UCO's The Vista, Feb. 7, 2023

Walking on a new path

Interim President Andrew Benton says he values interactment with UCO student body

University of Central Oklahoma Interim President Andrew Benton began working on campus Jan. 31, with goals to strengthen relations on campus, increase enrollment, and raise money for UCO during his temporary time at the university.

But, he will not be settling into his office.

“I’m not an across the desk kind of guy. I’d rather take you on a walk,” Benton said. “[People] shouldn’t be surprised to see me on campus because I really like to see students in their natural environment.”

Benton replaces former UCO President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar, whose tenure focused on solving budgetary issues at the university. While no master plan exists to decrease the looming shortfalls in revenue and enrollment, Benton said he prefers to raise money, rather than cutting costs.

Using an “empathic, but assertive” approach, Benton believes developing the community from the inside-out will allow UCO to succeed on its laurels: quality education at affordable costs.

He said universities should focus on accessibility in all matters of student life, not just financially. Benton hopes to make enrollment functions, like adding or dropping a class, more straightforward for students so

they don’t fear the process.

“I’m always thinking about irritants, and wanting to remove them. I try to get people to see that there’s a better, more student-serving, way of doing things,” he said. “I hope that’s responsive.”

The former Pepperdine University president said he hopes to be the right leader, at the right time for UCO students and faculty. His interactive philosophy, “management by walking around” as he coined it, will be beneficial to students, he said.

“Some presidents might not care about that as much, and that’s their business,” he said. “My business was doing it in my own authentic way.”

A Kansas native, Benton graduated from Oklahoma Christian University, receiving his juris doctorate degree later at Oklahoma City University. He transitioned into private education, spending 10 years in administration at Oklahoma Christian.

While Benton respects the differences between private and public institutions, he said educational leaders always have oversight: whether it’s from private or state regents. He does not fear the transition.

In his 19 years at Pepperdine, Benton managed the California institution’s own budget concerns, taking different approaches to solving its deficits.

In 2009, he volunteered to reduce his salary by 10% to help offset cuts. He later proposed a $25 million

Walters promotes ‘performance-pay’

Georgia

Jones

Contributing Writer

The state Board of Education approved Superintendent Ryan Walters’ proposal for a “performance-pay” approach to Oklahoma teacher salaries in late January. The measure is now headed to the Oklahoma legislature, which convenes this week.

Walters’ $150 million program would offer raises varying from $2,500 to

$10,000 on top of the state’s minimum salary, with raises determined by factors such as professional development, student performance and classroom practices.

“We grade kids in the classroom and reward them for hard work and diligence,” Walters said. “Teachers need to be rewarded for the same.”

reallocation which required eliminating more than 100 positions and cutting costs to athletics.

However, he took unorthodox approaches to maintain community satisfaction. The early 2000s Nickelodeon show “Zoey 101” was filmed at Pepperdine, garnering significant funding for the university.

“It goes back to my point about cuts and revenue,” he said. “If I could raise revenue by allowing our dressed campus to be used for movies and television shows, then that’s more we don’t have to charge in tuition.”

“It was good marketing. [‘Zoey 101’] was a good, wholesome story,” Benton said.

He remembers the experience as “crazy talented kids running around campus.”

With Oklahoma’s growing film industry, Benton said does not see why UCO could not take on these unique approaches to raising revenue.

The Regional University System of Oklahoma has begun its search for a permanent president, but no official timeline has been given. Benton said he would not accept a permanent position, and will return to retirement so he can spend time with his wife and grandchildren.

“Every day I wake up thinking about relations on campus, relations with the community, and student enrollment,” Benton said. “That’s my mantra, and I like our chances.”

Diverse candidates line up for open Oklahoma County Clerk position

Quinn Daugherty Reporter

A Special Primary Election will be held Tuesday, February 14, to determine Republican and Democratic nominees for the April 4 election for the office of Oklahoma County Clerk.

Eight candidates — five Democrats, and three Republicans — will appear on the special election ballot. The position was made vacant last June when former Oklahoma County Clerk David Hooten was accused by two female employees of sexual harassment. The office was helmed in the interim by Hooten’s chief deputy Danny Lambert. Republican Maressa

Treat received endorsements from U.S. Senators James Lankford and Markwayne Mullin in January. Treat served as finance director in Lankford’s re-election campaign, and as director of state outreach in his personal office. Treat is a lifelong conservative and community advocate in Oklahoma, according to her website.

Former Oklahoma State Representative Al Lindley and Oklahoma County Democratic Party Chair endorsed democrat Tom Guild.

“Over the years I have come to know a few of the many candidates seeking this office either by reputation or personal contact. Tom Guild is the

best choice for this essential office,” Lindley said in his endorsement. “I urge you to support and vote for Tom Guild for the office of Oklahoma County Clerk and ask others to do the same.”

Guild served as Oklahoma County Democratic Party Secretary and taught at Oklahoma universities during a career that spanned 30 years. Oklahoma voters might remember Guild from his failed congressional bid in 2018. In the lead-up to the Democratic primary, Guild was caught tampering and removing opponents’ signs.

Interim President Andrew Benton took on the role on Jan. 31. (Provided)

Ainsley Martinez Editor-in-Chief

State Superintendent Ryan Walters reforms schools. (Provided)

21-February 18

Positive signs are on the move as Mercury enters your sign on Saturday. The next few weeks will be full of ingenuity and creativity in communication where everyone else might understand your wavelength just a little better. Your song for the week is “Jubilation” by Norma Tanega.

19-March 20

Lucky you! A Venus-Uranus connection could bring right-placeright-time energy early in the week. Keep an eye out for opportunities that only knock once. Saturday’s Scorpio Moon will bring a creative and emotional undercurrent you can tap into for inspiration. Your song for the week is “Raindrop” by Hot Flash Heat Wave.

Exciting news! Vesta –the asteroid of absolute devotion – enters your sign on Tuesday. Expect passions to climb high this week. More than ever after the Leo Moon last week, this is your chance to walk into a new future. Create the life you want. Your song for this week is “MR NiCE GUY” by CHOBLOCOP.

Is an opportunity knocking at your door again?

A Venus-Uranus aspect brings luck in unexpected places Tuesday and Wednesday, so following your intuition might bring you anything from a really good day to some extra cash in your wallet. When Mercury enters Aquarius on Sunday, communication becomes easier with the air signs in your life. Your song for the week is “One Inch Punch” by Yin Yin.

21-July 22

Your sign is ruled by the Moon. When it wanes this week, you might feel that your energy is directed into different places than normal. This is the time to nurture yourself and the projects dearest to your heart.

Your song for the week is “Calming Night Partner” by Land of Talk.

After your full moon on Sunday night, it might be that a new version of yourself is stepping forward. It’s up to you to embrace it. This week brings themes of passion, drive, and connection. Your song for the week is “ALIEN SUPERSTAR” by Beyonce.

VIR GO August 23- September 22

This week starts with the waning moon in your sign, perfect for finishing projects and tying up loose ends. Mercury in Aquarius enhances your ability to see through confusing situations. A Mercurian aspect later in the week is the cherry on top for getting work done. Your song for the week is “Sedona” by Houndmouth.

LIBR A

23-October 2 2

Is dancing in your plans?

The Moon in your sign Thursday and Friday brings peaceful energy that could turn into a lot of fun. Also, Mercury’s transition into Aquarius heightens your bubbly nature. Your song for the week is “Spotlight” by Jessie Ware.

If the snow days had you frazzled, there’s good news here! Friday will bring a mental boost perfect for powering through. A Libra Moon rings in the weekend this time around, adding a little extra sparkle to your networking skills. Mercury goes into Aquarius Saturday, putting the spotlight on new ideas and creative solutions. Now’s your time to shine! Your song this week is “Crash” by Neovaii.

23-November 21

You are no stranger to devotion. This week, when Vesta enters Aries, your passions may feel even deeper and more intense than before. Saturday night brings the waning moon into your sign, marking a perfect time for self care. Do things that make you feel more like yourself. Your song for the week is “Crush With Eyeliner” by R.E.M.

SAGITTARIUS

22-December 21 CAPRICORN

Dear firecracker, good things are on the way! A Mercurian aspect means Friday will be a quick day for getting work done. A Libra Moon this weekend lightens up the mood. Have fun with it!

Your song for the week is “This Is What We Look Like” by Personal Best.

21-January 20

On Friday, Mercury teams up with Pluto to enhance your problem solving skills. Sharing your clever solutions could result in a boost for your reputation. This is also under a Libra Moon, meaning that your diplomatic communication skills are sharper than normal.

Your song for the week is “Those Were The Days” by Lady Sovereign.

How UCO Decides to Cancel Class for Weather

Kaleb Gonzalez

Contributing Writer

The University of Central Oklahoma hosted meetings, observed weather forecasts, and connected with local public school systems to track last week’s weather, resulting in the campus closing for three days just a few weeks into the spring semester.

At 8:40 a.m. Monday, Jan. 30, the university held a Winter Weather Operations Decisions Meeting to discuss the unexpected morning forecast. Edmond woke up to freezing temperatures and icy road conditions, which led to the university canceling all activities on campus at 9:30 a.m.

Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs Adrienne Nobles, said the forecast took them by surprise.

STAFF

“Ice events are the hardest to forecast, because it could be a couple of factors that could change everything,” Nobles said.

UCO has several teams and services in place to decide when to cancel classes during inclement weather. The National Weather Service, a forecasting weather service, is the university’s primary source of weather information. UCO’s Winter Weather Operations team will then hold a meeting to discuss how many people will be affected by the conditions.

UCO considers road and parking lot conditions, travel distance, sidewalks, and primary entrances to buildings. Contracted vendor services clear ice on parking lots and sidewalks, so appropriate contacts and preparations must be

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made to ensure the university is accessible.

“The majority of our students commute from a very short distance, so we consider clearing parking lots, primary and secondary entrances, and sidewalks so that people are safe when they arrive on campus,” Nobles said.

Nobles said the university also consults Academic Affairs before deciding, with the UCO president making the final decision. She said students should make the best decision for their safety, whether the campus closes or not. Some suggestions include checking weather reports, preparing in advance for parking, and wearing boots with good traction.

UCO provides a snow map for students, showing recommended pathways and entrances, as well as inclement weather information on its website.

Once UCO decides to cancel class, the information will be sent out via Centralities, UCONNECT, the UCO website, UCentralMedia.com, and

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.

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The bronze Broncho Bell in front of Old North tends to gather ice and snow when the skies darken and temperatures drop below freezing. (PROVIDED)

Boots with good traction can help prevent slips on the ice. (PROVIDED)

Walters ‘performance-pay’ for public school

Continued from Pg. 1

The proposal has caused a rift among prominent members of the education field, with various state politicians and educators calling for pay raises for all teachers, regardless of factors such as classroom practices. The policy does not specify how districts would implement the approach, nor does it detail how student performance would be evaluated.

Many are concerned by the lack of guaranteed raises and the possibility that unclear evaluations for teachers would end up causing more harm than good.

“Different teacher evaluation forms and inconsistency between raters within and between schools makes the system suggested by this policy unreliable,” said Bryan Duke, University of Central Oklahoma’s interim dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies.

“While I appreciate any effort to recognize Oklahoma’s teachers, serious efforts are needed to make the profession more attractive and competitive regarding pay and working conditions for all

who are contributing and advancing in this work,” Duke said. “Expert teachers and those developing expertise benefit from appropriate support. A performance-pay model has the potential to demotivate and discourage the retention of teachers who are making a difference for kids and their families every day, but whose performance is not recognized in a problematic system.”

Oklahoma teachers have advocated for statewide pay raises for years. During former Gov. Mary Fallin’s term in 2018, a nine-day teacher walkout was held, and Fallin signed a measure giving all teachers a $6,100 raise.

Even with that increase in pay, Oklahoma ranks 49th in education in the United States. The fight to give teachers proper pay has impacted the field immensely, with teachers quitting the field or leaving the state.

Duke said it is affecting recruitment at the state’s education colleges and departments.

“It is more difficult now than I have witnessed in my 32 years as an educator to encourage students and prospective students to become a teacher,” Duke said. “We are seeing declines in

enrollment, but through really strong initiatives, we seem to be slowing the decline.”

While he emphasized the rewards of a teaching career, Duke said that promoting those personal and professional rewards requires more support from both the state Legislature and the general public.

“Teachers can choose to come to your local school, stay, or go,” Duke said. “There are not many teachers — especially those who have been comprehensively prepared and certified — to replace the ones who leave. Teachers have more responsibilities and challenges placed on them than they have in the past, yet they are increasingly being scrutinized. That dynamic is not sustainable. Our state needs a strong and supported teacher workforce, and I’m hopeful real problems — including appropriate support systems — will be the focus as we move forward.”

The superintendent will present his proposal to the House and Senate once the legislative session commences for 2023.

Eight canidates run for Oklahoma County Clerk

Continued from Pg. 1

“My professional training is in law, and I have been licensed to practice in Oklahoma for decades. One of the skills that I have honed as an attorney and as a professor is how to mitigate differences, resolve conflict, and get everyone pulling in the same direction on the same rope,” Guild said of his qualifications on Facebook. “Leadership is in large measure getting a diverse group of individuals to work together for the greater good. This skill will stand me in good stead in serving the citizens of Oklahoma County.” Other Democratic candidates include Vil-

lage City Councilman and restauranteur Sean Cummings, entrepreneur Tiffany Ellis, community organizer B.C. Phillips, and Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church Derrick Scobey.

Phillips plans to address three issues if elected: fixing what’s broken, accessibility, and transparency, according to his website. A large portion of Phillips’ platform involves working with IT to redesign county resource websites and improving the use of accessibility technologies. If elected, Scobey hopes to prioritize collaboration, stewardship, transparency and accountability, development, and inclusion, according to his campaign website.

Two candidates run for Edmond mayor

Continued from Pg. 1

Two candidates, incumbent Mayor Darrell A. Davis and Brian Shellem will face off for the Edmond Mayor seat in the upcoming April general election.

Two other challengers, Ed Moore and Rich Hess, dropped out of the race shortly after announcing their candidacy in December. Under Edmond’s election rules, a February primary election is no longer necessary since there are already two finalists in the race for Edmond Mayor.

Davis is running to secure a second term as the mayor of Edmond. He was elected mayor in 2021, becoming Edmond’s first Black mayor. Before his historic win as mayor, he also became the first Black person to serve on the Edmond City Council in 2011.

According to his campaign website, some of his priorities include preserving Edmond’s natural resources, improving the city’s water system, street infrastructure, and public safety. Davis works as an adjunct professor in aviation at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He also serves on the advisory board of UCO’s President Council of Advisors and Master of

Public Administration.

Davis did not respond to an interview request in time for publication.

Shellem, a businessman and longtime Edmond resident, is challenging Davis for the mayor’s seat. Shellem was among the six parents who filed a lawsuit and ultimately won against Edmond Public Schools, challenging the district’s quarantine protocols in September 2021.

Shellem said his top priorities, if elected, would be the city’s traffic conditions and ensuring the needs of the community are being heard and considered when making decisions. He said he would like to hold regular town halls to ensure the needs of Edmond residents are accurately represented. Shellem has been knocking doors to hear directly from Edmond residents about their concerns.

“I believe we’re a government of, by, and for the people, and that’s the number one goal [as mayor], to restore the faith in our city government,” Shellem said.

The nonpartisan election will be held on April 4 to determine who will serve as Edmond’s mayor for the next two years. The Edmond City Council is composed of five members, including the mayor and four council members representing the wards of Edmond.

“For years I have bridged communities, businesses, organizations, ideologies, and all to create progress. I want to bring that to the County Clerk’s office,” Scobey’s campaign website said.

Republican Maressa Treat is opposed by Deputy County Clerk Jonathan Clour, and local entrepreneur Gloria Banister. Bannister most recently lost her bid for House District 87 to Democrat Ellyn Hefner. Oklahomans hoping to vote in the Special Primary Election can request a voter application form at Oklahoma.gov. Absentee ballots are no longer available.

Darrell Davis (above) and Brian Shellem (below).

Inflation remains high while student interest rates climb

Sam Kozlowski

Writer

Slowing inflation from its peak has so far been successful for the Federal Reserve, but it comes with downsides as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has slowly increased interest rates to a range of 4.50% to 4.75%.

What does this mean? Slowed economic growth is the result of moves to tighten monetary policy in the U.S.

To curb high inflation on everyday goods, the Federal Reserve tightens monetary policies by raising interest rates, which makes borrowing money more expensive; not printing cash, which reduces the money supply lent to banks;

and controlling wages.

The latest Federal Reserve decision to raise rates by 25 basis points came on Feb. 1. Hope for an economic soft landing is still alive, Powell said. He has made it clear that he does not want to over tighten monetary policy. However, ongoing increases in rates are needed to get inflation back between the 2-5% area, according to Powell.

“The high inflation rate we are experiencing now increases our cost of living. Anyone whose income is not adjustable in the short term are forced to have a lower standard of living. It means that people both have lower purchasing power and save less for their future,” said Dr. Kuang-Chung Hsu, Department of Economics at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Purchasing power is the value of goods or services that can be purchased with one unit of currency, therefore purchasing power drops when the price of goods rises.

College students borrow billions of dollars in student loans every year. High interest rates affect students in a variety of ways, such as higher monthly student loan payments, which increases the length of time it takes to repay loans for graduates.

Higher loan costs often discourage students from pursuing their education.

Fewer job opportunities for students is another result of slow economic growth due to high interest rates. This is because businesses must pay more for borrowing money, which is why many compa-

nies lay off workers during times of economic uncertainty.

“My concern is that most college kids work for minimum wage or bottom wage in a company. In other words, they are dispensable workers when the company loses profit and needs to lay off workers,” Hsu said. “For them, they are the greatest victims of this inflation.”

Waves of inflation come and go. Historically in times of high inflation, interest rates must be above 5% for inflation to ease for good. This includes during the Great Depression, the recession throughout the 70s, the dotcom bubble and the housing market crisis in 2007-2008. At the current 4.50% to 4.75% rate, expect interest rates to rise more in the future.

Legislators submit bills for new session at the capitol

Contributing Writer

The new year brings a new legislative session for the representatives at the State Capitol, and Oklahoma lawmakers are anticipating high stress and high stakes when they meet on the congressional floor for the first meetings of the 59th legislative session.

Tensions were already rising at the capitol as both Republicans and Democrats rushed to submit their proposed bills on Jan. 19. While the Republican Party appears to have tax cuts as a top priority, Democrats are expected to lean hard into voting rights and regulations ahead of the 2024 presidential primary. Both parties are also expected to consider proposals regarding school vouchers, law

ing legislative session,” said Charles McCall, speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. “While we are sure to deal with a number of issues of concern to the people of Oklahoma, the topics mentioned above are definitely some of our caucus priorities. These issues can fluctuate as the session moves along depending on needs that arise, and there are a number of important topics we will address this year.”

With the presidential run for 2024 on the horizon and multiple legal battles regarding voting rules active inside and outside Oklahoma, voter rights continue to be a hot topic amongst both parties. At both a state and federal level, lawmakers are working urgently to uphold the democratic process. Both Republicans

to make sure our elections in Oklahoma are safe, secure and everyone who has the right to vote can do so,” McCall said. “We are always focused on free and fair elections, and our

Following the end of the voting sessions for both House and Senate in 2022, the Oklahoma courts also welcomed an assembly of newly elected officials. Oklahoma elected 123

comes to getting bills this session onto Governor Kevin Stitt’s desk. The floors of the Capitol are sure to be filled with various debates and discussions when Oklahoma’s first session finally

Contributing

How much is your dollar worth? Inflation rates have eased, but they are still high, especially amid increasing interest rates. (The Vista/Sam Kozlowski)

Georgia Jones

The Oklahoma legislature is now in session. (PROVIDED)

‘Lockwood & Co.’ goes ghost chasing in London

Madelyn Fisher

Contributing

Writer

Netflix’s “Lockwood & Co.,” based on the fivebook series of the same name written by Jonathan Stroud was released Jan. 27 and debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a 100% from critics. The show, which follows three ghost-hunting teens through the streets of London, is already a hit.

Despite its title, “Lockwood & Co.” focuses largely on female lead Lucy Carlysle as she teams up with her male counterparts Anthony Lockwood and George Karim to handle what London has coined as “The Problem.” Fifty years prior to the start of the show, the United Kingdom found itself riddled with ghosts, referred to as “visitors,” who can be dealt with

only by neutralizing their “source.”

The catch? Only the young are capable of seeing and hearing these entities and putting them away for good. This means that with “The Problem” came an uprising of agencies created to train and utilize London’s youth in solving their living dead issue.

“Lockwood & Co.” mixes thrills, mystery, and witty commentary with its outstanding sets, sophisticated effects and a cast that lacks no chemistry. The show starts off fast and rarely finds the time to slow down as it follows the trio from case to case as they piece together what may be a bigger mystery that no one is ready for.

The only downfall of the show is its lack of time spent on world building

and explaining its magic system. Although viewers will be kept on the edge of their seats from episode to episode, they might finish with plenty of questions unanswered about the world they just experienced for

eight hours.

With only eight episodes to get so much done, this might not be all that surprising and will only keep audiences wanting more. So far, Netflix has not confirmed a second season but

many viewers are already hopeful to see the trio back on their screens. For now, they may find themselves scrambling to the books for more “Lockwood & Co.” adventures.

Shakespeare and ‘Little Women’ take center stage for theater season

Madelyn Fisher

Contributing Writer

Fans of the arts will be in for a busy spring season as the University of Central Oklahoma’s theater arts, opera, and musical theater performers bring them a full schedule of shows ranging from William Shakespeare to newly published pieces. All performances will be held in the Mitchell Hall Theatre with tickets available online or through the box office.

Theatre Arts will kick off the semester with their first show “Much Ado About Nothing,” directed by Ronn Burton. The piece is a Shakespeare comedy first published in 1623. The play follows young lovers Hero and Claudio as they devise a plan to make a couple out of enemies Benedick and Beatrice. Posters can already be found hung throughout campus with shows running Feb. 9-12.

UCO’s opera will follow soon after with their performance of “Die Fledermaus” with School of Music Director Rob Glaubitz at its helm. The operetta composed by Johann Strauss II first premiered in 1874 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna. The piece, which is set in Vienna between wars, tells the story of Dr. Falke as he enacts his revenge plan on the unsuspecting Eisenstein before the New Year. Performances take place March 3-5.

Musical theater will be putting on “Little Women: The Musical,” directed by Greg White, head of the UCO School of Music musical theater division. The popular novel has been adapted many times over the years into every type of media imaginable from the big screen to Broadway. The original author,

Louisa May Alcott, first published the book in 1868, telling the story of the four March sisters as they transition from girlhood to womanhood in the 1860s. Performances will take place April 20-23.

Other performances by the Theatre Arts program for the semester will include more recent pieces like “White” by James Ijames. “White” follows Gus, a white artist who hires Black actress Vanessa to take on the role of Balkonaé Townsend to get his art featured in an exhibition looking for artists of color. Performances will be March 9-11 and admission will be free with reservations required.

Soon after “White,” the Theatre Arts program will put on “The Revolutionists.” The piece was published in 2018 by Lauren Gunderson and will follow the stories of four women; playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marrianne Angelle as they try to push back against extremists of the French Revolution. Performances will take place April 13-15.

Toward the end of the semester, Theatre Arts will put on its annual short play festival, which will feature plays directed by students in their directing capstone course. Each student will have had the opportunity to choose a script, cast their roles, and direct their pieces. This will include parts of costume design and set layout. Shows will be performed April 27-29.

Podcasts grow in popularity as media landscape evolves

Kelanie Robertson

Contributing Writer

Podcasts have become a craze over the last decade. While music has a tight hold as humans’ preferred listening, podcasts have quickly become a favorite audio alternative.

“While terrestrial radio reaches a large portion of the U.S. population, online audio and podcasting audiences have grown over the last decade,” said a recent study from Pew Research Center. “And revenue for news radio stations dropped over the past year after years of relative stability.”

Millions of individuals are shifting to podcasts for their entertainment and informational needs, so what does this mean for the rest of the broadcasting community?

David Nelson is a mass communication professor at UCO, teaching classes surrounding media, radio and audio production. Along with teaching, Nelson’s latest project has been hosting the podcast ‘The 33: Methamphetamine: A

Podcasting is benefitting from changing listening tastes. (AP/PROVIDED)

Love Story’ with Dr. Rashi Shukla. The podcast follows the lives of 33 people whose lives were impacted by meth addiction.

Nelson said that he does not necessarily see podcasts as a threat to other forms of broadcasting such as radio, but just as another outlet for people to use.

“In my opinion, both of them — music and

podcasting — serve different purposes. I see music as something that our bodies and brains like as far as the rhythmic portion of it and the lyrics, and they are generally pretty short and pleasurable experiences,” Nelson said. “There is evidence that music has been part of human kind for thousands and thousands of years because of how music conveys culture, and biologically our bodies like it. Where I see podcasts, depending on why you’re listening to podcasts, is more knowledge-based.”

The overall number of listeners who still listen to the radio has been dropping since platforms like Spotify and Apple Music became available in 2011 and 2015, respectively. With podcasts becoming available on these platforms, radio and even TV news has seen even more of a drop in their usual listening/viewing numbers. The Pew Research Center reports that average radio revenue dropped by 24% in 2020.

Station revenue for stations in the all-news format dropped from $18.1 million in 2019 to $13.9 million in 2020.

Cameron Chapman and Ruby Stokes star in “Lockwood and Co.” (NETFLIX/PROVIDED)

Louisa Mae Alcott’s “Little Women,” which was adapted for screen in 2019 by Greta Gerwig, will be performed by UCO Musical Theatre April 20-23. (SONY/PROVIDED)

Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker starred in Joss Whedon’s 2012 adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” UCO will produce its version Feb. 9-12. (LIONSGATE/PROVIDED)

Broncho women’s golf drives to builds off fall successes

Cal Haydon

Contributing Writer

The Central Oklahoma women’s golf team begun preparation for the Spring portion of the season earlier this week after student-athletes returned back to campus for the start of the second semester.

UCO will kick-off their 2023 schedule in Spring, TX, on Feb. 20, where they will look to build off their Fall campaign which ended at the Tulsa Cup in October. The Bronchos competed in five events this season and have recorded two top-five finishes, including a second-place finish in the Grace Shin Invitational.

“This is such a fun group to be around,” UCO head women’s golf coach Michael Bond said. “I’m excited for the Spring to start and watch them compete, their best is good enough and look forward to see how far we can go.”

With weather conditions constantly changing this time of the year, and after being separated a couple weeks for the holidays, the Broncho golf team wasted no time scheduling practice to start preparing for their upcoming schedule.

“This time of the year we are so weather dependent,” said Coach Bond. “We will get outside as much as we can, work on short game and get back in the routine. We’ve already had a couple of fun team competitions this week.”

UCO’s season scoring results as a team consist of 10 rounds played, while posting an average score of 313.2 and a versus par score of +26.

Madison O’Dell, a fifth-year senior, and Emma Shelley, a fourth-year junior, lead the team as

veterans with a combined 72 tournaments played in overall for the Bronchos. The two have posted average scores of 78.8 and 78.1 through the Fall events.

Jirasuda Khunarack, a junior, is off to a strong start in her first year as a Broncho. The Ranger College transfer led the team in the Fall posting an average score of 76.78.

Mika Ramos, Nanya Hinsui and Arin Zachary complete the roster for the UCO team. The three have added average scores of 80, 81.86 and 82.

Central Oklahoma has six Spring tournaments on its schedule beginning with next month’s event in Texas. UCO will then compete in the Diffee Ford Lincoln Invitational in Oklahoma City on March 6-7 before the Emerald Coast Classic in Florida on March 12-14.

The Bronchos are also scheduled to play at the Newman Invite in Kansas on April 3-4 and the Dr. Virginia Laas Classic in Missouri on April 10-11. UCO will then begin postseason competition at the MIAA Championships in Joplin, Mo,

Ramos hit the links early and excels regularly for UCO

Ramos continued playing competitively until she began school at Bishop Kelley High School, where she joined the school’s women’s golf team. Her experience at Bishop Kelley was different from her competitive golf experience. Before high school, she never played on a golf team, she only played individually. Playing with a whole team in high school sparked a competitive fire in Ramos.

Brooke Niver

Contributing Writer

Mika Ramos is a junior on the University of Central Oklahoma’s women’s golf team, and she completed the 2021-2022 season with four Top 20 finishes and six inside the Top 22. Also during last season, Ramos averaged 78.88 playing through 25 rounds, and her lowest

score was 2 over 73 during the fall season.

From a young age growing up in Tulsa, she was always interested in golf. Ramos started playing when she was 6 years old, but did not start competing competitively until she was 10. She went on three different tours during her competitive golf career: U.S. Kids Golf, Oklahoma Junior Golf Tour, and the American Junior Golf Association.

“Most of the girls on my team chose this sport for fun rather than trying to be recruited for college,” Ramos said. “But regardless of why they chose to play golf, they made me remember why I love the sport so much. I won the Oklahoma 5A state tournament my freshman year, and this is when I realized I wanted to pursue college golf.”

Depending on the athlete, getting recruited to play at the collegiate level can be intimidating and scary. For Ramos, her process was simple: she knew that she wanted to stay close to home and her family.

Ramos got in contact with Michael Bond, the UCO women’s golf coach, in January 2019, her junior year of high school. Ramos visited

campus and immediately fell in love with UCO and everyone on the team.

She said that playing golf at UCO was one of the best decisions she has ever made.

“I have always loved golf, but that love has grown so much since being in college,” Ramos said. “My teammates feel like family, and we all help push each other to become better every day. Like I said before, golf is typically an individual sport, but my teammates and I want to do well to benefit the team rather than ourselves. Each and every one of them have taught me so much. I have learned how to be a better golfer, teammate, and friend.”

Ramos and her fellow teammates on the UCO golf team kick off their 2023 season on Feb. 20 in Spring, Texas at the Southern Invite. The team has a total of five meets before the MIAA Championships in April.

Supporters of UCO’s golf program are encouraged to make a monthly gift to the Swinging Buddy program, which benefits both the men’s and women’s golf teams. To support, visit centralconnection. org/swingingbuddy.

Pyramid scheme: how cheer and dance teams prepare for the competition

Kelanie Robertson

Contributing Writer

UCO’s annual Cheer and Dance competition, held March 3-4 in the Hamilton Field House, has emerged as one of UCO’s biggest student organization competitions. Over the course of two days, most sororities, fraternities, and student organizations compete against each other with prepared routines.

Most of the student body is aware of the competition, which raises money for Bronchothon through T-shirt and ticket sales, and it attracts large crowds each year. What most people do not see are the careful preparations that go into competing.

Briley Wilson, head coach for the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, said that many teams hire outside individuals to create music and choreograph routines. But this year, Wilson took on those responsibilities.

“First I had to cut the music, I cut it myself, and then I found a space for us to rehearse, which is actually the dance studio I work at,” Wilson said. “We practice three to four days a week for two to three hours. They’ve all been working really hard, because I’ve been coming with stuff prepared for us to work on.”

The teams are allowed to practice 12 hours per week, which expands to 15 hours closer to

the competition date. Most teams practice late at night, often until almost midnight during the week. However, when school is canceled they are not allowed to practice, which can shorten their practice time drastically.

“We had an ice storm earlier this week that was pretty irritating, because we lost two days of practice,” Wilson said. “It’s upsetting for me having a competitive background, because it feels like not enough time to work on stuff. I’m just thankful we were able to practice at least one day this week so we weren’t losing a whole week

of practicing.”

Alpha Delta Pi were the winners of the medium category back in 2021. It is Wilson’s goal to come out with another victory this year.

“I’m just pushing everyone to their full potential and I am coming to practices with prepared choreography, that way we can get in, learn it, and get out,” she said. “Nevertheless though, we are pumped. I have loved it the past two years I’ve done it and this year I’m in charge of it, which is a little more nerve wracking, but I’m still just as excited.”

Madison O’Dell is a fifth-year player with Bronchos women’s golf. (CENTRAL SPORTS/PROVIDED).

Ramos picked up the clubs when she was 6 years old. (CENTRAL SPORTS/PROVIDED)

UCO’s annual Cheer and Dance competition will take place March 3-4 at Hamilton Field House. (CENTRAL SPORTS/PROVIDED)

Watching ‘The Last of Us’? Try playing the game

that’s even more cruel and unforgiving than the one that we live in now. But through each other, they manage to find the shred of hope that they’ve been searching for throughout their lives.

Britton Summers Reporter

Since the new adaptation is out on HBO Max, I decided that it would be a good idea to cover one of my favorite games of all time: “The Last of Us.”

It’s been almost 10 years since this game first came out and it’s been beloved by many people — me included. I was 12 years old when this game first came out, and I didn’t play it until I was 14. It’s no secret…I love this game; I love this game so much it hurts.

Admittedly, the story of “The Last of Us” isn’t all that complex, it’s about a guy named Joel who is escorting a girl named Ellie across a post-apocalyptic America that has been ravaged by a mutated strain of the cordyceps fungus, which turns people into flesh eating, zombie-like creatures. But it’s the incredible characterization and intense emotion that surrounds “The Last of Us” that makes it stand out among the crowd.

There are so many things I could praise about “The Last of Us.” The engaging sto-

rytelling, the richly crafted characters, the chemistry between the cast members, the beautiful atmosphere, the incredible music from Gustavo Santaolalla, who has become one of my favorite composers. But really what makes this game work is the relationship between Joel and Ellie. Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson give some of the best performances that I’ve seen from them, or in any video game for that matter. Their chemistry with each other creates a spark that few other games can match, and it makes the journey of these characters more believable along the way.

But it’s the journey that they take that makes “The Last of Us” such an engaging story. Neil Druckmann, writer, and co-director of the game alongside Bruce Staley, said that he likes to write his stories with simple plots, but with complex characters to make it interesting. Like with many great travel stories, it’s the journey that’s the focus and not the destination. Joel and Ellie are two people who have been let down many times by a world

Not everything in “The Last of Us” is perfect, even if the story is. The game is well designed, but the combat and action controls are rather basic. Either you can punch or shoot people and that’s about it in terms of what you can do in the game. There’s also the lack of fluidity in the combat that can be rather disappointing at times since I tend to prefer a more fluid combat system when I play video games. There’s also the fact that the multiplayer is awful, buggy, and overall unnecessary to the experience of enjoying “The Last of Us.” Luckily, Neil Druckmann and the crew at Naughty Dog learned their lesson and realized that people enjoyed “The Last of Us” for its storytelling rather than how it’s played, so they left out Multiplayer in “The Last of Us, Part II.”

I’ve played “The Last of Us” multiple times over the years, and I have had a lot of time to think about what the game is about and what it’s attempting to convey with its themes and storytelling. Much like the story itself, the message of “The Last of Us” is quite simple: love redeems. “The Last of Us” explores how loving someone can make you the best version of yourself. Joel is someone who has had everything he cared about stripped from him ruthlessly by the world around him, but once he finds Ellie does he start to find the strength and the heart to love somebody again. If grief is the price we pay for love, then love is finding the strength to be your best self, even though you know that this person won’t be around forever. Jolee Bindo of “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic” fame was right: love will save you, not condemn you.

HBO Max gets it right with its “Last of Us” adaptation

Mari Belle

Contributing Writer

The adaptation of the critically acclaimed video game series “The Last of Us” premiered Jan. 15 to an audience of 4.7 million viewers and received strong reviews from critics. HBO’s adaptation of Naughty Dog’s PlayStation classic is a phenomenal live-action video game adaptation.

Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, the producers of the HBO adaptation, held true to Part I of the video game and promises to include even more world building. Outbreak Day, episode 1 of the series, matched both the intensity and grief of the video game.

“The Last of Us” offered a slightly different spin on the zombie apocalypse, exchanging the standard brain-craving zombies for mutated humans consumed and controlled by the cordyceps virus. In both the ‘The Last of Us’ series/videogame and in real life, the fungus responsible for the ‘spore mutation’ is a mushroom called cordyceps.

The mushroom is real and exists in nature, although it is unable to affect and spread in humans, it does affect some insects, mostly ants, cicadas and wasps.

“I think that’s kind of the best part of this story, you know, it’s not the typical zombies like in most shows and games. This is a real thing that happens in nature and it’s really creepy to think about it ever happening in humans.” said Patrick Watkins, a University of Central Oklahoma student and fan of the video game.

“This "zombie mushroom" takes over the bodies of its hosts, like a parasite, causing them to have behaviors they normally would not have and is progressively replacing the tissue of its victims with its own, intending to continue to disperse as seen and explained in the series and the video game.” Watkins said.

Episode 1 begins by reaching back to the 1960s to help set up this fungal infection. During a talk show, two scientists discuss pandemic threats and debate over the likelihood of a fungal outbreak. While the audience initially scoffs at the idea of a mushroom uprising, one of the show’s guests offers a sobering scenario. Explaining how some fungi “seek not to kill, but to control,” he goes on to describe how this has already been seen in insects – specifically ants, which the aggressive fungus controls like a puppet. Another scientist counters, offering that this would be impossible in humans due to their increased body temperature.

But before “The Last of Us’ rolls its opening credits, one of the scientists replies with an ominous, “But what if the world was to get slightly warmer?”

New episodes air at 9 p.m. ET, on HBO and HBO Max streaming.

‘Bonnie & Clyde’ sets 1930s criminal legend to music

Kaleb Gonzalez

Contributing Writer

The University of Central Oklahoma’s Musical Theatre Department resurrects an infamous Texan couple, following their criminal adventures post-Valentine’s Day. Guests are invited to join “Bonnie & Hyde” in their robberies, kidnappings, and murders during the Great Depression. A classic story is brought to life.

Directed by alumni Justin Larman, the musical debuts Feb. 16 and continues through Feb. 19 at the UCO Jazz Lab.

Greg White, director of musical theater, said the musical stays relatively accurate to the true story, and the department is always looking for ways to challenge their students.

“How can we create a musical about two individuals who are not necessarily likable, and make the audience root for them?” White

said.

White said the music will be the main attraction in this year’s musical.

“The music is by Frank Wildhorn, who made ‘Jekyll & Hyde,’ ‘Civil War’ and ‘Dracula,’ and I think his music will be a huge draw,” White said.

The UCO Jazz Lab, located in Downtown Edmond, will host the new musical with about 200 seats available per night. Adult tickets are $25, and students attend for free.

“I love the musicals we do in the jazz lab, because we really try to utilize the entire space. We use the space in a theatrical way, where actors will come to the audience and try and get them involved,” White said.

The cast of the musical includes Laila Jalil, Trinity Snodgrass, Logan Corley, Morgan Paulson, Ashlea Stewart, Logan Wright, Kaia

Crawford, Maddie Walkley, Garett Christensen, Zachary Wright, Lamar Burns, Jesse Battice, James Coplen, Sara Draper, Baylee Fitzgerald, Ronnell Fleming, Grant Galloway, Teagan Jellison, Brenden McCarthy, Kendall McCollum, Sam Moran, Sarah Munsell, Ian Nance, Pierson Van den Dyssel, Heath Rawls, Ireland Reneau, Saoirse Ryhn, Collin Rizzo, Sarah Scott, McKenzie Tipton, Logan Vohs, and Hailey Wolfe.

Upcoming events for the department include “Fugitive Songs,” March 29-April 1 at the UCO Boathouse, and “Little Women,” April 20-23 at the Mitchell Hall Theatre.

“Our goal is to always get all our students on stage throughout the semester,” White said.

The musical will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Feb.16-18 and at 5 p.m. Feb.19.

“The Last of Us” set a new standard for storytelling in video games. (NAUGHTY DOG/PROVIDED)