Monday April 11, 2016
Eriech Tapia @eriechtapia95
President Betz speaks on the budget crisis
Reporter
University of Central Oklahoma President Don Betz addressed faculty and staff Tuesday, April 5 on the state of the 2016-2017 budget fiscal year. He detailed the need for increased cuts and possible tuition increases, calling the 2017 budget a black hole. He cited that legislators overlook the problem of funding higher education and said, “Courage is an orphan,” speaking
about people who fight for funding. “Behind closed doors, we are not receiving the support that we need,” Betz said. “As a profession, we do not have those persons who tell us what a good job we are doing.” Betz said that he would ask the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for increases in tuition, ranging from 5 percent to upwards of 10 percent. How-
ever, he stated that the political climate will determine the cut. They are not telling anyone the exact increase in tuition yet, because they do not know how much money they are getting from the state, he added. Tuition increases must be passed by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, which could happen later this year; this would also include a hike in
fees. “I’m not interested at this particular point in resolving our financial issues by beginning to slice . . . parts of the institution. I think that not only is it counter productive, I think it is a cultural mistake,” Betz stated. Betz and UCO Provost Dr. John Barthell, said that students should not be worried about the future and that
Continued on page 3
Head injuries: an ignored issue in the NFL Peter Agnitsch @PeteyPete33 Contributing Writer
Currently, one of football’s biggest controversies is brain trauma, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is also known as CTE. The origin of CTE began in the 1920’s when it was referred to as “punch drunk syndrome.” CTE is a degenerative disease of the brain caused by the buildup of the tau protein. Concussions and continuous hits to the head have been linked to causing CTE. However, the NFL has been reluctant to address the issue. “We don’t have that knowledge and background, and scientifically, so there’s no way in the world to
say you have a relationship relative to anything here,” said Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones during a recent interview with the Washington Post. “There’s no research. There’s no data… we’re not disagreeing. We’re just basically saying the same thing. We’re doing a lot more. It’s kind of thing that you want to work… to prevent injury.” The precautions and safety measures in football are a huge factor in showing how much we truly can protect these players from brain injury, according to retired Oklahoma Neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Cagle. There’s no such thing as a concussion-proof helmet,
Continued on page 10
10
COLUMN
Peter Agnitsch @PeteyPete33 Contributing Writer
Continued from the cover he said. “The problem with the sizing helmets is you start trading one problem for another,” Cagle said. “The force is going to have to be transferred somewhere. You divert it from the head, you go to the neck. You transfer from the neck, you go to the spine below.” Former Oklahoma State University defensive lineman and 1987 New York Giants player Warren Thompson said he still suffers from memory loss. “I don’t think I have any cognitive impairment I can critically think about a situation. I can think abstractly and I can still visualize everything, but taking those abstract terms and verbalize them -- it’s like a word is missing.” Warren copes by writing everything down so when he forgets things he can refer to his notes. Thompson doesn’t know whether or not he ever had an official concussion but he does recall getting his “bell rung” “where everything goes black.” He said once he was in a game where he started bleeding out of his ears and thought to himself should I really be going back into the game? But he said “once you
get your senses back you want to get back into the game.” Cagle said young children should abstain from participating in contact sports. “Fifth grade is plenty early to start most sports,” Cagle said. “It will get to the point of brain maturation. You really don’t have your brain fully myelinated yet.” Myelinated means (the covering of the nerves in your brain) “If I had a son I wouldn’t have him playing football, I would have him playing baseball,” Thompson said. “If I would have done it over again I would have picked baseball.” Current University of Central Oklahoma football players Bear Hope and Jas’sen Stoner continue to play football despite the risk of permanent brain injury. Stoner said he worries about it, “zero percent of the time.” “Now is the time everyone should be worried,” Cagle said. “The problem is the NFL is so powerful and the public appetite is so great we are generally influenced by the public appetite,” Cagle said. “It’s like the roman gladiators they want their gladiators on the field. I don’t know the answer but they need to do something about it.”
The UCO Bronchos’ running back Jake Gandara is examined for possible injuries after a play at UCO’s first game of 2015 on September 3. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.
BrainScope employee Doug Oberly wears a brain scanning headset at the NFL owners’ meeting in Boca Raton, Fla., Tuesday, March 22, 2016. The headset and mobile app can quickly and easily allow clinicians to determine whether patients have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the company says. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)
11
COLUMN
Above the Rim: Bradley Jayroe @bradjayroe
The Thunder’s best chance in the playoffs
Sports Editor
The 2016 NBA playoffs are rapidly approaching and we still aren’t quite sure what the identity of this year’s Thunder team is. The Thunder has been the perfect case study of an inconsistent, up-and-down team this season. A stat that illustrates this very well is the fact that Oklahoma City has blown more fourth quarter leads than every other team aside from lowly Philadelphia, who is having one of the worst seasons in NBA history. The Thunder, on the other hand, will somehow win close to 60 games despite these collapses. Despite the team’s shortcomings this year, here are two things it can do to maximize its chances of claiming the Western Conference crown come playoff time. First: offensive-focused philosophy and more minutes for Enes Kanter. It’s been well-documented how bad Kanter’s defense is, but at some point the other things he brings to the table have to be considered. The 23 year-old Thunder center is near the top of the NBA in several impressive statistics. According to Basketball-Reference, Kanter leads the league in offensive rebound percentage at 16.6, a full percentage point over Andre Drummond, the next closest player. Here are some more important stats in which Kanter is near the top of the league. Notable players who are beneath him in these categories are in parentheses: Player efficiency rating or PER (LaMarcus Aldridge), true shooting percentage (Kawhi Leonard), win shares per 48 minutes (Kyle Lowry), and effective field goal percentage (Kevin Durant). A player like that needs to be getting more than around 20 minutes per game. Yes, his defense can be bad, and even atrocious at times. But this Thunder team as a whole is questionable at best in that area. At some point you have to accept what you are and at this point, the Thunder’s best shot is to try and outscore its opponents. However, going with an offensive approach doesn’t necessarily mean that your defense will fall by the wayside. What many people don’t realize is that often, a good defense is making shots. It’s probably no coincidence that several of the NBA’s top teams in offensive efficiency are also among the best in defensive efficiency--such as Golden State, San Antonio and Cleveland, just to name a few.
This is because making shots allows you to get your defense set and limit transition opportunities for your opponent. The next time you watch a Thunder game, take note of how many times a badly missed shot by Dion Waiters, Kyle Singler or Andre Roberson leads to a transition bucket for the other team. To my knowledge there’s no stat for that, but if there were the Thunder would likely be tops among playoff teams. Second: smarter management of rotations and minutes. Mentioning minutes brings us to our next problem area. Like his predecessor Scott Brooks, Billy Donovan has often struggled with getting the best players on the floor. The current mind-boggling situation has been the limbo rookie point guard Cameron Payne has been thrust into. A big reason for the Thunder’s slump after the All-Star break was the team experimenting with Durant and Foye running the second unit. It was no coincidence that the Thunder started to play winning basketball again
once Payne was re-inserted into the rotation. However, in recent games Payne has seen his minutes once again taken away in favor of Foye. It seems inevitable that Foye is Donovan’s preferred backup point guard. This is a mistake. For the most part, Payne has shown incredible poise and a feel for the game not often seen in rookies. He is also more of a natural fit running the point, in contrast to Foye who is much better suited at the twoguard slot. The only thing Foye has over Payne at this point is experience. However, it’s easy to forget that Singler and Waiters will also be making their postseason debuts. If Foye is going to take anyone’s minutes, it should be those two. It’s also important to note that marginalizing Payne, a lottery pick, could have James Harden- and Reggie Jackson-like implications down the road. Given Payne’s talent, he could very well develop into a great player like his predecessors but ultimately leave OKC for greener pastures due to conflict over his
role. Payne’s situation is also reminiscent of Jeremy Lamb, who never really got a fair shake and was routinely benched in favor of lesser players, which probably played a big part in him never panning out for the Thunder. The Thunder has to learn from its past mistakes and put its best players on the court. The thing about that is, some nights it may be a different guy. If Waiters isn’t hitting shots and playing bad defense, see what largely forgotten three-point ace Anthony Morrow can do. If Waiters has the hot hand and Singler is struggling, again see if Morrow can add a spark, or perhaps play Payne alongside Waiters. It’s as simple as this: keep doing what you’re doing and things will probably stay the same. Try something different, and maybe things will get better--but doing nothing will change nothing. If the Thunder maintains the status quo, they will probably still win some regular season games, sure. But they won’t win come playoff time.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) falls to the floor with the ball in front of San Antonio Spurs center Matt Bonner (15) in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Saturday, March 26, 2016. Oklahoma City won 111-92. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
12
SPORTS
El Clásico An unexpected El Clásico
Abdullah Bashiti @bashroom
Contributing Writer
“It’s Messi vs Ronaldo. It’s Catalonia vs Castilla. It’s the nation against the state, freedom fighters vs Franco’s fascists. It’s majestic goals and mesmerising[sic] skills, red cards and bench brawls. It’s the best two teams on the planet going face to face and toe to toe. It’s more than a game. It’s a war. It’s Barcelona vs Real Madrid.” That was how British sports journalist Sid Lowe wrote on the introduction for his book, “Fear and Loathing in La Liga: Barcelona vs Real Madrid,” to describe the most anticipated soccer match of the year: El Clásico. The two teams played Saturday, April 2 and the match lived up to its hype. Just to put things into perspective, Barcelona came to the match with the upper hand, leading with nine points over their closest competitors, Atletico Madrid. They haven’t lost in 39 games and they are the current champions of Spain, Europe, and the world. They are also playing on their home turf, Camp Nou – a large stadium that fits almost one hundred thousand soccer fanatics who worship the club and what it represents to them. The match started with tears being wiped off the faces of many fans, whether they were watching it in
the stadium or on TV. The reason for the tears was former Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff passed away a week before the match, and the club made a tribute to honor the pioneer Dutchman. Then, war broke out, or so we thought. No one expected the first half to be so dull. It was as if both teams were aware of each other’s potential, and were afraid to strike the initial blow. Then, thankfully, the second half started, and the match that everyone had been waiting months for came into life. Barcelona defender Gerard Pique scored the first goal of the match with a powerful header from a corner 10 minutes into the second half. The champions were leading, so nothing unusual there. Five minutes later Real Madrid surprisingly responded with a bicycle kick from French striker Karim Benzema that leveled things up with almost half an hour to go to the game. Welsh striker Gareth Bale had a goal disallowed for offside, which replays later showed that it was a questionable decision by the linesman. Seven minutes before the end, Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos got sent off for the 21st time in his career.
With a man down against one of the most lethal trio in soccer history, even Madrid fans thought that it was just a matter of time until Barcelona score a late goal, and the Madrid team was praying to finish the match with a draw. However, the second best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo who plays for Real Madrid, had other plans on his mind. Ronaldo took advantage of some poor defending by the Catalans and knocked away a winner that no one expected to witness in that match. And just like that, Real Madrid took home the three crucial points that will allow them to pursue Barcelona for the league title. “This can be a turning point,” Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said after the match. “It is very important. For the rest of the season, for our spirits.” The two teams might still meet again this season in the semi finals or final of soccer’s most important club competition – The Champions League. If that happens, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique will be looking forward to serving revenge on a cold dish.
CLASSIFIEDS BFF PERFORMANCE SHOE STORE (NW OKC) is accepting applications from College students for part-time employment. 15-20 hours per week. Evenings and Saturdays. No retail experience needed. Call: 608-0404 and ask for Randy.
NW Pool Management Inc is hiring certified lifeguards and pool managers for the summer. Edmond and NW OKC areas. Memorial Day through Labor Day. Good pay and flexible hours. Apply online at: www.nwpoolmanagement.com
PART TIME PHYSICAL THERAPY TECH NEEDED: Private practice physical therapy clinic in Edmond has position open for tech on Tues and Thurs afternoons from 1:00 to 5:00. Please call 340-0770 or email patty_lucht@yahoo.com.
13
SPORTS
Broncho baseball midseason recap
TJ Eckert
@tj_eckert Contributing Writer
The UCO baseball team eclipsed the halfway point of its regular season over the weekend of April 2, and did so in impressive fashion. The Bronchos were in Pittsburg, Kansas for a three game series against Pittsburg State, and came home with a dominant sweep over the Gorillas. UCO outscored Pittsburg State 34-7 in the three games, including a 13-2 win on Thursday and a sweep-clinching 14-1 victory on Saturday. Following the weekend sweep, the Bronchos check in at 19-8 on the season, including 11-5 in the MIAA, good enough for third in the conference. UCO has won seven of its last eight games,
and eight of its last 10. The Bronchos have played well in their first season under new head coach John Martin. Martin came to UCO after spending the previous four seasons as the head coach of Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. Martin went 133-105 in his time at Coffeyville. UCO opened the season by defeating in-state rival Southwestern Oklahoma State before heading to Magnolia, Arkansas for the Southern Arkansas Festival. The Bronchos opened the event with a 5-1 victory over MIAA-leading Central Missouri be-fore dropping two straight games to host Southern Arkansas and
conference foe Washburn. The Bronchos returned from Arkansas to win six of their next seven, including a five game winning streak with two series sweeps over Southwest Baptist and Southeastern Oklahoma State. The Southwest Baptist series was highlighted by an incredible 22-20 extra innings victory, which was followed up by a 15-9 win that was spectacular in its own right. The Bronchos went through a tough 3-4 stretch before getting on their current hot streak. The offense has been paced by junior Jon Kamies, who is hitting .368 with nine homers and 38 RBIs. Junior Landon Eason is right behind Kamies, hitting .357 with five homers to go along
Carson Corff pitches during a 2015 UCO baseball game against Emporia State University. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.
with a team-leading five triples and 28 RBIs. The pitching staff has been consistent to this point, with senior Daulton Leiker and junior Brock Stuber leading the team in starts and innings pitched. Leiker leads the team with 42.1 innings pitched and also has a team-leading 45 strikeouts. Stuber’s earned run average is the lowest among all Broncho pitchers with a start. Junior Shawn Troutman leads the team with four saves. The Bronchos returned home to host Missouri Western State for a three game series starting April 8.
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NAME AND POSITION Alex Brown Editor-in-Chief
David Terry Photographer
Queila Omena Managing Editor
Kateleigh Mills Reporter
Daltyn Moeckel Design Editor
Jessica Phillips Reporter
Bradley Jayroe Sports Editor
Eriech Tapia Reporter
Ryan Naeve Photo Editor
Ike Wilcots Sports Reporter
Sabrin Abu Seir Copy Editor
Teddy Burch Advisor
UCO students donate blood during a blood drive held in front of Broncho Lake on Thursday, April 7. The next blood drive will be held on Tuesday, April 26 in the Nigh. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.
Cara Johnson Photographer
ON THE COVER
Latest at UCO....................................................3-4, 6
Features.................................................................8-9
Editorial.....................................................................5
Columns.............................................................10-11
OKC News................................................................7
Sports.................................................................12-14
(Top) UCO President Don Betz addressed faculty and staff in Constitution Hall, Tuesday April 5. He detailed a plan to possibly increase tuition and to reduce contributions to faculty retirement plans. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista. (Bottom) Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, is a highly controversial issue within the NFL. Some will not acknowledge this danger that football players face today. Photo provided by Wikimedia.
Advertise with the Vista: The Vista is published weekly during the spring, summer, and fall semesters In all issues, The Vista has opportunities for both classified, online and print ads. Email your questions to: ucovista.advertising@gmail.com
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. LETTERS The Vista encourages letters to the editor. Letters should address issues and ideas, not personalities. Letters must be typed, double-spaced, with a maximum of 250 words, and must include the author’s printed name, title, major, classification and phone number. Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of questionable taste. The Vista reserves the right not to publish submitted letters. Address letters to: Editor, The Vista, 100 N. University Dr., Edmond, OK 73034-5209, or deliver in person to the editor in the Communications Building, Room 131. Letters can be emailed to vistauco@gmail.com.
Corey Makeever reads a verse of the Holy Bible under the pavillion by Broncho Lake. UCO’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry students spent the week taking turns reading the Bible cover to cover nonstop. Photo by Cara Johnson, the Vista.
3
LATEST AT UCO
Eriech Tapia @eriechtapia95 Reporter
Continued from cover everybody on campus will have to endure the cuts. “We are focused around preserving those things that are core to the university,” Barthell said, “students are a core entity on this campus.” The university is currently facing a $1.3 million credit hour production
shortfall. If credit hours continue to fall, Betz said that further cuts would follow. The university has already forecasted a decrease in credit hours for next year. Betz cited that the university is also facing a retention problem. The university has a 14 percent four-year graduation rate, according to the last data to be published in the UCO Factbook. “We are in a better shape than other
universities,” Betz said. “This is a lot different than what is happening at your sister institutions.” The university has received a total of $6.4 million in cuts so far this year, and is currently projecting a 14 percent cut in state appropriated funds for the 2017 fiscal year. However, cuts could range upwards of 18 percent. This would lower the total amount of
“Behind closed doors, we are not receiving the support that we need.”
funds received by the university to $41.5 million, requiring the cut of programs from across the board and dipping into the reserve fund. “Think of your own checkbooks and bank accounts … this is the situation we are in,” Betz said, in regards to having to revise the budget several times throughout the year. Additional cuts to the 2017 year include reducing funds given to select education and general organizations on campus. This would effect the amount that E&G organizations would have to spend on everything, from office supplies to other areas within their budgets. “The next factor, which does impact all of us, is ... we are going to reduce and redistribute an amount across a select group of E&G orgs,” Betz said. Plans also include reducing the total operating budget and reducing the annual contributions that the university pays to the Supplemental Retirement Annuity. The SRA is a retirement plan that employers contribute to matching employee contributions. Betz said the university will reduce the amount given to this plan, stating that we have to think beyond the moment. Betz said that faculty and programs are not slated to be cut at this time, however, if cuts deepen then the university would consider possible cuts in those areas. “We all have colleagues, who are not just line items in a budget, who will not have jobs on July 1,” Betz said. The university has not finalized any specific cuts at this time, though throughout the months of May and June more details will be released. Next year’s budget will officially be released July 1. “You can not build a budget on myth,” Betz said.
Potential increases and cuts: ~ Raise tuition, between 5- 10 percent
~ Increase fees for students ~ Reduce and redistribute the amount appropriated to a select education and general organizations ~ Increase amount taken from reserve fund ~ Reduce annual amount given to Supplemental Retirement Annuity ~ Reduce Operating Budget ~ Cut Distinguished Speaker Series ~ Cut faculty if budget cuts for 2017 worsen UCO began Fiscal Year 2016 $1.86 million in the hole, and is looking at more cuts in the coming fiscal year. Fiscal Year 2017 starts July 1. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.
4
LATEST AT UCO
LEGACIES Legacy scholarship expands to four-year benefit Jessica Phillips @thejessphillips
Reporter
The University of Central Oklahoma Alumni Association recently extended the Legacy Scholarship from one year to four years, and added a scholarship for graduate students to provide financial support. The Legacy Scholarship is awarded each year to four students whose parents or grandparents graduated from the university. Previously, each student had been awarded $1,000 for one year. Now, they will be given $1,000 a year for four years. “We wanted to make it more substantial to students receiving it. So, getting a four-year scholarship for $1,000 per year is quite a bit more helpful than just the one-year freshman scholarship we were previously giving,” Alumni Association President Jeff Carel said. The increase came so the scholarship would be more supportive and substantial for recipients, Carel said. Director of Alumni Relations Dave Lewis said, “I think it’s good that the Alumni Association Board made this their goal … I think they were right in doing it.” Students who are legacies can automatically apply for the scholarship when completing their application for admission to the university by indicating that they are a legacy. Recipients are selected late summer into early fall. The award for the first year is given in the spring semester, with $500 being given every semester after that until the total of four years is reached. Sophomore Kaleigh Dean is in her first year of receiving the scholarship. “It has taken a lot of stress off of the table for me and given me more time to study since I am able to work less,” she said. “I am honored that our group was chosen to receive the scholarship for four years and am thankful that I was chosen out of many other students.” In addition, four graduate level scholarships are now offered to students who received their undergraduate degree from UCO. To be eligible, students must apply through the UCO Foundation. “We wanted to support the graduate programs as well as the undergrads,”
Carel said. “Previously, we’d only been supporting the undergrads for their freshman year, but we wanted to increase that to cover the four years, and the graduate programs as well.” The Legacy Scholarship is funded by contributions from alumni and revenue from advertising. Carel said a partnership with Liberty Mutual has played a role in how the association’s budget
has improved and enabled them to make the increase. He said the partnership has changed the structure of the Alumni Association and its financial abilities. “We can sustain a larger role in the scholarship program,” he said. The association is focusing on how to increase the involvement of alumni with each other and the campus,
to improve job connections between employers and former graduates, and to further expand scholarships. “We’re just really proud to be able to increase the scholarship amount. Especially in the tough budget times we have right now, the fact that we can step in for at least a few students is a big help,” he said.
A UCO graduation ceremony takes place in an ampitheater in 1961. UCO’s legacy scholarship program now awards students who qualify $1,000 if their parents or grandparents graduated from UCO in the past. Photo provided by UCO Archives.
5
EDITORIAL
RACISM: Alex Brown
a staple of American culture
@aymae_baybay
Editor-in-Chief
Racism. It’s an idea that makes people uncomfortable, angry and oftentimes violent. It’s something that most people in America want to say that we’ve moved past. The fact of the matter is that racism
is part of American culture and is still very much alive. Since the inception of our country, we’ve marginalized each other by not only the color of our skin, but where we originally came from:
•The Native Americans were starved, murdered, enslaved and relocated for the sake of land ownership. •The Irish immigrants and refugees were ostracized, degraded and impoverished. •The African-Americans were abducted from their homes and transported in vile conditions to work as slaves, and suffer innumerable atrocities for many, many years. •The Japanese-American families were forcefully placed in internment camps during World War II. •The Middle Eastern-Americans are treated with suspicion, hatred and are ostracized. The point is, this list is almost endless. You would think that history lessons would prevent acts like these from happening again; they’re still happening, but now they’re happening to everyone all at once. For example, I was told by multiple people that since I’m white, I would be called a racist if I wrote about this. I have been told that I need to realize my “white privilege” and check it; isn’t that racist in and of itself? To be told I can’t speak about an issue that affects all Americans, simply because the color of my skin? I understand that as a white woman, I have certain privileges that others might not have in America right now. I’m aware that I can go to the first-aid kit at my work, and I would be able to find a BAND-AID that matched the color of my skin. I’m aware that I can go into a Walgreens or CVS and find shampoo in the hair care aisle, and I wouldn’t have to go to the section of the aisle labeled “ethnic products.” In a perfect world every first-aid kit would carry every pigment of BANDAID, and all of the hair-care products would be assimilated and not sectioned apart. I understand that in instances like the ones I just mentioned, I get preferential treatment and that isn’t fair to everyone else. These are just everyday events that happen, and we’re so used to things like this that we don’t even notice we get preferential treatment. I realize in the bigger scheme of things, people are angry about the
recent police on black violence, or are angry because of the racism spouted by Donald Trump-- and rightly so. Unfortunately, these instances are seen as white people parading hate and power over other races. That being the case, I’m not going to apologize for being white, and here’s the simplest reason why: not all “white” people are the same. It sounds almost elementary, does it not? It’s the same as saying everyone is different, which is something that we read in multiple children’s books back in kindergarten. I think for previous generations, it is a little more difficult for them to not see race; they’ve become jaded, and that’s something they’ve tried to pass down to their children-- my generation. I feel that white people in my generation are expected to be apologetic for those before us, and are even looked down upon by those of another ethnicity. Even “mixed” races are sometimes looked down upon. Within the black community, “lightskinned” people are treated differently. A Canadian rapper, Drake, summed it up pretty well in his song, “You and the 6,” when he said: “. . . I used to get teased for being black, and now I’m here and I’m not black enough Cause I’m not acting tough or making stories up ‘bout where I’m actually from . . .” Even Zoë Saldana has recently felt the heat from public scorn because of a role she was cast for in the upcoming movie,
Martin Luther King Jr. and a crowd of thousands of protestors march on Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963. Photo provided by the United States Information Agency.
“What Happened, Miss Simone?” Even though this actress has won 12 awards and has been nominated 46 times for her acting, she is being scrutinized for not being “black enough” for the role of Nina Simone. Simone’s Estate & Legacy’s official Twitter account reached out through Twitter to be hateful, and even viewers that tuned into TMZ watched live as one of their reporters stated that Saldana shouldn’t have been cast because she was not black enough for the role. The reaction from others on the show seemed a little taken aback and they stuck up for Saldana, stating that she was probably cast for the role based on her talent, not her skin color. This is absolutely ridiculous; what good does it do to put down your fellow human based on the color of their skin? It makes no sense that our society is supposedly so evolved, yet we can’t get along. Why is our society like this? Why do people care so much about what pigment of color your skin is? I honestly don’t give a damn what color your skin is; I’d be your friend if you
were purple. It’s so frustrating to think that something that just shouldn’t matter, matters so much to some people. The color of your skin doesn’t distinguish who you are as a person, your actions do. But again, this isn’t a perfect world. The only thing we can do now is move forward. We need to move toward real equality for all, and we need to realize the social change won’t be immediate, and believe and hope that real progress is happening. Tolerance of others is a social concept that is passed down from generation to generation, and for some reason there is a stigma on people that try to promote love and equality for all. They’ve been labeled as hippies-- like it’s a bad thing to want everyone to just get along? I think John Lennon was onto something with his song “Imagine:” “Imagine there’s no countries It isn’t hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace...”
6
LATEST AT UCO
Cycology closes: how to move forward
Jasmine Misner @jaslemis Contributing Writer
The Cycology Bicycle Service Center permanently closed March 30, 2016 in preparation of Murdaugh Hall shutting down, according to the Transportation and Parking Services at the University of Central Oklahoma. The closure is in part due to Murdaugh Hall shutting down at the end of the semester for a year-long renovation and maintenance project, said Josh Stone, director of Transportation and Parking Services at UCO. Stone stated that since the Cycology Center was located in the basement of the residence hall there was no other alternative but to close it down due to a lack of placement. Stone said that it was also due to a lack of interest by students. Coordinator of the Cycology Center, Bill Harpster, noticed that there wasn’t enough interest at the center for bicycle repairs, knew of the closing of the dorm, and recommended he leave for the betterment of the university. He will be moving to another facility away from UCO. “It was good for the few that liked it,” Harpster said, but there wasn’t enough of that participation or interest for it to continue.
Talk from several UCO students suggested the program might end as a result of the statewide budget cuts that already affect UCO. “Budget cuts are not part of the reason,” Stone said. He explained that TPS is an auxiliary department, meaning that they do not receive state funding. Instead, they operate mostly off what they make, meaning parking permit fees, parking ticket violations and meter violations. Stone said that while the Bum-a-Bike program, which was housed in the Cycology Center, was very popular among students, the maintenance and retail aspect of the center did not get enough participation for it be cost-effective. For the rest of the semester, students can go to the TPS office, located in the Nigh University Center, and checkout or reserve a Bum-a-Bike the same way they would have at the Cycology Center, according to Stone. The original fleet of 50 bikes will remain unchanged. Stone stated that over the summer he would work to create an online checkout and reservation system for the program as seen with purchasing parking permits for vehicles.
Harpster and Stone both spoke of different initiatives they tried in order to get more students involved with the program, including an attempt to make personal bicycle registration mandatory. Harpster went on to say how the university did not take to this idea, and several others, because they felt it would be too much of a burden on the students. The university recently decided on a permanent location for the Bum-a-Bikes, Stone said. Over the summer, the university will create a new fix-it-station where students can air-up their tires and make small repairs themselves. Other than that, Stone said, the best thing for students is just going to Al’s Bicycles in Edmond. “We want suggestions and input,” Stone said in response to how students can get more involved with what happens on campus. “We try to be as approachable as possible.” However, he ended, with every new venture comes the need for funding and the question of where it’s going to come from.
The sign for the Cycology center still remains outside of what used to be the bicycle repair shop. The shop was permanently closed in preparation for Murdaugh Hall, where the shop resided, being closed for renovations. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.
7
OKC NEWS
Participating in the OKC Memorial Marathon Candice Macis @c_annemacis
Contributing Writer
The Volunteer and Service Learning Center is looking for volunteers to help at the OKC Memorial Marathon held on April 24. Volunteers will have a chance to honor victims of the 1995 Murrah Building bombing by directing runners to their corrals and packaging water. The marathon annually hosts over 25,000 runners from all over the world. A coordinator at the Volunteer and Service Learning Center Morgan Edwards explained how the volunteer opportunity is a way to participate even if you’re not a runner. The fateful morning on April 19 killed 168 people and injured over 680 more. The bombing was the deadliest act of terror to ever be carried out by an American citizen to-date. “… They have a moment of silence beforehand to recognize the victims of the bombing and the race starts. It’s a lot of excitement for a lot of different reasons,”
Edwards said. A bus will be at the University of Central Oklahoma the morning of April 24 to transport students and faculty to downtown Oklahoma City, where the race starts. If a volunteer would like to meet downtown instead, simply email Edwards at wedwards2@uco.edu and a meeting place can be arranged. All volunteers will have to be downtown by 5 a.m. in order to help direct runners to their proper places for the start of the race at 6:30 a.m. They will stay as long as it takes each runner to start. The full and half marathon, along with the 5k, all start at 6:30 a.m. and the kid’s marathon starts at 8:15 a.m. This is the second year UCO has helped with the marathon; last year volunteers helped package water about a week before the race. This year Edwards
worked with the OKC Marathon Volunteer Coordinator Jordan Wood to get students and faculty more hands-on by directing the day of. Last year, many faculty members volunteered, but Edwards said a solid amount of students are signed up as of right now. Volunteer Services hopes to recruit community college students for water packaging. Edwards explained that inviting community college students to help with a UCO event helps expand civic engagement. It also helps recruit new students. The Volunteer and Service Learning Center is constantly trying to find ways to help students connect to the world around them and find ways to go out into the community. Interested students can sign up for this event through Orgsync.
(Top Left) An exhausted participant in the 2015 Oklahoma City Marathon is assisted by several firefighters that ran the marathon in full fire fighting attire. (Top Right) The Gates of Time stand at either end of the Reflection pool at the OKC Memorial. One bares the time 9:01, representing the last moments of peace, while the other reads 9:03, representing the first moments of recovery. (Bottom Left) 168 emty chairs sit at the Oklahoma City Memorial to symbolize the 168 lives lost during the Murrah Building bombing. (Bottom Right) This graffiti was spray-painted onto the wall of the building across from Murrah by rescue workers on the day the truck bomb exploded. Photos provided Ethan Rainey, Wikimedia and Flickr.
8
FEATURE
Grab some Cuppies and Joe Elisabeth Slay @Eslayslay Contributing Writer
The shop is crowded, and each room is a different zone filled with studying college students, reuniting friends and pastry lovers getting their daily vice. As the bell on the door rings, informing baristas of yet another arrival, the customer is greeted with a mixture of aromas. The sweet smell of frosting coated with the strong fragrance of caffeinated beverages simultaneously fill his nostrils. As he walks toward the register, he sees the vast display case of exquisite cupcakes tempting him with their array of flavors. He looks over his choices carefully while enjoying the relaxing sounds of Bon Iver’s “Towers.” Once he reaches the counter, ready with his decision, the barista on duty approaches him with a smile. “Welcome to Cuppies and Joe. How can I help you?” Located at 727 NW 23rd St, Oklahoma City, Cuppies and Joe is a unique dessert cafe that has been serving members of the Paseo district for seven years. “My mom and I have always wanted to open some sort of dessert shop and my sisters and I caught the vision of it. I had actually gotten laid off from my job so
that was kind of the push we needed to go for it,” owner Elizabeth Fleming said. When Fleming and her family first opened the store, they wanted to create a place where people could slow down their lives. They have made their vision a reality and said they have enjoyed all that has come with it. “The best thing about owning Cuppies is probably the relationships we build; I have friendships with customers and employees,” Fleming said. Cuppies and Joe is different from the average coffee shop because of their products and service to people. “The fact that we have the baked good side of things, I feel like that’s kind of our niche. We’ve found that the marriage of coffee and desserts is a good one,” Fleming. Coffee drinkers of all kinds can enjoy a variety of choices from the store. “I feel like we have something to offer the coffee purists. We try to offer a little bit of everything across the board,” she said. Perhaps Cuppies and Joe is most famous for the several different cupcakes Fleming and her employees make.
Cuppies and Joe employee Jessica Kennedy decorates cupcakes for customers. Photo by Elisabeth Slay, The Vista.
“We’ve found that cupcakes are really nostalgic. Older people love them because it makes them think of their childhood and of course younger people love them,” Fleming said. During different times of day the at-
Cuppies and Joe offers a wide variety of pastries and desserts such as their vanilla sky cupcake, and the horsebite carrot cake. Photo by Elizabeth Slay, The Vista.
mosphere of Cuppies and Joe changes. “In the mornings it’s really chill and laid back. Mid-afternoon can kind of pick up and nighttime can pick up as well but for the most part I think it’s comfortable,” she said. Even the building that the shop is in is extremely different from the average cafe. “It’s in an old bungalow house. We have a lot of different rooms. One room will become a study hall. We’ll have different sections where friends are meeting up. Our hope is that it’s warm and inviting and that people feel at home,” Fleming said. Along with an enjoyable and relaxing customer environment, employees at Cuppies and Joe also have a fun work setting. “I feel like we have fun here. For the most part we have a really good repertoire between most of us. Our employees have kind of become an extension of our family,” Fleming said. Over the years Fleming and those involved with the cafe have experienced funny occurrences, but perhaps the most interesting one was with local murder mystery author Lou Berney. “He writes here everyday and last year he came out with his most recent story called ‘The Long and Far Away Gone,’ so it’s based in Oklahoma. Cuppies is in it and he used our name and it’s in there a few times,” she said. For the time being, Cuppies and Joe will remain in their current location offering delightful cupcakes and wonderful coffee to the Paseo community.
9
FEATURE
UCO’s own: The So Help Me’s Megan Prather @meganthefeline Contributing Writer
The So Help Me’s are a five piece band consisting of University of Central Oklahoma students: Lindsey Cox as vocals/guitar; Harvey Crowder on bass guitar; Bailey Pelletier as vocals, guitar, and piano; John Stewart on drums; and John Wilkerson on guitar. The quintet formed in 2014 when Wilkerson and Cox were performing in a jazz band together. “We were playing around OKC a lot, and began writing indie jazz songs on the side. We ended up quitting that band to start a new band with a much more indie rock sound and aesthetic,” Wilkerson said. Like many bands just discovering themselves, this existential indie rock band didn’t exactly have any tangible long term goals -- at first. “We found some of the best musicians we could and started practicing a lot and building a set,” Wilkerson said. “After almost a year of playing together and really carving out our own sound we started looking at playing shows. From there it snowballed into bigger and better things.” Those non-tangible goals have turned into multiple
shows, a plan for a full-length album, and an EP the group released in January titled “Relativity.” Inspired by band members’ various experiences with growing up in Oklahoma, “Relativity” delved into discussions of morality and theology that the individuals in the group have had with each other. “Oklahoma, and especially rural Oklahoma, has a very distinct way of forcing you to grapple with religion, morality, and existence from an early age,” Wilkerson said. “We really use our lyrics and music as a platform of introspection and self questioning.” The group deals with challenges such as time. The members of the group each work one to two jobs each and they go to school full time. Along with this, they each have various side projects. Another difficulty the band faces is logistics. “We are having more and more people, venues, and bands contacting us to book shows,” Wilkerson said. “It’s really tough getting back with every single person in a timely manner and keeping everything organized at the same time.
(Top Photo) The cover of The So Help Me’s “The Relatively EP” is the band’s most debut release. It was released in January and has been called smart, exciting, and a stellar start to the new year. Photo provided by The So Help Me’s.
The members of the band also have their own hobbies outside of the band contributing a variety of different personalities to the ensemble. Pelletier is interested in gardening while Cox invests a lot of time into an internship she currently has with a forensic psychologist. Stewart and Wilkerson are percussionists and skateboard enthusiasts and Crowder has some musical side projects with other bands. The group has played multiple shows in the metro area at venues including Blue Note and The Speakeasy. The So Help Me’s also frequent Bell Isle and The Deli in Norman. However, one of their most memorable performances was on a float at UCO’s Homecoming parade. “We had an entire parade marching behind us. It was like the end scene of a cheesy 80’s movie; it was just really surreal and fun,” Wilkerson said. The So Help Me’s will be playing shows around the metro area throughout May and will be playing some regional shows over the summer before they head into the studio to record their first full-length album.
(Bottom Photo) The So Help Me’s perform at The Speakeasy in Oklahoma City during an art show. The So Help Me’s are a five piece existential indie-rock band that started in Oklahoma in 2014. Photo provided by Daniel Austin.
14
SPORTS
The Vista’s 2016 NFL draft prediction Jacob Beeman @jacobbeeman860 Contributing Writer
With the 2016 NFL Draft quickly approaching, many analysts and journalists have been putting out several mock drafts. Much like March Madness, there are never any definitive answers until the actual event takes place, which means that once that clock starts ticking for the first team to makes its decision, everyone is forced to wait with sweaty palms and knots in their stomachs. Though most of these prospects and
many others have been working hard through their careers, there is never a sure fire answer to where any of these guys will end up until that draft timer hits zero. Despite this, the following is a look ahead at the five teams with the first picks of the 2016 NFL Draft, what it is they each may be looking for in their next player, and a predicted selection for those teams.
1. Tennessee Titans Biggest need: Offensive Tackle Doing well in their selection of Marcus Mariota in last years draft, the Titans tied for the worst record this season only going 3-13. Their offensive backfield is set for now but they are needing more
strength up front on the offensive line and in their defensive secondary. Both of the following players dominate at the tackle position and either would be a good fit.
Prediction: Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss) or Jack Conklin (Michigan State)
Antonio Gates and he doesn’t have much time left in his career. Aside from these setbacks the Chargers should be looking to fill their roster with some size on the defensive line.
Prediction: Joey Bosa (Ohio State) or DeForest Buckner (Oregon)
Biggest need: Quarterback The Browns and Robert Griffin III recently signed a contract worth $15 million over two years and like most football fans know, Cleveland is the
land of the lost quarterbacks. With his career being spotty after all the injuries he has racked up, Griffin could use a solid backup for when the time comes.
4. Dallas Cowboys Biggest need: Defensive Back With Romo’s season ending injury last year, the question for quarterback backups is still in the air. The Cowboys need to find some solid secondary play-
ers first and foremost though. There are a few choices for cornerbacks in the draft that have all had very good college careers and will certainly benefit any team that drafts them.
Prediction: Jalen Ramsey (Florida State)
5. Jacksonville Jaguars Biggest need: Defensive Back With the free agency acquisition of Malik Jackson from the Denver Broncos, the Jaguars have upgraded their
2. Cleveland Browns
Prediction: Jared Goff (Cal) or Carson Wentz (North Dakota State)
3. San Diego Chargers Biggest need: Defensive Lineman Philip Rivers is down to only a few notable players who can catch passes consistently. With Ladarius Green leaving via free agency, that leaves
In this Oct. 4, 2015, file photo, Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) warms up before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Landover, Md. The Browns have signed free agent quarterback Robert Griffin III, who hasn’t been the same since his dazzling rookie season in Washington. Griffin, who didn’t play a snap in 2015, was recently released by the Redskins. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
pass rushing defense tremendously. Now they need to strengthen their secondary as well.
Prediction: Vernon Hargreaves (Florida)
(Above) Ron Milus, coach of the San Diego Chargers defensive backs, talks with Jalen Ramsey during Florida State’s NFL football pro day in Tallahassee, Fla., Tuesday, March 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Mark Wallheiser)
(Left) Offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil runs with other offensive players at Mississippi’s NFL football Pro Day, Monday, March 28, 2016, in Oxford, Miss. The event is to showcase players for the upcoming NFL football draft. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
311 S. Blackwelder Ave Edmond, OK 73034 Catering: (405) 417-3037 Phone: (405) 340-8956 Monday-Saturday: 11:00am-10:00pm Sunday: 11:00am-9:00pm