwill send an

courtesy | goodwillstaffing.com

addition truck in future years after additional housing is built, said Gadachy. She also said the

university is looking into the potential of having a campus “garage sale” with the discarded furniture.

Club Sports Association distance from SGA

separate fee for club sports, which would then not be limited by CSA not SGA guidelines. The fee could be around $2.50 per student. “In the grand scheme of tuition and stuff, $2.50, you could find that lying around

on the ground,” said Rosso. “I don’t think it would be that much of a burden on students.” “I don’t think that number is significant enough to cause an argument hopefully, but if so we have some good reasons I think.”

Clubs would still be required to have club dues and fundraise to limit reliance on the proposed fee. Regardless of what, if any, change are implemented, Rosso said SGA is still interested in oversight and being a part

of the allocation procedure. Any change would include a separate funding committee made up of the CSA members and others. Rosso said discussion with SGA will continue over the next few weeks.

May 5, 2014 | 3 News Engineering students cap off their education with expo Nick Beadleston nbeadles@uccs.edu

The scene looked like a high school science fair, only all the contestants were a few feet too tall. And instead of papier-mâché volcanos and diagrams of light deflecting prisms, the tables were lined with the solutions to realworld problems. The UCCS 2014 Engineering Design Exposition is the final step in the engineering program capstone course. “I tell them at the being of the year, this is not going to be like any other class they’ve ever had,” said Peter Gorde, associate mechanical and aerospace engineering professor. “They will not face a problem that is well defined, that fits with in a nice little box.” “Real world problems don’t work that way.” The expo represents the culmination of 16 teams of 64 engineering seniors. Outside companies approached the university with problems they needed solved. This year the companies included local aerospace firms, utilities companies and medical organizations. Students could then apply to solve one of the problems. They

were put into teams. Some spent this past year working on the most important project of their education with people they had never met. The companies provide the tools, materials and support to design and build a solution to their problem. It was up to the students, however, to figure out how to put all the pieces together. In addition to funding the research the companies contribute funds to keep the course open each year. Gorde indicated that while it may be a gambit on the part of the companies, as they aren’t assured results, students generally deliver. He also said that it is not uncommon for the companies to hire their team’s students after they graduate. He likened the whole experience to an “extended interview.” One four person team tackled an issue that is literally at the heart of modern medicine, Jack Rilley, Jesse Heacock, Thomas Willard and Logan Jones designed a new tool to safely remove the leads from patients’ pacemakers. With existing equipment, removing the leads, which run from the pacemaker deep into the interior or the heart, can be dangerous and can often result in open heart surgery. The team’s tool has the ability

to be dislodged and reused with minimal risk to the patient if there is a complication. “You can un-deploy this device (and) pull it out safely,” said Reily. “It’s not an immediate ‘The device is stuck, we have to cut him open now.’” The team was sponsored by Spectranetics, a local medical company, which, among other services, manufactures leads. Due to the team’s success, Willard was offered a position at the company. A UCCS’s Students for Environmental Awareness and Sustainability group designed a bike charging station, funded by the Green Action Fund. Owing to a generator powered by pedal rotation, portable devices such as cell phones and tables can be charged on USB cables near the handle bars. The bike was built after a model from the University of Arizona. Their version however, said team member Max Halverson, was stationary. A member of the team rode the new SEA’s version to the event. “It’s a little awkward,” admitted Halverson, though he said even with the additional 30 pounds it was still maneuverable. The project, as presented to the GAF, was expected to cost $4,300. Using recycled parts and a donated bike, the team was able

“Other Than Honorable” A PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING SERIES

PHOTO: MICHAEL CIAGLO | THE GAZETTE

Ofﬁce of Veteran and Military Student Affairs

nick burns | the scribe

Trace Lind, left, demonstrates a bike-powered generator.

to complete the project for less than $1,300. The components were incased in fiberglass to allow a clear view of their operation. Halverson indicated their project could be replicated on a smaller scale, however they had

chosen larger components in order illustrate how the deceive works. The team provided The Office of Sustainability plans for the bike, which, by Halverson’s estimation, can be recreated easily and for even less cost.

Science & Business

May 5, 2014| 4

‘What college can’t, won’t and didn’t teach you’

same job, given the state of the economy. Make your resume and portfolio stand out by using an accent color (similar to the company’s colors) for headers. Be creative – is your resume best told through a document, an infographic or perhaps a video? Incorporate adjectives from the job post into your resume. Create and maintain a personal website or blog, too.

Jesse Byrnes

jbyrnes@uccs.edu

Get a job before graduation. That was the message throughout James Burge’s college experience. “It becomes a little intimidating,” said Burge, 24, who graduated from UCCS in 2012 with a bachelor’s in strategic and organizational communication with a minor in marketing. “I think a lot of it had to do with the economy,” Burge said of the uncertainty surrounding graduation. “There was that initial fear that if I don’t get something secured (before graduation) I’ll walk across the stage and into my parent’s (basement).” His short e-book, “What College Can’t, Won’t and Didn’t Teach You,” published last February and available on Kindle for $3.99, includes many of the tips for recent graduates Burge wished someone had told him while in college. Class work and realworld experience can be very different, said Burge. During college he did a number of internships at public relations firms, nonprofits and for-profit organizations. He also sent out more than 500 copies of his resume to potential employers. Originally from Birmingham, Ala., Burge moved to Denver from Colorado Springs a week after graduation to work as an

james sibert | The Scribe

James Burge, a digital media coordinator for Goodwill Services, wrote an e-book for recent graduates.

“The way it was there was that initial fear that if I don’t get something secure (before graduation) I’ll walk across the stage and into my parent’s (basement).” — James Burge assistant marketing manager, his first job. After three months, he was out of work. That’s when he decided to start the book, spending the next year and a half working on it, along with other freelance jobs. He now works for Discover Goodwill doing online communication for their southern/western region, ranging from Grand Junction to Woodland Park and Black Forest. So what can those about to enter the workforce expect? Burge suggests recent grads soak up as much information as possible. “Be a sponge. Be a sponge. Go into a meeting and be a sponge.” Websites like the Coloradocentric AndrewHudsonJobsList. com, Indeed.com and LinkedIn can be useful for finding work,

Burge said. “If you don’t believe in (yourself) no one else will,” said Burge, who hopes to one day own his own PR and marketing firm. Here are some other tips from his book:

and have them connect you with others, or reach out to those in the industry you want to enter and introduce yourself. Buy them a cup of coffee; many are willing to do informational interviews.

You’re the only one impressed with your resume Employers are interested in your potential, not necessarily your past. “Employers are not as impressed with your resume as you are,” one interviewer told Burge after literally ripping up his resume. “They are invested in the person you are going to become with their company.”

Professors are helpful, even after school Former teachers have far more contacts than even senior college students realize. Stay in touch, via email, phone, letters, smoke signals or potentially using social media; professors are generally glad to be a resource for you even after school. They’re wonderful for job and graduate school recommendation letters, too.

Networking is key Have a passion that you can vocalize. Contact acquaintances

You have to stand out Dozens, even hundreds, of people are applying for the

Follow the 80/20 rule Keep your bar crawling limited to weekends, if at all, and dedicate 80 percent of your life to work. “I learned that the hard way,” Burge said. You’re new to the company and the workforce. Eventually you can work toward a 50/50 work/life balance. If you’re in early and stay long enough to get to know the cleaning crew you’re doing OK. Perfect one skill at a time Practice makes perfect. Dedicate time to become competent with the skill and research the best methods to complete particular tasks. Strive to do it naturally. Deal with office politics effectively Avoid gossip, in big and small companies. Relationshipbuilding requires professional, not negative, communication. Take opportunities to strengthen your conflict-management skills.

Nick Beadleston

nbeadles@uccs.edu

A nefarious force far more detrimental than debt or extremism is eroding the foundation of America: corruption. Frank Vogl aims to change this. The former World Bank senior official has seen firsthand the dangers of unchecked exploitation and graft. “Corruption is the abuse of public office for private gain,” said Vogl. “All forms of corruption must be ended to secure basic freedoms. His May 5 lecture to UCCS business students, “Ending Corruption, Promoting Integrity, Fighting for Justice,” concerns how, in an increasingly linked world, vice transcends national boundaries. “The people should understand that this affects our lives here at home,” Vogl said. “It’s not just a remote issue.” Vogl indicated corruption also

has ties to business integrity, a concept he felt would resonate with his university audience. He is the president of Vogl Communication also the co-founder of Transparency International and The Partnership for Transparency Fund, non-profit, anti-corruption organizations. The former has more than 100 chapters worldwide and “works relentlessly to stir the world’s collective conscience and bring about change.” PTF awards grants to “civil society organizations to engage citizens in actions to remove corruption in the public sector.” He has also written for Reuter News Service and Time of London. The Scribe interviewed Vogl previewing his lecture, organizations and outlook on stemming the spread of corruption. For the full interview, visit uccsscribe.com/ news.

courtesy | frankvogl.com

Anti-corruption economist speaks at UCCS

Culture

May 5, 2014| 5

Clyde’s gives UCCS Radio spring concert a mellow feel Audrey Jensen

ajensen4@uccs.edu

Rating:

At a hip-hop show, one expects to see performers in an open setting with a large amount of people jumping to the beat. However, this was not the case at the second annual UCCS Radio spring concert. About 130 people attended the two hour show in Clyde’s April 28 and got an up close and personal view of the artists. Local rap and hip-hop artist, StoneyBertz gave an hour-long performance with around 10 rap songs. In each song she projected a laid-back flow of words, and displayed her emotional range with lyrics about friends, family and life lessons. StoneyBertz’s performance was casual and did not seem to be overly rehearsed. The darkly dressed rapper moved around Clyde’s and engaged with some of the more active members of the audience. The hour was a blur as one rap transitioned smoothly into another. Some of the beats StoneyBertz used were courtesy of another local hip-hop artist and producer, eLiMenCe. Audience members seemed

james sibert | The Scribe

The Colorado Springs-based ReMINDers performed at the UCCS Radio spring concert April 28.

unsure during StoneyBertz’s performance as to whether or not it was OK to stand up and dance or just sit in their chairs and occasionally nod at the artist. The more reserved atmosphere made it difficult for students to really get into the performance. Between artists, free food was offered and there was a raffle drawing for T-shirts. The prevalence of freebies seemed to excite more of the students than

the first act. Next, the singing and rapping duo The ReMINDers quietly walked up to the microphones in the back of the room as they introduced themselves. Many appeared to be expecting another laid-back performance from the two. However, unlike with the previous performance, the energy picked up as people forgot about the quiet and darkly lit

surroundings of Clyde’s. The ReMINDers used every inch of space provided to hype up the crowd. They swayed their arms and danced to uplifting songs and unique sounds. All the while they were accompanied by the music and beats of local DJ Lazy Eyez. Students outside peeked in as they walked by to see who was performing. After a couple of songs

everyone had “The ReMINDers” burned into their minds; the performers sang and rapped their group name numerous times during their songs to spread their name. The ReMINDers, also a Colorado-based husband and wife duo, have performed with artists such as Snoop Dogg and have plenty of experience of performing onstage. Aja Black rapped and sang, while Big Samir also showed off his talent, sometimes singing and rapping in French. At this point, people finally got up and started dancing. Although both the performances made for an enjoyable couple of hours of vocal variety, it would have been even more enjoyable to see more students come for the actual performance. Not just because they were coincidently eating at Clyde’s. Perhaps UCCS Radio could have advertised the performance more. Clyde’s was more appropriate for StoneyBertz’s performance because it was a mellow and relaxed performance. However, it would have been interesting to see The ReMINDers perform in a setting that allowed students to not be afraid of joining in on the full-blown, hip-hop performance.

Hollywood festival shows classic movies still relevant Thomas Price Guest Reporter

Tinsel Town is not known for its promotion of family values. However, on April 1012 thousands of classic movie fans converged in the heart of Hollywood for the 5th annual TCM Classic Film Festival. This year the event was themed “Family in the Movies: The Ties that Bind.” The festival showed more than 80 movies and featured discussions with actors such as Richard Dreyfuss (“Jaws”), Alan Arkin (“Argo”), Shirley Jones (“The Partridge Family”) and Maureen O’Hara (“The Quiet Man”). Legendary comedic director Mel Brooks, in all his hilarious, un-politically correct glory, and award-winning composer and writer Quincy Jones were also in attendance. This was my third trip to the festival and it was evident that the cross-generational appreciation for classic movies is growing, with good reason. Films that portrayed family values ranged from the 1920’s silent “City Lights,” featuring Charlie Chaplin, to Dreyfuss’ “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” a 1995 journey about a musician raising a deaf son. The thread that tied all the

films together was the old adage: The more things change, the more they stay the same. The difficulties of single parenting were explored in the 1937 “Stella Dallas.” In the film, Barbara Stanwyck’s character literally pushes her daughter away in a selfless act to save her. In the 1939 “Bachelor Mother,” Ginger Rogers demonstrated the societal disapproval for out-of-wedlock childbearing. The ultimate dysfunctional family was grittingly and cringingly on display in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” The 1958 tour de force featured Burl Ives as the emotionally abusive patriarch Big Daddy, Elizabeth Taylor as the sultry Maggie, and Paul Newman as Brick, her alcoholic husband and Big Daddy’s son. Additionally, a showing of the classic “Gone with the Wind” in historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre revealed the penultimate family dysfunction. The 1939 Best Actress winner, Vivien Leigh, consumed the screen with her deceit and narcissism as Scarlett O’Hara. The timeless and often heartwarming relationship between fathers and daughters was on wonderful display in the 1950 original “Father of the Bride,” where Spencer Tracy cannot accept his young daughter’s

courtesy | thomas price

Thomas Price, right, meets Oscar-winning songwriter Richard Sherman.

engagement. The often complicated sister relationship was horrifically revealed in “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” (1962), casting real-life enemies Bette Davis and Joan Crawford as the cruelest of sisters. This motif also surfaced in the Woody Allen film “Hannah and Her Sisters” from 1986. Even the trials of dealing with aging parents were explored with poignancy in several wonderful and decades-old films. In addition, there were movies about creating non-traditional families: Disney’s 1967 “The Jungle Book” and “American Graffiti,” the 1973 George Lucas exploration of teens’ last night

together after high school. “The story of leaving your family and moving on is a timeless one that resonates with every generation and accounts for the film’s renewed appeal,” said the Oscar-nominated Candy Clark (“American Graffiti”) during a panel discussion. There was also Disney’s 1964 Academy Award winning, “Mary Poppins,” where an ordinary English family is fractured until a magical nanny helps mend the bonds broken by pride. “[Mary Poppins] is a timeless story that’s all about the importance of family,” said the Oscar-winning Richard Sherman, who, along with his brother,

Robert, created the beloved music of “Mary Poppins.” The opportunity to watch classic films on the big screen created an entirely different level of appreciation for not only the visuals, but also the story, acting and technical aspects. However, one doesn’t need to purchase a plane ticket to California to attend a film festival. There are many local and oncampus opportunities to explore films such as those featured at the TCM festival. From the “Directors in Focus” series offered in the Visual and Preforming Arts department (including Hitchcock and Kubrick) to the American Cinema and Walt Disney Communication courses, several on-campus offerings exist. There are also two UCCS film clubs that show excellent movies weekly throughout the year. Local commercial theaters often reshow at least one “classic” film weekly, a testament to their immortality and relevance. While a trip to Hollywood may not be on every film fan’s agenda, the chance to see the most classic of movies surrounds them. Take the opportunity; as is said a hundred times over at the TCM festival, “They just don’t make ‘em like that anymore.”

Thomas Price is president of the oncampus Totally Classic Movies club.

CULtUrE

May 5, 2014 | 6

Student uses artistic vision to create pieces for dying man April Weﬂer aweﬂer@uccs.edu

For some art is a way to see the world; for others the world is art. “(Art) asks you to be constantly open and look at things in different ways,” said JD Sell, junior Visual and Performing Arts major with an emphasis in drawing. “It broadens my whole approach.” Art has influenced specific facets of Sell’s life. “I wouldn’t have ended up at UCCS if it weren’t for (art) or had the experience I had at Western State for a year without it,” he said. “I just like the environment in which it encompasses because it’s a certain lifestyle.” Although Sell said he always liked to draw, he didn’t plan on making art his career. When he was in high school, a close friend and mentor was diagnosed with leukemia. “It was before I started to take my artwork seriously,” Sell said. “When he was diagnosed, I felt like I needed to do something for his family. I didn’t know what so I ended up drawing.”

Sell drew a series of studies on the man’s family and presented it to him two weeks before he died. “Seeing the response from him and his wife – she still has it up in their bedroom – seeing the impact of something as simple as a symbol or a gesture can affect them so much.” Some of Sell current projects include charcoal drawings on metal and on wood. Sell also creates drawings using graphite powder, gum arabic and water on paper – allowing the material to decay from a crisp image. “The whole concept that I’m working with right now is memory. Through memory, I’ve been trying to express different emotions that you can encapsulate – different processes of decay and different processes of deterioration,” Sell said. “Some of my favorite ones are the ones that wash out a bit,” he said of a technique he uses. He is also attempting to finish a piece he started working on last semester. “It destroyed me quite a bit when I was working on it. I bit off way more than I could chew

meGan LunsForD | the scribe

JD Sell in the paint studio in the Galleries of Contempory Art.

for an actual class,” he said. Sell describes the piece, a “mural-esque” work with multiple panels, as his reflection of the Cold War era. “I really enjoyed working on it because it was a drawing technique that I always enjoyed but didn’t do much – painting, crosshatching, drawing with

crosshatching, with ink. It was fun to see that come together.” “The actual process of it was really great for me. It’s been a year since I started and it’s at least 95 percent done,” he said. Sell indicated he has a center piece to do for the artwork, as well as minor details. He hopes to finish the piece this summer.

One medium he would like to try is sculpture. “I am petrified of it,” he said. “I did it a little bit in high school and I was the kid that would throw the clay at the pottery wheel to see if it would spin up and shoot around the room.” “I don’t see myself as a 3-D type person when it comes to my artwork, but I would like to expand it. (Sculpture) scares the hell out of me,” he added. Sell would like to get his Master of Fine Arts and become a college or university professor. “I can’t ever see myself being out of this environment,” he said. “I feel so much more engaged and comfortable in a school environment and just to be around what it encompasses and what it allows you to explore.” “To be a teacher, to have the slim chance to have the effect that some teachers have had on me, just once, if I was a teacher, that would be enough,” he added. Sell said he hopes to have a solo show sometime this summer. For more information, visit his blog at jdsart.wordpress. com.

May 31, 2014

CULtUrE

May 5, 2014 | 7

‘Amazing Spider-Man 2’: Zero days since the last Oscorp Accident Audrey Jensen ajensen4@uccs.edu

Rating: 4/5 spiderwebs

Something always seems to get in the way of SpiderMan’s life. Unlike the typical superhero, however, it’s not always the bad guy, but rather Peter Parker’s choices that put him in danger. “The Amazing SpiderMan 2” is no different. While the film outdid its predecessor in terms of special effects and action scenes, it did not have a clear storyline encompassing each character or subplot.

Continuing from the storyline of the 2012 “The Amazing Spider-Man,” the audience is reminded the main love interest of Parker (English-raised Andrew Garfield) is not Mary Jane Watson, as in the Tobey Maguire Spiderman movies, but instead Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). Since Spider-Man’s defeat of enemy Dr. Connors, The Lizard, at the end of the first film, New York City is back to its mediocre level of crime. Our hero is once again up against criminals who can’t figure out how to get around Spidey’s wits, strength and webs. Life continues on as normally as it can for Stacy and Parker until Parker remembers the vow he made

courtesy | marvel

to Stacy’s New York Police Department captain father. As promised, Parker has to find the balance between life as a college student with a girlfriend and as a superhero for New York City. It is unclear who SpiderMan’s next arch-nemesis is going to be for the first quarter of the film. Although the audience is introduced to new characters Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx) and the infamous Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), the storyline is focused more on the details of Parker’s past. The build-up of his enemies, aside from preventing everyday street crime, is put on hold. Dillon is introduced as a “nobody” who works for the conglomerate Oscorp Industries. However after a mishap, he becomes the super villain Electro. The common thread among Spider-Man’s enemies always involves an experiment mishap or an accident in the Oscorp laboratory. The problems his enemies typically have with him stem from selfish intentions or miscommunication with Spider-Man. Apparently the Spider-Man movies can’t create villains that aren’t spawned from a nefarious laboratory, mad scientist or insane doctor. The battles between the hero and the main villain, Electro, become repetitive and eventually predictable. The expected outcomes become less obvious when mixed with the digital work of the clash between shooting webs and blue lightning. Electro isn’t the only consistent opponent for Spider-Man. Osborn and Parker, who have a complicated, intertwined

‘Amazing Spider-Man 2’ premiered May 1.

past, also clash. The two-hour film brought unresolved issues from the first film into the spotlight and created new ones to tie into the story. However, the conclusion of this film might disappoint or shock viewers, depending on the amount of “The Amazing Spider-Man” comics they’ve read. The idea of adding in new characters and conflict to the main plot was wellintended, but by the end of the movie, the director should have focused on the most important issue rather than forcing each of the extra conflicts to close with confusing and choppy solutions.

courtesy | marvel

Additionally, some of the characters, seemingly thrown into the movie to add more conflict, didn’t necessarily tie into the original Spider-Man story. Then again, a superhero has to a have a new war to fight with every movie, even if it’s a war within himself. “The Amazing SpiderMan 2” may be your average superhero movie, however it is refreshing to see a superhero who is not part of the Avengers. This is a fun weekend movie and you don’t have to be a huge Spider-Man fan to enjoy it. Make sure you stay for a special preview that is shown halfway through the end credits.

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Editorial

May 5, 2014| 8

For Mr. Byrnes, an exit Jesse Byrnes, editor-in-chief scribe@uccs.edu

News can be poetic and memorable, even pleasurable, but it’s rarely final. I kept a list of items I would include in my final column as editorin-chief – the personal digs, the documented inconsistencies, the jibs and jabs. I scrapped the list and started over. Reality isn’t scripted. Truth comes from the heart and speaks to the soul. Our staff did a lot this year. We covered a tragic faculty fatality, a historic basketball season and a 21 percent student fee increase. We profiled an Olympic medalist, an abandoned live mascot and a treasure trove of administrative oversights. We wrote about parking. We ran an election and kept a piece of this university intact. We brought in $14,000 in advertising this year – more than the past few years combined – and snatched a student newspaper from the brink of becoming, at best, an everyother-week publication. We increased our Facebook likes by 58 percent, Twitter followers by 47 percent and commitment to readers by an immeasurable amount. We produced 29 issues, hundreds of articles and countless memories. We grew our readership, we told stories, we listened. We made mistakes. It required blood, toil, tears and sweat, but produced smiles, laughs and hope. I started the year with my reservations about journalism. Of course, that’s totally just me. No one else has ever questioned entering an industry with invariably low pay, unpredictable hours, constant stress and endless disappointment. But somehow, some way, I found myself back at the feeding trough of truth. Keep going, a small voice whispered from the back of my head. You love this. And the truth is, I do. My favorite quotes from inside the newsroom are all unsuitable for printing. But somehow we always found a way to make it work. Our reporting was cited by the Colorado Springs Gazette, Denver Post, Canyon City Daily Record, KOAA 5 and Washington Examiner, among others. Our perspectives were changed, our character challenged and our careers launched. During most of my time at this university I worked this job, three off-campus jobs and had a full class schedule. At The Scribe I was a reporter for three months, managing editor for a year, editor-in-chief for a year and a politician for a week. I fell asleep on my couch replying to emails more this year than I slept in my own bed.

Jesse Byrnes Editor-in-Chief

Nick Beadleston

Managing/News Editor

Taylor Hargis Copy Editor

Nick Beadleston

Science & Business Editor

April Wefler Culture Editor

Crystal Chilcott Opinion Editor

Christopher Schmidt Video Editor

April Wefler

Life on the Bluffs/Social Media Editor

Jonathan Toman Sports Editor

Nick Burns Photo Editor

Samantha Morley Layout Editor

Edwin Satre

Website Manager

Reporters

nick burns | The Scribe

Jesse Byrnes, outgoing editor-in-chief for The Scribe, has worked for the newspaper since spring of 2012 and graduates May 2014.

I mediated conflicts, defended our journalistic integrity and managed to not take a single email survey. I hired, fired, admired and rhymed, occasionally. I sent two tweets that landed UCCS in the national spotlight. I sacrificed relationships for work and fell in love with journalism. I wasn’t alone. Sara, Sam and the Nicks poured their hearts out to see this newspaper succeed, along with the photographers, reporters, editors and managers who brought their A-game each week. Everyone has that one person who gets them through a significant life event. Laura Eurich helped me get through college and into journalism. She continues to be an incredible teacher, adviser, mentor and friend. Brad, Sabrina and Stephen were supportive. More people should be like Tiffany Yep. The chancellor and vice chancellors and senior upper division executive vice chancellors were all good sports, even those who didn’t ride the team bus or whose assistants used their full titles in all communication. (Personally I found Senior Executive Editor-in-Chief for The Scribe to be a mouthful.) We gave it our best and tried harder each week. As a media outlet,

we honored our history dating back to 1966 and put together a strategy for our future. Jonathan Toman, The Scribe’s next editor-in-chief, has our full confidence to build on this year’s achievements and make the newspaper a robust publication for years to come. Journalism will always serve a special purpose to share truth, give a voice to the powerless and hold leaders accountable, regardless of the medium. This year was a shovel scratching at the surface. The heavy digging is still ahead. The coming days are bright for this newspaper, its readers, its staff and this school. It was a pleasure serving as editorin-chief of this publication. I wish you the very best. –– Connect on Twitter: @jessebyrnes Facebook: jessejbyrnes

Ryan Adams AJ Albaaj Brandon Applehans Audrey Jensen Alexander Nedd Dezarae Yoder

Samantha Morley

Graphic Designer, Reporter

Photographers Nooh Alrashid Joshua Camacho Megan Lunsford James Sibert

Business Manager Hussain Albahrani

Ad Sales Representative Michael Petrucelli

Advisor

Laura Eurich

Letters to the Editor: scribe@uccs.edu

On campus: UC 106 Phone: (719) 255-3658 www.uccsscribe.com

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@uccsscribe

oPiNioN

May 5, 2014 | 9

Get used to the weather, it deﬁnes our state

James Sibert jsibert@uccs.edu

“I’m so done with this weather,” some say, to which I reply, “Wimps.” Folks in Manitou Springs love their town’s

reputation for being weird. Folks in Texas love their state’s reputation for being bigger. But folks in Colorado Springs do not particularly pride themselves in their state’s bipolar weather reputation. And that’s disappointing. When I see posts from friends on Instagram and Twitter complaining whenever the wind picks up I can’t help but be frustrated. Maybe the wind does get a bit nippy from time to time, or all day as was the case in the women’s softball final home games.

And maybe you still freak out when the roads get a bit slick from an overnight dip in temperature. But I still get tingles down my spine as I’m putting on the layers. Wool socks, heavy winter boots, beanie and goggles, gloves and my water-proof exterior shell – all to go outside and see the glory of the Colorado winter. It won’t be long before summer is upon us. Dry, sweltering days; lightning storms accompanied by dry winds forcing daily Red Flag warnings from the National Weather

Service. Don’t get me wrong – I love summer. And unlike Olaf from Disney’s recent movie “Frozen,” I do know a few things about heat. Like, for instance, how it makes the water at the surface of Pueblo Reservoir warm enough to play in. Or how it makes summiting any of our 55 Fourteeners a heck of a lot easier and safer. It makes water gun wars possible and also makes a weekend evening at the park with a volleyball net a viable option. But Colorado is one of those fortunate

places on planet earth where we have four defined seasons. This is in contrast to places like Alaska with two seasons – insanely cold and less cold – or the tropics’ hotdry and hot-wet. Here we have winter, spring, summer and fall. People make the mistake of labeling everything any day that involves negative 50 degree temperatures as winter, even though it officially only lasts between the winter solstice (Dec. 21) and vernal equinox (March 20). It’s a timeframe established by the

movement of the earth around the sun. Spring involves frequent, sudden changes in temperature, often accompanied by varying forms of precipitation. Don’t get caught in the complaining state of mind that infects people who rush the seasons. The weather will do its own thing based on our mountain ranges, so roll with it. Slow down and watch with wonder as the snow swirls around. Take a moment to look closely at the marvel of a snowflake on your car door handle. Pretty soon it’ll be gone.

to make a “traditional” Mexican meal of some kind.) It might come as a shocker but most in Mexico don’t celebrate Cinco de Mayo. However, here in the U.S. we do, and we should. Here’s why: America is largely responsible for the significance of the day. But it’s complicated. First let’s clear up the widely held misnomer that Cinco de Mayo is the Mexican Independence Day. The 19th century was filled with a series of invasions and wars for Mexico, so the uniqueness of this singular moment is not much when you stack it up against the rest of the battles that could be commemorated.

The Cinco de Mayo actually honors the Mexican Army’s successful defense of the city of Puebla against the better-prepared invading French forces in 1862. Unfortunately for the Mexicans, this wasn’t the end. The French, led by Napoleon III, returned with more men and took the city of Puebla after battling for nine months. After the Mexicans defending Puebla surrendered, the French rode to Mexico City. In 1864 an Austrian, Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, was crowned the stand-in emperor of Mexico. Thankfully the U.S. had just finished up with its Civil War, and so it sent aid to Mexico to

overthrow the imperialists. Soon after, Maximilian was captured and in 1867 he was killed by a firing squad. Mexico again belonged to the Mexicans. The country and heritage of my people appreciated the hand-up when we needed it and did help with relations between countries that at the time were a bit…sensitive (thanks, America). So although Mexico does not celebrate the holiday, Americans definitely should. Not only for the historical reason, but also in recognition of what this country stands for: freedom from tyranny, which is what the French and Napoleon were all about.

The Cinco de Mayo is an opportunity for fun and family, and, if you’re so inclined, a piece of history that dates back to 1862. It’s another celebration recognizing freedom and it’s important we don’t let that bit be forgotten. Many people quibble over the use of “costumes” and “stereotypes” (the ponchos, sombreros, mariachi band, etc.), often associated in celebrating the day. As a MexicanAmerican, Hispanic, Chicano or whatever the politically correct term others have determined is best for me, I say your serape must be a little too tight. It doesn’t matter how you dress up freedom – what matters is that you

recognize it. Hotdogs, apple pie and baseball games aren’t all that makes America, but are things I and countless others enjoy and associate with this country. Let a thousand piñatas be smashed and excited children from families of all ethnic backgrounds scramble for candy. In addition to piñatas, sales for tequila, Mexican beer, salsa and guacamole sales will go up, too – all good for our economy, ¿Qué no? I say strap on your sombrero and shake those maracas, baby. In the stressed out world we live in, we need any excuse to spend time with friends and family and just have fun. ¡Salud!

usual. First of all, let’s get on the same page about what is not stupid question. Asking questions in class about confusing material or the format for the final are not an unintelligent waste of everyone’s time. Asking appropriate questions in the due course of a conversation does not classify as stupid. Stupid questions are those annoying inquiries people pose when they either want to “make conversation,” hear themselves talk or simply have a habit of asking something that just doesn’t need to be asked. For example, a former

roommate would ask every morning, “Do you have a busy day today?” She asked this as I, halfawake, tried to gather all of my books and multiple bags, and launch myself out into the world. Maybe it’s just that I’m not a morning person and don’t like talking to anyone until I’ve left the house. Maybe it’s that my hectic lifestyle has permanently elevated my level of snippiness. Whatever the reason, I always had to fight the urge to snap, “Of course I have a busy day, when do I not have a busy day?” Most college students are especially busy this time of year, with finals,

papers and projects all crammed into the last three weeks of school. No one has the emotional endurance to deal with pointless conversation initiated by stupid questions. Some of the most stupid questions I’ve heard lately deal with my body temperature. One day when it was about 70 degrees, I wore a sweater dress. I was a comfortable temperature all day. In my last class, someone asked, “Weren’t you hot wearing that today?” Well, no, as I matter of fact, I wasn’t. The point of this question was either judging my clothing choice, which

is just trivial, or of deep concern for my personal wellbeing. If it is the former, then please focus your attention on something that actually matters. If it is the latter, I suppose I should greatly value your concern. I presume that had I replied that, “Yes, I was roasting,” she would not have ran in with an ice bucket. Therefore, the whole question was pointless. Another day, someone asked if I was cold when I put on a jacket. I was tempted to reply, “No, actually I’m really warm right now and I’m putting on my jacket so I can pretend like I’m in a

sauna.” Instead, I just said, “yes,” and the conversation ended, having accomplished nothing but frustration. The epidemic of stupid questions is fueled by sites such as Yahoo! Answers. A complex.com article listed some of the stupidest questions asked on that site, featuring such gems as, “Can looking at a picture of the sun hurt your eyes?” and “What does fall 2010 mean?” Let’s do each other a favor in our valiant attempt to make it through finals with a shred of sanity. Before you ask a question, first ask yourself why?

Cinco de Mayo: Celebrate it any way you want

Dezarae Yoder dyoder@uccsedu

Cinco de Mayo is a lighthearted celebration observed by many, even if they don’t know why. And why not? All over the country all ethnic groups will likely be drinking, hanging out with friends and grilling, if the weather is suitable. (Perhaps even attempting

Ask a stupid question, expect a stupid answer

Crystal Chilcott cchilcot@uccs.edu

Contrary to what teachers and parents preached our entire lives, there is such a thing as a stupid question. With finals drawing near and stress levels running high, stupid questions are even more annoying than

liFe on the BluFFs Top

Place to go for Cinco de Mayo

Ten

Ryan Adams, radams3@uccs.edu

10 9

King Soopers. Buy a couple of the 81 million avocados Americans consume each year. Guacamole for days. Chipotle. Attempt to give your order in Spanish and you get your meal for free. Don’t be that guy or girl that tries to spin English into Spanish though. You’ll just get a lot of blank stares and no burrito. No Bueno.

Taco Bell. The Wafﬂe Taco is the next big thing according to fast food junkie sources of mine.

Pikes Peak. Be the ﬁrst person to enjoy a tasty margartia or Corona on Colorado Spring’s crown jewel. Just don’t die as that would be one less margarita or Corona for your amigos.

Campus Chatter

Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.49)

2 1 6

Albertacos. Although most of us visit the great establishment after midnight, pay those gents a visit midday. Then you can actually see what’s in those burritos you love so much.

New parking garage. Bring some Coronas and margaritas to the construction workers and we might have our new buildings done by next month.

Margaritaville. We’re all thinking it.

Any parking lot on campus. Break out in your best random Spanish you can muster and you might freak out someone enough to get a coveted parking spot.

coolest EVER! #UCCS #FILM” @NaylaJad

1 3

“One class period leﬅ in my undergraduate career...thinking about dropping out and getting a job at McDonald’s. #UCCS” @Andrew Graxa

This week

Mon

at UCCS 5 What Out for Your Friends - Signs of Suicide in Friends and Family 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. UC 122

“@uccs Watching LARP club

do their thing is always the highlight of my Fridays :)”

“Number of times I’ve had to download

@CovertConverser

SafeConnectin the past 3 hours: 13. Really UCCS? How am I supposed to do my homework? #UCCS” @TinyCRO

“18 credit hours for fall semester

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/sudokugen/ on Tue Apr 29 19:40:13 2014 GMT. Enjoy!

Wed

Definitely put in the effort for your final. If you don’t, then you are just going to regret it.

“My film teacher is by far the

Ivan Chinchilla, freshman, history

Sweet Salty Tweets

this point in the semester?

Avoid Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.

Mexico. Because why not at

Abbey Rettinger, sophomore, psychology

7 9

Sometimes it takes breaking away from everything and spending a couple of hours every day ... cramming.

What advice for you have about studying for ﬁnals?

A random class on campus. Take a few tequila shots, grab your sombreros and burst out in some classic Mexican tunes that will surely provide entertainment for a lucky group of Mountain Lions.

Joe Magee, junior, ﬁnance

Alexander Nedd, anedd@uccs.edu

May 5, 2014 | 10

Frank Vogl 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Upper Lodge

Thurs

@UCCS...junior year, half way done, keep on swimming...” @LesteElizabeth

Guest Speaker Anthony DeStephanis 5 - 7 p.m. Centennial 203

Pet Day 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. West Lawn

Tues

“Do You Know Who I Am?” 6 - 7:30 p.m. Berger Hall

ROAR Awards 6 - 7:30 p.m. Clyde’s

Fri

Holy Ignorance: Religion, Politics, and the Crisis of Globalization 5:30 - 7 p.m. UC 302

Luau in the Lodge 7 - 9 p.m. West Lawn

sPorts

May 5, 2014 | 11

Women’s track and ﬁeld team eye RMAC Outdoor Championships Brandon Applehans bappleha@uccs.edu

The women’s track and field team is looking to finish the season with a bang at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships May 5-6. They also hope to run at the national championships at the end of May. “The middle distance events have been going well,” said head coach David Harmer. “We have five gals that are in the top 15 of the RMAC standings. We have two gals that have run national qualifying marks, with one being a freshman.” The Urban sisters, senior Alexa and freshman Makenzie, both have provisional marks in the 800-meter. The team won eight events at the Colorado College Invitational on April 5, taking the 100-meter, 4 x 400-meter relay and 3,000-meter run, among others. A trip to California April 18-19 served as one of the final tune-ups for conference, as the team lowered times and made provisional marks. The seniors on the team are looking to make their own final mark in the upcoming RMAC championships. “It’s my senior year and I’ve always wanted to break 60 (seconds),” said senior sprinter Briana Alley. “I’m almost there, so I have one more meet to break that record in the 400 meter.” Alley is also expecting to decrease

her times in other events. “For the 800-meter I ran a 2:12. I’m looking to run a little faster at conference.” “Trying to get back to nationals has been my goal,” said Alexa Urban. “Last year was the first year we really had a girl’s event go. We’re trying to get back there this year.” To meet these self-imposed expectations, the girls plan to rely heavily on their team chemistry. “I think we have always had really good chemistry,” said Urban. “Both guys and girls. It has made this year a lot more fun. I think the team keeps getting better because of it.” Next fall, key runners for the Mountain Lions will move on, including Alexa Urban, Ashley Benfield and Veronica Sandoval. “We will be losing some of our leaders,” said Harmer. “Ashley and Veronica are two of the big guns we will miss this fall.” However, the graduating seniors will open opportunities for new and returning talent. There have been multiple underclassman standouts, including freshman Hayley Gantt who set records for UCCS in the 60- and 100-meter dashes. “We have some good recruits coming in. We have two very good transfers from two of the biggest running schools in the country,” said Harmer.

james sibert | the scribe

Senior Ashley Benﬁeld and junior Sarah Treese, top, participated in the 2,000-meter steeple chase.

Sterling price could cost us all free speech

Dezarae Yoder dyoder@uccsedu

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, worth an estimated $1.9 billion, received a lifetime ban from the NBA and a fine of $2.5 million for remarks made during an obviously baited conversation with his girlfriend regarding African Americans. The danger is a precedent that could cost far more to free speech. I understand this punishment. What troubles me is that a person’s thoughts spoken privately could cost them so much in a country that touts freedoms of speech and expression. The girlfriend, V. Stiviano leaked the tape

to TMZ, a recording that, under California law, was illegal to take given Sterling had no idea it was happening at the time. Even if baited, there’s a lot we can determine by the things Sterling said in the recording. He has issues with people of color. He doesn’t like to have his girlfriend showing up with minorities, taking pictures and posting them over social media. We can also determine from the punishment how much private conversations can cost you. Never mind the illegally obtained recording, what if an owner is against gay marriage and that is made apparent in the same manner as Sterling’s racial opinions? What if an owner were to make degrading comments about women? What if an owner said the same thing about white people, Hispanics or Asians? Would he receive this penalty? Do these instances deserve the same punishment?

Going forward it will be interesting to see how the association deals with similar situations. This can’t be the end, even if other owners would wish it so. Detroit News columnist Terry Foster thinks other owners might be nervous. “…some owners… want this thing to go away as quickly as possible. They definitely don’t want things coming out of their closet.” Apparently the Bentleys, the Ferrari and house Sterling bought Stiviano wasn’t enough to motivate her to keep their private conversations private. A word to the rest of you owners: Keep your mouth shut or you too could receive this type of punishment. There’s more to this story that should be examined, including the lateness of the intense indignation that’s got the nation in a racial tizzy. Former LA Laker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar commented on this “outrage” in a recent opinion piece in Time

courtesy | icemansports.com

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s racial remarks pose threats to free speech for all.

Magazine. “If we’re all going to be outraged, let’s be outraged that we weren’t more outraged when his racism was first evident,” he wrote. “Let’s be outraged that private conversations between people in an intimate relationship are recorded and publicly played.” “Let’s be outraged that whoever did the betraying will probably get a book deal…” As Jabbar also points out, public records provide Sterling

had been preventing African Americans and Hispanics from getting public housing. It’s unbelievable to think, before this story broke, Sterling was going to be recognized by the Los Angeles NAACP chapter with its first annual lifetime achievement award in celebration of their 100th anniversary. What’s funny is despite the NAACP being able to ascertain Sterling’s sentiments regarding race, they

were going to award him anyway. According to the Clipper’s website, the NAACP has recognized Sterling with awards in the past. (Keep in mind, off-color Sterling remarks have surfaced before.) UCLA, Sterling’s alma mater, is also rejecting a $3 million gift intended for kidney research because of the recent “divisive and hurtful comments” the owner made, according to a university spokesperson in a recent press release. Sterling is not a newly discovered racist – his history of idiotic comments is well documented. His remarks should come as no surprise, but the severity of his punishment for ignorant and stupid statements should put fear in all. Again, the motivation is understood. But only now, as Sterling’s girlfriend releases this illegally taped conversation does his flagrant ignorance become an issue for the NAACP, NBA, UCLA and the country.

Sports

May 5, 2014| 12

Men head to RMAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships Brandon Applehans bappleha@uccs.edu

The men’s track and field team expects to continue their spring success at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships May 4-6. The team also has their eye on loftier goals – namely the national championships. From junior All-American (indoor) 800 runner Carson Aberle, to senior Travis Whitman who recently finished third in the 400-meter dash, the team looks to finish strong in Alamosa, Colo. “We’ve got a great group of seniors,” said head coach Mark Misch. “We have 11 seniors in the program and they’ve been doing this for a while.” “All of our top people have been running at a high level and making the most out of their opportunities.” “I hit a personal best and we had a lot of guys on the team hit their personal best, especially the seniors,” said Whitman. “My expectations were pretty high for this season,” said Aberle. “The past couple years we’ve had some success with the team getting better, as a lot

of our individuals are getting into their later years of school.” Misch emphasized focusing on more than just individual goals. “There are individuals who do have school records and are conference champions. Hopefully the best is yet to come,” he said. The team achieved success at some of their most recent meets. At CU-Boulder on April 12, Aberle and junior Kyle McCloskey took third and sixth place, respectively, in the 800-meter run. At the time both were provisional marks for nationals. Aberle – along with seniors Jonathan Wright, Travis Whitman and junior Ryan Buchanan – took third in the 4 x 400-meter relay. On April 25 and 26, the team traveled to three different locations across the country, based on different events. “Our 4 x 4 crew went out to Pennsylvania running at the Penn relays. Our other sprinters were at the Colorado School of Mines Invitational, and some distance people were at KU,” Whitman said. Misch weighed in on the needed preparation for conference.

james sibert | The Scribe

Seniors Jonathan Wright and Travis Whitman pass the baton in the 400-meter relay at the Colorado College Invitational on April 5.

“We need to be as prepared as we can be individually and control the things we can control,” said Misch. “If we do that then the competition takes care of itself.” Last year at the RMAC Outdoor Championships, Aberle won the 800-meter as well as setting a track record with a time of 1 minute, 51.70

seconds. “The RMAC is so tough and (there are) so many good runners” said Aberle. “I would like to win it again.” “You never know what’s going to happen in track,” Misch said. “You have to take it as it comes. You can’t let your highs be too high and your lows be too low. You have to move

on to the next event.” Next year, the Mountain Lions look to continue their success despite losing senior leadership. “We lose some great guys that have been a part of the program for a while,” said Misch. “The sport is fluid; the dynamics change within the group.”