UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
APRIL 15, 1999
WEST HALL FIRES
MOVIE REVIEW
Arson suspected cause....3
Should you see "G "......12
TUITION HIKE?
SPORTS
ARE YOU A CHEATER?
LETTERS
Public hearing ...... 4
Track competes. 15
Here's a book for you 5
Readers views 19
The Student Voice Since 1903
Student rights bill dies By Stacy Brasher
Stafftititer
Hanging ten?... Brian Saremaslani, senior graphic arts major, grinds his skateboard on a parking block. Saremaslani competes in amateur skateboarding competitions and is sponsored by Fast Forward and The Stick Skateboarding Company. Saremaslani's most recent competition was sponsored by VANS shoes and was held in Orange California. —Student Photo By Stephen Hughes
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he Student Bill of Rights died in the House of Representatives Monday allegedly due to discriminatory feelings concerning homosexuality. According to House Speaker Dale Archer, the bill failed by a vote of 7-to-1, with four or five members abstaining from the voting procedure.
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...they firmly believe as Christians that they are unable to vote in favor of the sexual orientation clause because of the possible implications.
—Michael Willis Bill of Rights Committee Chairman
House member Jon Sellers presented the bill to the House. "I think it failed because of poor representation," he said. "Since I was committee chair, I was responsible for presenting it and for reasons I choose not to go into, I was not in favor of it and it probably showed." The Bill of Rights passed the Senate in late March and was sent to the House for approval April 5; however, it hit a glitch. Archer said the bill was authored by the Senate's Bill of Rights committee and did not have a House co-author, so it was sent immediately to a joint committee comprised of the House Rules and Campus Affairs committees. "I did mention several times (in the House) that someone needed to take this on as a coauthor," said Archer, "but there were philosophical opinions about it and no one did." Those philosophical
♦ See BILL OF RIGHTS, Page 2
Possible sites for new fitness center unveiled By Stacy Brasher
Stafrariter
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even possible sites for the upcoming fitness and wellness center were unveiled to the student Senate Monday by Keith Weber, research assistant to the Office of the President. The sites were projected only as possibilities, but Webber said two sites were particularly appealing to the fitness center committee. One favored site is near the Central Plant, located on the northside of the campus, where Ayers and Chowning streets
meet. The fitness center would possibly wrap around the plant, in the shape of an "L," only reducing the current parking spaces by roughly 50 spots. A second site favored is between Hamilton Fieldhouse and Wantland Stadium. The fitness center would be built underground, and could be constructed with a room overlooking the football field. The downside to this plan, according to Weber, would be that after it's built, any exterior renovations needed for extra space in the future would not be possible. Going vertical
would be the only way to expand the fitness center, he said. Other possible sites Weber announced Monday include: 'building on the northwest corner of a lot near the Edmond Chamber of Commerce and Fire Station No. 1; 'building just south of Wantland Hall, connecting the fitness center to Wantland Hall and closing a small portion of Main Street; 'building on the empty lot between Evans Hall and the Human Environmental Science building; 'building on the east side of
campus, just south of the Liberal Arts building; 'building on the far northeast corner of the campus, just across from the Edmond and UCO water towers on Bauman and Ayers streets. These sites were not as appealing for several reasons. For example, Weber said to run utilities from the far corners of the campus to the nearest outlets would be too costly. In a few cases, he said, up to a half a million dollars would have to be added onto the budget. Other sites were not as appealing because they pose
possible parking and traffic problems. Although choosing the site for the fitness and wellness center is still in the preliminary stages, Weber said other aspects of the center have already left the planning stage. "Right now, we have officially let out a request for proposal; so we are taking bids for a bond council, a bond underwriter and a financial chief," Weber said. Also, UCO administration is awaiting approval from the
• See CENTER, Page 2