The Vista Oct. 25, 2007

Page 1

www.thevistaonline.com

The Student Voice of the University of Central Oklahoma Since 1903

October 25, 2007

DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS DIES IN PLANE CRASH "His passing is a true loss to the university community." - President Webb by Lyndsay Gillum Copy Editor A small plane crash last Wednesday near Glenpool took the lives of five people, one being Dr. William J. Wiseman, director of University Relations for UCO. Hundreds of loved ones gathered Monday at St. John's Episcopal Church in Tulsa to honor Dr. Wiseman, who touched the many lives as a state legislator and as a preacher. Dr. Wiseman, known

as Bill to many at UCO, served as director of University Relations for 10 years. According to a statement from President Webb, Wiseman was "bright and intelligent, we looked to Bill for his expertise in public relations and his extraordinary wordsmithing. He was our 'concept guy,' credited for innovative programs such as our World Within." The 1978 Beechcraft A36, which Dr. Wiseman was piloting, went down shortly after takeoff from an airport

in Tulsa, according to KOTV. corn. The crash happened around 2 p.m. last Wednesday in the Coal Creek Landing housing addition near U.S. Highway 75 and 121st Street in Glenpool. Officials said it appeared the plane clipped power lines before crashing. The crash site was secured as of last Wednesday so the National Transportation Safety Board could investigate the exact cause of the crash. "Dr. Wiseman, an Episcopal priest, held a great love for

learning and was delighted to teach a religion course on our campus," Webb said. "His passing is a true loss to the university community." Reverend Wiseman was a vicar of the Church of the Holy Cross in Owasso. In the `70s, he was a state representative and served three terms in the House. In 1977, he introduced the nation's first death-by-lethal-injection legislation, according to KOTV. com . "We were both young Turks in the legislature try-

ing to change the world," Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, said in a statement. "I actually think Bill did more good in the legislature than I did. He was a great intellect and a great human being." Along with the death of Wiseman, Dr. Rhonda Lunn, 51, her 16-year old daughter, Kathryn Lunn and her 14-year-old twins, Michael and Adrienne also died in the crash. Lyndsay Gillum can be reached at Igillum@thevistaonlinacom.

VOLUNTEERS GET A CHANCE TO 'MAKE A DIFFERENCE' by Nelson Solomon Staff Writer National Make a Difference Day is this Saturday, Oct. 27, but Dr. Patti Loughlin's Leadership and Civic Engagement class, the Volunteer and Service Learning Center and the American Democracy Project have been making a difference since the beginning of this week, according to UCOSA Vice President Cyndi Munson. "Since our class is focusing on civic engagement, we wanted to see if we can get more UCO students more civically engaged in something. And with the 2008 presidential election coming up, we decided to conduct a straw poll election," Munson said. Straw polls were conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday and will also be conducted today from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. by Broncho Lake, in the Nigh University Center and in the Communications Building. "Basically it's a seven question survey, online, with all the presidential candidates. There is also a portion asking if the person is a student or faculty member, if they had done any research prior to filling the survey out and what their political affiliation is," Munson said. Information Technology is providing laptops to be used for the online straw

polls. Students can also visit the American Democracy Web site at www.ucok.edu/ AmericanDemocracyProj ect to take the straw poll at home if they don't have time to take the survey during the scheduled time periods. "We just want to get an idea of what UCO is feeling and what they're thinking and who they want to be the president," Munson added. Munson said they are also registering students to vote, especially because it is on college campuses where voter registration is lacking. "We're trying to reach out to students, especially because they probably get disconnected with their area, particularly if they're from a different hometown. And so we want to help them get more engaged in Oklahoma County or Edmond, or even assist them in getting an absentee ballot," Munson said. Munson said results from the straw poll will be posted on the A.D.P. -Web site and in The Vista next week. In conjunction with Make a Difference Day, Dr. Loughlin's class held the first "Coffee with the Times" at the Central Plaza coffee bar on Wednesday evening. Professors Mark Hannebutt and Rashi Shukla were on hand along with Lane Perry, executive assistant to the executive vice president of UCO, and a discussion was

by Vista photographer Chris Albers

Richard Laskey, philosophy senior, takes part in a straw poll conducted by Dr. Patti Loughlin's Leadership and Civic Engagement class Wednesday in the University Center. held on how to read and reflect on the issues of the day from the New York Times. There will be no events on Oct. 27 as the day is full of activities relating to Parent and Family Weekend, Munson said. Information about the dif-

ferent presidential candidates is being passed out around campus and there is also information in the University Center on various candidates, according to Munson. "We're just trying to get more people informed about what's going on with the 2008

DON'T GO INTO THE BASEMENT

election and we know there's a lot of stuff on TV and radio stations, but we want them to get more involved and see that we're trying to help each other," she said. Munson said part of their goal is to "spark something in students who may not be reg-

by Vista photographer Chris Often

From left: Anna Lee and Rachel Parks set mini costumes up for the highly anticipated Murdaugh Project.

Mon. through Thurs. at 5 p.m.

Canadian politician Harold Taylor once said that "the roots of true achievement lie in the will to become the best that you can become." And sometimes it is those who are less fortunate and have disabilities that have a greater will and desire to succeed. Students for an Accessible Society, the student organization of the Disability Support Services office, seeks to spread this message to disabled students at UCO. "The organization is about students with disabilities and students without disabilities that advocate helping peo-

"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."

REAL GHOST HUNTER LOGAN CORELLI

PAGE 6 —Aldous Huxley

Nelson Solomon can be reached at nsolomon@thevista-

Organization to inform on disabed students by Nelson Solomon Staff Writer

News Central Channel 6

istered to vote or have no interest in the election to get active and involved in the process."

ple with disabilities become successful, whether it's in school or in the community," Kimberly Fields, asst. director of the office and adviser to the organization, said. Students without disabilities are able to volunteer to help fellow students who have disabilities. Interested students can contact the office at 974-2549, according to Fields. Events held on campus by the group include a wheelchair basketball game during Homecoming Week, in which students with and without disabilities can participate. "While we can't teach you what it's like to have a disabil-

see DISABILITIES, page 4


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