the VISTA
Volume 116, Issue 4
“Our Words, Your Voice.”
ucentralmedia.com vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Oklahoma Protects Free Speech on Campus Vy Luong @vy169
Reporter
A University of Central Oklahoma student gives a speech during the 2017 ‘No Ban No Wall’ protest under the blue tent on campus. A new bill in the Oklahoma House of Representatives could protect the right to free speech at UCO for students, faculty, staff and others. (Vista Archives)
A new bill that could affect freedom of speech on Oklahoma campuses was read for the first time at the second General Session of the 56th Legislature of Oklahoma on Monday. House Bill 3586, written by Republican Speaker Charles McCall, would initiate the Forming Open and Robust University Minds Act (FORUM Act) on campuses. The bill intends to protect students from discrimination, specifically from religion or belief-based groups. “We believe Speaker McCall wants to ensure that they will have the atmosphere of civility when speakers are on campus,” said University of Central Oklahoma President Don Betz. The FORUM Act was initially introduced by the American Legiscontinued on pg. 3
Mural Review Committee Runs with New Idea
Christian Tabak @CaffeineWallace Reporter
A review committee for the University of Central Oklahoma’s controversial Land Run mural unveiled the concept art for the replacement mural at a community forum held last Tuesday in the Nigh University Center Ballrooms. Deriving inspiration from the 2017 Starbucks holiday cup design, the initial concept for the new mural will feature a group of diverse individuals
holding hands. The mural itself will focus on the arms and hands of the individuals, showing only from the elbow down. “We came up with a design that really needs to be refined, but we’ve kind of taken that first step for you that would get you into the ballpark of what that image would look like,” said Bob Palmer, co-chair for the Mural Review Committee and painter of the original mural. Palmer said each of the arms continued on pg. 3
Robert Palmer addresses the audience during the Land Run mural forum on Tuesday, Jan. 30 in the Nigh University Center Ballrooms. Palmer is taking on the mural replacement project and plans to use the help of current UCO students. (Ryan Naeve/ The Vista)
UCOSA WATCH
BRONCHO SPORTS
Gun Debate Breaks Out at UCOSA Meeting
Evans Inducted Into Hall of Fame
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