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UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
Let it fall, let it fall, let it fall
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2002
New restrictions affect international students by Kristen Armstrong ka@thevistaonline.com The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has levied new restrictions on international students in the form of a new registration program, the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS). These restrictions were outlined at the National Association of Foreign Students Advisors, Nov. 4 - 8 in Oklahoma City, said Glenn Freeman, UCO immigration advisor. "These new regulations are so important because they affect so many students," he said. According to the International Office website,
this registration program requires all citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan or Syria who entered the United States prior to Sept. 11 on nonimmigrant visas, including student visas, to register with INS before Dec. 16. The penalties for missing this deadline are arrest and deportation. Male citizens of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen between the ages 16 and 45 entering the United States with non-immigrant visas must register with INS upon entry. Those citizens of the same countries who entered the United States prior to Sept. 11 will be allowed to register with NSEERS the next time they re-enter the United States, according to the website. "They will be fingerprinted,
photographed and have their U.S. address verified. They will be asked why they are in the U.S. and what they are doing while they are here," Freeman said. INS has stipulated that any country can be added to the NSEERS registration program, according to the website. "They can also add people on a case by case basis. If a person has a shady background or any sort of military or weapons training, they will be asked to register under NSEERS as well," Freeman said. "The purpose of this program is national security," he said. Freeman said UCO students are positive about regis-
Fight the flu season with a campus immunization shot — Page 3
see INS, page 3
Photo by Rebecca Martin
Two weeks and one dayare left before finals week at UCO.
UCOSA passes dead week plan by Mark Schlachtenhaufen ms@thevistaonline. corn Students will have fewer exams and more study time the week before finals if administration adopts a resolution passed Nov. 11 by the UCOSA Senate. Several senators objected to the "Dead Week Resolution," which likely would not go into effect this semester even if UCOSA President J.P. Jordan and administration approve it, said House Speaker Jake Winkler, the resolution's author. Kate Thrift, Senate president pro tempore, said, "This resolution is more of an opinion than a law." If the resolution is adopted, no tests of any kind would be administered during the week before finals, Winkler said. Section two of the resolution would prohibit new assignments being made at that time. With the professor's approval, no rescheduled or make-up exams would be administered during the week before finals. A professor could still introduce new material at that time as long as it was not included in a prefinals week exam.
"What I'm aiming to do with this bill is to get everybody a lot of study time," Winkler said. Senator Jared Childers said the professors were more than able to set their own policies. "This is a bad resolution," Childers said. "By doing this we're really lirniting the professors' choices." Senator Dallas Strimple said that administration might view the resolution as an attempt by students to have more free time for partying. Other times during the school year could be more productive, like Homecoming Week, he said. "Yes, there will be students who will party," Winkler said. "But this is to help students with their studying." Creating more study time would be more conducive to a student's learning experience, said Sen. Tyler Tully. Presently, students' options for activities during the week before finals already are limited, he said. UCO senior Abdalla Khalid said that for him it is a time issue. Some students have full-time jobs. He said he thought it would
see Dead week, page 3
Photo by Rebecca Martin
From the left: Asst. Coach Bryan Gaston, James Davis and Geneva Murray practice two-on-two for UCO's speech and debate team.
National debate report ranks UCO squad third ky Summer Pratt sp@thevistaonline.com They meet eight hours every week to hone their rhetoric skills and spend many more hours throughout the week compiling evidence and arguments. The UCO Debate Squad is ranked third in the nation as of Oct. 28 above over 100 universities including Dartmouth, Cornell University and Pepperdine according to the Cross Examination Debate Association Ranking Report. Michael Stroud, political science freshman and UCO debater, said this is the highest the squad has ever been ranked. He said at the end of the year the squad will participate in the national debates of the Cross Examination Debate Association and the National Debate Tournament. Each debater is given a different evidence assign-
UCO volleyball team received several LSC awards — Page 8
ment each week, Stroud said. "I don't know how we make time for it honestly," Stroud said. "Most of us have been doing this for a while so we've learned how to make time for it." Stroud has been a debater since his freshman year of high school and said he can't imagine a life without debate. Jason Stone, director of debate believes the squad's success is a result of the high quality of debaters. "We've got an outstanding group of freshman," Stone said. Stone said UCO has some of the top debaters in the state because it is one of the only schools that does policy debate. Policy debate is the type practiced by students who want to be high school debate
see Debate, page 5
Special session will overlook education issues by Mark Schlachtenhaufen relations director, said the ms@thevistaonline.com State legislators will convene for a special session Nov. 18 to deal with Department of Corrections furloughs caused by the budget crisis, ignoring funding issues concerning higher education officials. Education officials have been pressuring Gov. Frank Keating to include higher education and common education in the special session agenda. But legislators have said there is not enough money available to fix the problem. Harve Allen, State Regents for Higher Education media
regents will continue to urge Keating and the Legislature to take action on education issues. "The state regents along with the other state agencies would have liked to have been included in this, especially considering the budget situation and the announcment yesterday that more cuts will he forthcoming," Allen said "The regents do understand that public safety comes first." Under state law, Legislators could withdraw only half of the $72 million in the state's Rainy Day Fund. "What's the answer?" said Dan Mahoney, Keating's press
secretary. "Everyone that's complaining doesn't have an answer." DOC spokesman John Thompson said to free up money beginning Dec. 1 the agency will furlough 4,850 employees for 23 days. A wide variety of personnel including prison guards will be furloughed, he said Mahoney said legislators would likely delay the furloughs until after the new Legislature convenes Feb. 3. House Media Division Director Mike Ray said the Legislature has unofficially been in an ongoing special session since May 2001. Keeping it
ongoing makes it easier to convene subsequent sessions. Keating last called for a special session in March. Keating crafted the agenda for the session, limited to the issue of Department of Corrections furloughs. Once the agenda is set, the Legislature cannot veer from it, said Thomas Larson, press secretary for Governor-elect Brad Henry. Henry mentioned education often during the gubernatorial campaign. Larson said that after Henry takes office, higher education would be addressed. "Education is his first priority," Larson said. Revenue generated by a lot-
tery, supported by Henry during the gubernatorial campaign, could not solve the short-term education-related problems, Larson said. It would take some time to make a lottery a reality, culminating with a vote of the people, he said. Under Henry's plan, a portion of the lottery money would fund college scholarships. Some special sessions deal strictly with emergencies like the situation affecting the DOC. The lottery is not an emergency, Larson said. "In Oklahoma, until the Legislature passes bills, all you can do is talk about issues," Larson said.
Hanging of the Green and other UCAB activities slated to celebrate the holidays — Page 3