Volume 117, Issue 11
the VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”
ucentralmedia.com vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Campus Speech Policy Changes Proposed Vy Luong
@vy169 Online Editor
Students at the University of Central Oklahoma protest as part of the “No Ban, No Wall” rally on campus. A new revision to current campus speech policies will implement a new oversight committee to review more controversial speakers and speech activities on campus and change the reporting process for violations of free speech policies. (Vista Archives)
A free expression task force has recommended changes to the University of Central Oklahoma’s Campus Expression Policy by creating committees to oversee free expression activities and forming a special oversight committee responsible for reviewing controversial cases. “The previous policy outlines some very general legal principles. In the revised policy, we still follow the same set of legal precedents,” said David Macey, assistant vice president for Cultural and Global Competencies. “What we’ve done is fill in a lot of the details that seem to be missing from any earlier policies.” The recommendations were made by the Freedom of Expression Working Group, a task force led by Macey. Macey said the changes they have Continued on Pg. 7
BronchoThon Raises More than $140,000 Katie Standlee
@katiestandlee Managing Editor
BronchoThon at the University of Central Oklahoma raised $140,032.19 for the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital throughout multiple campaigns over the academic year. The final total was revealed at the organization’s third annual Dance Marathon Finale on April 13. The finale event ran eight hours, from 2-10 p.m. at Hamilton Field House, which featured multiple donation initiatives, dancing and a Miracle
Children talent show. BronchoThon is a year-long philanthropy that starts over the day after the finale night, which for BronchoThon 2020 starts on April 15. The organization raises awareness and financial support for the Oklahoma CHF by hosting several events throughout the year, restaurant give back nights and through peer to peer fundraising. “Our main mission is to raise funds and awareness for our local children’s hospital that serves children in all 77 counties of Oklahoma,” said Isabella Beevers, executive director and president of BronchoThon. Continued on Pg. 3
CAMPUS NEWS
Vietnam Culture Showcased at “Hello Vietnam” Cultural Night See Page 5
The BronchoThon executive team celebrates raising more than $140,000 for the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Children’s Miracle Network. Now in its third year, the group raised the most donations yet. (Provided/BronchoThon)
BRONCHO SPORTS
Softball Mauls Bearcats with Dominating Back-to-Back Victories See Page 12
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the
April 16, 2019
VISTA
CONTENTS Bronchothon/East Asian.......................................................3 Around Campus ...................................................................4 Awareness Month/Uber........................................................5 Personal Spy/ROTC..............................................................6 Free Speech.........................................................................7 Sweep................................................................12 Seven..............................................................................13 Knock......................................................................14 Bucking Broncho.................................................................15
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.
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Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communication, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO.
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On the Cover: Left: Vy Vo, vice president of the Vietnamese Student Association, performs a contemporary dance at the Hello Vietname cultural event hosted April 11 at the University of Central Oklahoma in the Nigh University Center’s Constitution Hall. (Vy Luong/The Vista)
Right: The University of Central Oklahoma softball team gathers during a April. 12 home game against Southwest Baptist University. The Broncos won both games 6-1 and 8-1. (Samantha Karbelk/The Vista)
Contents
STAFF Christian Tabak Katie Standlee Jonathan Goudeau Tanner Laws Megan Thele Skyler Baldwin Vy Luong Michelle Pennza Yi Wen Wong Lauren Morris Madison Bolton James Jackson Derek Parker Samantha Karbelk Gerald Leong Teddy Burch Alex Brown
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Co-Copy Editor Online Editor Design Editor Reporter Reporter Reporter Sports Reporter Sports Reporter Photographer Photographer Adviser Advertising Specialist
Advertise with us! The Vista is published weekly during the spring, summer and fall semesters. In all issues, The Vista has opportunities for both digital, online and print ads. For information or questions contact: 405-974-5549 or thevista.ads@gmail.com
Bronchothon/East Asian
April 16, 2019
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BronchoThon Raises More than $140,000 Continued from Pg. 1
Beevers said other organizations on campus also have the opportunity to get involved and fundraise for BronchoThon by signing up and having teams participate. Some of these organizations include Greek organizations, Housing and Dining, President’s Leadership Club, Leaders of Tomorrow, Public Relations Student Society of America and E-Sports, among others. In 2016, BronchoThon became UCO’s largest student-led fundraiser. Last year, the organization raised $97,504.61, and including the amount this year, the total funds raised through BronchoThon is $305,941.80. “[BronchoThon] being throughout the year really gives students the opportunity to get involved at whatever stage they are at in their college career,” said Riley McKinney, vice president of BronchoThon. “There also are so many opportunities to meet the families, like when BronchoThon hosts events the kids can come, as well as go to the hospital and tour the facility to kind of see what you are impacting.” According to BronchoThon’s webpage, part of the reason BronchoThon was created is that the Oklahoma CHF is the only non-profit organization in Oklahoma whose sole focus is the advancement of pediatric research and educational programs to improve the health of children.
“We donate directly to the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital Foundation,” Beevers said. “Our hospital is a heavy research hospital, so typically, donated funds are used to help fund medical research and to bring in world-renowned doctors to our local children’s hospital.” Through CHF, all funds raised in Oklahoma stay in Oklahoma, so the families who are in need of specialized care do not need to leave the state. CHF also serves 77 counties, including out-of-state patients, and they do not turn away any child in need of
care regardless of ability to pay. The eight-hour dance marathon had a theme for every hour, which was broken up into segments for the participants. Themes included “Luau,” “Yeehaw,” “Unstoppable” and a rave, all of which would ultimately lead up to the reveal of the total funds raised over the year. “Dance Marathons are starting to show up on more campuses across the nation, and all of these dance marathons are a part of the Children’s Miracle Network, which is a big umbrella with majority of the local children’s
BronchoThon’s director for social media, Joshua Arbital, poses with Veronica and Vivian, children from one of the Miracle Families that the organization sponsored. The event featured multiple families during the fundraiser. (Provided/BronchoThon)
hospitals across the country under it,” Beevers said. At the beginning of the finale night, Beevers said that the reason for standing and dancing for eight hours was to represent a portion of the 12-hour shift that a nurse typically works. “We dance and we stand for 8 hours, but we are also creating miracles so it’s so much more than dancing,” Beevers said. “That’s really important to remember while you guys are here, because you guys are going to get tired, and you’re going to want to quit, but just remember those nurses who are on their feet for 12 hours, working hard to make sure that those kids are getting the treatment that they need.” There were also eight families present who have been impacted from the CMN Hospital, and each family had time to give a speech and share their experiences with CMN and the benefits of receiving care directly in the state. Multiple tables were set up around the event with different options to donate throughout the evening, such as a dare table and merchandise table. An incentive table had varied incentives based on certain donation amounts. Applications for the executive team in BronchoThon closed Monday; however, for students who want to get involved in next year’s BronchoThon team, applications are open on OrgSync for leadership positions and will close on Friday.
New Southeast Asian Student Organization Hosts First Event Yi Wen Wong @TheVista1903 Reporter
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations Student Association will have ASEAN Night on April 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the University of Central Oklahoma’s Constitution Hall in the Nigh University Center. The night is ASEAN’s first event since their establishment in Fall 2018 and is hosted in collaboration with the Asian American Student Association’s event line-up for the university’s first Asian American Awareness Month. “We are a new organization, but the officers are not new to campus involvement and leadership,” said Julia Daine, ASEAN advisor. “They have used their leadership skills as well as their experience in organizing and collaborating to create an orga-
nization that represents those from Southeast Asian Nations who were once underrepresented on campus.” ASEAN Night will feature a fusion of traditional and modern performances from different Southeast Asian countries that some UCO students might not be familiar with, according to ASEAN President Shi Qi Ting. “It will be a night filled with dances, songs and free Thai food,” said Ting. “We found that many UCO students’ view of Asia is limited to East Asia like China, Japan and Korea, but Asian culture is very diverse and ASEAN has a unique culture that we are proud to present for the very first time on the UCO campus.” As an organization, ASEAN promotes intergovernmental cooperation between its member nations and represents Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Myanmar and Indonesia.
Ting said the collaboration with AASA has provided a platform to connect with other country associations as part of Asian Awareness Month on campus. It also has helped with connections in the community, as the event’s sponsors include local businesses such as Textbook Brokers, Panang 5 Thai Restaurant, Thai Delight, Simply Falafel and Cafe De Taipei and international sponsors such as the Singapore Tourism Board, the Philippines’ Tourism Board and the Embassy of Brunei. “We want to make this event a little different from a typical cultural night; we want to share the history and geography that tied us together, and how that has affected our language and culture,” Ting said. Currently, ASEAN has around 25 members that represent Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. Their goal is to reach out to
more of the students from the other countries that fall under the ASEAN umbrella, according to Ting. “ASEAN can be improved by continued growth, which is a goal of ASEAN and they hope to involve more students from Southeast Asian Nations as well as those students who are interested in learning more about different cultures,” Daine said. However, at the same time, Ting said she is worried about whether the association is going to last. There is no students from Brunei on campus and the number of Southeast Asian international students on campus is relatively small. She said they have also included students who are Asian American and has reached out to them as a way of sustaining the organization as well. “I just want ASEAN Student Association to be the platform for students who are unrepresented and for their voices to be heard,” Ting said.
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April 16, 2019
Around Campus
Students Thalia Rodriguez, left, Kristi Rose, Christian Coleman and Joscelyn Dsane-Crabbe pose as part of the University of Central Oklahoma Student Association’s Donuts with Don event on April 10 in UCO’s Nigh University Center’s Grand Ballrooms. (Sarah Jekel/The Vista)
Tuesday, April 16, 2019 I Heart Central Week - SPB DIY Broncho Snow Globe: The Student Programming Board will provide students an opportunity to create their own snow globes from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the ClockTower near Broncho Lake. I Heart Central Week - Build-ABroncho: The Student Programming Board will partner with the UCO Library for their annual Build-A-Broncho event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Chambers Library. To create your own stuffed animal, you need to either donate at least one children’s book or purchase one of the library’s books, on sale from $1-3. Marijuana Through the Ages: UCO’s Peer Health Leaders will present on the history of marijuana use from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Cherokee Room. UCO Horticulture Club Volunteer Event: UCO’s Horticulture Club is hosting a volunteer event with the Edmond Urban Forestry Department’s to plant and mulch trees from 4-6 p.m. at Edmond’s Bickham-Rudkin Park. Gloves are provided. TADCA Speakers Event: UCO’s Tomorrow’s Alcohol and Drug Counselors of America will host a speaker event from 5-8:30 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Heritage Room. This year’s speaker is UCO professor G. Pace, who is a well-known counselor in trauma. Dinner and refreshments will also be provided. SAFE Pride Picnic: UCO’s Student
Alliance for Equality will host their annual Pride Picnic from 7-8:30 p.m. at Edmond’s Fink Park. The event will feature a cookout at the park’s North Pavilion and will celebrate the organization’s accomplishments over the last year.
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 I Heart Central Week - Parking Lot Invasion: As part of I Heart Central Week, the Student Programming Board will be available to apply UCO stickers to students’ cars from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in parking lots across campus. Take Back the Night: The National Organization for Women will host Take Back the Night from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Blue Tent by Broncho Lake. The event will feature art and information concerning Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
game from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Food Court. The event will educate attendees on interpersonal violence as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. LLSC 11 Information: The UCO English Society and UCO Language Society will host an informational session on how to get involved with the eleventh annual Language and Linguistics Student Conference from 11:40 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. in Liberal Arts Room 139. Non Traditional Student Support Group: This group is designed to help non-traditional students find support at UCO with other students who can relate to your life experience and share resources to help meet personal needs and ensure success at UCO. The meeting is from 2-3 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 322.
Thursday, April 18 2019
E4E Legislative Advocacy Training: UCO’s Empowerment for Excellency will host a legislative advocacy session from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 326. The event will provide tips, discuss the legislative process and connect attendees with resources to improve advocacy.
Earth Day Fair 2019: The Office for Sustainability will host their annual Earth Day Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. around Broncho Lake. The event will feature informational booths from on-campus organizations, community partners involved with sustainability and environmental organizations.
I Heart Central Week - Swap for Pride: The Student Programming Board will trade students new UCO hats in return for lightly used clothing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the ClockTower near Broncho Lake.
I Heart Central Week - Swap for Pride: The Student Programming Board will trade students new UCO gear in return for lightly used clothing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the ClockTower near Broncho Lake.
Interpersonal Violence Jeopardy: The Peer Health Leaders will host an Interpersonal Violence Jeopardy
Stress Paws: Come take a stress “paws” with therapy dogs from 3-5
p.m. on the Nigh University Center fourth floor. Suicide Prevention Training: The Peer Health Leaders will host a session how to prevent suicide and intervene in suicidal situations from 4-5 p.m. in Thatcher Hall Room 343. SPB Healthy: The Student Programming Board will host a healthy cooking session from 6-8 p.m. in the Quad Kitchens. The event is geared toward providing students with healthy cooking tips and recipes.
Friday, April 19, 2019 Chill Skills: This group works to reduce conflict in your life: identify triggers, patterns and purpose of anger; gather more tools for enhancing communication, boundaries and healthy relationships. The group meets from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in Nigh University Center Room 322. LGBTQ Support: From 1-2 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 322, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will host a support group for those considering coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and those who have recently come out. Anyone who identifies as LGBTQ, is questioning or unsure can meet and talk about various topics. A Life Worth Living: This group works on skills for improving boundaries and strengthening healthy relationships, enhancing sense of self and ways to manage distress. The group meets from 2-3 p.m. in Thatcher Hall Room 328.
Awareness Month/Uber
April 16, 2019
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UCO Hosts First Asian American Awareness Month Madison Bolton @TheVista1903 Reporter
The University of Central Oklahoma's first-ever celebration of Asian American Awareness Month kicked off this month, featuring more than 15 events celebrating cultures from around Asia sponsored by the Asian American Student Association in partnership with several Asian country and region student associations. “Many other cultural groups on campus have the opportunity to display the issues they face and the celebrations they hold for a full month," said AASA President Zoie Hing. "The Asian American Student Association executive board and I thought, 'why not us too?'" Last year was the first time AASA had ever done an awareness type of event, sponsoring events for the first week of March that focused on promoting awareness for the diversity among Asian cultures. This celebration and the communication it fostered other organizations, helped everything fall into place this year. "We were fortunate enough to expand to a full month of events thanks to all the collaborating students and organizations," Hing said. The events are scheduled between April 2 and April 17 with the help of multiple sponsors, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,
Members of the Vietnamese Student Association perform a contemporary dance demonstrating Vietnamese farmers at the Hello Vietnam event on April 11 at the Nigh University Center’s Consitutiom Hall. (Vy Luong/The Vista)
Vietnamese Student Association and Malaysian Student Association. Another sponsor, the Indian Student Association (ISA), hosted a Bollywood Movie Night and Desi Night, which featured an Indian musical inspired by West Side Story. "I find that it was very inspiring for us to be a part of Asian American Awareness Month, because a lot of people do not consider Indians to be Asian,"said Teena Varghese, ISA president and Miss Asian UCO 2019. "Even though we are a part of Asia, we're South Asian. Normally people think of Asia as Japanese, Korean, Chinese and all these other cultures, so being a part of this month brought awareness that Indians are a part of
Asia as well." According to Hing, bringing awareness to the multiple cultures involved encompasses what the theme was for this month, "Worth it: Your voice. Your presence. Your story." "We wanted to support the theme by incorporating the voices of multiple backgrounds to show that being 'Asian' encompasses a diverse population," Hing said. "There is not just one look that defines us, one set of characteristics that defines us or one word that can define the array of cultures and stories we represent." Events this week include Thai Tea Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on April 16 at the ClockTower and ASEAN Night at 6-8:30 p.m April 17 in
Constitution Hall. According to Hing, the support behind Thai Tea Tuesday is something the Asian American Student Association hopes to carry on every year. "All of this is to raise funds for a philanthropy called Teach for Malaysia, which aims to provide education to the rural parts of the country," Hing said. "We hope in future years to rotate through different philanthropies to bring aid to a variety of Asian countries and show that not only does the Asian community at UCO care about its fellow students and the university, but aims to have an impact on a global scale as well."
Uber Expands Safety Campaign After Slaying Jeff Elkins
@TheVista1903 Contributing Writer
The ride-hailing company Uber is ramping up their “Check Your Ride” campaign this spring to ensure both riders’ and drivers’ safety. The response comes after scrutiny following the March 29 slaying of University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson who mistakenly got into a car she thought was her Uber. In the coming weeks, Uber said it will be launching new preventative education efforts, which include sending push notifications during pickup to remind riders of the “Check Your Ride” steps. The steps say to first match the license plate number, then match the make and model of the car. Finally, check the drivers’ photo to ensure they are who they claim to be. University of Central Oklahoma student Mikayla Johnson said verifying who the driver is, as well as who they are there to pick up is always
Uber’s “Check Your Ride” campaign is ramping up following the slaying of a University of South Carolina student who got into a car she thought belonged to her Uber driver. (Tanner Laws/ Photo Illustration)
necessary. “It’s easy to get in the wrong car, especially in a busy part of town,”
Johnson said. “During spring break, a friend and I opened the back door of a sedan that was the exact color and
model of the car that was supposed to pick us up. It was actually a man waiting to pick up a family member. We all had a laugh, but there’s no telling what could have happened if the guy tried to act like he was there to pick us up.” Uber is spreading awareness by purchasing ads in college papers with a “Check Your Ride PSA,” and promoting an in-app Safety Center to all riders in the US. Tyler Coffman, an Uber driver since 2015, said an important part of driver safety is remembering that “No” is an option. “If you pull up and see something you’re uncomfortable with or get a weird vibe from, just cancel and drive off,” Coffman said. “If ending a ride early is best, pull over to a public place, get out and inform them the ride is done and to get a different Uber.” Coffman said ending a ride early is something he has yet to do, but having that plan of action gives him peace of mind on the job.
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April 16, 2019
Personal Spy/ROTC
Google Home Mini: My Personal Spy For Christmas, my grandma bought me a set of cooking pots and pans. Oddly enough, inside included was a Google Home Mini. When I first experienced the speaker it reminded me of an episode out of Netflix’s Black Mirror. As an avid binge watcher of the show, I know that most of the episodes end negatively for the protagonist but I shrugged off the feeling, especially after using my Google Home Mini for the first few times. My Google Mini, just as advertised, allowed hands-free help in any room. I used the speaker for many things: news, cooking recipes and weird questions such as who invented the lawnmower? — Edwin Beard Budding by the way. For this reason, I always kept my Google Home plugged in and ready to follow any request or answer any stupid question that ran across my mind. A few months went by and as I was cleaning out my back room, I came across the Google Home Mini box. Inside were the terms and conditions. As an aspiring technical writer, I decided to give the packet a read. It was there that I discovered that Google Home may record my request to further assist updates. This made me wonder if the people back at Google can hear me talking to my device. Isn’t that an invasion
The Google Home Mini provides hands-free help in answering questions and providing information. (Tanner Laws/Photo Illustration)
of my privacy? Also, is my Google Home device always listening to me? I did some research and found that the algorithm in the Google Home is not supposed to start recording until after the phrase “Ok Google” and oth-
ers are said. But I was confused because for Google to hear me say “Ok Google,” doesn’t it have to always be listening? I wondered if other devices like the Alexa or Echo also recorded requests.
It turns out they do; in fact on Thursday, Bloomberg reported, “Amazon Workers Are Listening to What You Tell Alexa. A global team reviews audio clips in an effort to help the voice-activated assistant respond to commands.” Basically, they’re people who sit and listen to commands and request all day long, looking to improve the technology. “You don’t necessarily think of another human listening to what you’re telling your smart speaker in the intimacy of your home,” said Florian Schaub, a professor at the University of Michigan who has researched privacy issues related to smart speakers. “I think we’ve been conditioned to the [assumption] that these machines are just doing magic machine learning. But the fact is there is still manual processing involved.” So for about a week, any time I spoke to my Google Home, I would get the feeling of some stranger listening to my request and that made me a bit uncomfortable. It felt like there was a personal spy in my house. My speaker has essentially been laid off. I have unplugged it and moved it to the back room. Occasionally I will use it to play music, but other than that it is unplugged. I can just use my phone to look up enchilada recipes.
UCO ROTC Transports Student Cadets via Black Hawks
Left: A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter waits on the field north of the University of Central Oklahoma Sports Performance Center. (The Vista)
Above: The University of Central Oklahoma’s ROTC transported student cadets to Fort Still in Lawton, Oklahoma, via UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopters on April 12. (The Vista)
Campus Speech
April 16, 2019
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Campus Speech Policy Changes Proposed Continued from Pg. 1
made fall into two major areas. The first part is the university’s philosophy and conceptual understanding of free speech. He said the focus is on why the university believes freedom of speech is important to the academic community, as well as how it relates to the values and mission of UCO. “The other part that had not been spelled out in any detail was the actual practical application and enforcement of the policy,” Macey said. “[We focus on] what happens when there’s a question as to whether a particular speech or performance does or does not fall within the range of a permitted speech, who will decide and how.” Macey said the current policy was written with students in mind, so it simply assigns the Office of Student Affairs with the responsibility of making determinations regarding free speech violations. As the group members reflected that campus free speech also includes speech by faculty, staff and visitors, they are recommending a protocol and practices to address concerns for the entire community. According to the draft policy, the group suggested that the vice president for Student Affairs be in charge of speech made by students, staff, student organizations and student activities. The assistant vice president for Human Resources will make determinations in situations involving staff members and the university’s legal counsel will be in charge of visitors from the community. The group also recommended that the university create a committee that will be in charge of reviewing con-
troversial cases in the event there is any dispute, such as a controversial speaker or rally. The committee will then make a recommendation to the university president on whether or not the content or speaker poses a concern and he or she will make the final decision. “In most cases, it would not be an issue. But if a question arises, we are recommending that there is a university level committee that includes faculty, staff and students,” Macey said. “There are some pretty clear legal precedents about the kind of speech that are permitted and those that are not permitted, but [they] still require some judgment to determine which categories the speech will fall into.” If the recommendation is finalized, the UCO Student Association, Staff Senate and Faculty Senate will come up with a plan to form the committee. The committee will be in charge of making a detailed policy to deal with those controversial cases. Macey said that if the committee will need to make a decision to deny an event or a speaker, they will also need to consult with the legal office at UCO and the regional level to make sure the decision is legally accepted. According to the proposal, President Don Betz appointed eight members to the group in August 2018, including one representative of each college. Macey said they met every week in the fall semester to revise documents, essays and policies from other universities. “The policy regarding what is permitted speech, what is not permitted is consistent with other major poli-
Creationist Ken Ham speaks at a forum hosted at the University of Central Oklahoma on March 5, 2018. The event generated controversy after Ham’s initial invitation was rescinded following concerns raised on campus. The event served as a primary motivating factor in the university revising its speech policies. (Vista Archive)
cies and other universities,” Macey said. “The detail of the implementation that we recommend are unique to UCO because every university is structured a little bit differently.” The group also consulted with UCOSA, Staff Senate, Faculty Senate and Betz to receive feedback and finalize the draft policy. They will host a public forum to discuss the revised version of the Freedom of Expression Policy at 2 p.m. on April 16 in the Nigh University Center’s Constitution Hall. “The charge of the freedom of expression is working to come up with a general policy and we also made some recommendations for the work that needs to be done,” Macey said. “When we finalize and adopt it, ap-
propriate agencies on campus such as UCOSA, Staff Senate [and] Faculty Senate will work together to come up with the details of it.” In the spring 2018 semester, UCO had a controversial issue regarding free speech when UCOSA invited creationist Ken Ham as part of their speaker series program. Concerns were raised by the Women’s Research Center and BGLTQ+ Student Center around using student activity fee funding to bring Ham due to his comments on the LGBT community and women, as well as his views as a creationist. After the invitation was rescinded by then-UCOSA president Stockton Duvall, Betz made the final decision to reinvite Ham back and hosted a series of events regarding freedom of expression. “We are aware of that and other incidents that happened at other campuses to see how well the policy will address in those cases. [The Ken Ham incident] is probably the impetus,” Macey said. “But the best practice in university policymaking is to come back to these things every so often anyway, because the legal context changes, the social context changes and the communication context changes, so we need to keep updating.” According to the committee’s proposal, the current Campus Expression Policy was developed and implemented in 2017-2018 without any input of the Staff Senate. After the forum, the Freedom of Expression Working Group will finalize the policy and submit it to the president and the President’s Cabinet, who will then decide to approve and implement it. Macey said the policy may be implemented during the next school year.
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April 16, 2019
Notre Dame
Fire Engulfs Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris PARIS (AP) — A catastrophic fire engulfed the upper reaches of Paris' soaring Notre Dame Cathedral as it was undergoing renovations Monday, threatening one of the greatest architectural treasures of the Western world as tourists and Parisians looked on aghast from the streets below. The blaze collapsed the cathedral's spire and spread to one of its landmark rectangular towers. A spokesman said the entire wooden frame of the cathedral would likely come down, and that the vault of the edifice could be threatened too. "Everything is burning, nothing will remain from the frame," Notre Dame spokesman Andre Finot told French media. The 12th-century cathedral is home to incalculable works of art and is one of the world's most famous tourist attractions. The cause of the blaze was not known, but French media quoted the Paris fire brigade as saying the fire is "potentially linked" to a 6 million-euro ($6.8 million) renovation project on the church's spire and its 250 tons of lead. Prosecutors opened an investigation as Paris police said there
were no reported deaths. Flames shot out of the roof behind the nave of the cathedral, among the most visited landmarks in the world. Hundreds of people lined up bridges around the island that houses the cathedral, watching in shock as acrid smoke rose in plumes. The fire came less than a week before Easter amid Holy Week commemorations. French President Emmanuel Macron was treating the fire as a national emergency, rushing to the scene and straight into meetings at the Paris police headquarters nearby. Deputy mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said emergency services were trying to salvage the famed art pieces stored in the cathedral. Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, Notre Dame is the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages as well as one of the most beloved structures in the world. Situated on the Ile de la Cite, an island in the Seine river, the cathedral’s architecture is famous for, among other things, its many gargoyles and its iconic flying buttresses.
Flames and smoke rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris on April 15. Massive plumes of yellow brown smoke is filling the air above Notre Dame Cathedral and ash is falling on tourists and others around the island that marks the center of Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
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April 16, 2019
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April 16, 2019
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April 16, 2019
Sweep
SPORTS
Softball Hammers Home Sweep
University of Central Oklahoma utility Brighton Gilbert hits the ball during an April 12 home game against Southwest Baptist University at Broncho Softball Field. Gilbert recorded two hits in the Bronchos 6-1 win. (Samantha Karbelk/The Vista)
Ryan Dunn
@TheVista1903 Reporter
The University of Central Oklahoma softball team completed a sweep over Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association rival Southwest Baptist University on Friday. “We really didn’t play all that well today, especially offensively, but we got the job done,” said head coach Cody White. “Our pitching was solid in both games and it was good to get two conference wins today.” Brighton Gilbert started the run in game one of Friday’s doubleheader. Despite the slow start, she led off with an infield single followed by a stolen base to second, to which Hazel Puempel sent her home on an RBI single. Things started to pick up in the fifth. Gilbert hit a one-out single to right field and continued to second on
a wild pitch, which was followed by an RBI double from Puempel. Bailey Thompson answered with a double of her own that put Puempel on third and Hailey Randolph walked to load the bases. JoBi Heath hit a grand slam to send everyone home and put the Bronchos up 6-1. With that home run, Heath moved into third place on UCO’s all-time scoring list with 35 and now has 200 career RBIs, second best in school history. Freshman pitcher Bailey McKittrick took care of business on the mound picking the win, improving to 18-1 with eight hits, four strikeouts and zero walks at-bat. The Bronchos came out strong in game two, which ended in an 8-0 run rule at the bottom of the sixth inning. Lexi Dobson led the charge with a three-hit outing followed by Carli Jones and Thompson, who both contributed two hits each.
The Bronchos took control early in the second inning behind a four-run, four hit attack. Jones got the inning started with a single up the middle. Dobson then followed with a base hit to left field and Jones found home on
“Our pitching was solid in both games and it was good to two conference wins today.” Cody White
a SBU ball that was thrown away on a Casady Webb sacrifice bunt. Allie Eicher lined a single off the pitcher that sent Dobson home to
make it 2-0. Next at bat, Gilbert hit a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over, followed by Puempel’s sacrifice fly and Thompson’s single to right field that sent in the final two runs. UCO extended their lead to 7-0 by the end of the fourth inning. The game ended in the sixth inning. Pinch-hitter Tori Huslig hit a one-out single through the left side, Heath followed with a single to right field. Huslig advanced to third on a Jones fly out before scoring the game-ending run on Dobson’s base hit to right that prompted the 8-0 run-rule completing the sweep against SBU. Sydney McLeod picked up the pitching win for the Bronchos, giving up just two hits going into the first five innings. She didn’t walk a batter and struck out two, improving to 15-2 before Lauren Gibson came on to throw a one-hit sixth inning.
Seven
April 16, 2019
13
Women’s Basketball Signs Seven
University of Central Oklahoma guard Shatoya Bryson goes up for a layup during a Feb. 21 home game against Fort Hays State University at Hamilton Field House. The Bronchos signed three guards in this year’s recruiting class. (Gerald Leong/The Vista)
James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15 Sports Reporter
After a 19-12 season, the University of Central Oklahoma women’s basketball team signed seven new incomers to the 2019 class. The Bronchos look to add more depth to support the season scoring leaders Macayla Haynes, Shatoya Bryson and Ireon Smith, who will all return for their senior season. In the offseason, the Bronchos graduate two starters, Madison Lee and Blake Blessington along with the sixth man Megan Hartness. Blessington appeared in 122 games for UCO. “I think we put together a really solid recruiting class that will fill the needs we have going into next year,” said head coach Guy Hardaker. “I think each one of them will find a role pretty quickly and they can all really help us.” In the 2018-2019 season, the Bronchos were overcome by multiple injuries that forced them to start the season with only 11 active players. “They’re playing well together,” Hardaker said before the 2018-19 season. “To be real honest, they’re not very big, but they’re pretty athletic and pretty fast.” The Bronchos will bring in size, as four of the signees are around six foot.
On April 3, Hardaker announced the signing of six freshmen and one transfer. All seven players were allstate selections, six from Oklahoma
“I think we put together a really solid recruiting class that will fill the needs we have going into next year.” Guy Hardaker
and one from Kansas. Avery Allen, a 5-foot-8 guard, averaged 14.6 points per game and 2.6 steals during her senior season at Owasso High School. Taylor Dement, a 5-foot-5 guard, averaged 14.1 points, 4.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game as a senior at Sapulpa. Clary Donica, a University of Oklahoma transfer, averaged 16 points per game during her senior season in 2018. She appeared in three games for the Sooners as a walk-on. Donica scored two points against Northwest-
ern State University and had one rebound at Iowa State University. Maddie Harelson, a 6-foot forward, averaged 12.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 3.9 steals and 3.5 blocks per game at Davenport. She is also a state champion in track. Jaci Littell averaged 19 points per game. The 5-foot-10 forward out of Stillwater scored 455 points during her senior season. Aliyah Llanusa, a 5-foot-4 guard from Choctaw High School averaged 17.1 points per game. She scored 461 points in 27 games her senior year and also won a state championship in
2017. Macy Mclendon, at 6-foot-1, is the only out-of-state player coming to UCO this season. In Severy, Kansas, she averaged 15.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Mclendon received all-state honors twice throughout her high school career. The 2019-20 season will begin in November as the 50th season of women’s basketball at UCO. Hardaker has won 249 games in his 13 seasons as the head coach. He averages 19 wins per season and has reached the national tournament five
University of Central Oklahoma guard Madison Lee drives during a Feb. 21 home game against Fort Hays State University at Hamilton Field House. The Bronchos graduate both Lee and fellow senior Blake Blessington.(Gerald Leong/The Vista)
14
April 16, 2019
Knocks
Baseball Knocks Riverhawks Out The Park
University of Central Oklahoma pitcher Landon Bond throws a pitch during a home game at Wendell Simmons Field earlier this season. Bond picked up his third win of the season, striking out three batters in the eighth inning to help UCO beat Northeastern State University 6-5. (Provided/BronchoSports )
Marcus Powell
@TheVista1903 Contributing Writer
The University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos traveled to Tahlequah to take on the Northeastern State University Riverhawks for a three-game series.
Thursday’s game had to be decided in extra innings; it was the first extra-inning game of the season for the Bronchos. “That was a big team win. It’s good to win the first game in a conference series and we needed to fight for it today,” said head coach John Martin. “Northeastern gave us all they had and we did the same. I
University of Central Oklahoma infielder Phillip Scott prepares to swing during a home game earlier this season at Wendell Simmons Field. Scott’s home run broke a 4-4 tie to give UCO a lead that they never lost. (Provided/BronchoSports)
think it’s big for us to get out of a game like that with a win.” Tied at 4-4 in the 14th inning, Phillip Scott hit a home run to right field to give UCO a 5-4 lead. Ryan Harrel followed that reaching on an error by the NSU first basemen. He moved up to second on the play, and Paul Kropf knocked an RBI single to left field to score Harrel and make it 6-4. UCO had 12 hits in the 14-inning game Thursday. TJ Black, Scott, TK McWhertor and Taylor Avila all had two hits. Crowl, Kropf, Kace Massner and Brock Schaffer each had one hit. Massner had a double, while Crowl and Scott all had extra-base hits. Crowl’s two runs batted in led the Bronchos. UCO won the first game of the doubleheader 6-5. Landon Bond picked up the win to improve to 3-0 on the season. The senior threw one inning, striking out three in the bottom of the eighth before UCO’s rally. Central tied the game in the eighth. Black led off with a single and Phillip Scott followed with one of his own. Crowl then hit an RBI single into the NSU outfield. With the Bronchos up 4-3, Black and Dru Barrier executed a double steal that Barrier scored on to give the Bronchos a two-run lead. Black would also score too in the inning off a fielder’s choice play when Kropf hit a hard hit ball to third base. Central lost the second game of
the doubleheader, 12-10. The Bronchos had a slow start to the game going down 9-0 after three innings of play. Spencer Van Scoyoc got the start for UCO and was chased after 1 2/3 innings. He allowed four runs on two hits and six walks and one hit batter. Van Scoyoc struck out one in his appearance. Brent Stephens came in for Van Scoyoc in the second and expected the inning, but he allowed four runs on three hits in 2/3 of an inning before Martin had to make a change. Avila was hit by a pitch and Brock Ruminer drew a walk. Then Brock Schaffer came into the box and struck a 0-2 pitch down to right field to score both Kropf and Avila and make it 9-5 NSU. After Northeastern got the first out of the inning, Black hit a deep fly ball to left field and earned a sacrifice fly as Ruminer darted home to make it 9-6. NSU added one more run in the bottom of the eighth, and UCO’s comeback fell short in the ninth inning. The Bronchos have one more road game on their eight-game road trip. UCO heads to Southeastern Oklahoma State University on Tuesday, then comes back to Wendell Simmons Field for another three-game Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association series next weekend against Fort Hays State University. Central is 24-13 on the season and 14-10 in MIAA play.
Bucking Broncho
April 16, 2019
15
Tiger Can’t Be Tamed In Masters In 2005, George W. Bush was sworn in for his second term. Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” topped out at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart. The development of the first model of iPhone had just begun, and it would be released two years later. Chad Hurley had just created a new video sharing website, YouTube. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith were the two highest grossing movies of the year. Steve Nash had just won his first MVP, and Raymond Felton, who was the only player on the current Thunder roster to be in the NBA, was about to be drafted No. 5 overall to the Charlotte Bobcats. 2005 was the last time Tiger Woods won the Masters tournament before Sunday. Woods entered the last hole of the tournament up two strokes and promptly crushed his drive down the right side of the fairway. The 43-year-old then layed up, knowing he needed only a five to win, and two-putted to victory. Draped in his Sunday red, he strode across the very ground where he won his very first Major in 1997 at the age of 21 and hugged his family. Woods had already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest golfers of all time before winning the 2019 Masters. He has 81 PGA Tour wins, second to Sam Snead and seven ahead of his idol Jack Nicklaus. He now has 15 major wins, second to Nicklaus’ 18, and has the lowest career scoring average in Tour history. However, Woods’ fifth Masters win is more significant than a majority of his achievements. The eleven-time PGA Player of the Year has had his fair share of setbacks throughout his career. His marriage ended midway through his career after a sex scandal, in 2017 he was arrested for a DUI and a number of back injuries that, for a long time, seemed too much to overcome. These injuries and setbacks had many thinking Woods would be hanging it up for good. Through it all, Woods persevered. Woods got back into the win column in 2018 at the Tour Championship, his first tournament win since 2013, silencing the many that had already written him off. In case anyone
In this April 13, 1997, file photo, Masters champion Tiger Woods receives his Green Jacket from last year’s winner Nick Faldo, rear, at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. Woods completes an amazing journey by winning the 2019 Masters, overcoming 11 years of personal foibles and professional pain that seemed likely to be his lasting legacy. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)
still doubted him, he went out and won the most prestigious tournament in golf. After battling all weekend, Woods finished a stroke ahead of Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka to hoist the trophy. He started Sunday down a stroke to Francesco Molinari, who had a slight meltdown to allow Woods back in it. While many players made their run on the final day of the tournament, Woods used solid play all the way through to earn his fifth green jacket, posting a 70 in round one, 68 in round two, 67 in round three and 70 in the final round. He finished with 22 birdies and 41 pars in one of the most watched and historic tournaments of all time. In one of the most historic and inspirational moments in sports history, Woods won his 15th major, 13
years after his previous one. He battled through injuries, personal setbacks and harsh criticism from thousands in order to create one of the greatest comeback stories of all time. In 2010, Woods got divorced. In 2011 and 2012, he dealt with Achilles and knee injuries. In 2014 and 2015, he went through multiple back surgeries. In 2017, he went through his fourth and final back surgery and was arrested and charged with DUI. In 2019, Tiger Woods won the Masters. In this June 18, 2000, Tiger Woods kisses the winner’s trophy after capturing the 100th U.S. Open Golf Championship at the Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif. He won the U.S. Open by a record 15 strokes. Woods completes an amazing journey by winning the 2019 Masters. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)