Celebrating 100 Years
The Student Voice Since 1903 UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2004
Forensics students to meet with experts at conference by Roy Howe University Relations
Photo by Gavin Elliott
Jamie Bortscheller, vocal music education junior, practices the piano Feb 3. in the Music Building.
Students and sponsors of the University of Central Oklahoma's widely recognized Student Academy of Forensic Sciences will attend the 56th annual meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Feb. 15 through 21 in Dallas. There, future forensic scientists from throughout the nation will meet with criminologists, engineering scientists, psychiatry and behavioral scientists, toxicologists and other scientists who work in laboratories, institutes and universities from around the world. The gathering is a tool for forensic students to meet with experts and peers. "As club sponsor, I recall the times my mentor introduced me to leaders in my chosen field and helped me to
get to know them as colleagues," said Dr. Robert Bost, professor of chemistry and director of the UCO Forensic . Science Department. "I now have the opportunity to introduce UCO's Student Academy of Forensic Sciences, members to specialists in this discipline and to help usher our students into the collegial fellowship of our profession." During the event, students will attend the specialists' presentations and poster sessions, meet with the professionals for informal discussions, share concerns and ideas with fellow students from throughout the U.S. and meet with potential employers. Students also will meet with authors of text and other publications from which they use as refer-
ence material in class. "Attending this meeting is an important growth from student to forensic scientist," Bost said. UCO has graduated numerous forensic science students who have gone on to achieve greatness in the discipline, including former Oklahoma City Police Captain Tom Bevel. Retired in 1996, Bevel received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the UCO criminal justice program and was eventually named commander of Homicide, Robbery, Missing Persons and Major Unsolved Cases. For more information about UCO's criminal justice program, contact Bost at 974-5519.
Recent deaths bring state war toll to nine AP—The death of two Oklahoma soldiers overseas last week has brought the state's reported fatalities up to nine since combat in Iraq began. Communities from the tiny Panhandle town of Hooker to the eastern Oklahoma town of Poteau are coping with the loss of their hometown heroes. Army 2nd Lt. Luke James, 24, of Hooker, and Army Sgt. Kyle Seitsinger, 29, of Oklahoma City, are the state's latest deaths. James spent his last few hours at Fort Bragg, N.C., with his 6-month-old son Bradley and his wife, before leaving for Iraq on Jan. 15. The last picture of the father and son show the infant smiling cheerfully and his bright blue eyes shining as he sits on James' lap. James was killed Jan. 27, when a roadside bomb exploded near Iskandariyah, south of Baghdad. Seitsinger, once a journalism student at Oklahoma Christian University, was killed Thursday when mortar rounds and rifle ammunition exploded in Afghanistan, about 90 miles southwest of Kabul. At Fort Sill, an Army installation in south central Oklahoma, 18 of its soldiers have died since combat in Iraq began.
Nationally, 1,013 soldiers have been killed in Iraq and the Middle East, according to the Department of Defense. Six slain Fort Sill soldiers were among the 15 killed Nov. 2, when their helicopter was shot down in Iraq. Another soldier died a few days later from injuries sustained in the crash. Twenty-six others were injured, including Army Specialist Scott Parks of Lawton. Parks, who escaped the wreck with a spinal injury that limits movement in his neck and right arm, is expected to receive a Purple Heart and was in recognized during Gov. Brad Henry's state of the state address on Monday. Most of the soldiers killed in the helicopter crash, including Sgt. Ross A. Pennanen, 36, of Shawnee, Okla., were on their way home to spend time with their families before returning to Iraq. So far, Pennanen is the only Fort Sill soldier from Oklahoma to have died in combat, said Marcello Bruni, a spokesman for the Army post. Deaths from the war in Iraq are the first casualties the post has seen since the Vietnam War. "I would say it's been a pretty bad year, not only for Fort Sill, but for the Army," Bruni said. "It's been a bad year, but they are determined
and driving on." Wartime deaths haven't slowed the pace of recruits, said Army Staff Sgt. Carlos Ayala-Pagan, a recruiter in southern Tulsa. "When most people come into the office the first question they ask is what are their chances of being sent somewhere," Ayala-Pagan said. "It's usually the parents that ask if there's a chance they could be killed." As communities mourn the loss of servicemen who were once star athletes or the class clown of the local high school, recruiters say they are seeing a different group of recruits. "It used to be that people would come to the Army as a last resort. People who had graduated high school and were stuck at Wal-Mart or McDonald's and wanted something more," Ayala-Pagan said. "Now we're seeing more college students who have graduated with a four-year degree and want to become part of something, want to serve their country." Wartime deaths are tragic and horrible, but a part of combat duty, Ayala-Pagan said. "Giving your life is the ultimate honor," Ayala-Pagan said. "It's sad that somebody has to give their life to make the world change, but the sacrifices they make today are going to shape the future."
Colorado loses recruit, quarterback arrested AP _ With national signing day looming, a recruit has backed out of attending the University of Colorado, which is grappling with allegations that it lured recruits with sex parties. A recently ousted player has also been arrested for allegedly molesting a fellow student. Tavita Thompson, a 6-foot-6 lineman from Honolulu who had said he was leaning toward Colorado, has decided instead to sign with Oregon State, university officials said. Thompson told the Boulder Daily Camera he was concerned the scandal could result in changes in Colorado's coaching staff, though he was reassured by the staff it would have no affect. Thompson also said relatives in Oregon and its Pacific 10 Conference membership were the deciding factors. A message left at .
his home Tuesday was not immediately returned. Colorado athletics spokesman Dave Plati declined comment until Wednesday, when universities can officially sign their recruits to scholarships. Meanwhile, Boulder police said former Colorado quarterback James Colt Brennan, 20, was arrested Monday by university police on charges including unlawful sexual contact for allegedly entering a female student's dormitory room and exposing himself. Brennan was cut from the team last week after he was accused of sexual misconduct. Campus police did not immediately return a telephone message. The university was plunged into scandal last week after the sex party allegations surfaced in a deposition given by Boulder County District Attorney Mary
Keenan. Football coach Gary Barnett and university administrators have denied encouraging such activities. At least two university investigations are under way and Colorado President Elizabeth Hoffman this week said she was forming an independent panel to look into the allegations. The university's Board of Regents will also meet Friday to discuss the scandal sparked by civil lawsuits in which three women say they were raped at or following a December 2001 football recruiting party. In a deposition for one of the lawsuits, Keenan said recruits were led to believe they would have sex with women at the parties _ and that the university ignored her demands to crack down. Gov. Bill Owens has told the university to clean up its act.
Photo by Gavin Elliott
Weather Forecast Temp.
Day
Forecast
Thursday
Rain / Snow Showers 38°/26°
Friday
Mostly Cloudy
Saturday
Mostly Sunny
Sunday
Wintry Mix
Monday
Rain / Snow Showers 36°133°
Precip. 30
37°/17°
10%
34°/19°
20 %
31°128°
60 30 ck
1 1 11 11
Photo by Gavin Elliott