THIE
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UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2005
Debate set for eve of UCOSA elections ■
Online student body elections to be held April 13 by Michael Robertson Staff Writer A debate will be held for the UCO Student Association president and vice-presidential candidates at 7 p.m. April 12 in Ballrooms B and C in the Nigh
University Center. The candidates for student body president are: Tandy Moore, senior business management major; Dallas Strimple, mathematics major; and Nathan Woolard, creative writing major. Candidates running for student body vice-president are: Michael Goodman, broadcast/public Relations major, and Tanner McGuire, history education major.
Moore said he is also senator for the Human Resources Society, an Eagle Scout, a former Marine and a member of current President Lane Perry's Lobbying Task Force. Moore said that if elected, he wants to continue the Lobbying Task Force to try and secure more state money for UCO. "Our school is so underfunded it's not even funny," he said. Moore said the other issues
in his platform are growing student organizations, a freshman mentoring program and a strengthened relationship with alumni. "We want to bring in as many new people as possible into this university and get them involved in as many activities as possible," Moore said. Strimple said he is also working on minors in political science and humanities. He said he's been involved in the
UCOSA senate since his freshman year, first as senator for Sigma Nu fraternity, then for the Intra-Fraternity Council. Strimple is currently UCOSA senate president pro tempore, and was recently UCO's delegation chair for the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature. He said his platform issues are improving the University Center, establishing a system
see DEBATE,
page 3
Students tour, sign up for rooms at Central Plaza
International couple crowned by Michael Robertson Staff Writer Ademola Adeyemi and Eva Osoro were crowned Mr. and Miss UCO International at the 5th annual pageant April 8 in Constitution Hall. Miss UCO International 2002-2003 Jasmine Saghafi and former International Student Council President Saad Feroz emceed the pageant. After welcoming the crowd, Feroz and Saghafi introduced the contestants. Following introductions, Cindy Gunawan, Miss UCO International 2004-2005, performed "Tristeza" by Chopin on the piano. For the 'casual walk' portion, contestants walked across the stage one by one, wearing either casual outfits or traditional garb from their home country. Rendezvous, a dance troupe of Japanese students, performed a combination of modern dance and break dancing during the interlude. The contestants next participated in the performance section of the pageant. The performances included a Kendo routine, a traditional Indian dance, lip-syncing, dancing and other music-oriented acts. The contestants then changed and came back out for the 'formal walk,' wearing suits and gowns. After the formal walk, Mr. UCO International 2004-2005 Tanik Spal performed a song. Then Dr. Ronald Paddack, director of the International Office, took the stage to conduct the interview section of the competition. Paddack asked each contestant a question about topics including world events, technology, the future of UCO, their impressions of America, divorce and immigration policy. Each contestant gave a brief answer to his or her question.
see INTERNATIONAL, page 3
WHO: UCO student body WHAT: UCOSA presidential debate WHEN: 7 p.m. April 12 WHERE: Ballrooms B and C, Nigh University Center WHY: To shed light on issues important to UCO student body
by Tynesia Omopariola Staff Writer The Central Plaza, formerly the Ramada Plaza, held an open house April 5 for students to sign up and tour the residence halls. Students and faculty were able to attend the open house, eat pizza, win door prizes and listen to live music. "The UCO administration has been interested in the Ramada building for three or four years," said Dr. Myron Pope, assistant vice president of see CENTRAL PLAZA, page 3
CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Photo by Justin Avera
Cherish Harmon, a forensic science senior, uses tape to take fingerprints from a glass door during a mock crime scene created by the Student Academy of Forensic Science April 9.
Students learn 'real' CSI roles by Ashley Romano Staff Writer More than 20 UCO students participated in three mock crime scenes, created by the Student Academy of Forensic Science, April 9 in and around Howell Hall. Dr. David von Minden, advisor of SAFS and associate professor of chemistry, said the purpose of the crime scenes is to give participants "a more hands-on feel." "It's to get students to be more aware of what happens at a crime scene," von Minden said. Jesse Kemp, president of SAFS, said students were "called to the scene" and had
to assess their yellow-taped area by flagging, photographing and collecting evidence and sketching the scene. He said students have to essentially become criminalists or people who examine evidence in a lab. "They have to find what's part of the scene and what's not," Kemp said. "They have to learn about the responsibilities associated with each individual job." Students also kept crime logs, which are methods of documenting evidence, von Minden said. "The purpose (of the logs) is to jog the memory, because a trial might not happen until a year or two down the road," he
said. Arnie Hacker, vice president of SAFS and supervisor of one of the scenes, said her scene dealt with a homicide. The victim was hit in the head with a hammer and was moved by paramedics so they could save her life. She said students had to treat the scene like a real homicide by determining the original position of the body by looking at the direction in which the blood splattered. Cherish Harmon, forensic science senior and finger print expert in Hacker's scene, used tape to get the attacker's fingerprints off of the glass door leading into room 312 of Howell Hall and then dusted
for remaining prints. She said individuals should twirl the dusting brush because if they wipe it across the area "it destroys the ridge patterns" of the prints. In the outdoor scene in front of the Power House near Howell Hall, a girl died of alcohol poisoning. Her blood alcohol level was 0.4 percent, von Minden said. Kemp said different variables exist in outdoor scenes. "They are generally bigger and not confined," he said. "You have to deal with elements like rain, snow and sleet." He also said weather
see CRIME SCENE, page 3
Students share 'culture shock' ■
Students to recount experiences from U.S. studies by 'frisha Evans Staff Writer
Photo by Naomi Takebuchi
Dr. Bob McGill leads Japanese students at the rehearsal of "Karachu-Shokku" (Culture Shock) April 10 at Pegasus Theater. The workshop will be at 7 p.m. April 16 in Pegasus Theater.
Nine Japanese students will share their experiences from their studies at UCO in a one-night production beginning at 7:30 p.m. April 16 in Pegasus Theater. The show is a collection of experiences each actor met with when they first came to the United States. `Karachu Shokku', or culture shock, was pooled together from their different stories. Dr. Bob McGill, chairman of the theatre department and producer of the play said the evening will be amusing, illuminating
and diverse, with skits and poetry in English and Japanese McGill asked the students when they first felt at home, the problems they face with teachers, peers, family and the opposite sex and what it is like to come to UCO. "The most revealing answers focused on how long it took each student to break away from their Japanese roommates, friends and classmates to identify themselves as a unique, individual member of the UCO community," McGill said. Taka Hiro, psychology junior and actor in the play, said Japanese culture is very different from American culture. "I think it is a good opportunity to share," Hiro said. "American people don't know what we feel."
see CULTURE SHOCK, page 3
■ Dr. James Tomasek from the OU Health Science Center will speak on stem cell research at noon April 12. "Understanding the Debate about Human Stem Cell Research: A Basic Science Primer" will be in the atrium of Howell Hall. For more information, call Christa Clifton at 210-3260, or e-mail cclifton2@ucok.edu . ■ Kappa Delta Phi, an education honor society, will sponsor a read-a-thon and book drive for "Reading is Fun" week, April 11 - 15. For information, contact Dr. Diane Jackson at 974-5327, Dr. Kathy Brown at 974-5889, Dr. Bonnie Voth at 974-5432 or Paula Fowler at 974-5431. ■ The Violent Femmes will be in concert with the Starlight Mints at 7 p.m. April 20 at Hamilton Field House. The show is free to UCO faculty, staff and students, and tickets are available in the Department of Campus Life, Rm. 424 of the Nigh University Center, or in the Vista office, Rm. 107 of the Communications Building. ■ Ebony Gospel Choir will hold their annual Gospel Extravaganza April 16 at Constitution Hall. For information, call 974-6308 or 9213566. ■ 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.
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