The Student Voice Since 1903
WWW.THEVISTAONLINE.COM
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2002
New activity fee position created ■ Almgren to have open—door policy for student organizations seeking information. by Mark Schlachtenhaufen ms@thevistaonline.com UCO has hired a student activity fee account manager, a new position created to coordinate the budgeting process, said
Dr. Kathryn Gage, vice president for Student Services. Kendra Almgren will mainly be working with the committee overseeing allocation of student activity fee money to campuswide organizations, Gage said. She will also assist UCOSA, which allocates money to groups with narrower interests. "You can't overstate the need to coordinate with UCOSA,"
Gage said. "There has to be good communication." Many factors necessitated the creation of the position, Gage said. The student activity fee increase to $5.15 per credit hour and the continued rise in enrollment have resulted in more money to manage, she said. "I think it speaks to the maturing of the campus," Gage
said. Allocating student activity fee money is a complicated process, Gage said. Having a resource person for daily procedural questions, sometimes to assist organizations throughout each step will make a difference, she said. In November, Almgren will begin conducting training sessions in conjunction with Campus Life, Gage said. Other
training sessions, with officers of student organizations, will begin in the fall of 2003, Gage said. "Students always have questions about the process," Gage said. Almgren's duties will include publicizing services, collecting applications for funding, taking minutes at committee meetings,
see Money Manager page 3
Bronchos beat Bacone 56-21. Dee Dee Carter breaks school recieving record. — Page 7
West Hall crackdown: Expulsion is the bottom line by Stephanie Nease sn@thevistaonline.corn Directors approved the Oct. 28 unlocking of West Hall's alternate entrances after a 7-day restriction during which all visitors checked in at the main entrance, said Michelle Davis, West Hall coordinator. Davis and Housing Director Thomas Hu1m enforced the Oct. 21 restriction after a string of events the previous week involved unescorted male students in the girls' dormitory after visiting hours. Problems included multiple male students running naked through the hallways, and one who made sexual advances toward several female residents, requiring notification of DPS, Davis said. Cory Greer, West Hall k-esiden Assistant and biology sophomore said regular visiting hours are 11 a.m. to midnight Sundays through
Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Davis said, "This is the first year the visiting policy has been abused to this extreme in West Hall." Hulm said the problem was simply "too many late night, past hours male visitors. Guys unescorted and guest hours not respected." "Nobody was attacked in the dorm. It's just a matter of preventing that kind of thing." Tonya Zunigha, math education senior and West Hall resident, said requiring visitors to check in is good, but locking the alternate entrances was useless. "The guys who streaked didn't have keys to the doors anyway," she said, adding that somebody inside had to let them in. Hulm said resident-s--eaught allowing males into the West Hall after visiting hours may suffer removal from the residence hall.
Photo by Rebecca Martin
The Education Department held a special meeting October 23.
Teacher shortage affects Oklahoma by Michael Larson ml@thevistaonline.com A nationwide drought in specrat education teachers hag hit Oklahoma hard, sparking UCO professors to draft grants and probe for education students willing to also certify in special ed. "Oklahoma City is always anywhere from 40 to 60 teachers short
Amber Shea Kasey Erin Andrea Butler Howe Mahlburg Jones Miller
annually," said Terry Spigner, assistant professor of UCO's Special Education Department. onna ,Kearns, professor of special ectirCitioli, -sild—the deficiency in special education teachers is forcing districts to give teachers with no formal training in special education temporary certifications to fill gaps. Spigner said the problem is that surrounding states like Texas and Kansas are recruiting
ab@thevistaonline.com
Kris Janzen
Nathan Toby Jake Stewart Vaughn Winkler
Voting begins for homecoming court Kappa Alpha Fraternity and Toby ■ Campaign booths are Vaughn, undeclared major representopen from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m in the Nigh University Center by Lindsey Cooper Ic@thevistaonline.com The UCO student body can vote for the next Homecoming King and Queen from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 29 and 30 in the Nigh University Center. This year the court is made up of six contestants for Queen and four contestants for King. Each of the contestants were chosen by a campus recognized organization. All candidates must be a fourth or fifth year student at UCO with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Candidates also underwent an interview process conducted by UCO faculty members to ensure their eligibility. UCO alumni and 1997 Homecoming King Jarrett Jobe said, "I don't think people understand just how much of an honor it is to be chosen by your peers to represent your university". The candidates running for Homecoming King are: Kris Janzen, kinesiology and recreation management major representing ACACIA Fraternity, Nathan Stewart, physics engineering major representing Kappa Sigma. Fraternity, Jake Winkler, accounting major representing Pi
ing Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. The candidates running for Homecoming Queen are: Amber Butler, graphic design major representing Delta Zeta Sorority, Shea Howe, corporate communications major representing the Baptist Collegiate Ministries, Kasey Jones, broadcasting major representing Sigma Kappa Sorority, Andrea (Raye) Mahlberg, general studies major representing Residence Hall Association, Erin Miller, chemistry major representing Alpha Xi Delta Sorority and Devon Noonan, corporate communications major representing Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority. The coronation ceremony will take place at halftime of the UCO Homecoming Game against the Southwestern University Savages on Nov. 2. Royalty Chairman of Homecoming Activities Daresa Redd said, "I believe being chosen to participate in Royalty Court is an honor. Members of the court represent their sponsoring organization, the campus, students, faculty and alumni positively." UCO students will need their student ID card in order to vote. For more information about Homecoming King and Queen call the Campus Life Office at 974-2363.
Comic characters make
a comeback.
— Page 6
see Shortage page 3
Blood drive supports area hospitals by Andrew Bowman
Devon Noonan
special education students to other states to cope with their own staffing deficiencies, pushing Oklahoma further into its rcat-ner de7TC1t - -He said, ''We have recruiters coming from as far as California because our product is good and they know it. We're trying to get people to stay home." Professors in the Special
The Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI) will be holding a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 30 and 31 in Room 212 of the Nigh University Center. According to Tara Scott, manager of training and staff development for OBI, UCO has assisted OBI with homecoming blood drives since 1983. "We are grateful to UCO for helping OBI support their community as well as the more than 85
additional Oklahoma hospitals we provide blood to," said Ronald 0. Gilcher, M.D., OBI president and CEO. Scott said donors receive a free T-shirt as well as free checks on temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate and cholesterol levels. OBI will also offer a prostatespecific antigen (PSA) blood test to screen for prostate cancer in men. The PSA blood tests cost $15 for donors and $20 for others who are unable to donate. Participants competing
in the Homecoming Laugh Olympics competition can earn points for their organizations by donating at the blood drive, Scott said. Jarrett Jobe, UCO coordinator of Greek Life said, "Giving blood is important because of the services it provides, and it's a good way for students to get involved in homecoming." Scott said OBI is responsible for 100 percent of the blood products supplied to Edmond and all Oklahoma City area hospitals.
Residence Hall Association sponsors safe Halloween by Dara Lawless dl@thevistaonline.com UCO's Residence Hall Association (RHA) will sponsor Safe Trick-or-Treat for Edmond children from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 31, said Shai Rasmussen, RHA vice president and West Hall Council (WHC) social chair. "The whole point is to foster safety, convenience, and fun," Rasmussen said. West Hall, Murdaugh Hall, and the Suites will hand out candy to trick-ortreaters. RHA will provide maps of the campus to parents, she said. The junior women's
honor society, Tiaras, plans to guide children through the residences, she said. Rasmussen said freshmen women's honor society, Alpha Lambda Delta, will do face painting in the West Hall lobby. West Hall's decorating contest will make things festive, and WHC will match every bag of candy a resident buys for trick-ortreaters, she said. Emily Phipps, West Hall residence assistant, said Bhall will decorate with a Bat Cave theme. "A lot of my girls are getting involved. It's a good way to give back to the community," Phipps said.
Lindsay Stanford, political science freshman and West Hall resident, said, "I think it's awesome that kids have a safe place to go on the best holiday ever." Rasmussen said, "UCO is trying to reach out to the community of Edmond. This program fosters that." Approximately 100 to 150 children participated in Safe Trick-or-Treat in 2000, but numbers dwindled last . year, she said. Because of extra publicity, "this year we're expecting a lot more," she said. For more information about Safe Trick-or-Treat contact Shai Rasmussen at srasmussen@ucok.edu .
Thirteen Stars CD releasing new CD titled "Songs From the Musicbox" at The Green Door, Nov. 1. — Page 6
Grammy nominated Christian band to headline FCA concert. — Page 6