June 3, 2009
www.thevistaonline.corn
. hc Student Voice cif the University of Central Oklahoma Since 1903
Construction booming at UCO
Mayfield appeals court ruling on discrimination
Caleb McWilliams Nelson Solomon
.s'iaLni
filer
(,o_Lditor
Construction for both the Forensic Science Institute and the Center for Transformative Learning buildings is on schedule, while sidewalk closures will remain brief to "tiy and not disrupt as much as possible." David Stapleton, university architect and director of Architectural and Engineering Services, said that different pieces of sidewalk around those buildings will be closed at different times, but that the closures will be no more than two or three weeks. One difficulty for the university during the summer will be the large crane on-site for the Center for Transformative Learning construction, Stapleton said. "Since the crane is larger, we have to secure a larger area around the perimeter of the building," he said. "There are some classrooms [in the Liberal Arts building] that have to be closed because of that." Stapleton said that the crane should be gone within 45 days, and that those classrooms will be opened again Photo by Laura Hoffert in time for the fall semester. The Forensic Science Institute building, at a Construction on two major projects continues this summer at UCO. A crane total cost of $12 million, is scheduled for completion boom hoists material for the steel work at the Center for Transformative Learnin November 2009 and will ing next to the Liberal Arts Building. begin being occupied this a recital hall and other amenities, including an outdoor January. The building will house the Forensic Science Institute, a classroom. Stapleton said that when the forensic science buildmultidiscipline program, with an 165-seat auditorium and ing was bid at "the height of the oil and gas boom" when three 50-seat classrooms, in addition to office space and an "construction materials were expensive and everything "evidence recovery training area" that will be utilized "in was expensive," the university looked at the Center for mock crime scenes and evidence collection from vehicles," Transformative Learning project and took out some of the the institute's website states. amenities like the outdoor classroom. The Center for Transfonnative Learning building has a "When we actually bid the CTL project," Stapleton said total cost of $io million and is scheduled to be occupied in "it actually bid a little lower than what the very original esti2 August 2010, after being completed the previous June. mate was from two years ago, so we got excellent prices on The center will include 11 new classrooms, office space, see BOOM, page 2
English professor Dr. Sandra Mayfield is not giving up on her gender discrimination suit against the university and its board of regents. Mayfield, director of UCO's Women's Studies Minor, filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit on June 1, a month after U.S. District Judge Robin Cauthron ruled in favor of UCO and the Regional University System of Oklahoma. Cauthron entered her judgment on April 3o. Mayfield filed the complaint on June 4, 2008, alleging that Dr. Brett Sharp, a political science professor and director of the leadership studies minor, is paid more than she is, despite the fact that both perform the same duties and should receive the same compensation for serving as directors of minor programs. In the gender discrimination suit, Mayfield sought $75,000, according to court papers. In granting the summary judgment, all pending motions were stricken as moot. Adrienne Nobles, director of dommunications and Marketing for UCO, told the Edmond Sun in a May 28 the court's decision is public record and the university will not be making further comment. Nobles said Mayfield remained employed by UCO. In their request for a summary judgment, the defendants contended that Mayfield had failed to exhaust administrative remedies and that she failed to sue UCO in a timely manner. As of Feb. 18, Mayfield was earning an overall salary of $69,598, according to information obtained by the Edmond Sun through an open records request. She was hired in August 1985 with a starting salary of $32, 90o. As of Feb. 18, Sharp was earning an overall salary of $61,409. He was hired in August 2000 with a starting salary of $46,860. Despite Mayfield's claims that she and Sharp should be paid the same due to their positions as directors of minor programs, the defendants contended Sharp performs a variety of duties Mayfield does not and that their work environments are significantly different. Mayfield did not refute arguments made by the defendants of the specific distinctions between the two positions, but contended that Sharp is not a chair of a department and therefore should not be paid as if he were. Cauthron ruled that while Mayfield and Sharp may perform similar and comparable job duties, this is insufficient to support her allegations of wage discrimination. Regarding the claim of discrimination filed by Mayfield, she declared she wanted to dismiss this claim without stating why. The defendants offered no objection to such a dismissal and the court found it appropriate to permit that request.
see MAYFIELD,
page
4-11111-fr
UCO enrollment up 3 percent this summer Ryan Croft lylitor
Summer 2009 enrollment is up 3 percent so far from last year, said Jerry Legere, UCO's Associate VP for Enrollment Management. UCO's student headcount for summer 2008 totaled 5,479 students, according to UCO's Summer Demographics Book. Those statistics show a total 3.6 percent increase from
2004. Although UCO has not officially released statistics for Summer 2009's enrollment, Legere said over 5,500 students had enrolled as of the end of May and speculated that more students will enroll in the coming weeks. Graduate student Farzad Khalili named various reasons for taking his summer intersession class, titled "Lean Principles for Business." "I just like the class," Khalili said. "I work for an accounting firm. This class will help me ... in my business."
Poreintage of Total Hoacicount Summor 2008
Khalili explained that his class is only available during intersession because it is such a specialized topic. Legere said summer class enrollment tends to be more prevalent in graduate students. "Graduate enrollment is up pretty significantly ... 8 percent over last year," Legere said. "Summer schools just have more popularity among upperclassmen than underclassmen." Legere said underclassman enrollment for the summer is up 2.2 percent from last year. Legere also offered some other reasons for the rise in summer enrollment. "During the summer, people come home from other schools and decide to go to school locally," Legere explained. "It's an opportunity to take a course less expensive than out of state." UCO's Office of Institutional Research will not release comprehensive enrollment statistics until the middle of June, but Legere said UCO plans to graduate over 300 students at the summer's end. A lot of students, by taking a course this summer, will be able to graduate in the fall instead of the following spring, Legere said. .410111111,1111011MOMPIIIININA
Check Ole bk)gs at.
UCO student killed in crash Emily Michelle Gibson, a 20—year-old UCO student, was killed in a single-car crash at 3:3o a..m. on May 24 . 2009.
Gibson was driving northbound on Interstate 235 when she hit a bridge pillar between 36th street and 5oth, police reports indicate. Gibson was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. See paw.? 3
It all adds up! Economics prof earns national family award Sue Lynn Sasser, Ph.D., said that when she first learner. she was awarded the national Friend of the Family Award she just sat and stared at the phone for 3o minutes. "When I pulled up that computer screen and saw ! â–ş ! those past recipients. I didn't know what to say, I didn ! know what to do," Sasser said. See pagt
Summer at UCO Catch a glimpse of summer at UCO. Photo essay Laura Hoffert, See pao, ,
45147.1111111111MINOW,COWNMCS11.11151.,
Inside the Lines with Chris Liquid Assets with C. , L'L 1, Wescott
TheViAaOrtline. corn mrin.rm,TernmmAntirm,,,, , ,,,,,IFrper...,ver,am..clum.mr,weraerarrotre,
fl
,^`
,11a,