The Vista April 17, 2017 by The Vista

“UCO Baseball” on 14 Volume 114, Issue 12

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VISTA “The Student Voice Since 1903”

Follow the Vista: UCentralMedia.com vistanews1903 @TheVista1903 thevista1903 The Vista Monday, April 17, 2017

Student Congress Continues to Break Open Meetings Act

The UCO Student Congress has continued to violate a section of the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act by placing a financial resolution on their agenda late. The Congressional Leadership, consisting of Chair Caleb Shaw, Secretary Kalina Popova and Vice Chair Stockton Duvall appear at the Monday April 10, 2017 meeting. (Ryan Naeve/ The Vista).

The Vista

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

Another piece of legislation has been voided after the UCO Student Congress continued to violate the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act at their Meeting last Monday. At the UCO Congress meeting, the legislature voted on and passed unanimously CFR16-209, a financial resolution which appropriated money as “Sponsorship and Annual Funding” for the Human Resource Management Society. This financial resolution was not placed on the docket in compliance with OMA, that requires any legislation to be considered during a regularly scheduled meeting to have a 24 hour advance notice, excluding weekends. Because the UCO Student Congress meets every Monday at 1 p.m. in the Nigh University Center in the Will Rogers Room, their legislation and agendas need to be posted by “the preceding Friday” at 1 p.m. See “OMA Violation” on 6

The UCO Election Commission announced last week that the two slates continuing forward in the UCO Student Body Elections includes the Zach Robbins and Caleb Shaw ticket (left) and the Stockton Duvall and Madison Richard ticket. (Ryan Naeve/ The Vista).

UCOSA Election Results in Runoff This Week

The Vista

@TheVista1903 Staff Reports By Kateleigh Mills, editor-in-chief and Victor Quezada, reporter

Last Thursday the UCO Election Commissioner Caleb Power said there would be a runoff election this week after each of the three slates failed

to receive over 51 percent of the student body vote. The two slates that will be continuing forward in the election include the Zach Robbins and Caleb Shaw slate and the Stockton Duvall and Madison Richard slate. All of these candidates are currently in the UCO Student Congress.

The deliberations of an official student body count for each of the president candidates -Stockton Duvall, Zach Robbins and Elsa Ruiz- found that none of the candidates had received the majority vote. There was a total of 1,323 enrolled students at the University of Central Oklahoma that voted on Wednesday and Thursday. See ”UCOSA Elections” on 8

The Vista

April 17, 2017

CONTENTS Campus News................................................3

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

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

Bucking Broncho.........................................11

OMA Violation..............................................6

UCO Tennis..................................................12

UCOSA Elections...........................................8

UCO Softball................................................13

UCO Baseball..............................................14

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

CONTENTS

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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.

CAMPUS NEWS

April 17, 2017

The Vista

UCO BronchoThon Goes Footloose

Profits go to Miracle Network Dance Marathon Austin Breasette @ABreasette Contributing Writer

The University of Central Oklahoma hosted the inaugural BronchoThon finale party April 8 to celebrate the year-long fundraising efforts made by volunteers and sponsors for the Children’s Hospital Foundation. Ashley Palmer, the executive director of BronchoThon, said the year-long fundraising effort included a variety of small events that led up to the finale. “We have had small events such as tabling and give-back nights at local restaurants and March 8 we held a bigger event in which our goal was to raise “8K in a day” and we reached over $12,000,” Palmer said. Palmer also said they accept donations even when they aren’t hosting events. “Every person who registers is given access to a Donor Drive; they can share that with their family and

friends,” Palmer said. The Donor Drive is what people who sign up to attend the event use to donate money. Palmer said this allows more people to have a chance to donate, since it can be passed from person to person. Jeremiah Lane, special projects assistant for Miracle Network Dance Marathon, the company that sponsored the finale event, said The Children’s Hospital Foundation takes the raised money and uses it to help the families of children being treated at hospitals in Oklahoma. “The funds will stay in the state of Oklahoma, ultimately benefiting the sick and injured children of Oklahoma. All funds raised will be used for pediatric research and education.” Lane said. Lane said the hospitals consider those being benefited as miracle families and miracle children. “A miracle child is a child who has been or is being treated at our

local Children's Hospital, so a miracle family is the family of those kids who have been treated,” Lane said. Lane said the sponsor of the finale event, Miracle Network Dance Marathon, which is the brand name for these dance marathons nationwide, sponsor parties and provide them with dance games and other ideas that will give the children a chance to have a good time. The party consisted of different games and included refreshments, food and prizes for those children that participated in the games. Lane said there were over 700 people who signed up for and attended the party. Ben Angeles, a volunteer worker at BronchoThon, said seeing the kids be able to participate in the fun was really special to him.

“I had a blast. Getting to see some of the kids that were being helped was a great feeling,” Angeles said. “I had a blast. Getting to see some of the kids that were being helped was a great feeling,” Angeles said. BronchoThon will continue to hold their fundraising events and those who want to make donations can do so by searching BronchoThon at events.dancemarathon.com.

Make An Impact Week Kaylee Douglas

@kayleedd Contributing Writer

The University of Central Oklahoma’s Career Services, Sustainability, the Volunteer Service Learning Center and several other campus organizations are hosting Make an Impact Week April 17-21 to teach students how to make an impact on campus and in their community. “This week is all about turning a passion into a lifestyle and making an impact on the community while doing so,” Sarah Moore, event coordinator for Make an Impact Week, said. Monday will kick off with a garden party to show students the gardens in the courtyard between the Commons and the Suites from 2-4 p.m., according to Moore. They are planning to use the food grown in the gardens to stock the Central Pantry. A social justice series will be held on Tuesday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Moore said the series was created in response to the Social Justice Symposium they had last spring. “The series offers the same type of conversation focused on social justice issues, but is offered in a platform that allows more students to participate.”

Two events are planned for Wednesday. Students for Sustainability will be in the Nigh University Center food court from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. to show students what they can compost, recycle and reuse from the cafeteria, according to Benjamin Zimmer, founder and president of Students for Sustainability. There will also be a DHS foster care informational meeting in COM 120 from 12-1 p.m. Moore said this is a new discussion, but “DHS has played an active role in creating volunteer opportunities as well as internships and full-time positions for UCO students.” This is the first time UCO is having Make an Impact Week, but similar events, like the Earth Day Fair and the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon station prep, have been held on campus before. The Earth Day Fair has been held at UCO since 1990, Moore said. This year the event will be on Thursday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Broncho Lake. The Central Pantry will be at the fair doing a t-shirt exchange of old UCO shirts for new ones. There will be several vendors, non-profits, government agencies, businesses, and student organizations at the

Impact Week at the University of Central Oklahoma will take place from April 17 to 21, 2017. (Provided/ Sarah Moore).

event, said Eric Hemphill, vice president for student services and faculty mentor for Students for Sustainability. Students for Sustainability will have a booth at the fair. According to Zimmer, they will have reusable coffee mugs and a coupon from the Nigh University Center Starbucks location. They are also going to have handouts, reusable tote bags made from t-shirts and information on how to make your own totes. This is the first time the marathon station prep has been associated with a week of activities, according to Moore. “We are very excited to have this volunteer experience to

demonstrate how our actions can make an impact in the community and in the lives of our fellow citizens.” The prep will be at the Oklahoma City National Memorial from 8 a.m.-10 a.m. and from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Transportation will be provided for those who need a ride to the memorial, meeting in NUC 212. For more information about Make an Impact Week, contact Sarah Moore, smoore53@uco.edu. For more information about the marathon station prep and to sign up to volunteer, go to https://orgsync. com/117054/events/1899634/occurrences/4422853.

The Vista

April 17, 2017

AROUND CAMPUS

AROUND THE CAMPUS

Raising Hope Donations: The American Democracy Project will be by the Broncho Lake Clock Tower to have a Pop Up Thrift Shop

Fundraiser from April 17th to 21st to benefit the Edmond Hope Center, helping families in the area who are in crisis. The shop will be open from 12-2 p.m. on Monday and Friday and 2-4 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. To sign up to volunteer for the thrift shop, contact the event coordinator at tjohnson95@uco.edu.

Make an Impact Week: All week long Make an Impact Week will be having volunteer and service learning opportunities for students all around campus. There will be opportunities to serve the UCO community and the Edmond community. Monday, April 17, 2017

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Non-Traditional Student Support Group: Beginning at 11 a.m. in the Nigh

Mental Health First Aid: From 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. in the Virginia Lamb Room (HES), the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will have a training opportunity to learn about mental health first aid which teaches how to understand and react to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. More information can be found by calling 405-974-2215, or visiting their office in the Nigh University Center, Room 402.

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.

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.

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. Male an Impact Week: Garden Party: At 2 p.m. The Office of Sustainability will have a garden party for Make an Impact Week in the Suites Garden where students can meet and learn from employers that make a difference in their community.

Social Justice Series: Impact Careers Panel: From 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

located outside at the Chickasaw Plaza Amphitheatre near Old North, the Office of Sustainability will meet to discuss different social justice issues as part of the 2017 Social Justice Series. The last session will feature a discussion of how to make “your area of passion into a career.” There will be a panel consisting of Elizabeth Enck from Career Services, Cyndi Munson, Johnson Bridgewater and Nancy Snow. More information can be found on Facebook, emailing volunteer@uco.edu or calling 405-974-2621. This is also a STLRtagged event by the tenet Service Learning & Civic Engagement.

Omega Psi Phi: Women’s AppreciUniversity Ballrooms A, B and C, the Fencing ation Table: At noon in the Nigh University Fight and a Feast: At 6 p.m. in the Nigh

Club at UCO will have an educational event for the UCO community about the history of fencing. There will be speakers at the event as well as a tournament between the UCO Fencing Club members.

Center near the food court, members from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity will have a women’s appreciation event where they will offer roses, candy, and motivational messages to women.

SPBe a Hero: At noon in the Cherokee

Room, Campus Activities will have the final leadership lunch of the semester and they will be discussing the ways to be a heroic leader and relelvance of serving others.

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. SMART Recovery: At 5:30 p.m. a

SMART Recovery meeting will be held in the Center for Counseling and Well-Being where people in recovery can learn to achieve and maintain a positive balanced lifestyle, build and maintain motivation, and learn healthy ways to live a blanced life.

Navigate: At 8 p.m. in the Nigh Univer-

sity Center students are able to come together and share their faith with other students and learn about bridging the gospel cross culturally, share testimonies, do outreaches, pray for the campus, and learn to celebrate and support each other through successes and failures.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017 Focus on Home: The Volunteer and

Service Learning Center is going to be at Focus on Home’s warehouse to give students a chance to volunteer by either organizing and sorting through donations or they can help create homes for Oklahoma City families. The volunteering will take two to four hours depending on the project assigned.

AROUND CAMPUS Kinesiology and Health Studies Symosium: At 9 a.m. the Student Trans-

formative Learing Record in the Wantland Hall Gymnasium will have a symposium to highlight the transformative accomplishments of KHS students and share their research and leadership projects.

War in Syria New York Times Discussion Three part series: At noon in the Radke Fine Arts Theatre, the American Democracy Department will host the second part of a New York Times discussion series over the war in Syria.

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.

Sushi Roll Night: At 6 p.m. in the Nigh

University Center Ballrooms the Asian American Student Association will be having a sushi roll night where they will teach students how to roll suhsi, dine with each ingredient, the history of sushi and allow guests to experience Japanese culture through Japanese Calligraphy and the Hibiki Drummers.

April 17, 2017 UCO Earth Day Fair Plant Sale:

Hall, Campus Activities will have a line of speakers come and speak about sexual assault and the hook up culture in an interactive and interesting way.

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.

SPB Get the Dirt on Worms with VSLC: At 11 a.m. by the Broncho Lake

Grief Group: Beginning at 11 a.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a grief group to individuals who are experiencing grief.

Clocktower, members from Student Programming Board will help students make their own “dirt cups” with chocolate pudding, oreos, and gummy worms. Students will be asked questions about worm facts and how they are essential to Earth.

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.

SPB Celebrates BRocks Birthday:

At 11 a.m. by BRock, between the Max Chambers Library and Housing and Dining Office, members from the Student Programming Board will celebrate BRocks birthday. There will be cupcakes and ice cream available to all students who come by and celebrate the iconic rock’s third birthday.

Star Wars Ball: At 7 p.m. in the Nigh Univeristy Center, Fandoms Anonymous will be having their 4th annual ball and it will be Star Wars themed and all who attend are asked to dress accordingly. There will be music, snacks, dancing and costume contests for everyone who attends.

Central Improv Weekly Meeting: At

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.

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.

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.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Friday, April 21, 2017

Focus on Home: The Volunteer and

Marathon Station Prep: At 7 a.m.

From 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. the Horticultural Club will be selling plants they cultivated, as well as hand-painted pots. All proceeds go towards the organization’s programming and events.

SMART Recovery: At 5:30 p.m. at the

The Hook Up: At 7 p.m. in Constitution

The Vista

the Student Transformative Learning Record at the OKC National Memorial will help the OKC Natioanl Memorial get ready for the Memorial Marathon.

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.

Check

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The Vista

April 17, 2017

OMA VIOLATION

OMA Violation The Vista

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

This financial resolution, CFR16209, was not added to the docket until the Saturday before the meeting, April 8, at 2:08 a.m., and therefore in violation of OMA that states it should be voided. “I felt like that was an adequate amount of time,” Chair Caleb Shaw said. According the UCO Student Congress Bylaws, under the “Leadership” chapter, the Chair of the UCO Student Congress “shall ensure that the UCO Student Congress is in full compliance with the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act and Oklahoma Open Records Act at all times.” This section can be accessed online at OrgSync on the UCOSA page or by visiting the UCOSA Office, located on the first floor of the Nigh University Center to read. UCO Student Congress Senator, Parliamentarian and Floor Leader, Caleb Power voided CFR16-209 last Thursday due to it being passed illegally. In an E-mail sent to Shaw, Power stated: “I have to void CFR16-209 because of it’s lack of compliance with OMA; I would encourage you to put it on the agenda (maybe on a consent agenda) for the upcoming meeting before the Friday that precedes it at 1:00 PM. I know that it seems that 48 hours in advance like you did was

A screenshot of the UCO Student Congress docket from April 10, 2017 on Orgsync at 1:02 p.m. shows that financial resolution CFR16-209 was added late to the agenda for the UCO Student Congress Meeting on Monday, April 10, according to the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act. (Kateleigh Mills/The Vista).

adequate--and like I said earlier, if OMA didn’t exist, you’d be right-but right now we need to be concerned with the bare minimum of the written law.” Anybody can void a piece of legislation if it is found to be neglectful of OMA. In order to have passed this legislation legally, it would have had to be placed on the docket the preceding Friday by 1 p.m., or be placed on the docket for the following week. 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. The violation was also brought to further attention at the Congress meeting on April 3rd. “It would be kind of ludicrous for me to say that I wasn’t fully aware that we’re fully doing it (violating OMA),” Shaw said. “I’ve heard it before. Caleb Power talked to me about this before, so this is something that I definitely know about.” Two members of leadership, Shaw and Duvall, said the need to get money to the student organizations faster was the excuse for these violations. “We’re doing it for the benefit of the students,” Shaw said. “You are serving the students when

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)

you follow Open Meetings Act. It’s enacted for the publics benefit so they can be informed of what you’re doing,” Joey Senat, associate professor at Oklahoma State University and author of Mass Communications Law in Oklahoma, said. The purpose of OMA is to provide transparency. It also allows the student body to know what is being done with the fees they pay every semester. Placing legislation on the docket in accordance with OMA gives students the ability to know what is being voted on and when so they can voice concerns, since the UCOSA is funded through student activity fees. “The Open Meetings Act is not optional, it’s not based off your convenience,” Senat said “It’s a crime to violate the Open Meetings Act.” According to section 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.” Senat said that the next steps to take if a group is continuing to violate OMA are to either file a complaint to the police department or contact the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s office. There is also the possibility of a lawsuit against those found in willful violation of the law. “Everyone is now entitled to file a lawsuit over an Open Meetings Act violation,” Senat said.

The Vista

April 17, 2017

UCOSA ELECTIONS

UCOSA Elections The Vista

@TheVista1903 Staff Reports By Kateleigh Mills, editor-in-chief and Victor Quezada, reporter

(Continued from cover) “This is more than 160% of any of the final vote counts since 2013,” Power wrote on his Facebook page. Stockton Duvall received 49.5 percent of the vote, Elsa Ruiz 19.6 percent and Zach Robbins 30.8 percent, according to Power. After the results came in, the UCOSA Election Commission met briefly in a closed meeting last Thursday to discuss a potential violation of one of the slates. The allegation in question was whether or not one of the slates had asked the Athletics Department to support their platform and had encouraged their teams to vote a certain way. However, the UCOSA Election Commission decided that based on the facts they were presented, the slate in question did not violate any of the election rules. “We ruled that the candidate in question didn’t intentionally ask them to go, like, support them,” Power said. In order for a slate to go and address a team on campus under the athletic department, they have to first talk to a coach and set up a time for the team to talk to candidates, Power said. “We can’t confirm or deny whether or not, like, faculty, staff and administration supported the individual. But we also don’t believe that the slate had anything indirectly to do with it,” Power said. Power also said that there is a possibility of two investigations looking into the allegations against the slate. “A new UCOSA rule will be added next semester mandating that anybody who sees something like that going on, if it’s your own slate, you have to report it,” Power said. “As of right now there was no requirement to mandate that the slate reported it so the slate didn’t intentionally break anything.” In order to vote in the runoff this Wednesday, students can either visit a booth which will be set up from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. near the northwest entrance of the Nigh University Center, or online at UConnect. Anyone that is a student is allowed to vote. Those that are not allowed to vote are those that are faculty, administration or staff, Power said.

UCOSA presidential candidate Zachary Robbins speaks during the 2017 Presidential Debate. Robbins and Stockton Duvall, far right, both advanced for the final ticket of the election. the runoff election will be held next Wednesday, April 19. (Cara Johnson/ The Vista).

PUBLIC SAFETY

April 17, 2017

The Vista

Surveillance Improvements for Student Safety Jessica Phillips @TheJessPhillips Reporter

Up to 500 video surveillance cameras could be monitoring buildings on campus and in parking lots in the next year. A project to install video surveillance cameras has been in progress since 2015. Currently, about 200 cameras are active on UCO’s Edmond campus and off-campus buildings. Before the project started, there were few cameras on campus and they were low quality. “We’ve grown in just, literally just, two and a half years, we’ve gone from no cameras to over 200,” Norman Nieves, UCO’s director of emergency management, said. “We can see ourselves being, like in the next year maybe, close to 500 cameras across campus.” Nieves said between 30 and 40 cameras are coming online in the next few months. Cameras are not yet present in every building. The surveillance camera policy states that UCO is required to post signage on buildings that are monitored by cameras.

Areas that are currently monitored include: Nigh University Center, The Quad, West Hall, University Suites, Housing Office, Max Chambers Library, Old North, Hamilton Field House, Wantland Stadium, Chesapeake Boathouse, Carnegie Center, Center for eLearning and Continuing Education building on Bryant, Center for eLearning and Continuing building on Ayers and Information Technology closets. A limited number of people can access footage from the cameras, Nieves said. Each department only has access to the footage recorded on its cameras, but UCO’s police department can access all footage that is recorded, he said. “The footage is used for different things, but it’s mostly for the safety of our students,” Nieves said. Nieves described the policy for using footage as extensive. Footage may be used to help solve crimes and keep track of individuals going in and out, but it cannot be used to embarrass people. “They’re there for your safety. We use the footage for safety reasons only,” he said. Departments can request to have

Surveillance cameras on the roof of the Liberal Arts Building on the east end of campus face the parking lots surrounding the building. (Cara Johnson/ The Vista).

cameras installed, pay an installation fee and an annual sustainability fee. The sustainability fee is used to fund the Security Technology Coordinator position, purchase backup cameras in case one breaks and purchase servers, in addition to other necessities. The university uses an enterprise-wide system, so every camera is the same. Plans are in the works to bring surveillance cameras to more parking lots, like the ones already being used in parking lots near the Liberal Arts building. Transportation and Parking Services is partnering with the

Physical Plant to coordinate placing cameras outside and inside of buildings. This could allow the cameras to work off of the same connections while facing different directions, Nieves said. “The exterior of the campus are the ones that are starting to grow a little bit and then in the next few months some more buildings, inside buildings, of the inside are going to start growing,” Nieves said. Departments wishing to request surveillance cameras for installation can do so by contacting the Security Technology Coordinator and the Office of Information Technology.

BUCKING BRONCHO

April 17, 2017

The Vista

Anything You Can Do Russ Can Do Better

The Bucking Broncho: Russell Westbrook’s Iconic Season A. Suave Francisco @SuaveFrancisco_ Sports Reporter

Entering the 2016-2017 season, a lot of uncertain thoughts surrounded the Oklahoma City Thunder organization due to the loss of their superstar, Kevin Durant. Many NBA experts predicted the Thunder finishing as the eighth or ninth team in the NBA’s Western Conference, with a playoff appearance being a legitimate concern. Russell Westbrook announced that he’d return to the Thunder for at least two more seasons, which mended many hearts of the OKC faithful. Still, no one saw a historic season on the horizon. In previous years, the triple-double was a coveted and unusual accomplishment. This was something you didn’t hear about every night. This season, however, Westbrook has normalized it by tallying 42 triple-doubles in one season alone. Over the past 55 years, there have been a few players that may have been capable of this, but still didn’t accomplish it. Lebron James, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain or Jason Kidd would’ve been the expected over-takers of Oscar Robertson’s record, but the 28-year-old, 6-foot-3 point guard out of Long Beach, CA turned out to be the one to do it. The MVP isn’t in question anymore. He’s winning that. Comparing Russell and Oscar Westbrook’s productivity this season alone has been remarkable. Due to the Thunder organization’s preservation efforts, he’s only played 40-plus minutes in five games, all

of which were games that went into overtime. “The Big O” played 44.3 minutes per game and Westbrook played 10 minutes less. His 30 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds per game averages would make a tremendous jump to 39.9 points, 14.6 rebounds and 13.3 assists per game if he played the same amount of time as Robertson. Not to mention, Westbrook has played 25 fewer possessions than Robertson did during the 1961-1962 season. Understanding the Greatness The main complaint circulating through Thunder World this season has been “Russell needing help.” This is very true. It’s both exciting and sad seeing Russell will his team to victory 90 percent of the time, but that narrative has made this season filled with triple-doubles even more unbelievable. He’s averaging 10 assists per game with no shooters other than an inconsistent Doug McDermott and a still developing Alex Abrines. The Thunder only feature one other guy in the starting lineup averaging more than 12 points per game and that’s Victor Oladipo. His bench is young, inexperienced and lacks confidence as well, with Enes Kanter being the only other threat offensively. This forces you to ponder what he could do if he was the point guard for a team like the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets or Cleveland Cavaliers - three teams with a ton of offensive firepower. This will be a major factor in MVP voting. What a Westbrook Triple-Double Means for the Thunder

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, center, goes up for a dunk in front of Utah Jazz guards Alec Burks (10) and Raul Neto (25) during an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City. Westbrook had more triple-doubles than any player in history this season, and he’ll need a few more if Oklahoma City expects to make a deep playoff run. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

Even though Westbrook won’t admit it to the public, his team wins games when he gets triple-doubles. When he records 10 or more assists in a game, his team is 39-12, which would put OKC as the number 1 or number 2 seed in the West if you translate that into 82 games. At the same time, he can hurt the team and that’s what critics try to focus in on. When Westbrook shoots 25 or more times in a game, the Thunder are 17-18 on the season which would put them well under .500 in an 82 game season. That isn’t all his fault. Westbrook has an uncanny ability to feel a game out in the first quarter where he decides whether he’ll have a distribute, or shoot-first style of game. Normally, when his teammates aren’t hitting shots in the first quarter, he sees that and takes command of the game, which looks bad but what else is he going to do when no one can hit

a bucket? Keep passing to them late in the game? OKC has a .786 win percentage when Russell records a triple-double, a .342 win percentage when he doesn’t and that translates into a (46-34) overall record and a .575 winning percentage on the season. Yes, there’s been a potluck of triple-doubles this year for the NBA (114), but Russell is responsible for 42, nearly a third of those, by himself. James Harden adds 21 to that, which leaves the rest of the NBA with 38. When thinking of current players that will retire as NBA icons, there were only a few names that came to mind, and Russell Westbrook wasn’t on that list. Now, it’s obvious that Russell will be on that list after his retirement. In his eight years of NBA experience, the man with a never-ending motor has yet to hit his peak. He still has work to do.

The Vista

April 17, 2017

UCO TENNIS

Alli Hodges Makes A Racket

UCO Tennis Heads for MIAA Conference Tournament

Nathan Baldwin @nbaldwin05 Sports Writer

With the end of the season now here and the postseason around the corner, UCO tennis star, sophomore Alli Hodges, looks to continue her impressive performance and lead her team into the conference and national tournaments. Hodges is returning from a stellar freshman campaign, where she finished with a 20-7 record and is currently ranked 38th in the nation. “Going in, I was nervous I wasn’t going to live up to my last season,” Hodges said. “You have to go into every match like it’s an even record.” Hodges is 21-5 so far, this year with the postseason remaining, which is already an improvement from her record during the 2016 season. For the start of the 2017 season, the Lady Bronchos were scheduled to play two Division-I schools, a strategy to see tougher competition before the regular season started. “It showed us that we can compete with anyone,” Hodges said. “We aren’t that far off from the bigger schools.” Success in anything takes hard work. During the off season, Hodg-

Sophomore tennis player Alli Hodges walks the court during a match on Jan. 18, 2017. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

es continued to improve her game. Whether it was conditioning or skills, she was training. During the summer, it can be difficult to train, since most of the players go home for break - but Hodges isn’t most players. “I really tried to work on my foot-

work and rhythm,” Hodges said. “It can be hard, but it’s been worth it.” Hodges also got some help from first-year head coach Jaron Maestas. “He has helped bring us a lot of structure,” Hodges said. “He’s worked with me to come forward on the line instead of hanging back.”

Soaking up information and knowledge is something Hodges picked up from Maestas as she has learned what he has found to be effective over the years. “We can relate to him and he can relate to us,” Hodges said. “He’s a great motivator.” Hodges’ talent and ability on the court is undeniable, but she would be to the first one to point out what aspects of the game she could be better at. While most of the game is played physically on the court, the mental aspect of the game is also important and a lot harder to practice. “I need to be more self-confident,” Hodges said. “Just because someone is ranked above me doesn’t mean they are better.” The MIAA Conference Tournament begins April 18 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Hodges and the Lady Bronchos tennis team look to compete and qualify for the National Tournament in May.

Alli Hodges, sphomore tennis player for the University of Central Oklahoma, returns the ball to the other side of the court during a match on Jan. 18, 2017 in Edmond, Okla. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

UCO SOFTBALL

April 17, 2017

The Vista

UCO Softball Opponents Can’t Handle the Heat

Jayden Chestnut Named Division II National Pitcher of the Week Austin Moseley @Austin_Moseley Sports Writer

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association named University of Central Oklahoma softball pitcher Jayden Chestnut the Division II National Pitcher of the Week last Wednesday. During the week of April 3-9, Chestnut did not allow a single run while going 3-0 and capped her week off by pitching a six-inning perfect game in an 8-0 victory over Central Missouri. Her performance also garnered her Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) and Oklahoma Sports Net Pitcher of the Week. The sophomore transfer from the University of Oklahoma had 20 strikeouts in 20 innings and held opposing teams to a .033 batting average. Chestnut started the week against Cameron, pitching seven innings while allowing only one hit in a 5-0 win for the Bronchos. Up next for Chestnut and the Bronchos was Southwest Baptist.

Sophomore Jayden Chestnut throwing the ball at a Southwest Baptist player at the UCO vs. Southwest Baptist University Game at the Broncho Softball Field on April 7, 2017. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

The Bronchos won the ballgame 2-0, as Chestnut once again pitched seven innings and struck out seven batters - all while holding Southwest Baptist to just one hit. Chestnut saved her best performance for last as she pitched a perfect game against Central Missouri by not allowing a single hit. The Bronchos won the game 8-0 and Chestnut became the first UCO pitcher since Kaylnn Schrock in 2014 to pitch a perfect game. Chestnut earning National Pitcher of the Week honors is a testament to her hard work throughout the season. In her first game for the Bronchos on February 17, Chestnut pitched 2.2 innings while allowing five hits and four runs in a loss against St. Mary’s. That first game wouldn’t deter Chestnut, however, as she is now riding an eight-game win streak heading in to the final stretch of the regular season as the team readies for the playoffs. During this win streak, Chestnut has given up a total of just eight runs and is now 15-3 on the season. “I think it has to do with me feeling really confident,” Chestnut said. The pitcher from Mustang, Oklahoma is second in the MIAA conference and the team leader in strikeouts with 139. Chestnut is also second in the conference in opponent batting average, as opposing teams are hitting .196 with her on the mound. Chestnut said she still sees room for improvement in her game, like keeping hits to a minimum, not giving up big innings and giving her teams hitters a better chance by placing them in better opportunities. The Bronchos rank first in the MIAA conference in batting average, hits, runs, doubles, triples and RBI, and are second in home runs. “We’re just playing really well together right now and I think our hitters are having a lot of confidence,” Chestnut said. As the regular season winds down the Bronchos have won 15 out of their last 16 games and seem to have hit their stride. “I think we’re kind of getting to the point of the season where we’re hitting our peak right now,” Chestnut said. Jayden Chestnut preparing to throw a pitch against Northwest Missouri State Player at the UCO vs. Northwest Missouri State Unviersity game at the Broncho Softball field on March 25, 2017. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista)

The Vista

April 17, 2017

UCO BASEBALL

Bronchos Near End of Regular Season

UCO Baseball Ranked Ninth In MIAA Conference Jordan Belew @JordanBelew Sports Writer

The Bronchos’ baseball program currently sits at 21-15-1 on the season with a little less than half way to go. The Bronchos were picked to finish sixth in conference by the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Preseason Coaches’ Poll. They are now ninth in the MIAA with over a month of conference play under their belt. “As of right now in our conference everything is so tightly together right now. I think for everyone, right now, it’s just finding a way to get in it (MIAA tournament) and then anyone can win it,” said head coach John Martin The season began with expectations not set too high, but after winning 12 of their first 15 games, the Bronchos looked poised to exceed all preseason expectations by a long shot. Since conference began, the Bronchos’ are 11-14 against their MIAA foes. “We tried to separate every game into its own, I don’t think the game before or the next one should determine what you’re doing in your game. Obviously, we want to finish strong like we started. The preparation was good before and that’s why we got off to a strong start,” said Martin The team has seven players hitting over the .300 mark. Led by a pair of right handed sluggers Jake Dyer and Jon Kamies, the Bronchos’ offense has been a bright spot all season long. Hitting .301 as a team while holding opponents to .277, the Broncho lineup has proven a tough match up for any opposing pitcher. Kamies, who has belted 4 home runs and batted in 25 runs, started the season crushing the ball. He finished the first month batting .463 and launched three of his four home runs. The senior’s early fire from the plate was a large factor in the success the team had early on. The Bronchos’ were seemingly beating everyone that came in their way. Led by starters J.D. Cameron and Holden Capps, the Bronchos rotation has been solid. Capps, who boasts a record of 4-3 with an ERA of 5.04 leads the Bronchos with 7 starts on the season. The entire pitching staff has had

The Bronchos baseball team cheer on a fellow teammate from the dugout during the game on Feb. 24, 2017. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

their fair share of success, as well. With a staff, ERA of 5.42 against opponents sitting at 5.38, the rotation is doing its job, backed by a solid defense behind them. “Our emphasis is how we prepare every day, how hard we work, and how we compete. If we can go prepare mentally and physically every

day at a high level then it’s going to help you prepare for the game,” said Martin Since the month of March began, the Bronchos have seen a slide in their winning. Hindered by a fivegame losing streak and a few lost series games, the team has had 12 of its 15 losses coming since March 1.

Sitting four games back from fifth place in conference, with 11 conference games left to play. The Bronchos will look to find the spark that carried them through the beginning of the season, as they set their sights on the conference tournament May 11.

Senior pitcher Holden Capps, 6, throws the ball to the hitter during the game on Feb. 24, 2017. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).