Volume 119, Issue 14
INSIDE
the
VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”
vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista ucentralmedia.com Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022
UCO changes emergency protocols Logan Gassett
Contributing Writer
Basketball
The winning streak continues for the Bronchos as they deafeat Northeastern State Riverhawks. See Pg. 7
UCO plans to update the emergency procedures provided in each classroom, using QR codes to aid students in the case of an emergency. Alongside the QR codes posted on the wall will also be arrows directing students to the nearest evacuation route and severe weather shelter. Norman Nieves, director of emergency management, plans on making this switch during the spring semester but originally planned on this development before the COVID-19 shutdown which placed the update on hold. In the case of an emergency, a QR code would allow students to find a route to safety quicker than flipping through the pages of the single binder provided in a classroom. Nieves has served in his role of director for 14 years and through the years has organized a variety of emergency procedures that are available to students and faculty in red binders placed in the classrooms around campus. Each procedure has its own plan with specific duties and responsibilities for staff and faculty. The procedures are updated after every drill with an “After Action” report, which UCO changes their emergency procedures to include QR codes Continued on Pg. 3
‘Spider-Man’ review
There is “No Way Home” in this action-filled comedy. Check out the latest Marvel installment. See Pg. 4
Photo Club Photo Club will be selling T-shirts on campus, and there will be more events to come this semester. See Pg. 6
Around Campus UCO hosts Hot Topics and Hot Chocolate to get to know your peer health leaders. See Pg. 2
students can use that provides a faster response time to emergencies. (The Vista/ Madalyn Nix)
Budget shortfall to be addressed this spring
there is no amount of increase that is expected for spring that would address the full $15 million gap,” Neuhold-RaJust before the fall semester endvikumar said. “It’s not fun to hear.” ed, staff and faculty senate met with Official plans on budgetary deciUCO President sions and faculty layoffs Patti Neuhold-Rawill not be decided until vikumar to discuss “mid-spring,” Simmons what the next year said, as the universiwill look like with ty plans the budget in projected budMarch. get cuts. Initially, Some members of the the university atsenate voiced confusion tempted to reduce about released budgetoperational budary reports, and how the gets, like materials $15 million figure came and nonessential to be. The President said resources, but it the university has used did not fill the gap cash from “fees leftover” needed to solve the and the capital fund to $15 million budget fill this gap—but the deficit. money is running out. “At some point “If there is surplus you have to have Official plans on budgetary decisions and faculty layoffs will not be decided until and we are needing to a reckoning, that “mid-spring,” Simmons said, as the university plans the budget in March. (The offset the loss of perit costs a certain Vista/ Michaela Todd) sonnel, this would be a amount of monplace that we go to to ey to just do the in a position where we recognize that say, ‘Hey, could this buy us some time,’ work, and the cost of doing business,” further cuts means that we’re looking which is what has happened over the Neuhold-Ravikumar said. “You can at faculty lines,” Simmons said. last six years,” Neuhold-Ravikumar reduce and reduce and reduce, but at Neuhold-Ravikumar said faculty said. “It’s been used as a way to buy some point, you can’t reduce anymore and staff are encouraged to see this time, which might not be a satisfactowithout not being able to do your job as an upcoming reality. She said she ry answer to you, but that’s what has — and that is where we are.” doesn’t want faculty to have “false happened.” In the faculty senate meeting on hope” that an increase in enrollment When asked about plans for Dec. 9, Provost Charlotte Simmons will solve the budget issues. said the same. “I believe I can safely tell you that Continued on Pg. 3 Ainsley Martinez Managing Editor
“This last year was not the first year that we had cuts, but this is actually moving into the sixth year that we’ve had cuts or maybe more. And so that’s why, for Academic Affairs, we are now