The Student Voice Since 1903 UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2005
State regents approve tuition hike by Vista Staff
The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved tuition increases June 30 for undergraduates at Oklahoma public colleges and universities. The rate increase will take effect fall 2005.
UCO's in-state tuition will increase 9.3 percent, or roughly $195 per year for full-time residents. The Board of Regents for Oklahoma Colleges initially approved the increase at a meeting in Constitution Hall June 16 before sending it to the vote of the state regents.
Chancellor Paul G. Risser said tuition could have gone up more, but a $72.3 million increase in state appropriations will keep increases to an average of 7.4 percent. "Providing a quality education to our students is the most important thing our colleges and universities can do,"
Risser said. "These increases will allow our institutions to properly serve their students next year and remain competitive with other colleges around the nation in retaining and hiring quality faculty." The money from the increase will go toward scholarships and grants, with
the majority to be put into financing the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program scholarship. After the June 16 meeting, Steve Kreidler, vice president of Administration, said UCO faculty and staff will receive a 3.5 percent cost of living increase. Other money
will be used for the OHLAP scholarship and more faculty positions and jobs for students. The regents reported that in-state tuition is required by state law to remain comparable with other colleges and
see TUITION-, page 3
UCO police take responsibility for alarm error at campus bank by Vista Staff
Two UCO students were detained by police with a drawn gun at 10:15 a.m. June 30 outside of the Citizens Bank in Nigh University Center after the bank's silent alarm was activated. Latasha Ellis-Cobb, journalism sophomore, and Justin Avera, photojournalism junior, were stopped after the bank tripped its silent alarm as a test. Jeff Harp, Department of Public Safety director, said officers Brian Maloy and James Porterfield responded to the alarm because of a "communication failure." "We just walked out the door," Avera said. "I saw him (Maloy) out of the corner of my eye and wondered why he had his gun out." "I was shocked, my heart was pounding and I could only imagine what was going on," Ellis-Cobb said. Avera and Ellis-Cobb _said they were told to stay - put with their arms up as Maloy entered the bank, where the tellers also had their hands in the air, to verify that the two were not robbers. Hiroki Okazaki, graduate student, was working at the convenience store next door where he said 10 to 15 people were clustered outside to watch. Okazaki said Maloy told onlookers to stay back. Photo by Naomi Takebuchi
see BANK, page 3
Fireworks explode behind the broncho statue in front of Hamilton Field House during LibertyFest July 4. This was the 34th year for the Edmond event.
Arun Ghandi continues his grandfather's mission of peace by Courtney Bryce Staff Writer
Arun Ghandi, grandson of Mohandas K. "Mahatma" Ghandi, will speak on "Nonviolence in the Age of Terrorism" at noon July 13 in Constitution Hall as part of the Summer Speaker Series. Arun's grandfather is known as a martyr for his teachings against violence, which played a key role
in the creation of India's democracy in 1947. In order to continue the work of his grandfather, Arun founded the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence in 1991. Institute Director Len Piechowski said Arun grew up in South Africa and was considered too white to befriend black children and too black to befriend white children. He said Arun was beaten by both groups and became "dark and
angry" at an early time in his life. Piechowski said Arun lived with his grandfather for 18 months, where he spent an hour each day with him to learn the lessons of nonviolence and find a grip on his anger. The institute is housed at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Mississippi. "The mission of the institute is to educate on a local and national level the philosophy and practice of non-violence," Piechowski said.
The institute has an educational program specifically aimed at prisoners and has recently teamed up with the Institute for the Study and Prevention of Violence at Kent State University. Together they distribute nonviolence individual workbooks to inmates. "We have a strong devotion to people behind bars," Piechowski said. "Like Ghandi's grandfather, a lot of people in prison have been there unjustly."
Campus Life Assistant Director Meshawn Conley said all tickets for the event were handed out within a week. The event was moved from the Pegasus Theater in the Liberal Arts Building, which seats 250 to Constitution Hall, which seats 550. "With all the current events we thought violence would be a good topic to address," Conley said. Conley said the Summer
see GHANDI, page 3
Lakeside classroom facility in final planning stages UCO to break ground on Outdoor Education Center by Nathan Winfrey Staff Writer
UCO and the City of Edmond are entering the final planning stages for the Outdoor Education Center, a water sports and nature center to be built at Arcadia Lake. The new facility will be equipped with classrooms for the recreation management program and safety courses
Illustration Provided
Rendering of the UCO Outdoor Education Center to be located at Arcadia Lake in Edmond.
and the Oklahoma Highway and will enable UCO to add Patrol boat safety program, kayaking, canoeing, rowing,
and other water sports capabilities, said Fred Feith, director of Recreation Services. The facility will also be used for watching bald eagles, which sometimes nest at the lake. Wellness Center Director Mark Herrin said surveys and focus groups indicated a real interest among UCO students in those types of activities. "If we had a facility at Lake Arcadia it could be a base for those activities," he said. "It's a cooperative effort with the City of Edmond. When we're not using it,
they get to use it for their programs, but UCO students and staff will have priority at all times," Feith said. Students who join water sports clubs will have access to the equipment, but must complete training first. Feith said, "It's a long process when working with state institutions to get things done." The City of Edmond leased land from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and then UCO subleased the land from them to build the facility. He said for the next step, "the City of Edmond and UCO come up with a lease agreement and then it
goes to the Corps, then it goes through the Edmond City Council." The decision now rests with the Corps. "It's not in our hands anymore," Feith said. "The money is in place, as soon as we get the okay we'll be ready to go." Herrin said the new facility will cost between $400,000 and $500,000. "No new
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