Since 1966
Vol. 39, Iss. 6
Monday, October 6, 2014
IN BRIEF
UCCSScribe.com University of Colorado Colorado Springs
‘Clean the Stream’ aims to rid Templeton Creek of litter
NEWS
Car damage Professors car almost hit by soccer ball kicked off of Alpine Field 2
Disability certificate New graduate certificate program implemented 2
CULTURE
Colorful camper Student shares her story about a camper covered in colorful handprints 6
Kyle guthrie | The Scribe
Students gathered around the table to get their preparation equipment to clean littler from the Templeton Creek.
‘Cloud 9’ Although somewhat confusing, play successful and entertaining 7
OPINION
Work and school Students need to balance the two in order to remain successful 9
Breast Cancer Not all companies are being honest about their contributions 9
SPORTS
James Roberts
Men’s soccer athlete talks about his success as a midfielder 11
NFL rules New personal-conduct policy implemented too late in the game 11
Kyle Guthrie kguthri2@uccs.edu
The UCCS Office of Sustainability hosted its biannual “Clean the Stream” event Oct. 3, in which members hiked down to Templeton Creek to clean up litter. The event was organized and led by sustainability communication coordinator Rachel Shaffer, a junior majoring in geography and environmental studies. She assembled the event in order to promote a cleaner environment around UCCS. “I’ve been doing this since I was a freshman three years ago,” Shaffer said. A program called Adopt a Waterway purchased the Templeton Creek property and maintain it and clean it twice a year. “[It’s] an older program, but we’re excited because this is the first time we are doing it with Creek Week,” she said. Creek Week is the tricountry effort to maintain the Fountain Creek watershed with volunteers actively participating to pick up trash along the waterways that make up the communities. While the Templeton Gap Creek is not technically considered a part of the Fountain Creek watershed, sustainability decided to
participate in the event due to the fact that the stream runs into the watershed. Clean the Stream has been going on for several years and David Maxon, senior psychology major and the volunteer coordinator and communications student advisor for sustainability, hopes the event can continue to expand. “I think there’s always room for more evolution,” he said. The group met at the lower parking lot of University Hall and hiked roughly four miles to the clean up site up the Templeton Gap Creek trail. About 18 students showed up in the morning for the event, but more trickled in as the day went on. Participants were hoping to spread the word of the event to others who may be interested in helping out next time. “We’re hoping that everyone involved will bring people back next year and show that it’s fun to be sustainable,” Kylie Miller, junior biology major and intern for the Office of Sustainability, said. “It’s an outreach thing, and it’s something that we want everybody to love and make a life choice about because we do think the planet is important.”
Cheer team disbanded due to insurance, Title IX, lack of practice facility Jonathan Toman jtoman@uccs.edu
Attendees of athletic events will have to look elsewhere for their cheers. The cheerleading team, which had transitioned from a student club to classification under the athletic department last year, no longer exists. Athletic director Steve Kirkham explained that there were three main reasons for the switch: in college, cheer doesn’t count toward Title IX, there was not an adequate place to practice and the needed insurance coverage was not financially feasible. Large competitive cheer squads in high schools help fulfill Title IX. Many of the cheerleaders had competed in high school and their expectations did not align with the athletic department, according to Kirkham. Many of the team expected the ability to perform in competitions and do stunts, while the athletic department saw the team in a more cheerleading role. “That’s their expectation, that wasn’t our expectation, that was the expectation of
the young ladies who want to be cheerleaders at UCCS,” Kirkham said. Competitive cheer at the college level requires a gymnastics-type facility, with jump pits and thick floor padding. Athletics would have needed to rent a facility, pay a professional coach and increase the insurance coverage to continue the team. “It seemed like a pretty good idea at the time, but once we really got into the thick of it and I talked to the young ladies who were actually on the team, and realized what their expectations were … we had to decide if this is something we want to put that much money into,” Kirkham said. Junior communication major Shaelyn Hood, who is now the marketing and promotions specialist for athletics, served as the cheer captain last year. Hood explained that the players understand the issue and that fans can make their own atmosphere. “I’ve heard some people that were disappointed,” Hood said. “But I think ultimately it’s up to the fans and how involved they want to be. I think there’s a good future with our fan Continued on page 2 . . .