Criminal justice dept hosts tour of programs and facilities

Taylor Mckittrick

Contributing Writer

UCO will be hosting a School of Criminal Justice tour around campus at 2:30 p.m. March 10 beginning at the Nigh University Center’s welcome center. The tour will guide students who are interested in criminal justice by meeting faculty members, seeing where the classes are held, learn what the environment is like in the department.

The School of Criminal Justice currently offers three undergraduate programs: general, police, and corrections. The school also offers two graduate degrees: criminal justice management and administration, and crime and intelligence analysis.

Rashi Shukla started in the department in 2004 and earned her undergraduate degree in criminal justice from UCO as well, and it made a significant impact on her career.

“It is the place where I developed my passion for criminal justice initially and is the place where I have spent the bulk of my academic career,” homa,” Shukla said. “Our department is composed of a mix of scholars including those who are primarily academics and those who came into academia after pursuing careers in criminal justice as professionals. I am fortunate to be part of an amazing faculty team who are all passionate about criminal justice and our students.”

Shukla said the tour will help students who might be undecided on their futures whether criminal justice is right for them.

“I welcome them to come and meet with us and/or to go on one of the spotlight tours that our director, Dr. [Elizabeth] Maier, regularly offers,” Shukla said. “Criminal justice is something that impacts everyone, be it directly or indirectly. I would encourage students who are interested in criminal justice as well as those who have open electives and are interested in learning more to come and take some of our classes to find out more about criminal justice and the criminal justice system.”

Shukla said. “I think we have one of the best criminal justice programs in this region and we are committed to educating our students. It is my hope that I stay in UCO CJ until I retire. It has been a dream to give back to the place that helped create me.”

The UCO Criminal Justice department was established in 1974, which makes this year number 49 for helping students enter law enforcement. The program has given a lot of opportunities for many students who have been through the program.

“We have one of, if not the oldest, criminal justice program in Okla-

Healthcare worker responds to anti-trans bill moving to senate

Kelanie Robertson

Contributing Writer

On Feb. 28,, the Oklahoma House of Representatives passed House Bill 2177, which prohibits gender transition procedures for anyone under the age of 18 in the state of Oklahoma. This mainly excludes prescribing testosterone, estrogen, or progestogen to minors. State Reps. Kevin West, R-Moore, and Jim Olsen, R-Roland, co-sponsored the bill.

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill in October 2022 that prohibited the University of Oklahoma Medical Center from using COVID-19 relief funds for gender reassignment treatment for children.

“We believe in traditional family values in Oklahoma, and to think about minors, healthy children being permanently altered either through hormone therapy or some kind of surgery, it’s not going to happen in Oklahoma,” Stitt said.

Protests were held at the Capitol during the week of passage. Crystal Grilley, a 20-year registered nurse, said this is something she has never seen before.

“As a healthcare provider, you take an oath to care for any and all individuals, no matter their race, sex, religion, et cetera,” Grilley said. “So, for the state to try and intervene and tell you who you can and should provide care for just sickens me. I have always been a firm believer in the importance of the patient-physician relationship. If a patient and their physician have come to an agreement on their treatment plan, and in some of these cases, these patients have parents involved if they are under the age of 18, then by all means who are we to say we know better than the physician caring for them.”

HB 2177 also prohibits insurance coverage for gender transition services performed in Oklahoma on minors and adults.

“I will be the first to tell you there is not a crystal ball telling us the right thing to do, but having a close working relationship with one’s healthcare provider is always the best way to go, not letting some outside entity choose what is best for you,” Grilley said.

The bill is now on the way to the state senate, where if it is passed it will go into effect immediately.