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Page 2 The Round Table Page 5 February 'Smokin' 8, 2007 Aces' Page 8 Sports
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The Student Voice of the University of Central Oklahoma Since 1903
Tuesday November February 8, 200721st
Black History Month aspires to educate staff and students “The history of black people has always been suppressed. When they were slaves, they were kept uneducated so they wouldn’t escape and maintain their status ” -Dr. Charles Simmons
Brittany Carradine speaks out on tolerance and diversity. by Abha Eli Phoboo Staff Writer It is Black History Month and the UCO community is celebrating the many black personalities who have contributed to progressive changes in society. Black history and multicultural diversity are integral parts of UCO and before the month started, the campus crowned Brittany Carradine Miss Black UCO 2007 to represent and empower young students. Already, Carradine is working on reaching out and spreading awareness about tolerance and diversity. “I believe that one of the most effective ways we can spread awareness about Black History Month is through word of mouth,” she said. “I
have been telling everyone I come in contact with, making announcements in classes, and informing everyone about the amazing month full of events that the Multicultural Student Services has scheduled.” Black History Month aims to provide information to students, staff and faculty about the history of black people. “The history of black people has always been suppressed. When they were slaves, they were kept uneducated so they wouldn’t escape and maintain their status, ” said Dr. Charles Simmons, professor of mass communication. “Most people don’t have information because schools in the old days didn’t include black history in their courses. Even today, many people who teach black history do so from the white perspective. Black people would shake their heads at some of those things because the history is softened a lot,” he added. Dr. Simmons is author of “African American Press”, which explores events that most people have forgotten or have been buried in history. “People don’t even know about the Tulsa riots, which happened right here in Oklahoma,” he said. Black History Month is important to students at UCO as Megan Morris, biology junior, said, “Being a black female, even today, is a struggle at times. The month’s events help us understand our history. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still
by Vista photographer Travis Marak
Nutrition and dietetics Jr. Roopa Parasuram studies in front of a mural painted by UCO art majors for the African American Faculty and Staff Association to illustrate the involvement of African Americans on campus. more to go. At UCO, because of its diversity, I feel less like a minority. And Black History Month is helping me find a lot about where we come from.” The Feb. 1 Black History Month Kickoff Reception and Mural Unveiling at the Nigh University Center marked the official start. Dr. George
Henderson, recipient of the State of Oklahoma Black Heritage Lifetime Achievement Award and inductee into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame, was keynote speaker. On Feb. 3, the Third Annual Step Show broke the ice and gave students a way to participate and socialize. According to
organizers, 1,000 people attended the show at Edmond North High School. UCO chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha and Alpha Kappa Alpha won the step competition. It was a fourth consecutive win for Alpha Phi Alpha. "Race: The Power of an Illusion" Part 1 was screened Feb. 4 at the Multicultural
Center. The award-winning three-part film series stirred conversation as did the Hip Hop Forum, which was held Feb. 5 in Constitution Hall. The forum depicted the four emphases with hip hop: media, Christian
see History, page 3
Drinking laws turn controversial
Photo Provided by Samantha Lamb
Singer/songwriter Sherree Chamberlain will perform at the UCO Jazz Lab on Thursday, Feb. 8.
Oklahoma's standard of living declines Photo illustration by Vista photographer Alex Gambill
New Edmond city laws are designed to crack down on residences promoting underage drinking. Fines of up to $500 and 60 days in jail are possible punishments. by Nathan Winfrey Senior Staff Writer The Edmond City Council passed a new “social host” ordinance in December, which targets adults who provide alcohol for underage drinkers in their residences. Fines of up to $500 and up to 60 days in jail await those caught in breach of the ordinance. Aimed at parents who provide alcohol to teens, the ordinance has caused an uproar among UCO students, many of whom claim the new law infringes on their ability to have
a traditional college experience. “Going to parties is as much a part of your college life as your core curriculum courses are, and to restrict college students from having that experience will be detrimental to the future retention rates and the more ‘traditional’ UCO that many of us have fought for,” said Nathan Woolard, former student body president. “We believe it will be very beneficial in holding people responsible,” said Glynda Chu, police spokeswoman. “It has already proven helpful in two recent cases that involved
by Lyndsay Gillum Staff Writer
large gatherings where alcohol was being served to minors in Edmond.” She said one party had 150 guests, the other had at least 80 and both parties had UCO students in attendance. In both cases, those responsible for the parties were arrested. “It is hard to believe that the law was in truth aimed at parents, considering the social structure of Edmond,” said Vagan Mushegyan, biology junior. “The goal of the ordinance is to prevent underage drinking,
Kenneth Kickham, UCO political science professor, helped take part in writing a report called “The State of Working Oklahoma:The Uneven Recovery Leaves Many Behind.” The report from Community Action Project, a Tulsa-based anti-poverty agency, suggests that working Oklahomans’ standard of living has lost ground even as the state’s economy has grown in recent years. According to Kickham, this report is the Oklahoma version of the national public project called “The see Underage, page 3 State of Working America.”
Such reports come out every other year. The Economic Policy Institute comes out with a book whose purpose “is to outline what it’s like to be a typical working person in America for a particular moment in time,” Kickham said. The EPI crunches numbers and gathers data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They compare a wide variety of sources to try to paint the picture of what it’s like to be a working person, Kickham said. “My role was to develop a lot of data analysis and one of the things that the folks over at CAP are good at is structur-
“When EPI put out the word, David Blatt picked up on it and asked me if I wanted to," said Kickham, "and of course I was thrilled.” ing some kind of analysis for a wider audience,” Kickham said. “I am in turn trying for an academic audience and they’re
see EPI page 3
UCO Faculty Art Exhibit
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