The Vista July 10, 2003

The Student Voice Since 1903

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THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2003

Tuition jumps

by Rod Jones Staff Writer The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education raised tuition for universities June 30 to offset declines in state funding and increases in school expenditures.

The tuition increases will begin in the fall semester, with UCO's jumping 18.8 percent.

Harve Allen, media relations director for the regents, said a combination of factors forced them to raise tuition.

"Students were paying one-third of the cost [of education] while taxpayers had to foot the rest of the bill," he said.

He added that enrollment increases and mandatory increases in teacher's health insurance raised the cost of education.

State appropriations to universities were reduced 3.8 percent due to revenue shortfalls.

Despite the higher tuition, the regents project a 3.2 percent increase in enrollment. They say appropriations will level off while enrollment goes up, leaving less money available for each student.

Universities have added more tuition waivers since the tuition hike "to make sure students aren't priced out of the market," Allen said.

Oklahoma institutions have increased waivers by $11 million, but students will probably have to rely more on student loans, he said.

The average state increase for a 30-hour

undergraduate year will be $430.

"Keeping quality programs intact requires more money," Allen said.

International students at UCO, already paying a higher rate than Oklahoma residents, will have to pay $274.95 per undergraduate hour compared to $99.95 for in-state residents.

Dr. Ronald Paddack, director of international student services, said it will take at least a semester to see if international student enrollment drops.

"Some parents have expressed concern, but I'm not aware of any bail out," Paddack said.

He said many students save money on their own in their native countries to pay for school here.

In order to raise the tuition, the regents removed a tuition increase cap that had been in place for two years. It was designed to keep tuition from going up more than 9 percent a year.

Now universities are required to keep their tuition below the lowest of the regional average.

Allen said UCO fees are 15 percent below. the regional average.

Even with the extra $82.2 million expected from tuition increases, the state will be short of funds for higher education.

"We will have to wait and see what happens with the economy," Allen said.

"We're not out of the storm yet."

Photo by Tina Fowble

Psychology junior Somer Pfeifer writes a check July 8 at the Bursar's Office.

Fall enrollment climbing despite increasing costs

by Robert T. Crauthers Staff Writer

Photo by Tina Fowble

Fall enrollment continues to rise despite the increased cost.

Despite the decrease in student enrollment this summer, UCO will see a 3.8 percent increase in the student population in the fall, said Jerry Legere, assistant vice president for Enrollment Management.

Fall enrollment is at 11,977, as of July 7, up from 11,542 this time last year. A number of factors have contributed to the increase, Legere said.

"In the past several years, people have wanted to stay at UCO longer, he said. "They also tend to transfer here to finish their education."

Transfer students numbered 830, as of July 7, and many will wait until August to register, Legere said.

'About a third wait until last minute," he said.

Despite a 4 percent increase of students needing housing, UCO should be able to cope with the situation, said Jasmine Herd, a front desk clerk in the housing department.

"Most rooms have been sealed up, but there have been a lot of cancellations," she said.

Summer enrollment was down 284 from last year at this time, Legere said.

"We might just not have been offering what people wanted," he said.

Global village? How about 'cubicle village'?

by Jim Epperson III Senior Writer Four UCO departments have offices in a little place administrators call "Cubicle Village."

Professors, Special Education Services, Speech and Language Pathology and the Reading Clinic all use the 40 offices made of cubicles in the library.

John Westerman, chair of the professional teacher education (PTE) department, works in an office in the village on the third floor of the library.

He said students and professors who visit him do not have any privacy.

"Sometimes I'll be talking to someone and people will just join the conversation from three cubicles over," Westerman said.

Westerman said one time he was on the phone with the Dean of the College of Education discussing business. Someone heard what was discussed.

"Some one gave me some insight on my conversation with the dean," he said.

Westerman office used to be in Old North before it was considered unsafe. He then moved into a 9-ft by 9-ft cubicle, where he does administrative and student work "I had a beautiful office," he said.

Nancy Combs, the reading department secretary, said during the

fall and spring semesters she has to take work home because it is too noisy.

But Combs said the biggest problem is student privacy.

"I've had a lot of students tell me that they have a problem with privacy issues," she said.

Stuart Hughes, an industrial safety junior, said talking to his professor is no big deal when it is minor issues like enrolling in classes.

"But if I got an `F,' I would want privacy" Administrative secretary for PTE Paula Fowler said students acknowledge the limitations of the cubicles.

"Students deserve to have privacy when they need to talk to their professors," sh•said.

Fowler said other problems are lack of storage space and space in the office. She said students arc in the offices throughout the day.

"It's too loud to give tests in here," she said.

Westerman said there are plans to build and move off as on the south side of the fourth floor. He said it would cost $800,000.

Fowler said three coaches are moving on the third floor in the library because there is no room anywhere else. They are taking up some of the last workrooms she said.

"They are moving into our little village," she said.

Photo by Tina Fowble

Professional Teacher Education offices are located on the third floor of the library.

OPINION

JULY 10, 2003

WWW.THEVISTAONELINE.COM

Quote of the day "Your tiny minds cannot hope to understand what you are about to witness."

-Peter Tosh

Today in History 1873 French poet Arthur Rimbaud was wounded by fellow-poet and cornpanion Paul Verlaine with a pistol in Brussels, Belgium. Two years before, the two poets had started a tumultuous relationship which culminated when Verlaine shot Rimbaud after he threatened to leave.

Rimbaud is considered one of the most exceptional poets of French symbolism.

The Grove Sun Daily on crime:

lic information department, releases all information, said Koveta Schibbelhute, administrative assistant, News Services.

What's going on here? Are we so afraid of criticism that we're willing to sacrifice our purpose? Has the aftermath of 9/11 all left us so fearful that we can't talk? Or has the world of public relations infested our minds to the point where we must keep everything secret until it's been sufficiently sugar-coated?

Apparently, it's time to remind those receiving State of Oklahoma paychecks that the public's business is indeed the public'S business.

Here's the problem with "keeping the public safe."

Everything the government does costs more money.

Want to lock up more bad guys?

You have to build more prisons and hire more guards.

You have to hire more cops to arrest more people.

You have to hire more judges and build more courtrooms.

You have to have more programs to help these people get jobs and be productive once they get out of prison so they won't go right back to prison and become permanent wards of the state.

So does all of this keep us safer? Is crime lower?

The results are mixed. Yes, crime rates have drifted lower in recent years, but a staggering number of those in prison are now on drug related crimes—perhaps even a majority if you take into consideration the high number of drug users who commit crimes not

however, ignores the fact that any father can be pushed beyond the point of endurance and be obliged to cut off the offending child. In this world, that usually is as simple as disownment. This does not change the fact that the father agonizes at the thought of his child's suffering, but the father has done all he can and, through love, will allow that suffering to occur.

Apparently, more than three thousand years of effort on God's part are not enough for Mr. Voth.

In order for him to accept the existence of this "ghastly monster" who willingly gave up His own son just to help Mr. Voth have a better day, God must not only continue all the efforts He currently uses but at the last He must forget all of the pain He may have endured and accept Mr. Voth just because he is "on the whole, fairly moral." Anyone who follows this terrible, horrible being who has

shown nothing but love to His children preaching an "immoral doctrine" and "debasing his/her own integrity." Because God has given us everything we need and constantly provides us with a clear path, because God came to earth and suffered one of the most degrading and despicable deaths known to man, "every good woman and man among us has a moral imperative to curse him."

History has shown that no one can truly be forced into the worship of a God who teaches love and humility, but that same God who loves has made it clear what the alternative is, and has gone out if His way to keep us from that alternative. Just like a father, He has allowed us to push against His rules simply to keep us from having to deal with the results. He cannot "forcefully convert all nonChristians" as that would make Him a tyrant instead of a father.

Cartoon by Eric Osbom

University officials stifling democratic process Public universities spending public money in the public's name should be open to public inspection, yet UCO administrators and student workers often refuse to share information .

A UCO administrative assistant, who refused to be named for fear of reprisal, said this week she could not talk to a reporter from The Vista even though she wanted to. A colleague advised her not to talk It shouldn't be that way, she admitted. But she said she was afraid of being fired.

Recently, when a Vista reporter

interviewed student library workers about approved changes to the Max Chambers Library, they also refused to go on record. Again, they said they were afraid.

UCO President Roger Webb said such fear is unwarranted.

"I do not know of anyone who lost their job (for talking)," he said.

When asked if employees should be afraid of talking to reporters, Webb added, "I sure don't know why they should."

Regardless of whether the fear is warranted or not, the idea that it is so difficult to get information : from

sion of a university. This isn't the place where people should have to beg for facts, ideas and opinions.

Unfortunately, it's not a new problem. Former editors and reporters from The Vista have struggled with tight-lipped university personnel for years.

What is new is that the problem seems to be getting worse. Last semester editors even advised reporters that they might need to "camp out" on administrators' doorsteps to get information to which they were legally entitled.

Indeed, it's official policy .that

4 university runs counter the mis-

News **Ps, uPiversity'$; pub

establishes their own kingdom, it even wipes out opposing armies in the space of seconds. Every single time those followers turn away, this deity sends a prophet to show them their error and attempt to bring them back. Some of these prophets are murdered for their words, others are tortured, but a few are listened to and life continues until the next time.

Throughout the entire thousand year history, these prophets constantly make mention of a final sacrifice that the deity will provide, one that will redeem its followers. It's a roaring good yarn.

The second part tells the story of a man chosen to be that sacrifice. The deity willingly creates a son, imbuing that son as a manifestation of the deity itself and then spends the next three years

Letter to the editor In his letter of July 7, Mr. Travis Voth describes God as "a corrupt, beastly deity" and "an unjust, brutal god" simply due to the idea that those who do not believe in Jesus Christ are condemned to hell. He claims that if God were the true father that He is described as, that father would not condemn His children into torment, rather, only a "drunken, abusive stepfather" would behave in such a way. According to Mr. Voth, God is worthy of curses for his intolerant and unjust ways.

Let us, for the sake of argument, assume that the Bible is nothing more than history and fairy tales. The first part tells the story of a deity who spends over a thousand years guiding and protecting its chosen followers. It brings them out of slavery, it

wandering about the countryside.

During that time, he helps the poor and downtrodden, he shows nothing but kindness to others, and even at the moment of his unjust and brutal execution, he begs forgiveness for his murderers. His followers then go on to spread his message across the globe until the day he returns.

Even if it's not true, it's still a roaring good yarn.

Now, again for the sake of argument, let's assume that the story is in fact quite true. God has spent the past two thousand years ensuring the spread of his Word to mankind. Despite misuse, misinterpretation and outright sabotage, He has ensured that His word remains accessible to anyone who comes into contact with it.

Mr. Voth claims that "All good fathers . . . would do anything to prevent children from enduring great pains or death." Mr. Voth,

directly related to drug use.

All of which brings us to Gov. Brad Henry.

Gov. Brad Henry is approving paroles at the lowest rate in three years. A study by the Criminal Justice Resource Center says Henry is signing an average of 112 paroles per month, down from 178 per month in 2002 and 209 per month in 2001 by former Gov. Frank Keating.

Perhaps those coming before him are less worthy, or perhaps he is (admirably) trying to insure that the state remains as safe as possible.

But it comes at a cost—by keeping more prisoners in jail, the state incurs millions in additional costs. And note, these are not "terrorists" who are the currently hobgoblins spoofing the American public—they're just your run-ofthe-mill American borne and bred criminals.

Like we say, there's nothing cheap about fighting crime.

He can, however, reserve the right of punishment just as an earthy father punishes his children when they do wrong. Mr. Voth, like every human being, has the inalienable right to believe as he chooses. I cannot prove to him that I am any more correct in my beliefs than he is in his, as only death will give us the answers.

However, in the possibility that God exists and in the possibility that Jesus is the path to heaven, Mr. Voth's rights do not remove the consequences of his decision.

Consider, Mr. Voth, if I honestly were to believe that traffic laws are invalid, can I be forced to pay my ticket fine?

Stefan MAC Costilow graduate history, general

How does the increase in tuition affect you?

"I am going to pay it."

Cerry Wes

"Now I will have,to get another job just to be able to keep up."

"As an international student I have to pay over $1,000. It's terrible."

"I'm graduating, but it will definately affect the students.

It is really going to affect the international students."

Muhammad Akahtar

MIS, senior

Spanish education, Junior

Sara Price

Alaa Jardat MBA, graduate

MIS, graduate

"I have a three-year-old child and it puts a limit on what hours I can take and what comes out of my pocket. Even without the child I would probably have to work more."

"They are increasing the fees but are getting more strict with the requirements. They are asking for more money and getting less especially for the international students."

"It's too expensive."

"It won't affect me because I don't know any difference."

Jennifer Hulme

Adnam Ishtiaq

Mami Yoneda

Sarah Melton

funeral services, junior

THEVISTA Editor in Chief Danny W. Peters Managing Editor Audrey Dodgen Copy Editor Caroline Duke Senior Writer Jim Epperson 111 Writer Robert T Crauthers Rod Jones Writer Sports Editor Brandon Chatmon Photo Editor Tina Fowble Eric Osborn Cartoonist Ad Manager Andy Bowman Lisa Jobe Ad Sales Director Rhonda K. Rodgers

The Vista is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students, semi-weekly during the academic year except exam and holiday periods, and on Thursdays only during summer, at the University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N University Dr, Edmond, OK 73034. Telephone: (405) 974-5549. The issue price

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is free for the first copy and $1 for each additional copy.

EDITORIALS

Opinion columns, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the department of journalism, UCO, or the Board of

Regents of Oklahoma. Colleges.

Editorial cartoons do not necessarily represent the views of the artist. 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, doublespaced, with a maximum of 150 words, and must include the author's printed name, title, major, classification and phone number. Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of questionable taste. The Vista reserves

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the right not to publish submitted letters and does not publish anonymous letters. Address letters to: Editor, The Vista, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, OK 73034-5209 or deliver in person to the editor in the Communications Building, Room 107.

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NEWS

JULY 10, 2003

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Financial aid increases with tuition hikes OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Financial aid applications have increased along with the cost of tuition at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University.

OSU has recorded an 8 percent increase in aid applications this year compared to last. OU has had 450 more applications this year.

Tuition hikes confirmed last week by the Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education ranged from 7 percent to 40 percent at the state's colleges and universities.

Officials said despite increased demand, financial aid will continue to be available.

"If you qualify for student aid, you will always get it," said Jane Glickman, a public affairs specialist at the U.S. Education Department.

The majority of student loans come from private banks that have agreements with the government, so there is no practical limit on the amount available to students, said Matt Hamilton, OU associate vice president for enrollment and student financial services.

Federal aid accounts for about 70 percent of all aid received, which comes through grants, work-study programs and a complicated network of loans, according to the Education Department.

Rising costs will lead to more loans, said Charles Bruce, OSU's director for scholarships and financial aid.

Mary Cunningham, legislative director at the United States Student Association, said the organization has seen tuition hikes nationwide.

The federal Pell Grant used to

cover about 70 percent of costs with loans filling in the remaining 30 percent, but the trend is now reversed, she said.

"When folks are graduating with unmanageable amounts of debt, that is a significant hindrance," Cunningham said.

Hamilton and Bruce said a college education continues to be a good investment.

"I think there are so many advantages the student will have received [from a college education]," Hamilton said.

Both universities are offering

scholarships to soften the blow of tuition hikes.

OU is giving out the Sooner Heritage Scholarship to students this fall. The university has raised more than $600,000 for the scholarship so far, Hamilton said.

OSU will give 300 students the President's Opportunity Scholarships for $1,000 in the fall, said Nestor Gonzales, manager of OSU news bureau.

Both OU and OSU also will increase the number of tuition waivers available to students.

Photo by Tina Fowble

Renovations are underway at Wantland Stadium.

A laser-guided bulldozer graded a 1/2 percent slope on the surface of Wantland Stadium, said UCO Director of Architectural and Engineer Services David Stapleton.

If the weather remains dry then the contract completion date of Aug. 1 for Wantland will be met, Stapleton said.

"At the moment we are close to being on time," he said.

Stapleton said progress on the field delayed because of consistent

rain problems earlier in the summer.

Director of the UCO News Bureau Charlie Johnson said a student fee passed by the student body is paying for the first phase of the project. The fee raised money for stadium lights, a brick wall and turf.

Stapleton said the light fixtures are up and the field is at final grade. Next the four-foot brick "field wall" must be completed on the east, south and west sides of the stadium, he said.

The scoreboard should be delivered July 25, and the turf will

be the last project to complete.

Johnson said the second phase of completing Wantland Stadium will take much longer. Right now UCO is competing with other cities to bring a Major League Soccer team to Edmond.

If a team does come here, Johnson said, then they will pay for new stadium seating. If the team does not come here then UCO and Edmond public schools will team up to renovate the seats, he said.

UCO President Roger Webb said a final decision on MLS could be made by October.

Library gets new online catalog

by Robert T. Crauthers

Staff Writer Max Chambers Library started up their new online search catalog July 1.

The new catalog replaces "the Broncho," the one that preceded it.

"We had been moving toward the change for quite some time," said Deborah Thompson,

instructional coordinator for the catalog.

"The Broncho was 20 years old," she said. "It was state of the art at the time though."

The new catalog will allow people to search the library's database of books and articles to see what is available, Thompson said.

It will also give access to other state catalogs and more than 40,000 libraries around the

world.

The library is offering instructional classes to those who need them, Thompson said.

Varied times are available for the class, but anyone may come in and request help, she said.

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ A shortage of European caviar has poachers looking someplace unexpected: Oklahoma lakes.

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation wardens are working to catch poachers who come to the state to take paddlefish and their eggs, game warden Lt. Keith Green said.

Caviar from paddlefish is a cheaper version of traditional caviar, which comes from sturgeon in the waters of the former Soviet Union.

About 90 percent of the world's caviar came from the Caspian Sea until recently, according to the World Wildlife Fund's trade monitoring organization.

But all six of the sturgeon species native to the Caspian Sea and the rivers feeding it have declined because of habitat loss, destruction of breeding grounds, pollution and poorly managed fisheries.

To fill the void, caviar vendors have turned to eggs produced by the paddlefish lurking in the waters of the United States, said Brent Gordon, a Jenks-based fisheries biologist with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Oklahoma anglers were prohibited until this year from taking more than three paddlefish a day during the March 15 to May 15 spawning season. Beginning in 2003, state law changed to set a daily limit of one paddlefish per person, per day year-round.

Violators face state court prosecution as well as the possibility of being charged under the Lacey Act, a federal law that makes it illegal to buy, sell or trade wildlife taken in violation of any state statute.

Oklahoma law also says no

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6:40 p.m. July 3, 2003 UCOPD took report of suspicious activity at the Liberal Arts Building.

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one may possess 50 pounds or more of raw unprocessed and unfrozen paddlefish eggs or 5 pounds or more of processed paddlefish eggs. It also bars the shipping of raw paddlefish eggs across state lines.

An exception to state law allows for processed and packaged paddlefish eggs to come into the state as long as they are accompanied by an invoice stating their origination. The exception makes it legal for Oklahoma stores and private citizens to order paddlefish eggs that have been taken in states such as Kentucky and Tennessee, where such commercial operations are legal, Green said.

Oklahoma law officers have spent "a tremendous amount of time" looking for people who take excessive amounts of paddlefish eggs from state waters and then attempt to- take them across state lines for sale, Green said.

"They're pretty slick," Green said. "They do it in the dark _ never in daytime. They'll come in for two nights and put their nets out."

Several people have been caught in the last few years, he said.

Oklahoma's paddlefish population has rebounded considerably in recent years and now stands at its highest level in at least 24 years, Gordon said. A recent study puts the figure at approximately 35,000.

Still, the paddlefish population is delicate, Gordon said. He doesn't expect the state to allow commercial fishing for the paddlefish or their eggs.

"We like this resource the way it is, and something like that could upset that balance," he said.

9:50 a.m. July 7, 2003 A faculty member reported $250 worth of damage at Mitchell Hall.

Auto Accident 5:52 p.m. July 1, 2003 UCOPD investigated a minor, non-injury accident that occurred in a campus parking lot.

Lost and Found 11:34 a.m. July 3, 2003 A UCO faculty member reported losing their keys.

11:10 a.m. July 4, 2003 A set of keys was found during the Fourth of July parade at University and Ayers.

9:15 a.m. July 7, 2003 Property found in the Facilities Management building was turned in to DPS.

Housing office relocates to old Health Center

by Jim Epperson III Senior Writer The UCO Housing Department is moving into the old Student Health Center building in a few weeks.

Thomas Holmes, director of Housing, said he hopes to be moved in before the fall semester but is not sure if interior renovadons will be completed.

The building will have six offices and a lobby or waiting area for students, Holmes said.

Students will still pay housing bills at the Bursar's Office, Holmes said, but all other business will be done in the new facility.

He said the offices will provide a closer presence for student who live on campus.

"We will be in a central part of the campus where our customers are," he said.

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THE SCENE

JULY 10, 2003

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AAUP chapter recognized for 'outstanding' newsletter

by Robert T. Crauthers Staff Writer The UCO Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP-UCO) won the 2003 Outstanding Newsletter Award in June at the annual AAUP meeting.

The newsletter was among 600 other chapters competing for the award. It provides information about chapter events, names of officers and representatives, and state and national information about the Association, said Dr. Thomas Guild, UCO legal studies professor and AAUP representative.

Siegfried Heit, humanities and philosophy professor, Dr. Amy Carrel, English professor, and Dr. Guild represented UCO at the conference.

They participated in Capitol Hill Day where they discussed budget and other higher education issues with Oklahoma Congressmen and Senators.

Guild was elected Chair of the Assembly of State Conferences (ASC) at the meeting by a vote of 68-8.

The (ASC) organization provides financial resources to chapters throughout the nation, Guild said.

"We provide flexible grants to other chapters that need help with funding for Web sites and newspapers," he said.

As the chair, Guild administrates the organizations budget, plans training programs and lobbies for interests such as due process for faculty.

The Oklahoma State Conference walked away with two other awards at the meeting. the Outstanding Newspaper and Web site awards.

"This has never happened before in Oklahoma," Guild said, "and the conference has been around since 1915."

The UCO Chapter has a total of 155 members, making it the largest chapter in Oklahoma.

Photo by Tina Fowble

Legal Studies professor Thomas Guild and AAUP President Siegfrield Heit accept Outstanding Newsletter Award.

`Sensual' jazz flutist to play Pegasus

by Rod Jones Staff Writer A jazz flutist from New Jersey will perform and give a lecture called "In the Tradition" July 10 at UCO's Pegasus Theater.

Galen Abdur-Razzaq, who has performed internationally for over 30 years, calls his style of music "spiritual jazz."

"I anticipate it is going to be great," he said.

Abdur-Razzaq is also a

-,14.talsolovet4lid400f***10* . •

composer, arranger, director and writer with a fine arts degree from Rutgers University.

"In the Tradition" is a performance and lecture that teaches students the five pillars of jazz: melody, harmony, syncopation, rhythm and improvisation.

Abdur-Razzaq demonstrates each element and encourages participation from the audience.

"I'm going to give a

straight-up performance, " Abdur-Razzaq said. "I'll be speaking some, but mostly just having a great time."

"You only live a while, so you better have a good time," he said.

Other universities have described his performance as sensual and provocative and his lecture as intellectually stimulating.

The performance is free to students and will begin at 7 p.m.

Out & About

, ,

Live Music Dave Matthews Band is playing at the Ford Center 7 p.m. July 15. Tickets are $52.50.

Open Mic night at Galileo Bar and Grill at 3009 Paseo at 8:30 p.m. July 10. For more information call 4157827.

Mitch Bell Quartet is playing at the UCO Jazz Lab at 100 E. 5th at 8 p.m. July 10.

Tickets are $7. For information call 359-7989.

Interior design junior, Jamie Scheidt waters the softball field under the blazing midday sun on July 9. Temperatures climbed to the mid-90s.

Destiny's Child is playing at the Zoo Amphitheater July 15. Call 424-3344 for more information.

Exhibits

13 Stars, Skies Fallen and Behold a Pale Horse are playing at the Green Door at 8911 N. Western at 8 p.m.

July 11. Tickets are $7. For more information call 6070351.

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art presents "International Legacy: Selections from Carnegie Museum of Art," at 415 Couch Dr. from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. all weekend.

Tickets are $7.

Tracy Grammer will play the Blue Door Music Hall at 8 p.m. July 13 at 2805 N. McKinley Ave. Tickets are $15. Call 524-1738 for more information.

Watchtower 2003: Christian Congregation of Jehovah Witnesses begins July 11 and ends July 13. Call 297-3300 for more information.

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SPORTS

JULY 10, 2003

WWW.TH EV ISTAON LIN E.COM

Baxter explains teamwork philosophy, offseason training, recruiting

by Brandon Chatmon Sports Editor

trips. We have to learn to get along, we don't have a choice of whether we enjoy our teammates. We have to enjoy our teammates.

Otherwise, we don't allow you to stay on the team. That's like life also-you have to get along with your neighbors, the people you work with. Unless you are the owner, you have a group of people you have to get along with. You have to work together as a team and tennis teaches all of those things. That's what I try to direct all of our players to do, how to handle things on the tennis court which will enable them to handle things when they get out of college.

Vista: What is your coaching philosophy?

Baxter. Dedicate yourself to the job and focus on that. Do your best, try your hardest, seek advice, and then accept the result.

Vista: Who influenced that philosophy the most?

Baxter. Probably my seventh grade basketball coach. He was a good person, character-wise. He taught me that it was the experience, not the win, at the end. That was the most important thing. If you put all the effort that goes into athletics and your only success criteria is whether you win or lose, you're missing out on the whole experience. The practices, the comraderie with your teammates, the working together-all of that is the real enjoyment. If you win in the end, that's even better.

Vista: Do you prefer an aggressive player or a steady, consistent player?

Baxter. The preference has to be the aggressive player, because the courts we play on are what we call fast courts. In other words when the ball hits the court it doesn't slow down a lot, it keeps going. That would be my preference. When I go out a recruit, I'm probably going to

University of Central Oklahoma tennis head coach Francis Baxter is a veteran of the tennis battles in the Lone Star conference. He has coached the men for 33 years and the women for 23. He discusses his views regarding coaching, life, recruiting and the overall team concept in an interview with the Vista.

Vista: What do you enjoy most about coaching at UCO? Baxter The players. Everyone is different. There never has been in all these years, two players that were alike. Everybody needs help with what they are doing. I have two main objectives here: One is to help the players get through school.

Every student needs help doing that, if they try to do that on their own, they really can't. Secondly, to help them develop their potential in a sport they like. People on our team-they really do like tennis. I just try to help them reach their potential whatever that may be.

Vista: What do you feel is the most important aspect of a successful program?

Baxter: I think the most important part is that the players learn to get along with everybody. Tennis is to me, very much like life itself.

When you play tennis you are an individual who walks out on the court. In other words, you walk out into a situation where you are entirely in charge. If you fail, you can't blame anyone else. If you succeed, you don't have to share that with anybody else. It's entirely you.

We all have to develop that because as soon as we get away from home and get out of college, we really are on our own, and tennis helps people to learn how to do that. With tennis we also have a team aspect in which we practice together, we travel together, we stay together on

start out looking for the taller, more active type player. But it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog. Tennis is played on a level of about two to four feet above the ground, that's where almost all the tennis is played. Whether the players is short or tall, that's where you have to be able to compete. So I would prefer the aggressive player but sometimes that is found on the inside of the person, not on the outside.

Vista: What aspect of the team do you feel is the strongest aspect?

Baxter. The team that works together and puts aside all their petty jealousies, envies and petty, self-centered attitudes then works toward a team environment. That's what I think is most important.

Vista: Is there any aspect of the team that you think needs improvement?

Baxter. How to handle emotions. Action happens in a hurry. A person in a game of tennis goes through a lot of emotions in rapid order. You've got to learn to handle emotions and not become greatly disturbed by frustrations, or greatly excited by joyful things. When you play, you have to be on this even keel. That's one of the hardest things to teach people because they have difficulty handling their emotions.

Vista: What do you want your players to do in the offseason to get better?

Baxter. It is very difficult for someone who wants to reach their potential to take time off. It's a 12month training program. The summer is really the tennis player's training time. If they aren't out on the court, training themselves physically, and they aren't in competition training themselves, physically and mentally, then they are wasting their time and when they come back three months later, they will

Chattin' by the Cooler

make this a very attractive place to

really be behind. So we set up a conditioning schedule for them to follow during the summer and we encourage them to play in a minimum number of tennis events or leagues. So that they are continuing to develop their skills. There is no "summer break" for an athlete, if they want to reach their potential.

Vista: Who do you think will emerge as a leader for the team this year?

Baxter For our men I think we have three seniors who we certainly are expecting really outstanding leadership from. Two seniors on our women's team-they know the procedure, and I think they really know what's expected of them. In those players exists that talent for leadership. Others have to accept followership roles, some people won't do that, they think they are supposed to be the leader. Those are the ones we have to sit down and have a talk with, or we have to say, "Sorry, your talent is great, but you aren't accepting your role."

Vista: How do you try to sell UCO to your recruits?

Baxter. Several ways we have an established tennis program, that people who really want to play serious tennis want to come to. We have consistent, tough practices by coaches who do know the game.

They can come and learn, they know they will be pushed here.

Our location is good. We are at the intersection of two major interstates and have major airport. So it's very easy to get to Edmond, Oklahoma.

The weather here is fantastic, not because it's like Hawaii or San Diego, because it is different everyday. But its mostly warm and ten months of the year we play outside.

Plus, this school is a fantastic school. It's big, but yet it's small because we have the "one teacher, one classroom" philosophy here.

All of those things put together

Come.

Vista: What attributes do you look for in a recruit?

Baxter. As a tennis player, I can tell what kind of player they are by their ranking. I look for their coaches and. I ask questions like, "Are you glad this person is graduating or do you wish they had more eligibility left?" If their coach says, "Boy, I'm glad to get this person out of here no work ethic, they're late, goofs off at practice, etc..." Then I'm probably not going to recruit this kid. I will go and talk to a teacher or

counselor to see what was this person like in class, did they sleep through class, did they participate, did they prepare, did they study, were they focused when they were in there. Because these are the characteristics of a good tennis player. I like to meet the parents also, to visit with them about what they think about their child. Those are the things I look for, because I can't take a spoiled apple and throw it into a barrel of good ones, it doesn't work that way.

•

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Christian Haugen returns a volley last season.

Only at one of these participating 5 METRO LOCATIONS:

Big East has nobody but themselves to blame The landscape of Division I college football changed dramatically on June 30. The University of Miami announced their decision to leave the Big East Conference to join the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Hurricanes joined Virginia Tech in a move that crippled Big East conference football.

It was the right decision.

But it completely destroyed the Big East's future. They are now left with only six teams that play major Division I football and the teams that remain are decent, but they're no Miami or Virginia Tech!

But the Big East has nobody to blame but themselves.

When a conference of several teams is so dependent on one team, they are subject to this type of devastation.

For the past few years the Big East has been Miami, Virginia Tech

and everyone else.

This resulted in a conference that was so top heavy in football it got very little respect from the rest of the country.

And rightly so!

Without Miami and Virginia Tech, Big East football is no better than Mountain West football.

If the Big East had been working to get better, either by adding teams or just removing teams, they wouldn't be in this predicament.

If Miami and Virginia Tech weren't carrying the conference, they probably would have stayed.

But when they're sharing their revenue with universities that have nothing to offer them, taking lengthy trips to the northeast to play teams that couldn't beat their second unit and losing respect due to the pathetic state of the other teams in their conference.

Why should they stay?

What good is the Big East doing for them?

They've now moved into a conference that gets respect, is superior geographically for them and offers better competition in all sports.

No matter how much Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese complains about the shady tactics of the ACC, the Big East is to blame.

They should have made the Big East such strong football conference that Miami would have turned away the ACC, no matter how they approached the Hurricanes.

But they didn't, and now they are distraught because they are left with a very poor football conference... ...Which is strikingly similar to the reason Miami and Virginia Tech left in the first place.

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JULY 10, 2003

DEADLINES: All classifieds MUST be submitted by noon

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Prices: Classified ads cost $3/day for the first 25 words and $.12/word thereafter. PAYMENT IS DUE WHEN AD IS PLACED.

Classified Display ads have same deadlines and prices as regular display ads. Call 974-5549 or 974-5916 for additional info.

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Strange Stories

Photo by Tina Fowble

Professional Teacher Education Department Administrative Secretary Paula Fowler talks about the lack of privacy in the cubicles on the third floor of the library.

See related story on page 1.

Democrats excited as candidates visit state OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma Democrats finally have something to cheer about when it comes to presidential politics.

For the first time in more than a decade, Oklahoma is getting attention from Democratic contenders, who have been visiting the state with regularity in recent weeks.

June brought Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards to the state.

Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt made his second campaign stop in Oklahoma last week, former Florida Gov. Bob Graham was scheduled to arrive Monday and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is planning a mid-July trip.

Officials are even trying to arrange a town hall meeting of Democratic candidates in Stillwater the first week of August.

The activity developed after Oklahoma moved up its presidential primary from mid-March to Feb. 3, the week after the nation's first primary in New Hampshire.

Four other states also are deciding on the Democratic nominee on that day-Missouri, Arizona, South Carolina and New Mexico.

All will be holding primary elections except New Mexico,

which picks its presidential favorite through the caucus system.

"It's great to see Oklahoma getting all this attention on the national scene," said Sen. Keith Leftwich, R-Oklahoma City, who authored the bill to change the election date. "I've got to say it's even working better than I expected."

"It's a great thing for the party," said Jay Parmley, state Democratic chairman. "Just having them here, getting our activists excited will make us more energized about November."

State Republican Chairman Gary Jones seemed unimpressed.

"I think it's quite obvious there is no frontrunner among them and they all look the same," he said.

Jones said the majority of Oklahomans back Republican President George Bush and "will overwhelmingly vote for Bush in 2004."

He said Democratic elected officials are just hoping "they can get a candidate they won't have to run away from."

Even Parmley isn't predicting a Democrat will be able to defeat Bush in Oklahoma, where the Republican nominee has won in every election except one since 1948. The exception was Texan Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

"Depending on who the nom-

inee is, we might have a shot," Parmley said, although he said he is realistically hoping for a percentage showing by the Democratic nominee in the mid40's.

That would be an improvement over Al Gore's 39 percent of the general election vote in 2000.

The way things are turning out, Parmley said, Oklahoma is lined up on Feb. 3 with four other states that have similar conservative to moderate voting patterns.

He said some of the top Democratic candidates who have been visiting the state obviously feel they can tap into that vote.

Oklahoma's Democratic race mirrors the national contest, according to Parmley. "It's a tossup and that's what makes it even more exciting."

He said officials are very close to setting up the town hall meeting among Democratic contenders in August on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.

"It would be nice to have all nine, but I would be happy with four or five," he said.

The presidential campaigning has enlivened a usually dull political summer before a general election year, when party officials devote most of their time to recruiting candidates.

SEATTLE (AP) _ Elvis has not entirely left the cab stand.

Cabbie Dave Groh last week lost his appeal of a $60 fine for violating the dress-code for taxi drivers, but says he's determined to continue his lighthearted salute to the King from behind the wheel.

Groh has given up his red Elvis outfit and has returned to black pants and blue shirt, but says he's going to continue to wear his Elvis-style cape.

"When you've got something going on that people love and feel strongly about, it's easy to get caught up in their passion," he said of the Elvis shtick. "It's almost an obligation I feel to do this now."

It all began three years ago, when a friend persuaded him to dress as Elvis while he worked that Halloween. The costume was a hit, so Groh started growing out his sideburns for an encore in 2001.

Groh bought three Elvis costumes and he started reading up on his alter ego, the better to answer questions. He makes a lot more in tips than he ever did as an ordinary cabbie.

But the costume violated the city's cabdriver uniform policy.

Now, he says, he'll comply with the letter of the law but he's going to stick with the cape.

"The cape's attached to a black jacket with a wide collar.

They don't have any regulations about capes in there."

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) _ Talk about a stink.

The owner of a pooper scooper business here sued a competitor to protect a company slogan.

"We're No. 1 in the No. 2 Business" is the slogan registered with the Secretary of State's Office by Loren's Pooper-Scooper Service.

"You kind of take a stinky job, and you kind of try to make something bad into something good," said owner Lo'ren Hoppens, who is hired to pick up pet waste.

But when a competitor, Stinky's Pet Poop Pickup Service, allegedly started handing out business cards with the phrase "No. 1 in the No. 2 business," Hoppens filed a lawsuit in Pima County Superior Court claiming that Stinky's and owner Tracy Sartain were infringing on his trademark.

Sartain said Friday the matter was resolved. "It's been set-

tled," she said, declining further comment.

No mention of the slogan or the lawsuit was on the Stinky's Web site.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) _ A woman traveling through Pennsylvania might never again complain about her noisy grandchildren.

Their back-seat antics may have saved her life, police said.

Patsy Harvey, of Muncie, Ind., climbed into the back seat to quiet the children as her husband Selby drove through Harrisburg on Saturday.

Minutes later, police said, a falling log crashed through the passenger-side windshield.

"Thank God for noisy kids," said George Drees, assistant chief of the Susquehanna Township Fire Department. "As a parent, I never thought I'd have the chance to say that."

A tractor-trailer had overturned on a highway ramp above the interstate, sending about a dozen logs raining down on the highway, Drees said. The logs weighed about 1,000 pounds each, authorities said. No other cars were hit.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) _ Wrong airline. Wrong city.

A woman trying to fly to Hong Kong accidentally ended up in the Australian city of Melbourne after getting on the wrong plane in Los Angeles.

A computerized boarding system at the Los Angeles airport was not working at the time the woman boarded a Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong and ground crew did not notice that she mistakenly got onto a Qantas jet instead, the Australian carrier said Tuesday.

The passenger, whose identity was not released, sat in an empty seat and did not realize her mistake until the plane was approaching Melbourne Airport, a Qantas spokeswoman said.

She said Qantas had arranged for the woman to stay in Melbourne on Sunday night and put her on a Qantas flight to Hong Kong on Monday. Her luggage, which remained in Los Angeles when she failed to board the Cathay Pacific flight, was on its way to Hong Kong to meet her.

DIXON, Ill. (AP) _ Mary Crombie marked her 112th birthday without ceremony but

with familiar optimism about her beloved Chicago Cubs, notwithstanding their 94-year unlucky streak.

Following baseball's lovable losers for so long, though, has taught her not to predict a World Series victory. That hasn't happened since 1908, the year she turned 18 and Chicago beat Detroit in the fall classic.

"They will do well," Crombie declared, going no further.

Unlike the Cubs, the Dixon resident continues to impress those around her year after year.

At 112, she remains largely independent while living at the Heritage Square retirement home in Dixon.

"She is remarkable," registered nurse Mary Taylor, who monitors Crombie and the other residents, said Wednesday. "She enjoys flowers and takes care of her own needs.

She makes her bed every dayand it has to be done in just a certain way."

As much as anything now, she loves the Cubs, who recognized her support with a birthday letter in 2001. "She comes alive when those games are on," Taylor said. "And she knows the players.'

AVIS, Pa. (AP) _ A volunteer fire company in central Pennsylvania has taken a novel approach to fund raising: Instead of bake sales and bingo games, they decided to buy a tavern.

The Avis Fire Co. purchased the South Avis Inn last month and plans to expand the tavern to include a restaurant.

"We're trying to diversify our income. It's getting harder and harder to raise money," said Dave Winkleman, company president.

Income from weekly bingo games and an annual carnival has shrunk in recent years.

Faced with dwindling funds and increasing costs, the fire company in Clinton County started looking for ways to generate income.

The inn purchase was completed June 18. Due to regulations of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, a separate organization had to be formed to run the inn, so the Avis Fire Co. Civic Association was created. The fire company bought the building and leases it to the civic association, which runs the tavern and rents the apartments in the building.