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July
17, 2008
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Obama campaign to visit state Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's campaign Web site opens with a banner across the top reading "I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington ... I'm asking you to believe in yours." FULL STORY PAGE 6
Sonics case judge: Friend or foe? U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman may be a hero or an enemy to Oklahoma City's NBA fans. But we'll never know. Because the suit between the city of Seattle and the Sonics was settled, Pechznan's prepared ruling was never heard. Page 5
Features Nepal to elect first president The 240-year-old institution of monarchy in Nepal was abolished June 11 -- and now the tiny Himalayan nation faces the task of finding a leader to fill the post of president. PAGE 2
OKC doctors to assist in Olympics By Nelson Solomon Managing Editor
The Olympic torch will finally reach Beijing in 22 days, but two Oklahoma City surgeons will already be in the city to assist their teams in what is being billed as the "biggest Olympiad ever with more than 10,000 athletes competing from over 200 countries," according to albawaba.com . Drs. Robert F. Hines and Steve Coupens will be joining eight other doctors to assist in this year's games. Hines will be assisting wrestling and judo athletes while Coupens
will be assisting cycling athletes. Hines will leave on. July 29 and return on Aug. 22, and Coupens will leave on Aug. 1 and return on Aug. 26. Wrestling sports include free style, Greco and women's and judo has male and female divisions, Hines said. Coupens said he takes care of men's and women's road cycling, time trial, track, mountain biking and BMX. Hines said he has been working with the UCO, University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University wrestling teams as well as traveling with the USA team for
Central Oklahoma had an established veteran and an incoming freshman advance through the first two rounds of the Oklahoma Golf Association State Amateur Championship Tuesday at Gaillardia Golf and Country Club. PAGE 7
see DOCTORS, page 3
Freshmen Teaching the teachers can lock down tuition rate By Carrie Cronk Staff Writer
Beginning this fall semester, some UCO freshmen will have the option to lock their tuition at a guaranteed rate for the next four academic years. This spring the Oklahoma State Congress passed House Bill 3397, which established the guaranteed tuition program for Oklahoma in-state resident freshmen. "The law requires all fouryear public higher education institutions in Oklahoma to offer in-state students an option to participate in a guaranteed tuition rate plan," according to www,
okhouse,gov.
"The plan would enable full-time enrolling freshmen to lock in a tuition rate through the completion of their degree program." As defined by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, full-time status requires enrollment in a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester. "Since 2004, tuition and fees at Oklahoma schools have increased more than 50 percent, and that number will be compounded by this year's rate hikes," according to www,okhotoe, gov, "However, this year's freshman class will have the
ability to "lock" their tuition rates for the next four years, ensuring they won't face a similar 50 percent increase by their senior year." Drew Duke, executive director of Student Financial Services said, "this program is the result of specific legislation making it available only for first-time, full-time students. In my opinion, the program is really only potentially economically viable for students who will be enrolled over a period of four years." He said the guaranteed tuition rate is 15 percent higher than the unguaranteed general tuition rate for the 2008 — 2009 academic year. "The locked (guaranteed) general tuition rate is $141 per credit hour compared to the non guaranteed general tuition rate of $122.70 per credit hour," he said. "As long as they remain eligible for the four years, students on the program will keep the $141 per credit hour rate for the [2009 —2010, 2010 —20 11, and 2011 — 2012] academic years, regardless of what happens with non guaranteed general tuition rates."
see FRESHMEN, page 6
by Vista photographer Eric Rothwell
Jina Sloan demonstrates a teaching exercise during a session of Great Expectations, a training program for teachers across the state of Oklahoma. The session was held on July 16 in the Heritage Room in the Nigh University Center.
Graduate program reaches for accreditation By Jana Davis Editor-in-Chief
Golfers advance in tournament
10 to 12 years. He has also been working with the World Championships two of the last three years. "They wanted me to progress to the Olympics because they wanted to have someone go to the sport and the games that knows wrestling. The more familiar you are with the sport, the better you are because you know all the athletes and you know the sport, and so you can take care of them better," he said.
Three students took more than just a risk of passing or failing summer school this year. Jamie Hume of Enid, Ross McCulloh of Ardmore and Amanda Gillam of Texas have risked the next two years of school. UCO's new graduate athletic training program is undergoing the necessary accreditation process to ensure that all three students graduate from a recognized program. While a risk, Jeff McKibbin, director of the athletic training curriculum, said the chances of it not being accredited after two years is slim. "The process is such that the only way to become accredited is if you have students that go through the program. They want you to have taught or be teaching the program," McKibbin said. To 23-year-old Gillam, the risk is worth it. by Vista photographer Chanel Henry "Taking the risk for me was better than going somewhere else that I would have hated," Kinesiology & health studies instsructor Gillam said. "There are only 17 schools in the nation that are entry-level accredited." Jeff McKibbin.
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Oklahoma law requires anybody who wants to practice athletic training to have a license. To obtain a license, the students must be Nationally Board Certified, which can only be taken if classes are from an accredited college, McKibbin said. Certified athlete trainers are health care professionals who specialize in preventing, recognizing, managing and rehabilitating injuries that can result in physical activity. McKibbin clarified that even if the program was not accredited after two years, it would not be a permanent state. He said students would still get their master's and the opportunity for accreditation would still be available to these students. Gillam said the staff has been very involved in the process so far. "The administrative staff is doing everything right to get the program started off well," she said. An athletic trainer, Gillam said, is someone whose primary goal is for the prevention and care of injuries.
Puppy mills bring no comfort to dogs. See page 3
see GRADUATE, page 6