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UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2002
Football coach fired after 34 years by Daniel Holdge dh@thevistaonline.com On Nov. 18 head football coach Gary Howard and his staff were relieved of their duties. Athletic director Skip Wagnon made the announcement following a meeting with UCO President Dr. Roger Webb, Howard and assistant coaches Chuck Bailey, Duane Dirk, Mark Howard and Bill Massey. "Everyone associated with or who follows Bronchos football can appreciate the outstanding job coach Howard has done down through the years," said President Webb. "I too appreciate his work and wish him the best.
UCOSA chalk act heads to administration for approval
The Bronchos finished off their season last week with another disappointing loss to Tarleton State, 34-27 at home. All the Bronchos six losses came by eight points less this season. The players were obviously hurt and confused after hearing about the news. "I didn't know until the meeting when coach told us that afternoon," said running back Tarik Abdullah. "I was hurt by it so much, he's like a father to me. It's a bad situation, like breaking up a family." Howard finishes his career as the leader in win in Oklahoma history, with a 162-105-6 record in his 34 years as a Broncho coach. He came to UCO in 1968 as a
See Coach page 9
by Mark Schlachtenhaufen ms@thevistaonline.com
Coach Gary Howard
dance major and bigger classes would be bad because we would not get the individualized attention we need from the instructor." Eli Schauer, dance and engineering freshman, said, "Along with the individualized attention in dance, I came out because with a physics major you need all the help you can get from your professors to succeed." Quentin Pratt, english and philosophy senior, said "The state has enough money to pay for a millionaire's fishing store but not for education. Now that's ironic!" Chelsye O'Donnell, preeducation sophomore at Rose State, said, "I think a lot of changes need to be made as far as where our education dollars Photo by Rebecca Martin are spent and the way that things are run. The level that the Educators, students and administrators protested at the capitol Nov. 19 in Oklahoma state government response to the special session called that neglected to include education as holds education is very low. part of the session. Doctors are paid way more than educators but without them they would never have become doe..
Protest reacts to special session
by Timber Massey tm@thevistaonline.com Student protestors waved signs and sang folk songs on the front steps of the State Capitol Nov. 18 in support of education, while state legislators spent $9.8 million to delay Department of Corrections furloughs until April. The UCO Chapter of Young Democrats sponsored the protest, lead by President Jim Epperson, due to education being left off the special session agenda by Governor Frank Keating. "Because of budget short falls our public schools cannot continue to support the increased enrollment that they are seeing. Increased tuition rates will put the burden on students that are trying to improve their lives," Epperson said.
"This budget crisis is causing our citizens, who are trying their best to improve themsleves, and our professors, who are trying their best to improve others, to take the burden of the budget crisis." Epperson announced the formation of a new statewide organization, "Students for Higher Education." He said the organization will be a grassroots campaign aimed at helping legislature reform education. He said the organization will recruit representatives from state colleges and universities to help energize students on their individual campuses. "We want to make a difference and we want to be part of the solution. We need people to be involved in the political debate."
J.P. Jordan, UCOSA president said he attended the protest because he believes in the cause of education. Jordan said, "Whenever students get together and actually voice their opinions it is a very positive thing and it causes people to think. Whether,people think it is a positive or a negative thing is not as important as the fact that it gets people thinking." Malinda Fry, political science junior, said, "We heard about the protest and we came because we don't want higher tuition. We think that UCO does a good job the way that it is now." Daniel McKay, history graduate, said, "I am for anything that is for higher education." Jimmy Witcosky, dance and marketing junior, said, "I am a
Charles Harris, engineering senior at Oklahoma City Community College, said, I am paying for my education myself and it is getting harder and harder to do. Politicians are the new mafia and they funnel their money through the prison systems." Dave Esterling, a retired Air Force Master Sergeant who has lived in Oklahoma for 58 years, said he was glad to see students standing up for education. He said that regardless of the issue politicians are out for politicians, not for the people. "I think any public money that was spent on the dome, including the dedication, should have been spent on education. If there were more educated people in Oklahoma then we would not be facing these problems right now."
Individuals or student organizations that make chalk drawings on anything other than sidewalks could be fined if administration adopts a new UCOSA recommendation. The "Sidewalk Chalk Act," which reinforces existing university policy, confines chalk drawings to campus sidewalks. Drawings are not allowed on other objects such as electrical boxes or the sides of buildings, said House Speaker Jake Winkler, the author of the resolution. Also, no banners could be hung on statues. An individual or student organization found to be in violation could be fined up to $100, Winkler said. They would have 24 hours after being notified by Campus Life to clean up the artwork before a fine could be levied. UCOSA President Jordan said he believed administration would view the resolution positively. Determining what fines could be levied and if they would be levied at all would be up to administration, he said. Campus Life Director Blake Fry said to this point graffiti hasn't been a serious problem. He said he has not yet had to fine any individual or organization. "Right now I don't have any plans to start fining people unless it becomes a problem," Fry said. "I'm glad to hear that students here have a concern about the appearance of their campus." Kate Thrift, Senate president pro tempore, said having the original artist clean up the artwork rather than have a UCO staff person do it would save the university money. An abundance of artwork on non-sidewalk surfaces during freshman rush week in September inspired Winkler to write the legislation. "The intent of the bill is to keep the campus clean and conducive to a good learning environment," Winkler said. Jordan said UCOSA is always soliciting ideas for ways to improve the campus. Winkler said he and Jordan tour the campus twice a month to get original ideas for legislation.
fp@thevistaonline.com "It's 24 million people against me," said Jim Yardley, Houston Bureau Chief for the New York Times of his life as a journalist. Yardley came to UCO campus on Nov. 19 to give students a glimpse into that life. Yardley, who has worked for the New York Times since Oct. 1997 covers Texas and Oklahoma for the publication. Yardley grew up being exposed to the newspaper world. His mother was an editorial writer and his father was a columnist and book critic. With his exposure to newspaper life and his own love of reading and writing, journalism was a career that he fell naturally into. Yardley worked at various smaller newspapers including the Aniston Star and Atlanta Journal-Constitution before going to work for the New
York Times. Yardley considered the
question of how it felt to work intertwined. at the New York Times, which "Culture seeps out everyis largely considered one of the where," he said. most influential newspapers in "We are all a part of it." the world, among Pulitzer He was the first to admit Prize winning journalists and the life of a journalist is hard certain preswork. sure. When he Working was covering the "If you love what there doesn't Fort Gibson you do, then each day define who will be fulfilling and the school shootyou are," he hard work that comes ings, he said he said. with being a journalist had two and "If you half hours to will be rewarding." don't end up interview people working for and write a Jim Yardley the New York story Houston Bureau Chief for Times, it does"Whatever the New York Times n't mean that you do, you your career is have to do it lacking." remarkably He said fast," he said. the important "You are not thing is loving what you do. going to write Shakespeare in "If you love what you do, two and half hours." then each day will be fulfilling Yardley said one of his driand the hard work that comes ving forces as a journalist was with being a journalist will be his own curiosity. rewarding." "You write what you are He said whether you are interested in, and chances are, working in New York, others will be interested in it as Chicago, Los Angeles or here well." in Oklahoma, everything is Yardley's own stories range -
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The DPS are in the process of seeking accreditation from the Association of Chiefs of Police
from intense coverage of the Enron scandal to a beer-drinking goat who was the mayor of a small Texas town. Yardley is currently in the process of "stretching his own comfort zone" as he is being assigned to Beijing, China. "I always thought if I wanted to be a foreign correspondent, I would want to go to China," he said. Now he is getting his chance and will spend three to five years in China as a correspondent for the New York
Times. Yardley, who on average produces 120-130 stories a year, said he will probably not have a printed story from December 2002 - Dec ember 2003 as he will be undergoing training for his upcoming move. "I'm terrified and excited," he said. Yardley said life as a journalist was a balancing act. "You live and you learn," he said. "If you aren't in to what you do, don't do it."
Deadline is approaching to sign up for the state's no-call telemarketing registry Photo by Tina Fowble
Jim Yardley, Houston Bureau Chief for the New York Times, spoke to students Nov. 19.
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