The Student Voice Since 1903 University of Central Oklahoma
Thursday, september, 21, 2006
Picture dedication honors Miss Oklahoma winners by Desiree Treeby Staff Writer UCO pageant fans celebrated the dedication of the 2005 and 2006 Miss Oklahoma winners in the Nigh University Center Tuesday. “The purpose of today is for Lauren Nelson (2006 Miss Oklahoma) and others who were invited to show the success they’ve had,” said Winston Banta, the UCO pageant executive director. The UCO pageant competitions are most importantly for the opportunity of earning scholarships, as well as earning other opportunities, he said. Contestants also speak at schools, volunteer and interact with the public. Nelson is the youngest pageant winner from Oklahoma. As her first competition it was the only time anyone earned the crown in the first attempt, said Brooke Wilson of Campus Life. The 19 year-old took a year off from attending UCO because she stays busy traveling to represent Oklahoma. "Hopefully we can bring it back to Oklahoma for two in a row," Nelson said. She will compete at the Miss America pageant in June 2007. UCO nursing graduate and 2005 Miss Oklahoma Jennifer Warren was also Miss UCO 2003. Warren did not attend, because she works as a regisby Vista photographer Travis Marak tered nurse in Chicago. Thirty six contestants com- From left Miss Asian UCO Yumiko Akiba, Miss Black UCO Keondre Butler, Miss Oklahoma Jennifer Warren, Miss UCO Jill Salee and Miss Hispanic UCO Erika Balderas at pete for the Miss Oklahoma title, a dedication ceremony Sept. 19 in the Nigh University Center. then get the opportunity to compete at the June Miss America Pageant, once they’ve competed there, they cannot participate again. The Miss America’s organization’s purpose is for scholarships.
"Hopefully we can bring it back to Oklahoma for two in a row," said 2006 Miss Oklahoma Jennifer Warren.
Desiree Treeby can be reached at dtreeby@thevistaonline.com.
Undergraduate enrollment up 10 percent since 2002 The number of graduate-level students has been steadily decreasing in the same period. UCO enrolled more than 14,400 undergraduates for its 2006 fall term. by Andrew Knittle Staff Writer
Jammed commuter parking lots, complaints about the size of the HOV lot and longer lines at the Financial Aid Office all point to the same thing: UCO’s undergraduate enrollment continues to increase. Since 2002, the university’s undergraduate enrollment has swelled by about 10 percent, according the Office of Planning and Analysis’ website. While the number of graduate-level students has been steadily decreasing in the same period, UCO enrolled more than 14,400 undergrads for its 2006 fall term. In 2002, about 13,000 students signed up for autumn classes. Adam Johnson, director of the Office of Prospective Students and Scholarships, said this fact is no accident. In fact, Johnson said the goal of increasing enrollment comes from the upper echelons of the university’s administration. “President Webb wants to see
a two percent growth in enrollment every year,” Johnson said. “And we’re doing that.” And despite UCO’s efforts to position itself as a residential university, transfer students continue to play a large role in the steady increasing enrollment. “UCO serves many constituents of the surrounding communities,” Johnson said. “It doesn’t matter if our students are new freshmen or non-traditional students.” Of the 14,400 plus undergrads enrolled at UCO, more than 50 percent are residents of Oklahoma City and its surrounding metropolitan area. Out-of-state students make up only 4.6 percent of the enrollment, with Texas supplying the majority of the domestic transplants. International students from 76 countries, including scholars from Iceland and El Salvador, numbered more than 1,100 in 2006, representing about eight percent of the university’s enrollees. Japan, with more than 300 students taking classes at UCO, is the most repre-
3.3 million-year-old skeleton found
See pg. 6
Graduates 8%
sented country at the university. Nepal, with 223 enrollees, is Japan’s nearest rival. To view UCO’s current enrollment stats and demographics, which are a public record, visit www. ucok.edu/ir/demobook.html.
Baccalaureates 1% Freshmen 27%
“UCO
serves many constituents of the surrounding communities. It doesn’t matter if our students are new freshmen or non-traditional
Sophomores 16%
students.”
Adam Johnson
Juniors 20%
Seniors 28% Graphic by Zachary Burch
Breakdown of UCO students according to class, graduates and baccalaureates.
Total Package
See pg. 4
Andrew Knittle can be reached at aknittle@thevistaonline.com.
Soccer wins big
See Sports pg. 10