Volume 116, Issue 12
the VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”
UCOPD is Only One Call Away
ucentralmedia.com vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Duvall Introduces the “Big Change”
Katie Standlee @katiestandlee Reporter
Eight previously purchased emergency blue light phones will be updated and placed around the University of Central Oklahoma’s campus outside sometime within the next academic year by Safety and Transportation Services after UCO’s Student Association passed CFR18204 to fund the rewiring on Monday. CFR18-204 was passed on a consent vote to fund what was being called “The Blue Box Initiative,” giving $10,000 from UCOSA’s allocated reserve fund to Jeffrey Harp, UCO chief of police and executive director for Safety and Transportation Services, who is working on the updating and placement of these emergency phones. These outdoor phones were presented to UCOSA on April 9 by Harp where he asked them to help decide where students would want these to be located and help with funding for the rewiring. “I’m hopeful that if we can find funding we can do this by August, but it may not be August. It could be September or October before it’s done or it could be June,” Harp said, before UCOSA passed the resolution. “It just depends on a lot of things coming together.” These outdoor phones, along with 20 indoor emergency phones, were purchased three years ago which is when the university switch over the phone system to Voice over Internet Protocol. The indoor emergency on pg. 5
Stockton Duvall addresses UCOSA during the Congress meeting of the spring 2018 semester on Monday, April 16. Last week, Duvall introduced the “Big Change” which revises bylaws in UCOSA’s council system. (Ryan Naeve/The Vista)
Christian Tabak @CaffeineWallace Reporter
Revised bylaws for the University of Central Oklahoma Student Association’s council system were passed during last week’s UCOSA Congress meeting, which modified annual budget allocations and introduced a three-year wait period before student organizations can be accepted to a council. The legislation, titled the “Big Change,” was introduced by UCOSA President Stockton Duvall to increase the delegated authority of
each council and address the lack of a standardized system for increasing funding for each council when it began to oversee an additional student organization. “We have seen that if too many new organizations join a council and the funding of the council remains the same, then each organization just keeps getting a smaller slice of the pie,” Duvall said. “We want to ensure that each organization has the resources it needs to stay successful on campus.” To address these concerns, each of the four councils overseen by
NEW Letter to the AROUND CAMPUS BRONCHO SPORTS Editor Inside
Bronchos Find Their Ace
on pg. 9
on pg. 4
on pg. 12
UCOSA are now limited to adding or removing student organizations once every three years during the fall semester. For each three-year period, UCOSA’s Internal Affairs committee will review the percentage allocations of each council’s budget to determine if any changes are required. Any new budget allocations would then require the approval of the UCOSA’s Fall Legislature. Under the previous bylaws, councils could add or drop organizations at any point in a semester. This on pg. 3
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April 17, 2018
the
VISTA
Contents
CONTENTS
The Big Change....................................................................3 Around Campus...................................................................4 Emergency Phones...............................................................5 Impact/Melton.......................................................6 Letter to the Editor.................................................................8 Humor Column...................................................................10 Editorial............................................................11 Charbonnet/Spring Football...........................................12-13 Baseball/Bucking Broncho..............................................14-15
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.
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.
On the Cover: Bottom Left: Letters to the Editor are accepted and encouraged from readers. Letters are printed the week they are received, as long as they are received before the paper goes to print. (Provided/Pixabay) Bottom Center: Geese feed near Broncho Lake on Monday, April 9. Around Campus features the upcoming events for the week as listed on the UCO OrgSync. Bottom Right:Freshman Laetitia Charbonnet returns the ball during a tennis match on February 14, 2018 at the Broncho Courts in Edmond, Okla. (Lauren Bieri/UCO Photo Services)
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 author’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 thevista.ads@gmail.com.
STAFF
Cara Johnson Elizabeth Spence Austin Moseley Regan Rosson Megan Thele Peter Agnitsch Michelle Pennza Christian Tabak Vy Luong Alejandro Gonzalez Katie Standlee Jonathan Goudeau Dylan Brown Janessa Egler Gerald Leong Ryan Naeve Teddy Burch
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Online Editor Design Editor Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Sports Reporter Humor Columnist Photographer Photographer Photographer Adviser
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The Big Change
April 17, 2018
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Duvall Introduces the “Big Change” Continued From Page 1 meant that if a council added five organizations, the previous organizations under a council’s oversight would be competing with the new organizations for funding without the council seeing a budget increase, according to Duvall. “I am a huge advocate for the council system since it shares allocation governance with different areas in Student Affairs, but I felt there were some improvements that could be made to make the future system more successful,” Duvall said. Other revisions to the council bylaws provided the councils with complete authority to appoint and approve their own leadership, an area that Duvall said differed between several councils. The revisions also require that the UCOSA Congress Chair provides a period during Congress’ spring session for each council to give a presentation on their activities and that the UCOSA president or vice president meets with council leadership each fall session to discuss UCOSA’s funding. The council system was introduced by UCOSA four years ago to improve the allocation process for student activity fees among the university’s major campus organizations and create collaboration opportunities among student organizations with similar interests. Previously, the system was divided into five councils that oversee the funding and operation of major areas of campus life: the Campus Activities Council, Diversity Round Table, International Student Council, Fraternity and Sorority Life Council and Sports Club Council. As the offices of Campus Activities and Fraternity and Sorority Life merged into the Office of Student Engagement earlier this year, the revised bylaws reflected that administrative change by combining both councils into the new Student Engagement Council. The revisions also provided changes to UCOSA’s annual budget allocations, providing minor changes to the previous system’s financial distribution. The Student Engagement Council was allocated 39 percent, which represented a slight decline from the combined 32 percent allocated to the Campus Activity Council and the 9 percent allocated to Fraternity and Sorority Life. Diversity Round Table retained
Remington Dean hands out awards to students in UCOSA at the beginning of the last UCOSA meeting of spring 2018 on Monday, April 16. (Ryan Naeve/The Vista)
its allocation of 13 percent and the Sports Club Council and International Student Council allocations both increased from 5 to 7 percent, the first increases either council has seen since the system’s founding. The remainder was divided outside of the council system, with 18 percent allocated to the UCOSA Ways and Means Committee and 16 percent allocated to the UCOSA Executive Committee, a reduction from the committee’s previous 18 percent. “This definitely provides a good chunk of change more than we’ve had previously, although I do wish we could have gotten more sponsorship for our country associations,” said Jared Scism, ISC faculty sponsor and assistant director of UCO’s International House. Representing UCO’s international student community, the ISC currently oversees 15 student associations that include organizations such as the Malaysian Student Association, African Student Association, European Student Association and Vietnamese Student Association. The council has grown by 11 organizations since Scism took over as sponsor in 2013 and recently three more student associations applied to join the council in advance of the
new three year wait period imposed by UCOSA. Scism said that the new wait period will help ISC to maintain the allocations between the current student associations, but he said that it could potentially impact international students more than others. Organizations like the European Student Association are largely comprised of exchange students studying at UCO for usually only a year, which Scism said leads to those associations having large turnover rates and can result in an association going inactive. With the new wait period, Scism said it could prevent new exchange students from reviving the organization because their visas would expire prior to the end of the three-year wait period. “I think it does hurt our exchange students in that regard, but the overall purpose behind it is a good reason,” Scism said. Concerns over the wait period were echoed by MeShawn Conley, the faculty sponsor of DRT, who said that such a restriction was what she was most worried about in the new bylaws. “In the past, DRT has voted if they wanted an organization to join with
the understanding that them joining would further dilute their funding, but this decision was their choice,” Conley said. Comprised of eight student organizations focused on promoting cultural diversity and inclusivity on campus, Conley said that many organizations apply to join DRT but are rejected due to a difference in objectives. Only UCO’s chapter of the NAACP has been accepted to DRT within the last four years, although Conley said that DRT had been considering the addition of another student organization prior to the new wait period. Conley said that she had raised concerns over the wait period with Duvall, but understood that UCOSA had introduced it to ensure that each council would receive adequate funding for the organizations they oversee. For councils concerned about the wait period, Duvall said that a form will be provided that will allow a council to explain why they are requesting an exception and how the new organization would impact funding for the council’s other organizations.
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Tuesday, April 17, 2018 Make an Impact Week: The Career Development Center is hosting a week of events, along with the Office of Sustainability and the Volunteer & Service Learning Center, to align social, environmental and economic values with professional interests and skills. Impact Careers Panel: At 10 a.m. in the Radke Theatre, students will be able to hear from individuals in impact careers at the Impact Careers Panel. Panelists will discuss civic engagement and their experience in their chosen fields. K-Cup Seedling Starters: The UCO Horticultural Club is selling wildflower seedlings for $1 at 10 a.m. on the 2nd floor of the Nigh University Center. I HEART CENTRAL WEEK: Central Celebration: Students are welcome to come celebrate UCO by at 11 a.m. by the Broncho Lake Clock Tower by answering questions about UCO. I HEART CENTRAL WEEK: SPBroncho Rides: Starting at 11 a.m. at the Broncho Lake Clock Tower, students can take a carriage ride around campus and take a photo to show their school spirit. SMART Recovery: In Nigh University Center Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being is hosting a meeting for those in recovery to learn tools for coping with urges and managing thoughts, feelings and behaviors. The meeting takes place at noon. Sexual Assault Awareness Luncheon and Jeopardy: UCO’s Peer Health Leaders are hosting a luncheon at 12 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Robert S. Kerr Room to provide information to students on interpersonal violence on campus and how they can help stop it. The keynote speaker will be UCO Title IX Coordinator Adrienne Martinez. Flash Mob Meditation: At 1:15 p.m. in the Quad Fitness Room, representatives from the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer meditation, tai chi, yoga and relaxation. UCO counselor Jeff Jones will lead the group every Tuesday. Connections Group: The Center for Counseling and Well-Being will hold a Connections Group from 2-3 p.m. in Nigh University Center’s Room 402 to help students increase communication and social skills in order to connect more easily on campus. SAFE End of Semester Celebration: The Student Alliance for Equality will meet at Fink Park for an end of semester cookout at 7 p.m.
April 17, 2018
Wednesday, April 18, 2018 I HEART CENTRAL WEEK: Parking Lot Invasion: From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., volunteers will have free license plate frames in the UCO parking lots, ready to install them on student cars as desired. K-Cup Seedling Starters: The UCO Horticultural Club is selling wildflower seedlings for $1 at 10 a.m. on the 2nd floor of the Nigh University Center. Stages of Change: In Nigh University Center Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will have a support group designed to help students learn how to make and clarify goals and begin lasting changes in their lives. The group begins at 12:30 p.m. Non-Traditional Student Support Group: The group is hosted by the Center for Counseling and Well-Being to help non-traditional students find support at UCO. Attendees can talk and relate their life experiences with one another in order to help meet their personal needs. The group meets from 2-3 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Room 402. REAL Talk: The Bias Series: In the Nigh University Center Will Rogers Room at 2 p.m., the Office for Diversity and Inclusion will host the next chapter in the Bias Series on systemic bias.
Thursday, April 19, 2018 I HEART CENTRAL WEEK: Amazing Race Around Cmapus: From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. beginning at the Broncho Lake Clock Tower, students can compete in a race around campus that tests their UCO knowledge. Trauma Recovery: This workshop addresses topics like self-soothing, the mind and body connection, effects of trauma on relationships and healthy relationships. The event is from 2-3 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 402. Stress Paws: UCO offers students a chance to take a pause from daily stress and visit with therapy dogs on campus. Each week, Stress Paws will be held in Nigh University Center Room 402 from 3-5 p.m. Study Hall: The National Society of Black Engineers is hosting a study hall at 5:30 p.m. in the Max Chambers Library for members of NSBE to get advice and help from people who have taken their current classes. Sushi Rolling Night: From 6-8 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Ballrooms, the Japanese Student Association is bringing an educational dining experience to guests, ho will learn how to roll sushi.
Around Campus
Friday, April 20, 2018 Anger Tamers: From 9:30-10:30 a.m. in Nigh University Center Room 402, students can learn to identify their own anger triggers and gain tools to help reduce conflict in their lives. The free and confidential group is hosted by the UCO Center for Counseling and Well-Being. Grief Group: From 11 a.m. to noon, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being is holding a grief group for anyone grieving. Group and individual session will be in the Nigh University Center Room 402. Life Skills Around Eating: This is a group that offers an affect regulation approach to eating disorders. The group focuses on skills that increase mindfulness and to teach appropriate emotion regulation. Life Skills Around Eating meets from 10:30-11:30 a.m. UCO Softball vs. Missouri Southern: At 2 p.m. in the Broncho Softball Stadium, the UCO Softball team takes on Missouri Southern. Love Notes: The Center for Counseling and Well-Being is hosting a workshop on building healthy romantic relationships, preventing dating violence and avoiding risky sexual behavior. The workshop begins at 3 p.m. in the Wellness Center Room 127. UCO Baseball vs. Missouri Western: The UCO Baseball team plays Missouri Western at Wendell Simmons Field at 3 p.m. I HEART CENTRAL WEEK: Broncho Bash: From 7-11 p.m. at Plunkett Park, SPB is celebrating students and their hard work with their annual Broncho Bash. SPB will have food, yard games, line dancing, a movie and other country related activities.
Saturday, April 21, 2018 UCO Softball vs. Pitt State: The UCO Softball team plays Pitt State at 1 p.m. in the Broncho Softball Stadium. UCO Baseball vs. Missouri Western: The UCO Baseball team plays Missouri Western at 3 p.m. on Wendell Simmons Field.
Sunday, April 22, 2018 UCO Baseball vs. Missouri Western: The UCO Baseball team plays Missouri Western at 1 p.m. on Wendell Simmons Field. Miss Latina UCO Scholarship Pageant: At 7 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Constitution Hall, contestants for the Miss Latina UCO Scholarship Pageant will compete for the Miss Latina 2018-2019 crown and scholarship.
Emergency Phones
April 17, 2018
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Monday, April 23, 2018 Adulting 101: The Center for Counseling and Well-Being is hosting a support group focusing on handling the difficult life transitions that come with being an adult. The group is held from 1-2 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 402. LGBTQ Support Group: The Center for Counseling and Well-Being holds a support group for those who identify or think they may identify somewhere within the LGBTQ community. The group is held from 2-3 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 402.
Frisbee Game: The Recreational Ultimate Frisbee Club plays a weekly game of frisbee in Plunkett Park at 4 p.m. That Time You Wanted to Teach: At 5 p.m. in the Liberal Arts Building Room 211, students can join the English Graduate Organization to learn more about a career in education.
UCOPD is Only One Call Away Continued From Page 1 phones were rewired last summer and are tested weekly. However, a transition has to be made with the outdoor phones before those can be placed outside due to the university changing their phone system over from copper phone lines to a VoIP system. Two outdoor emergency phones are already in place on campus and another eight will be added once they are rewired. “Where you locate these is going to dictate the cost,” Harp said. “So what I asked UCOSA on [April 9]
was for help in identifying where students would like to see these seven units. There are eight total, but one of them we are going to be using at the police building as an exterior point of contact.” The outdoor phones have to go in new locations where there are no copper phone lines, they need to be rewired to manage VoIP and the buttons have to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, so everyone can reach them. Harp said UCOSA Congress Chair Remington Dean had contacted Safety and Transportation Services to see if there was a way to expand
emergency phones on campus. Other UCOSA members had helped in this process as well. Since UCOSA is covering the cost of rewiring the phones, Harp will work with the university to pay the other expenses associated with installing the emergency outdoor phones. “We’re trying to do this as inexpensively as we can,” Harp said. These phones are connected to the UCO Police Services Communications Center and pushing either button will contact them. Safety and Transportation Services’ page on UConnect says this center is open for
24 hours, every day of the year and staffed by trained emergency communications personnel. The emergency button is intended for anyone on campus to be able to get in immediate contact with UCO PSCC. The information button will be for any non-emergency related help: finding a building, safe walk information, directions, a jump-start on a vehicle or any other informational help. “We’re excited about the opportunity to partner with UCOSA and trying to get these eight units installed over the next several months to serve students better,” Harp said.
University of Central Oklahoma Chief of Police Jeff Harp introduces updates to be made to the emergency phones across campus during a UCOSA Congress meeting on Monday, April 9. These emergency phones are intended for students to directly call UCOPD when in need of police assistance. (Ryan Naeve/The Vista)
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April 17, 2018
Impact/Melton
University Hosts Make an Impact Week Katie Standlee @katiestandlee Reporter
Starting Monday, students, faculty and staff can participate in a week of events designed to help learn how to utilize a career path to make a difference in society. Make an Impact Week is from April 16-21 and is hosted by the Office of Sustainability, the Career Development Center and the Volunteer & Service Learning Center, at the University of Central Oklahoma. “This is a week of events to help build awareness around how students can have an impact on the social, environmental and economic areas of their communities,” said Elizabeth Enck, director of the Career Development Center. “This could be through volunteering, internships or careers, or supporting sustainability.” Each event is free and all of the events are tagged for Student Transformative Learning Record credit in
Service Learning & Civic Engagement. The first event, Campus Clean Up, was Monday from 2-4 p.m. on campus. Volunteers met with Students for Sustainability to pick up trash around campus, according to VSLC Director Patrick Tadlock. An Impact Panel is the second event of the week and hosted on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon in the Center for Transformative Learning’s Radke Theater, where students will get to hear individuals speak about their careers and how they make an impact. Maurianna Adams, chairwoman for Community Alliance of Oklahoma; Ryan Baker, associate planner for the Oklahoma City Office of Sustainability; Tammy J. Burnett, director of the OKC Zoo and Botanical Gardens; and Jason Dunnington, Oklahoma House Representative for District 88 will be the speakers for the Impact Panel.
“The panel will include representatives from a variety of industries telling their stories and sharing how one can translate their passions into a career,” Enck said. Wednesday’s event is Waste Diversion from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the second floor of the Nigh University Center. Tadlock said students will get the opportunity to learn about trash and why recycling matters. Earth Day Fair is Thursday’s event where 20-30 vendors will set up near Broncho Lake to talk about their organizations and students will have a chance to receive a free T-shirt. “These vendors are all environmental, outdoors or sustainability minded,” Tadlock said. “We will also have a display of sustainably sourced design boards created by UCO students.” Friday is Oklahoma Standard UCO Service Day from 8 a.m. to noon, where participants will be helping to set up marathon prepping stations for
the OKC Memorial Marathon. Volunteers on Friday are primarily composed of UCO faculty and staff, but Tadlock said it is open to everyone in the UCO community. Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. is Oklahoma Standard OKC Memorial Service Day, where students will be helping pack bags for the runners in the OKC Memorial Marathon. “From the impact careers perspective, I hope that students realize that they can find ways to make an impact and make a difference through their career,” Enck said. “Whether that’s in a nonprofit or a corporate setting, there are ways to incorporate your desire to make a difference.” Those wanting to participate can sign up by filling out the forms on the VSLC OrgSync page under forms. More information on these events can be found on OrgSync on the Make an Impact page.
Melton Gallery Hosts Faculty Artist Show Rani Spindle
@TheVista1903 Contributing Writer
The Melton Gallery debuted its first all virtual and augmented reality exhibit April 10-19 to keep up with gallery trends worldwide and showcase the potential of technology as an art medium. The exhibit, Can’t Touch This, consists of six displays which include art projected onto a screen or wall, shadow boxes and 3D imagery. “Whenever you see goggles or anything projected into the space that is 3D, that’s augmented reality,” said Kyle Cohlmia, curator of exhibitions
at the Melton Gallery. “Virtual reality is that you’re visiting a new place that is going to be surrounding your whole sensory.” Can’t Touch This features the work of UCO Department of Design faculty and was proposed by Sam Ladwig, assistant professor of Graphic Design. “He had a vision and had spoken with his colleagues, who also had a vision for their work being shown virtually,” Cohlmia said. Exhibit contributors include Amy Johnson, chair of the Graphic Design Department; Amy Jacobson-Peters, interior design instructor; Keith Webb, professor of graphic design
and director of illustration; James Ewald and Jime Wimmer, assistant professors of graphic design; and Ladwig. Can’t Touch This provides an opportunity for design students to see the potential of their careers in the industry, according to Cohlmia and Taryn Hansen, Melton Gallery assistant. “There’s actually a growing market for people who can make these virtual or augmented realities just because that’s a future of technology,” Hansen said. While museums around the United States and Europe are more frequently showing nontraditional art, Can’t
Touch This makes the Melton one of the first Oklahoma collegiate galleries to showcase virtual and augmented reality art, Cohlmia said. “I think this is a forward-thinking trend in galleries, because it allows you to experience the artwork in such a unique way,” Hansen said. “I haven’t really seen anything else quite like it here in Oklahoma.” A trial run was conducted last Thursday in which virtual reality goggles were available until 7:30 p.m. The closing reception takes place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on April 19 and the artists are set to make an appearance.
Letter to the Editor
April 17, 2018
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Your Words, Your Voice. Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor, Where do we find the funding to support better teacher pay and better funded public classrooms? We legalize and tax medical marijuana with SQ 788 by voting YES on June 26th. 75% of all tax revenue from SQ788 will be used for common education, and the other 25% will be used for mental health and substance abuse. What’s your alternative? Is Oklahoma going to suddenly strike oil again? Discover a goldmine? Are we bringing new industries into the state to bolster us for the inevitable decline of the petroleum industry? That’s working great for us right now, isn’t it. So, you tell me. If you’re not supportive of legalizing and taxing medical marijuana to rectify the state’s budget woes, then what’s your viable alternative? Colorado has raked in over $500 million since 2014 off weed alone. Sure would be great to get our hands on some of that money, wouldn’t it? Especially by simply following suit and legalizing a plant that’s been scientifically proven to be less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco. Thirty states and the District of Columbia currently have laws broadly legalizing marijuana in some form. So I ask again... what’s your alternative? Eric Dean, Tulsa The Vista always accepts letters to the editor to be published in the issue following its receival. If you would like your response displayed in the next issue, please send your letters to the Vista at 100 N. University Drive Edmond, OK 73034 or email your response to the Vista at thevista.ads@gmail.com.
**Personal contact information has been omitted. No other changes to these letters have been made.
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Humor Column
April 17, 2018
The stars above are shining down on you (Even in the daytime. Even though they seem to disappear when the sun comes out). Those stars tell the story of your ancestors, all who came before you. You look up at the stars and wonder if they’re telling your story. They are. Just as magic is real, horoscopes are real. So every time you read your daily horoscope in the newspaper or online, its the most accurate future-telling you will ever get. Here is a fake horoscope. It doesn’t make it any more real. It’s like the inception of horoscopes.
Aries Today just isn’t your day.
Taurus Your charming personality will bring a lot of happiness to a lot of people today. Just remember to constantly be charming today and never have a bad attitude. No matter what happens, you cannot be sad today. Be happy, remain happy and everyone else will be happy. Don’t let one negative thought get inside of your head. If it does, others will not be happy. Have fun.
Gemini You are perfect, don’t change a thing. (This is coincidentally my sign).
Cancer Don’t trust anyone named Greg today. GREG WILL NOT BE GOOD TO YOU TODAY. However, if you know anybody named Cherryl, trust them.
Leo Don’t eat at Chipotle today.
Virgo Today, you will make many new friends, but then lose them all. Later today, you will make more friends who will become your best friends. However, later tonight you will lose those best friends. But don’t worry, you are your own best friend.
Libra This will be the worst day of your life.
Scorpio The love of your life will enter your life today. But you won’t like that person at all. It will be a hostage situation and you will be forced to marry them.
Sagittarius You will happen to glance at the Pisces horoscope and look up the same song, then that song will be stuck in your head as well. Have fun.
Capricorn The stars are filled with wonder and so are you. Today, you will find the answer to a question that has been on your mind for years. But then, you will forget that answer soon after.
Aquarius
You will be filled with joy at some point today, but that joy will only exist after a wild jungle cat attacks you. That’s right, you will find the joy while in the hospital. The anesthetics will make you very joyful.
Pisces
You will get a song stuck in your head. That song will be Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65. Look it up on YouTube. It will be stuck in your head the entire day with no hope of relief.
That is the fakest of fake horoscopes you will ever have the chance of reading. Guess what - if you act like it isn’t fake at all, you could almost think its like every other horoscope that exists. The stars will shine down on you no matter what you believe (Even in the daytime. Seriously, think about that. Look up in the daytime and there are trillions of stars, but you just can’t see them. It honestly blew my mind while writing these horoscopes. I guess I just thought they really did disappear when the sun came up).
Editorial
April 17, 2018
11
Senators for the People? It’s Up to U[CO] In the past few months, reporters from the Vista have been diving deep into the role of “Government Watchdog” with more weekly coverage of the University of Central Oklahoma’s Student Association than we’ve seen in several semesters. Again and again, reporters have been asked why they choose to pursue UCOSA so fiercely and unapologetically. However, again and again, UCOSA continues to slip up, seemingly forget laws and ask reporters to step down and cease reporting the truth. If nothing else, this exists as a sole reason to continue the pursuit and dive even deeper to hold this university’s most influential and powerful student organization to the highest standard. If that isn’t enough for you, here are some other reasons you should care about UCOSA’s not-so-healthy habits.
1.
LAST WEEK’S FRONT PAGE NEWS:
Last week, UCOSA voted to change their own bylaws on the resignation process of a member. The original bylaw called for any member that had violated state or national law, UCOSA Constitutional Law, UCOSA Statutes or UCO Student Congress Bylaws to be asked to resign through a UCO email. Now, following a “Do Pass” vote on April 9, violations of any law, statute or bylaw are not mentioned at all. “In the case that a Senator has a grievance against another Senator, including Congressional Leadership, legislation shall be drafted, which outlines grievances,” new UCOSA Bylaw Chapter 2, Section 7. Let me repeat that: “In the case that a Senator has a grievance against another Senator.” A grievance? What is outlined as a grievance? If Remington Dean stole Tate Atkinson’s sandwich, can Tate file legislation to have Remington removed? More likely with a tight-knit group like UCOSA, violations, mistakes and irresponsible decisions could go unnoticed, unpunished and quickly become forgotten. As Tate Atkinson told a reporter in UCOSA Makes Changes, Violations Continue, “Yes, it is within my duties to keep the executive members accountable, but I am not a watch dog or whistleblower.”
2.
LAWBREAKING LAWMAKERS – WITH NO REPERCUSSIONS:
In the past academic year, UCOSA has been seemingly breaking laws left and right, right under the student body’s nose. In fall 2017, the Vista covered our student government’s indiscretions against Oklahoma state law at least three times. This semester, even under the microscope, they continuously violate those laws. Who is to blame for this? Well, if you’ve been to any Congressional meetings, you may have heard that UCOSA blames lack of student interest. The leaders of this campus are blaming the very students they claim to serve for their law-breaking habits. And maybe, to some extent, this could be true. With no one to hold them accountable, who’s to say they shouldn’t break the law? It’s up to the democracy to hold their government accountable. It’s up to the people to ensure their government does not operate in secret, because once that happens, the democracy dies. While, yes, UCOSA shouldn’t break laws because, well, they’re laws, someone has to pick up the baton at some point. Students must hold UCOSA accountable, especially when the Accountability, Reform and Transparency Chair Tate Atkinson believes things like this: “This rule [bylaws Chapter 2, Section 7] first asks that members of UCOSA have a working knowledge of, and abide by, all UCOSA, Local, State and National laws. This is unreasonable.” (UCOSA Makes Changes, Violations Continue).
Cara Johnson @cara_johnson_ Editor-in-Chief
3.
ELECTIONS, APPOINTMENTS, CORRUPTION:
Oh, my. Let’s start this off with a few facts. According to the spring 2018 Demographics Book, over 14,000 students currently attend UCO. Roughly about 40 of those actually serve on UCOSA. All students are eligible to join UCOSA. All students can vote. In last year’s election that ended in Stockton Duvall becoming UCOSA president, only about 420 people on this campus voted. Total. That’s roughly three percent of the student body population. Three percent. That three percent decided the fate for our student body for the next year, a fate that led our campus to national controversy (Ken Ham Causes Controversy on Campus). This semester, another election took place with only one option: Remington Dean. The very Chair of Congress that continues to violate Oklahoma State Law. The very Chair that has rewritten UCOSA Bylaw to make it more difficult to replace any member of UCOSA. Presidential Candidate Remington Dean and Vice Presidential Candidate Mario Figueroa were the only names on the ticket. While other duos began with hopes of running, they slowly but surely dropped out of the race. Leaving elections aside, for the past couple of years, UCOSA has been appointing senators, regardless of the fact that their own bylaws call for elections. This semester, 13 senators were appointed with CR18-200 and another five with CR18-201, all but one of which voted for the new Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary of Student Congress. All of these positions are intended to serve the student body to the best of their abilities. However, without elections, how much say does a student actually have?
4.
FINALLY EVERYONE’S FAVORITE TOPIC.
MONEY.
Each semester, included in every student’s tuition, is a Student Activity Fee (SAF). This fee equals out to $14.25 per credit hour. A student with an average 15-hour load would be paying $225 each semester. Over 14,000 students at $225 per semester equals out to over $3 million of the student body’s money, 35 percent of which goes directly to UCOSA to oversee. This equals out to about $1.1 million. The money is then divided by UCOSA amongst student organizations based on a single meeting organization representatives have with UCOSA representatives each year. However, according to CB18-204, student government receives 16 percent of that funding, about $176,400. One more time for the people in the back: $176,400 goes directly to UCOSA. This does not include the millions of dollars in the Permanent Reserve Fund that is made up of all unused student activity fees throughout the years.
Regardless of the Vista’s coverage, regardless of involvement on campus, regardless of the $3 million a semester UCOSA is in charge of, regardless of absolutely any other reason you could possibly think of, $176,400 is a lot of reasons to become a government watchdog. You don’t have to be a journalist to question your government. You don’t have to be a senator to hold them accountable. You do, however, have to show up for your school. Show up for your fellow students and show up for yourself. Why should you care about what UCOSA is doing? Because they’re doing it with your money, under your nose, at your school.
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April 17, 2018
Sports
SPORTS
Bronchos Find Their Ace James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15
Contributing Writer
After watching his freshman battle to the final four in the 64 player ITA Regional tournament this fall, UCO Head Tennis Coach Jaron Maestas went and told Laetitia Charbonnet that she could potentially become a nationally ranked player. At the time, Charbonnet was 6-3 on the season. Now after her last regular season match on Saturday, she has a record of 22-5 and is not only ranked 24th in the country in singles, but also ranked 27th in the country in doubles with her partner Kirtana Bhat. “I didn’t really believe him at the beginning because I had no idea how it worked,” Charbonnet said. “But now I feel happy to be ranked.” In Charbonnet's first season with the Bronchos, she has shown how dominant she can be. She has placed herself as one of the top players on the team as she has the most wins; a combined 37 between singles and doubles this season. She is 8-1 in
Freshman Laetitia Charbonnet hits the ball during a match against Southern Nazarene University on February 2 at the Broncho Courts. (Lauren Bieri/ UCO Photo Services)
the Mid-America Intercollgiate Athletics Association and was selected as the MIAA Tennis Player of the Week for the first week of March, an accomplishment rarely achieved by
Freshman Laetitia Charbonnet returns the ball during a match against Emporia State on March 30 at the Broncho Courts. (Dan Smith/UCO Photo Services)
international freshman players. Charbonnet was born in Beuron, Switerland and during her childhood, she played many sports, including soccer and skiing. She first played tennis at eight-years-old. After playing recreationally for a year, Charbonnet said she began to pursue tennis as her dominate sport because she had come to appreciate it. “As can be assumed, tennis is not as big as soccer is in Switzerland, but it is still pretty common,” Charbonnet said. “I didn’t play as often as the other kids with the same age as me because I was doing ski at the same time. But then, I chose to stop doing ski in order to take tennis more seriously.” As the years went on, Charbonnet improved her game, taking inspiration from Switzerland natives Roger Federer, Stanislas Wawrinka and Timea Bacsinsky. From there, Charbonnet began playing for her high school, Lycee College des Creusets in Sion, Switzerland. “I played three to four times a week before coming to the USA,” Charbonnet said. “Which is not a lot compared to what I am doing now at
UCO.” Charbonnet said her decision to come to the United States and play for UCO was not difficult because of Maestas. “When I had to choose a university, I had no idea of what Division II really meant nor if the UCO team was good or not,” Charbonnet said. “I feel like I chose UCO because of [Coach] Jaron [Maestas]. When I spoke with Jaron I had a really good feeling. He knew how to talk to me and moreover how to convince me that UCO would be the perfect university for me.” Along with her individual success, the Bronchos tennis team is ranked eighth nationally and is on a five-match win streak. The Bronchos finished their last regular season match Saturday, beating the Angelo State Rams 5-0 at the Oak Tree Tennis Center, improving their record to 16-2 on the season. With an 8-1 record in the MIAA conference, the Bronchos will go into the conference tournament ranked second behind the undefeated Northeastern State RiverHawks.
Sports
April 17, 2018
13
UCO Puts Spring in its Step Jonathan Goudeau @Goudeau_jdg
Sports Reporter
With spring football ending Saturday, the University of Central Oklahoma football team found a couple of answers to some key questions they had entering the spring. At the most important position, quarterback, questions still remain as Head Coach Nick Bobeck hasn't named a starter. “It will carry into the fall,” Bobeck said. The three front runners are redshirt freshman Johnny Bizzell and sophomores Keats Calhoon and Chandler Garrett. All three took first-team reps and coaches said they like what all three bring to the offense. Along with the quarterback position, coaches said they want to see continued improvement from the wide receivers. “We lost a lot of talent at that position last year, plus working with multiple quarterbacks it is a work in progress,” Bobeck said. “They are a talented group but they have to eliminate the missed assignments and start playing fast.” Coaches said they are impressed by the play of redshirt freshman guard Seth Carmack who is competing for the starting job left by Aaron Williams. The Bethany native has a 6-feet-2-inch, 265 pound frame. “Seth Carmack had a good showing at guard,” Bobeck said. “He is a really talented young man.” Defensively, coaches were pleased by the improvement of the secondary. “I feel like the secondary really improved through the spring,” Bobeck said. “Those guys made plays throughout the spring. There are some young talented kids in that group.” One of the young talented kids Bobeck is referring to is redshirt freshman Kolby Underwood. The Arlington, Texas native was named First-Team All-District his senior season, posting 32 tackles, 16 pass-breakups and returned two interceptions for touchdowns. He is competing for the starting cornerback job left by Omari Cole. “Kolby Underwood had a really good spring,” Bobeck said. “He made a lot of plays on the ball.”
The UCO Bronchos storm the field prior to their home opener Thursday August 31, 2017, against Lindenwood University in Edmond, Okla. The Bronchos still have multile positions to fill after Spring camp ended. (Vista Archives)
With seniors like Riley Galyon and Cole graduating, the Bronchos are looking for leaders on the defensive side of the ball. Bobeck said there are a few players who have taken on a leadership role this spring. “Colton Lindsey has stepped up on the defensive side of the ball along with O'Shay Harris and Addison Staggs,” Bobeck said. “We are still waiting for the offensive leadership to emerge.” While the defense has seen leaders step up, Bobeck is waiting for the start of fall practice to decide the rest of the open positions. “Most of the positions are up for grabs,” Bobeck said. “When we report in the fall, we will get several guys back that were either out with injuries or had to sit [out] the semester from an NCAA standpoint.” The Bronchos are looking to carry the momentum from the spring into the summer. “We want to keep everybody healthy and have great attendance at summer lifting sessions,” Bobeck said.
14
April 17, 2018
Sports
UCO Steals Top of MIAA Derek Parker @D_Park2
Contributing Writer
The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team's winning percentage is 20 points higher this year, despite losing an All-American and experience from last year's group. UCO is 28-12, and sitting atop the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association conference with a record of 20-6 in conference play. The Bronchos started the 2018 season with several gaps to fill. The 2017 roster was built around 14 seniors, and was loaded with experience. Seniors such as Jon Kamies, Chris Lobato, Brock Stuber and Korey Floyd left big holes to fill at several positions. UCO finished 37-21-1 overall in the 2017 season, and fifth place in the MIAA conference. Despite losing this class of seniors, the Bronchos have stepped up and delivered this season. The Bronchos have 25 seniors on their roster, and several have taken on a bigger role.
Senior first baseman Paul Kropf, No. 25, celebrates with teammate Dayne Sommer, No. 22, during a game against Washburn University on February 26 at Wendell Simmons Field. (KT King/UCO Photo Services)
When asked who had assumed leadership roles this season, head coach John Martin couldn’t name just one. “There's a lot of them, I don’t
Senior pitcher Tyler Culver, No. 12, throws the ball during a game against Missouri Southern State University on April 3 at Wendell Simmons Field. (KT King/UCO Photo Services)
think I could name just one or two,” Martin said. “A lot of them have stepped up in different roles, whether that's pitching, defense or hitting.” Seniors like Justin Brown, Kyle Miskovsky, Paul Kropf and Tyler Culver have become leaders for the team. Brown has improved his statistics from last year, both at the plate and in the field. Although Brown was a vital part to the 2017 team, he said being around the team for another year has helped him find his groove and deliver several big performances. Brown has had two walk-off hits this year, and is currently batting .306 at the plate, with 33 hits and 28 runs batted in. Miskovsky is another senior who has improved from last year, raising his batting percentage by over 40 points. At the plate, Miskovsky is batting .363, and is in the top five of eight different offensive categories for the Bronchos, along with leading the team in hits. Kropf is UCO's senior first baseman, and leads the team in both RBIs and runs scored. Culver is undefeated this year when he steps on the mound. The senior pitcher boasts a 7-0 record,
while leading the team in strikeouts with 59. Last year the Bronchos had 20 wins in conference play. With 10 conference games left, UCO has already hit 20 conference wins. They’re 6-0 in series on the year, which Martin said has been vital in preparing them for the postseason. “If you go out and win each series, whether its the midweek or weekend, you got a chance to do some good things at the end of the year,” Martin said. “Hopefully that can help us when we get to the post-season.” The Bronchos next game is at Missouri Southern on Tuesday at 5 p.m. They then begin a weekend home series against Missouri Western starting Friday at 3 p.m.
UPCOMING GAMES April 17
5 p.m. at Missouri Southern
April 20
3 p.m. vs. Missouri Western
April 21
3 p.m. vs Missouri Western
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Bucking Broncho
April 17, 2018
15
Legends of the Paul The Oklahoma City Thunder came into the 2017-2018 NBA season with expectations at an all time high, but they failed to live up to them in the regular season. Oklahoma City's mantra became that they would reach expectations when the playoffs came around. After game one, the Thunder reached those expectations and then some, after handling the Utah Jazz 116108. Although Oklahoma City was behind 11-2 heading into the first timeout, they would take control in the first quarter and never look back. The Thunder's big three were responsible for scoring the majority
of the team’s first half points and finished the game with a combined 80 points. After struggling from the 3-point line since the All-Star break, Paul George, or Playoff P, caught fire and set the Thunder record for most three's in a playoff game with eight. This was the George that Thunder fans had been waiting for all season and gave the Thunder offense a second elite scorer and 3-point shooter. George has been terrific this year on defense and has had his moments, but he played on another level in game one against the Jazz. If George was the Thunder's fire, then Russell Westbrook was the
spark that ignited it. Westbrook had a vigorous amount of energy, filling up the box chart with 29 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. This showed on the first basket of the game where he threw down a vicious dunk and riled the crowd up. Carmelo Anthony, after a tough slump at the end of the regular season, where some questioned if he should play in the late game lineup, played well and scored 15 points. He provided a necessary third option for the Thunder's isolation offense and hit key shots in the fourth quarter. The biggest surprise of the game was the effectiveness of the Thun-
der's bench, where Alex Abrines hit three 3-pointers and provided spacing on the floor. Jerami Grant, Raymond Felton and Abrines played big minutes in the fourth quarter, where the Thunder went on their biggest run. NBA teams sometimes wait to kick it into gear in the NBA Playoffs and it looks like the Thunder have done just that. Oklahoma City has shown flashes of this level of play this season, like when they beat the Golden State Warriors, but they were never able to sustain it. Now, the Thunder have to if they want to advance in the NBA Playoffs.