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DAYS UNTIL NOV. 2
The Student Voice Since 1903
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2004
Counseling center to offer depression screening
Free 'Better Than Ezra' concert to kick off Homecoming
by Sarah Skinner Staff Writer The Student Counseling Center will offer free depression screenings to UCO students and faculty Oct. 7, in conjunction with National Depression Screening Week. The screenings will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Rm. 402 in the Nigh University Center, and from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. across from the food court. No appointments are necessary. The screening will take 5 to 10 minutes, during which a student fills out a questionnaire on their sleeping habits, eating habits and emotions. A counselor from the Student Counseling Center then discusses the results with the student, and if it is found that they have depression, they are referred to someone who can help. Depression is common among college students, said Jan Chapel, coordinator of Student Counseling Services. She said some of the symptoms are too much or too little sleep, eating too much or too little, experiencing a loss of interest in pleasurable activities, having feelings of sadness or discouragement, low self worth, feeling tired, irritability, and often difficulty concentrating. For more information, call the Student Counseling Center at 974-2215.
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Homecoming Week will begin Oct. 10 and will go through Oct. 16. by Kenneth Reinbold Staff Writer
Photo by Justin Avera Illustration by Gavin D. Elliott
Brian Bates, a journalism student, exposes Oklahoma City's prostitution problem by videotaping people in the act.
Fighting crime via video ■ One journalism student takes things into his own hands as the 'Video Vigilante.' by Emily Rothrock StafrWriter Imagine finding two total strangers having sex in your driveway. Imagine pressing charges against those people and then the judge and jury finding them innocent. How frustrated would you be? What would you do about it?
This is what happened to Brian Bates, a UCO junior journalism student, nine years ago. The defense attorney claimed that Bates must have been lying. Bates said the attorney said that there is no way someone could walk up on two people having sex without him or her knowing about it. Bates's own attorney suggested
using a video camera if it ever happened again, and so the "Video Vigilante" was born. Nine years later, Bates has his own Web site, www. Videovigilante.com , and his work has been shown on airwaves across the globe.
see VIDEO VIGILANTE, page 4
Club puts students in touch with CPA profession by Kelley Chambers Staff Writer
Photo by Robert Crauthers
Brad Carson (left) and Tom Coburn debate health care issues Oct. 4 at UCO's Constitution Hall. The candidates are campaigning against each other for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Carson, Coburn clash in U.S. Senate debate ■ The hopefuls for U.S. Senate from Oklahoma faced off at UCO this week. by Joseph Wertz Staff Writer Congressman Brad Carson and Dr. Tom Coburn discussed issues on a nationally televised debate in Constitution Hall Oct 4. Coburn and Carson are candidates for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Don. Nickles. More than 500 people attended the debate, which was sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons and broadcasted by KOCO 5 television. In their opening statements, both candidates drew focus to the economy in Oklahoma, as well as their visions for the future of the country. "We can have a better Oklahoma and better country," Carson said. Carson, a Democrat from Claremore, also mentioned the need to focus on the farm economy of Oklahoma as well as public education.
In his opening remarks, Coburn, a Republican from Muskogee, said the United States has "a deficit of moral courage." The war in Iraq was a primary focus for debate questions. Coburn highlighted his role as a "medical missionary" and agreed with the course President Bush has taken on the war. "There have been mistakes in this war, and in all wars," Coburn said. Coburn also said that if we spend the way we are spending, we won't be able to support the war. Carson underscored the need for the U.S. to support their troops. "My support for President Bush is unwavering," Coburn said. Carson also registered his support for President Bush. "Winning the war in Iraq is a vital part of winning the war on terrorism," Carson said. "Iraq is a top priority."
Pointing out Coburn's previous criticism of the Patriot Act, Carson cited a quote in which Coburn said, "Our biggest threat is from the government's removal of our rights and personal freedoms." Carson rebutted Coburn's earlier statement by saying, "Our biggest threat is from people who think we have more to fear from our government." Coburn didn't deny making the statement but admitted to changing his mind when "convinced otherwise." Military base closures were also a topic during the debate, as Oklahoma is home to several military installations. Coburn said he would "oppose vigorously" any attempt to close installations in Oklahoma, but noted that the U.S. House and Senate passed legislation to begin base closures. "It will hap-
see SENATE DEBATE, page 5
The Accounting Club kicked off three consecutive days of "mock interviews" Oct. 5 in the Career Services Center on the fourth floor of the Nigh University Center. The interviews will continue through Oct. 7. Club President Joe Walker said 39 students signed up for the' opportunity to be interviewed and critiqued by one of seven firms that employ accountants. "September is when accounting firms do their recruiting, because spring is tax season," Walker said. "Our members were required to sign up, then send in a cover letter and resume to the company they're interviewing with." Above all, Walker stressed in a letter to interviewees, "Dress professionally and do not be late." The seven companies participating are Cole & Reed, Devon Energy Corporation, Finley & Cook, Grant Thornton, John M. Arledge & Associates, Kerr McGee and KPMG. On hand Tuesday evening were representatives from Finley & Cook, KPMG and Grant Thornton. Melissa Orton, an audit manager from KPMG, one of the "Big Four" accounting firms in the United States, was doing mock interviews at UCO for the first time, but knew the type of accountant her company was looking for. "We're looking for people that have the academic skills to do the job, good communication skills and can work as a team." And while Orton could not make an offer of employment on the spot, she did have good news for promising candidates. "I am in a position to bring someone in for an actual interview," she said. All of the Tuesday evening inter-
see MOCK INTERVIEW, page 3
Better Than Ezra will be playing at 7:00 p.m. Oct. 10 to kick off Homecoming Week 2004. The Student Programming Board and Homecoming Activities Board are co-sponsoring the concert, which will be held at Evans Field. The event will be free to the public, and Spider Douglas will take the stage before Better Than Ezra. "We're making the concert free so we can get people to come out and to get Homecoming started off on the right foot," said President of Student Programming Board Joy Mitchell. Better Than Ezra is an alternative rock band from New Orleans that started playing together in 1988. The band had hits in the 90's and has released three albums, the latest being "Closer" in 2001. For more information on Homecoming, see the Oct. 12 issue of The Vista.
CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS ■ The deadline to register to vote for the presidential election is Oct. 8. Forms are available at The Vista, Rm. 107 of the Communications Building, or register online at www.thevistaonline.com . ■ UCO's Gay Alliance for Tolerance and Equality (GATE) will staff an information table Oct. 11 for National Coming Out Day. It will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Broncho Lake. For more information, call Dr. David Macey at 9745641, or e-mail dmacey@ucok.edu . ■ Bangladesh Student Association will present 'Bangladesh Night' at 7 p.m. Oct. 9 in Constitution Hall. ■ Homecoming 2004 T-shirts are now on sale in the Campus Life Office. Short sleeve shirts are $7, and Long sleeve shirts are $10. ■ The Student Health Center will give flu vaccinations Oct. 25 for $15. For more inforrnation, call the Student Health Center at 974-2317. ■ The deadline for the Fulbright competition is Oct. 11. For more information, contact Dr. Siegfried Heit at 974-5633 or Dr. Amy Carrell at 974-5609.
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