THEVIsTA
University of Central Oklahoma
TUESDAY February 27, 1996
The Student Voice Since 1903
Fund equity for UCO top priority
A Lion's Welcome to the Year of the Rat...
Interim vice president appeals to students, staff, faculty for support By Mary Reinauer Staff Writer A presidential brainstorm and resulting change of heart has brought a new team player to UCO. Dr. Warren Armstrong was appointed interim vice president for administration Feb. 19. Less than two weeks earlier, President George Nigh said he had decided not to appoint an interim. The decision was based on the wish to avoid his implied endorsement for the permanent position, he said. Shortly after that, Nigh reflected on UCO's unfinished construction and his pledge to have it done on his "watch." The scope of the remaining project made him reconsider doing it without a vice president for administration to assist him. Armstrong's name came to
Warren Armstrong
As students become more educated to the fact that there isn't funding equity, they have legislators they may wish to contact. him "in a flash, while I was shaving," he said. Flashing back to 1992, Nigh
remembered meeting Armstrong, who was then part of an accreditation team evaluating UCO. "I wonder whatever happened to Dr. Armstrong," thought Nigh. He remembered that Armstrong had planned to retire at Oklahoma's Grand Lake. The call was made. Armstrong thought about it for a week or so and called Nigh back to confirm the deal, said Nigh. When he announced Armstrong's placement, Nigh stressed that the appointment was only for three months. The search committee will continue to field candidates for the permanent spot, he said. Armstrong is former president of Eastern New Mexico State University. Wichita State University, where he still teaches history, extended to him the
V See FUNDS, Page 10
Brendan Phuah dons the lion's head at the Chinese New Year's Party Saturday night, sponsored by the Malaysian Student Association. The Year of the Rat was ushered in Feb. 19. (Staff photo by Laurette Graham)
Senate ballots call confidentiality into question By Mary Reinauer
Staff Writer An oversight on the ballot for the general election of UCO's faculty senators might cause some voters to question its confidentiality. Ballots were sent Feb. 19 via campus mail to teachers in the four colleges and to staff in administration, advisement and the library. Each ballot is numbered and labeled with the recipient's name and campus address. The labels can't be removed without obscuring the vote. Dr. Sam Magrill, associate professor of music and
senate parliamentarian, said the numbers are used only to validate the ballots and do not correspond to any names. Magrill is one of eight candidates up for the position of senator for the College of Liberal Arts. Dr. Terry Clark, chairperson and associate professor of journalism, said he questioned both the confidentiality and the validity of the vote because voters are instructed to send completed ballots to Magrill, who will oversee the tally. "That was an oversight that the labels were where they couldn't be removed," said Magrill. Although an imperfect system, campus mail is standard for ballot distribution and return, he said.
Magrill added that it would be hard to protect unmanned boxes from being tampered with. When counted at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 27, each ballot will be read along with its number. The numbers were assigned randomly and are checked off on the tally sheet to ensure official ballots are recorded, said Magrill. "In the process of counting ballots, we are not looking at the names (on the labels). No one is keeping track of who is voting for what." He said the ballots have instructions for those who have a grievance. According to those instructions, Magrill will handle any grievances.
INSIDE TODAY INDEX Editorial
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Sports 6,7 Black History Month
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Around Campus ... 11 Classifieds 12
SPORTS Christy Heavin leads the Lady Bronchos to a berth in the LSC tournament.
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH African A merican inventors are tributed as part of the Black History Month celebration.
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MURAL
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UCO Professor Bob Palmer creates a mural in remembrance of the bombing.