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HEVI STA UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THURSDAY JUNE, 26 2003
Administration seeks to raise tuition by July by Jim Epperson III Senior Writer If the State Board of Regents for Higher Education approves UCO's budget June 27, out-ofstate and international students will pay $1000 more in tuition rates for Fiscal Year 04. The state appropriation cut of $4.5 million is the single largest cut in UCO history, according to the proposed budget released June 20. With mandatory costs and the 10 percent budget cut, administrators must make up $6.7 million. The bulk of mandatory costs is for insurance coverage. Other mandatory costs cover tuition waivers, retirement programs, maintenance contracts and faculty promotions. To offset these costs, administrators are seeking to raise tuition by July 1 and to cut budget costs. Increased tuition will raise over $5 million for the budget gap. UCO spokesperson Charlie Johnson said tuition and fees
would increase to "$43 bucks a month" for in-state students. For example, Johnson said tuition will increase by $250 and student fees will increase $180 for in-state students who are taking 30 hours. Budget cuts include unfilled administrative positions and the elimination of employees in the Media Center and architecture and engineering department. Also, Steven Kreidler, vice president of Finance and Administration, initiated "Lean University," which eliminates wasteful spending. Kreidler said the program will continue into the next fiscal year. Administrative costs have been reduced to 9.4 percent of the budget, which is lower than the 13 percent level allowed by the Regents. "We just don't want to affect student learning," Johnson said. He said classes have not been cut from the regular schedule of classes.
Photo by Tina Fowble
Heath Anderson presents the Communications building to a tour group on June 25. Anderson, a senior history major, gives daily tours of the campus for prospective students.
Supreme Court upholds affirmative action 5-4 by Rod Jones Staff Writer The United States Supreme Court June 19 upheld the affirmative action order but rejected the use of a point system in university admissions. The Court approved affirmative action by a 5-4 vote. Affirmative action is an Executive Order signed by President Kennedy in 1961 that required government contractors to create employment practices that are free from racial discrimination. Since then, other industries and institutions . have used the practice to diversify their working and educational environment. Dr. John M. Garic, associate dean of the Jackson College of
Graduate Studies and Research, said the Court approved using race as an admissions factor because, "The government has a compelling interest in having a racially diverse student population." "Affirmative action began in order to right the wrongs of segregation from long ago," he said. The justices, by a 6-3 vote, struck down an admissions point formula used by the University of Michigan that favored minorities. Minority students were awarded an extra 20 points on their entrance applications to the university. Other factors such as athletic ability, standardized tests and musical talent were also a part of the formula. A 100-point total guaranteed admission. Garic said the decision would
lessen the impact of race on admissions. "The court seemed to indicate that university admissions based too significantly on race are inappropriate," he said. The two cases involved three white students who applied to the University of Michigan in 1998. Barbara Grutter was rejected from admission to the law school. The court upheld the law school admission program. Jennifer Gratz and Patrick Hamacher were rejected from the undergraduate program that gave extra points to minority applicants. The case was first tried in the Federal District Court in Detroit, which invalidated the admission programs. It was appealed to the 6th
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District Court of Appeals, which upheld the law school program but issued no opinion on the undergraduate program. In the University v. Bakke case of 1978, the Supreme Court allowed race to be a factor butstruck down an admission program that reserved spots for minorities. In the concurring opinion, Justice Powell said diversity contributes to a richer educational environment Since the Bakke decision, courts in Texas, California, Washington and Florida have rejected using race as a consideration in college admissions. Their programs allow high school graduates above a certain class rank admission into public universities. The UCO admission pro-
Upgrades to the UCO Central Plant continue. Most buildings will have performance upgrades before the end of the year, making power consumption more efficient.
Campus renovations complete by September by Robert T. Crauthers Staff Writer Updates to the electrical, plumbing and ventilation systems in the performance contract with. Johnson Controls Inc. are anticipated to be "100 percent complete by Sept. 1," said Don Powers, director of Quality Assurance and Safety Management. The renovations are part of an $8.9 million, 20-year contract with Johnson Controls, said Charles Johnson, director
of UCO News Bureau. Almost all buildings will have performance upgrades before the end of the year, making power consumption more efficient, Johnson said He said the overall budget will not be affected by the renovations because Johnson Controls will be paid with the money the university saves fromthe improvements throughout the 20-year contract period. Major savings will come from electrical enhancements
such as the installment of new lighting fixtures and the use of fluorescent tubes instead of incandescent bulbs, Johnson said. Plumbing will also be upgraded by replacing old sinks and toilets in order to reduce water usage. Powers said new boilers will be installed in the Music Building as well as Mitchell and Wantland Halls. The Liberal Arts Building and Howell Hall are still under renovation, and other buildings are still being connected to the Central Plant.
Legere said race does not need to be a consideration in UCO admissions. "Twenty-nine percent of our student body is of an ethnic background other than Caucasian, " Legere said. Garic said it is appropriate that the issue of affirmative action is revisited. "The world has changed significantly in the past 25 years," he said. However, he is surprised the court did not eliminate affirmative action altogether. He said universities already see the value of diversity. "Once the diverse 'door' has been opened, it is not going to close again. It has been kicked down and perhaps does not exist anymore." .
Dance major invited to attend Duke festival by Rod Jones Staff Writer
Photo by Tina Fowble
gram follows the guidelines established by the State Regents, said Jerry Legere, assistant vice president for Enrollment Management. Students have three ways to get accepted: >An ACT composite score of at least 20 >A class rank in the top 50 percent of their high school along with a 2.7 G.P.A. >A 2.7 G.P.A. in high school core classes If an applicant is not admitted, Legere said a first-time freshman could appeal for alternate admission. With alternate admission, the student writes a letter telling why they should be accepted and submits a list of credentials. A committee decides whether or not to accept the applicant.
Steve Dillon, a UCO dance major, received a full scholarship to attend this summer's American Dance Festival at Duke University. The festival is a six-week workshop during June and July. The 21-year-old was selected from 300 students to participate in the modern dance workshop. Last year he was the first UCO student to attend the workshop. Dillon said he attends three classes a day and performs in as many as three concerts a week with professional dance companies. "You don't lose what you learn because you are always working on it," Dillon said. Although he has only three years of formal training, Dillon said dancing has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. "I still laugh at how my cousin and I would choreograph cheesy dances to Bon Jovi in my grandpa's back bedroom," Dillon said. Dillon spent his freshman year with GoVertigo, a dance company under the direction of Northeastern State's Jill Priest,
before he transferred to UCO as a junior. Dillon said Priest was UCO's first dance degree graduate. "Steven is like a sponge," said Jamie Jacobson, UCO dance program director. "He absorbs all he can and triei to Photo Provided integrate this information into his per- UCO dance student Steve Dillon, far sonal and profession- right, in a March performance at UCO. al life." Dillon also received the Lorraine Remmel Watson dance scholarship for his senior year at UCO. After graduating, Dillon said he Eats 2 wants to move to New York and do Letters to the E6101 2 a Broadway show. Campus Quotes 2 No 3 Dillon said he dances for fun at The Scene 4 the Copa or Angles in Oklahoma Out & About 3 City. Or, "If you want to see me Campus Events 3 and my friends dancing in public, Spoils 5 just sit outside the HPE [Health Weds 6 _ and Physical Education] building for a few minutes," he said. "You are sure to catch a free show."