University of • Central Oklahoma
THURSDAY October 12, 1995
The,Student Voice Since 1903
UCO faculty senate hosts forum on liability insurance By Susan Reger Staff Writer The big question posed at UCO's Oct. 5 faculty senate meeting to a visiting risk management administrator was whether faculty needed to acquire Powers outside liability insurance coverage. John Zakariassen, risk management administrator for the state of Oklahoma, answered questions about liability insurance for UCO faculty and staff. "At a faculty sponsored party,
am I personally responsible for guests or will it be seen as a university function?" asked Dr. Ron Beeson, associate professor of political science. Zakariassen said if the party was not an event sanctioned by the university, the faculty members would not be covered. The function of state government is not to pay for parties or events that are held away from curriculum, he said. Employees of the university who have responsibilities offcampus do not have to document every detail to be covered by liability insurance, said Zakariassen. "However, when a UCO employee is clearly away from the job on a private venture, that is going out on a limb'," he said. Don Powers, UCO's director
of safety and environmental management, said as long as an employee is functioning within the scope of employment, that employee is an agent of the state of Oklahoma and is covered by liability insurance. "The kicker is defining what is within the scope of employment," he said. Powers said if an employee is driving a UCO van on a trip out of town for a UCO function, goes home to pick up his bags and is involved in an accident, that employee is covered by liability insurance. However, if that same employee decided to stop at an outlet mall during the trip and was in an accident, that employee would not be covered, he said. V See SENATE, Page 5
Broncho spirit... UCO baton twirler Andrea Braze marches ahead of the band during halftime. (Staff photo by Bill Wilkinson)
Treasury department opens on-line window of opportunity By Mike Gustafson Staff Writer
UCO students can now receive information from the Oklahoma State Treasury Department through "The Open Window," an on-line system designed to make information more available to the public. The on-line system was constructed by the treasury
department and is available on the World Wide Web. The project is an attempt by the State Treasurer Robert Butkin, to let the public become more aware of how their tax dollars are handled, said Tim Allen, Oklahoma State Treasury public information officer. "Since the early 80s, the State Treasury. Department has been a closed environment," said Allen. "The windows where literally
painted to keep tax dollars secretive, but now Treasurer Butkin wants to let the public see the way their tax dollars are handled." "The Open Window" allows the user to track the investments of state surplus funds, which average about $1.5 billion a month. The surplus funds is cash flow not immediately needed, which is invested by the state treasurer, said Allen.
"When there is $9 billion dollars of taxpayers' money that is handled each year by the treasurer," said Allen, "they have a right to see where the money is going." The new on-line service, which was made available and can be used at virtually no cost, will be especially useful to business majors. "The service will be a great asset to finance and economics
majors because they can view and print out investment operations," said Allen. The on-line service may be reached at http://www.state.ok.us/—sto at any time of the day. The .service also offers a response line in which people may leave comments to the treasurer. The E-mail line is accessible at treas@oklaosf.state.ok.us on the Internet.
INSIDE TODAY INDEX Editorial
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Letters
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Around Campus 15 Sports 10,11 Campus Crime .... 14 Comics 15 Classifieds 16
HOMECOMING Don't miss the events and happenings this weekend at UCO's Homecoming.
SPORTS UCO setter Amy Hansen is named Lone Star Conference player of the week.
REVIEWS See John Clanton's review of Shatterproof's new CD, Slip It Under the Door
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