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Campus Quotes
Holidays
Technology
Football
How often do you use Facebook?
Quick facts on Presidents’ Day.
Offlining.com issues a devicefree challenge.
Bronchos held tryouts for upcoming season.
FEB. 17, 2011 uco360.com twitter.com/uco360
THE VISTA
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA’S student voice since 1903.
WHO’S NEXT?
STEPPING OUT OF THE CLASSROOM
The search for the next UCO president continues.
By Chantal Robatteux Staff Writer
Continued on page 4
WEATHER TODAY
By Ben Luschen / Contributing Writer Nine days into the 2011 spring semester, current UCO President Roger Webb announced he would be retiring, effective June 30 of this year. The search for his replacement has only recently begun, with a job ad being posted on the UCO website on Feb. 4. According to Sheridan McCaffree, executive director of the Regional University System of Oklahoma, the response to the ad has been very strong, as they have already received many applications. Though no timetable is yet in place for a hire, the next step in the process is the formation of an advisory committee. This will be a panel composed of students, faculty, staff and others which will gauge the interests and concerns of the university. The Board of Regents will also be sure to get a pulse on the feelings of others around campus. “[Student and faculty opinion] is one of the things we’re wanting to hear about as we’re studying the campus and doing the environmental scan. That’s part of what’s really fun about the search process, hearing about people’s mission for the univer-
sity and where they might take it.” The Board of Regents is also committed to a national search and, according to McCaffree, most applications have come from out of state. The fact that several people have already turned in applications for the job comes as no surprise to Steve Kreidler, UCO’s executive vice president. Kreidler said there are many reasons UCO would be an attractive place for applicants. “I think someone would be attracted to this job because the basis of what we do is so well-rounded with the faculty,” Kreidler said. “They create wonderful new programs and they keep things relevant for students and they get engaged with students. They genuinely care whether you make it or don’t make it.” In addition to having a great staff in place, Kreidler points out UCO’s emphasis on “student transformation” and the fact that the university has remained strong in tough economic times. “Another thing that makes this school very attractive for an incoming president is that it’s in very good financial shape,” Kreidler said. “They don’t
UCO CONTRACTORS HONORED FOR NEWLY-BUILT FACILITIES
H 77° L 51°
By Nicole Ford / Staff Writer
TOMORROW H 74° L 50°
More weather at www.uco360.com
DID YOU KNOW? On Feb. 17, 1996, chess champion Garry Kasparov beat the IBM computer, Deep Blue, winning the six-game match.
have to come to a university to worry about whether or not we can make our budget or if we’ll have a gigantic crash. We’re in very sound financial footing, so if you’re president, it’s very nice not to have that on your plate to worry about.” Kriedler largely attributes the attractiveness of the position and the success of the school to the work of President Webb and that the incoming president will have a lot to work with. “What an opportunity for a president to come in and say, ‘Wow, I’ve been left behind a beautiful gift. Incredible faculty, wonderful student body – a fun student body- a school [that is] gaining national stature and winning national awards left and right, and we still have rocket boosters left.” Ultimately, the recent success of the university in all aspects will lead to highly qualified candidates. “I think we’re the quality of school now where the applicants are really top quality,” Kriedler said. “I think the students and faculty can look forward to a great set of folks that the board will have to choose from.”
Campus News
P H O T O B Y VA L E R I E S E B E S T Y E N
Study Tours are a good way to see the world, improve the resume and get classes out of the way. This summer, Mark Hanebutt, professor of Mass Communications, and Dr. Terry Clark, will take students on a Foreign Studies Tour, called “Travel Reporting in Costa Rica,” from July 9 to July 22. Hanebutt said there are no requirements to join this trip; it just has to be any student at UCO. “In fact, OU students could go, and OSU students could go. They would have to sign up and get transfer credit, but it’s open to any student,” he said. There are also financial aid and scholarship opportunities available for this trip to help the students pay for it. Some of the available scholarships are from the Centre for Global Competency as well as Liberal Arts. While traveling, students should keep in mind that this trip is for credit and that they will receive a grade. Hanebutt said, “You’ll have to keep a daily journal and you’ll have to gather information for stories that you’ll write when you get back.” He added this trip counts for six hours of undergraduate or graduate credit. This will be Hanebutt’s seventh year of doing these trips. Hanebutt said he was going to go to Egypt, but he reads the State Department’s Advisories before he plans a trip. “Egypt didn’t seem stable enough at the time, and as it turns out it wasn’t, so I decided to go to Costa Rica. We try to go someplace new each
Sarah Smith (right) a senior Mass Communication Broadcasting major from Lakeland, Fla., was crowned Miss Black UCO 2011 on Feb. 12 during Central’s annual scholarship pageant.
Timberlake Construction Co. and Lippert Bros. Inc. received prestigious awards for newly built facilities on UCO’s campus. The Forensic Science Institute and the Center for Transformative Learning draws the attention of the Associated General Contractors of Oklahoma. The statewide non-profit organization encourages sound business practices that raise the professional level of the industry. Both buildings received the “Build Oklahoma Award” in January. The FSI building was categorized as a $10-$25 million new construction site and the CTL was categorized as a $5-$10 million new construction site, both facilities must have been completed by the end of 2010 as one of the qualifications. The awards provide members with the opportunity to promote and show off the best commercial building projects built in Oklahoma. The awards were presented at the AGC annual banquet. Lippert Bros. placed the lowest bid out of 11 other construction companies on the CTL project in Nov. 2008. Nick Bench, project manager, said, “It
was a great honor, we realized it was a team effort between us, the architects and the owners. We have done previous projects for the college.” He later added how great the environment is, and how the staff worked with the construction workers to get the site up in a timely manner. Several students and faculty are pleased with the new buildings. “I took classes in both the CTL and the forensics building last semester I took my intro class in the forensics science building and loved it! UCO has some wonderful professors and also an incredible facility with the forensics building. The auditorium is a very comfortable atmosphere/classroom. We have comfortable chairs to sit in, as well as individual plugs to plug our laptops in if we needed to charge them,” criminal justice major Charles Denson II said. “Despite having a big class, the professor had all the tools that he needed to be able to teach us, from his microphone so every student could hear him, to the camera used to enlarge the objects to put them on the board so the whole class could see making it easier for him to teach. Arguably, one of the best buildings on campus,” Denson added.
THE VISTA 100 North University Drive Edmond, OK 73034 (405)974-5549 editorial@uco360.com The Vista is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students, semi-weekly during the academic year except exam and holiday periods, and only on Wednesdays during the summer, at the University of Central Oklahoma. The issue price is free for the first copy and $1 for each additional copy obtained. EDITORIALS Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communication, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO.
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OPINION
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FEB. 17, 2011
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CAMPUS QUOTES How often do you use Facebook?
CHRIS FARANKLIAN
KEVIN STEWARD
ZACH MILLIRONS
Freshman- Medical Engineering
Senior- General Studies/Business
Junior- Industrial Safety
LETTERS The Vista encourages letters to the editor. Letters should address issues and ideas, not personalities. Letters must be typed, double-spaced, with a maximum of 150 words, and must include the author’s printed name, title, major, classification and phone number. Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of questionable taste. The Vista reserves the right not to publish submitted letters. Address letters to: Editor, The Vista, 100 N. University Dr., Edmond, OK 730345209, or deliver in person to the editor in the Communications Building, Room 131. Letters can be e-mailed to vistauco@gmail.com.
STAFF
Management
Editorial
Jenefar de Leon, Editor-In-Chief Ryan Costello, Managing Editor Samantha Maloy, Copy Editor Chris Wescott, Sports Editor
Kory Oswald, Senior Staff Writer Cody Bromley, Staff Writer A.J. Black, Staff Writer Chantal Robbateux, Staff Writer Michael Collins, Staff Writer Brittany Dalton, Staff Writer Christie Rawlins, Staff Writer Josh Hutton, Staff Writer Nicole Ford, Staff Writer
Graphic Design Steven Hyde
Advertising Brittany Koster DeOren Robinson
Circulation
“Once a week.”
“On average, 75 percent of the time”
“I really don’t use it.”
APRIL HALL
MORGAN HARTLEY
RACHEL SELBY
Freshman-Undecided
Freshman-Graphic Design
Sophomore-Photographic Arts
Photography Garett Fisbeck, Photo Editor Kathleen Wells
Bill Southard
Editorial Comic
Adviser
Prakriti Adhikari
Mr. Teddy Burch
Administrative Assistant Tresa Berlemann
Editorial
REVOLUTIONARY AID By Kory Oswald / Senior Staff Writer Republicans on the hill are currently debating the best way to cut budgets across the bureaucratic spectrum. They are proposing a 16 percent cut to the State Department’s budget and a 41 percent cut to humanitarian programs. Our national debt sits somewhere around $14 trillion, so there is an obvious need to get spending under control. However, reducing the State Department’s budget right now would be detrimental to our ability to help countries around the world, hurt our reputation and endanger our national security. Revolutions are raging like tire fires across the Muslim world; we are at a critical time when the United States needs to look and do our absolute best. Everything our country has worked for since 9/11 is coming to a head. Cutting foreign aid would cripple us and our current and future allies. This would be okay for some Republicans that fly the tea bag banner. Their libertarian posturing got them elected, but they are in the process of learning that while their ideology sounds good in speeches and looks good on paper, it only made sense 200 years ago, when our country was a fraction of its current size, and our interests did not span the globe. Today, libertarianism is an outdated and unrealistic stance. Paul D. Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, said in a New York Times interview, “I’ve got 87 new people who are just getting to learn the process, who are just getting to learn the issues … Everybody who comes in learning the budget finds out that things are more difficult than they at first seemed.” The view is always different from inside the machine. If Republicans are as concerned about the deficit as they claim to be, they should have let the Bush tax cuts expire, not jeopardize national security. Those cuts will end up costing us more than $2.3 trillion. It’s simple math. When Bill Clinton raised taxes in 1993, it gave us a huge surplus that George W. Bush inherited and squandered. Maybe some day we can stop meddling so intensely in global affairs, but to start now, by cutting foreign aid, would be chaotic. One could argue that the $70 billion we have given to Egypt was wasted on upgrades to Hosni Mubarak’s vacation home. Now that Mubarak is out, crimping the flow of aid would only allow the American flags to burn with more fervor than before. Our role of setting up puppet regimes that help us with one hand and throw tear gas canisters at their citizens with the other is over. We should let the protests play out on their own, but we need to be standing by with as much money and advice as possible, not posturing with empty hands and pockets. Then, we can finally have some legitimate allies in the Muslim world, and possibly resolve some of our budgetary problems by ending two wars that have currently cost us a combined $1.1 trillion and 5,912 lives.
“Everyday. much.”
Maybe
too “I use it all the time.”
“I’m hardly ever on it on my computer. I’m mainly on it on my phone.”
By Pakriti Adhikari / Cartoonist
NEWS
FEB. 17, 2011
3
Things to Know
TEN THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PRESIDENTS’ DAY In modern day, Presidents’ Day tends to mean different things to everyone. Depending on your perspective or what part of the country you’re from, Presidents’ Day is intended to honor either George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or all the American presidents, past and present. For those who do not get the day off from work, the holiday seems to pass almost unnoticed. But how exactly did this holiday come about? Here are some facts about this federal holiday.
1.
Until 1971, both Feb. 12 and Feb. 22 were observed as federal public holidays to honor the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, respectively. In 1971 President Richard Nixon proclaimed one single federal public holiday, Presidents’ Day, to be observed on the 3rd Monday of February, honoring all past presidents of the United States of America.
2.
6.
On Feb. 22 of almost every year since 1888, Washington’s Farewell Address has been read in the U.S. Senate. While this does not happen on Presidents’ Day, it is an annual celebration of Washington’s Birthday that stems from 1862 when the address was read as a way to boost morale during the Civil War. This address was and is so important because it warns of political factionalism, geographical sectionalism and interference by foreign powers in the nation’s affairs. Washington stressed the importance of national unity over sectional differences.
7.
2. In 1999, bills were introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate to specify that the legal public holiday once referred to as Washington’s Birthday be “officially” called by that name once again. Both bills died in committees.
In some areas, instead of closing for one day to celebrate Lincoln and Washington’s birthdays, they close for an entire week. One such place is the New York City School District
3.
8.
Because Presidents’ Day is not the official name of the federal holiday, there is variation in how it is rendered. Both Presidents Day and Presidents’ Day are today common, and both are considered correct by dictionaries and usage manuals.
4.
Traditionally, many celebrated and continue to celebrate Washington’s Birthday with desserts made with cherries. Cherry pie, cherry cake, bread made with cherries, or just a huge bowl of cherries are often enjoyed on this day. Of course, this relates to the apocryphal story that Washington would not tell a lie when asked if he cut down a cherry tree.
5.
Washington conceived the Badge of Military Merit, for wounded soldiers, and won three during his term. The award wasn’t used again until it was revived and renamed the Purple Heart on his 200th birthday, in 1932.
Bobblehead dolls of Presidents Abraham Lincoln, left, and George Washington, wearing the jerseys of the AHL minor league hockey team Lake Erie Monsters are displayed in Cleveland on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
Something that many people connect with Presidents’ Day are retail sales. In the 1980s, retailers began to use this holiday as a time to clear out their old stock in preparation for spring and summer.
10.
9.
The George Washington Birthplace National Monument in Westmoreland County, Va., holds an annual birthday celebration on President’s Day and on the actual birthday, with special colonial activities held throughout the day.
Mount Vernon (the first house of President George Washington) also honors Washington with a birthday celebration weekend and an annual free day (on the third Monday of February), which usually draws between 10,000 and 18,000 visitors on that day alone.
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NEWS
FEB. 17, 2011
Social Media
By Cody Bromley / Staff Writer Psychology researchers at Stanford University have a status update for Facebook users. Their recently published study said that the prolonged use of the popular social networking site is making its users sad. The researchers published their findings in the January issue of “Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.” The paper, called “Misery Has More Company Than People Think,” starts with a quote by French philosopher Charles de Montesquieu. The translated quote said, “If we only wanted to be happy it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, which is almost always difficult, since we think them happier than they are.” And that is precisely what the group studied. The paper detailed four studies that the researchers believe when taken together, suggest people think they are more alone in their emotional difficulties than they truly are. The studies investigated varying sides of how emotions are shared, perceived and displayed. One study looked at whether or not negative emotional experiences were more covert than positive ones. What researchers found was that of the respondents they studied, 29 percent of the negative emotional experiences respondents documented were reported as occurring in a private setting. To try to explain the significance of this, the researchers move to the next study examining the hypothesis that people misperceive their peers’ emotional lives because their peers conceal their negative emotions. In the results of the study, the authors wrote, “In Study 2, peers underestimated the extent to which participants experienced negative emotions during their first term of college, whereas they made the opposite error for positive emotions. Thus, it appears that people misperceive the emotional lives of specific peers—people they know well—in much the same way that they misperceive population norms.” In a piece for Slate.com about the Stanford paper, writer Libby Copeland linked Facebook profiles to that of airbrushed photos on magazine covers.
GRAPHIC BY CODY BROMLE Y
COMPARING PROFILES CAN LEAD TO SADNESS
A study by researchers at Stanford University found that people who use Facebook often will poorly estimate how happy their friends are and as a result develop feelings of depresion.
“No, you will never have those thighs, because nobody has those thighs,” Copeland wrote. “You will never be as consistently happy as your Facebook friends, because nobody is that happy.” Psychology professionals at UCO also conduct research on the world’s favorite social network site. Second year graduate student Jason Ferrell studies how Facebook is used in the context of experimental psychology. Ferrell said that this field of study used to be a laboratory science, now the laboratory is Facebook. “Where else can you have a laboratory with 500 million users,” Ferrell said. In a study he is currently looking into, Ferrell said that with Facebook and other sites where users specifically identify themselves, people present themselves much like they would face-to-face. “Facebook is unique because over 80 percent of the people in your friend list are people you’re going to have regular face-to-face contact with,” Ferrell said. Ferrell said Facebook is just a tool for peo-
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COSTA RICA year, and so we decided to try something different, plus I was trying to reduce the cost from previous years because of the financial crisis.” He thought it would be easier for students to pay for the trip if they went somewhere a little closer this year. “It [also] seemed safer and it seemed less expensive. And the history is such that it will still be interesting to the students,” he said. Hanebutt added he needs at least 12 students to make this trip happen. Hanebutt said in order to sign up for this trip students need to contact him (mhanebutt@ uco.edu) and they can sign up for it like they sign up for any other course online on UCONNECT. He said, “Travel writing is still a viable option for people interested [in] going into journalism, so they are going to be learning how to write travel stories for travel magazines, like Travel and Leisure… this is for broadcast students as well as print. They can write either for print or they can do broadcast pieces as well.” Hanebutt said one of the things they will do while in Costa Rica is river rafting. He added, “There’ll be zip lines, there’ll be historical sites, jungles; we’ll visit cities, we’ll visit beaches, things like that. It will include a wide variety of activities and places.” The price is almost all-inclusive; it covers air fare, hotels, activities, everything except some of the meals which the students will have on their own. Hanebutt said, “We do this so students will go out and see things on their own. Students will have free time to explore on their own; my only rule is that they have to go in groups of three or more; so if you go someplace, you need to grab a couple people with you.” He said this trip is not just for Mass Communication majors. While it will help the students’ writing, it primarily gives them a chance to go to a foreign country, learn the history and culture of the country, and learn how to navigate through foreign countries,
and broaden their international perspective. Hanebutt said, “It will help students because we live in a global community and one of the problems that American students have, particularly Oklahoma students, is, that they are rather cloistered. Most of my foreign students speak several languages and American students generally are lucky to speak English well, so that puts them in a disadvantage in a global marketplace.” He added potential employers are looking for people who can speak foreign languages, especially Spanish. “So it’s absolutely critical that American students get overseas and learn how different people look at things, and get different perspectives and get a broader view of the world. Employers are looking for people with world perspectives,” Hanebutt said. There will be a meeting for interested students, Monday, Feb. 21, at 4 p. m. in Room 214 in the Communications Building. “The Travel Agent who has helped me plan this trip will be there to answer questions, and documents and other information will be passed out.” They would like to have the $350 deposit by March 11, and the balance is due May 1.
For more travel information, scan this tag.
Download the app at gettag.mobi
ple to facilitate their social needs, and though some users may find themselves underestimating their own happiness in correlation to the perceived happiness of others each individual person is a unique case. But Ferrell is not the only one at UCO looking into the psychology behind Facebook. Last year, David Weed and Matthew Kincheloe, students in the psychology department, and their mentor, Dr. Caleb Lack, assistant professor of psychology, were invited to give presentations at the International Conference on Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom. The trio published two papers on social networking, one of which was titled, “Facebook and Psychology: Use and Misuse of Social Networks.” In that paper, the group studied the public Facebook profiles of 135 UCO undergraduate psychology majors. What they found was that many of the users were sharing questionable content along with basic information like name and birthday. The analysis of 93 females and 42 males found that 46.6 percent of the profiles con-
tained references to or visual representations of questionable content. This includes such statistics as 39 percent of the female group referencing or showing alcohol use compared to only 29 percent of the male group, and 13 percent of the male group referencing or showing racism compared to zero percent by the female group. “What’s interesting that you’ve seen over the last decade or so is people not have super strong boundaries between different types of audiences,” Lack said. “So for example, I will talk differently around my close friends than I would around my work associates, than around my parents, and so on and so forth. And what Facebook has done, sort of naturally, is put everyone in the same social circle. Lack said that it is possible to set privacy groups and other boundaries to not make Facebook act this way, but that most people do not know how. As a professor who uses Facebook, Lack said he does receive friend requests from his students, but he questions the appropriateness of it. “Do I really want to learn about how excited you are about the keg-er you’re going to this weekend? Probably not. Lack said that using Facebook has not changed the way he feels about the social networking site, but it has changed the way he thinks about how smart people are about their privacy. “When I talk to students about some of these things, I tell them that unless they get in there and change some of these things I can see whatever you’re saying,” Lack said, a statement he said is met by disbelief. For more information about the Stanford study, scan this tag.
Download the app at gettag.mobi
NEWS
FEB. 17, 2011 Technology
P H O T O I L L U S T R A T I O N B Y VA L E R I E S A B E S T Y E N
Offlining.com suggests dedicating 10 device-free days by Feb. 14, 2012. More than 11,000 people have taken the pledge.
Offlining.com suggests dedicating 10 device-free days by Feb. 14, 2012. Mark DiMassimo and Eric Yaverbaum, co-founders of Offlining Incorporated, make a living by convincing people to call or click, which has created an addiction to cellular devices. Despite their love for marketing and respect for its power, the duo developed a way of giving back to the community. DiMassimo and Yaverbaum first introduced Tappening to make drinking tap water more popular. Then they followed a similar pattern by encouraging others to have a “No-Device Day” on Sept. 18 in honor of Yom Kippur. The Jewish New Year is a time for Jews to reflect on how they have lived over the past year and seek forgiveness. Advertisements with celebrities were used to influence others to take part
in the device-free day, despite their religion. From CNN Belief blog, “If only Mel Gibson had put down the phone. If only Tiger Woods hadn’t had such easy tech access to other women. If only Lindsey Lohan had kept her thoughts, and tweets, to herself.” Each is a prime example of how cellular-addicted our society has become. Look up and see all the heads around a classroom or restaurant are bowed. Whether its texting, creeping on Facebook, Tweeting or e-mailing while going from place to place, it is evident how common cellular multi-tasking is. UCO sophomore and iPhone4 owner Carly Hayden said, “I tweet, update my FB status, e-mail, text, listen to music and even do my homework on my phone… I guess you could say I’m addicted to my cell.” Constantly using the Internet and music makes the battery on phones run out
quickly. However Hayden said, “I always have my phone on me, or on the charger by me.” A cell phone addiction can lead to a cell phone crisis: a dead battery, but she takes extra precautionary measures by keeping her phone plugged in. “I have a car charger, wall charger, and computer charger so my battery doesn’t go dead.” Offlining.com stats lay out the Toll of Technology, one being that ten percent of students are in the “at risk” category for Internet addiction. Could this be because students must use the Internet for their classes? More than 11,000 people have taken the pledge, but 10 days may be impossible for some. “Ten days without my computer and phone is not something I am even able to consider since I take online classes and summer school,” Hayden said. The offline Sabbath is another challenge that the co-founders suggest: a weekly day for reconnecting with the truly important things- choose a day of the week and go device free from sundown to sundown. Preparation for students may be the key, but Hayden disagrees with the idea. “Well, my cell phone is important to me… I would for sure go crazy, I have homework to do, people to talk to, updates to post, and e-mails to check!” But committing to this challenge may strengthen relationships, especially since dates are often interrupted by “rings.” Although Yaverbaum admits to being addicted, he is trying to make amends. He and DiMassimo encourage the pledge. “We think you’ll be glad you did, and we’re pretty sure you’ll find other who are glad too.”
Education
INSTRUCTORS RESTRUCTURE By Josh Hutton / Staff Writer As the student body thaws from two weeks of vicious winter weather, treacherous roads and cabin fever, an overlooked victim has emerged—the syllabus. A majority of syllabi have been disrupted to the brink of abandon. The obstacle of restructuring the course content for maximum educational gain has fallen into the hands of the individual professor. Can the professor make up the lost classroom time or is it already too late? Professor Lourdes Carroll, Spanish instructor at UCO, made the effort to keep her classes running despite cancellation. Since the Spanish Department tries to keep students of like courses on a close schedule, maintenance of the syllabus becomes more challenging. “My concern was that my class was beginning to study difficult concepts that require a lot of repetition and us-
5
Opinion
TEN DAYS FREE OF TECH
By Brooke Roshell/ Contributing Writer
w
age,” Carroll said. She also made a point of anticipating the weather and laying the foundation of each lesson before storms arrived. “I covered all of the essential materials through available class time, while reinforcing the material through e-mails and through online assignments,“ Carroll continued. “Luckily the concepts we learned in this chapter will continue in the next two chapters, so I will continue to address these ideas in my classes and also to reteach whatever is necessary.” Not all courses are able to translate into the online environment as smoothly as Carroll’s--resulting in a traffic jam of assignments for some students. “I had a test that became a take-home, extra assigned readings, and that part wasn’t bad. The problem is the pushing back of all the due dates. So, what was going to be an already hectic February for me, is now insane,” Ramsey Payne,
a junior political science major, said. Aside from take-home tests and reading assignments, Payne is enrolled in an online class. While some classes went forward, others lagged behind, forcing a piggyback effect of turn-in dates. Despite the challenge, Payne did not find any fault with his professors. “They did as good a job as possible”, Payne said, adding that one professor has issued a new syllabus to clarify the remainder of the spring semester. “But I do think we’re going to get the abridged version of the course material,” Payne said. Carrol views it differently. “My syllabus is not destroyed. I reshaped it into a smaller format for now, but plan to continue to add more information until it is whole again. At the end of the semester, all of the pieces will fit.” As it stands, the university’s administration has no plan to make up the snow days.
OPINION LACED WITH
FACT
BY
A.J. BLACK They say you have to choose your battles in this world wisely. Otherwise, you will end up like an old, wornout, rubber tire with deep cracks in your sides from the sun, and no thread left to thin-out after all the miles of asphalt have slowly eaten it away. That may very well be true, but since we are driving through time anyway, we might as well rock it ‘til the wheels fall off; because either way our vessels will just rot with rust in a junkyard soon enough. So let’s get some mileage out of them while we can. I think the key to staying forever young is to never stop moving. Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity through UCO and the Vista to grow as an individual, expand my world and to some extent, take you along with me on my journey. I have thoroughly enjoyed our time together, but don’t panic; it’s not over yet. In fact, it’s never over until it’s over, and that is my point. Since the category of a non-traditional student is an all-encompassing one, I suppose that it is as good a word as any to describe my current set of circumstances and my three-decade long academic love affair. I will receive a degree in history this semester at the age of 30, one year after the graduation of my youngest of five sisters and one semester before my oldest niece begins her college career. When I think hard enough, I can vividly remember my first full-time job. I was 15 years old, and I had been sent to live with my fundamentalist uncle in Wichita, Kan., as punishment for being born bad. I worked for $4 per hour as a laborer on a tree farm. It was good, clean, Christian fun, and I learned many valuable lessons. It was the first job of many. In fact, I have had well over 100 occupations ranging from poker dealer, construction worker, realtor, loan originator, bartender, server, singer and busboy. I have been a grocery clerk, a night-stocker, and the guy that walks around the parking lot collecting shopping carts. I’ve had nice things and no things; been a manager and a grunt; owned a three-bedroom house and rented a small studio apartment; had a matching dining room set and just a pallet on the floor, as well as paid for a brand new Toyota Rav-4, only to revert back to relying upon a pair of shoes and my own two feet. I have quit and been fired; found direction and changed my mind; and all the while I have listened to and ignored the subtle lessons that each of life’s experiences has hidden just beneath the surface. Besides being a highway, life is a lot like a playground. Sometimes it is more fun to share your toys and play nice with others. Other times, there is nothing like a midnight romance underneath the big toy, a swing on the swing set, or perhaps just some quiet time weightlessly dangling from the monkey bars. We can take ourselves seriously or just play around, choose to join in or watch, start the game or end it, but no matter what we do the park never closes; the street lights never come on, and there is never a set time to go home, because there is nobody there to answer to but each other. I just wanted to say thanks for playing with me. I’ll see you around. Stay golden…
-Light it up, A.J. Black
NEWS WITH A FLASH
Newark Mayor Cory Booker leaps from the wheel cover of a mobile billboard after taking photos on it during part of the FixGunChecks.org Truck tour stop, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011, in Newark, N.J. Its purpose will be to draw public attention to the deadly problems in the nation’s gun background check system. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
This handout photo provided by the National Zoo shows workers removing “Uncle Beazley,” the life-size fiberglass triceratops, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011, at the zoo in Washington. (AP Photo/Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park)
Chef Michel Henri Wetli, right, celebrates with Emory University employees and students after rolling the last taco during an attempt to set a record for the world’s longest line of tacos, featuring sustainable seafood and produce, at Emory University Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
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CLASSIFIED
EMPLOYMENT
Server Positions Available
Hefner Grill, Hiring all positions. Apply within.
Shogun’s Steak House Of Japan
Hiring for waitstaff, busers, dishwashers, host, bar tender. Apply in person at Northpark Mall (NW 127nd N. May) after 5:30 pm. 749-0120
Help Wanted
Now hiring part-time servers at Ron’s in Edmond. Saturdays are a MUST! Come in to apply, 216 S Santa Fe Ave.
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FEB. 17, 2011 CROSSWORDS
SERVICES
The Language Company - Edmond
Conveniently located on the UCO campus, offers English as a second language classes for international students/individuals. NOW FEATURING a specially designed program with: Strong emphasis in listening/ speaking, highly interactive classes, and a new and improved TOEFL program. Enjoy small classes and the campus facilities. Contact us at (405) 341 - 2125 or www. thelanguagecompany.com
RENT
Summit mets
Apart-
Looking for a person to Near UCO, walking dispickup daughter from school. tance, 2 bedroom, 1 bath, Will provide transportation. Pool, $540.00. 340-8147 408-1565
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Help Wanted
Counseling agency seeking dependable part-time and full-time support staff. Must be able to work evenings until 8pm and Saturday mornings. Please email resume to zrandall@teampathways.com or contact (405) 605.8282 for additional information.
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House straddles the Canadian and Vermont border. The actors perform in Canada while most of the audience sits in the United States. There is even a painted line running through the building.
The highest temperature ever recorded on earth was a Student to clean small of- searing 136° F. The scorcher fice, General housecleaning. occurred in Al Aziziyah, Libya Afternoons. Near UCO. Must on Sept. 13, 1922. be dependable, trustworthy, do quality work. Call ConnieSam Houston is the only 641-0712 person in United States history who: Was a governor of two states, (Texas and Tennessee), a U.S. Senator, (Texas), a chief military commander for Near UCO, Walking dis- another country, (Republic tance, 2 bed, 1 bath, pool. of Texas), and a President of $540.00. 340-8147 another country, (Republic of Texas).
Help Wanted
Help Wanted
Help Wanted
Housekeeping Openings, Bed and Breakfast across from UCO. Also need couple/team for B&B cottages in country south of Guthrie. Mid-day hours. Must work all weekends and school breaks. Apply in person/ 328 East First
Kathleen Casey of Philadelphia was born at 12:00:01 a.m. Eastern time on Jan. 1, 1946. This not only made her the first child born in the United States that year, but also made her the first “Baby Boomer.”
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Down
1. “Silent Night” adjective 4. Clobber 7. Six-Day War hero 12. Grimace 13. Assistant 14. Accustom 15. Ocean breeding area of bivalve mollusks 17. Hotel employee 18. Any plant used as a flavoring 19. Flowering shrub 21. “... ___ he drove out of sight” 22. Easter flower 23. Different 27. Go at it 31. Good, in the ‘hood 32. Clear, as a disk 34. Character 35. “A Nightmare on ___ Street” 36. Buss 38. ___ gestae 39. Exotic jelly flavor 42. Overthrow, e.g. 44. “It’s no ___!” 45. Older person 47. Residential districts near outskirts of city 49. Ancient alphabetic character 51. “___ moment” 52. Capital of Iraq 54. Near 58. Newswoman Shriver 59. Salutation of farewell 61. Without sight 62. Times to call, in classifieds 63. Blowgun ammo 64. Accumulate 65. “Dear old” guy 66. Tokyo, formerly
1. It comes easily to hand 2. Boot 3. Infernal 4. Kind of lettuce 5. “___ to Billie Joe” 6. Organ part 7. To lessen the importance 8. Shrink 9. Christmas season 10. Length x width, for a rectangle 11. After expenses 12. Finish, with “up” 13. Unpaid, overdue debts 16. Like “The X-Files” 20. Clearasil target 23. Care for 24. Pitcher, of a sort 25. Finger, in a way 26. Autocrats 28. Bush 29. Fertile soil 30. “___ quam videri” (North Carolina’s motto) 31. Panhandles 33. Almond 37. Mischievous sprites 40. Chaste women 41. Wild North African sheep 43. Chatter 46. Biochemistry abbr. 48. Live 50. Barely beat 52. Bee ___ 53. “Mi chiamano Mimi,” e.g. 54. Like The Citadel, now 55. “Good grief!” 56. “Comin’ ___ the Rye” 57. His “4” was retired 58. “Dilbert” cartoonist Scott Adams has one (abbrev.) 60. Egg cells
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SPORTS
FEB. 17, 2011 PHOTO SERVICES
STIDHAM’S SPORT By Trey Hunter / Sports Writer
UCO softball coach Genny Stidham cheers on her team during a game last season.
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UCO’s softball program has gotten off to a slow start this season due to the weather. However, Genny Stidham knows how to avoid setbacks and get her team off on the right track. Stidham has been the Lady Bronchos head coach for 13 years and has built quite an impressive program. From the time she took over in 1998 until now, Central has enjoyed plenty of Lone Star Conference success. She has compiled a record of 342-246-2 and has led her team to two LCS championships and five national tournament births. In 2006 she led Central to their first ever appearance in the NCAA Division II World Series. “I love working with the girls here at UCO,” Stidham said. “I loved playing here and I love coaching here. I hope that we can have the same kind of success we have had in the past.” Stidham is a local product coming out of Edmond Memorial High School before becoming an All-American at UCO. She played the shortstop position and found herself coaching after her playing career. In her first year as head coach, Stidham led the Bronchos to the Lone Star Conference championship. The success did not continue as quickly as expected. In 1999, the Lady Bronchos went 23-23 and fell to 17-29-1 in 2000. In 2001, the team was able to find its way back above the .500 line with a record of 24-22 before exploding onto the scene in 2002. She led her team to a 35-16 record and to their first ever NCAA Division II tournament appearance. They played in the South Carolina regional, but were eliminated in the first round.
Injuries plagued the 2003 and 2004 seasons as Stidham’s teams combined for a 38-49-1 record before recovering in 2005. The Lady Bronchos enjoyed their best regular season campaign in school history in 2005, winning 41 games and only dropping 14. They played in the San Antonio Regional in the national tournament before being eliminated. They finished the season ranked twelfth. 2006 was another successful season for Stidham’s team. They were able to go to the national tournament for the second season in a row and finished the year ranked seventh. In 2007, the Lady Bronchos finished with 29-16 and missed out on the national tournament for the third straight season. The ladies had back-to-back LCS runner-up finishes in 08 and 09 before making the national tournament again in 2010 with a 32-21 record. Central is bound to have another successful year this season after having the year they did in 2010 with such a young team. “I’m excited about this year,” Stidham said. “We had a great season last year and we were really young. This year we have experience and the girls are starting to pick up my system. I’m ready to get the season going.” Central was not able to start their season off against Nebraska-Omaha and Northwest Missouri due to wet field conditions. The ladies will open up the season against Ouachita Baptist in the South Central Regional Challenge in Durant on Friday.
BRONCHOS SEEK TALENT, HOLD TRYOUTS PHOTO SERVICES
By Chris Wescott / Sports Editor The UCO football team is coming off of a very disappointing 2-9 season. Despite signing 29 players to letters of intent, head coach Tracy Holland and the Bronchos are on the hunt for more talent. The Bronchos held open tryouts yesterday for UCO students wishing to make the team. Registration began at 12:30 p.m. and the tryouts started around 1 p.m. All students enrolled in at least 12 hours and in good academic standing were welcome to tryout. Students were encouraged to bring a copy of their UCO transcript and schedule as well as a physical, cleats and workout clothing. An estimated 20-30 students were present at the tryouts. Holland was unavailable for comment yesterday afternoon. UCO will return much of their starting offense from last season including two of the most important pieces in running back Josh Birmingham and quarterback Ethan Sharp.
Sharp went 225 of 382 in ten games last season, throwing for 2,444 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also ran for two scores. The motor behind the Bronchos’ high octane offense last season was Birmingham. The red-shirt freshman ran for 1,250 yards and scored 18 rushing touchdowns. He ran for an average of 5.1 yards per carry. His stellar season landed him Harlon Hill consideration. Where the Bronchos need the most help is defense. The last ranked run defense in the Lone Star Conference was extremely porous, forcing the Bronchos to engage in shootouts often over the course of last year’s nine-loss season. It was an obvious emphasis for UCO on signing day. The Bronchos inked 14 defensive players in this year’s recruiting class and five of those players are defensive linemen. Getting bigger up front was a point for the Bronchos. Each defensive lineman signed is over 230 pounds and two of the players are over 280. PHOTO SERVICES
UCO head football coach Tracy Holland looks on as his team plays a game during the 2010 season.
SUCCESSFUL START From bronchosports.com Julia Shviadok, Anto Rossini and Rose Cabato each picked up a pair of wins to lead No. 21-ranked Central Oklahoma to a 6-3 season-opening victory over Southern Nazarene Tuesday afternoon on the UCO Courts. The Bronchos swept all three doubles matches to take a commanding lead and then split the six singles bouts to stay comfortably ahead of the Crimson Storm, ranked 12th in NAIA. Shviadok rallied for a key 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 win at No. 2 singles in addition to teaming with Lacy Caldwell for an 8-6 No. 1 doubles tri-
umph. Rossini rolled to a 6-4, 6-0 rout at No. 4 singles and joined with Eli Abramovic to win 8-6 at No. 2 doubles, while Cabato prevailed 6-3, 7-5 at No. 6 singles and teamed with newcomer Anna Kochigina for an 8-4 doubles victory. “It was a good win for us,” UCO coach Natalya Nikitina-Helvey said. “SNU has an excellent team and it was a great way for us to start the season.” The Bronchos continue their early-season schedule Thursday at Newman and then host Arkansas Tech at 2 p.m. Friday.
UCO head football coach Tracy Holland talks to his team after a game during the 2010 season.
UCO 6, Southern Nazarene 3 Singles
No. 1 - Olga Kozhevnikova, SNU, def. Eli Abramovic, 6-2, 6-3. No. 2 - Julia Shviadok, UCO, def. Marina Shipilova, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 No. 3 - Deisi Bolivar, SNU, def. Lacy Caldwell, 6-3, 6-4. No. 4 - Anto Rossini, UCO, def. Stacy Plaga, 6-4, 6-0. No. 5 - Vika Lukinova, SNU, def. Anna Kochigina, 6-4, 6-1. No. 6 - Rose Cabato, UCO, def. Hilary Jallraith, 6-3, 7-5.
Doubles No. 1 - Shviadok/Caldwell, UCO, def. Kozhevnikova/Shipilova, 8-6. No. 2 - Abramovic/Rossini, UCO, def. Plaga/ Lukinova, 8-6. No. 3 - Cabato/Kochigina, UCO, def. Bolivar/Jallraith, 8-4.
NO Deposit* *Studio, 1, 2 & 3 Bedrooms *Pool & Hot Tub *State of the Art Volleyball Court *Tennis Court *Washer/Dryer in Every Apartment *Computer Center with Free-WiFi *Convenient to UCO, Shopping & Dining *No deposit with look and lease. See office for details.
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SPORTS
FEB. 17, 2011
UCO Baseball
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER The Bronchos played host to Oklahoma Christian in head coach Dax Leone’s first home opener at UCO. Central’s late inning power surge propelled the Bronchos to a 12-10 victory. PHOTO BY GARETT FISBECK
By Trey Hunter / Sports Writer The UCO baseball belted team two home runs in the eighth inning of their game against Oklahoma Christian on Tuesday, giving them the late inning lead and eventually the win. The Bronchos played host to a team for the first time in the Dax Leone era hosting the cross-town rival Eagles in their first of two matchups on the season. OC scored two runs off of starting pitcher Ryan Fisher in the first inning to get things going. The Bronchos answered with a fiverun frame of their own. Leadoff batter Ryan Schoonover led the charge with a single and second baseman Tucker Brown followed with a two-run home run to tie it up. Central scored three more runs later in the inning. Oklahoma Christian scored the next seven runs of the game to take a 9-5 lead going into the fifth inning where Central cut the lead to three. In the seventh, OC scored and looked to be in control of the game with a 10-6 lead going into the later innings. However, the Bronchos would not go away that easy. Central exploded in the bottom of the eighth with a six-run tear. A leadoff walk to Schoonover and back-to-back hits from Tucker Brown and Kevin Blue shrunk OC’s lead to three. Austin Rycroft came to the plate and two pitches later he belted a three run homer
to tie it up at 10. Keegan Morrow followed Rycroft’s shot with a base hit before Mac Gordon gave Central the lead with a two-run bomb to left-center. Leone called upon senior Kade Kauk to lock down the win as he got his first save of the 2011 season. Kauk gave up a leadoff walk before getting the second batter of the inning to ground into a double play. He struck out the last hitter and Leone’s team earned its first home win of the year. “It’s great to get a win like that,” Leone said. “We could have done a few things better today but you can never be mad about a come from behind win like that.” The Bronchos combined for 18 hits and were led by Rycroft who went four for five with three RBIs and his third home run of the young season. Catcher Arrow Cunningham and second baseman Tucker Brown each had three hits and Kevin Blue, Keegan Morrow and Mac Gordon all had two hits apiece. Central will continue conference play this weekend as they host the Lawton Aggies in a three-game series. The first game will be played tomorrow at 2 p.m. and the final two games will be played on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. at Broncho Field.
PHOTO BY GARETT FISBECK
Relief pitcher Kade Kauk delivers a pitch in the top of the 9th in UCO’s game against Oklahoma Christian Tuesday. Central won 12-10
------------------------------------------R H E Oklahoma Christian.. 2 2 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 - 10 11 0 Central Oklahoma.... 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 6 X - 12 18 0 UPCOMING HOME SCHEDULE 2/18/2011 2/19/2011 3/4/2011 3/5/2011 3/15/2011 3/18/2011 3/19/2011
Cameron University (DH) EDMOND Cameron University EDMOND Incarnate Word EDMOND Incarnate Word (DH) EDMOND Midland Lutheran EDMOND East Central University EDMOND East Central University (DH) EDMOND
LSC NORTH DIVISION STANDINGS
Central’s Mac Gordon swings through a pitch during their game against Oklahoma Christian on Tuesday. UCO won 12-10 after scoring six runs in the 8th inning.
UCO LOOKS TO REBOUND AGAINST ECU TIGERS
SCHOOL Cameron Incarnate Word Southeastern Oklahoma Tarleton State West Texas A&M Texas A&M-Kingsville Angelo State Southwestern Oklahoma Central Oklahoma Abilene Christian Eastern New Mexico East Central Northeastern State
Conf 3-0 3-0 3-0 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-4 2-4 1-2 1-2 0-0 0-3 0-3
1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m.
C.Pct. Overall Pct. 1.000 4-0 1.000 1.000 3-2 0.600 1.000 3-2 0.600 0.667 4-1 0.800 0.667 5-2 0.714 0.667 4-2 0.667 0.333 3-4 0.429 0.333 2-4 0.333 0.333 3-2 0.600 0.333 1-2 0.333 0.000 1-3 0.250 0.000 2-4 0.333 0.000 0-4 0.000
Streak W4 L2 W3 W1 L1 L1 W1 W1 W2 W1 L2 W1 L4 PHOTO SERVICES
By Michael Collins / Sports Writer The Bronchos are coming off their first loss since mid-December, and you couldn’t pick a better team to try and get back on track than against East Central University. While not trying to knock the Tigers, UCO completely dismantled them 94-56 a little under a month ago. This past Monday, UCO played Texas A&M University-Commerce and looked completely out of sync. Losing 91-79 in a game that saw the Broncho’s streak of 11 straight wins broken. No need to panic though, with an undermatched ECU team, UCO should be able to get back on track. On the season, ECU is just 9-14 overall, with a 2-6 conference record. In terms of the Lone Star Conference, the Tigers are in a tie for last place with a 3-19 (2-6 LSC) Southeastern squad. Either way you slice it, it’s good to be a Broncho right now. Just look at the potential matchups for this game. The key will be who will defend ECU’s senior guard Denarius Darby. He is a decent size at 6-foot-2, and is the Tigers leading scorer at just over 13 points per game. He is also at the top or near the top in almost every other statistical category for the Tigers this season. To play devil’s advocate, ECU is a decent home team, as they are 6-6 within the con-
fines of the own place, but they are just 3-8 on the road. In case you didn’t already catch it, yes, ECU’s road win total equals the total amount of losses the Bronchos have on their entire season. For the Bronchos, you can expect the same thing you have witnessed all year: Dauntae Williams. He has lived up and even passed most expectations of him so far this year. While trying to not give into the All-American hype, Williams has been able to score at will all season. Which is nothing new, but the 21 plus points per game do not tell his entire story. He is also averaging close to seven rebounds per game, and has dished out a total of 90 assists so far this season. There is just no containing Williams, if you play off of him, he will J it up. If you play up on him, he will drive by you and throw down a monster dunk. And when you decide to double team him, then he just passes off to one of his wing men for the assist. Look for UCO to handle ECU with care. Their loss this past Monday will not have been in vain. With a full week to prepare, whatever problems may have come up in that game should be handled by the time they step on the court against the Tigers. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, UCO should win and UCO’s Dauntae Williams sets up a jumper in the paint against East Central University a win big. month ago.