Volume 116, Issue 30
the VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”
ucentralmedia.com vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
The Cost of Athletic Retention “It really felt like they overlooked the students in this process and they didn’t get the student opinion” - UCOSA President Remington Dean
Christian Tabak @CaffeineWallace Editor-In-Chief
A $0.25 student activity fee increase worth an estimated $85,000 and approved over the summer by university officials for student athletics but not brought to the student body for a vote has raised concerns with the University of Central Oklahoma Student Association. The fee was implemented for Fiscal Year 2019 to primarily address a gap between current tuition rates and the amount of scholarship dollars available for athletic tuition waivers. While addressed in the University Planning Council meetings over the summer, UCOSA President Remington Dean said that he felt it was a mistake not to have taken it to the student body for a vote.
The Broncho football team storms the field at the opening of a recent home football game. A $0.25 student activity fee enacted over the summer is expected $85,000 for student athletic retention. (Gerald Leong/The Vista)
“It really felt like they overlooked the students in this process and they didn’t get the student opinion,” Dean
said. “What I also do not agree with is that there has been no explanation to the students for the increase.”
With between 500 and 550 student-athletes on campus, student-ath-
Yi Wen Wong
Thursday anchor-journalist for the UCentral newscast and is an interning reporter at KFOR. Miss UCO was not Cargill’s first time competing in a pageant, as she held the Miss Northern Oklahoma College 2016 title and competed for Miss Oklahoma during her reign. Cargill said she is still shocked, as she did not expect to win and thought she was out when the runner-ups were named. She said all of the girls who competed were incredible and any would have been a fantastic Miss UCO.
See “RETENTION” on Pg. 6
Cargill Crowned Miss UCO 2019 @TheVista1903 Reporter
Miss UCO 2019 Shelby Cargill, center, poses alongside the pageant’s runner ups Lexi Neahring, left, Morgan Money, Lexie Herron and Marylin Segura-Morales at the 43rd annual Miss UCO competition on Oct. 27. (Vy Luong/TheVista)
Shelby Love Cargill was crowned Miss UCO 2019 during the 43rd Annual Miss UCO Pageant on Oct. 27 in the University of Central Oklahoma’s Constitution Hall. “I still cannot believe that I really won,” Cargill said. “I was so excited to find out who was going to be crowned and little did I know it was going to be me.” Cargill is a senior professional media major, and the Tuesday and
See “MISS UCO” on Pg. 11
UCOSA WATCH
BRONCHO SPORTS
UCOSA Takes on Diversity at Weekly Meeting
Bronchos Score First Back-toBack Shutout Since 1979
See “UCOSA” on Pg. 5
See “SHUTOUT” on Pg. 12
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the
Oct. 30, 2018
VISTA
CONTENTS
Vets/Traffic.............................................................3 Around Campus ...................................................................4 UCOSA..................................................................5 Retention...........................................................6 Letter to the Editor.................................................................7 Pageant.......................................................................8 Miss UCO/Shooter..............................................................11 Shutout...........................................................12 Scores....................................................................13 Bucking Broncho.................................................................14 Putts.................. ................................................................15
Contents
STAFF Christian Tabak Katie Standlee Jonathan Goudeau Tanner Laws Megan Thele Austin Moseley Michelle Pennza Skyler Baldwin Vy Luong Yi Wen Wong Lauren Morris Madison Bolton James Jackson Derek Parker Samantha Karbelk Gerald Leong Teddy Burch Alex Brown
THE VISTA
is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students, weekly during the academic year, at the University of Central Oklahoma. The issue price is free for the first copy and $1 for each additional copy obtained.
EDITORIALS
Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communication, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO.
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Online Editor Design Editor Editorial Cartoonist Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Sports Reporter Sports Reporter Photographer Photographer Adviser Advertising Specialist
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On the Cover: Left: Sen. Madelyn Dancer speaks at a UCOSA meeting held on Oct. 22 in the Will Rogers Room in the Nigh University Center. (Lauren Morris/The Vista)
by Skyler Baldwin
Right: The Broncho football team prepares to take the field before their matchup against Missouri Southern State University on Saturday in Joplin, Missouri. UCO defeated Missouri Southern State University 31-0, recording its second straight shutout for the first time since 1979. (Jordan Belew/For The Vista)
Vets/Traffic
Oct. 30, 2018
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UCO Ranked No. 9 College for Vets Yi Wen Wong @TheVista1903 Reporter
The University of Central Oklahoma has been ranked No. 9 in the Military Times "Best for Vets: Colleges 2019" list among all of the colleges and universities in the United States. "This ranking makes me feel proud to work for such a great organization," said Catherine Orozco-Christmas, Veteran Support Services coordinator. "I am a military dependent myself as an Army brat and a Navy wife, and this Best for Vets distinction solidifies my family’s belief that we landed in the right place here in Oklahoma." Last year UCO received the Veterans Upward Bound grant, a federally funded program by the Department of Education designed to help U.S. military veterans enter and succeed in higher education. Conversely, the Veteran Student Support Services SALUTE grant only helps military veterans at UCO and was the first grant VSS received. To qualify for the SALUTE program, veterans have to be first generation, low income or have disabilities, or a mixture of those. UCO debuted by ranking 40th a few years ago and is now in the top 10, according to retired Lt. Col. Kennan Horn, director of veteran programs. Horn said that a large reason UCO is the best school in the state for military veterans because of the grants they receive. “To be honest, it not about where we rank, it’s about what we do,” Horn said. “That is the way soldiers are, they don’t want hear what you have to say, they want to see what you do.” In order to secure the grants, Horn said that there are certain criteria to meet, if not the budget provided will be cut. For instance, to secure the SALUTE program funding, two-thirds of the veteran students in the program have to be first
Veteran Richard Hensley and Stephen Hensley tour the Korean War Veterans Memorial as part of Honor Flight Huntington on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, in Washington, D.C. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)
generation and low income. The Upward Bound Program has to have 125 veteran students enrolled in the program. Horn said UCO has met 85 percent of the criteria within its first nine months. Once UCO is notified that they've received the grants, Horn said he has to hire coaches immediately to recruit military veterans by informing them on the benefits of education. “Basically we help calm their fears, ease them into going to school and set them up for success,” Horn said. According to the Military Times, the ranking is strongly based on military veteran enrollment rates and the graduation percentage. Georgia Southern University and University of South Florida topped the list for “Best Vet College” this year. Horn said UCO is not on the top because the enrollment rates will never be as high as those universities and it strongly depends on the veterans. “The oldest student I know is in his early 70s, who recently just graduated, and the youngest is somewhere around 23 years old,” Horn said. UCO currently has more than 500 military veterans enrolled.
Traffic Survey Underway for Edmond Lauren Morris @TheVista1903 Reporter
Edmond will complete a traffic hotspot survey this week, and its results can determine future Edmond road construction projects. The survey opened Oct. 16 and ended Oct. 30. Citizens were asked to go online and pick out three areas in the city that they considered to be traffic hot spots. This has been the third survey in as many years. The results to the survey will be up on the City of Edmond website until the city does another survey in 2020, according to Casey Moore, Edmond's public information officer. The previous survey, conducted in February 2017, listed the top five traffic hot spots as Second Street and Bryant Avenue; Covell Road and Santa Fe Avenue; Second Street from S. Boulevard to Broadway Avenue; Covell Street and Bryant Avenue; and Danforth Road and Kelly Avenue. Previous traffic surveys were what initiated lane additions at Covell Street and Santa Fe Avenue, as well as Covell Street and Bryant Avenue,
according to Andrew Conyer, Edmond's director of management services. The Edmond website currently lists Second Street's intersections with Bryant Avenue and S. Boulevard as the next areas for construction. Second Street and Bryant Avenue will have dual left turn lanes and single right turn lanes for all four directions, and is planned to cost about $2 million. Second Street and Boulevard will be widened for dual left turn lanes on the north and south sides, which will cost around $919,000. Both are planned to start in spring 2019. Future construction projects include widening Covell Street to four lanes between Coltrane Road and Sooner Road, including left turn lanes into all side streets. The area will also have street lighting and sidewalks, and is estimated to cost around $6 million, with construction starting in fall 2019. There will also be future construction at Danforth Road and Kelly Avenue in 2020 to create dual left turn lanes and single right turn lanes, which is estimated to cost around $5 million. All current and future Edmond traffic construction projects can be found on the Edmond website under “traffic projects.”
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Oct. 30, 2018
Around Campus
Student Programming Board member Jonathan Stepp holds a baby kangaroo, Pocket, during SPBe Wild on Oct. 24. The event is held each year for students to experience exotic animals they may not see otherwise. (Samantha Karbelk/The Vista)
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 Lessons in Leadership Speakers Chris Benge, Chief of Staff to Gov. Mary Fallin: Chris Benge, chief of staff to Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, will speak from 9:30-10:45 a.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Con-stitution Hall as part of the Lessons in Leadership Speakers series. The event is open to the whole campus community. Scary Selfies: Fandoms Anonymous will host a Halloween-themed selfie booth from 10 a.m. to noon at the Blue Tent by Broncho Lake. Photo props include hats, masks and other costume pieces with Fandom mem-bers available to take photos of par-ticipants. Smart Recovery: Those in recovery can attend this meeting in Nigh Uni-versity Center Room 322 from noon to 1 p.m. where they can learn how to achieve and maintain a positive lifestyle. Attendees will learn how to manage thoughts and how to cope with stress. Renewables Aren’t Scary!: Students for Sustainability will host a presen-tation by Oklahoma Sierra Club Di-rector Johnson Grimm-Bridgewater on renewable energy in Oklahoma from 1-2 p.m. in the Will Rogers Room 421 of the Nigh University Center. Lunch will be provided. Life Skills Around Eating: This free and confidential group meets from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in Thatcher Hall Room 328. The group will discuss and focus on the affect regulation
approach to eating disorders and will teach how to handle stress triggered by food
Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018 SPBe Magical: The Student Programming Board will host an apple bar and magician from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. under the Blue Tent by Broncho Lake. Dr. Wayne Stein “From Shanghai to Israel: Jews in WW2-Era Asia”: Prof. Wayne Stein, a professor from the University of Central Oklahoma’s English Department, will present on the connection between China and Israel during the World War II from noon to 1:15 in the Center for Transformative Learning’s Radke Theater. Free and open to the public, the presentation is part of the Passport to Israel Program. Non Traditional Student Support Group: This group is designed to help non-traditional students find support at UCO with others students who can relate to your life experience and share resources to help meet personal needs and ensure success at UCO. The meeting is from 2-3 p.m. in Room 322 of the Nigh University Center. African Student Association General Meeting: The African Student Association will host a general meeting from 4-6 p.m. in the Nigh University Center.’s Room 314.Attendees will plan details concerning the semester’s events and how to improve the association in order to have a positive impact on cultural diversity at UCO.
Fall Fest - Be there, Be Aware: The Peer Health Leaders will host an interactive event on safe drinking behaviors from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the lawn outside the Chambers Library. The event honors the lives of two University of Central Oklahoma students killed in unrelated drunk driving incidents in 2016, Jordan DeShazer and Ryan Hamm. The event will feature food, games and more.
Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018 Grief Support Group: The Center for Counseling & Well-Being will host a group for individuals who are experiencing grief. Students are encouraged to attend this group meeting which lasts from 11 a.m. to noon in Room 322 of the Nigh University Center. LGBTQ Support: From 1-2 p.m. in Room 322 of the Nigh University Center, those in the LGBTQ community are encouraged to come to receive support. Meet and talk about various topics around sexuality, gender and other life issues. Native American Heritage Month Kick-Off: The annual kick-off celebration for Native American Heritage Month will feature the University of Oklahoma’s Kiowa language instructor, Toni Tsatoke-Mule, for a keynote presentation from 2-3 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Grand Ballroom A. Hosted by the Native American Student Association and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the theme of the presentation will reflect the month’s theme of “Expressions of Indigenous Cultures.” Food will be provided.
Dia de Los Muertos: The annual Dia de Los Muertos celebration will be held from 6-9 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Grand Ballrooms. The event, hosted by the Hispanic American Student Association and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, celebrates the Mexican tradition of Day of the Dead. The event will feature food, entertainment and crafts. SPB - Adultish: The Student Programing Board is hosting a workshop from 6-8 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Will Rogers’ Room that is focused on teaching students practical life skills. This event will focus on how to balance a checkbook and other financial matters.
Friday, Nov. 2, 2018 Trauma Recovery: In Room 328 of Thatcher Hall from 2-3 p.m., students can learn how to reduce trauma symptoms by understanding it and increasing coping strategies to manage symptoms. Grief Support Group: Each week the Center for Counseling and Well-Being hosts a grief support group from 11 a.m. to noon in Room 322 of the Nigh University Center. The group discusses the grieving process and resources for those grieving. UCO Chess & Games Club Weekly Meeting: The Chess and Games Club hosts weekly meetings from 2-5 p.m. in Room 108 of the Center for Transformative Learning.
UCOSA
Oct. 30, 2018
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UCOSA Discusses Student Representation Lauren Morris @TheVista1903 Reporter
Last week’s University of Central Oklahoma Student Association meeting involved a lengthy discussion about representation in the student congress with UCO’s Diversity Round Table, as well as the unanimous passing of three bills. Jordan Broiles, a senator of UCOSA’s congress and president of the Diversity Round Table, and DRT member Thalia Rodriguez led a presentation on the purposes and goals of their organization. Earlier this year DRT released “Connect to DRT,” a set of goals for 2018-2019 that look to add more diversity to campus through acquiring a new location for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, more diverse representation in UCOSA and more diverse classes and faculty members. Broiles and Rodriguez said DRT advocates for social justice as well as celebrates the cultures of its members and educates others about them. DRT is an umbrella organization that covers the American Association of University Women, Asian
Senate Chair Tate Atkinson (right), speaks at a UCOSA meeting on Oct. 22, as Secretary Emily Grimm and Vice Chair Jordan Medaris listen on. Diversity Round Table discussed student representation with UCOSA and gave ideas on how to be more inclusive. (Lauren Morris/The Vista).
American Student Association, Black Student Association, Hispanic American Student Association, NAACP, Native American Student Association, Student Alliance for Equality and S.T.A.R.S. (Striving Toward Academic and Renowned Success) Mul-
ticultural Honor Society. “Just if you look around in UCOSA right now…UCOSA is intended to represent the student body and this is my first time at a UCOSA meeting and…it’s not accurately represented,” Rodriguez said. Some of the goals mentioned include advocating for non-Western cultural classes, lowering the required GPA from a 3.0 to a 2.5 to become the president of UCOSA and providing better representation in student and faculty organizations. “If UCOSA is not reflecting the student body, how can it accurately advocate and effectively represent the student body?” Broiles said. For the fall 2018 semester, Caucasian students make up 54.8 percent of the student body, Hispanic students make up 11.1 percent, those of two or more races make up 9.6 percent, African American students make up 9.1 percent, international students make up 5.4 percent and other groups such as Native American, Asian and Pacific Islander make up less than 5 percent. Rodriguez said in the student body, percentages of Hispanic students, Asian students and students of two or more races have gone up, while all other ethnicities have gone down. “The growing population at UCO are all students from marginalized and minority backgrounds,” Rodriguez said. The DRT representatives said that institutionalized racism plays a hand in what they consider underrepresentation in UCOSA. “There’s a default setting that these students who have privilege have access to the student organization that
represents them first,” Rodriguez said. “[I’m] not saying anyone would do it on purpose. It is part of the normative.” Senators raised questions for Broiles and Rodriguez, including ways to spread that UCOSA is open to all, and how to inform and reach out to those who might be nervous about underrepresentation in the student congress to join. “We just want to see some proactive movement happening to recruit,” Broiles said. “I don’t think it’s my responsibility to say there’s a number; I think as a student body and as a reflective of the student body, you should say, ‘You know what? Right now, we’re kind of lacking in this area.’” Solutions discussed included facilitating more in-depth discussions and increased partnerships between UCOSA and DRT, appointing more students from minority groups into congress and giving students of color motivation to feel their voice is being heard. Three bills - CR18-106, CR18-107 and CR18-108 - were passed unanimously. CR18-106 said that only enforcement personnel and those directly authorized by UCO President Don Betz would be allowed to carry a concealed weapon on campus. CR18107 proposed the expulsion of four senators: Beatriz Garay, Alex Garcia, Markia James and Kevin Leonard. CR18-108 proposed the appointment of three new senators: Fartun Ali, Afia Asif and Moaz Ui. UCOSA’s next meeting will be 4 p.m. on Nov. 5 in the Will Rogers Room of the Nigh University Center.
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Oct. 30, 2018
Retention
The Cost of Athletic Retention Continued from Pg. 1
letes on campus, student-athletes accord for roughly 3 percent of the estimated 17,000 students attending UCO. Dean said that earmarking the entire $0.25 increase for athletics without consulting the student body creates a troubling precedent. “I didn’t agree with the process that it went through; I think there was alack of student input and I just think that UCO is at a pivotal point in its career seeing that we are about to get a new president,” Dean said. With the addition of $0.25, students now pay $14.50 per credit hour for student activities on campus. These fees go to pay for campus events sponsored by the university’s more than 200 student organizations, as well as the majority of the operational funding of the university’s athletics department. While Kevin Freeman, UCO’s vice president of Operations, said there are no specific university policies governing student activity fee increases, these increase are discussed during the UPC meetings. These meetings include representatives from faculty, staff and the student body, represented by UCOSA. While Dean was absent for the UPC meetings held over the summer, UCOSA’s Chair of Congress Tate Atkinson and Vice Chair Jordan Medaris did attend on behalf of the student body. During these meetings, Atkinson said that he was concerned the administration had skipped steps that should have been taken to ensure adequate representation from students. “At the UPC meetings, it seemed like it was that Kevin was not coming to us to get our weigh-in on it, it was almost to just inform us about what was going to happen,” Atkinson said. Previous student activity fee increases had gone before a vote with the student body and had been included on the ballot as part of UCOSA’s annual spring elections. However, Freeman said there is no policy to have the increases voted on by the student body and that increases are implemented at the discretion of the university’s president. “There is no policy or formal process for doing this, it is really done at the discretion of the president,” Freeman said. “With that said, the normal process would be to involve our student leaders on campus, representatives of the student body, that they understand and support the need for the student activity fee increase. The last two increases, a $3 in-
crease in 2013 and a $3 in 2014, were implemented in part to help fund improvements to UCO’s athletic structures, according to Freeman. While previous increases were targeted athletics, the FY2019 increase differs from previous increases in that the entirety of the increase is earmarked for athletics. Distribution of student activity fees has for at least the last decade been divided into approximately 45 percent for student affairs and 55 percent for athletics. For athletics, the fee goes to fund athletic tuition waivers, academic advisement, operating costs and other expenditures for each athletic team. While Dean said this change to only funding athletics creates a concerning lack of representation for the majority of the student body, the distribution has existed by design rather than an established policy, according to Freeman. “What makes this one unusual is that we’re really fixing a broken funding mechanism,” Freeman said. “We weren’t asking for additional fees for something new, we were trying to fix a problem.” Freeman said the reason for this year’s increase is to address the growing gap between the existing funding available for athletic tuition waivers and the tuition rates that have increased over the last 10 years. While tuition increased by 5.5 percent for FY2019 alone, student activity fees have not been raised since 2014, a situation that has left many student athletes with tuition waivers that do not provide adequate financial support, according to Freeman. “This [increase] was so small in dealing with a crisis type of a situation, we handled it differently this time than we might have were it a larger increase,” Freeman said. Meetings over the following year’s budgetary allocations and the need for any tuition or fee increases typically begin in early February. When asked why athletic fees were not addressed earlier in the budgetary process, Freeman said there were no reasons why the university did not take earlier steps to address the “crisis type of a situation.” “There’s no underlying reason why we didn’t engage them earlier in the conversation,” Freeman said. “A lot of it is working through as you’re looking at what your potential increases are going to be in the following year.” Athletics Director Eddie Griffin said he is unsure about concerns over a lack of student representation in the
UCO’s women’s soccer prepare to face off against the Northeastern State University RiverHawks at Wantland Stadium on Oct. 26, 2018. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
student activity fee process, but he feels the university made the right decision in approving the increase. “I think that’s just something you sit down and evaluate and see what the true needs are and what’s best for the university,” Griffin said. In addition to the tuition waivers, Griffin said the increase would also sponsor funding for the increased athletic academic advisement that is housed in the new Sports Performance Center. The SPC has allowed for an athletic advisement office, which houses three dedicated athletic academic advisors. With approximately 500 student athletes, having three academic advisors would place the department with a ratio of 166 students per academic advisor. This ratio is significantly higher than the university’s overall, which was estimated at 1500 students per academic advisor in 2017, three times the state’s average of 500 students per academic advisor. With 19 national championships awarded to the university, Griffin said that adequate funding is vital for a competitive athletic program. While academics are important, Griffin said that athletic programs significantly impact public perception of a given university. “That’s kind of what we want to sell the marketplace is that there are great things going on at UCO academically and athletically and athletics is the front porch of marketing that,” Griffin said. But athletics are not the only programs funded by student activity fees
that could benefit from more funding, according to Dean. Funding for UCOSA’s Uber program was slashed by approximately $30,000 for FY2019 due to a decrease in state funding and enrollment. While the program barely managed to sustain itself with $70,000 through April before UCOSA had to borrow high impact funding to finish the semester, at somewhere around $40,000 Dean said the program will run out sometime in early spring. “We had a significant drop to the Uber program and now we’re having to start this discussion in August of what are we going to be doing in February when funding is out,” Dean said. “So now it’s not that we’re running out in April, we’ll be running out in February and how we’re going to cover the last few months of school.” While Dean said it was undeniable that athletics needed the funding due to the growing gap between tuition aid and tuition costs, he said the lack of transparency or explanation to the student body is concerning as well. UCOSA is considering legislation to ensure the SAF is split with a dedicated student activity fee and an athletic fee to make clear how much students are paying for athletics on campus. “If UCO truly is a school that prides itself on being one of the most affordable colleges not only in Oklahoma but in the nation, well, increasing tuition, increasing student activity fees, increasing every fee, pretty soon we’re going to outprice ourselves,” Dean said.
Letter to the Editor
Oct. 30, 2018
Your Words, Your Voice. Letter to the Editor: Is It “Reverse Racism” Dear Editor, Your voice was heard. I hear what you are saying. Although I disagree, I hear you. Now I would like for you to take a step back, refocus your lens and intentionally hear what I have to say. Although you are an anonymous user, you ripped the band-aid off. This is not the first time that UCO has had a non-student-of-color claim that they have been discriminated against because they are a part of the majority or alluded to this statement. Students have made comments stating, “I’m tired of talking about slavery or racism” or (my ultimate favorite line) “why is there a Welcome Black Week and not a welcome white week.” These comments are being made with the notion of a lack of understanding of history and why there are intentional efforts to provide an equitable amount of resources to students of color. The reality is, the University of Central Oklahoma is a predominately white institution (PWI) or historically white institution, which means that the majority of our students are white (54.8 percent). Therefore, if you were a student of color attending a PWI, which was not designed for you, you are going to have different experiences because you’re a part of the minority. These challenges include and are not limited to: 1) being the only one in classrooms that don’t focus on diversity; 2) not seeing yourself reflected in your own student government; 3) not seeing yourself reflected in faculty members; 4) seeing big, campus-wide programming being run by the majority. These are unintentional things that have been occurring since the first student of color attended this university. These are different factors that have an effect on students graduating from college. We never said you can’t be proud of your whiteness. I personally want you to own who you are; however, you can not negate the privilege your whiteness provides you, intentionally and unintentionally. Activist Janaya “Future” Khan said, “Privilege isn't about what you've gone through; it's about what you haven't had to go through.” Anonymous user and supporting cast, thank you! Thank you for validating the importance of the goals that the Diversity Round Table (DRT) are advocating for. Your lack of understanding [of] the intentional equitable efforts made by the University is why we need more critical diversity classes. Why we need our student government to become more culturally competent. Why you need to sit in a classroom where the professor does not look like you. I urge you to take a look into the #ConnectToDRT 2018-2019 goal document that is located on the UCO’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) website. If you or anyone else have any more questions or want to understand more of what I articulated above, come by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion or contact a Diversity Peer Educator located in the ODI. It is our duty ... Jordan Broiles, Concerned Student at UCO
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Oct. 30, 2018
Pageant
Miss UCO 2019: Oh, What a Night!
Top Left: Alana Hughes, right, stands next to Shelby Love, left, reacting to being crowned 2019 Miss UCO 43rd Annual Scholarship Competition during the pageant competition in Constituion Hall Oct. 27, 2018. (Vy Luong/The Vista) Middle Left: Melanie Mikles plays the piano to, “Great Balls of Fire,” during the 2019 Miss UCO 43rd Annual Scholarship Competition in Constituion Hall Oct. 27, 2018. Mikles’ performace platform focused on “DisABILITY Awareness and Acceptance.” (Vy Luong/The Vista) Bottom Left: Lexi Neahring performs her jazz dance, “Feeling Good,” during the 2019 Miss UCO competition in Constituion Hall Oct. 27, 2018. Neahring’s Performance platform focused on “Give a Helping Hand.” (Vy Luong/The Vista)
Top Right: Baylee Mays performs her dance, “River,” during the 2019 Miss UCO 43rd Annual Scholarship Competition in Constituion Hall Oct. 27, 2018. Mays’ participated with a platform that focused on “Pancreatic Cancer Awarenes.” (Vy Luong/The Vista) Middle Right: Shelby Love sings, “Maybe This Time” during the 2019 Miss UCO 43rd Annual Scholarship Competition in Constituion Hall Oct. 27, 2018. Love’s performace platform focused on “You Are Enough - Building a Positive Self-Image.” (Vy Luong/The Vista)
Miss UCO/Shooter
Oct. 30, 2018
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Cargill Crowned Miss UCO 2019 Continued from Pg. 1 “I think she was genuinely surprised and excited to win the 2019 crown, but it was well deserved,” said Winston Banta, Miss UCO pageant director. “Shelby, like all of the candidates, put forth a great deal of effort to work and improve during all phases of the competition.” Cargill decided to participate in Miss UCO because she needed financial help and was looking for scholarship opportunities so that she could continue her studies at UCO. She came across the pageant and decided to try it, as she enjoys being on stage. A former musical theater major at NOC, Cargill used her performing skills for the talent portion of the night, singing a music theatre song, “Maybe This Time,” from Cabaret. Cargill’s platform, “You Are Enough” - Building a Positive Self Image, works to replace one’s insecurities with powerful truth statements to find a way for people to gain inner peace and be a friend to themselves. She said she wants herself and others to achieve a healthy mind and life by positive thoughts. Alana Hughes, Miss UCO 2018, said that she is sad that her year has ended, but she is thankful for all the
opportunities that she had over the year. “I hope the new queen will enjoy every moment of being Miss UCO because it flies by so quickly,” Hughes said. The Mistress of Ceremonies was Alyson Acklin, Miss UCO 2015 and a professional media graduate. Judges evaluated the winner through a pre-show interview, physical fitness, talent, on-stage questions and evening wear. Cargill received a $2,100 tuition waiver for winning the crown. First runner-up Lexie Herron and second runner-up Morgan Money received $1,250 tuition waivers. Emily Jayne Yannatone won the Outstanding Talent and Director’s awards, which both provided her with $100 scholarships. The number of Miss UCO candidates has increased over the years, with 16 compared to the nine participants last year. Banta said they were very pleased with the numbers and it is great for UCO to have so many intelligent and talented young women participating. Cargill will be competing in Miss Oklahoma 2019 and she said she is ready to train hard and “have a blast” representing one of the best universi-
Participants pose on stage during the 2019 Miss UCO 43rd Annual Scholarship Competition in Constituion Hall Oct. 27, 2018. (Vy Luong/The Vista)
ties in Oklahoma. “I have such an incredible community supporting me, but my biggest cheerleader would be my mom, who supports me in all I do,” Cargill said.
“The true unsung hero that helped me from my fake tan to doing my alterations, she is the greatest mom a girl could ask for.”
UCO Talks Active Shooter Precautions Madison Bolton @TheVista1903 Reporter
A different perspective on school shootings was published by Mad Magazine’s four-page comic strip depicting 26 children, one for each letter of the alphabet, who were or would soon become victims of a school shooting. Mad Magazine began in 1952 as a satirical comedy magazine which aims at bringing awareness to issues going on in the country, according to Joe Tripodi, political science professor at the University of Central Oklahoma. “The reality is, we do have too many school shootings, they make national attention and then they just die out,” Tripodi said. According to Jeffery Harp, UCO chief of police, the university takes precautions every day to avoid school shootings. Harp said UCO has a wide array of communication methods, officers trained and properly equipped for response alongside partner agencies like the Edmond and Oklahoma
County police departments, and most academic classroom doors lock from the inside. Tripodi and Harp also pointed out red binders listing the university’s emergency procedures that are found in every classroom. “Don’t let them gather dust. Grab one and read through it, paying particular attention to the Active Shooter page,” Harp said. “We were one of first campuses in the country to install
these in a durable and concise vinyl binder. We update them periodically.” Tripodi was in the military for 20 years, owns a gun and has taught a Guns and Politics class at UCO. However, he said he does not believe in concealed carry on college campuses for a number of reasons, including active shooter situations where responders may not know who the active shooter is. Harp said he does support the cur-
Lauren McCluskey’s parents, Matt and Jill McCluskey, hug some of their daughter’s teammates after a vigil for their daughter on Wednesday. Oct 24, 2018 in Salt Lake City. (Jeremy Harmon/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)
rent law that allows guns on campus with permission from the university president. However, he agrees that response officers may not be able to easily or readily distinguish an active shooter from those with conceal carry weapons. Tripodi also said the federal government has done nothing about a potential gun show loophole. “When you go to buy a gun at a registered gun shop, the background check only checks for things like domestic abuse, felonies, child molestation and if you are an undocumented American,” Tripodi said. “If you have emotional issues and see a psychiatrist or a psychologist, that will not pop up on the background check.” When you purchase a gun, many people think your name and the type of gun you have purchased goes to a federal database, and it does not, according to Tripodi. Tripodi said its a lot of hot air when nothing is done about these school shootings, “I think as violence occurs and the media gets in, we all feel bad and unless it affects you personally, it just becomes another issue.”
12
Oct. 30, 2018
Shutout
SPORTS Bronchos Trample Lions In Shutout University of Central Oklahoma running back Clay McKenzie, No. 23, runs between the tackles during an Oct. 27 game against Missouri Southern State University. McKenzie finished with 92 yards and one touchdown in the win. (Jordan Belew/For The Vista)
Jonathan Goudeau @Goudeau_jdg Sports Editor
The University of Central Oklahoma posted their second consecutive shutout in a 31-0 win over Missouri Southern State University, marking the first time since 1979 the team has done so. “[The win] shows the continued improvement of our team,” said head coach Nick Bobeck. “We didn’t necessarily play that well, but we were still able to keep them out of the end zone.” The Bronchos held the Lions to 209 yards of offense and 13 first downs. The secondary limited them to 53 yards passing on 16 attempts. Linebacker Colton Lindsey led
with 10 tackles, one forced fumble and one interception on the opening drive. Linebacker Bryan Burns and safety Jakarri Hunt each made nine tackles, while defensive tackle Tyrell Cummings made the only sack of the day. Offensively, the Bronchos totaled 472 yards of offense and 22 first downs. The ground game, which has struggled for the majority of the season, had one if its best efforts of the season, totaling 245 yards. Running back Justin Curry led with 111 yards and one touchdown on 8.5 yards per carry, while Clay McKenzie finished with 92 yards and one touchdown on 7.7 ypc. “We played much more physical as the game went on and were able to create some momentum that the
guys carried through the remainder of the game,” Bobeck said. Quarterback Will Collins finished 19-of-29 for 227 yards, with one touchdown and one interception while adding 25 yards on the ground. His top target was wide receiver Mekail Hall, who hauled in seven catches for 68 yards. Wide receiver Dustin Basks caught the only touchdown pass of the game and finished with five catches for 75 yards. He also made an impact in the return game, averaging 19.7 yards a return, with a long of 46 yards. “The one [46-yard return] was really important as it set up a score,” Bobeck said. “The return unit did a good job of staying on blocks.” The Bronchos struck first when
kicker Alex Quevedo connected on a 24-yard field goal off of Lindsey’s interception to take an early 3-0 lead. After forcing four straight punts, the offense struck again as Collins connected with Basks off of a flea flicker for a 44-yard touchdown to make it 10-0. Right before the half, the Bronchos drove down to the Lions 12-yard line before Collins’ pass was intercepted by defensive back Korenzo Credit, keeping it 10-0 at the half. In the third quarter, McKenzie rushed for his fourth touchdown of the season on a 15-yard run to make it 17-0. Curry found the end zone on a 28-yard touchdown run to make 24-0 heading into the fourth quarter. The defense came away with the final score of the day, as Lindsey’s forced fumble was recovered by safety O’Shay Harris, who scooped it up and ran 70 yards for a touchdown, capping off the 31-0 win. The Bronchos are now 6-3 on the season. They return to the road this week as they travel to Tahlequah to take on rival Northeastern State University in a battle for the President’s Cup. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. University of Central Oklahoma wide receiver Dustin Basks, No. 5, runs into the end zone during an Oct. 27 game against Missouri Southern State University.. He finished with five catches for 75 yards a touchdown. (Jordan Belew/For The Vista)
Scores
Oct. 30, 2018
13
Soccer Scores Senior Night Win
University of Central Oklahoma defender Madison Motil, No. 8, fights for possession with a Northeastern State University forward during an Oct. 26 home game. The Bronchos beat Missouri Southern State 2-1 on Oct. 28 to finish the regular season 17-1. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
James Jackson
@JamesDJackson15 Sports Reporter
Coming off their first loss of the season, the fifth-ranked University of Central Oklahoma soccer team bounced back as they defeated Missouri Southern State University 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at Wantland Stadium in the final home game of the regular season. “I’m really proud of this team and all they accomplished,” said head coach Mike Cook. “They worked so hard to get to this point and they deserve to take a moment and relish in the fact they went 17-1 this season. But we’re not done either. We know we have a bigger goal and we will start focusing on that pretty quick.” The Bronchos experienced their first loss to Northeastern State University 1-2 in their second to last game of the season. It was the first time the Bronchos had given up two goals in one game this year, making the lone goal from Asha Haile not enough to defeat the RiverHawks. “I’m disappointed that we lost because I know we are a way better team than the way we played,” Cook said after the loss. “This goes to show you have to step up and play every game for every minute.” However, the Bronchos went back to their normal winning routine on senior night, which honored Ally Salls, Camrie Hurst, Ashley Snider,
Callie Mclaughlin, Katie Killion, Casey Herndon, Morgan Cherry and Piper Cannon. Killion struck first for the Bronchos as she pushed the ball in to the back of the net from the right side of the box and over the goalkeeper in the 16th minute. Cherry would assist her, as she did twice during the game. After giving up just their seventh goal of the season, Killion would score her second goal of the night from a cross by Cherry in the 72nd minute to give UCO the lead. The game-winning goal was her 10th on the season, which leads all players in Division II. Killion has 24 goals on the season. The Bronchos outshot the Lions 24-4. Goalkeeper Salls played all 90 minutes and did not make any saves, as many of the shots from MSSU were off target. Missouri Southern’s only goal came from a penalty kick. UCO finished with a 17-1 regular season record and 10-1 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Bronchos will enter the MIAA tournament as the one-seed, where they will face off against eighth-seeded Washburn University at 7 p.m. on Tom Thompson Field on Oct. 31. If they win, they will host the remainder of their games at home.
14
Oct. 30, 2018
Bucking Broncho
OKC’S Thunderous Problems
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, second from left, goes up to shoot between Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, left, forward Al Horford, second from front right, and teammate Steven Adams, front right, in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
The Oklahoma City Thunder have gotten off to a bit of a rocky start. After dropping their opener to the Golden State Warriors, they’ve been handed three convincing losses, including one to a not so star-studded Sacramento Kings squad. They are now 1-4, and dead last in the Western Conference, with only the kingless Cavaliers with a worse record at 0-7. The hard part is over. We somehow managed to convince Paul George to return to OKC and form a dynamic duo with Russell Westbrook. But the duo hasn’t been playing as well as we imagined. They were without Westbrook in their first two games, leaving George to fend off the Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers by himself. Despite great efforts from Steven Adams in both games, it wasn’t enough to overcome the western conference foes. In Russell’s return, the Thunder played well, but fell apart defensively, giving up 131 points to the Kings. Westbrook and George combined for 61 points, with Dennis Schroder tacking on 14 points and eight assists of his own. The Thunder are ranked the third lowest scoring team in the league at 101.8 points per game, with only the Boston Celtics and Orlando
Magic lower. OKC is dead last in the league in field goal percentage, shooting just .391 percent. For reference, the first-ranked Warriors are shooting .523 percent from the field. They are unsurprisingly ranked worst in the league in 3-point percentage as well, at an astounding .241 percent per game. Their shooting has to get better. Without consistent shooters, OKC is left to play isolation basketball in a shooter’s league and without consistent wing play, the Thunder’s trouble aren’t out of sight. Despite the winless record, the Thunder aren’t hopeless just yet. First and foremost, the shooting has to get better. The Thunder are going to need someone like Terrance Ferguson or Alex Abrines to step up and start making an impact. Schroder has been a great addition to no one’s surprise. After averaging 19.4 points per game and 6.2 assists per game with the Atlanta Hawks last season, Schroder hasn’t skipped a beat with the Thunder. Obviously his numbers were going to decline behind Westbrook, but the Thunder likes the 13.2 points a game, 7.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds from the backup point guard. Defensively, the Thunder can improve. Despite Andre Roberson’s setback in rehab, he should look to
get back to playing this season, and will provide solid defensive minutes for the Thunder. Lastly, George and Westbrook need to find their groove. The two haven’t played to the best of their abilities yet this season. If they can
start creating shots for each other and find a rhythm, the Thunder will be significantly better off. The Thunder got their first win of the season Sunday against the Phoenix Suns.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroder (17) shoots in front of Phoenix Suns guard Elie Okobo (2) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Putts
Oct. 30, 2018
15
Golf Putts In Third Place Finish Ethan Hummingbird @TheVista1903 Reporter
The University of Central Oklahoma’s men’s golf team capped off their fall schedule by finishing third in the Miami Intercollegiate this past week. The Bronchos closed with a 289 on Tuesday to finish with a 54-hole total of 853 at the Trump National Doral Golf Club. The 10-team tournament was won by the host, Nova Southeastern University, at 842. Saint Leo University was next with 849, followed by UCO, then Columbus State University with 858. This was UCO’s best finish of the fall season and head coach Josh Fosdick said he is proud of how far the team has come. “I’m impressed by how this team has worked from kind of a place of uncertainty to a place of determination,” Fosdick said. “They know where they want to be in May and it’s not heading home for summer.”
Cody Troutman led UCO on Tuesday with a two-under-par 68, followed by Holden Crago, who also shot under par at 69. Blake Murray contributed a 74, while Joe Lemieux and Yannic Oppenheimer both shot 78. Murray had the best individual finish for the Bronchos, shooting 208 total and tying for third in the individual race after entering the final round with a three-shot lead. Saint Leo’s Alberto Castagnara shot a three-under 67 to place first at 204. Murray has frequently led the Bronchos in individual standings. Fosdick said he is looking forward to seeing what the junior will do in the spring. “His ‘purpose’ for the year is to finish with a stroke average under par. If he accomplishes that feat, he will drag the rest of us along for a fun ride,” Fosdick said. Crago’s final-round 69 helped him tie for seventh at even-par 210. Troutman opened the tournament with rounds of 72 and 83 on Monday before coming back on Tuesday to shoot 68, knocking off 15 shots.
Senior Cody Troutman lines up a putt during the Miami Intercollegiate tournament. The Bronchos finished third, their best finish of the season. (Provided/BronchoSports)
Fosdick credited Troutman for being able to overcome some swing deficiencies from Monday in the final round. “He showed a tremendous amount of fortitude to play the way he did,” Fosdick said. “He mentally did not allow himself to play bad again.” With the fall schedule concluding, Fosdick said the team will be using the offseason to look into the stats and
find where each player can improve. “Our focus is always about trying to find those little cracks in the game that we need to shore up” Fosdick said. “One shot from each guy would make us a top 10 team.” UCO will have the rest of 2018 off before opening their spring schedule in St. Augustine, Florida at the Spring Kickoff on Feb. 11-12.