the
Volume 119, Issue 12
VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”
vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista ucentralmedia.com Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021
UCO addresses budget crisis
INSIDE
Academic affairs plans to resolve the $15 million deficit Sam Royka
Staff Reporter
Women’s soccer In the post-season run, women’s soccer lost to Bemidji State University. More details inside.
In a statement released Nov. 17, UCO President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar denied that the school would be enacting major cuts to faculty and staff this year amid a budget crisis, refuting claims by the UCO chapter of the American Association of Univer-
sity Professors. “The rumor of an exaggerated and draconian planned reduction of 147 faculty positions based on the total deficit is just that – a rumor. I can tell you with confidence that this is not happening,” said UCO President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar in an email to the UCO community.
Neuhold-Ravikumar called it “imperative” to share information about what UCO is doing to balance the budget going forward. While no specific budget reduction plan is being considered yet, “each division has been asked to evaluate their Continued on Pg. 3
See Pg. 4
‘Spencer’ review
Royalty is not always magical. A look inside Princess Diana’s life. See Pg. 4
The budget deficit is due to a decline in enrollment, an increase in inflation and loss of state funding. (Provided/UCO website)
STLR grant expires Adele album review “30” takes on serious themes of parenthood and divorce from Grammy-winning artist Adele. See Pg. 7
Around Campus In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic IMMY Labs is providing free, drive-thru testing. See Pg. 2
Logan Gassett
Contributing Writer
Students at UCO who are involved with the Student Transformative Learning Record program will not be paid for projects until further notice due to the expiration of the $7.8 million grant. The Department of Education agreed on funding this program in 2014 with a title 3 grant to get the program started and to pay faculty and students for STLR projects until September of 2021. Jeff King, among other faculty members, began the program to keep a record of the growth in students from freshman year to graduation Although STLR is still growing, the $7.8 million grant will not be in the central six tenets. returning to UCO. (Provided/UCO website) Despite the financial
change, STLR continues to grow and encourage students in this dry season. Mark E. Walvoord, assistant director of STLR, said, “We are having to transition from some of the most transformative experiences being out of class paid projects to STLR type class assignments and groups and events that students go to.” Walvoord also said that even though the program is facing a decrease in payment, there has been an increase in the number of STLR tags and student credits. The STLR program still has a foundation account reserved for a future STLR student award but not enough to hire 50 or more students like the program used to.