See Page 12 for UCO Football Recap Volume 113, Issue 17
the VISTA
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Need a Free Ride? UCOSA Hires Uber Megan Prather @meganthefeline Reporter
The University of Central Oklahoma’s students can download the Uber app and enter the code “UCORIDES” to unlock UCO’s safe ride option. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.
The University of Central Oklahoma’s Student Association (UCOSA) spent $20,000 dollars on a partnership with the ride-share program Uber this fall to provide students with a free ride when they might need it. “Whether their plans involve a big night out or they just need a late night ride home from the library, a safe ride is now available at the tap of a button,” said David Brightman, Uber’s general manager. The idea of implementing a safe ride program at UCO has been discussed for the past four years, but UCOSA contacted Uber last semester and found funding to test out the program, according to Vice President of Student Life, Cole Stanley. “They [UCOSA] were thinking, ‘is there anything we could be doing to save even one life?’” Stanley said. UCOSA is funded by student activity See Uber on 6
Security Upgrades at UCO to Prevent Crime Elizabeth Spence @lizzlynn Reporter
The University of Central Oklahoma has implemented new security cameras inside and on top of the Liberal Arts building in attempts to prevent crime.The indoor camera is located at the East end of the building, by the vending machines. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.
The security system at the University of Central Oklahoma is getting a makeover for 2016 by upgrading old cameras in addition placing new ones around campus and upgrading the technology in our current system. After visiting the Newcastle Casino, UCO’s police department figured that the security system on campus needed to be updated, seeing as the small casino they visited houses 700 security cameras. “We came away from that [going], ‘that’s the kind of system we need,’” UCO Police Chief Jeff Harp said. The funding was a big component to the installation and selection of the security system. The university helped by supplying the police department with a small starter fund through the Office of Information Technology (IT). The rest will be funded by each building on campus. Each buildings is given options to the types of secu-
rity systems that are available. “We will help you design a system that we think is going to meet your needs,” Harp said. One thing that the police department is constantly aware of is privacy— the privacy of students and faculty on campus. Harp said that invading the privacy of a student or teacher is something that his officers always try to stay away from. “We are very consistent with creating a policy on where cameras could go,” Harp said. “We don’t want anybody to feel like they’re working under a camera.” The purpose of the cameras and security system is not to monitor students and faculty, but to keep the students and faculty safe. “We can’t have them in a locker room, dressing room, bathroom, and our policy articulates that really clearly,” Harp said. There are signs posted on the doors of the buildings where these security cameras are located. See Security on Page 9