• University of Central Oklahoma
TUESDAY April 19, 1994
The Student Voice Since 1903
SGA candidates hold election debate By Michelle Peller
Staff Writer The Student Government Association at the University of Central Oklahoma held a debate between the presidential and vice presidential candidates at 5 :30 p.m. Wednesday in the Senate Room. The presidential candidates are Colin Martin and Joacquin Stevens. Ben Harris, Jenny Thompson and Abid Khawaja are the
candidates for vice president. Each candidate had five minutes to tell their experience, why they were running for office and what they would do different to improve the university. Martin said that often SGA is misperceived as a president government association or senator government association, but he made it clear that SGA is a STUDENT government association. He made a comment on UCO having a large percentage of commuter students and
they come to school, go to their classes and then leave; therefore, they do not get involved with the university because they are not aware of what is available on campus. He said that they need to increase publicity, student awareness and student government participation. As president, Martin will have an open door policy. Anyone with questions or complaints will be welcome to come in and talk to him. He commented on the budget of SGA,
which is not their money, but the students. "Students need to know where their money's going, why it is going there, and they need to be benefactors to them," he said. Martin said that he has a student directory plan drawn up and all it is going to take is some hard work and initiative but with administrative agreement, it can be done. Martin is a junior who has been involved with SGA for two years. V See DEBATE, Page 5
FAcing 4U*. pain: the fight against rape Rape convictions lack consistency in punishment By Janet Runge
Staff Writer
This is part three of a four-part series about rape. The series is featured in the Tuesday editions.
Rape: The punishment for the offenders.
Women who report rape may face interviews with the police, the medical profession and the District Attorney's (DA) Office, and it is within the sex crimes unit at the DA's Office that the justice system begins its long and winding course. Ray Elliott, director of criminal division at Oklahoma County's DA's Office, said that any large district attorney's office has a specialized unit that deals only with sexual assault crimes. Elliott said that each of the assistant DA's go to special state and national seminars where they receive sensitivity training in dealing with victims. "It's an extensive type of training before and during the time they enter our unit," he said. In addition to the four prosecuting attorneys, the crimes unit also has a victim's advocate that works for them, he said. "The advocate in our office has the first initial contact with the victim," said Elliott. "The advocate has a self-contained office on a separate floor so the victim can be interviewed in a private setting." Elliott said that recent developments in DNA has
helped tremendously in prosecution of sexual assaults. "If we have a DNA characteristic that is found in only 1-in-500,000 people and then indict a person with those characteristics, it's exciting evidence," he said. Elliott attributes the wide range of sentences that convicted rapists receive to the fact that most cases go before a judge or a jury. Elliott said that plea bargaining is rarely used in prosecuting sexual offenses. "There would be a more uniform sentencing in plea bargaining, but we don't like to plea bargain in sexual assaults," he said. "We try to convict on maximum sentences in many of our cases." Elliott said that while the DA's office may prosecute a sexual assault even if the victim doesn't press charges, it's rare if they do. "Once a rape is reported to the police, it's the state of Oklahoma vs. the bad guy, not the victim vs. the bad guy," he said. Elliott said the victim is asked by their advocate if they are willing to pursue a case. "The only way to break the cycle is for people to come forward and let the system work." When doors close: Offenders behind bars. Dr. G. Richard Kishur, is a behavioral therapist. V See RAPE, Page 7
(Photo by Mike Simons)
INSIDE TODAY Editorial 2 Letters 2
World Wrap 6 Around Campus .... 1 1 Comics 11
Dinner
5
The President's Club will hold its Third Annual Sponsor Appreciation DinnerApril23.
Two cents
6
Terris Two Cents is a column of opinion and wit. This issue deals with "pureness."
Mr. UCO
1
UCO held its first Mr. U C 0 pageant, naming senior Greg Armstrong as the winner.