Celebrating 100 Years
T 1-1 S TA The Student Voice Since 1903
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2003
UCO to be state `school of choice' by 2010, says Webb by Jim Epperson III Senior Writer
Photo by Gavin Elliott
Roger Webb and Dr. J. Gail Neely speak at a faculty meeting August 12.
President Roger Webb announced his goal Aug. 12 to make UCO the leading state university of choice by the end of the decade. An "incredible transformation" has occurred, Webb told faculty at the annual fall faculty meeting. He said the image of a dusty commuter college where people fight traffic, go to class and leave as fast as they can is gone. "That old image has been swept away by a new Central that is thriving, pulsating and alive," Webb said. Webb used the new
Wellness Center, Wantland Stadium renovations, the 16month-old Jazz Lab and a new logo to serve as proof that UCO is on the move for the better. "People want to identify with something that looks cool," Webb said about the new logo. He said brands and logos bombard students wherever they go. A great brand raises the bar, he said, and it gives people a sense of purpose. "We now have a new Central with great teachers, friendly students, a huge variety of programs and activity for all," Webb said. Webb said he has noticed
more students staying on campus after hours and on the weekends. Students now have more opportunities to be exposed to culture, he said. "More students are being introduced to opera, theater, music theater, dance and jazz," Webb said. Despite large budget cuts in the past two years, administrators assured faculty that UCO is better off. Dr. Don Betz, vice-president for academic affairs, said it is no accident that UCO has changed so much in the past year. "It happened by leadership. It happened by design [of President Webb]," he said.
Photo Provided Photo by Tina Fowble
The parking lot at the UCO Wellness Center was landscaped over the summer break.
Summer projects increase parking by Robert T. Crauthers Staff Writer UCO will have 361 more parking spaces this fall as a result of two projects completed this summer, said Charlie Johnson, UCO News Bureau director. The majority of the extra spaces, which are multi-purpose and available to everyone, are available south of the Wellness Center, he said. "They're not new spaces. It's just that they were previously out of commission during the Wellness Center construction," Johnson said. Fourteen of the additional parking spaces are allotted to students only. These were added during a project that repaired and resurfaced the parking lot
east of the Nigh University Center. The university is now in its second year of a three-year plan to expand and improve its parking capability, said Leon Fourcade, manager of UCO Parking Services, in a press release issued July 24. The 2004 project will include improving the lot on the corner of East Main and Bauman, some of the lots on Ayers Street and possibly the Administration building's parking lot, Fourcade said. The next project, which is scheduled for the 2005 summer, will include repairing the lot west of the Education Building as well as building a new lot north of the Edmond Fire Station, he said.
"It's a flexible plan," Fourcade said. "Not all of the projects may be done. It just depends on the money available and the priorities at the time. A lot can happen to the existing lots in a year or two." The project is being allocated through funds received by the cost of parking permits, he said. During a meeting Aug. 12, UCO President Roger Webb notified faculty members that they would receive a $65 permit refund for their work this past year. "This is not free money," he said. "We have to make this money up from some other source." "The bond holders that pay for the parking lots are going to insist that we've got it. So don't
expect this every year," Webb said. Steve Kreidler, vice president of Finance Administration, said that the project would not be set back by the refunds because the university bought the permits for faculty members this year. Discounted permits are being offered again this year for anyone willing to walk a little further to class, he said. The discounted permits are $12 for the entire school year, and would require parking in the lot east of Wantland stadium. Regular annual permits cost $65, and both can be purchased at the Parking Services counter on the third floor of the Nigh University Center.
UCO's new logo, with the mascot, designed for athletics
New logo helps change school image by Caroline Duke Managing Editor A new UCO logo, representing change, was unveiled to the greater Oklahoma City area in July. Third Degree Advertising of Oklahoma City donated $50,000 of time and resources to design the new logo, said Charlie Johnson, UCO News Bureau director. "Change needs to occur as times change and certainly to reflect the positive change and spirit that's happening here on campus," said Charlie Johnson, director of the UCO News Bureau. The change, he said, reflect academic excellence and athletic spirit. "We wanted to develop an athletic logo and university logo that will hopefully endure for decades," said Roy Page, president of Third Degree and member of the UCO Foundation Board of Directors. "One of the ways [to contribute] is through our time and talents and not just our financial contributions,"
he said. The university's newest recruitment campaign displayed the logo on approximately 50 billboards throughout the greater Oklahoma City area and cost $15,000 to $16,000, Johnson said University Relations used the elements of Third Degree's logo to design the billboards, which were placed by Lamar Outdoor Advertising at the end of July. The logo's design was rearranged by University Relations to fit the billboard. The background color chosen by University Relations made the broncho barely visible, but Lamar soon changed it to make it snore apparent. "For the shape of the billboard, we had to arrange things a little bit," said Dr. Bill Wiseman, director of Univerity Relations. A university logo lasts about 20 years, said Steven Kreidler, vice president of Finance and Administration. The last logo was created in the late 70s or early 80s, he said.
New students stampede UCO by Rachael Tully Staff Writer
Photo by Tina Fowble
Students line up August 13 on the West Hall lawn to receive housing assignments.
Broncho freshmen "stampeded" onto the UCO campus August 14 and 15 for Stampede Week's new student orientation. Stampede Week kicks off the fall semester by introducing students to college life, said Dr. Kathryn Gage, vice president of Student Services. "It is the single largest program at UCO. It involves the most students, faculty and staff," she said.
Campus tours were directed by 50 student volunteers, said Shai Rasmussen, executive orientation officer. "Stampede Week allows students to get comfortable on campus. They also get to make friends with their classmates," Rasmussen said. Motivational speaker Joe Martin, one of several featured speakers, gave advice to the new students. Martin, a journalism professor from the University of West Florida, spoke on finding life direction in college.
He is author of Tricks of the Trade: Street Smart Strategies for Acing College and speaks at 40 universities and colleges annually. "We use guest speakers to inspire our new students," Gage said. "This week shows students that they can get plugged in and not feel like a number. We have substance here. That is what makes UCO different," Rasmussen said. Activities for Stampede Week continue through Friday, Aug. 22.