The Vista Sept. 2, 2010

Campus Quotes

Education

Faculty News

Football

Should the government’s money fund the stem cell research?

Page 2

What you need to know about SQ 744.

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Grant writer Gerry Cherry will retire at the beginning of September.

Page 5

UCO holds open tryouts to fill vacancies on the football team.

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SEPT. 2, 2010 uco360.com twitter.com/uco360

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA’S student voice since 1903.

ENROLLMENT UP

By Ryan Costello / Senior Staff Writer It’s official.

For the second straight year, the University of Central Oklahoma has set a record for fall enrollment.

This semester, as of Aug. 30, 17,083 students are taking classes at UCO, up from 16,092 a year ago.

After breaking the 1994 fall enrollment record of 16,040 last fall, Vice President of Enrollment Management Dr. Myron Pope was hardly expecting to set another record in the following calendar year.

“I was thinking it would be another fifteen years before we set the record again,” Pope said.

“Never say never, I guess.”

Instead of waiting the same fifteen years between the last two high marks, Pope and the rest of the enrollment office needed to only wait a year.

And the record was not just broken, with an increase of nearly 1,000 fall enrollees, it was shattered.

Pope said the increases were not simply from new freshman, either.

“We saw increases in every single category.”

Across the board, students flocked to the UCO campus.

New freshman, transfers, graduate students, returning undergrad and graduate students all came to UCO in greater numbers than in 2009, Pope said.

With new structures, more students to fill them and new enrollment records in consecutive years, the consensus is that UCO is on the rise, but there is one concern among university officials that causes them to pause: too much, too fast.

Pope cited overpopulation issues in fast-growing universities, including a period not so long ago when the University of Oklahoma was forced to pare down enrollment numbers to keep from overwhelming their faculty and facility resources.

At UCO, some early symptoms of overpopulation are beginning to complicate life on campus.

Parking permits are beginning to come with exceptions that relegate students to park only in certain distant lots in order to relieve congestion in UCO’s more populated parking areas.

After the first 8,000 students to order parking stickers, parking privileges are restricted to lots 1, 2, and 53 during peak university hours until Sept. 30.

Pope admitted that university expected only marginal enrollment growth for the fall.

TODAY

H 95° L 62°

Green

UCO FORENSICS ‘LEED’ THE WAY

By Ethan Larsh / Staff Writer

TOMORROW H 81° L 57°

More weather at www.uco360.com

DID YOU KNOW? New York’s Central Park is nearly twice the size of the entire country of Monaco.

The University of Central Oklahoma has been recognized for maintaining green, environmentfriendly practices.

The Forensic Science Institute building at UCO was the first university building in the state to receive the LEED (Leadership Energy Environment Design) certificate for its sustainable construction and design from the U.S. Green Building Council.

LEED acts as an independent party which verifies that a building project is ecologically sound.

Kevin Tero, who was the project manager during the construction of the FSI building, is also an accredited LEED professional.

“I was the university project manager,” Tero said.

“My job was to coordinate with the contractors, Frankfort Short Bruza Architects and Timberlake Construction, and the architectural consultant.”

The LEED program is based on a point system.

To become LEED certified, the designated building must achieve points that are acquired through performance in six critical areas that include: Having a sustainable site for the building Being efficient with water Using renewable and clean sources of energy, materials and resources Indoor environmental quality Innovation in design

PHOTO BY GARETT FISBECK

WEATHER

“In terms of our projections for this year, we only expected 1.5 percent – 2 percent growth,” Pope said.

In other words, not enough growth to substantially alter campus services like parking or security. Instead, fall enrollment swelled by six percent, an increase that merits both the need for pride and progression.

“If we stay at this level of growth, we’ve got to adjust the campus accordingly,” Pope said.

But having more students on campus is at best a definite sign of UCO’s becoming a major university, and at worst a good problem to have.

Pope said that the enrollment officials are trying to isolate, if anything, what the university is doing to lead to all the increase.

“It’s hard to say (if the upward trend will continue). We’re going to go back and try to determine some of things we’ve done with our efforts,” Pope said.

One possibility is UCO’s recent rise to a “metropolitan university.”

In March 2003, UCO adminstration spearheaded an effort that led the Oklahoma State Board of Regents by putting the university in the same metropolitan peer group that includes major institutions like Boise State and Missouri State University.

Following that decision, UCO set records for enrollment in the next two fall sessions.

“We have got to separate ourselves from the pack. We’ve got to excel,” Pope said, echoing sentiments he said were given to him by UCO President Roger Webb.

It would seem the perception around the state is that UCO is starting to do just that. “[UCO’s growth] is really turning some heads in the state.

We’re not just a sleepy little school in Edmond anymore.”

One of the newest buildings on campus, the Forensic Sciences Institute building is the first university building in the state to receive LEED certification, which promotes “green” construction.

It takes a minimum of 26 points for a building to become LEED certified. The FSI building has earned 31 points.

“There are different ways a building can receive points,” Tero said. “For instance, we’ve reduced the flow of storm water by creating a riverbed. It pre-

vents…erosion.”

Another way the FSI building acquired a point was through installing waterless urinals.

“We use waterless urinals in the bathrooms and that cuts down water consumption,” Tero said.

Continued on page 6

THE VISTA

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. 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.

‘‘

OPINION

2

SEPT. 2, 2010

‘‘

CAMPUS QUOTES

Should the government fund stem cell research?

ALLISON COLLINS

HARVEY CROWDER

KATIE WIDMANN

Freshman-Music Performance

Freshman-Music Performance

Senior-English Education

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

Kory Oswald, Editor-In-Chief Jenefar DeLeon, Managing

Ryan Costello, Senior Staff Writer Jack Chancey, Staff Writer Ethan Larsh, Staff Writer A.J. Black, Staff Writer Elizabeth Hillin, Staff Writer Cody Bromley, Staff Writer Chantal Robatteux, Staff Writer Michael Collins, Sports Writer

Editor

Chris Wescott, Sports Editor Garett Fisbeck, Photo Editor Samantha Maloy, Copy Editor

Advertising Brandon Cameron Brittany Koster

Circulation

Photography Kathleen Wells Joseph Moore

Stephen Hughes

Adviser

Graphic Design

“I think that the government should give them money as long as it’s not a buy in to control the process.”

HOWIE MAPSON

Sophomore-Photo Arts

“Yes, it would help advance the technology in the medical field, and save more lives.”

“I am not sure that the government should fund stem cell research but they should limit their funding through private donors.”

MARYAM KARI

BRETT BOYLES

Sophomore-Public Relations

Senior-Theater Communication Education

Steven Hyde

Mr. Teddy Burch

Administrative Assistant Cartoonist

Tresa Berlemann

Prakriti Adhikari

Education

OKLAHOMA NOT OK

By Andrew Black / Staff Writer Many outsiders’ perspective of Oklahoma as backwards is not fair, but at times, even Okies have subscribed to a standard of mediocrity through endorsing the old state motto of “Oklahoma is OK.”

“Yes, because if it’s going to potentially kill cancer and diseases then why not?”

“We should spend our “I don’t really care.” money on more important things.”

The appropriate aphorism is pay now or pay later. A poor quality of education creates a poor quality of citizenship. There is a direct correlation between a person’s level of education and either their contribution or drain on society.

It is a clever play on word, but good enough is not always good enough. The upcoming November vote for State Question 744 is an attempt by local legislatures to address and rectify Oklahoma’s shortcomings in the education of school-aged children. The answer, if SQ 744 passes, is to raise the funding of education in Oklahoma to match the average amount of money spent by the surrounding states. Neither the advocates nor the opposition have addressed the intrinsic value of an educated populous, or the peripheral drain on the local economy that a person from a poor quality of schooling adds.

The appropriate aphorism is pay now or pay later. A poor quality of education creates a poor quality of citizenship.

There is a direct correlation between a person’s level of education and either their contribution or drain on society.

A genuine dedication to increase the quality of education to an unprecedented standard, in the long term, would positively affect the programs that would have to sacrifice funding now, in the name of a higher standard of education.

One proposed budget cut, to help pay for SQ 744, would come out of the Department of Corrections. The opposition has been very vocal over what that would mean to an already thinly stretched prison budget. The short-term thinking is that the reduction in funding would force local holding facilities to release many non-violent and minor offenders. The long-term solution is that countless studies overwhelmingly show that a large majority of inmates are either under or uneducated.

Educated citizens with degrees rarely hold-up liquor stores or do hard drugs in a dark downtown alley.

When it comes to a vote in November we should vote yes, but it should be understood that Oklahomans are not interested in only raising funding up to a minimally acceptable number. If the voters take it upon themselves to show their support for academics at any cost, then maybe we can become the model, instead of simply shuffling our legislative feet just to keep up.

By Pakriti Adhikari / Cartoonist

NEWS

SEPT. 2, 2010

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State Government

SQ 744 HOPES TO BRIDGE THE GAP IN OKLAHOMA’S EDUCATIONAL FUNDING

By Jack Chancey / Staff Writer As school kicks into gear throughout the state, teachers and principals alike are looking for ways to manage their classrooms despite deep budget cuts.

Oklahoma’s education budget has been slashed by seven percent across the state, leading to fewer resources and even the firing of teachers. At a time when Oklahoma ranks 49th in per pupil spending, a $200 million drop will only put Oklahoma’s students further behind.

At work to change this is a coalition led by the Oklahoma Education Association. The coalition which has been dubbed HOPE, or Helping Oklahoma Public Education, has acquired the necessary signatures to put an initiative on the November 2 ballot that would increase the state’s education budget. The measure on the ballot, SQ 744, would amend the state constitution to guarantee that Oklahoma schools receive the regional average on per pupil spending. In the 2009 fiscal year, Oklahoma spent $7,683 on education compared to the regional average of $9,147, which includes Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Missouri. The measure would not raise taxes or provide for any new funding for the new spending requirements.

Walton Robinson, communications director for Yes on 744, says Oklahoma’s politicians talk about raising the state’s education budget each year, but never act on it.

“It’s a case of lip service to our kids,” he said. “SQ 744 prioritizes kids in schools.”

According to Yes on 744, if passed, SQ 744 would improve the future of Oklahoma’s students by providing for smaller class sizes, preparing students for better-paying jobs, and recruiting and retaining the best teachers in the region.

The measure is not without its detractors though. SQ 744 has drummed up an opposition that includes high-profile names such as Governor Brad Henry and gubernatorial candidates Mary Fallin and Jari Askins.

“If it looks like it has momentum and may pass, I may speak out more publicly than I already have,” Henry told the Oklahoma Editorial Board.

The main concern voiced by the opposition is the fact that SQ 744 is an unfunded mandate, meaning the measure does not include any new taxes or funding for the required increase in funding. According to the House fiscal staff, who have conducted an interim study on SQ 744, paying for SQ 744 (which it estimates will cost $850 million) by spending cuts would result in a 20 percent cut for

each agency in the state. If paid for by a tax increase, income taxes would have to be raised by 34 percent. At a time when agencies are already dealing with budget cuts, more slashing of budgets could leave agencies between a rock and a hard place.

Cuts to state agencies could mean that the Department of Corrections would lose funding, which would result in the closing of prisons and the release of many minimum-security prisoners. Funding cuts to the Department of Transportation would result in less money going to repair Oklahoma’s already crumbling transportation infrastructure. Department of Public Safety Commissioner Kevin Ward says that the highways would be less safe as a result of downsizing in the police force.

Erin Lamey, president of UCO’s Political Science Honor Society, said, “Being that our state is flat broke right now, I don’t think we would be very fiscally responsible to pass SQ 744 unless we raised taxes to pay for it.”

Lamey says she would be more likely to support SQ 744 if legislatures came up with a funding measure but does not like the idea of raising taxes.

Robinson provides a more optimistic look however. He cites the rise in state revenues in the last quarter as a sign that the economy is recovering.

“Seeing the growth in the economy is a good Oklahoma’s per-pupil funding sign,” he said. “The revenue growth increases will generate enough money to fund SQ 744 by the time it is fully implemented in 2014.”

Non-partisan think tank OK Policy sees it differently. OK Policy is a leading voice in opposition to SQ 744. In a recently released issue brief, OK Policy states, “SQ 744 would ensure severe funding shortage for all other functions of government.” Another issue that concerns OK Policy is that the state’s budget would be bound to other states facing entirely different economic and fiscal circumstances.

“This takes all authority over the education budget and puts it in the lap of congressional and gubernatorial leaders in every state of the region besides Oklahoma,” Lamey said.

No doubt Oklahoma’s students deserve as much funding as they can get, but the question remains, is SQ 744 the best method to achieve the results hoped for? While politicians balk and make grandiose feel-good statements about education, the results have typically been less than stellar. The HOPE group efforts have led to the awareness of a subject that sorely needs more attention. SQ 744 is easily the biggest question on the ballot for voters on November 2, and one can be sure the debate will only heat up as Election SQ 744 is an Day nears.

Student Government

UCOSA SETS AGENDA IN FIRST 2010-2011 SESSION

By Andrew Black / Staff Writer It is a new year, and Monday, Aug. 30, marked the beginning of a new session for the student body government, UCOSA. At 1 p.m., a joint session with both the student house and senate took place at the Nigh Center on the second floor in Constitution Hall.

The purpose of the meeting, led by the student executive board consisting of President Matt Blubaugh, Vice President Askan Bahreini, Speaker of the House Cole Stout, and President Pro Tempore of the Senate David Jenkins, was to set forth the UCOSA agenda for the 2010-2011 academic year.

The meeting began a few minutes late, as senators and representatives shuffled in to find a seat in the large and mostly open auditorium.

The organizers of the proceedings strove for a regal approach. The stage contained five over-stuffed armchairs centered around a traditional podium bearing the UCO insignia.

Jenkins called the meeting to order with a simple bang of a wooden gavel and then lead the body through the pledge of allegiance.

After formal introductions of the executive board, Dr. Kathryn Gage, vice president of student affairs, defined the success of UCOSA, “through the act [of] showing support to student activities, and the inclusion that this UCOSA has already demonstrated.” She said

that [UCO students] are not one person of one kind, but rather, many different types of students from varied cultural backgrounds.”

Each of the five leaders addressed the representatives of the various student organizations and offered promises of a productive year.

Jenkins admitted to, “challenges ahead [of the university] but many opportunities as well.” Bahraini added that, “without the students, UCOSA is nothing.”

The main focus of the presentation, in addition to an optimistic outlook on the many unnamed issues that will reportedly present themselves, as UCOSA continues to meet throughout the term, is a new commitment to the UCO athletic program.

Stout “think[s] we’ve already had a very successful year…judging by the [recent] tailgate party turnout.”

Head football coach Tracy Holland closed out the meeting with a motivational speech geared to initiate a campus-wide involvement in supporting university athletics. Head men’s basketball coach Terry Evans excitedly decreed that athletic loyalty will improve the university and local community as a whole.

The new focus and concerted effort of the leaders of the UCOSA to rally students on campus around the university’s athletic department will be a big part of the expended energy of the campus representatives.

5 1 2 3 4 5

Things to know about

SQ #744

unfunded mandate that would peg per student spending to the average of the region. This means that if passed, SQ 744 would not provide for or make rules on how the increase in spending would be funded.

The current drinking age of 21 is an example of an unfunded mandate. If a state does not comply with the federal mandate, that state will receive cuts in their federal transportation funding, all but forcing states to comply.

OK Policy, a non-partisan think tank for fiscal responsibility, estimates that SQ 744 would require over $1.7 billion in new funding, likely coming from increases in taxes, spending cuts or both.

Oklahoma ranks 49th in K-12 education spending. Spending is just 75 percent of the national average and continues to drop.

Supporters of SQ 744 argue that increased funding can help recruit and retain quality teachers, reduce class sizes, offer expanded student services and purchase new textbooks and technology.

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NEWS

SEPT. 2, 2010 Student Services

5

Faculty

PHOTO BY JOSEPH MOORE

PREVENTING ABUSE GERRY CHERRY IS BEFORE IT BEGINS CALLING IT A DAY P H OTO BY K AT H L EEN WEL L S

After a 14-year career as a grant writer for UCO, the bronze and blue alum is looking forward to retirement.

Dr. Bruce Lochner is the person who first filed for the grant money to bring the ADAP program to UCO. The program has been on campus for nearly three years.

By Cody Bromley / Staff Writer High above the bustle of the food court in the Nigh Center is the home of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention office, on the fourth floor of the UC. A place for walk-ins and referrals alike, the office has been at UCO for more than two and a half years, providing prevention plans for alcohol and drug abuse.

Dr. Bruce Lochner, director of student counseling, testing, and disability support services at UCO, is the person who first filed for the grant money to bring the program to campus.

When working with individuals, Lochner said that ADAP first works with individuals on the substance issue, and then they will look for the root of the causes for usage, as well as what role usage plays in the individual’s life.

Lochner said, “It seems like we’re having an impact.” This impact of the office’s program comes in the form of a better campus environment. Lochner says that since the launching of the ADAP office at UCO, the numbers of student conduct issues involving alcohol have dropped significantly.

If students desire to cut down on their drinking, the ADAP office can help. According to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services pamphlet available in the Student Counseling Center, a basic guideline for reducing the chance of developing an alcohol use disorder is for males to drink no more than four drinks a day and no more than 14 drinks in a week. The guideline for women is to drink no more than three drinks a day and no more than seven drinks in a week.

On their website, the ADAP office has self-

assessment tools where users can log on to check and see how their substance use adds up to national and campus averages. The tools also chart the average amount of money lost to substance use, calculates addiction risk as well as family risk.

The ADAP office can also help students help friends who are struggling with substance abuse. “Most people don’t come on their own,” Lochner said.

Of 1,484 respondents who met diagnostic criteria, 31.5 percent were young adult alcoholics.

Among that 31.5 percent, researchers observed low rates of family alcoholism.

A 2007 study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that of 1,484 respondents who met diagnostic criteria, 31.5 percent were young adult alcoholics.

Among that 31.5 percent, researchers observed low rates of family alcoholism as well as the fact that respondents said they rarely sought help about their drinking.

Concerned students may call the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Office at (405) 974-2209. All services are confidential and free for UCO students. Online self-assessment tools, e-CHUG alcohol assessment tool and eTOKE marijuana assessment tool are available at http://uco.edu/adap under the subheading marked “Students.”

What strategies can you use to cut down on drinking?

Avoid drinking games Space your drinks over time Alternate drinking non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks Set a drinking limit before you start Count the number of drinks you have Rehearse saying “no thanks” when offered a drink you don’t want Spend more time with friends who don’t drink

Excerted from NIH Publication No. 07-3769

UCO grant writer Gerry Cherry is set to retire this month after a 14-year career. Cherry also earned her bachelor’s degree in 1970 and her master’s in 2001 from the university.

By Chantal Robateux / Staff Writer Gerry Cherry, a grant writer at the University of Central Oklahoma, will be retiring this year in September after giving more than 14 years of service to the school.

She is working in the College of Education and Professional Studies as a grant facilitator.

“I earned my bachelor’s degree from here, Central State College, in 1970, and my master’s degree from here in 2001. I was in my 50s when I got my master’s,” Cherry said.

Both of her degrees are in English; the bachelor’s is in English education and she is still a certified secondary teacher. Her master’s is in English, creative writing.

She leads workshops for faculty and students on grant writing. “I have collaborated on many proposals, but by myself, I have brought in more than $6 million,” she said.

One of them was for the Emerging Technologies Program, through the College of Business Administration. “That was in 2000, I believe,” she said.

Another grant she received was the SURESTEP Grant to the National Science Foundation. “That one was $3 million all by itself.

Dr. Wei Chen (professor and assistant dean of the UCO College of Mathematics and Science) just recently resubmitted it and was funded for a continuation and expansion of that grant,” Cherry said. She added that there were also many small grants.

What she liked most about her job was interacting with the faculty and students.

“Before I was here in this college, I was in the Graduate and Research office, which

wasn’t split off at that time. It didn’t split off till 2008, so I dealt with faculty in every college.”

Cherry added she was the director of grants for UCO from 2000-2006 and she has collaborated on some of the university grants since then, but that it is an off-and-on thing.

“Before I came to work at UCO, I was a journalist and I enjoyed interviewing people for small town newspaper weeklies,” she said.

She was an editor, reporter, photographer, dark-room technician and paper-delivery boy.

“That was great fun.” Cherry said.

In 2002, she took over the Title III grant as the activities director. That grant ended in 2006 and in July 2006, she came to the College of Education and Professional Studies.

Cherry’s official last day at the college is September 10.

“I plan to do some traveling,” she said.

She added that she is working on a project, which may or may not turn into a book.

The book is a biography of a singer/songwriter named Tom Jans, who started recording in 1970 and died in 1984.

“I have been corresponding with people who knew him and gathering my research to see how much is available to write about him. And, of course, I have a million projects around the house to do; I’ve got rooms to paint and a master bath to completely remodel,” Cherry said.

In closing, she also said that she has really enjoyed working here at UCO. “People are wonderful, and I have learned a lot,” she said.

Academic Awards

46-YEAR-OLD BOST BOASTS NAGI MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP UCO student and businessman James Bost is the recipient of the Louis D. Nagi Memorial Endowed Scholarship from UCO’s College of Business Adminstration.

Bost, 46, whose master’s is in business adminstration, was honored to have his name recognized as the 2010 recipient of the Louis D. Nagi Memorial Endowed Scholarship and included amongst those having received the award in the past.

“I’m grateful to receive the endowed scholarship,” Bost said. “It’s an honor to receive this scholarship in his memory.”

Bost is the owner and president of his own marketing research company, Insight Marketing Research and Consulting. The company, which started out as a newspaper research firm in 2002, has expanded to embrace a wide variety of industries such as retail, restaurants,

banking, credit unions, advertising, performing arts, electrical utilities, telephone directories, transportation, medical facilities and shopping malls.

“We are a marketing research company,” Bost said. “That means we gather information for businesses and help them make better decisions as a result of our information.”

Bost’s partner at Insight Marketing Research and Consulting, Bobi Ivanov, was a former professor of marketing at UCO. Ivanov now teaches at the University of Kentucky.

Bost’s ambition after he finishes school in July is to become a member of the College of Business Adminstration’s faculty at UCO. He hopes to share his unique brand of business expertise with dedicated students.

“I have had experience working with businesses and organizations for fifteen years,” Bost said. “I can take the experience I’ve gained and apply it to a class-

room setting.”

Bost explains that he will teach courses in marketing research when he becomes a member of the faculty. By incorporating his experience with his company and his master’s, Bost will be an asset to the UCO faculty and a valuable resource to the student body.

“I’ve taught it [marketing research] in the past at other universities and I would like to teach them again in the future,” Bost said.

The Louis D. Nagi Memorial Endowed Scholarship has once again provided an opportunity for UCO to benefit from the talents of the Oklahoma City community. Bost will graduate in July 2011.

Bost feels this will be a positive reflection on himself, the university, and Louis D. Nagi.

“My purpose is to become a faculty 46-year-old Businessman and UCO grad student James member,” Bost said. “I hope to become Bost was awarded 2010’s Louis D. Nagi Memorial a key member of a university as Louis Scholarship. Bost is on track to graduate in July 2011.

Nagi was.”

PHOTO BY GARETT FISBECK

By Ethan Larsh / Staff Writer

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NEWS

SEPT. 2, 2010 Opinion

GATE OPENS SEMESTER WITH STRONG NUMBERS

OPINION LACED

By Elizabeth Hillin / Staff Writer

BY

There was standing room only Tuesday evening at the first Gay Alliance of Tolerance and Equality or GATE meeting in the Liberal Arts building. Over 50 University of Central Oklahoma students attended the meeting, some of which flooded out into the hallway.

GATE is a registered organization at UCO that provides support for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students, faculty, staff members, alumni and allies at UCO, as well as for members of the surrounding communities.

The meeting opened with newlyelected President Brandon White, English education major. White welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the school year. Everyone announced their names and courses of study. Some announced random facts about their lives, which brought forth laughter and smiles across the room. The crowd varied in age, sex, sexuality and majors.

GATE was founded in 1990, and has been providing activities for the GLBT community ever since. These activities include concerts, film festivals, educational programs, special events conferences and social activities at UCO. For the new school year, White says, “I want to empower the LGBT youth at UCO and get involved in the community outside of Edmond as well.” White was “very happy and very proud” of the record attendance for the first meeting.

Mahkesha Hogg, the community advisor, remembered back in 2007 when “eight or nine people was a good turnout for a meeting.”

Over the course of the meeting, plans for the fall semester were announced and voting took place on the activity of the next social meeting. On Sept. 18 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Applebee’s on Memorial Road, GATE will host an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast fund-

P H OTO BY K AT H L EEN WEL L S

Student Organization

WITH

FACT

A.J. BLACK I am no saint. I have a morning ritual that consists of nursing the occasional hangover, sipping on a hot pot of black coffee and smoking down several hand-rolled cigarettes, all while surfing the internet; and I covet my vices.

My homepage is setup to deliver me the latest news from all over the world, so I can be as informed as possible and know exactly what to bitch about. Lately, I have encountered countless articles assessing the value of an education. The sustained spike in unemployment seems to have everyone debating over whether or not the cost of school and the risk of taking on student loans are worth the current job prospects for graduates in today’s market.

As a student, I think it is crucial to take full advantage of our time here. There is plenty of opportunity to hate our jobs, significant others, and resent our children down the road.

Students attend the GATE on Tuesday evening, setting a record for the organizations meetings. Members discussed plans for the semester.

raiser. Tickets are $5, and all proceeds go to GATE. Tickets may be purchased from GATE officers or on arrival to the pancake breakfast.

On Sunday Sept.19, GATE will be participating in the Oklahoma City AIDS Walk, with the theme “Each Step Brings Hope.” The walk starts at the Sonic Plaza in Bricktown located on the south side of Reno Avenue across the street from the ballpark. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. and the walk starts at 2:00 p.m. The AIDS Walk is free and open to the public.

The GATE officers include President David White, Vice President, Lauren

Qualls, UCOSA Senator Stephanie Bolton, Historian Summer Saiedi, Public Relations Coordinator and Secretary Chris Moyer, Treasurer Lasya Ranebenur, Community Advisor Mahkesha Hogg and Faculty Advisor Dr. David Macey.

GATE meets at 7:00 p.m. every other Tuesday in the Liberal Arts Faculty Lounge, Room 211. The meetings include planning events, guest speakers and social time. The next meeting is Sept. 14. The next social meeting, which could include a massive game of hidein-seek, will take place on Sept. 21.

Administration

PHOTO PROVIDED

VP NAMED CHARACTER CHAMP award, the one thing that stands out the most when Ault thinks about his boss and endurance is his handling of the budget. “Steve was pretty innovative, and worked fairly tirelessly in figuring out ways that we could forgo furloughs and obvious cuts that most people were

Well, who wants a job anyways? I would rather sit around and play the guitar all day. Girls love a man who knows how to handle an instrument, but for those of us who do want to become a wage earner, one thing is clear, the future is uncertain and the end is always near.

The alternative is to shift your perspective of value. Money is a means to an end. It represents labour or commodities, but the attraction is toward its purchasing power. Money is not what you desire; it is the goods or luxury that it can be exchanged for.

Now, I am not saying that the best things in life are free. It is nice to have nice things, but in this day and age of instant information, and the ever-increasing invasion of privacy, how many people do you see with money that still succumb to the pettiest of pursuits?

Value cannot always be measured in strictly tangible terms.

A human being is not only worth what it can produce, and education is not only worth what kind of job it can land you.

I relish my role as a student at UCO. I do what I want, and I can feel my mind expand with each lecture, chapter or week that goes by where I have met an academic challenge. This is one of the only times where it is socially acceptable to explore the possibilities and find the discipline or practice that beckons you.

When I graduate at the end of this year I am going to frame my diploma and carefully place it above the toilet in my bathroom, just to keep things in perspective– of course I’m kidding, well sort of, but my point is, that a piece of paper is worthless.

Just like in the case of money, an education is a means to an end. The value lies in the experience.

As a student, I think it is crucial to take full advantage of our time here. There is plenty of opportunity to hate our jobs, significant others, and resent our children down the road.

It is not necessary to have everything planned out. Figuring out what you want is a process, not a destination. We shouldn’t be afraid of changing our mind or letting of go of the excuses that keep our dreams just out of our grasp.

We all made a choice to be here. We are all seeking something. It is important to recognize the beauty of the now, and as long as we never remain stagnant by just treading water, we will eventually get where we are headed. So, let’s go get it. No regrets. No worries. No need to explain.

Ault wrote that Kreidler “dealt with millions of dollars in budget cuts from Light it up- A.J. Black the state without reducing the quality of education our Forensic Science Institute continued from page 1 students receive.”

UCO Executive Vice President Steve Kreidler (center) was recently named a “Champion of Character” in recognition of his character trait of endurance by the Edmond City Council and the Character Council of Edmond. Joining Kreidler was Bob Ault (right), Kreidler’s special assistant, and Gerald Coury (left), a Character Council of Edmond representative.

By Cody Bromley / Staff Writer The Edmond City Council and the Character Council of Edmond recently recognized UCO Executive Vice President Steve Kreidler as a “Champion of Character.” Kreidler was honored specifically for his character trait of endurance.

How does the Edmond Character Council recognize somebody? Council President Jim Hulsey explains, “First step each month are the newspaper ads that we run in the local newspaper, about ‘Who in the community exemplifies’ a certain character trait. The character trait for June was endurance.

We receive replies through the nominations, and those are taken before the board members of the Character Council of Edmond, where one nomination is picked that best exemplifies the charac-

ter trait ... and the presentation before the Edmond City Council is the final step.”

That’s where Bob Ault, special assistant to Kreidler comes in. “I was reading The Daily Oklahoman, the Edmond section, and I noticed that they had a brief little blurb about the award, and their quality that they were evaluating was endurance. I immediately thought of Steve when I read that. And I thought, ‘Well I’m going to look into more and see about what it takes to nominate somebody.’”

In his nomination of Kreidler, Ault wrote that Kreidler “dealt with millions of dollars in budget cuts from the state without reducing the quality of education our students receive or introducing employee furloughs like most other state institutions.”

Now that Kreidler has received the

making. It was pretty difficult and he had to do endure a lot from a lot of constituencies across campus to make sure that everyone was heard and everyone was being represented.”

Kreidler says that winning the award is a little embarrassing. This is not the first award that his division has won, but it is the first to single him out individually. “I think in teams. It just takes everybody.”

Ault thinks that maybe Kreidler is being modest. “When you’re in a position like he is, you’re representing a large body. And I think for him, someone who’s very modest, he doesn’t like to think that that accomplishment is necessarily something that he’s done himself.

He represents a huge portion of individuals on this campus.”

Modest or not, the Edmond and UCO community has embraced Kreidler and celebrated his achievement. “We congratulate Mr. Kreidler on receiving this distinguished award. We are excited about our partnerships with UCO,” Patrice Douglas, mayor of Edmond, said.

To nominate an Edmond resident as a “Champion of Character,” you can log on to www.edmondcharacter.org.

Some decisions made during the construction of the FSI building may be seen as more of an inconvenience by students than an ecological advancement.

“We received points for building on an existing parking lot instead of new land,” Tero said.

With many UCO students chronically late to their classes due to an overwhelming lack of parking, students question the loss of an existing parking lot for the sake of gaining a LEED point.

“We have 1,400 new students this semester,” Travis Brazeal, junior biology major, said. “If you’re taking up space, you’re not doing students a service. You’re hurting them.”

Tyler Blake, a junior majoring in music performance, is, as are many, frustrated with the parking situation.

“I think it’s ridiculous to pay that much money for a parking pass, especially when parking isn’t guaranteed,” Blake said.

“They keep putting buildings on parking lots when student population is increasing. They need to find a solution to the problem.”

Despite forfeiting a significant amount of student parking, overall LEED points were met inexpensively by utilizing the existing lot.

“It was my job to make sure we were achieving the points we need in an economical way,” Tero said. “Part of my job was to weigh what things we could afford and what things we couldn’t.”

Although unfortunate for the commuters to lose the necessary parking spots, receiving the LEED certificate is still an honor and worthy accomplishment for UCO.

8

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SPORTS

SEPT. 2, 2010

9

UCO Football

P H OTO BY K AT H L EEN WEL L S

BRONCHOS HOLD OPEN TRYOUTS

By Trey Hunter / Contributing Writer

The University of Central Oklahoma football coaches approached Wantland Stadium Monday, with hopes of finding a few athletes to help fill the team’s 90-man roster.

The Bronchos held open tryouts on the afternoon of Aug. 30, just two days after the team lost their season opener to the Pittsburgh State Gorillas, 31-20.

UCO, who is under a NCAA probation which limits the football team to a 90-man roster, posted notifications of the try-out across campus hoping to get players to come out and help fill much needed voids across the depth chart. Head Coach Tracy Holland explained that the most challenging thing about the roster limitation is actually reaching the 90-man mark. “Any college football team has to have a scout team in order to prepare for the opponent,” Holland explained. “We don’t really have that luxury. Our starters on offense have to sometimes act as scout team for the defensive side.”

Vandeel Mosley (above) works out with fellow Broncho football hopefuls during Monday’s open tryouts. Mosley played defensive The coaches and the 11 players hoping to back and running back at Capitol Hill High School and graduated in 2009. join the team took the field and began the After the 40-yard dash drills were complet- Holland and his coaching staff fill spots at They’re primary function is going to be on workout with pre-game stretches and runed, the coaches split the hopefuls into their defensive back vacated by injuries, gradu- scout team, and by being there they will be ning drills.

After getting loose and ready to practice, respective positions and began to scout them ates and transfers. After the practice, Mosley able to slowly transition as the season goes the coaches split the players into two sepa- in order to determine their athletic ability. commented on how hard he had worked at on.”

The Bronchos are looking to fill about eight rate groups and began clocking 40-yard dash Mosley and two other players worked with the tryout. “Everything was challenging. I just times. Most players came in over the five sec- the defensive backs while one player worked tried to give it 100 percent and I feel like I roster spots in order to get the team to the 90-player minimum before the end of the ond mark; however, Vandeel Mosley finished at linebacker and the rest joined Coach Pat stood out the most in my one-on-one drills.”

Coach Holland explained that the tough- week. The coaches hope that the new addiwith a 4.6 second sprint with the wind and Kennedy to work at wide receiver.

After spending nearly 15 minutes work- est thing the players had ahead of them after tions to the team can be ready to make an a 4.8 against the wind. Mosley was a 2009 graduate of Capitol Hill High School, where ing on position drills, the players once again making the team was completing the transi- impact before their next game against the he played defensive back and running back. joined together to participate in one-on-one tion of walking on and actually being on the Tarleton State Texans on Saturday, Sept. 11 at He heard about the tryouts through friends drills. Mosley was the only stand-out at de- team. “They’re going to have to go through a Wantland Stadium. on the team and postings across the campus fensive back, shutting down nearly every process where they ease into it. They have an and decided he would try out in order to take route ran his way. He showed that his athletic offensive system they have to learn and they ability, speed and agility could help Coach are a little bit behind the curve defensively. his skills to the next level.

UCO Soccer

SOCCER KICKS OFF SEASON FRIDAY

By Michael Collins / Sports Writer The most successful team on campus this year could quite possibly be taking the field (or pitch) this Friday, against the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The Lady Bronchos will feature a team loaded with talent, and will be looking to make the national playoffs for the second straight year.

Before the Lady Bronchos take on the Mavericks this Friday, they will need to do a little healing. “We have been going pretty hard at practice, and it’s nothing to serious but if anything concerns me, it’s the little injury bug we have going around,”

Cook said.

There is no reason to think as of this moment that any player will not suit up when the Mavericks come to town, but injuries that creep in during fall camp seem to linger though out the season.

“Our team is very talented, and even though we haven’t picked our team captains yet, we have a lot of leadership, and great players,” Cook said. They will most likely be one of the only teams in the conference that will not feature a senior on their squad. Even though there will be no senior leader, the team returns 13 Lady Bronchos who earned letters last season.

With the University of Central Oklahoma athletics teams moving to the MIAA conference soon, they better get used to playing the Mavericks on a regular basis, since the Mavericks were picked to finish second in the MIAA pre-season poll.

When the Mavericks show up Friday, they will be led by Coach Don Klosterman, who is in his twelfth year with the team. Since 1999, the Nebraska squad has rounded up a 183-45-9 record, and has made the national playoffs eight times. They also won the national title in 2005.

The Mavericks will be led by Bri Exstrom who transferred from Nebraska-Lincoln. She will look to

push the Lady Broncho defense to the limit once the ball is put into play Friday.

One of the players who will look to halt the Maverick attack will be McKenzie Caldwell. As one of the best defenders in the Lone Star Conference, she will be counted on to provide stability against a very talented squad. For the past two years, Caldwell has started 43 of 45 games, so do not count on her missing too many games this season.

One player who might have flown under the radar during pre-season is Shayna Kindsvater. Last season she only scored three goals, but two of her goals came in 1-1 games.

She has already shown a flare for the dramatic and hopefully with a full season under her belt, she can blossom into a full-fledged star this season.

With the Lady Bronchos trying to make a run at a title, winning this first game would be nice. But since this is not a conference game (yet), it will not be the end of the world if they do not pull this one out. Look for a closely contested battle that might be decided in the final minutes. Hopefully the youthful legs of the Bronchos will outlast the Mavericks and get their season started off right.

UCO Volleyball

UCO VOLLEYBALL STARTS PLAY THIS WEEKEND

By Michael Collins / Sports Writer Who’s ready for some volleyball? This Friday, the Lady Bronchos volleyball team will take on Western State College and the University of Texas-Permian Basin in the Lady Buff Classic in Amarillo, Texas.

We’re still a little less than two weeks away from the home opener for the Lady Bronchos volleyball team, but Coach Jeff Boyland’s team has been gearing up for this season for quite some time. When asked what his expectations are for this first set of games, Boyland said, “Our expectations are to limit errors and play as a cohesive unit. We want to make sure that we meet our team’s statistical goals which are things like limiting serving errors, getting quality swings at the ball, not giving our opponents free balls and touching a lot of balls while blocking.”

These first few games will be crucial for the Lady Bronchos as they only have three seniors

on this year’s squad. They need to get off to a fast start to show these youngsters how the college game is supposed to be played.

“Senior Kristen Wilson is our team captain again this year. The team will look to Kristen and Zuela Adom for leadership. We are expecting Ginger Gowen and Tate Hardaker to step up on the defensive side of the ball.

We are really looking for our freshman setter Fleming Smurthwaite to direct our offense,” Boyland said.

Going into a season opener, there are always first game jitters. Some teams fight through it and other teams crumble under the pressure.

“I am most concerned that I really don’t know what to expect from our younger players. We will start a freshman setter and defensive specialist and two sophomore hitters.

Some of our upper classmen have been injured and have had limited quality practice time,” Boyland said.

Having players banged up is not what any

coach wants for his season opener, but with youth and inexperience comes energy and fire, and these young players should have loads of energy rolling into their first real game action as Lady Bronchos.

With every concern a coach has going into a season opener, there are also strengths the coach sees. Any good coach can turn a negative into a positive. Boyland said, “I am most confident in our leadership and heart. Kristen and Zuela do a great job of keeping everyone level headed and they are really the glue to our success. We have a lot of hard fighters on the team who don’t want to lose. I expect them to excel during the good times and push through the mentally difficult times.”

Some teams flutter around looking for just one player they can look to in times of crisis but Boyland’s crew has two. Wilson is just 10 kills away from reaching 1,000 kills for her career, and Adom is easily one of the most talented players in the Lone Star Conference.

After starting her collegiate playing days at the University of Houston, Boyland is definitely glad she is finishing her days out here in Edmond, Okla.

The Lady Bronchos will face a Western State College squad who has seven seniors returning on a team that finished last season winning four of its last seven games. Second year coach Katie Moskowitz has been quoted by their school media as being very excited about this season.

The University of Texas-Permian Basin features a team loaded with juniors and freshman, no seniors and only two sophomores.

They will have a little Oklahoma flavor on their squad, with junior Sara Torres from Enid, Okla.

With our Lady Bronchos having more star power than the two schools they will be facing, there should be no reason for them to start 2-0 this season, and get their year off to the right start.

SPORTS

SEPT. 2, 2010

10

UCO Hockey

PHOTO BY GARETT FISBECK

NATIONAL TITLE OR BUST

Nick Novak (11) waits to make a defensive play in a game against Missouri State last November. Novak said that after last season’s deep playoff run, anything less than a national championship title would be a failure. Last season the Bronchos made it all the way to the semi-finals, making them the first Oklahoma team to make it past round two.

By Chris Wescott / Sports Editor The UCO Bronchos’ ice hockey team is entering an unfamiliar situation. Used to being the hunters, they have made the jump to the hunted. They won’t be flying under the radar anymore, and teams that may have overlooked the Bronchos in the past are now circling UCO on their calendars.

Take OU for example. The University of Oklahoma Sooners have dominated the Bronchos in their previous four seasons of existence. But the intense rivalry between the two programs reached new heights in the 2010 playoffs earlier this year. UCO defeated OU 5-4 in double overtime en route to their best season in program history.

That is something the Sooners won’t soon forget. Neither will the Penn State Nittany Lions forget the 2-1 overtime loss handed to them in the quarterfinals by the Bronchos.

The top teams in the nation now know what UCO can bring to the table. But, for the Bronchos all the added pressure makes things interesting.

“It definitely makes things more interesting,” senior forward Brent Block said. “Other teams now know we have what it takes to compete. It will make us try and do even better and play even harder, knowing teams are gunning for us and it will all start against OU.” UCO opens their regular season schedule against the Sooners on Sept. 16. For newly appointed team captain, Nick Novak, it couldn’t come soon enough.

“I can’t wait for opening night against OU,” Novak said. “Even though we knocked them out at nationals, I’m still not satisfied that they beat us in our own barn last year. Playing against them is such an intense rivalry, so there is nothing better than to open our sea-

son against the Sooners.”

To prepare themselves for the Sooners and the rest of their tough schedule, arguably the toughest in the American Collegiate Hockey Association, the Bronchos have been participating in one of the toughest training camps they have had to date. Novak says head coach Craig McAlister has made it a point to get the team in great shape.

“Our coaching staff has been pushing us hard to be the most in-shape team in the country by having us on the ice nearly every day and working out with our strength and conditioning coach Luke Tirey.”

Senior Casey Smith agreed with Novak.

“Camp has been pretty tough so far, but is going well,” Smith said. “Coach has been getting us back into game shape so we can be ready for our season opener against OU.” To offset the loss of nine seniors, the Bronchos have brought in a huge recruiting class.

One thing that Block has liked in camp so far is the way the freshmen have taken it upon themselves to work hard.

“The one thing I like the most about camp is the ferociousness of all the rookies trying to prove themselves to coach and to all the returning players. It makes for a much more intense camp and I like it,” Block said.

It is imperative that the rookies coming in find roles with the team and connect with some of the older players. Team captain Nick Novak says he has seen some of that already from one line in particular.

“Our incoming freshmen have some big shoes to fill and right now, the ‘Sweed’ Peter Ekholm and Josh Harris have been doing exactly that. Those two along with senior Brent Block seem to be the most dominate line in camp so far.”

Block agrees with Novak’s observations,

singling out Ekholm and Harris as players to watch.

“Some rookies to keep an eye on are Peter Ekholm…Sweden and Josh Harris,” Block said. “They both skate on my line and we instantly clicked. Hopefully it stays this way once the games start.”

Expectations are high for the Bronchos, and they like it that way.

“We have some high expectations this year,” Novak said. “After making it to the final four in the national tournament, anything less than a national championship would be a failure.”

Smith added, “Our main goal for the season is to build on the success we have had over the last couple of seasons and make it back to nationals to win a national championship.

We got a taste of that last year making it to the

• • • © 2010 Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc.

• •

semi-finals and now, we want to go back and win the whole thing.”

The UCO program and their fans are riding an emotional high from the past few seasons.

Frankly, the fans have been spoiled by such high quality collegiate hockey. The Bronchos have won over 20 games the past two seasons and that has been enough to get them in the playoffs both years.

UCO has consistently beat top 10 teams, and has competed with the best of the best.

McAlister has put together a program that after four short seasons has pushed itself into the conversation for elite status. Can the Bronchos build off their epic 2009-2010 campaign? We’ll just have to wait a few more weeks to find out.

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