Volume 117, Issue 1
the VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”
ucentralmedia.com vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
UCO Named as Defendant in Lawsuit Katie Standlee
@katiestandlee Managing Editor
Veronica “Tyler” Bors, a student at the University of Central Oklahoma, is suing the university for discrimination on the claim that UCO professor Kole Kleeman sexually harassed and/ or assaulted Bors during a meeting at Kleeman’s home. The lawsuit, which is still pending, was filed on Nov. 26, 2018 in the Oklahoma County District Court where the Board of Regents for the Regional University Systems of Oklahoma (RUSO) was named the defendant. However, the case has been moved to the Oklahoma Western District Court and on Dec. 27 was amended to add UCO as a defendant. “It is our policy not to comment on pending litigation,” said Regent Mark Stansberry, the chair of RUSO Continued on Pg. 6
The University of Central Oklahoma’s iconic Old North framed in the arch that commemorates the school’s founding. The university has been named as a defendant alongside the Regional University System of Oklahoma in a recent lawsuit involving a UCO student and professor. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
Search for University President Narrows Lauren Morris @TheVista1903 Reporter
The search for the University of Central Oklahoma’s 21st president has been narrowed down to seven finalists and interviews are being held in late January into early February to further the process along. The search began with 62 applicants, which was narrowed down to 12 candidates by the Regional University System of Oklahoma Board of Regents. After reviewing video interviews on Jan. 7, RUSO narrowed the list to eight finalists, before one
dropped, leaving seven finalists remaining. The regents collected a recommended list of qualities from a group of UCO staff members and students. These qualities include: visionary; strategic and operational leadership skills; good financial judgment; ability to collaborate; and be a relentless advocate of greatness. “Ultimately our goal is to find the most qualified person to lead UCO to the future and to continue the work of President Don Betz,” said RUSO Chair Mark Stansbury. Continued on Pg. 3
Regent Jeffrey Dunn of the Regional University System of Oklahoma speaks at last week’s open forum on the search for the next president of the University of Central Oklahoma. The committee in charge of the search has narrowed the current list of candidates down to seven from 64. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
OKLAHOMA NEWS
BRONCHO SPORTS
Stitt Starts First Week With Strategies
Gorrilas Stomp Bronchos in Tight Match
See “STITT” on Pg. 5
See “GORILLAS” on Pg. 12
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the
Jan. 22, 2019
VISTA
CONTENTS President/Library............................................................3 Around Campus ...................................................................4 Stitt/Inauguration..............................................................5 Lawsuit/OneStop........................................................6 Vietnam................................................................8 Arenacross.......................................................9 Food Sciences....................................................................11 Gorillas.................................................................12 Battles..............................................................13 Rumble..........................................................14 W i r e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
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 for the first copy and $1 for each additional copy obtained.
EDITORIALS
Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communication, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO.
LETTERS
The Vista encourages letters to the editor. Letters should address issues and ideas, not personalities. Letters must be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s printed name, major, classification and phone number. Phone numbers are included for contacting purposes only. Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of questionable taste. The Vista reserves the right not to publish submitted letters.
ADDRESS LETTERS TO:
Editor, The Vista, 100 N. University Dr. Edmond, OK 73034-5209, or deliver in person to the editor in the Communications Building, Room 131. Letters can be emailed to thevista.ads@gmail.com.
On the Cover: Left:Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt address the crowd at is inauguration held Jan. 22 at the Oklahoma State Capitol. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
Right: Shatoya Bryson, No. 21, is blocked by the Pittsburg State University Gorrilas during a Jan. 21 match at Hamilton Fieldhouse. (Gerald Leong/ The Vista)
Contents
STAFF Christian Tabak Katie Standlee Jonathan Goudeau Tanner Laws Megan Thele Skyler Baldwin Vy Luong Michelle Pennza Yi Wen Wong Lauren Morris Madison Bolton James Jackson Derek Parker Samantha Karbelk Gerald Leong Teddy Burch Alex Brown
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Co-Copy Editor Online Editor Design Editor Reporter Reporter Reporter Sports Reporter Sports Reporter Photographer Photographer Adviser Advertising Specialist
Advertise with us! The Vista is published weekly during the spring, summer and fall semesters. In all issues, The Vista has opportunities for both digital, online and print ads. For information or questions contact: 405-974-5549 or thevista.ads@gmail.com
President/Library
Jan. 22, 2019
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Search for University President Narrows Continued From Pg. 1 There is a 19-member committee made up of UCO faculty and students, local business owners and regents that selected the candidates they thought were best, according to Regent Amy Ford. “Excellence is a critical part of the UCO culture,” Ford said. “UCO provides a learning center, research and education experience for all its faculty and students.” However, some UCO students are not satisfied with the way RUSO is handling the search for the new president. Former student body president
“UCO provides a learning center, research and education experience for all its faculty and student.” - Amy Ford
Stockton Duvall said his biggest issue is transparency. The governor appoints regents for a 9-year term, and Duvall said it can be too easy to appoint regents that are more geared toward business than academics or higher education. Duvall’s concern is that the next president will be closer to a political nomination than someone who is in the circle of higher education and knows what students’ concerns are. RUSO has stated that they do not give out names due to confidentiality and the hopes that more qualified candidates will apply if their names are not known so they still have job security. The next interviews for the seven finalists will be on Jan. 28. Ford said this will be different than other interviews the board has conducted , as the applicants will be there to answer questions in person. If needed, another set of interviews will be held in February. The search for the new president began late last year. After serving as president of UCO since 2011, Betz announced that he will retire as the 20th president of UCO on June 31, 2019.
Mark Stansberry, chair of the Regional University of Oklahoma, speaks during the open forum for the University of Central Oklahoma’s next president on Jan. 14 in Constitution Hall. A 19-member committee made up of UCO faculty and students, local business owneres and regents have been in charge of the search. (Tanner Laws/ The Vista)
UCO Awarded Depository Library Spotlight Yi Wen Wong @TheVista1903 Reporter
The University of Central Oklahoma's Max Chambers Library was selected as a Depository Library Spotlight over the 2018 winter break as the library serves Oklahoma's 5th Congressional District. Each month the Federal Depository Library Program chooses a repository library to spotlight. The Chambers Library was chosen because the FDLP cited how they were doing something new or innovative, as well as simply doing a good job managing their collection. “It was my impression that government information is rather easily incorporated into library reference and instruction activities,” said Kathy Bayer, outreach librarian with the Government Printing Office. “I spent my visit affirming what they're doing rather than answering basic questions, which is somewhat unusual, especially in a library where the coordinator is relatively new.” As a part of this program, the Chambers Library receives free materials shipped from the GPO and answers to the Regional Depository
Old North is the oldest building on the University of Central Oklahoma campus. UCO’s Maxwell Chambers Library was recognized by the Federal Depository Library Program as a national Depository Library Spotlight for its work as a public library in Oklahoma’s 35th Congressional District. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
Library, which is the Oklahoma State University library. The GPO is in charge of printing and disseminating all public reports and documents generated by federal government offices. The GPO also provides a listing of materials available and each library chooses which items to receive. The materials are then provided to the libraries for free and it has to agree
to keep these items for at least five years. The Regional Depository is responsible for keeping a copy of each item disseminated by the GPO. However, in recent years, many documents have become available to be retrieved electronically. Some of the types of information the Chambers Library receives from the GPO are census information,
documents concerning senate and house committee hearings, information about the assassination of JFK and so on. At the Chambers Library, Elizabeth Jones is the depository coordinator and the director of Library Technology & Data Management and updates the selection profile that determines what materials are still needed, as well choosing materials to withdraw from the collection. Shay Beezley, Metadata & Cataloging Manager, and her staff receive, catalog and process items for withdrawal among other day-today tasks that make the collection accessible and useful. “[Our] staff make sure the materials are accessible via Central Search, Chambers Library online catalog,” Jones said. “The cataloging process also includes the labeling of physical items for shelving and routing materials.” The library also maintains a government documents website as part of the library's larger website, at library.uco.edu/gov/. The information on the site directs users to different areas of information such as legal research or statistics, and provides a central search box that limits searches to government information.
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Jan. 22, 2019
Around Campus
The University of Central Oklahoma’s mascot, Buddy Broncho, goes in for a high-five with a spectator on Jan. 17 at the Hamilton Field House. (Gerald Leong/The Vista)
Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019 Vagina Monologue Auditions: The Women’s Outreach Center and AAUW @ Central are hosting auditions for their annual Vagina Monologues event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 113. Auditions are open to all UCO students, faculty and staff who identify as women. All who are selected must be able to attend the event’s rehearsals on Feb. 7 and 12, as well as be available to perform during the Vagina Monologues at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13. No prior acting experience is required. SPB Back on Track: The Student Programming Board will host a DIY calendar-creating activity for students from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the 2nd floor atrium of the Nigh University Center. Students can create tags with dates and months, which will allow them to create their own individualized calendars. Suicide Prevention Training: The Peer Health Leaders and the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will host a Suicide Prevention Training from noon to 1 p.m. in Thatcher Hall Room 343. Attendees will learn how to recognize warning signs for potential suicidal behavior in their peers. Smart Recovery: Those in recovery can attend this meeting in Nigh University Center Room 322 from noon to 1 p.m. where they can learn how to achieve and maintain a positive lifestyle. Attendees will learn how to manage thoughts and how to cope with stress.
Life Skills Around Eating: This free and confidential group meets from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in Thatcher Hall Room 328. The group will discuss and focus on the affect regulation approach to eating disorders and will teach how to handle stress triggered by food. SAFE Welcome Back Celebration: The Student Alliance for Equality will host their Spring 2019 Welcome Back Celebration from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Carl Albert Room 300. The event will feature food and activities, as well as a discussion of the organization’s planned activities for the semester. Anchor Weekly Meeting: Christian student organization Anchor will host their weekly meeting from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Cherokee Room 213. The event will feature food and activities.
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 Non Traditional Student Support Group: This group is designed to help non-traditional students find support at UCO with others students who can relate to your life experience and share resources to help meet personal needs and ensure success at UCO. The meeting is from 2-3 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 322. African Student Association General Meeting: The African Student Association will host a general meeting from 4-6 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 314.
Vagina Monologue Auditions: The Women’s Outreach Center and AAUW @ Central are hosting auditions for their annual Vagina Monologues event from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 201. Auditions are open to all UCO students, faculty and staff who identify as women. All who are selected must be able to attend the event’s rehearsals on Feb. 7 and 12, as well as be available to perform during the Vagina Monologues at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13. No prior acting experience is required. Organization Registration Training: The Student Organizations Office will host Organization Renewal Training from 4-5 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 202. As part of the organization registration process, student organization leaders are required to attend this training to be considered an active organization. At least an organization’s president, vice president or treasurer must be in attendance during the training session.
Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019 Anna Zeide Presents Her Book Canned: The Rise and Fall of Consumer Confidence in the American Food Industry: Anna Zeide, clinical assistant professor at Oklahoma State University, will give a presentation over her recently published book from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Communications 120. A question and answer session and book signing will follow. Dr. Quoss-Moore Presentation - Chaucernalia/Marginalia: Dr.
Quoss-Moore will present her research as part of the Medieval Society general meeting from 3:30-5 p.m. in Liberal Arts Room 225. The presentation is STLR tagged under Global and Cultural Competencies for analyzing how people of the 16th century England interpreted and integrated the early works of Chaucer into their own literary creations.
Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 LGBTQ Support: From 1-2 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 322, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will host a support group for those considering coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and those who have recently come out. Anyone who identifies as LGBTQ, is questioning or unsure can meet and talk about various topics around sexuality, gender and other life issues.
Monday, Jan. 28, 2019 Hangout with SPB: Hangout with the Student Programming Board and learn how to be part of the organization from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the ClockTower. Integrity Week Keynote Address - The Importance of Integrity: From 2-3:30 p.m. in the Center for Transformative Learning’s Radke Fine Arts Theatre, Dr. Mabry will share experiences and demonstrate the importance of integrity in proessional journeys. Free snacks will be available before and after the presentation. The event is STLR tagged in Leadership.
Stitt/Inauguration
Jan. 22, 2019
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Stitt’s First Week Brings Appointments, Strategies Lauren Morris @TheVista1903 Reporter
During his first week in office, Gov. Kevin Stitt started off by working with his new cabinet to strategize key areas of concern across the state as well as several major issues he had addressed during his election campaign. Stitt, who was sworn in as governor last week, is currently working with a cabinet of 10 nominees and intends to name another five in the coming weeks. His latest appointment was Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell as Secretary of Tourism and Branding. Stitt has said several times that his goal is for Oklahoma to be what he called a “top 10 state.” His reasoning is that Oklahoma has hard-working people and it is filled with resources that should propel the state further than where it currently sits. “We are going to ensure every dollar matches the values and vision of Oklahoma becoming a top 10 state,” Stitt said. “We are at our best when people are gainfully employed, when wages are improving, when people have freedom to innovate and access to opportunity.” Addressing issues such as agriculture, infrastructure and economics by recruiting people from outside Oklahoma and training them is something Stitt has said he intends to do in office. In doing so, he has promised to
Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks during his 2019 inauguration address at the State Capitol on Jan. 14. Stitt has nominated 10 cabinet members and will nominate five more in the coming weeks. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
come up with a long-term plan to address inefficiencies and governmental problem areas during his tenure. “In all that we do, and the decisions that we make, it will come back to growth,” Stitt said. “We will ask ourselves, ‘Does this new bill, does this new investment, does this regulation grow Oklahoma?’” Among the issues Stitt campaigned on, he said he still intends to reform Oklahoma’s education by raising teacher pay and promoting the use of technology. He also plans to retain new teachers that graduate from Oklahoma universities and keep their
employment in Oklahoma. “We are either moving forward or we are falling behind, and I believe we have more opportunity today than any day in our history to start a business, to expand an existing one, to move our state forward,” Stitt said. Along with the broader goals of education and the economy, Stitt has also been an advocate for the pro-life movement and defending the Second Amendment. He said he plans to have Medicaid and the Department of Health inspected for inefficiencies and improvements during his time in office.
“You, the people, come first. I commit to you to be a good listener, a continuous learner, a committed communicator and a bold leader for the decisions that make a difference for today’s children and the next generation,” Stitt said during his inauguration. A Florida native, Stitt grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, and is an alumnus of Oklahoma State University with a degree in accounting. Before getting into politics, he served as the CEO and founder of Gateway Mortgage Group. He lives in Tulsa with his wife, Sarah, and their six children.
installation in Waynoka, Norman, Oklahoma City and Pauls Valley.” Each installation consists of seven large-scale 3 1/2 foot wide, 5 foot outdoor portraits taken by local photographer Neil Chapman. “I had an extra set of prints and it was important to me today to bring
them to the inauguration and hold them to show the politicians, citizens and incoming Gov. Kevin Stitt that we mean business.” “I hope Kevin Stitt really gets a picture for who he's serving and that the youth are really our future,” said Nicole Emmons, a Faces of the
47th volunteer and a former teacher at James L. Capps middle school in Oklahoma City. As a teacher, Emmons said that class sizes and the amount of time she was given to teach students were two of the biggest challenges she faced during her time in the classroom. Agee, who was active and visible throughout the inauguration, said she feels her welcome to Stitt was successful. “I hope he does a better job than our previous governor,” Agee said. “The future education of these children matters.” Faces of the 47th is in partnership with the INSIDE OUT Project inspired by French urban artist and photographer JR’s large-format street pastings. Each INSIDE OUT group action around the world is documented, archived and exhibited online. Over 260,000 people have participated in 129 countries.
Faces of the 47th Attend Inauguration Madison Bolton @TheVista1903 Reporter
The Faces of the 47th art installation made an appearance during the inauguration of Gov. Kevin Stitt last Monday, with education advocates displaying posters of 47 children in hopes to remind Stitt of his campaign promises to increase Oklahoma's education quality. In 2018, Oklahoma was ranked 47th nationally in overall education funding. After the teacher walkout last year, Sarah Agee, mother of two and art advocate, wanted to bring more awareness to the lack of funding in Oklahoma's education. Local artists, photographers and filmmakers worked together to create Faces of the 47th to provide a visual reminder for voters to stand up for education, according to Agee. “We took 47 of these prints across the state and pasted them as our installation,” Agee said. “We have an
Kevin Stitt is sworn in as the 28th governor of Oklahoma on Jan. 14 at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Stitt beat Democratic candidate Drew Edmondson and Libertarian candidate Chris Powell in the November General Election. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
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Jan. 22, 2019
Lawsuit/OneStop
UCO Named as Defendant in Lawsuit Continued from Pg. 1 and spokesperson for the Board of Regents. “We require universities we govern to take every complaint seriously and to investigate them fully and take appropriate action as warranted by the investigation.” Kleeman, UCO and Richard Mann, the defendant's attorney and current state of Oklahoma assistant attorney general, declined to comment on any open or pending lawsuits. According to official court documents, this incident began on or around Aug. 31, 2017 when Kleeman contacted Bors, a transgender student, seeking advice on pronoun use regarding sex and gender relative to LGBTQ+ persons. Bors agreed to meeting with Kleeman to discuss this topic and Kleeman set the meeting to
be held at his home. The statement of facts, which were included in the court documents, stated that during the meeting Kleeman repeatedly made statements about Bors’ physical appearance, stated that Bors’ gender transition made him "horny," forcibly tried to embrace Bors and kissed Bors on the head. Court documents state after rejecting these advances and leaving the location, Bors reported the incident to the Title IX Office at UCO and through the Ethics Point link on the RUSO website. According to the statement of facts, the defendants [RUSO and UCO] conducted an investigation on the incident and found in favor of Bors. Adrienne Martinez, UCO Title IX Cooridator, declined to comment on the investigation and its findings.
Under Title IX and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 discrimination based on sex and/or denial of benefits of education due to sex and/or sexual harassment is prohibited. Under both, Bors is entitled to compensation for all compensatory damages arising from the discrimination experienced, and is entitled to recover damages for the emotional distress and/or dignitary harms suffered as a result of such discrimination. The actual damage listed within Bors’ claims is anticipated to exceed $10,000. For more information on this case there are documents available through online databases under the case number 5:18-cv-01235-R. Documents can also be requested at the Oklahoma Western District Court.
Title IX Office To learn more about Title IX, visit sites.uco.edu/central/title-ix/ or contact: University Title IX Coordinator, Adrienne Martinez, EEO/ Title IX Coordinator Lillard Administration Building, Room 114D 100 N. University Drive Edmond, OK 73034 Phone: (405) 974-3377 Fax: (405) 974-3807
OneStop for Student Needs Opens on Campus Madison Bolton @TheVista1903 Reporter
The new OneStop combined area for students to receive assistance with financial aid, admissions, bursar and enrollment officially opened this semester in the University of Central Oklahoma’s Nigh University Center. Renovations to the south end of the NUC’s first floor have combined the Undergraduate Academic Advisement office and the Undergraduate Admissions and Enrollment office into one unified office space. While the office space is now unified, both OneStop and Undergraduate Academic Advisement retain separate office suites, but work
closely together to assist students. “The biggest problem as to why we came up with this idea was our complete withdrawal process,” said Dallas Caldwell, senior director for Enrollment and Financial Services. “The process involved getting a signature from enrollment, bursar and finical aid.” This process had students waiting in different lines, so the concept of OneStop was created to help students find everything they need in one place, according to Caldwell. OneStop has combined the offices of Financial Aid, Enrollment Services, Student Records, Academic Advisement and Graduation Support Services. It has also created a new “Self-Help” area for students to receive guided help at workstations
for issues such as online course registration or digital transcript requests. “Our frontline employees all have to know a little bit about everything,” Caldwell said. While the idea to create an office such as OneStop has been a popular one in higher education, the idea for one at UCO originated after Caldwell and several colleagues attended a strategic enrollment management conference seven years ago. OneStop also includes a new queue management system, where student workers with tablets sign students onto a queue and direct them to where in the OneStop and advisement appointments they need to wait for more assistance. “I feel like every time I come
Devon Smith, student worker at OneStop, checks students into the LobbyCentral system for an appointment. OneStop is a combined area for students to receive assistance with financial aid, admissions, bursar and enrollment. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
here, even before they had the renovations, the familiar faces do a great job to go out of their way to give me an answer that I need,” said Sarah Muller, a senior at UCO studying business management. “If you sign-up in line digitally and you get moved to a finical aid counselor, you’re not getting in line all over again,” Caldwell said. “You still have the same spot.” There are only two financial aid counselors currently, due to the position’s high turnover rate, but Caldwell said they are making it work. According to Caldwell, he wanted to show a connection between advisement and the rest of the process with glass walls because there was no other way to do so considering physical limitations. Caldwell said more renovations, including furniture to lend the space a more relaxed look, are on the way. A new self-help computer area and an online check-in system for students is also in the works to. “The biggest challenge with OneStop is the desire to rush into everything,” Caldwell said. “If you rush forward too much, you leave things behind.” While there are more big plans for OneStop, Caldwell said feedback has helped to drive the changes they’ve made and the possibility of any future changes. “We want to know what’s working and what’s not working,” Caldwell said. “If we’re pushing too far in one direction and we need to come back, that’s what we want to do.”
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Jan. 22, 2019
Vietnam
A Vista Trip Around Vietnam The Vista’s Online Editor Vy Luong visited her native country of Vietnam during the 2018-19 winter break. Photographing everything from busy city centers to scenic beaches, Vy captured the charm of Vietnam for the UCO campus.
Top Left: Rush hour traffic at the Dien Bien Phu Roundabout in Ho Chi Minh City, one of the biggest cities in Vietnam. People in Vietnam mostly use motorcycles to travel around and the streets are also small since they are mostly designed for motorcycle traffic. Along with some cars and buses, the traffic may become really bad during rush hour. (Vy Luong/The Vista)
Middle Right: Fishing boats on Vung Tau Beach, one of the most famous tourist places in the south of Vietnam. (Vy Luong/The Vista)
Top Right: The Linh Phuoc Pagoda in Da Lat City. Da Lat is a colder city compared to other regions of tropical Vietnam. (Vy Luong/The Vista)
Bottom left: A traditional dish of Vietnamese pho. Made with beef broth and rice noodles, it is one of Vietnam’s most famous and popular dishes. (Vy Luong/The Vista)
Middle Left: A store selling decorations and supplies for the Lunar New Year. At this time of the year, Vietnamese are preparing for Lunar New Year, which is the nation’s biggest holiday. The holiday usually occurs in late January or early February and this year is Year of The Pig. People usually decorate with flowers and other decorations with red and yellow colors, which are believed to bring luck. (Vy Luong/The Vista)
Bottom Right: Students get out of school after morning classes at Long Khanh High School in Long Khanh Town, Dong Nai Province. Classes start at 7 a.m. and end at 11:15 a.m. Students are required to wear uniforms, with white aodai (traditional Vietnamese dress) for female and white shirt for male. (Vy Luong/The Vista)
Arenacross
Jan. 22, 2019
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Kicker Arenacross Races Into Guthrie
Arenacross Racer Jace Owen scrubs over a jump to keep up his speed as he hold first place. The race was held on Jan. 12 at the Kicker Arenacross event in Guthrie, Oklahoma. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
Middle Left: Jace Owen, right, battles against Blake Wharton, left, for first place on Jan. 12 at the Kicker Arenacross event in Guthrie, Oklahoma. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
Middle: Freestyle motocross rider Terry Russell performs a can can at the end of the arenacross races to close off the night. The ending show was held on Jan. 12 at the Kicker Arenacross event in Guthrie, Oklahoma. (Tanner Laws/The Vista) Bottom Left: Mavrik Gish leads on the race to be crowned overall champion in the 50cc Outlaw class on Jan. 12 at the Kicker Arenacross event in Guthrie, Oklahoma. (Tanner Laws/The Vista) Bottom Right: Jace Owen, right, speaks to Kicker Arenacross announcer, left, about his main event win in the 250 pro and open pro classes. Jace has accomplished eight consecutive wins and an overall of 16 main event wins. The event was held on Jan. 12 at the Kicker Arenacross event in Guthrie, Oklahoma. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
Middle RIght: Blake Wharton, right, fights to pass Jace Owen, left, for a victory on Jan. 12 at the Kicker Arenacross event in Guthrie, Oklahoma. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
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Jan. 22, 2019
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Food Sciences
Jan. 22, 2019
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Federal Grant to Update UCO Food Sciences Katie Standlee @katiestandlee
Managing Editor
A $149,000 grant awarded to Kanika Bhargava, associate professor in the Human Environmental Sciences Department at the University of Central Oklahoma, is ensuring new opportunities, enhancements and equipment for the department sometime in March. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Bhargava the grant tited, “Enhancing Food Science Capacity through Transformative Learning Experiences in Education and Research.” “The products of the current proposal, including higher-quality course curricula and integrated research opportunities, will engage the students and increase interest in pursuing jobs and/or higher education in the food industry,” Bhargava said. Bhargava said the main objectives of the grant are to enhance the laboratory equipment; integrate research experiments into the curriculum; update the Food Science curriculum to incorporate new courses in food quality and safety leading to the development of a post-graduate certificate; and investigate new technology on nanoemulsion based delivery systems
Kanika Bhargava, associate professor in the Human Environmental Sciences Department at the University of Central Oklahoma, oversees students using a Hunter Color Lab System of food products to measure the color of a dill pickle. This equipment was purchased with some of the federal grant funds. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
of natural antimicrobials to increase produce safety. Tawni Holmes, HES associate professor, said since this is a capacity-building grant that will give the department the opportunity to recruit
Elaine Sawyer using the ultrasonic liquid processor on Jan. 17 in a lab in the Human Environmental Science building on campus. A federal grant of $149,000 awarded to Kanika Bhargava will make it possible for HES to get new equipment for students and make other needed updates. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
and retain students. Successful completion of this project will greatly enhance the number and diversity of multidisciplinary professionals trained in nutrition, dietetics, food science and food service management in the US to meet the future need of the food and agriculture sciences workforce, according to Bhagava. “The most important measurable outcome of the proposed project will be the improvement in student learning through laboratory exercises, food safety workshops and student research projects,” Bhargava said. Students in the department will have the opportunity to work as research assistants on food safety research, present the research at state and national conferences, and be able to submit their work to peer-reviewed publications with students as co-authors. Specifically, the Bhargava research group has developed natural antimicrobial nanoemulsion technology. This technology targets the improvement of lettuce and melon safety, which will reduce costs associated with recall and foodborne outbreaks in the produce industry. “The nanoemulsion technology is a cheap and efficient sterilization agent for food processing and industrial applications, including ingredients that are currently approved by the appro-
priate regulatory agencies (e.g., FDA, USDA, etc.) for use in medical, agriculture and food applications,” Bhargava said. Holmes said Bhargava has been a great component to the department because she has such a strong research background. She said Bhargava is the food expert on campus, and teaches courses related to food science. Alongside classes, Bhargava also has several thesis projects and projects where students are developing new food products and are testing or manipulating ingredients. “Before [Bhargava] we didn’t have a lot of students that chose to do a thesis and now that we have her on our faculty a lot more students are doing thesis projects,” Holmes said. Bhargava is the principal investigator for this grant and she is now working on fulfilling the grant with Holmes and Hari Kotturi, associate professor in Biology. Throughout this process Bhargava, Holmes and Kotturi have been recruiting undergraduate and graduate research assistants to work on this grant. “Our goal is to improve the food science instructional and research capacity and capabilities of the multi-disciplinary Nutrition, Dietetics, Food Science and Food Service Management program at UCO,” Bhargava said.
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Jan. 22, 2019
Squeeze
SPORTS
Gorillas Squeeze Past Bronchos
University of Central Oklahoma forward Ireon Smith, No. 45, goes up for a shot during a Feb. 10, 2018 home game against Fort Hays State University. Smith led the Bronchos with 20 points and seven rebounds in their 72-70 loss. (Provided/BronchoSports) James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15 Sports Reporter
The University of Central Oklahoma fell to Pittsburg State University 62-60, losing their fourth consecutive game in a game that came down to the final shot. After forcing a stop, the Bronchos would get the ball back with 8.2 seconds to go but were not able to score the game-tying bucket. “Looks like we out rebounded them,” said head coach Guy Hardaker. “Looks like we had the same amount of turnovers, looks like we had more shot attempts, we had more second-chance points, we had more points in the paint, so I feel like we did everything we could do to win tonight, I guess if we don’t turn the ball over the first couple possession of the game maybe we’ll be better.” The Bronchos were able to hold the Gorillas under their scoring average of 76.3 points a game. The Gorillas forced two steals on the Bronchos first three possessions,
starting with the first, which resulted in a 3-pointer from the top of the arc by Pittsburg’s Meghan Maher. Maya Williams would knock down another 3-pointer to give the Gorillas a 6-0 lead. After nearly four minutes, Ireon Smith knocked in the first bucket for UCO with a 3-pointer as they were down 8-3. Shatoya Bryson would then knock in three free throws after being fouled for a small six point run. The run was halted by a Gorilla 3-pointer. The Bronchos scored only 11 points in the first quarter as they were down 20-11. After falling to as much as 15, UCO brought it back to nine when Brooke Rayner hit the Bronchos second 3-pointer of the game. Despite shooting 2-13 from the 3-point line as a team, the Bronchos lessened the gap to six heading into the half, down 34-28. The Gorillas shot 4-10 from three and every player, except two, scored in that half. Smith would heat up in the fourth
quarter, scoring four of the Bronchos five baskets. Bryson scored the other
“I feel like we did everything we could do to win tonight, I guess if we don’t turn the ball over the first couple possessions of the game maybe we’ll be better.” Guy Hardaker basket with a 3-pointer. Despite their efforts, the Bronchos were still down nine as they continued to shoot 41 percent from the field. Late in the fourth, the Bronchos were able to score seven unanswered
points to come within one point of the Gorillas. After the Gorillas made two free throws, Smith would tie the game, for the first time, with an and one basket to the lane with her left hand with four minutes to go. A late foul call put Pittsburg State’s Shelby Lopez on the line and she would sink both free fthrows, giving the Gorillas a 62-60 lead with 46 seconds to go. The Bronchos missed their shot in the final seconds. Smith finished with 20 points, leading the Bronchos. “I think she’s playing well, she’s capable of doing that every night,” Hardaker said. Bryson finished with 14 points. The Bronchos are now two games under .500 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association with a record of 2-4. The overall record stands at 11-6 on the season. The Bronchos will have another shot a breaking the losing streak Saturday at 1:30 p.m. against Missouri Southern State University.
Battles
Jan. 22, 2019
13
Basketball Battles In The Pitt
University of Central Oklahoma guard Jordan Hemphill, No. 5, looks to pass during a Jan. 17 home game against Pittsburgh State University at Hamilton Field House. Hemphill finished with 12 points in UCO’s 90-74 loss. (Gerald Leong/The Vista)
James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15 Sports Reporter
The University of Central Oklahoma fell to Pittsburg State University 90-74 in a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association matchup Thursday night at Hamilton Field House, dropping their conference record to 1-6 on the season and their overall record to 8-8. The Gorillas set two milestones in their win. They hit a school record 16 three pointers to beat the Bronchos. Their previous record was 15. “They’re a really good three point shooting team and showed it tonight,” said head coach Tom Hankins. “They made a lot of long shots when I thought we played pretty good defense on them. We obviously didn’t shoot it very well, but we were still in the game until the last five or six minutes when it got away from us.” The previous two matchups against Pittsburg State had come down to buzzer beaters, each team owning one, but tonight the Bronchos just
couldn’t keep up with the Gorillas three-point shooting. “We was stressing in practice all week just trying to stay focused,” said Pittsburg State’s Donovan Franklin. “We knew this was going to be a big game, their record doesn’t show how good of a team they really are.” Along with the three point record, Franklin had a career-high 32 points as he knocked down seven three-pointers on his own; his previous career high was 31. “My shot was feeling good today,” Franklin said. “But the most important thing today was that we got the win, so that’s all I care about.” The Bronchos started behind as Pittsburg threw down a dunk and then a fast-break layup. Adarius Avery, who poured in 11 of the Bronchos 36 in the first half, scored the first basket for UCO. Ashford Golden would tie Avery in the first half with 11 of his own. The Bronchos as a team shot a better percentage from the field (47.1) than the Gorillas (45.5) in the first half. However, the Gorillas poured
in 9 of 22 three-pointers to the Bronchos 1 of 8 to lead 43-36 at the half. After a Gorilla player was called for a technical, Avery would step up to shoot the technical shots. However, the arena music started on the release of his first shot and he missed. He was able to sink the second and then Golden was able to knock in his own pair of free throws and Jordan Hemphill followed him. Marquis Johnson would get fouled and he would take the lead knocking in his two free throws halfway through the second half but the Gorillas would score five unanswered points to go up by four. With just under four and a half minutes remaining, the Gorillas would then go on to score 14 unanswered points to put the game out of reach. During that span, the Bronchos shot 0-10 from the field and 0-6 from three. UCO will look to bounce back and improve their conference record in their matchup against Missouri Southern State University on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Hamilton Field
University of Central Oklahoma forward Adarius Avery dunks over a Pitt State defender during a Jan. 17 home game. Avery led the Bronchos with 24 points. (Gerald Leong/The Vista)
14
Jan. 22, 2019
Rumble
Thunders Defense Can’t Make a Rumble
Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (12) and Los Angeles Lakers guard Josh Hart, right, vie for a rebound during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma (0) collides with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroeder (17) as he goes to the basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019. Thunder guard Hamidou Diallo (6) is at right. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
The Oklahoma City Thunder have now dropped five of their last six games, and have to figure out their struggles before a tough stretch of games. After a white hot start, including a short stint as the number one team in the Western Conference, Oklahoma City has now lost several need-towin games for a contending team. The Thunder have now dropped games to the Lebron-less Lakers, the struggling Atlanta Hawks by a 16 point deficit and the below average Wizards. The Thunder’s struggles are largely attributed to their defensive dropoff. Over the last six, the Thunder are allowing an average of 130 points per game. Needless to say, that’s not ideal. Offensively, the Thunder are hitting their stride. Terrance Ferguson and Patrick Patterson are a large part of the offensive surge, with both gaining confidence in their shooting ability. Ferguson’s shooting has been a huge offensive boost for the Thun-
der, averting just shy of 14 points in his last five games. Patterson has had an efficient stretch of games, and has become the three and D player the Thunder had hoped to acquire over the last couple of games. Defensively, the Thunder are a shadow of their former number one ranked self. In just a matter of games, OKC has plummeted from the number one ranking to number eight. Russell Westbrook and Paul George are still leading the league in steals, but the defense overall has been inexcusable. The Thunder have got to find a way to get their defensive energy back, and Westbrook has to find his rhythm before the Thunder can begin to think about contention again. A couple losses here and there seem minimal at first, but a string of terrible losses to terrible teams can have a long-term effect on a season. If Oklahoma City doesn’t figure it out soon, it could turn into last season sooner rather than later. Westbrook is averaging the most assists per game in the league at
10.7 per game, and a position-high 10.6 rebounds, but his shooting has been some of the worst of his career. He is shooting his worst field goal percentage since his second year in the league, and his worst from beyond the arc since that same year. Westbrook’s true problem lies at the charity stripe, where free throw percentage has dropped from .845 percent in 2016, the highest of his career, to .642 percent, his career worst. Free throws have been a major problem so far for OKC, who rank 27th in the league in team free throw percentage. One bright spot for the Thunder in this bad stretch of games has been Paul George. He has yet to give up on his MVP campaign and is averaging 26.6 points, 2.3 steals and 8.1 rebounds per game, all career bests. The Thunder now look to bounce back in Philadelphia, and beat the solid 76ers, who are on a threegame win streak.
Wire
Jan. 22, 2019
15
Super Bowl Chase Down To The Wire The 53rd Super Bowl is fast approaching, and only four teams remain to continue their run at the Lombardi Trophy. With the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints left, could this be one of the most exciting conference championships ever? The conference championship round is set. The Rams will head to New Orleans to play the Saints, and the Patriots are headed to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs, both in a battle of old versus new. The Saints and Patriots will both be playing 40-year-old inevitable Hall-of-Famers at quarterback in Drew Brees and Tom Brady, while the Rams are starting 24-yearold Jared Goff and the Chiefs are starting 23-year-old MVP candidate Patrick Mahomes. Both first seeds and both second seeds have made the conference championships, with Kansas City atop the AFC, and New Orleans leading the NFC. Expect a ton of offense in these games. The NFL hasn’t seen four top offenses like this in a conference championship, possibly ever. All four teams are among the best in the league in terms of offensive production. The four remaining teams take up the top four spots in yards per game, with the Patriots coming in at first, averaging just shy of 500 total yards per game for the postseason. Behind them are the Rams, Chiefs and Saints. All are led by more than capable quarterbacks, Brady and Brees, both of which already have a ring(s), Mahomes who has the best case for the MVP this year, and Goff, a young upand-comer teamed with the best offensive mind in the league, Sean McVay. All four teams have a solid run game, with each ranking in the top ten of the regular season, with the Chiefs and Rams coming in at numbers one and two. Defensively, the four teams are
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) calls a play at the line of scrimmage during the first half of the team’s NFL divisional football playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts in Kansas City, Mo. The popular, record-setting quarterback shattered just about every franchise passing record in his first season as a starter, and his down-home style has made him a fan-favorite. The Chiefs play the New England Patriots on Sunday for the AFC championship. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga, File) good enough but don’t expect them to shut down any of these high powered offenses. The Patriots allowed just 20.8 points per game throughout the season for a ranking of 6th in the league, followed closely by the Saints at 21.6, the Rams at 23.9, and the Chiefs at 25.5. Again, don’t look for any of the defenses to hold these offenses to less than 20 points. Each team in the playoffs has their own reason for making their championship run. For the Patriots, winning their third title in five years under the Brady-Belicheck duo could finally prove themselves as one of the greatest teams in NFL history. For the Mahomes and the Chiefs, it could cap off a truly unbelievable season for Mahomes, winning what could be an MVP and Super Bowl.
Brees, an MVP candidate himself, and the Saints are on a mission to prove that 2009-10 wasn’t a fluke, and is out to get himself a second ring. The Rams are in search of just their second Super Bowl ever, and are looking to win for the first time since the 1999-2000 season, and prove that they do have the best coach in football. All four teams face off on Jan. 20, with the Rams and Saints playing 2:05 p.m. and Patriots and Chiefs at 5:40 p.m.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff throws against the Detroit Lions during an NFL football game in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)