The Vista, Feb. 8, 2022

Volume 119, Issue 17

the

VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”

vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista ucentralmedia.com Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022

UCO students ‘chill’ during snowstorm

Students Joseline Martinez and Oasis Martinez build a miniature snowman near Ayers Kitchen on campus Friday. (The Vista/Graycee Hubbard)

F/64 set to host Valentine’s shoot Sam Royka Reporter

F/64 Photo Society is having a Valentine’s Day photoshoot on Thursday, Feb. 10 from 2 to 6 p.m. in the Woody Gaddis Gallery in the mass communications building.

“We will be doing 10 minute long sessions for singles, couples and small

groups,” said Cam Abel, president of F/64, “All photos will be shot in the studio in MCOM 104, we will be using professional lighting and photography equipment for each session. After the event, we will be editing the best photos from each session and all photos will be available in time for Valentine’s Day. All photographers will be wearing masks and we ask that anyone coming to have their photo taken also wear a mask, however people will not have to wear a mask while having their photos taken.”

“This event should be a lot of fun for everyone involved. In my opinion, studio photoshoots are always a good time, not just for the photographers but also for the models. I’m excited that we, as a club, will be able to produce high quality photos for anyone who needs them for Valentine’s Day,” Abel said.

A Feb. 2 post about the event on the society’s instagram story included the words “Only pay for the When asked about potential cost, Abel replied that though the society

All photos will be shot in the studio in MCOM room 104. (Photo Provided/ F/64 Continued on Pg. 3 Photo Society)

Details of snowflakes are captured with macro lenses. (The Vista/ Manuela Soldi)

2 | The Vista

Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022 Bake Sale: The UCO Student Art Association is hosting a bake sale from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Nigh University Center and Art and Design Building.

Men’s basketball: UCO will tip off against Missouri Western at 3:30 p.m. at Hamilton Field House.

Black is Music: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is hosting this event from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Nigh University Center, Will Rogers Room 421. Come enjoy activities, food, and music.

COVID-19 Testing: IMMY Labs is offering free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing at 312 E. Main St. in Edmond from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 7 p.m.

UCO Jazz Ensembles III and II in Concert: This performance begins at 7 p.m. at the Jazz Lab, located at 100 E. Fifth St. in Edmond. Tickets are free for students with valid ID and $18 for all others. Tickets can be purchased by calling (405) 974-2100.

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022 Black Representations in the Media:

Feb. 8, 2022

Beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Liberal Arts South Wing Lecture Hall, join the American Association for University Women, the Black Male Initiative and The Center for a panel discussion on Black Representations in the Media, a program for Black History Month: The Miseducation of U.S. COVID-19 Testing: IMMY Labs is offering free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing at 312 E. Main St. in Edmond from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 7 p.m.

Around Campus

Snag a Bag: From 1 to 3 p.m. at the Blue Tent at Broncho Lake, the Native American Student Association (NASA) will be selling Valentine candy grams.

Friday, Feb. 11, 2022 ‘Clue’: This performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Mitchell Hall Theatre on campus. Based on the cult classic film and popular board game, ‘Clue’ is a madcap comedy that will keep you guessing until the final twist.

future of children’s health in Oklahoma.

Softball: UCO takes on Southern Nazarene at 5:15 p.m. at Gerry Pinkston Stadium in Edmond.

Women’s tennis: UCO takes on Dallas Baptist at 11:30 a.m. at Oak Tree Country Club in Edmond.

Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022

Design Movie Night: From 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the Melton Art Gallery, this event will feature episodes from Netflix’s hit series “Abstract: The Art of Design” including Christoph Niemann: Illustration & Ilse Crawford: Interior Design. This event is open to UCO students, faculty, staff, and community.

COVID-19 Testing: IMMY Labs is offering free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing at 312 E. Main St. in Edmond from 7 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 6 p.m.

‘Clue’: This performance will begin at 2 p.m. at Mitchell Hall Theatre on campus. Based on the cult classic film and popular board game, ‘Clue’ is a madcap comedy that will keep you guessing until the final twist.

Softball: UCO kicks off the UCO festival against Midwestern State at 4:30 p.m. at Gerry Pinkston Stadium in Edmond.

COVID-19 Testing: IMMY Labs is offering free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing at 312 E. Main St. in Edmond from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022

Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022

‘Clue’: This performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Mitchell Hall Theatre on campus. Based on the cult classic film and popular board game, ‘Clue’ is a madcap comedy that will keep you guessing until the final twist.

‘Clue’: This performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Mitchell Hall Theatre on campus. Based on the cult classic film and popular board game, ‘Clue’ is a madcap comedy that will keep you guessing until the final twist.

Softball: UCO plays against Cameron at 3 and Southwestern Oklahoma at 5:15 p.m.at Gerry Pinkston Stadium in Edmond.

COVID-19 Testing: IMMY Labs is offering free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing at 312 E. Main St. in Edmond from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 7 p.m.

For the Love of Kids 5K: From 7 to 11 a.m. at the Mitch Park 5K Loop, join BronchoThon for a fun 5K engaging the Edmond community in racing for health and changing the

Wrestling: UCO takes on Newman at 2 p.m. at Hamilton Field House.

Monday, Feb. 14, 2022 COVID-19 Testing: IMMY Labs is offering free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing at 312 E. Main St. in Edmond from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 7 p.m.

To submit events for next week’s Around Campus, please email thevista@ucentralmedia.com. Include the title of your event, time and place, and a brief description. Descriptions are subject to editing.

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VISTA

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Madalyn Nix Ainsley Martinez Brandon Dale Hollye Carroll Sam Royka Graycee Hubbard Sierra Perkins Manuela Soldi Michaela Todd Asia Allen Majia Cotrell Lauren Couch Logan Gassett Brinlee Lenochan Jordan Prichard Baylee Schmidlkofer Camryn Sturgill George Lang

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Letters can be emailed to thevista@ucentralmedia.com.

The Vista | 3

Feb. 8, 2022

Journalism/ Contact Tracing

Oklahoma phases out contact tracing and OCCHD in a joint statement from health officials.

Baylee Schmidlkofer Contributing Writer

The Oklahoma State Department of Health and the Oklahoma City-County Health Department are transitioning away from universal case investigation and contact tracing.

The announcement of this transition, which includes Tulsa County Health Department, came in January, with the decision based on an effort to focus on a more strategic approach to outbreak investigations and targeted case investigations.

“Tools such as at-home testing kits, updated isolation and quarantine guidance and the self-serve case investigation portal have provided Oklahomans the opportunity to be the driver of their own personal health and the health of their family and community,” said OSDH

With the transition from traditional contact tracing phasing out, the future of the UCO COVID-19 dashboard remains in question.

“Right now, the OSDH transition has little impact on our dashboard,” said Adrienne Nobles, vice president for communications and public affairs.

Nobles said UCO is “pulling numbers of positive PCR tests for Oklahoma County and the state, which is different from universal case investigation and contact tracing.”

Nobles also said there have been no discussions on discontinuing the dashboard, and that the website reflects positive cases among UCO’s students, faculty and staff.

As for the possibility of no longer receiving positive cases from the state or county, Nobles says the university will “keep an eye on it.”

Nobles says the university will “keep an eye” on COVID cases and how the university will proceed in managing the pandemic. (Provided/ Oklahoma City Health Department)

2022 induction class

Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame announces 2022 class Madalyn Nix Editor-in-Chief

The 2022 class for the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame has been officially announced. Ten journalists and a former Oklahoma attorney general will be among those honored at the 52nd annual luncheon and induction ceremony of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 28, in the grand ballroom of the Nigh University Center.

“After last year’s successful celebration that, because of the pandemic, became the 50th and 51st anniversary celebrations at the Oklahoma History Center, we are moving the hall of fame ceremony back to its traditional home of UCO,” said Joe Hight, director of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame (OJHOF ‘13) and UCO’s Edith Kinney Gaylord Endowed Chair of Journalism Ethics.

“That shouldn’t take away from the fact we will be honoring among the best that journalism has to offer in this country, as well as a Lifetime Achievement honoree who had advocated for freedom of information and First Amendment causes,” Hight said.

The 2022 class includes Barbara Byrne Allen, Susan Cadot, J. Scott Cherry, Richard Dowdell, Sam Jones, Ellen Knickmeyer, Steve Lackmeyer, Bryan Painter, Pat Riley Reeder, and Ted Streuli.

Hight, who is also the professor of media ethics at UCO, said, “These individuals are longtime journalists who have distinguished themselves in many ways both in their communities and outside of them.”

“First and foremost, the Selection Committee asks whether any honoree is a journalist. That and

their accomplishments in journalism distinguish them from the other nominees,” said Hight.

Allen is a former Oklahoma journalist and educator who is now director of college programming for the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Cadot is vice president of production at the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA). Cherry is a retired restaurant critic and wine columnist for the Tulsa World. Dowdell is a longtime radio icon, educator and radio reporter in Tulsa. Jones is an award winning broadcast reporter and anchor from Tulsa. Knickmeyer is a longtime Washington and foreign correspondent. Lackmeyer is an author, reporter and columnist for The Oklahoman. Painter is a longtime journalist and writer in Enid and Oklahoma City. Reeder is a longtime editor in Claremore and now the public relations representative for the Will Rogers Memorial.

Streuli is a longtime journalist who is executive director of Oklahoma Watch.

Drew Edmondson is the 2022 Lifetime Achievement honoree. Edmondson served as Oklahoma’s attorney general from 1995-2011.

“Drew Edmondson became an adamant defender of freedom of information and First Amendment issues during his political career.

This distinguishes him apart from other noteworthy public officials in this state and is the reasoning for his unanimous selection,” said Hight.

Invitations to the induction luncheon are set to be sent by the first of March. Reservations at $25 each must be made by April 10. Hight said that due to expectations of a large crowd, late reservations possibly may not be honored.

For questions or more information, contact Joe Hight at jhight@uco.edu.

Valentine’s photo shoot Continued from Pg. 1

has not set a price yet, “Any costs will be kept very low and affordable for college students.”

The team of photographers running the event will be volunteers from the society, said Jesse Miller, advisor of F/64 and professor of photography.

Abel and multiple photographers “will be working in shifts to take and edit photos throughout the event. All of the photographers will be members of the F/64 Photo Society and all of us working the event are experienced with studio photography and trained with the professional equipment we will be using,” Abel said.

“This event will be a great opportunity for anyone to get professional quality pictures of themselves and loved ones in time for Valentine’s Day,” said Abel.

Miller said “The event was planned as a fun activity to do for Valentine’s Day where we could give back to the community and give photo club members practice doing portrait photography.”

Miller encourages those interested in the event to RSVP to F64society@gmail.com.

(Provided/F/64 Photo Society)

4 | The Vista

Feb. 8, 2022

Empty Shelves/ Survivor

Supply chain issues disrupt daily business

Shipping times are longer and prices have surged, and UCO students have noticed supply chain impacts during their daily errands. (The Vista/ Manuela Soldi)

Lauren Couch

Contributing Writer

The anticipated winter storm from last week wiped out toilet paper and bottled water supplies at grocery stores, but recently, empty shelves have been common due to supply chain issues.

The supply chain problems link directly to the lingering pandemic and consumer habits. After the increase of global shipping of medical supplies in early 2020, empty containers were left behind to pile up across the world. As consumers sought out durable goods to make it through quarantine, U.S. ports became overwhelmed and were left without the containers necessary to ship.

Add labor shortages into the mix with high COVID-19 numbers and the perfect storm emerged to disrupt supply chains.

Shipping times are longer and prices have surged, and UCO students have noticed supply chain impacts during their daily errands.

“I can normally go into any grocery store and grab

the necessities I need, but lately sometimes I can’t even find bread or bacon, and if I can, the prices have gone up,” said senior Garrett Holzwarth.

Beyond bare necessities, other favorite items are missing from the shelves.

“When it comes to snacks, I usually never think about it, but just the other day, I went to get something as simple as my favorite chips and they were all out,” said Paige Warrior, a senior.

While running out of popular snacks or household items might be an inconvenience for many, local restaurants are needing to restructure how they run business in order to mitigate the delay in the supply chain.

The Hive Eatery, located at 141 E. 2nd St., is dealing with issues such as an increase in prices and shortages in numerous items.

“Paper goods, pork products, styrofoam: the demands have been high for these items while manufacturing and trucking have had problems getting the products to us in a timely fashion,” said Ailene Siharath, owner of The Hive Eatery.

The items that cannot be shipped fast enough are making it difficult for Siharath to keep her business running in the way it had prior to the continuing pandemic. Siharath noted that even if the items she needs are readily available, there are not enough workers to fill the demands.

“The demand is high, therefore pricing is reflective,” Siharath said. “Restaurants need these items to function.”

In the past month, Siharath has cut items from her menu that she can no longer fulfill due to shortages or a rise in prices. She said that her only options were to no longer serve the items or raise menu prices. Both options offer a no-win situation for Siharath and leave regular customers disappointed with the change.

As Omicron continues to spread, more labor shortages are expected, only heightening the problems businesses and consumers are facing now.

Even as President Biden pushes for relief efforts, supply chain issues are anticipated to remain for at least the next few months.

UCO program advocates for sexual abuse survivors

Majia Cotrell

Contributing Writer

With Survivor Central, the YWCA, UCO’s Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies program and the UCO Women’s Research and BLGTQ+ Student Center (or The Center) have partnered to give support and advocacy to students who have experienced sexual violence, domestic violence and/or stalking.

YWCA is an emergency crisis intervention service advocating for survivors and laying the foundation for them to rebuild their lives free from shame, blame and future violence.

With the program, there are attorney general-certified advocates that are trained with the YWCA to help survivors when they need help. Advocates get personally connected with survivors and provide

Provided/ The Center

them resources that they need. Resources include counseling and therapy services, making a report to the police, providing housing and assistance in obtaining Victim Protective Orders (VPO).

“You are not alone,” said Ytzel Gonzalez, a Survivor Central and crisis intervention advocate. “You have an entire team here for you, no matter what resources you need, you do not have to be alone throughout your process.”

The program is offered to all UCO students regardless of gender, race, religion or identity, and the services provided are entirely free, voluntary and confidential. Although the program is mainly for students, the Center and the YWCA will never turn anyone away in a time of need.

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, sexual violence is more prev-

alent at college when compared to other crimes.

“There is a definite need, especially when you’re talking about supporting students and advocating to offer that healing piece,” said Dr. Lindsey Churchill, director of The Center. “So, the program is connecting people to resources and finding them support and I think it is very important and anecdotally a need for it.”

If you are interested in becoming an attorney general-certified advocate regarding sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking and receive internship credit through the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program or other internships, contact Churchill at lchurchill@uco.edu.

If you need to speak privately with an advocate you can go to the Center, Thatcher 106, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday or scan the QR code to schedule an appointment.

The Vista | 5

Feb. 8, 2022

Marketing/Esports

Marketing strategies amidst budget cuts Sam Royka Reporter

A study from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported that nationally, undergraduate enrollment dropped 3.1 percent in fall 2021, compared with Fall 2020.

Among falling enrollment as well as looming budget cuts at UCO, what is marketing doing to bring more students in?

The Vista spoke to Adrienne Nobles, vice president for communications and public affairs at UCO about current strategies.

“Everything that we do is geared towards recruitment and retention,” Nobles said, as “even that’s just general branding awareness, things that we do, because that is to make more people in the metro aware of UCO and our activities so that even if they don't have a college-age student in their household, or they themselves have already earned degrees that they could, you know, recommend to anyone or think positively or favorably about the institution just to be aware of it.”

Currently, UCO primarily advertises “on a digital platform,” Nobles said, “because that's where most people are right now.”

Nobles said that higher education is an “extremely competitive market.”

Regarding other forms of market-

ing, UCO is “focusing our advertising either in the Oklahoma City metro or statewide,” though sometimes the university will advertise regionally, especially before the pandemic, sending recruiters to “surrounding states like Texas, Arkansas,” to do short campaigns at schools out-of-state, Nobles said.

Targeting the message based on area and other specific factors “kind of keeps the cost manageable, because you're being very savvy about who you're targeting. And being sure that you're reaching your audience in an effective way,” Nobles said.

After receiving the allocation for advertising from the university, “sometimes it's hard to say, like, oh, we're going to budget $2,500 for this social media campaign, you may or may not spend all of that $2,500 depending on what's going on with the competition for that audience,” Nobles said, calling it “not an exact science.”

The ability to see engagement on individual ads is an advantage to online advertising, Nobles said.

“We'll try two different campaigns, maybe one with a video one with a photo and see which one performs better. And then when you have enough data to say this one is getting more engagement, we'll put more of our time and effort and resources be-

To adjust to budget cuts in the near future, marketing at UCO seeks to bring enrollment up in the coming semesters. (The Vista/Sam Royka)

hind the one that's getting the better engagement,” Nobles said.

Marketing is “working closely with other departments on campus to coordinate our advertising, activities and our messages with what you know is reality”, Nobles said.

“And the fortunate thing is, is that I think we have a lot of wonderful things that are happening here at UCO,” Nobles said, “We have students who are doing wonderful things and

who are earning degrees and getting super jobs and excelling in their lives and can speak positively about their experience here. We have professors that are doing great work and the relationships that our students build with their professors is special, and it's not that way at every institution. And so that's something that we use as a selling point.”

Esports student worried about program support Jordan Prichard Contributing Writer

A UCO esports team member is worried that the university is prioritizing its traditional athletic programs over less established activities.

Andre Thoongliangsheng, an international student from Malaysia and member of the junior varsity Valorant team, said he believes that the university focuses more on promoting the school’s football team over any of the other sports such as hockey.

“The hockey team at UCO is so good — like, we are on a 17-win streak,” Thoongliangsheng said.

“Like, that’s not easy to come by.”

Thoongliangsheng said he also worries about how the university handles promoting it’s budding esports program. First established in 2018, UCO esports has been a student-driven program since.

“On social media we are trying our best to push it out, saying that esports is one of the best ways to connect with people,” said Thoongliangsheng, “The only problem with that is that we are doing most of the work. The school is putting in the bare minimum.”

The university has dedicated time and money building the co-op esports arena and filling it with the hardware necessary to host esports tournaments and practices, but Thoongliangsheng is more worried about his teammates’ scholarships.

UCO esports is a student driven program that has been a part of the university since 2018. (Provided/UCO website)

“With my teammates not getting scholarships, like honestly, I would gladly just move away from esports because it's not fair,” he said. “I still want my teammates to get the same fairness of scholarships like me. At the end of the day, being on a team is like being in a family. If my team isn’t happy with the situation, I would gladly step down as a player.”

Thoongliangsheng, 22, not only represents UCO on the JV Valorant team, but is also an international student ambassador for esports.

Thoongliangsheng has heard of the Esports Media minor program, but he isn’t a part of it and doesn’t know how many people are involved. That doesn’t stop him from endorsing more people to get involved and finding a place in the esports industry.

Official word from UCO’s administration about continued funding of the esports program has not yet been released.

6 | The Vista

Feb. 8, 2022

Clue/Mobile Dining

UCO Theatre Department gets a ‘Clue’ Camryn Sturgill Contributing Writer

The UCO Theatre Arts Department presents “Clue” at the Mitchell Hall Theatre from Thursday, Feb. 10 to Sunday, Feb. 13.

The play is based on the popular board game-turned-film, and is directed by Ryan Steer, a UCO alum with over a decade of experience. Steer moved to Manhattan after graduating in 2009, but moved back to Oklahoma during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. He now teaches dance classes for the musical theater department at UCO. The classic whodunit was an obvious choice for the theater department, according to Steer.

“We were looking to do something funny. There are a lot of plays out there that are very serious and tackle big subjects, and we were just looking for a little bit of a break,” Steer said.

Although there were several different stage scripts to choose from, the department chose one that would work best within its parameters. In compliance with the current COVID-19 Level 2 operations on campus, the cast will perform while wearing masks.

“The essence we’re going for is sort of an homage to the movie, but the script is different and it’s a different medium, so it’s not going to be exactly like the movie,” Steer said.

Despite any differences, the produc-

Freshman Cutter Acker plays Wadsworth in “Clue.” (Provided/UCO Theatre Department)

tion will still feel familiar to fans of “Clue.” Whether it be due to the set, which was designed with elements of the board game in mind, or the sus-

penseful ending, audiences will be left with a sense of nostalgia after seeing this play.

UCO’s “Clue” stars the ensemble cast

of Cutter Acker, Sara Draper, Brayden Pogson, Brigid McDonald, Renda Schroeder, Hussain Alfardan, Nathanial Dennis and Bellah Crawford.

“This show is really special because it features everybody. It’s made up of an ensemble-star cast, so everybody has to pull their own weight. However, if one character were really steering the ship, it would probably be Wadsworth, the butler,” Steer said.

Freshman Cutter Acker was cast as Wadsworth after auditioning last fall when he was still 17 years old.

“I was so amazed that such a young student was capable of carrying such a big role,” Steer said. In high school, Acker had roles in several plays including in William Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible.’”

Acker said he enjoyed adapting to the character.

“Wadsworth is a character that emanates so much of what I like about comedy. Not only do I absolutely adore Tim Curry’s performance in the classic film, I love the nature of a sophisticated butler running around screaming for his life while still saying ‘pardon me,’” Acker said.

“Clue” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. in Mitchell Hall Feb. 10-12, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 13. All UCO students are entitled to one free balcony ticket with a valid UCO ID. For more information, go to uco.edu/ cfad/mitchell-hall.

UCO mobile dining app offers easy campus ordering Logan Gassett

Contributing Writer

The UCO Transact mobile ordering app that was introduced last spring through partnerships with UCO’s dining, housing and residential engagement programs as an ordering aid during the pandemic is officially here to stay. It will also be renamed “UCO2Go powered by Transact.”

“We’re always looking for innovative and new ways to add value to the app,” said UCO Marketing Manager Caroline Vaught.

With the app, Vaught said students and faculty can conveniently skip the line and save time by ordering ahead.

Four out of twelve of the dining locations on campus are offered as options in the app, which includes Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A, 1890 Metropolitan Cafe and Sidelines Sports Grill. Full menus from each dining location are available as well as the option to customize.

To pay, the app accepts meal plans, dining dollars, credit or debit while

allowing users to check their Dining Dollars balances through e-accounts.

The most recent additions to the app are the best-selling market snacks and drinks.

“We also have Ayers Kitchen, but Ayers Kitchen is reserved for quarantine meals,” Vaught said.

Vaught said the orders placed through the app can not be delivered and must be picked up at the dining location unless the order is for an individual in quarantine. Once an order is placed, a QR code is sent to the phone and a check-in is required shortly before arriving to pick up the order. The general wait time is 5-15 minutes but a set pick-up time for orders is available as well. Once a notification has been received that the order is ready, the confirmation QR code will be scanned at the pick-up location that is marked with a red arrow hanging from the ceiling.

To download the app, visit https:// dineoncampus.com.

With the app, students and faculty can conveniently skip the line and save time by ordering ahead. (Provided/UCO website)

Sports

The Vista | 7

Feb. 8, 2022

Construction begins at Chad Richison Stadium Brandon Dale Sports Editor

In October of last year, UCO Athletics announced that the football stadium would have a new name, Chad Richison Stadium. Not only has the name changed, but there will be a few notable upgrades for students and fans.

Richison, who graduated in 1993 from UCO, is the founder and CEO of Paycom. He has donated a total of $25 million to the university, making him the largest donor in history for this institution.

Richison was quoted back in October on his donations and the renovations to the stadium, “I am passionate about higher education and collegiate athletics,” Richison said. “I appreciated the experience I had at UCO and hope this gift inspires others to accomplish something they may not have dreamed possible.”

According to Stan Wagnon, director of athletics at UCO, the south berm has significant landscaping that includes a waterfall, video board, and second level of seating on the east side. There will also be a new ticket booth, concession stand, and restrooms, in addition to all of the other fantastic upgrades.

The university will also be replacing artificial turf

Renovations have begun at Chad Richison Stadium. (The Vista/Manuela Soldi)

on the field soon.

The expansion will provide about 2,000 additional seats, with the actual number being 1,932 based on a 24-inch seat.

The rest of the stadium is based on an 18-inch

seat, making capacity go from around 10,000 to approximately 12,000. The east side will also go from only having four toilets to 59.

“These improvements will enhance gamedays for UCO and serve as a great recruiting tool for the athletic department,” said Wagnon.

“Also, it will give Chad Richison Stadium a unique position in the marketplace for hosting events like the OSSAA high state championship games. Those games provide a tremendous opportunity to introduce UCO to high school students from across the state and make a great first impression for not just athletics, but the entire university.”

These additions will go along with investments by Richison made in 2018, such as the Sports Performance Center and the UCO baseball field, which installed new artificial turf.

The university also made changes to Hamilton Field House in 2019, making the wrestling rooms some of the largest in the country.

These renovations to the university are undoubtedly top-tier. The latest edition to the newly named Chad Richison Stadium looks to be top of the line for this first-class university.

Family tradition fuels Callen Haydon’s success Brinlee Lenochan Contributing Writer

Callen Haydon is known as one of the best basketball players in the MIAA, someone who plays with a fighting spirit, can make anything happen on offense, and has an aggressive defensive style. He prides himself on handling the ball and loves getting assists for his teammates.

But how did he get to where he is today?

“I was born into a basketball family,” Haydon said. “My entire childhood seemed to be spent in the gym. It made me fall in love with the game and I have never looked back since.”

Haydon has played basketball as long as he can remember. His father was a little league basketball coach and his uncle, Rodney Haydon, was head coach for El Reno High School.

It is this basketball family that pushes Haydon to be the best he can be.

“My family pushes me to succeed the most,” he said. “I hope to make them proud of what I have and can accomplish.”

His love for the game never ceased. Haydon played all four years at El Reno, where he became a decorated player. He was an all-state selection, averaged over 25 points per game as a senior and led the team to the state tournament, where he scored 49 points in the quarterfinal win.

After high school, Haydon attended Connors State College, a junior college in Warner, near Muskogee. There, he continued to make a name for himself. He was awarded first team all-region pick after his standout sophomore season. Haydon averaged 16.7 points and 10

Callen Haydon goes up for a layup Saturday against Fort Hays. (The Vista/Madalyn Nix)

assists per game, leading the country in assists.

He also averaged two steals per game and ultimately led Connors to a 22-9 record.

Haydon transferred to UCO in 2020 and started in all 24 games for the Bronchos in his first year with the program. He led the team in scoring at 15.6 points per game and also had a team-high 5.1 assists per game.

This season, Haydon is continuing to bring an energy to the court that the Bronchos feed off of. Recently, he found himself among the

Top 10 in the country for assists, with 106 this season.

“I don’t feel pressure to succeed. I just give it my all and leave it all on the court, whatever the results may be, I leave the game with no regrets.“ Haydon said.

Catch Haydon on the court Feb. 8 at Hamilton Field House, where he will help the Bronchos battle the Missouri Western Griffons.

8 | The Vista

Feb. 8, 2022

Editorials

Editorial

To the women single on Valentine’s Day... again Madalyn Nix Editor-in-Chief

This week, you’re going to go to the store and see a never-ending line of men with bouquets of flowers, wine, and overpriced cards at the checkout lines. Jewelry store commercials are going to overcrowd your TVs and streaming services. Instagram posts of couples hugging, kissing, getting engaged and everything else you want but don’t have, are going to take over your social media.

I don’t hate the concept behind Valentine’s Day. For me, it’s more about the yearly reminder that I still haven’t met my person, or at least someone to call a partner.

In my 23 years of life, my dating life has been nonexistent. I’ve never even been on a real date. Yikes, I know. I’ve always put my work and academics first because I know I will always have those to fall back on. Those achievements were sought and achieved for myself.

My independence and ability to be alone has never been a problem. I enjoy it most of the time. I am capable of experiencing and doing life on my own. But sometimes, the moments that are a little too quiet, a little more

The importance of Valentine’s Day can feel inflated. (Provided/Pexels)

lonely, that’s when I start to question things.

All of my friends are either engaged, married, have kids or all of the above.

I’m the only one left. They are experiencing the experiences that I long to have one day. More than once, I’ve caught myself looking up at the sky and asking God, “When is it my turn?”

Along with those moments comes the feelings that are so hard to suppress: Feeling unloved, unwanted, like something is wrong with me or I’m not doing something right. It’s so hard trying not to internalize that. The im-

patience of wanting something so bad that you can only find an explanation in blaming yourself, it’s mentally exhausting.

If any of this feels familiar, I am so sorry and I completely understand.

So, what does this mean? I’m all for the “self-love, loving yourself ” mantra, but if you’re like me, you still want the possibility of sharing your love with someone else.

What has helped me in my weak moments is this: Whoever is meant for you will find you. Even if they wander, those who are meant to be there will

find their way back to you.

I’ve learned that I don’t like the phrase “I’ll wait until it’s my turn” because if you’re waiting for someone who may not appear at all, so many moments, seasons, and other experiences that are meant for you may pass you by. Holding onto the idea of “maybe” is self-sabotage. That’s been the hardest pill to swallow.

Being hopeful is OK. There’s beauty in hope. That is what keeps us motivated. However, I’m learning that embracing the season I am in right now, the person I am in this moment, is more important than rushing anything or anyone that may or may not be coming next. What is meant for me, who is meant for me, will be directed my way when time allows it, if it may do so at all.

To the women who are single on Valentine’s Day, and this is not your first solo rodeo, I’m right there with you.

You are going to be OK. Do something that makes you happy and rest assured, you are exactly where you are supposed to be, and may this be the last time you ever feel anything but loved on Valentine’s Day.

Editorial

Attitudes about illness in the workplaces can be sick Ainsley Martinez Managing Editor

There was one night I remember working in 2019. The restaurant had about 30 reservations, but we tended to refer to it as “150 covers,” or 150 people coming in to eat. It was a busy night. At 4 p.m., the prep work began immediately: bacon bubbling in the oven, onions already starting to sweat in the pan. But outside the kitchen, I noticed my coworker resembled those onions a little too well. His head perspired, sweat running down his cheeks—and once it reached his nose, there was no way to tell where the sweat and snot ended or began. I asked him what was wrong.

“I have the flu,” the server said. “But the managers said it’s too busy for me to leave.”

This situation was not shocking. If theater people say, “The show must go on,” then restaurant managers say, “Wash your damn hands, and get back on the floor.”

Sickness in the workplace has more often than not been treated as a business decision. Instead of looking at the

situation from a health perspective, many times it is still about maximizing profit.

“I understand where management comes from. Losing a server can lead to poor service, or everyone having a bad night, and then that’s on the manager,” student Eric Neel said. “But right now, I think we need to tend to the current climate.”

In 2020, this completely flipped.

During the pandemic, fear from COVID-19 caused employers to take almost every account of sickness seriously. In many cases, if an employee showed any symptoms of COVID, they were sent home. I was glad my workplace took COVID seriously, but it made me laugh thinking about previous accounts, “You realize other illnesses, like the flu, are contagious too, right?”

However, in my experience, after a year of the pandemic the momentum diminished, and sickness was not taken as seriously. Now, it seems, the only illness worth staying home for is COVID—anything else is free game.

Since most jobs in places like restaurants are part-time, workers do not

Sickness in the workplace has more often than not been treated as a business decision.

(AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

have allocated sick days to take off— and many times, it is at the discretion of the manager or owner. On the other hand, even if an employee receives time off, they do not have any form of paid-leave. According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data, even when service workers are full-time, 41% of these employees lack paid-sick leave.

The lack of taking health seriously in the workplace has contributed to a culture of “pushing through the sickness.”

“It’s a normal thing to go in while knowing you’re sick, and kind of joke around about not feeling great,” Neel said.

Although companies and individuals would rather not lose money from sick leave, biology does not care about a business model. Working while sick will likely lengthen the recovery time, and may leave some in even worse conditions than they started in. I’m not a doctor, but in my book the best medicine is rest, fluids… and not working.