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2 The Round Table 3 Did You Know That 12 Final Exam Times 18 Sports
April 24, 2007
Officials confront safety precautions by Abha Eli Phoboo Staff Writer The Division of Student Affairs and the Student Life Office held a campus panel discussion on the Virginia Tech Tragedy and UCO's preparedness to prevent and deal with such incidents on April 19 at the Constitution H a 1 1 . "When a terrible trage- d y like VT happens, no one is not affected. Sometimes emergency planning can be put in the back burner but this is not one of them," said Dr. Gage opening the floor for the panel. The panelists were vice president of Student Affairs, Dr. Katherine Gage; vice president of Information Technology, Dr. Cynthia Rolfe; provost and vice
president of Academic Affairs, Dr. William Radke; chief of Department of Public Safety, Jeff Harp; assistant vice president of Student Affairs and director of UCO Counseling Center Dr. Bruce Lochner; director of UCO Housing, Josh Overocker; and associate director j Baptist Collegiate Ministries, Holly Sapp. Each panelist spoke from his or her area of expertise on how UCO could prepare, prevent and lessen the impact should something like that happen here. They acknowledged that a lot of "what if' questions were being discussed in meetings for better safety and security. "UCO is reviewing its plans. In a time of crisis, we are one
see VT, page 3
by Vista photographer Travis Marak
Katie MacCone, English senior, works on a final paper on the third floor of the Max Chambers Library April 23. Time is running out for students to prepare for finals which begin next week.
Dr. Lehman receives lifetime recognition do," said Dr. Lehman to his col- biased, but that was because they leagues in his acceptance speech. were ignorant, said Lehman. "No one was accustomed to "I remember the office we used to have when I started. having a black person around. The building was so old with , It was a new experience for the the plaster falling off. There was school and for me," he added. Dr. Lehman has won many no building where the Liberal Arts stands today and no Nigh service awards in his career and University Center. There was no is also listed in Who's Who English Department. We were Among Black Americans, just a division with a dozen Who's Who In American faculty members. Evans Hall Education, and Who's Who was the library and enrollment Among American Teachers. "There is more diversity on was done manually," he said. Dr. Lehman, who earned his campus now, but fewer African Ph.D. from Lehigh University, Americans which could be joined the English Department attributed to a lot of different in 1968, a little more than a reasons because educational decade after the federal gov- institutions are more accessible ernment had lifted segrega- now. We have come a long way tion. In 1985, he was made since then," said Dr. Lehman. the dean of Graduate College. "There were many highlights in my career but getting selected to be a dean meant a lot because Abha Eli Phoboo can be reached up till that point, there weren't at aphoboo@thevistaonline.com . many African Americans at that level of administration at school," Dr. Lehman said. Dr. Lehman has taught American Literature, Black American Literature, Ethnic American Literature, Contemporary Themes as Literature, and Chaucer. He has also served on various boards and councils of the state, including Oklahoma Foundation for the Humanities, Oklahoma Alliance for Arts Education, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Council for Professional Teaching Standards, and others. He also worked as a CBS affiliate news anchor and reporter. There were no African American educators at UCO when he joined the faculty here, he said. "Change was occurLuke Hoelting ring slowly. I was not subjected to constant discrimination by Andrew Knittle because I didn't put myself Staff Writer in that position," he said. However, there were comUCO student Luke Hoelting, ments and remarks on a daily basis that could be interpreted as who was studying German at the university's Modern Language
Oklahoma celebrates 100 years of statehood by Lyndsay Gillum Staff Writer Oklahoma celebrates its 100th anniversary of statehood on Nov. 16. 2007. All across the 46th state, communities and organizations are preparing for the statewide celebration. UCO, along with five other regional universities, will too celebrate the centennial for their many successes with "Best of the Best" dinner and gala on April 30 at the Cox Convention Center. Organized by the Regional University System of Oklahoma,
UCO, East Central University, Northeastern State University, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University and the Southwestern Oklahoma State University will celebrate and recognize the accomplishments and contributions they have all achieved. "This gives us, an opportunity td discuss the importanc6 of the regional universities, not only in the past but in the future, for the next century in Oklahoma," Charlie Johnson,
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see Centennial, page 3
UCO student dies at 22
by Vista photographer Alex Gambill
Paul Lehman, English professor, is presented with a chair by Dr. Pamela Washington, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, as a lifetime achievement award for 39 years of service at UCO April 18. by Abha Eli Phoboo Stuff Writer
On April 18, Paul Lehman, university professor of the department of English, the first African-American faculty member to be hired at UCO, was given a Lifetime Achievement
Award for 39 years of service. The polished, black wooden chair was presented to him by Dr. Pamela Washington, dean of the College of Liberal Arts. "This is my 39th year here and it's been a good year. I met a lot of interesting people and work with them. But there are still a lot of things I want to
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Depai tinent, died April 15 at his home in the Oklahoma City area. The 22-year-old Hoelting is survived by his wife Amanda and his two small children Connor and Chastity Hoelting. Hoelting was presidentelect of UCO's German Club and was on the Dean's Honor Roll for his academic achievements while in school. Amy St. John, an administrative assistant at the Modern Language Department, worked closely with Hoelting and said he performed his duties as a student aid with integrity and rigor. "He was very industrious," St. John said. "When he didn't have any work to do, he was studying." St. John said as far as she knew, the cause of Hoelting's death has yet to be determined and wouldn't be fully disclosed
until the medical examiner, released its official findings. Hoelting's memorial services were held last Friday (April 20) at Wilmont Place Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. An online message board at The Oklahoman's website, which will be up and running until May 19, can also be used to send condolences to Hoelting's surviving family members. UCO and Citizens Bank have also set up a scholarship fund for Hoelting's children. For more information about the fund, call the Modern Language Department at 974-5647. Andrew Knittle can be reached at aknittle@thevistaonline.com .
"Our major obligation is not to mistake slogans for solutions." TUE. 78/64 - Edward R. Murrow
WED. 70/55