The Student Voice Since 1903 UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2005
Edmond OKs expansion of DPS jurisdiction
Next week designated to increase awareness of disabilities
by Ashley Romano Staff Writer
by Matt Cauthron Student Writer
Students for an Accessible Society and Disability Support Services will sponsor Disability Awareness Week April 4-7. Kimberly Fields, assistant director of DSS and adviser to SAS, said the event is to increase student awareness of the disabled. "We want to make everyone aware that people with disabilities are capable," Fields said. "But that they may require some adjustments in order to reach their full potential." The week's events, which borrow the title "Survivor" based on the television show of the same name, will include disability simulations, wheelchair sporting competitions and edu-
WHO: Students for an Accessible Society and Disability Support Services WHAT: "Disability Awareness Week" WHEN: April 4-7 WHERE: UCO campus WHY: To increase student awareness of the disabled
Memorial park to be built by fall ■ $50,000 of a $1 million donation will be used to build a park by Tynesia Omopariola Staff Writer
The area east of Evans Hall is set to be developed as Plunkett Park, in memory of the Plunkett sisters, Emma and Josephine, who donated their $1 million dollar estate to UCO in 1997. The UCO administration requested that $50,000 of the funds be used for the park
Programs merge to form Mass Comm. Department
cational workshops. A program entitled "Changing Your Life" will begin at 1 p.m. April 7, in the Will Rogers Room at the Nigh University Center, featuring a panel of UCO students who suffered accidents that left them disabled. They will speak about the many ways disability has changed their lives. The week will conclude with a series of discussion panels and a seminar focusing on assistive technology for the disabled. "These were ordinary, vibrant young people, who, because of these tragedies, have had to adjust to life with mobility impairment," Fields said. "They've had to readjust to every facet of life - everything from going to the bathroom to having sex." Brandi Smith, an English graduate student, will return as a volunteer for this year's event. "It creates an awareness of what living with a disability is like," Smith said. She also said she is looking forward to watching the football game. "I've never seen a football game with individuals in wheelchairs," she said. Returning volunteer Micah Todd, a pre-pharmacy sophomore who also helped out at last year's event, said it will be a learning experience for students.
Dr. Pamela Washington, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, announced March 30 that the communication and journalism departments will merge into the Department of Mass Communication July 1. • A task force including eight faculty members and two students from the two departments was formed last semester to develop curriculum models for the proposed merger. "Academics is leaning toward convergence of how to best prepare students for the job market," Washington said. Dr. Terry Clark, professor and chairman of the Journalism Department, said because of media convergence, journalism and communication must adapt to all media. "Students must have a background in all media in order to be competitive in careers," Clark said. He said the merger will mean better education for all students, and it will "help them keep pace with the current trends in higher education all over the country." Pat Casey, communication instructor, said the merger will benefit all students and allow them to become "renaissance"
see AWARENESS, page 3
see MERGER, page 3
memorial. Some of the money has already been used for scholarships. Emma was a faculty member at UCO for 38 years. She graduated from UCO with a degree in physical education. Emma went on to teach at UCO, becoming chairman of the depai invent of health and physical education for women. During her time at UCO, she planted flowers and helped beautify the campus. While teaching at UCO, Emma invited Josephine to live with her and attend UCO. Josephine graduated and
became a math teacher at a junior high school in Ponca City. Emma died in 1997, four months after her sister's death. "The sisters dedicated their lives to UCO," said Dr. Virginia Peters, former faculty member at UCO. Peters is a trustee over their estate. Emma was her friend, mentor and colleague. Peters said she remembers all the good things the Plunkett sisters did for UCO. "I know they would be so happy to see their money going towards the park," Peters said. The park memorial is in the
process of being built, along with an irrigation system. The memorial will be a place for students to have recreational activities as well as physical education activities. Two plaques will be placed on a brick facade honoring the sisters. Bleachers will be built so students can enjoy the area and the landscaping. The park is set to be finished in the fall of 2005 with a dedication ceremony at homecoming. Tynesia Omopariola can be reached at tomopariola@thevistaonline.com.
Bloomin' awesome...
by Ashley Romano Staff Writer
Ashley Romano can be reached at aromano@thevistaonline.com .
CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS ■ Applications will be accepted through April 4 for the Pugh Family Pioneer Award. Applicants must be sophomores or juniors in the fall of 2005. Applications are available in the Foundation Office, Rm. 102 of Evans Hall. ■ The annual Earth Day fair will be April 20 by Broncho Lake. To register an organization for a fair booth, download the form on the Campus Life tab on UCONNECT. ■ 'The Big Event," a day of service, will begin at noon April 9 by Broncho Lake. Registration is going on for team leaders. To register as a volunteer or team leader, visit "The Big Event" tab on UCONNECT, or call Derek Burks at the Volunteer Center at 974-2621.
Photo by Justin Avera
Staff Writer
The UCO Student Association supreme court might meet to select a new chief justice this week. Danielle Latimer, chair of the UCOSA senate judiciary committee, said the court hasn't met since last semester. Dallas Strimple, UCOSA
senate pro tempore, said members of the court were supposed to meet March 24, but only two members made it, and it wasn't enough to meet their quorum and hold a meeting. Latimer said, as of March 30, no date has been set for another meeting. The court has to organize on short notice because of a recent complaint by UCOSA Senator
■ Volunteer team leaders are needed for "The Big Event," April 9. For information, contact the Volunteer Center at 974-2621 or e mail dburks@ucok.edu . -
A redbud tree blooms behind the sculpture near the Art Building. Arbor Day was March 29.
Supreme Court meeting remains unscheduled by Michael Robertson
The Edmond City Council approved an agreement between the UCO Department of Public Safety and the Edmond Police Department to expand jurisdic tion of UCO DPS at its March 28 meeting. The agreement allows UCO officers to patrol the city streets adjacent to the university, except Second Street. "The basic advantage (of the agreement) is that we have something in writing that defines what each party can do," said Assistant Chief of police Chris Wooldridge of the UCO DPS. The partnership between the two departments replaces al993 agreement. The new agreement is an update of the old one. Maj. Steve Thompson of the EPD said the new agreement was needed because UCO has taken on more property since 1993. Wooldridge said that the new agreement allows DPS to have jurisdiction over the former Ramada Plaza Hotel, which was leased to UCO to provide more student housing. Thompson also said that because the streets surrounding UCO are still city streets, the EPD will always have jurisdiction. "If a murder happened on Ayers and University, we would get to it," Thompson said. "But if a murder happened at the southeast corner of that intersection, then "UCO would respond (first)." Thompson also added that the largest advantage he sees for UCO is that DPS officers can now file tickets in Edmond's municipal court rather than taking them to Oklahoma City.
Ty Reidenbaugh against the UCOSA house. Reidenbaugh filed the complaint against the house for refusing to hear a bill of which he is an author. The bill, which will go to a student vote April 13 if it passes through the UCOSA house, would create an 18 cents per credit hour charge that would be used to fund undergraduate creative and research projects.
The bill was scheduled to be heard by the house Feb. 28, but Dan Ross, speaker of the house, said he refused to hear the bill because he has doubts that correct parliamentary procedure had been followed when a UCOSA rules committee attached Reidenbaugh as an author. "They (the supreme court) need to get together this week
because (the bill) is supposed to be on the ballot," Latimer said. When the UCOSA supreme court does hear Reidenbaugh's complaint, they will decide whether correct procedure was followed or not, and whether or not the house will have to vote on the bill. Michael Robertson can be reached at mrobertson@thevistaonline.com .
■ Nominations are being accepted for student organization Sponsor of the Year and leadership awards. Applications are on the Campus Life tab of UCONNECT.
INDEX Opinion News 'Entertainment Sports Classifieds
www.thevistaonline.com
2 3 4 6 8
,