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UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2003
Students to vote on fee hike general student body election to take place March 11 and 12. If approved, the referendum would increase the student facility fee by $3 per credit hour, making the new fee $5 per credit hour. J.P. Jordan, UCOSA president, said, "We decided, as the officers, that this should be decided by the students." The purpose of the fee is to
■ UCOSA approves $3 per credit hour increase in student facility fee. by Thad Danner td@thevistaonline.com Both houses of UCOSA voted Feb. 24 to send "The Stadium Referendum Act of 2003" to a
raise a bond to renovate Wantland Stadium. According to the legislation, the fee would continue to be assessed until the bond raised for the renovation was paid off. Jake Winkler, speaker of the house, estimates the total of the bond will be $20 million. Though Major League Soccer was mentioned only as a benefit during the Senate meeting,
Jordan said UCO President Roger Webb approached them last fall about renovations, as a result of discussions with Major League Soccer. Jordan explained that if passed, the already approved and scheduled $1.7 million in turf and PA system improvements will be included in the bond. "The rest will start in the fall, but the stadium will stay open for
by Mark Schlachtenhaufen ms@thevistaonline.corn
Photo by Tina Fowble
Members of the Oklahoma City Blazers and the Edmond Junior Blaze basketball team faced off during a charity basketball game at the Hamilton Field House on March 2.
Disability Week highlights diversity Schedule of Events for Disability Awareness Week
During UCO Disability Awareness Week, experts are hosting events to discuss issues that show the diversity of people with disabilities. Events have been scheduled from March 2 through March 7 to teach faculty and students about the diversity and number of students with disabilities at UCO, said Dr. Bruce Lochner, director of disability support services. "We want to raise awareness among the student body that dis-
see Disability Week page 5
see Fee Hike page 3
House passes tuition bill, sends measure to Senate
Battle of the Blazes
by Jim Epperson III je@thevistaonline.com
games," Jordan said. Kate Thrift, Senate president pro tempore, said UCOSA would give money to "organizations for the stadium." Chad Dimmick, vice-president and chair of the Student Activity Board (SAB), said the SAB has given $1000 to the President's Leadership Council to
Legislation that will let state colleges and universities set their own tuition rates moved one step closer to becoming law Feb. 26, after the House passed the bill 72-28. House Bill 1748 is now making its way through the Senate, where the education subcommittee received it Feb. 27. While in the subcommittee, there will be multiple readings of the legislation before a full Senate vote. The bill's author, Bill Nations, D-Norman, said during his four years as a representative, it has been his experience that issues related to higher education have had a more difficult time in the House than in the Senate. Nations said the wide margin of approval sends a strong message to members of the Senate. "I thought that was a great vote of confidence in the Regents and the other regents around the state," Nations said.
■ March 4
If the bill becomes law — Gov. Henry has promised to sign it when it arrives at his desk — the presidents and regents of the state's 25 colleges and universities would work together to determine how much to raise tuition and mandatory fees. Local regents would then be required to justify the increase to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. The state regents are in the midst of a fiveyear pilot program that lets them, not the Legislature, be the final authority on tuition increases. Currently, Oklahoma colleges and universities cannot raise instate tuition more than seven percent. The non-resident cap for tuition hikes is nine percent. Oklahoma's growing budget shortfall now totals $677 million, which has resulted in across-theboard cuts for all state agencies. Higher education has been forced to reduce its budget, allocated by the .state Regents„ by $50 million. Officials are forecasting addi-
see Tuition Bill page 8
The No. 2 Tarleton State Texans rolled over the men 85-77 in a foul-ridden contest. - Page 7
Women's basketball lost another nail-biter 53-50 to Tarleton before heading into LSC tournament play this week. - Page 7
10:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. Blindfolding Your Instincts, Evans Field 1:00 p.m. Rehablilitation Services and Higher Ed., NUC Room 300 3:00 Mental Disabilites NUC Room 300
■ March 5 10:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. Do You Hear What I Hear?, Evans Field 1:00 p.m. Seizures in the Classroom, NUC Room 300 3:00 p.m. Sensitivity Training For Disabilites, NUC Room 300
■ March 6 10:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. Wheeling Over Physical Barriers, Evens Field 1:00 p.m. Driving Independently, NUC Room 300 3:00 p.m. What is a Reasonable Accommodation in Higher Ed?, NUC Room 300
■ March 7 1:00 p.m. Interpreting Services and Protocol, NUC Room 300 3:00 p.m. Disability Community, What Are Your Rights?, NUC Room 300
America loses favorite neighbor' ■ Nation, students remember cultural, television icon by Jim Epperson III je@thevistaonline.com The neighborhood won't be the same. Fred Rogers, host of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," died of cancer Feb. 27. He was 74. UCO students and faculty reminisced last week about how one of America's favorite public personalities guided children's lives through the puppet Neighborhood of Make-Believe from 1968 to 2000. "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," the longest running
show on PBS, helped parents better understand how preschool children see the world, said Dr. Judith Coe, dean of the UCO College of Education. It taught the value of community and had a calming and reassuring effect on children, she said. His contribution went beyond the ideals of a child's make-believe world. He addressed difficult issues such as death and divorce in ways that children could understand them," she said. "He emphasized to children that the adults in their life were there to protect and keep them safe."
Commentary by Mark Schlachtenhaufen
Photo by Justin Avera
ms@thevistaonline.corn For more than three decades, Fred Rogers, better known to his television audience as Mister Rogers, invited America into his living room, a magical gateway into the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. But there's nothing magical about why Fred Rogers was so popular with his viewers, said Sam Newbury, who worked with Rogers for 24 years, most recently as director of production on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." "He had really an extraordinary ability to remain in touch with his own childhood and others," Newbury said. Millions of children grew up watching "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," a half-hour-long program that had a lifelong impact on generations of Americans. In an ever-changing, turbulent world, Fred Rogers was a consistent friend. 't And partly because of his childhood experiences, he could empathize with children. "He was fearless in making that his sole focus," Newbury said. "He felt no need to explain himself. He knew what he wanted to do." In 1928, Fred McFeely Rogers was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania,
see Cultural Icon page 4
Ann Hamilton, UCO public speaking professor, works with international students on their language skills.
Teacher gives students lift, filling in where school stops by Fawn Porter fp@thevistaonline.com She is more than just a teacher. She is an ambassador. Dr. Ann Hamilton has taught public speaking at UCO for twelve years, and during that course of time, has developed a certain affinity for international students. She's made it her mission to befriend these students who are far away from home, and do whatever she can to make their lives in the United States a little less difficult. "What prompted me to help international students is the same motivation I have for helping students in general, domestic or international — students, for me, are fascinating." She said those students who have lived in other parts of the world are especially fascinating and she admires the great sacrifices they and their families have made for them to be here.
"That is one reason I go with my students, any of them, to INS. If one of my children was in their country and they had something like this going on, I would hope that someone would help them."
The School of Music is presenting the comedic opera "Die Fledermaus" from March 6 - 8. - Page 6
SKINHEAD REGGAE
Dr. Ann Hamilton public speaking professor In her quest for interacting with and helping international students, Hamilton began by working with these students in improving their language skills. She said in her own area of teaching [public speaking], the university doesn't do anything special for international students and they are expected to compete in
see Hamilton page 5
Vista staff reviews the CD box sets released by Trojan Records, the world's largest Jamaican music outlet. - Page 6