The Vista April 10, 2017 by The Vista

“UCO Softball” on 14 Volume 114, Issue 11

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VISTA “The Student Voice Since 1903”

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Student Congressional Violation UCO Student Congress Breaks Open Meetings Act

Kalina Popova, Caleb Shaw and Stockton Duvall, the Congressional Leadership of the UCO Student Association speak during a UCO Student Congress meeting on Monday, April 3. The UCO Student Congress violation of an Oklahoma law may void several pieces of legislation that the association has passed in recent months. (Ryan Naeve/The Vista)

The Vista

@TheVista1903 Staff Reports By Kateleigh Mills, editor-in-chief and Megan Prather, managing editor

Several pieces of legislation passed in the UCO Student Congress over the past year could have the potential of being void due to a violation of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act. Three senators in the UCO Student Congress claim that the Congressional Leadership have not followed the standards of OMA, which states that the agenda for a regularly held meeting should be posted at least 24 hours in advance, excluding weekends. This provision of OMA can be found under Section Three under B titled “Notice to the Public and Agendas.” UCO Student Congress Senator, Parliamentarian and Floor Leader, Caleb Power, said that he spoke to the Congressional Leadership comprised of Secretary Kalina Popova, Vice Chair Stockton Duvall and Chair Caleb Shaw - privately

on multiple occasions for breaking this section of OMA before bringing it up on the floor of student congress last Monday. Popova denied at the meeting that Power came to talk to her about the issue. However, both Shaw and Duvall acknowledged that Power came to talk to them. Power said during the “student concerns” portion in the last Congress meeting that students of UCO should be able to walk by the UCOSA office and see posted on the door a record of votes, time and place of a meeting and what is to be voted on in the next session, something Power claims the leadership hasn’t been doing. According to the attorney general opinion (Opinion 79-134) the student government associations and residence halls associations are required by law to follow the Open Meeting Act and are “compelled to follow the provisions of the Act in the manner in which they are enacted.” “Yes, we are supposed to post these things because it is the morally right and transparent thing to do, but actually Oklahoma State Law mandates it,” Power said. See”OMA Violation” on 8

(Provided/ Aryn Robinson).

AAF Takes First at the National Student Advertising Competition Jessica Phillips @TheJessPhillips Reporter

UCO’s American Advertising Federation made history on April 6 by placing first for the second consecutive year in the District 10 National Student Advertising Competition. This is the first time in 35 years that the same school has won consecutively. “This is an immensely competitive situation. There are a lot of huge universities here that expect to win and they were hostile to our

recognition,” Adviser Sandy Martin said. “We didn’t know if we would place.” The class of 24 students developed an integrative marketing campaign for Tai Pei Frozen Foods to present at the conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Senior Strategic Communications major Tommy Johnson was a first-time presenter at the competition. “It was a lot more intense than I ever thought it would be, for sure. It is extremely competitive and very, very tough,” Johnson said. See “AAF Wins” on 6

The Vista

April 10, 2017

CONTENTS

Correction for Volume 114, Issue 10: On page 15 attribution was left out of a photo cutline for "UCO Backhands Competition: Bronchos Ranked Third in MIAA Conference. The cutline should have included Elizabeth Roberts as the photographer for The Vista.

CONTENTS Tornado Safety................................................3

Student Loans..............................................11

Around Campus..........................................4-5

UCO Basketball...........................................12

EDM/AAF Wins............................................6

UCO Football...............................................13

OMA Violation..............................................8

UCO Softball................................................14

Public Safety..................................................9

Bucking Broncho ........................................15

STAFF NAME AND POSITION

Kateleigh Mills Megan Prather Peter Agnitsch Cara Johnson M i r a n d a Va n M e t e r Elizabeth Spence Victor Quezada Jessica Phillips A . Suave Francisco Ryan Naeve Te d d y B u r c h

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Re p o r t e r Re p o r t e r Re p o r t e r S p o r t s Re p o r t e r Photographer Advisor

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The Vista is published weekly during the spring, summer, and fall semesters. In all issues, The Vista has opportunities for both classified, online and print ads. Email your questions to: ucovista.advertising@gmail.com The Vista is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students, weekly during the academic year, 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, and must include the authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s printed name, major, classification and phone number. Phone numbers are included for contacting purposes only. 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 73034-5209, or deliver in person to the editor in the Communications Building, Room 131. Letters can be emailed to thevista1903@gmail.com.

TORNADO SAFETY

April 10, 2017

The Vista

Where to Find Severe Weather Shelters on Campus Elizabeth Spence @lizzlynn Reporter

Severe weather is common in Oklahoma. The University of Central Oklahoma takes precautions each storm season to ensure that students have a safe place to go in case of severe weather. (Provided/ Pixabay.com).

Severe weather can and has caused damaged to residents, houses and buildings in the city of Edmond. Having a storm shelter during severe weather or a tornado could save lives, which is why UCO has provided students, faculty and staff with shelter during times of severe weather. "We provide shelter space for UCO faculty, students and staff and those that are engaged in on-campus activities at the time of severe weather," UCO's emergency manager, Norman Nieves, said. This means that anyone who is on or near UCO's campus during a tornado or any type of severe weather are welcome in the storm shelters. "We're not going to turn anyone away," Nieves said. If severe weather happens during school hours or during classes, emergency management will direct all of the students to the shelters via speakers that are located inside and outside

Message from UCO President Don Betz on tornado season: The University of Central Oklahoma is committed to the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff and visitors and safety will always be our highest priority. UCOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emergency management coordinator, police services and crisis management team, in collaboration with federal, state, county and city authorities, work together throughout the year to be prepared in the event that the safety of our campus is threatened. Now that we are, once again, entering into tornado season here in Oklahoma, I encourage all in the UCO community to become familiar with the areas throughout campus designated as shelters in the event of a tornado warning. Safety is everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business, and I urge everyone to be prepared.

Don Betz UCO President (Photo provided by UCO Photo Services.)

of the buildings on campus. Through these speakers, emergency management can tell students which building to seek shelter in and which buildings have the most room available. There are nine primary severe weather shelters: the basement of the Nigh University Center, Thatcher Hall, the Liberal Arts building, Max Chambers Library, the Communications building, Murdaugh Hall, the Art and Design building, Howell Hall and Central Plaza. "If a tornado comes in at one or two in the morning, they are going to open the weather shelters closest to the dorms and living quarters," Nieves said. There are two housing facilities on campus that have storm shelters. The first is the Quad, which has a shelter in the basement and the other is Murdaugh Hall. Murdaugh Hall will not be available for shelter this storm season, but should be open in the fall of 2017.

The Vista

April 10, 2017

AROUND CAMPUS

AROUND THE CAMPUS

Monday, April 10, 2017 Non-Traditional Student Support Group: Beginning at 11 a.m. in the Nigh

University Center’s Room 415, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a support group for students who are having issues balancing school, work and family.

UCOSA Congress Meetings: At 1 p.m. in the Will Rogers Room on the fourth floor of the Nigh University Center, UCOSA Congress members will have their weekly congress meeting. Got Stress Workshop: The Center for

Counseling and Well-Being will hold a class on learning how to manage stress and college life in NUC Room 402 from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Raising Hope Donations: The Amer-

ican Democracy Project will be in Thatcher Hall 121-C, accepting donations of new and/ or gently used clothing (shirts, pants, dresses, belts, bags, shoes, etc.) for children and adults to be used in their Pop-Up Thrift Shop. The Thrift Shop will be held from April 17th to 21st to benefit the Edmond Hope Center, helping families in the area who are in crisis. Donations can be made anytime between the 5th and 14th of April.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017 SPB Build-A-Broncho: At 11 a.m. at

the Max Chambers Library, members from the Student Programming Board will be out to receive donated books to Millwood Public Schools in exchange to Build-A-Broncho.

MindStrength: At noon, in the Wellness

Life Skills Around Eating: At 3:30

p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will be holding a free and confidential support group for those who suffer from eating disorders and symptoms that suggest eating disorders.

Center Room 104, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a workshop for students, faculty and staff to work on lessening anxiety, improving sleep, balancing emotions and improving the ability to stay calm in tough situations. More information can be found on OrgSync.com.

OrgSync 101: At 4 p.m. in the Administration Building’s Room 101A, members from the Student Organizations Office will offer a training session on OrgSync for officers, advisors or members of organizations across campus.

SMART Recovery: At noon in the Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will have a SMART Recovery meeting for those in recovery to learn skills to stay balanced and motivated in staying healthy.

Leadership in Brexit and the Age of Trump: At 6 p.m. in the Pegasus Theatre

located in the Liberal Arts Building, Dr. Martin Farr from Newcastle University, UK, will address Brexit and President Trump in terms of leadership. There will also be a question and answer segment following Dr. Farr’s presentation. The event is STLR-tagged by the Leadership tenet. More information about the event can be found by contacting Patti Loughlin at ploughlin@uco.edu.

Step Show: At 7 p.m. in the Nigh University Center, the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated will host a show for their Delta Week to show their culture and give information about the sorority.

Anger Tamers: At 1 p.m. in the Nigh

University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will give confidential and free support for those who struggle with controlling anger.

Connections: At 4 p.m. in the Broncho

Wellness Hub at Commons 1116, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a group to increase communication and social skills by discovering events and activities on campus to experience.

Movie Night: At 5 p.m. in the Interna-

tional House, the Vietnamese Student Association will have a movie night.

European Night: At 6:30 in the Chero-

kee Room, the European Student Association will have an event for the UCO community to check out European cultures while also having a variety of European food to try. According the European Student Association’s post on OrgSync, the food will be from France, Germany, Finland, Norway, Bulgaria, Spain, Netherlands, Ukraine and Italy.

S.I.S.T.A Circles: At 7 p.m. in Nigh Uni-

versity Center’s Room 202, the Black Student Association will have their ‘Sisters Inspiring Sisters Through Achievement’ discussion in fellowship circles. The circles will also be a time to talk about topics that are relevant while also creating a safe space to come up with solutions.

Raising Hope Donations: The Amer-

Wednesday, April 12, 2017 War in Syria New York Times Discussion Three Part Series: Beginning

at 12:30 p.m. in the Radke Fine Arts Theater located in the Center for Transformative Learning Building, the American Democracy Project will host a three part “New York Times discussion series” on the War in Syria. This event will be the first part of the three part series that will address the war on refugees. Each of the parts will have a new guest speaker. The event is open to the public. There will be refreshments and snack on a “first come first serve basis.” The event is also STLR-tagged by the Global & Cultural Competency tenet. More information can be found on OrgSync, by contacting ADP at 405-9743504, and by contacting the event host, Susan Scott at sscott@uco.edu.

AROUND CAMPUS Wednesday Bible Study: Christians

on Campus will be holding a bi-weekly Bible study to gather and read at 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the Night University Center.

Seeking Strength: At 1 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will hold a free and confidential group for those dealing with trauma or substance abuse symptoms. The groups work on skills such as how to set boundaries in relationships, understanding triggers and learning how to self-care. BGLTQ+ Support: From 2 p.m. in the

NUC Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a support group for individuals thinking about coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or for people who have recently come out and are seeking support. These groups are free and confidential.

Childcare and Resource Expo: At

4 p.m. in the Nigh University Center located in the 2nd floor hallway, the Department of Off-Campus Life will host the Childcare & Resource Expo for the UCO community to help make connections in the childcare options “in the surrounding areas.” The expo will also have representatives from Infant Crisis Services and other resources. More information can be found by contacting Jasmyn Scott at 405-974-3655 or jscott65@uco.edu.

Raising Hope Donations: The Amer-

Thursday, April 13, 2017 Thursday Bible Study: Christians on Campus will be holding a bi-weekly Bible study to gather and read at 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the Night University Center. Seeking Strength: At 2 p.m. in the Nigh

University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will hold a free and confidential group for those dealing with trauma or substance abuse symptoms. The groups work on skills such as how to set boundaries in relationships, understanding triggers and learning how to self-care.

April 10, 2017 Central Improv Weekly Meeting: At

The Vista

Grief Group: Beginning at 11 a.m. in the

3 p.m. in the Nigh University Center, Central Improv will have their weekly meeting to practice and improve their improv skills. The meetings are open to the UCO community.

Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a grief group to individuals who are experiencing grief.

Stress Paws: From 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will have therapy dogs to help students relieve stress every Thursday.

Edmond Hope Center Donations and Service: At 2 p.m. in the Wellness

SMART Recovery: At 5:30 p.m. at the International House, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will have a SMART Recovery meeting for those in recovery to learn skills to stay balanced and motivated in staying healthy. Man UP (Re) Defining Masculinity:

At 6 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Heritage Room (326) the Center for Counseling and Well-Being, SPEAK Educators and other UCO and community partners will discuss the definition of masculinity in today’s society. They will also discuss societal pressures placed on men that could “manifest misogyny” and or where “violence is seen as the norm.” This event is also STLR-tagged by the Health and Wellness and Leadership tenets. More information can be found by contacting event host Michelle Stansel at mstansel@uco. edu.

SPB: Recreate: At 7 p.m. in the Nigh

University Center, members from the Student Programming Board will offer an event for students to come and “put their own twist on thrift shop clothes.” More information can be found by contacting Campus Activities at 405974-2363.

Raising Hope Donations: The Amer-

Friday, April 14, 2017 Anger Tamers: From 9 a.m. in the Nigh

University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will give confidential and free support for those who struggle with controlling anger.

Information gathered for ‘Around the Campus’ can be found on UCO’s OrgSync page, uco.edu, blasts.uco.edu, Campus Activities and from other organizations across campus.

Center and at the Edmond Hope Center, the Student for Transformative Learning Record is offering STLR credit under the Service Learning & Engagement tenet for any UCO student to “see how resources work within the community.” More information about the event can be found by contacting the event host, Susan Scott at sscott@uco.edu.

Mr. and Miss UCO International:

At 7 p.m. in Constitution Hall, the International Student Council will host their annual pageant to highlight “the talent, culture and diversity of UCO’s international community.” The event is also STLR-tagged by the Global & Cultural Competency tenet. More information can be found by contacting event host Jared Scism at jscism@uco.edu.

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The Vista

April 10, 2017

EDM/AAF WINS

UCO EDM Drops the Beat This Week Wesley Davis

@WesleyRyanD Contributing Writer

The Electronic Dance Music club at the University of Central Oklahoma will host its third annual dance party, The Drop, to promote electronic dance music and build the EDM community on April 13 at Central Plaza beginning at 8 p.m. Danny Eagle, EDM@UCO president and resident disc jockey known as DJ Tangerine, said that attendees can expect a professional-grade show complete with lasers, lighting and a high-quality sound system. The event will have live performance from five DJs throughout the night. The show will open with a performance by Lenses, one half of the internationally known DJ and producer duo Kids at the Bar from Oklahoma, who just recently returned from a tour in Asia. Following the opening set from Lenses, each of EDM@UCO’s resident DJs, DJ Tangerine, The Boy

AAF Wins Jessica Phillips @TheJessPhillips Reporter

(Continued from cover) “It was a lot more intense than I ever thought it would be, for sure. It is extremely competitive and very, very tough,” Johnson said. Strategic Communications major Alex Pak said the experience was a culture shock, as this is only his second semester as a communications major. “It was a brand new challenge I never thought I would have to face, but I’m really, really glad I did,” Pak said. “I feel like I’ve grown so much. The team has grown so much and with the leadership of Sandy Martin. We really came together strong.” The university is one of the smallest programs involved in the competition. Johnson said some universities work on their campaigns year-round and dedicate a large portion of time to it as part of their curriculum. “The preference is kind of given towards some Texas schools sometimes,” Johnson said. “It’s really cool that we can come in here and prove to the judges that we can not only compete, but exceed expectations.” AAF Campaign Director Yusuf Shurbaji said the first place finish helps students and the university to stand out. “I’m proud of the team and what we accomplished together. The vic-

Students dance during the EDM@UCO event, The Drop, in November of 2016 at Central Plaza. (Provided/ Danny Eagle).

and KDB III will play. The night will be closed out with a set from Crystal Vision, another Oklahoma DJ and producer. tory highlights the excellence of students coming from UCO and taking home first place, for a second year in a row, truly puts the university on everyone’s radar,” Shurbaji said. Four students from AAF also created the uDefy Project last semester for the Peer to Peer: Challenging Extremism competition. This group placed second in the national competition in February. Martin said the success of uDefy and of the AAF team proves the quality of UCO’s strategic communications program. “It places us in a position to get some of the recognition that the quality of this program deserves,” Martin said. The team will now advance to the semifinals in early May. Rather than present during the semifinals, the team will have a video conference call with the judges. According to AAF’s national website, 16-20 teams could compete in the semifinals and 8 will advance to the national conference in New Orleans this summer. District 10 is composed of southern schools and had so many competing institutions that it was divided into two groups. Martin said most districts have 8-9 competitors, while this district had 22. In addition to UCO winning consecutive years, this is one of the first years that has seen two Oklahoma schools win the district. Oklahoma State University’s team placed first in their respective competition.

Central Plaza has three tiers for the venue and the event will utilize all three. Attendees can hang out and cool down with refreshments on the top and middle floors or use the dance floor located on the ground floor lobby. Eagle said the event is a great way to give club members opportunities in the EDM industry. “We have people in the club that are interested in graphic design. They get to make the posters. People who are in marketing get to practice marketing by doing the promotions,” Eagle said. Eagle also stated that those who are interested in becoming a DJ are actually trained through club workshops

and get real show experience through events like the Drop. EDM@UCO has held this event every year since the organization was formed. The first year it was called the International Dance Music Showcase. The organization thought this name was a little too long, so they renamed it “The Drop”. The Drop is an all-ages event. The event will be free with a UCO student ID and $5 at the door for anyone else that would like to attend. To keep up with this event and other event like it you can follow EDM@UCO or on Twitter @EDM_ UCO

(Provided/ Danny Eagle).

The Vista

@TheVista1903 Staff Reports

(Continued from cover) The UCO Student Congress meets every Monday at 1 p.m. in the Will Rogers Room located on the 4th floor of the Nigh University Center. To be in compliance with OMA, their agendas about what they will discuss in the meeting should be posted by “the preceding Friday” at 1 p.m. Chair Shaw said that it wasn’t the first time he was informed of the OMA violation from Senator Power. “Caleb Power has spoken to me about this issue about three or four times,” Shaw said. The real issue, according to Shaw, is that it isn’t about being transparent, but rather being “transparent enough.” “We want to be transparent, that’s not the issue. If you ask me for legislation, I’m going to give it to you. If you are asking for the agendas, past agendas, past minutes, I will do my best to get that to you,” Shaw said. Another issue that Shaw brought up was that the time of posting the agendas at 1 p.m. on the Friday before Monday’s meeting is something that is “unobtainable.” Chair Shaw claimed that it was unobtainable to meet that deadline, in part, because of the meeting time of the Ways and Means Committee which is at Friday at 1 p.m. The Ways and Means Committee generally handles congressional financial resolutions (CFRs) - legislation that allocates money to organizations funded through UCOSA. One of the reasons the agenda has been posted late is because the committee meets after the OMA mandated deadline. Members of the Ways and Means committee want to try to get money quicker to student organizations that need them, and therefore are writing legislation after the deadline to appear on the docket on Mondays. Therefore, to follow OMA, legislation that is drawn up and approved by the Ways and Means Committee would have to wait a week to be put on the docket. This would slow the process of getting money to organizations to be approved by the UCO Student Congress. “There are times where things become time sensitive, we have to get stuff through,” Duvall said. “If that’s something that’s a deterrent that’s not supposed to be our main focus. Our main focus is our students.” OMA is a series of statutes that is supposed to help encourage and foster a citizen’s understanding of “governmental processes and governmental problems.”

April 10, 2017

OMA does this by requiring public bodies, like the UCO Student Association to adhere by 6 standards - to provide advance notice of the “date, time and place of meetings, to post agendas or matters to be considered at those meetings,” to require meetings to be held at a convenient place and time for the public, to record individual votes, to take minutes, to hold “executive sessions (inaccessible to the public)” for certain specific purposes and to refrain from holding “informal gatherings of a majority of board members in which public business is conducted or discussed.” The Act also states that any actions made by a public body if it is found in “willful violation” of these standards are void. Since there has been more than one instance of the UCO Student Congress posting their agendas late, that means that the legislation on those agendas that passed should have been voided. “I’m not in the mindset that we need to go backwards because the money has already been spent,” UCOSA’s advisor Cole Stanley said. Senator Camilo Ulloa has been another advocate for the UCO Student Congress to follow the provisions under OMA. Ulloa previously worked with the SGA at Rose State University to improve their statutes and bylaws. Senator Colten Kidd has been in UCOSA for this past semester and agrees that the UCO Student Congress should be following OMA. “The three of us did confront the leadership team,” Kidd said. “I believe I told them we weren’t having any ill will, we weren’t doing this to screw with them, we were doing this because we just wanted to do things

OMA VIOLATION

Open Meeting Act Six Standards 1. Provide advance notice of the date, time, and place of meetings and of matters to be considered at those meetings

2. Hold open meetings at times and places that are convenient and accessible to the public 3. Record individual members’ votes on matters considered 4. Take minutes of meetings 5. Hold executive sessions (inaccessible to the public) only for certain specific purposes 6. Refrain from holding informal gatherings of a majority of board members in which public business is conducted or discussed. Information found on Open Meeting PDF on the Oklahoma Attorney General’s website.

right and in the end, protect UCOSA.” Power addressed the leadership at the UCOSA meeting on last Monday and began by saying that he was not looking to start a feud, fire or fight, but to address a concern of his about student congress. Senators Camilo Ulloa and Colten Kidd have also backed Power for the need for transparency. According to other student newspapers across the state - such as the O’Colly at Oklahoma State University, the 15th Street News at Rose State University, The Daily at Oklahoma University and The Pioneer at Oklahoma City Community College - their Student Government Associations (SGA) or their UCOSA counterpart has not recently experienced the same issue of posting agendas and legislation within OMA’s 24hour deadline.

The only OMA violation reported recently at one of those colleges was at OSU where the SGA was using proxies to vote for legislation. “Do we need to tighten up? You bet,” Stanley said. According to 314 in OMA, any person or persons that are found in violation “of this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine not exceeding Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding one (1) year or by both such fine and imprisonment.” Since Power’s statements last congressional meeting, the UCO Student Congress has posted their agenda for the next meeting on OrgSync at 12:43 p.m. Friday April 7. It was also posted to the recently added bulletin board next to the UCOSA office.

PUBLIC SAFETY

April 10, 2017

The Vista

Edmond Teen Confesses to Murder of Stepmother

Local Police Release Audio Recordings of 911 Call Elizabeth Spence @lizzlynn Reporter

Joshua Thomas Bryant, 17, confessed to murdering his step-mother, Katherine Bryant, 54, in their home April 4 around 8 p.m. His confession came during the investigative process of the Edmond Police Department April 5, according to Edmond PIO Jennifer Wagnon. At 8:47 p.m. Tuesday night, the Edmond Police Department received a call from Brad Bryant, Joshua’s father, telling the police dispatcher that he had found his wife Katherine dead in their garage, police said. In an audio recording that Wagnon released, the dispatcher tells Brad that she cannot send him help if he does not tell her “what’s wrong.” Brad can then be heard on the audio recording stating, “My son has killed my wife.” According to Edmond Police, Joshua Bryant told investigators during the interview process that while his father was out of the house picking up a family member, he hit

his stepmother in the head with a baseball bat, knocking her unconscious. Joshua then admitted to dragging her to the garage and shooting her in the head with a rifle, Wagnon said. According to police, after shooting his stepmother, Joshua covered her face with a blanket and left the home before his father found her in the garage. When police arrived to the scene, they confirmed the death and put out information to all of the Central Oklahoma Agencies on Joshua’s vehicle and his appearance. He was arrested by Blackwell police officers along I-35 just after midnight driving his step-mother’s vehicle, which he had taken from the home earlier that evening. Joshua Bryant is being held on a first degree murder charge will be presenting charges as an adult in this crime, according to authorities. Joshua was transferred to the Oklahoma County jail this afternoon. Police have yet to say if Joshua had a motive.

Joshua Thomas Bryant, 17, was arrested as a suspect in the death of his step-mother. Bryant later confessed to the murder. (Provided/ Edmond Police Department).

STUDENT LOANS Victor Quezada @VicQ87 Reporter

Some students who were promised student loan forgiveness by the government are now filing suit against the federal loan program. More than 550,000 students were given an option to work a public service job for ten years to have their student loans forgiven, but news came on March 31 that the Federal Education Department did not hold up their end of the bargain, according to the New York Times. Public service loan forgiveness includes working at a official government establishment or a government funded location. The process is done by having the graduate work at the establishment and pay 120 monthly payments in the 10 years before they are forgiven for the debt. Graduates that applied for this program beginning in 2007 were denied their student loan debt forgiveness. The rising issue is how they were denied their debt forgiveness despite following the protocols of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program because of the switch in 2014 in which despite the graduates meeting their minimum payment, their total student loan debt kept rising. The American Association Bar and four borrowers are currently filing the suit after they realized their end of the deal was not honored

April 10, 2017

The Vista

Federal Program Doesn’t Forgive Student Loans

by FedLoan Servicing’s letters that could not be rescinded or binded according to pymnts.com. “This is just terrible to hear,” UCO Student Austen Evans that is currently battling student loan debt of more than $3,000. “It is already hard enough for students to graduate and compete for the same job that other graduates are after but adding this new scenario would make life a little more difficult.” This new predicament puts more distrust within the federal government after an incident earlier this year with Navient to students are currently in a legal battle after giving the student loan debtors obstacles to keep up with their payment after saying they could give bad advice according to nbcnews.com. Students could have different methods of not trusting the federal government plans of student loan forgiveness by either not signing up with the large loan companies or consulting with your universities options. UCO offers a local loan service that is currently not linked to the Navient incident and offers an alternative to student loan forgiveness. “The Federal programs should be more concerned with the students leaving college with a

large debt rather than their political affiliation,” UCO Counselor for Financial Aid Services, Jacqueline Jamison said. “But this does not mean that students could not take advantage of the multiple loan programs the university (UCO) offers.” If the student ran out of options from the federal government aid, the student could apply for an Alternative Loan. This program offers students the last amount of money to finish out their graduating year in their last two semesters as all they need to qualify is a full-time employment. Mickey Dollens, Representative of Oklahoma, is currently pushing for a bill that would ensure teachers that stay in the state of Oklahoma for seven years would have their student loans forgiven. The difference between the bill being enacted for student loan forgiveness and the federal program that offers it, is that if Oklahoma does not grant the teacher student loan forgiveness, it must be done under passed law. The other side with the program is that it is considered an option to their program where they have the ability to not confirm nor deny eligibility to the student loan program.

(Provided/ WikimediaCommons.com).

DEAR EDITOR, I’m writing to express a major concern happening with your paper, The Vista. You see, last Thursday (3/30/2017) a very famous poet, Danez Smith, gave a spectacular performance in the Pegasus Theatre. Over 100 guests attended, and it was a collaboration of efforts between seven different organizations as event sponsors. They include: Black Male Initiative, Black Student Association, Department of English, Literature in Performance (L.I.P.), New Plains Student Publishing, Student Alliance for Equality (SAFE), and Woman’s Research Center & BLGTQ+. The Alexander Lawerence Posey Speaker Series featuring Danez Smith is important because, as our program writeup by Seth Copeland points out, “it celebrates Alexander Posey’s legacy and spirit by featuring underrepresented voices. We want to showcase identities too frequently “othered” in mainstream discourse, to bring their rivers to the flood. We are here for convergence: the cross-stitch of heteroglossia, the fight of double consciousness, the love that bridges mountains.” So, what is my concern you may or may not be wondering? The simple fact that our event, though interviewed by a student reporter, was not ran in your Volume 114, Issue 9 edition. Instead, the front page ran a “healthier campus” writeup, which, though related to the University itself, our event encompasses everything the University intends to promote through unity, diversity, transformative learning, and discourse of the political climate found in our community and across the globe. My concern is The Vista, may be falling into a dangerous lachrymose style of deeming what is pertinent to publish and following in the footsteps of the mainstream media by promoting stories not holding much weight (i.e. celebrity news) over a story which holds value and deeper meaning, especially with such a diverse group of event sponsors who worked so diligently to host such a meaningful event, which for me, has been lifechanging and eye-opening. Best wishes, Joshua Barnett Editor-in-Chief New Plains Student Publishing

**Personal contact information has been omitted. No other changes to this letter have been made.

The Vista always accepts letters to the editor. If you would like your response displayed in the next issue, please send your letters to The Vista at 100 N. University Drive Edmond, OK 73034 or email your response to the Vista at TheVista. ads@gmail.com.

The Vista

April 10, 2017

UCO BASKETBALL

UCO Basketball’s Star Forward Corbin Byford Gets Sixth Year of Eligibility

Austin Moseley @Austin_Moseley Sports Writer

Corbin Byford, the do-it-all forward for the University of Central Oklahoma’s men’s basketball team, is back as a sixth-year senior to make one last run with the Bronchos. “It’s pretty rare to get a sixth year, especially to get granted one,” Byford said. “I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity.” Byford, who transferred to UCO from ORU in 2014, was granted a sixth year after applying for an injury hardship ruling after he tore the labrum in his left shoulder during the 2015-16 season. The injury took place during the second game of the year and forced him to miss the rest of the 2015 season. “Man, it was tough,” Byford said, “I was completely immobile for eight weeks.” The 6’6 forward stayed in Edmond during the off season so that whenever he was cleared, he could get to work. Byford spent the summer working out with coach Black, as he progressed through the rehab process, and aimed to excel during the next season. Byford averaged 13 minutes his first year (2014) with the Bronchos and only played two games during the 2015 season, but those speed bumps wouldn’t slow him down this year. Byford played in all 29 games for the Bronchos during the 2016 season, starting in 28 of them, and was the second leading scorer on the team with 12.2 points per game on 60 percent shooting. The 60-percent shooting mark Byford had was the second best in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). He also put up 7.2 rebounds per game- fifth best in the conference- in a season that earned him second team All-MIAA. “You have to give a lot of credit to my teammates,” Byford said. “My teammates did a great job all year, giving it to me on the block and places that I can score” Byford mans the front court with another Division I transfer, Jake Hammond. The transfer from Nebraska averaged 10.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. “Next year, I don’t think there will be anybody in the nation that has a better 4-5 combo than us,” Byford

Corbin Byford, 3, passes the ball at the Feb. 27, 2017 playoff game in Hamilton Fieldhouse. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

said. With his sixth year upcoming, Byford is one of the veteran voices in the locker room, leading the team on and off the court. “I love our younger guys,” Byford said. “I hope that I’m a guy that they can look up to, not just on the court, but off the court in the way that I carry myself.”

One way Byford portrays his leadership skills to his teammates is by his work ethic in the classroom. Byford was named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll in for the second time in his career in 2017. This recognizes student athletes who maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average and have completed two semesters at their school.

“Being an education major you have to value your education as much as, if not more than, your athletics,” Byford said. From transferring to injuries, Corbin Byford has overcome a lot through his five-year career. Byford now is ready to make is sixth and final year count.

Corbin Byford, 3, dribbles around his opponent at the Feb. 27, 2017 playoff game in Hamilton Fieldhouse. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

UCO FOOTBALL

April 10, 2017

The Vista

Bronchos Leader of the Stampede UCO Starting Quarterback Chas Stallard

Jonathan Goudeau @goudeau_jdg Sports Writer

UCO quarterback Chas Stallard has 5,631 total career yards ninth all-time in Bronchos history with 4,037 career passing yards and 1,594 career rushing yards. In 2014, Stallard had the ninth-best passing season in school history along with the record for most rushing yards in a season by a quarterback. Following the record breaking season, he was named MIAA Freshman of the Year and the Oklahoman’s State College Offensive Player of the Year. “We just want to win. It’s not all about me, it’s about doing what is best for the team,” Stallard said. Stallard will lead the Bronchos offense at starting quarterback in the 2017 season. He split time at quarterback last season with T.J. Eckert, who is graduating in the spring. “T.J. and I had a great relationship,” Stallard said. Despite not being the full-time starter, he still managed to put up 1,349 total yards of offense and 16 total touchdowns last season. “There’s always going to be trials in your life that you learn something from,” Stallard said. “It was a shock. When you are used to getting in there every single game but now all of a sudden when you are not out there you realize that you can’t take any second for granted.”

Chas Stallard, 7, walks on to Hamilton Field with teammates before a Fall 2016 football game. (Provided/ Vista Archives).

“There’s always going to be trials in your life that you learn something from,” Stallard said.

Stallard was a three-year starter at Cleveland High School where he finished his career with more than 9,000 yards of offense and 112 touchdowns. He earned District 4A-3 Player of the Year, was a 4A all-star and a Tulsa World All-Metro selection his senior year.

The time that Stallard spent on the sideline helped him focus on the little things that make a good quarterback. “It’s a responsibility to me to be a great leader,” Stallard said. “You owe it to your teammates to do things right. I try not to take those for granted and try to uphold those for my teammates.” Stallard also excels in the classroom. He finished his undergrad in marketing last summer and is currently working on his MBA. “I want to work in sports business,” Stallard said. “I’ve kind of been studying for the LSAT with the idea of law school and hope to take the test in June.” The ultimate goal for Stallard entering his final season as a Broncho is to try and lead his team to a conference and national championship, but he wants to be remembered for more than just wins and stats. “I want to be somebody people remember and can say that they enjoyed playing with.” Stallard said. Chas Stallard, 7, passes the ball to a teammate during a Fall 2016 football game at Hamilton Field in Edmond, Okla. (Provided/ The Vista).

The Vista

April 10, 2017

UCO SOFTBALL

Bronchos Connecting on All Cylinders

UCO Softball Stands in Upper Echelon of MIAA

Sophomore JoBi Heath preparing to hit the ball during the UCO vs. Northwest Missouri Softball Game at the Bronco Softball Field on March 25, 2017. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

Nate Baldwin @nbaldwin05 Sports Writer

The 2017 campaign for the UCO softball team (29-7) is underway and the Lady Bronchos are riding an eight-game winning streak, putting them in good position in the conference. “We’ve got a lot of momentum going,” head coach Cody White said. “That’s what we’ve been focusing on right now.” Currently the softball team is sitting in the third spot in the conference with the tournament coming up at the end of the month. One of the changes to this year’s team is an improvement in the defense. Transfers Peyton Walker and Jayden Chestnut have added some much-needed depth to the pitching staff. Posting a 1.40 and 2.17 earnedrun average, respectively, at this point in the season. “Our pitching has really come along and our defense has stepped up,” White said. “Those were two big focus points for us in the fall.” Limiting the big hits and defensive errors were a weak spot for UCO a season before. It’s been a different story at this

point in the season, however. UCO is limiting the long ball and not letting unearned runs come across the plate. They aren’t without weakness though, as Coach White wishes to be more consistent at the plate moving forward. For most of the season the Lady Bronchos have been up and down. As of late, UCO has appeared to have gotten the hot bats, bringing in 66 runs during the current streak, as opposed to just five earned runs from their opponents. This boost has been led by junior Carrie Abrams, who has caught fire, posting a .481 batting average. Abrams also leads the team in on base percentage (.509). “She makes adjustments in her batting. Not a lot of hitters can do that,” White said. While both sides of the ball are playing well, what ties the team together has been a change in how they approach their craft. “In the beginning of the year they were pressing,” White mentioned. “They’re a lot better when we’re care free.” The Lady Bronchos hope to be in position to host the regional tournament later this spring, having home field advantage on the brand-new field.

“It’s something we take pride in,” Coach White said about the new field. “We want to defend our home field.” UCO played in Durant for the early part of the season while the renovations to the stadium and field were in progress. Since the completion of the field, the Lady Bronchos have yet to drop a game at home. The ultimate goal for the softball team is playing for a national championship. UCO won the 2013 Na-

tional Championship, and still have two players still from that team. “We pride ourselves on having a shot year in and year out,” White said. “I would be lying if it wasn’t a goal every year.” UCO softball’s last home stand of the year is Wednesday, April 19. The Lady Bronchos will take on St. Mary’s (Texas) in an afternoon double header.

BUCKING BRONCHO

April 10, 2017

The Vista

The Bucking Broncho

The NCAA Championship Did Not Live Up to Its Potential

A. Suave Francisco @SuaveFrancisco_ Sports Reporter

College basketball may be at its lowest point, but the NCAA Championship game still holds as much weight as it did 30 years ago. Monday night, North Carolina; storied franchise and alma-mater of the NBA’s greatest ever, Michael Jordan, went to battle against Gonzaga, a former Cinderella team that recently earned their stripes as a legitimate, big-time basketball program. This was a game that people were really looking forward to because of the peculiar match-up. Everyone wanted to see how the Zags would compete against the Tar Heels. Gonzaga ended up losing the game, but what should’ve gone down as one of the more entertaining championship games turned into one of the worst in recent history, all because of the officials. It started out as a decent game, but as it progressed the officials regressed in their performance. They began to call the game as if it was the little leagues, trying to teach the kids basic fundamentals. Their caliber of officiating wasn’t up to par with the level of competition, the largest stage of college basketball. These games are approximately two hours long, but this exceeded the length of the average NBA game, with it lasting over two and a half

North Carolina guard Joel Berry II wears the net around his neck after the championship game against Gonzaga at the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Tuesday, April 4, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. North Carolina 71-65. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

hours. There were 44 fouls in the game, with the teams splitting the count evenly. The majority of those calls were in the second half when you typically see more intense, physical

play. Not to mention one of the most obvious calls wasn’t so obvious to the officials, as they missed a North Carolina player’s hand touch the outof-bounds line while touching the ball. That was another lost posses-

sion for Gonzaga that shouldn’t have happened. The rhythm was interrupted and the game quickly turned into a free throw shooting contest. Shots stopped falling. By the end of the game, Gonzaga’s shooting percentage decreased to 33.9 percent and the national champion, North Carolina, only shot 35.6 percent and 14.7 percent from the 3-point line. Unfortunately, these kids can’t say they got to decide the fate of the game. They can’t say they put it all on the line and played a fair, competitive game. With it ending in an extremely close, 71-65 game, a couple of the various questionable foul calls could have been the deciding factor of this game. The Tar Heels will take the win, but in the back of their heads, they know this could have gone either way, which could hamper the celebration their sixth championship, third-most among division one college basketball programs. Gonzaga’s program definitely hurts after losing this game, but the season they had will set the trend for future teams. This won’t be the last time they play on this stage. I just wish we could have seen this game played out in its purest form.