TUE
The Student Voice Since 1903
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THURSDAY, APRIL 13 2006
UCO official arrested for fraud, perjury Risk and insurance coordinator received workers' compensation illegally, attorney general says by Heather Warlick Staff Writer
George Tetteh, UCO's risk and insurance coordinator, was arrested April 10 on five felony counts of workers' compensation fraud and one count of perjury. According to Oklahoma Attorney General, Drew Edmondson, Tetteh received his regular salary in addition to workers' compensation while he was on temporary disability leave after four surgeries for
UCOSA votes 'yes' on fee hike to fund UCO athletics
carpal tunnel syndrome. "Oklahoma workers' compensation laws state that individuals can receive temporary disability payments for workrelated injuries, or they can receive their full paycheck," Edmondson said in a statement released from his office. "Mr. Tetteh attempted to receive both. We allege that he illegally took in $5,494.93." "[Tetteh] was the liaison between the university and the insurance company," said Emily Lang, spokeswoman for
Edmondson. "Since he knew the system, he was able to use that to his advantage," Lang said Tetteh used paid vacation time and overestimated the amount of time he actually took off work when filing his insurance claims. A workers' compensation claims administrator from CompSource Oklahoma reported the possible fraud to the Attorney General's fraud hotline, instigating a two-month investigation into the allegations.
"One of the things he did that the insurance carrier thought was really unusual at the time was he asked for his benefit check to be mailed to his home, rather than to the university," Lang said. Usually, workers' compensation checks are sent to UCO for distribution, she said. Dr. Brad Morelli, UCO legal counsel, worked with the attorney general's investigators and found enough evidence to issue a warrant for Tetteh's arrest. The state is charging Tetteh with perjury for allegedly lying
under oath at a deposition about the length of his temporary disability leave for which he received disability payments, Lang said. Assistant Prosecutor Kimberly White will represent the state in the case. Tetteh was released from the Oklahoma County Jail Monday night on $12,000 bail and has been placed on administrative leave from UCO. Heather Warlick can be reached at hwarlick@thevistaonline.com .
New Plains Review released Get 'em while they're hot
George Tetteh
Flagg & Aldrich square off in UCOSA debate by Nathan Winfrey Senior Staff Writer
by Nathan Winfrey Senior Staff Writer
A bill that would increase student fees to help fund UCO athletics passed in the UCOSA senate April 10. If approved by the UCOSA house of representatives, the student activity increase for the Athletics Act of 2006 would probably take effect next semester, said Jason Hines, journalism sophomore, floor leader of the Senate and president pro ternpore elect. "We're proposing that we raise student activity fees $1 per student and designate it to the UCO athletic department," Hines said. The athletic department would use the money to for athletic scholarships and maintenance of their facilities, Hines said. "On average, it would be $8 for your college career and would raise roughly $16,000 a semester," said Dallas Strimple, former senate pro tempore. Hines said he got the idea for the bill from people in the administration. "The reason that I chose to do it this way is the athletic department is just a single entity with-
see FEES, page 4
Photo provided
by Vista photographer Midori Sasaki
Domi Kovacikova, biology sophomore, receives a copy of the 2006 New Plains Review April 12 in the Liberal Arts Building.
Veteran journalist to retire from Mass Comm dept. by Desiree Treeby Staff Writer
"Now this is a funny story," is how M.J. Van Deventer normally starts her stories of working in the magazine industry. After lecturing in the UCO Journalism Department, now the Department of Mass Communications, for almost 15 years, Van Deventer is retiring. "I feel like it's time," she said after recently being diagnosed with cancer. She receives chemo treatments five days a week. "I've thought about it for about a year; it's time to slow down." She stays busy working at the National
Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum as the editor of the Persimmon Hill magazine and serves as the director of publications. Her other jobs include freelance writing for Southwest Publications, working as a cohost on Read About It, a local cable television program, and she recently released her fifth interior design book. "You're always meeting new people and that's fun," she said about working as a writer and traveling to cover stories. Her book "French Country Signature," with French interior designer Charles Faudree was released in February. Van Deventer and. Faudree grew up together in Muskogee, Okla., and Faudree told her, "I want to be so famous that some-
one writes a book about me." As a 6-yearold girl she told him, "I will." This is her second book featuring Faudree's work. "Now, I'm just into interior design books; my own," Van Deventer said. She also wants to write a novel with a soap opera theme. "I never run out of ideas. They're always floating around up there," she said. A major achievement for Van Deventer was her 1999 induction into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame. Working as an investigative reporter for one year at the Tulsa Tribune she earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination. She
see VAN DEVENTER, page 3
Streak Snapped The UCO softball team fell to 23-8 overall and 16-2 in Lone Star Conference play as it lost both games of a doubleheader to Northeastern State April 11 in Tahlequah.
See Sports pg. 12
Photo provided
M.J. Van Deventer
More than 50 students attended the second annual UCO Student Association vice presidential debate April 11 in Constitution Hall. The debate was between candidates Teara Flagg, political science sophomore and Reg Aldrich, management sophomore. Flagg won the coin toss to speak first, and moderator Amber Mitchell, Spanish education senior, allowed each candidate two minutes to answer each question. "My platform is a fourpart platform," Flagg said. It includes drawing more attention to international student events, improving athletics, increasing funding for the arts and promoting a safer, cleaner campus. "I have friends that have pushed the panic buttons in the Commons, and it hasn't worked, and that's unacceptable," she said. Aldrich based his platform on creating unity between student organizations and the community as a whole, improving athletics, helping form a school identity and increasing support of UCO in the Edmond community. "We are in a state as a university that we don't know who we are," he said. "Once we find this, all other tiers will fall into place." "I want to make Edmond almost synonymous with UCO," Aldrich said. Both candidates described their leadership styles. "I try to be a leader that is personable, but a leader that is stern," Flagg said. "If I have something to do, if it's not finished, I'm not going to stop until it's finished," Aldrich said. "I want to do anything and everything that there is to benefit this place." Flagg said she will strive for more togetherness among the Greek community, an increase in student retention, the return of the Mr. UCO Pageant and a
see DEBATE, page 9
Iran enriches uranium Iran intends to move toward large-scale uranium enrichment involving 54,000 centrifuges, the country's deputy nuclear chief said Wednesday, signaling its resolve to expand a program the international community has insisted it halt.
See World News pg. 7