May 7, 2012

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University of Colorado Colorado Springs Weekly Campus Newspaper

President Obama campaigns against student loan rate increases Aaron Collett acollett@uccs.edu

The roar of over 9,000 people filled the Coors Events Center in Boulder on the evening of April 24.

The media had been set up in their fenced-off area, and CU-Boulder students filed into the arena after being searched thoroughly

by Secret Service.

The president had come to town.

President Barack Obama addressed the students of CU-Boulder amid raucous cheers and excited hollering. The crowd had already been worked up because Obama was late – he was scheduled to start speaking at 6:45, but didn’t actually arrive until after 7:15. He had stopped and eaten at a local restaurant called The Sink across the street from the CU campus.

The focus of Obama’s speech was tailored to the audience: He spoke about rising tuition costs. In July, the student loan relief leg-

Photo by Nick Burns

Want your student loans to cost less in interest? So does President Obama. Speaking at CU Boulder, he announced that he wants to cut interest rates in half. islation that Obama helped pass during the beginning of his term are set to expire. That means that Stafford loan interest rates will double – the president

said it will represent an extra $1,000 per student, per year.

He asked, “Are there any students here who can afford an extra $1,000 tax

every year?”

College debt is coming to the forefront of the public eye. The total amount of student loan debt in the United States recently sur-

passed the total amount of credit card debt. In addition to the rising student debt, the current job market, even for recent college graduates, has not yet

In-state juniors and seniors will see a slightly higher 5.0 to 5.1 percent increase, depending on the program under which they are studying.

Graduate students will bear the biggest brunt of the increases, between 5.1 and 6.1 percent, and outof-state students will see a

percent to maintain their programs; this sparked a public outcry among many students at that campus.

In the final budget, tuition there will rise by a lesser 5.0 percent.

The increase at the Denver campus will be Photo by Nick Burns just 0.8 percent, less than Graphs courtesy of bellpolicy.org the current rate of infla3 percent increase, or about Revisions to state rev$16 per credit hour. enue forecasts allowed the tion − effectively decreasLast year, tuition rose by state to include an addi- ing the cost of tuition.

“I am pleased that the about 7 percent for in-state tional $265 million in the undergraduates. Adminis- total budget, preventing UCCS tuition increase trators had originally given many cuts from being as will be among the lowan estimate of a 7 percent dramatic as originally an- est percentage increases in the state and likely the increase again this year ticipated. based on preliminary budThe Boulder campus lowest increase in dollars get figures from the state’s had projected that tuition as well,” UCCS Chancelgeneral fund. would need to rise by 9.3 lor Pam Shockley-Zalabak

recovered from the recession.

According to projectonstudentdebt.org, the average amount of debt carried by graduating seniors is $25,250, and a full twothirds of all college students graduate with debt.

In the midst of this, many colleges are raising their tuition rates, while some members of Congress are pushing for less federallyfunded financial aid such as Pell Grants and Stafford Loans.

Obama completed his speech with a call to action. He called on students to help him extend the loan relief that expires in July.

He told students to call their Representatives and tell them to vote to extend the loan relief.

He then left the stage amid the deafening cheers of excited students. And why not cheer? They had just been told by the man elected to the highest office in the nation that he wanted to keep them from paying more for college. S

Continued reductions in state funding force tuition raise Matt Sidor msidor@uccs.edu

On April 27, the University of Colorado Board of Regents voted in favor of tuition increases across all CU campuses for the 2012-2013 academic year.

A rise in tuition costs had been widely anticipated (see Feb. 20 issue, “Possibility of new tuition hike to significantly affect UCCS”) but the amount of the raise ended up being significantly less than originally estimated by university officials.

Here at UCCS, tuition will be going up 4.9 percent for in-state freshmen and sophomores or about $11 per credit hour. Average tuition for underclassmen will go up from $6,720 to $7,050 per year, a difference of $330. (These figures do not include student fees.)

Inside this

Issue

stated in Communique.

“Let’s remember that students pay in dollars, not in percentages.”

In a possible response to the general controversy earlier this year over large pay raises that were offered to top administrators, the new budget for the CU system has stronger restrictions on future raises.

The merit-based salary pool for professional exempt staff and faculty members will be capped at 2 percent per employee (last year, the pool was capped at 3 percent), and any exempt professional staff earning more than $175,000 per year will not be eligible for a salary increase. Additionally, staff members earning between $100,000 and $175,000 may not receive a raise of more than $2,000.

According to the Bell Continued on page 2 . . .

news

culture

opinion

sports

New dorms page 3

OSA band survey page 7

Learning to love UCCS page 10

This summer in sports page 15

News

Page 2

Tuition increase (continued from page 1) Policy Center in Denver, the new budget will maintain the same amount of per-pupil funding in K-12 education and restore $30 million in proposed cuts to need-based financial aid for higher education, but $5.8 million is still being cut from higher education operating budgets.

The rising costs of higher education, in addition to funding cuts from the state general fund, have resulted in a dramatic reversal in the percentages of tuition covered by the state versus what must be covered by individual families.

In 1983, the Colorado general fund paid for 60 percent of a typical in-state undergraduate’s tuition; today, it pays for just 34 percent. (This general fund reimbursement appears on tuition bills as the College Opportunity Fund (COF).)

According to Kelly Fox, CU’s vice president for budget and finance, the current level of state support for the CU system is at its lowest level in history when adjusted for inflation.

Kristina Achey, a graduate student and representa-

tive at large on the Student Government Association (SGA), has been closely following the state budget for higher education and its effects on the CU system.

In March, she attended CU Advocacy Day at the state capitol building in downtown Denver, an annual event where students, alumni and staff and faculty members are invited to rally in support of continued funding for higher education.

“CU Advocacy Day gives the opportunity to learn about what’s going on with the state general fund,” she said. “At this point, the message [from the state government] is that we’re kind of at a standstill because within 15 years there won’t be any money available for higher education if things stay the way they are.”

She added, “Really, what we need in order for the state to pay us what we were [being paid] even just five years ago, we would need a new tax − either a tax that is just reserved for higher education, or an overall revenue increase for the state budget.” S

May 7, 2012

Instability abroad follows students to US April Wefler awefler@uccs.edu

Last month, UCCS student Gatwec Dengpathot’s brother was robbed and killed near his Denver apartment in what appears to have been a racially-motivated attack. Dengpathot and his family are from Sudan, and he said in the Denver Post that the violence that is part of American society has been a shock for him.

“I always said that America is the best place in the world,” he told Denver Post reporter, Tom McGhee. “We come to a free country where we didn’t think someone would get shot and die like that.”

Dengpathot is one of several students from war-torn countries on our campus. One student was hoping to raise money last fall to go back to his country for the first democratic election they ever had. Sarah Morehead, international admissions advisor, noted that he wasn’t able to raise the funds to leave since it

the

was last-minute.

Normally, students in the international affairs program are required to attend school full-time.

If a student wishes to take the summer off, they have to ask permission for it. However, “I’m not going to deny them the ability to take time off if they need it,” said Morehead.

“When they’re going through something this emotionally taxing, I don’t want them to fail their classes if they can get time off. If my family was in a country where they could die any day, I wouldn’t be able to focus on school,” she added.

There are currently five students at UCCS from war-torn Libya. “Everybody from Libya knew how bad the situation was,” said Morehead.

In February of 2011, Libyans revolted against Moammar Gadhafi, the man who had ruled over them for 42 years. Last October, Gadhafi was killed.

“I would equate it to Fidel Castro,” said Morehead.

Libyan students didn’t

have any way to communicate with their family to see if they were alive or dead. “Their dad had to go back to Libya and it really scared them,” said Morehead.

She noted that Libyan siblings decided to handle the situation differently. “The sister chose to take the semester off to be with her family.

The brother chose to take a lot of classes, especially during the summer, to take his mind off it,” she said.

Morehead noted that the majority of international affairs students come here on full-ride scholarships. Their countries pay for them to get an education and bring the knowledge back with them.

Due to the upheaval of the Libyan government, the students had no idea if their scholarships would stop and if they would be forced to return to Libya. “Going back to an unstable country is a scary thing,” said Morehead.

“I can’t even begin to comprehend what it’s like to go through that,”

she added.

Morehead noted that it was eventually confirmed that the students’ scholarships would still be funded. “It was a big concern.

They were really scared to go back.”

She explained that many of the Libyan students are related. “It’s really important that they stick together and attend the same schools because they have a strong family foundation,” she said.

Morehead thinks that if other students had the ability to speak to a student who went through the experience of a wartorn country first-hand, it would make it real for them as opposed to seeing it on TV, where it’s harder to grasp. “It gives a face and story behind what’s truly going on with the people that have lived it,” she said.

The students’ grades might suffer, but it’s more emotional than anything. Many students on visas come here with their families; however, those like the Libyans have to sit through class wondering if they still have a family. S

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News

May 7, 2012

Page 3

Two new dorm buildings promise more space for residents Peter Farrell pfarrell@uccs.edu

Adapting and providing facilities for a growing student body while maintaining aesthetic consistency is one of the primary goals of Echo and Copper, two new residence halls set to be completed in fall 2013.

With approximately 900 students residing in the apartments and residence halls, growing demand for on-campus housing has been the primary motivator behind the new dormitories’ construction.

On April 24, campus officials gathered at the official groundbreaking of Echo and Copper, to be located just west of Columbine Hall.

Many patrons at the groundbreaking ceremony were optimistic about the new buildings’ prospects and usage.

“I think [the buildings] will bring about a new dynamic and something that students want to see,” said Jameel Braddock, residence hall manager at Summit Village.

Braddock also hopes that Echo and Copper will help

build community in Summit Village. “I think that that’s important, that we have space where we can meet the students where they are.”

Connor Burke, a freshman living in the current residence halls, agreed with Braddock’s statements. “I think it’s great, I think that [it] definitely will expand the housing so that we don’t have to turn all of our lounges into rooms. You know? We’ll have more room for students and places to hang out.”

Along with the enthusiasm surrounding the new halls, some questions have come up about future expansion projects after Echo and Copper.

Ralph Giese, director of Residence Life and Housing, stated that future additions for on-campus housing would be in a new location. “We would look to add an entirely new village with a new dining facility.”

Giese said that an additional village project was merely a matter of time.

“I think it’s inevitable that a new village will happen, it’s just a question of where and when,” he said.

Echo and Copper are designed to strike a balance as unique additions while simultaneously complementing the existing residence halls within Summit Village.

What sets the two buildings apart from their predecessors is the usage of floor space and a greater emphasis on single suites.

Lou Galletta, member of H+L Architecture, which is designing the buildings, said, “The real important goal for the interiors was a suite arrangement and that mostly rooms should be singles; kids today don’t like sharing rooms.” H+L Architecture is the same firm that designed the expansions of the University Center and Kraemer Family Library.

Galletta added that there is a possibility of a future sky bridge between the existing Aspen building and Echo, although the current budget does not allow for it.

“Because of budget, we can’t really afford to do that in this phase, but we’re going to design Echo to provide a knockout in one of the windows that is strategically located to allow for a future

Photo by Nick Burns

Vice Chancellor, Brian Burnett, addresses the Who’s Who crowd at the ground breaking for two new residence halls, Copper and Echo.

Schematic courtesy of Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas company

The new dorms will be built just west of Columbine. bridge,” he explained.

While many would be thrilled to see the project completed by fall 2012,

the new buildings are still a year-and-a-half away.

There will undoubtedly be much excitement around

campus once the Echo and Copper are finally welcomed into Summit Village in 2013. S

Aaron Collett

said, “I’m more of a consultant, now.”

Spicher has had a long journey to get to UCCS. He started as a pre-med student at the University of Virginia (UVA). After talking with his brother, a third-year medical student, Spicher decided that a Doctor of Medicine was not for him. “I wanted a life, for one thing,” he explained.

But he wasn’t into nursing just yet. “I was a biology major in college, and I went into biology ed – that’s basically what I graduated with.” He went on to the graduate program at UVA to study Environmental Science – only to drop out of the program after just one semester.

“The first semester, Aqueous Chemistry, I was miserable.”

“I did have somewhat of an epiphany, one night,” he remembers. “I decided that I was going into nursing at that point, and I was able to get to sleep.”

Spicher ended up getting a clinical doctorate of nursing. He is a Family

Nurse Practitioner (FNP), which means that he can see patients and prescribe medications.

He was careful to distinguish himself from a medical doctor. “I went to nursing school, I become a Family Nurse Practitioner and I got a clinical doctorate,” he said. “I’m a doctor-nurse.”

After he became licensed as an FNP in 1998, Spicher was working in a family practice in Pennsylvannia.

He found himself working over 50 hours a week.

He said, “I got to the point that I said to myself, ‘There has to be more to life than just working all the time.’” Since he had an education degree, he started searching for opportunities to, as he put it, “marry clinical practicing and teaching.” In November of 2002, Spicher applied for a job with Beth-El Nursing College, and was hired soon after that.

Spicher has never regretted the path he chose.

He said, “It was the right decision – it’s been a passion for me.” S

Professor and beekeeper: Spicher keeps interests diverse acollett@uccs.edu

Photo by Alex Gradisher

Jeff Spicher adds bee keeper to his host of professional titles.

According to the bee enthusiast site buzzingacrossamerica.com, over 200,000 people are involved in beekeeping across the United States.

Every state is involved in this industry, and Colorado is the headquarters of the National Honey Board.

UCCS has its own representative of beekeeping.

Jeff Spicher, a professor of nursing, owns four hives which produce about 5070 pounds of honey every year. According to him, it’s not even that expensive to get started.

“A couple pounds of bees will cost you about $60-$70, and a hive, you’re at probably looking about another 100 bucks,” he said. “For about 200 bucks you can get started in beekeeping.”

As his work at UCCS has increased, Spicher has been less involved with his bees, and has given over much of the day-to-day beekeeping to his wife. He

News

Page 4

May 7, 2012

Heller Guest House nears completion; open house on May 15

Photos by Ariel Lattimore and Robert Solis

The restoration team has tried to maintain as much of the original building as possible. Here is a before (left) and after (right) of the Heller Center.

Ryan Adams radams3@uccs.edu The Heller Center for Arts and Humanities will have an addition this summer. After nine months of construction, the Heller Guest House is in its final stages of renovation and will be ready to house artists, scholars and musicians looking to do their work there.

“The building was dedicated to Herman Raymond, who was a famous local artist in the Colorado Springs area,” said Perrin Cunningham, who is the director of the Heller Center. “We received an anonymous donation

of $400,000 to renovate the building and make it a place for people to come from all over the country to stay to do their work at.”

The Heller Center is a 36-acre plot of land on the north campus in tribute to Lawrence Heller, who was a local Colorado Springs artist. Both Lawrence and his wife Dorothy lived on the land, and after a 60year residency, donated it to UCCS to house Lawrence’s paintings. Heller’s paintings are in the main house, while Raymond has his work featured in the guest house.

“Larry Heller’s main purpose in establishing the Heller Center was for oth-

ers to celebrate and engage in creative works of arts and humanities,” Cunningham explained. “The Heller Center Guest House is important because it will be a place where artists, musicians and scholars from all over the country can stay in. They can do their work in the Heller Center Studio and put on events for Colorado Springs to see.”

Besides wanting to continue Heller’s purpose of the establishment, Cunningham said the guest house was in really bad shape and needed a renovation. “There were stability issues − lots of cracking in the walls and floors, and things needed to be

updated,” she said.

Because the building is considered a historic site, Cunningham and the construction team needed to follow historic preservation guidelines that are set by the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Historical Preservation.

“We had to use historically accurate materials when we started renovating the building,” she said.

“We had to keep the structure so we couldn’t add things like sliding glass doors or TVs because having those things not be historically accurate according to the guidelines.”

The Heller Guest House does have updated electrical and plumbing lines,

amenities it had been lacking before the renovation.

Cunningham also said that she encourages clubs and students to use the Heller Center Guest House as a place where they can get away from all the hustle and bustle of the campus.

“This area is very quiet and peaceful so it would serve as a great setting for students to do club meetings or activities at. It’s a lot different than anywhere else on campus, so it would be a great place for anyone to go to experience something different.”

Cunningham said that they already have a guest planning on staying in the house this fall and believes the renovation will

lead to some big things for the campus. “Having these musicians, artists and scholars will be great.

They will offer a lot new experiences to our campus and give students opportunities to see some different events during the school year.” S

The downside to summer classes is the loss of vacation or potential work time, but many students find this outweighed by the opportunities provided.

“If students have to go year-round and take interims and summer classes, it’s mostly based on need more than it is on anything else,” said Rashell McCann, the program director for undergraduate programs in the College of Business. “If courses are offered, if they’re available, it allows students to perhaps get done earlier or work year-round because of the flexibility of having courses you can make up in the interim or in the summer.”

Summer classes do allow students the ability to rearrange their schedules and have a cushion if the normal academic year gets to be too much – or if they feel they can be doing more and getting done faster.

“It’s either getting ahead or catching up. That’s the

majority of it,” said McCann.

Nursing freshman Katie McDonough is one of the students trying to get ahead. “I need to get done with my prerequisites faster,” she said. McDonough has several courses to complete before she can be officially accepted into the nursing program, and she’s ready to be done with the preliminary classes.

McDonough, like many other students, took a lighter load during her freshman year. Summer classes give her the flexibility to get back on track.

Although these classes are intense, she isn’t too worried. “I think it will be nicer because you only have to focus on [one class].”

This is typical for summer students. In fact, most professors report higher test averages and grades in general for these courses.

“It’s focused,” said McCann, who has also noticed the trend toward higher summer grades. “On the

other side, I’ve definitely heard the complaint of students that have said it was so hard to get so much work done in a week, or in two weeks.”

For students up to the challenge, however, the intensity can still be rewarding, as it can even out an academic load.

“I’m actually looking at

that right now,” said Michelle Gadd, a freshman studying psychology.

summer will allow her to balance out her fall schedule, so she can stay on track without being overloaded.

No matter what the individual reason, summer classes are designed to provide students with the options they need to accomplish their goals.

McCann said, “It’s all up to the student.” S

The Lowdown What: Heller Guest House open house When: May 15, 4:30-6 p.m.

Where: Heller Guest House, 1250 North Campus Heights More Info: uccs.edu/~heller

Summer classes give students the flexibility they want Kaitlin Nelson knelson6@uccs.edu

Many students spend finals week dreaming about their fun summer vacations, preparing for the exciting new internship they landed or packing their things to spend the summer with their families.

Others, however, are buying new textbooks and pens for the summer classes for which they’re registered.

UCCS offers many summer classes in one of two four-week sessions or one eight-week session between June 11 and August 3. These classes generally meet four days a week for the half-semester sessions, as they are full three-credithour classes.

Additionally, there are several two-week long interims offered – one group of these interim classes starts May 14, the Monday after the spring semester ends.

Her motivation? “Just to get some stuff out of the way faster,” she said. “I’m also looking at taking less credit hours during the fall semester.”

Gadd believes that taking on a little more in the

Photo by Nick Burns

Student advisors can help you pick the best courses for your future plans.

Culture

May 7, 2012

Page 5

Filmmaker tackles language barrier to create personal project Sara Horton shorton@uccs.edu

We often learn about Nazi Germany’s persecution of Jews. What we barely hear, however, are stories about another select group of people whom Nazis also systematically executed: the disabled.

At last month’s Colorado Springs Undergraduate Research Forum, Sarah R. Lotfi presented her research on the T4 program, the Nazi euthanasia program which will serve as the back-story of her upcoming short film, “Menschen,” which is German for “human beings.”

The project has special meaning for Lotfi, a senior visual arts and performing arts and communication double major: She has two younger siblings with Down Syndrome.

While filmmaking has long been a way for her to create her own reality, “Menschen” has a decidedly more personal touch.

“Just having the sib-

lings to begin with is what really made me think about even showing that perspective in the film because I realized it was something that hadn’t been done a lot before,” she said.

“For me, it’s hard to think about because what if they had been alive back then? What would have happened to them?”

Lotfi said that T4 continues to be relevant today.

“It started as sterilization; it started as people just deciding that this population was unwanted and unworthy of life.

“And here we are now, decades and decades later, and we have prenatal screenings, and how many of those mothers will keep their child if they find it does have Down Syndrome or some other disability?”

Lotfi will work with Connor Long, a 17-yearold actor with Down Syndrome, who she described as “very talented” and having a “great sense of humor on set,” for the

film.

She previously directed “The Last Bogatyr,” another short film set in World War II, but Lotfi sees “Menschen” to be a different approach.

“It’s not really about the war at all; it’s really about a personal loss, personal guilt and what it means to take care of someone with developmental disabilities.”

Shooting will begin later this month and take place in Greeley, Longmont, Black Forest, Idaho Springs and Colorado Springs.

Lotfi described the cast and crew, most from between Colorado Springs and Denver, as the best people she could have hoped for and said she felt encouraged because people from both inside and outside the project, as well as people from the German and Austrian community, have expressed excitement about it.

Still, she acknowledged there will be challenges

– like food.

On a short day, she estimated there will be about 40 people on set. On longer days, such as the first day of shooting, there will likely be twice as many.

“Between the pyrotechnics, ground Photo by Cooper Christian crew who’s Sarah Lotfi on the set of The Last Bogatyr, which she also directed. rigging our explosions nonprofit foundation that Lotfi said not speakfor us and the ing German has enabled fire department volunteer has sponsored the film.

Lotfi will face another her to focus more on body staff that’s on standby with their fire truck … It’s potential obstacle while language. She’s picking shooting because most up German as she goes, about 15 people.”

Plus the extras, crew of “Menschen” will be in too.

“The other day, in reand cast, which has about German, which she does not speak.

She initially hearsal, someone had for15 speaking roles in a cast of 20 people per day. Lot- wrote the script in Eng- gotten a line, and I’m like, fi said “Menschen” will lish and will use it for ‘I know what line it is!’”

Lotfi laughed. need, at minimum, an ad- subtitles.

She had the script “I went and said it, and ditional $7,000.

Tax-deductable dona- translated several times to I butchered it horribly, but tions are being accepted ensure accuracy, and she everyone knew what line on the film’s website has an Austrian dialect it was. I’m sure by the (menschenthemovie.com) coach on hand to advise end of the shoot I’ll know a few of the lines.” S through Fractured Atlas, a actors.

Culture

Page 6

May 7, 2012

Theatreworks’ new season expected to be ‘fantastic’ April Wefler awefler@uccs.edu

If you’re looking for a good date night, you might want to check out an upcoming show from Theatreworks’ new season. After all, every show is free for students.

Just make a reservation because Theatreworks sells out quickly, and its new season is full of shows that are sure to spark conversation.

“It’s something you can see and talk about afterwards. The conversations you have afterwards will be just as good as the plays,” said Murray Ross, artistic director of Theatreworks.

The season will kick off with “Shakespeare in the Park” on Aug. 2-26 at Rock Ledge Ranch.

This year, Theatreworks has chosen Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labor’s Lost.”

Ross indicated that “Love’s Labor’s Lost” is a great comedy about men and women who fall in love. A young king and his friends decide to study and not let women distract them.

“Just as they made

that decision, the women showed up and it changed their minds pretty quickly,” said Ross, adding, “but not before giving them a rough time. And then the women give the men a rather rough time, which they so richly deserve.”

Next, Theatreworks will host a production of Tennessee Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie” from Sept. 13-30. The play premiered in Chicago in 1944 and won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award in 1945.

“The Glass Menagerie” consists of a single mom desperate to get her shy daughter married, a rebellious son and “lots of love and heartbreak,” said Ross. He noted that it is one of America’s bestloved classics.

Following “The Glass Menagerie,” Theatreworks will tackle a more controversial issue: racism. The Pulitzernominated “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” on Oct. 18-Nov. 11 is set in a professional wrestling ring.

It is not only about wrestling but also America, celebrities, racism and

Club

Illustrations courtesy of Caitlin Green

Left: Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson debuted in New York last year but is soon coming to Theatreworks.

Right: “The Wild Duck” is a Norwegian Thriller. the myths we make up for ourselves.

“I think it might be the most unusual and nontraditional that we have coming up this season,” said Ross. “It’s filled with spectacle and a lot of action.”

Next, you’re invited to the home of the wacky Sycamore family as Theatreworks puts on “You Can’t Take it With You” on Dec. 6-23.

“You Can’t Take it With You” will then be followed by “Red,” a new

Tony-award winning play about an abstract painter who thought he could change the world with his art, on Jan. 31-Feb. 17.

Additionally, Theatreworks will perform “Everyman on the Bus” on Feb. 20-March 10, “Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson” on March 13-24 and “The Wild Duck” on April 25-May 12.

“Everyman on the Bus” is a medieval play about facing death. “It’s a journey every man takes, that we all take, to the grave.

We go along,” said Ross.

“Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson” just debuted in New York last year and was a critical sensation.

“American populism meets rock ‘n roll and ends up at the Trail of Tears,” said Ross.

“The Wild Duck,” a Norwegian thriller by Henrik Ibsen, portrays a man who reveals his dark secrets to a happy family in the interest of making them better. “But in fact, he just makes everything

worse.”

The new season boasts a variety of comedies and dramas, but according to Ross, all of the plays have one aspect in common: quality.

“They’re all fantastic, seven really fantastic experiences,” he said.

“That’s why we chose them.”

Auditions are continuous and Ross recommends that people wishing to audition check Theatreworks’ website (theatreworkscs.org). S

Spotlight

New club invites students to embrace the Native American culture April Wefler awefler@uccs.edu

Colorado Springs is home to a large, vibrant Native American community.

Recognizing that there wasn’t a place for the Native American student population on campus alone, the Native American Student Organization (NASO) was recently created to bring together both Native Americans and non-natives.

On April 18, NASO held a rededication ceremony for the Tree of Peace by Centennial Hall.

Planted in 1988, the tree needs to be rededicated every four years.

Marguerite Cantu, a senior instructor in the communication department, said that the Tree of Peace is an Iroquois tradition. It originated with

Photo by Robert Solis

Every four years, NASO rededicates the Peace Tree of UCCS. the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, known as the League of Five Nations.

The Haudenosaunee Confederacy is made up of the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oenida, Onondaga and Seneca tribes. According to haudenosauneeconfed-

eracy.ca, it is often described as the oldest democracy and is believed to have been a model for the Constitution.

The Confederacy was intended as a way to unite the nations. “Warring tribes made peace by

digging a hole, burying the weapons and planting a tree above it,” said Cantu.

Eugene Red Hawk, a Mohawk elder in Colorado Springs, has planted several peace trees in the city. Both he and Sebrena

Forrest, also a Mohawk, attended the tree rededication ceremony.

“People tie ribbons in the four colors (red, white, black, yellow) as they make prayers/pledges for peace,” said Cantu. She added that anyone can use the tree to work out conflicts or settle disputes in a peaceful way.

The tree rededication ceremony was not the only event NASO had this semester. On May 3, NASO held a Regression Night for students to have fun and meet one another.

Regression Night included a screening of the movie, “Over the Hedge.”

Michele Companion, associate professor of sociology, said NASO chose “Over the Hedge” because it was funny and allowed students to relax before finals. “We’re very open to people who want to participate who

are interested in Native American culture,” said Companion.

She added that NASO tries to provide a place for students to come together to discuss the larger issues. “We’re trying to create a supportive environment to help students meet each other [and] learn about each other’s cultures,” said Companion.

Since NASO is a new, smaller club, she indicated that it’s looking forward to getting bigger, more involved and hosting more campus activities.

The club is also working on building a Facebook community so that students will be able to keep updated.

Anyone interested in joining can contact club president, Celeste Mosby, at teaseasonings@hotmail.com or cmosby2@ uccs.edu. S

Culture

May 7, 2012

Page 7

OSA music poll compromises with hip-hop and country Peter Farrell pfarrell@uccs.edu

Tyga, Justin Moore and Mike Posner are all possibilities for the annual fall concert hosted by OSA, but not everyone approves of them.

In the middle of April, the Office of Student Activities released an online poll asking students what musician or band they would like to see perform for the Fall 2012 concert.

In the past three years, UCCS has seen the groups Flobots, a rock and hiphop band; The December-

ists, an indie/alternative rock group; and locally renowned 3OH!3, an electro-pop duo hailing from Boulder.

The rapper Tyga, country singer Justin Moore and R&B singer Mike Posner are all artists from genres different from those of previous performers.

The poll was created with an emphasis in genre equality in mind. Hosting alternative rock and pop groups for the past three years running, OSA is looking to bring in different musical qualities: hiphop and country.

Mitch Karstens, program coordinator for OSA, is no stranger to the criticism that the poll may draw. “We’re trying to rotate genres and we picked out two genres that we haven’t done before,” said Karstens.

OSA is a student-focused organization, but accommodating nearly 10,000 people isn’t easy.

Karstens explained, “We’re trying to keep everybody happy with different styles, but the problem is that when we open it up to the general UCCS body we usually get [requests for] people

that are like half a million dollars.”

Despite most students lacking the knowledge of how much their favorite musicians typically charge, some are quite vocal about their disapproval of the limited number of choices and the poll’s linearity.

Megan Moyles, senator of housing in student government, as well as president of the Nickelback Resentment Association and the satirical Beard Club, is none too happy about the “real great selection” presented

by OSA.

The UCCS Gallery of Contemporary Art (GoCA) is hosting Scarp Project 2012, an art exhibition by Jarod Charzewski, a 41-year-old Canadian. It will use all of the clothes that were donated and perhaps more.

Charzewski showed a skeleton of his enormous project and explained that he first began making art with donated clothes in 2008, when he was asked to create a project that would fill an entire gallery.

“I needed a large quantity of materials, and I didn’t know what to make it out of,” said Charzewski. “I don’t want to have to buy a million Styrofoam cups or plates and just trash them afterwards; I always thought that would be kind of wasteful.”

Charzewski first builds a type of frame from staples, cardboard and scrap

wood, which he will place and mold the donated clothes around, and most of the materials – down to the cardboard boxes – are reused materials.

The 2012 Scarp Project, which spans across three rooms and uses over 3,000 articles of clothing, will be the seventh art exhibition Charzewski has completed using donated clothes, but the finished product is never the same.

“I always try to link it to the topography of the area,” explained Charzewski, “so this one is a lot more jagged, rocky shapes that coincide with the Colorado landscape.”

What does set apart the exhibit at the UCCS gallery from the other projects Charzewski has done is the sheer size.

“It’s a lot more challenging … It’s a lot more clothing, a lot more time, a lot more volunteers

to produce this kind of piece,” said Charzewski.

The reward is not only artistic accomplishment, either; all of the clothes that are used are re-donated back to UCCS families and the community.

“I tend to come off as an activist of some kind, but, I’m really just an artist, like anybody,” said Charzewski, and then he asked that his audience be aware of the relationship we have to our commodities.

“How long have you had something? How much did you pay for that? How often do you replace things?” Charzewski asked, relating the kinds of questions that he hopes his audience will start asking themselves.

“Consumer culture is a major influence,” explained Charzewski.

Perhaps that is why he insists that all of his mate-

Moyles stated that she feels like the poll’s suggestion box was a consolation prize at best: “I did not like the options whatsoever.”

The poll was structured so that any suggestions were only permitted once an option was picked, much to Moyles’ dismay.

“It was like they were forcing you to pick one while also stating your own opinion.”

Brittney Reese, a senior majoring in communication, had a different stance on the candidates.

“I really want Tyga to come, only because I know that so many people

don’t want him to come — I think it would be the funniest thing in the world.”

Other members of the community are more interested in the meaning of the music rather than the genre. Yonas Hagos, event coordinator for OSA and graduate student, said, “I’m very open minded to whatever. Music is music.

“You just have to have a flow with it, there has to have meaning behind it.

Every music has a story behind it, and I’m always interested to hear the story.” S

Donated clothes take the shape of art at downtown GoCA location Lucas Hampton

lhampton@uccs.edu You may have noticed the various clothing donation containers that have been on campus for the past several months, but the clothes may not be going where you would expect – at least, not at first.

The Lowdown What: Scarp Project 2012: Jarod Charzewski When: Through July 13 Where: GoCA 121 S. Tejon St. How much: Free More Info: 255-3504 galleryuccs.edu

Photo by Nick Burns

Jarod Charzewski uses donated clothing in his project. rials will be reused. “Even the lumber will be used at the college afterwards …

I’m happy to give things another life, that’s what it’s about.” S

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Culture

Page 8

May 7, 2012

Hero Kid saves the day with debut album ‘Before the Fall’ Sara Horton shorton@uccs.edu Rating: At first, I thought it was a bad idea to have anything from my music library playing in my car while my mom was in the passenger’s seat.

“Who is this?” she demanded. I prepared for the revival of our old my-music-is-just-asgood-as-yours debate, but before I could identify the band as Hero Kid, she nodded her head and said, “They’re pretty good.”

Hero Kid may well be the only melodic hardcore band that can brag about being mom approved. Don’t assume Hero Kid is a tame tea party soundtrack, though.

Hero Kid rocks out during a show.

It’s a band that makes music better suited for defending the city from a robot invasion or Halsey, bassist Sean Beedle and pummeling the steering wheel Matt Heady on drums. during a summer highway Beedle, a junior English madrive. jor, formerly played for the indie Hero Kid is a Denver-based garage band The Yes We Cans, quartet composed of lead vo- and Smith and Heady are both calist and guitarist Jake Smith, from The New-Age Dropouts, a vocalist and lead guitarist Tyler pop-punk outfit.

They have some national experience, too. Smith and Heady have played at the Vans Warped Tour, and Halsey has performed with Avenged Sevenfold and All That Remains.

Better yet, their experience is reflected in their nine-track de-

dictive rhythm and sound.

While most of the lyrics are slick, others can seem forced (“The skies are gray/ Nothing more to say/You settle the score when we walk away,” Smith sings in the title track). Hero Kid could get away from using a strict rhyme scheme.

And yet, the vocals, guitars and drums blend so nicely together that you may be too busy rocking out for the excessive rhyming to even be an issue.

Halsey leads the chorus in “Wasting Away,” the perfect upbeat anthem for a recovering heart: “My fire will burn/In the dark of night, you will learn/Just take me away/ From all the things we can’t escape.”

Hero Kid isn’t all angst Photo courtesy of Hero Kid and anger, either. Although “Before the Fall” has a loud start, it concludes gently with but album, “Before the Fall,” a the fading strumming of a solid effort. It’s always exciting guitar in the last track, “The to learn that a group of such tal- Longest Goodbye.” ented musicians hails from just It’s still infused with that up the street. heavy pop-punk spirit but also The guitar riffs and drums are a subtle tenderness that, not unheavy, but they work together like the other tracks, deserve to with the vocals to create an ad- be played again and again. S

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Opinion

Page 10

May 7, 2012

Editorial

Thanks for the experience: A goodbye to UCCS Cherise Fantus cfantus@uccs.edu

Well, UCCS, it’s time for me to say goodbye. It’s nothing new for me; I’ve said plenty of goodbyes in my 27 years.

I said goodbye to my family and North Dakota when I graduated from high school and joined the Army in 2003. I said goodbye to my husband five times as he left for deployments. I said goodbye to my friends and the Army when I left Georgia and came to UCCS in 2009.

Now it’s time for me to say goodbye to the friends and family I’ve made here as I say goodbye to UCCS and Colorado.

I have to say, UCCS was not my first choice when looking at colleges as I was preparing to leave the Army. I wanted to pursue a degree in journalism, but my husband got stationed at Fort Carson, so I chose to become an English major at UCCS, instead.

When I started, I took the “commuter student”

thing to heart. I came to class, and that’s the only thing I did on campus. I didn’t live in the dorms, and I was quite a bit older than everyone else I met in my classes, so I didn’t bother to try to make friends with them.

That was probably one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in my college career. The UCCS campus – and any college campus, for that matter – is packed full of clubs, organizations and activities that provide knowledge and experience that can’t be gained in the classroom alone.

Eventually, I joined the staff of The Scribe and learned that firsthand. You see, I didn’t even realize that I was missing out until I ceased to be missing out.

When I began interacting with the other students I worked with on staff, I realized the age gap wasn’t as large as I had previously thought. They became my friends, and even more, they became my family. I had found the group of people that shared all of my interests.

On top of that, I got to

know the campus, and it became my home.

Now, I get to walk into the UC each morning to a friendly greeting from Nan at the Information Desk.

Each time I walk past the ROAR office, I get a wave and a hello from Brittany and Nancy (a very loud hello from Brittany).

I go to Clyde’s and chat with Jen while I wait for my lunch. When I go to get a cup of coffee, I wait with bated breath to see if I can get a smile from the guy who never smiles at Jazzman’s. And you know what? He does smile sometimes, and it’s a very nice smile.

I got to learn about campus activities and even participated in many of them. I got to know the members of many clubs and organizations. I got to feel like I was part of a community rather than just a visitor.

I was chosen to take the reins as Editor-in-Chief of The Scribe one year ago, and the experience has proven invaluable. A big part of my job has been to teach and train those under me. But what they

probably didn’t realize is that, at the same time, they have been teaching and training me.

I learned that no matter how good each individual is at their job, working together as a solid team makes everyone’s job easier and makes the end product that much better.

I learned that even when things are going very well, the support of that team makes the rough times seem easy.

I will definitely miss my Scribe family, but I know that the new EIC, Sara Horton, will take excellent care of them. I will rest easily knowing that everything is taken care of.

I will also miss my home at UCCS, but I know that it’s time to move on. I will use all I’ve learned – in the classroom and out – to build a career. I will find a new home in Washington, D.C. and will always keep UCCS in my heart.

The one thing I would like to leave you all with is this: Get involved on campus. Whether it is a club, an organization, a campus job or just partici-

Photo by Alex Gradisher

The symbolic signing of the desk marks the end of Cherise Fantus’ role as the editor-in-chief of the Scribe. pating in campus events, you will gain experience you can’t get anywhere else.

You might make unexpected friends, gain experience in your career field,

or even discover a career interest you didn’t know you had.

There is a wealth of experience all over campus; just make sure you’re not missing out. S

The world is what we make of it, even if yours is UCCS

Matt Sidor msidor@uccs.edu When I transferred to UCCS in the Fall of 2009, I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be here.

At the time, the pursuit of higher education seemed less like a worthy investment of my time and money, and more like an arbitrary piece of paper I needed to get a decent job.

I’d floated in and out of various institutions with a number of declared majors, ranging from astrophysics, to English, to film studies. My passions

lay all over the spectrum and I was hesitant to specialize in any one field of study − which I knew the university system was designed for.

Internally, I was fighting against the philosophy behind higher education while simultaneously realizing the simple fact that I wasn’t going to get very far in life without a degree.

So, six years since I’d first left high school, I was back in college again.

I hadn’t really counted on being accepted to UCCS given my lackluster academic record, but the admissions counselor who reviewed my application must have seen something worthwhile in it, because here I was.

At first, I really didn’t like this school.

Having been at the Boulder campus for a year-and-a-half (and successfully flunked out of it), I naively felt that I could judge the merits of the Colorado Springs campus based on my shal-

low impressions from the larger, more well-known institution.

Boulder has more research. Boulder has more funding. Boulder has a better social atmosphere.

Boulder is an eclectic utopia nestled against the beautiful flatirons where everyone is more important and everyone leads better lives. (Can you tell that I was still bitter about being expelled from Boulder?)

I imagine my story isn’t very different from many other students at this campus, whose first choice may not have been UCCS, but wound up here because of our high school grades or our family’s financial situation. There is a perceived stigma among many young people that a diploma from the University of Colorado is only worthwhile if it has the word “Boulder” next to it.

What I’ve learned over the past three years that I’ve attended UCCS is that the people who carry

around that stigma have probably never even been to the campus, much less taken any coursework here.

I’m here to tell you that, even if UCCS wasn’t your first choice, there is nothing to be ashamed about getting your degree here, because what we have here is a hidden treasure.

UCCS is a hidden gem because of the aforementioned stigma; hidden because of Colorado Springs’ reputation as a city; hidden because of its diverse student population from all socioeconomic backgrounds; hidden because of its small size and even smaller funding levels.

The completion of my own journey through higher education involved finding the determination and the work ethic to finish my coursework; looking back now, I’m honestly not sure I could have accomplished that personal growth at any other institution.

I’ve always believed

the world is what we make of it, and I don’t think UCCS was any exception.

I decided partway through my time at this campus to make the most of everything that was being offered to me here, and this campus is unique in that there is a wealth of opportunities available to undergraduates if you have the drive and the ambition to seek them out.

I took on four different student jobs all over campus (including this one at The Scribe). I also got involved with Student Government Association and a few of the clubs and organizations. Between all of these different jobs, committees and organizations, I sometimes found myself working 50-60 hours a week on top of my full-time course load.

It was exhausting, and in retrospect I might have kept in better health if I’d limited my activities just a bit. However, I wouldn’t take any of it back because through these experiences, I came

to know so many different people on campus across just about every department, organization and field of study.

I gained a valuable sense of work ethic, but more importantly, I gained a holistic cross-discipline education that might not have been possible at a bigger school.

I also credit this campus as the place where I fell in love with my partner and found the acceptance and support to confidently come out of the closet and share my love for him without fear or shame − an experience that many wouldn’t expect to find in the hometown of Focus on the Family, myself included.

I came to this school resigned to getting a piece of paper. I leave now with that piece of paper finally in hand, but what I’ve learned is that the story behind that paper is so much more important than the paper itself.

What will you make out of UCCS? S

Opinion

May 7, 2012

Page 11

Presidential election should focus on issues, not winning

Jesse Byrnes jbyrnes@uccs.edu It’s nearly summer, and we thought the Republican race for the nomination would never end. With such a drawn-out primary season, it seems like the presidential election should be over by now.

But grab your popcorn and Coke, because it’s only intermission. The real fun is about to begin.

We’re down to President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

The two will go all-out in a battle of wit, wisdom and, of course, wealth – OK, maybe just an all-out battle of wealth.

Still, what can we expect for the two campaigns leading up to the general election in November?

As challenger, Romney will continue to push messages of failed leadership, lackluster economic resolution and misguided policy decisions from President Obama’s first four years in office. With traditionally

high unemployment, burgeoning gas prices and low economic confidence, Romney has plenty of fodder to droll up resentment against another Obama term.

The Obama reelection campaign – like all reelection campaigns – will rely on promoting ideals of consistency, trust and big-picture thinking. “An America Built to Last” is supposed to inspire voters to give Obama a second chance in the hopes that he knows what he’s doing and has a bigger plan for the economy. But a handful of bailouts and a few trillion more to the deficit later, the economy clunks along lazily, allowing little room for celebration.

Despite their campaigns’ differences, Obama and Romney have their similarities: both like their teleprompter and mechanical speeches, both love to see themselves in suits and both have a lot of money behind them.

At some point, President Obama has to own the state of the economy based on his own economic policies – he can no longer campaign on the idea that he “inherited this mess” from President Bush.

Similarly, Romney is going to use Obama’s old campaign strategy against him, channeling general government disapproval directly at the president.

Of course, pomp and circumstance will play a role. Successful campaigns need to be healthy, wealthy and wise – and neither campaign is going to lack wealth, with each side committing to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for their campaigns, not to mention the hundreds of millions of dollars tied into the system through both sides’ Super PACs. Should we continue to focus on just Photo by Nick Burns winning? It’s easy to get The real election has just begun; what can we expect in the upcoming months? caught-up in has a higher approval country” and “You’re ideas on how to cut the the glitz and glamour of campaigning rating – sensationalized, digging a hole for our deficit. would The Obama and and nostalgic candidates. nonessential issues in the grandchildren” most important election begin to resonate.

But Romney trains will chug As he highlighted in of our lifetime (aren’t few politicians have the full-steam-ahead to his speech at the White they all?)

– the federal backbone to stand up and November.

Depending on House Correspondents’ Dinner, President Obama government continues to advocate a budget that who blinks first, this race pointed to Romney’s two sustain massive deficit makes necessary cuts to will come down to the increased federal spending. wire – each vote a war Harvard degrees and spending, government breadth and Not surprising, cry for consistency or jokingly said, “What a diminished personal since Democratic Senate change. And during a time snob” – before saying freedom and economic leadership has not when nearly everything that he [Obama] only has security. proposed nor passed a is “unprecedented,” one Harvard degree.

Just when you think budget in three and a Romney has a chance While we focus on who respects dogs the most, that our debt “cannot half years. Though, more to set a precedent and or who has the better be ignored any longer,” legislators on both sides defeat Obama – then vacation home, or whose it gets ignored longer. could rise to the occasion step up to bat and show family looks the most You’d think phrases like and make the gutsy some real leadership in suave, or whose wife “You’re bankrupting our decision to offer up their Washington. S

high school and college years. There are only about eight years when society says that it is universally good to have a “summer” job.

Because of this, those same jobs tend to be scarce unless you’re in a college town. Colorado Springs isn’t really a college town in the same way that Boulder is, for example. This means that summer jobs tend to be difficult to find around here.

This problem ends up hurting out-of-state students the most. Those students will not have the network of family and friends that a local student will probably have, so they won’t have anywhere to go during the

summer – which means living at the dorms and going to class during the summer.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not cool to be forced into a choice like that, especially if the summer semester doesn’t offer any courses that you need. Then you’re stuck not only with the extra course that you have to pay for, as well as the extra $3,000 or so for the summer semester residence.

And that’s if you’re able to get enough financial aid to cover the extra semester – I know I can’t get more financial aid after I’ve finished the spring semester.

The classic summer

Summer jobs are a good idea – if you can afford it

Aaron Collett acollett@uccs.edu There is a very narrow period of time in someone’s life when they experience the phenomenon of the “summer job.” Not only is it a narrow period of time, it’s one of the most tumultuous times in someone’s life – their

job is camp counselor, which tends to be a pretty good deal – if you are willing or have the ability to work for basically no money over the summer.

Also, most camps in this area are of the religious persuasion, and if you’re unwilling to profess faith in their chosen deity, they won’t hire you.

So while that can be a fairly decent job, it’s not available if you happen to be one of the 22 percent of the population that doesn’t identify as Christian, or if you happen to apply for a camp that doesn’t match the denomination that you claim (Evangelical church camps will rarely hire Catholics, for example.)

The other classic option for college students is an internship. Internships can be really great; they’re in your major, and they give awesome job experience. The catch is that most of them are unpaid. So yeah, they’re really good if you can afford to not have a summer job that pays you.

The issue here is not really a lack of summer jobs. The issue is the culture which says that getting a job is super-important during your school years, and yet makes it impossible to do so during those same years.

To a certain degree, this kind of thing is a symptom. Yes, the economy is down right now.

We just had the largest

economic crisis since the Great Depression – and we’re still not completely out of it.

So jobs of any stripe – summer or otherwise – are in short supply. At the same time as jobs are scarce, and a college degree is absolutely required to get a job much above minimum wage, schools are raising their tuition by leaps and bounds.

Summer jobs could be really beneficial – they could give experience to students, and give them a taste of being out in the real world. But the realities of American culture right now make it incredibly hard to either have a job or for it to actually make a difference. S

Page 12

Life on the Bluffs

Invisible Joe

Campus Chatter

May 7, 2012 Lucas Hampton lhampton@uccs.edu

Photos by Alex Gradisher

With the semester slowing its steps, students – in between sleeping and studying for finals – are able to reflect on the passing year . Hopefully, in those rare moments of relief, some students have already begun to set the semester aside and start making summer plans.

Kyle Popish English, Senior What are your plans for the summer?

Working at AAA here in town. I’m graduating, or I would take summer classes.

Will you see your family?

Maybe for a little bit, if I can get a weekend off. They live in Carbondale, Colo.

How are you feeling about graduation?

I’m excited, but it is sad that it is over, the undergraduate portion. I just loved all my classes. I’m coming back for grad school, for public admin, think. I hope to get accepted.

Erin Jones Health and Wellness Promotion, Sophomore What are your plans for the summer?

Hopefully working here at the bookstore, I’ve been working here the past few semesters. I don’t think I’m going to take summer classes; I want to take the summer off. I may go up to Denver a few times with my boyfriend, but that’s about it.

Do you plan on seeing your family?

Photo illustration by Robert Solis, photo elements courtesy of Ianz I live with my parents. and Christopher Owen Jones It’s kind of hard to check your parachute when that is invisible, too. Luckily, Joe’s friends were able to find him based on the large impact crater.

Caption Contest

Fill in Obama’s thought bubble for the chance to win a prize! Turn in your captions to the Scribe office (UC 106) during the first week of the Fall 2012 semester for a chance to win.

How do you feel about the semester ending?

I am very excited! It is not a very fun semester, I guess, as far as classes go. It is just one of those semesters where I want it to be over. I’m finishing up my schedule now [for next semester] and I think it should be good.

Ryan Wilkinson Freshman, Electrical Engineering What are your summer plans?

I plan to get a job and to chill with friends that I haven’t seen in many months. Maybe go to a hookah bar. I’ll probably spend a few days with my family in Strasburg, Colo. … my cousins are [also] coming down, so I’ll probably see them, [and] I’ll probably be moving down here in mid June or early July.

How do you feel now that the semester is almost over?

I [am] just so excited about not having any homework or classes to go to. I can just stay out here and have fun. I love the college life, but just not the classes.

Matt Hand Engineering, Freshman What are your plans for the summer?

I’m going to revisit some old friends of mine – some old friends from high school – play some golf, maybe make a road trip somewhere, longboard for sure … and drink a lot!

Photo by Nick Burns, photo illustration by Alex Gradisher

How do you feel now that the semester is almost over?

I’m so relieved; this semester has been really tough, really tough for everybody, and I’m really glad to get a chance to get away from it all and get an apartment somewhere and get off campus. S

May 7, 2012

Life on the Bluffs

the Scribble

Page 13

Disclaimer: The contents of the Scribble are completely fabricated, peppered with inconsistencies and laced with lies. Any resemblance to the truth found herein is a matter of sheer luck. The Scribble should be approached with a healthy dose of skepticism, and its claims should be taken - if they are taken at all - with many grains of salt.

Charles Manson in prison no more Dick Clark joins the Mayans; now the Duke of Void

uccsscribble@gmail.com At first he was mistaken for another bum. The elderly man barely robed in torn gray clothing and an overgrown beard discovered near campus today, however, was anything but.

Charles Manson, cult leader and mass murderer popularly known for his belief that a race war was coming in the 1960s, was found creeping around in the tunnel that connects the 4-Diamonds Shuttle stop to the University Village Center around 4 p.m.

“I recognized the swastika on his forehead,” said George Crapmypants, the frightened film studies major who stumbled upon Manson while on his way home from the shuttle.

“At first I didn’t even notice him and then he jumped at me – this is gonna sound crazy but you know in those exorcist movies where possessed people get up on ceilings and stuff? That’s what happened, I swear; he came down from above me.”

Chief of Police Tim Rice took the call about the escaped murderer. “When

I first got the call, I expected to be arresting some punk pranking kids, even when I saw him I didn’t believe it … until I saw the psycho in his eyes.”

As soon as word got out that it was Manson who had been stalking unsuspecting students, a large crowd gathered outside Public Safety. “Free Charlie!” chanted one section of students, whose self-identified leader, Rick Freemurderers said, “Charlie should be set free as he was meant to be. He doesn’t believe in killing anymore.”

One student in the group cried in agony to the others, “I walked under that bridge! I could have talked to him.

Why!?”

Others like Rice were not as thrilled.

“I’m just glad that this man is somewhere where he can no longer endanger students.”

Though Manson was only available for comment for a few moments before being whisked off to a secret location on the Bluffs where he will be held until state authorities arrive, (hopefully not where they keep the Chancellor’s champion of change money), when asked if he had anything to say for himself he shouted, “Helter Skelter, baby!” S

world is definitely coming to an end Peter Parker

uccsscribble@gmail.com First Y2K, now the Mayan calendar.

Whether involving the digital world of a new millennium or the prophetic inklings of a past empire, it’s tantalizing to consider situations that pose a threat to the survival of Earth. And it looks like we’re one step closer to seeing those ancient doomsday prophecies coming to a head.

American radio and television personality Richard Wagstaff “Dick” Clark died April 18 at the age of 82. Clark hosted several popular shows in his career, including “Pyramid” and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” People are pointing to his death as a sign that the Mayans were right – the world will end this December, though not for reasons originally considered; instead, because Clark will be unable to usher in the New Year.

“It was bound to happen at some point,” said Sandra Plume, an art-history major at Las Mayans Universidad outside Los Angeles. “Clark was a phenomenal New Year-usher-inner, but we knew at some point we would have to become self-sufficient. And it looks like we failed at that, so the world is coming to an end.”

Some believe the evidence linking Clark and Mayans is too large to ignore.

“[Dick] was famous for his coverage of the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square,” said Professor Eudin Mythlo from South America in a telephone interview Friday. “Little did we know, but the Mayan calendar actually references a ‘square of space where a whole year can pass without haste.’”

Mythlo believes the Mayans were referencing Times Square on New Year’s Eve, where we go from one second to the next and from 2012 to 2013.

Others remain unconvinced.

“We’re still not entirely sure what’s going to happen come December,” historian Grayson Teller said. Teller specializes in mythology and thinks Clark and the Mayans are separate incidents.

“I don’t think they’re related, necessarily,” he said. “Besides, they Mayans have the end of the world pegged at Dec. 21, not midnight Dec. 31. If we’re still around on Dec. 22, I don’t think scrambling to find someone else to usher in 2013 is going to be a big deal.”

Tina Latecomer, an astronomer who dabbles in mythology and philosophy, believes that Clark leaving to join the Mayans this year is “particularly intriguing,” she said.

“There have been reports that instead of a crystal ball dropping this coming New Year’s, viewers will see a fiery ball of destruction fall to Earth. Looks like Dick got out of dodge just in time.” S

Student finds Blue Book paper at Walmart, realizes it’s just notebook paper Elizabeth Luzynski

uccsscribble@gmail.com

Photo by Alex Gradisher

Charles Manson released from prison, takes refuge near UCCS.

You’ve used the booklets for tests in various classes, but have you ever thought that the paper inside looked familiar?

Students were shocked Monday at swirling allegations of a scam involving Blue Books – the testing booklets made of notebook paper. Blanca Parcha, a volunteer student investigator hoping to go into forensics, was at a shopping trip to Walmart when she made the discovery.

“I was at Walmart for – I mean, to pick up something for a friend, when I found something that looked like Blue Book paper,” Parcha, 21, said. “At first it seemed suspicious that the notebook paper looked just like my Blue Book paper. Then I realized that Blue Books are merely just sheets of notebook paper stapled together.”

Parcha said that she has been using Blue Books for several semesters, but has just now realized that they are made of notebook paper.

“I mean, I’m a blonde, but even for me, I’m not sure how I missed that for so long,” Parcha said.

Parcha and a handful of other students are heading up a volunteer student-run watchdog group on campus called People Ousting Liars in Commanding Environments, or POLICE POLICE released a statement saying

that they were “royally displeased” with how long Blue Books have continued to be sold while cheaper paper can be bought elsewhere.

The group sent a media inquiry to Growling Creek Parchment Pieces – the company that produces Blue Books – but did not receive a response.

“If Blue Books are only made out of notebook paper, then why are they so expensive?” wonders POLICE member Trenton Green.

Green, a junior business major, thinks that Blue Books do not make monetary sense when someone could go to Walmart and buy notebook paper for a fraction of the cost. “[Blue Books] should at least come with sample essay outlines in the front cover,” Green said.

Carry Watson, a sophomore communication major, wonders why professors still require students to purchase Blue Books for testing.

“It makes sense to require students to purchase Scantrons since there’s really no other way to do exams and calculate grades for dozens of students in a timely fashion,” Watson said. “But for writing essays, why can’t students just use notebook paper? Blue Books are just stapled pieces of notebook paper, anyway. If I need to bring in a stapler too, I can do that.” S

Sports

Page 14

May 7, 2012

For senior athletes, end of careers are bittersweet Kailey Hernandez

khernand@uccs.edu As the semester slowly finishes, for many, it means the beginning of summer. But for several senior athletes at UCCS, it is also a final farewell to the sport, teammates and school that they have poured their time and energy into for the last four years.

“This year has been bittersweet. Basketball has been my life since the time I was little, but I am definitely ready to face a new challenge in the real world,” expresses senior basketball player Ashley Miller.

For senior softball player Christina Blanton, softball will forever be a part of her life, in spite of the fact that her UCCS

career is over.

“It’s sad knowing this is my last season at this level. It’s hard to grasp the idea that my career is over as a collegiate athlete,” she said.

It’s not just the games that senior basketball player J.T. Isaac will miss. He said he will also “miss the feeling of home games when we are in the locker getting ready for a game or getting hyped with my team or hearing the crowd yell.”

What Blanton will miss most about playing at UCCS are the friendships she formed while playing softball.

“All the UCCS athletes are like family,” she said.

Miller finds that what she will miss most is not the blackout games or thrilling games. For her it

is “just the idea of being a college-athlete, because there’s a lot of pride associated with that tag.”

As with any athlete whose playing career is ending, these three hope that when others look back at their careers, people will recognize not only their accomplishments on the field, but also the impact they had on their teammates.

“I want to be that player that the AD (Athletic Director) uses as an example and other coaches talk about,” states Blanton. “I want them to know that I worked hard all four years.”

As for Miller, “I want people to know that I cared about my teammates and would

Olympics sure to deliver excitement, drama Ryan Adams radams3@uccs.edu

Olympics, Phelps won a record eight gold medals, a feat that had never been accomplished before in the history of the Olympics. This time around, the competition for those gold medals will be even more intense as fellow U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte

Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin and Alicia Sacramone may not even have a spot on the team. It will “Faster, higher, stronbe interesting to see how ger.” These three words this affects Team U.S.A. are synonymous with the and whether or not they Olympics, and are plastered will be the powerhouse in all over the U.S. Olympic the gymnastic events this Training Center in downyear. town Colorado Springs.

One final story line In accordance with their for the 2012 Summotto, the U.S. team is mer Olympic Games (and has been) training is one that is as old as hard in an attempt to the games itself: the run faster, jump higher crowning of the world’s and perform stronger at fastest man. the upcoming Summer “I enjoy a lot of the Olympics in London. sporting events, but To many, the Olymthe 100 meter race is pics are a can’t-miss by far my favorite,” event. Freshman Drew stated Rieck. “ObviRieck is one of those ously, Usain Bolt is the people. “I like the Olym- Logo courtesy of logowall- overwhelming choice pics because it is cool paper.net to win the event, but to see what countries I like seeing the chalhave the best athletes,” looks to battle Phelps for lenge between the comhe stated. “Of course I some of the attention (and petitors for fastest man. I am patriotic and will root hardware). ran the 100 meter in high for Team U.S.A., but it’s The swimming events, school and that is one of always interesting to see scheduled for July 28 to the reasons I like watching what other countries will Aug. 4, will definitely world class athletes run it,” bring to the games, too.” bring some high drama and he added.

For the 2012 games should not be missed, as it The 2012 Summer that start on July 27, there has turned into one of the Olympic Games will defiwill be a bevy of interest- premier events to watch. nitely be full of intrigue, ing story lines that will Another prolific sto- drama and controversy as spark intrigue, yet again, ryline will be the make-up they always are. While the for spectators around the of the U.S. Gymnastics games are coming up soon, globe. One athlete that team. Being the heavy fa- you can bet that the U.S. the world will be watch- vorite, the U.S. team has Olympic Training Center ing with a focused eye is plenty of talent, but there will be bustling with athMichael Phelps, as well as are a lot of fresh faces tak- letes looking to fulfill that the rest of the U.S. swim ing over.

Olympic motto and bring team.

Veterans we have come the gold back home from In the 2008 Beijing to know and love like London. S

do anything for any one of them. Being a college athlete isn’t all about sports; it’s about the relationships you build with friends, teammates, coaches, administrators and professors.”

Besides striving to push his teammates to perform their best, Isaac states, “When people hear about J.T. Isaac, I would

like them to know I loved to laugh and smile and

played every game like it was my last.” S

Photos by Ariel Lattimore

Above: Senior Basketball player J.T. Isaac (left) and senior softball player Christina Blantons have had successful college athletic careers.

Left: Basketball player Ashley Miller will miss being a collegeathlete.

Sports

May 7, 2012

Page 15

Johnnie Keen prepared to lead men’s soccer team forward Ryan Adams radams3@uccs.edu

After serving two seasons as the assistant coach for the UCCS men’s soccer team, Johnnie Keen has been promoted to head coach for the Fall 2012 season. Keen, who began his coaching tenure at UCCS in July 2010, is excited to lead the team and continue the momentum that former coach Sean Ellis had built his final few years.

“My goal as the head coach now is to really just retain as many players as we have and lead the guys the way we have been going the past couple years,” stated Keen. “Coach Ellis had these guys going in a good direction and I hope to do the same when I am head coach.”

Keen, who has coached soccer for 12 years, said that his responsibilities as an assistant coach will really help him make the transition to head coach.

“When I was assistant coach, I mainly handled the training sessions for the team,” stated Keen.

“I would train the team on a daily basis and get them ready and in shape to take on the season. Besides doing that, I would also make the travel plans for the team when we went on the road, too.”

Having been with the team for two seasons and trained with them nearly every day, Keen feels like the players already know what he brings to the table as far as coaching and that will pay dividends throughout the season.

“We have a good core of players coming back this year, Photo by Nick Burns many of which I As the new head coach of men’s soccer, Johnnie Keen leads his team from the front by demonstrating all the skills he exhave trained with pects from his students. the last couple seasons,” stated season,” he added.

Keen was a professional Champion in 2003, and game and work hard out Keen. “Continuing to reAside from his time soccer player from 2002- hopes to bring some of on the field,” said Keen. tain players will be one at UCCS, Keen has com- 2004 for the Wilmington things he learned from “I think if I can get them of my goals as a coach piled an impressive re- Hammerheads and was those experiences to the to do that, we will continand I think that will help sume. According to the team captain in 2004. team at UCCS. ue to be a good team like us reach another goal of UCCS athletics website, Keen was also a D2 Pro “In the end, I just want we were under Coach Elmaking the playoffs each gomountainlions.com, Select League National the guys to enjoy the lis.” S

Myriad sporting opportunies available over summer Tyler Bodlak tbodlak@uccs.edu For sports fans around the globe, this summer can’t come fast enough.

The Olympics will soon be here, Lebron James will once again choke in the playoffs, the Tour de France might crown a champion that rides by the rules (kidding) and, well, the Olympics will soon be here. But for sports fans in Colorado Springs, there is more to this summer than just the Olympics.

NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships Dates: May 24-26 Location: Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl, Pueblo, Colo.

The skinny: This year, CSU-Pueblo was selected to host the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships.

For students who are fans of track and field, making the short drive to Pueblo for the championships

would be worthwhile.

Also, as UCCS is a Division II school, it is likely that one or more Mountain Lion athletes will be competing at the championships, as well.

Tough Mudder Dates: June 9-10 Location: Beaver Creek, Colo.

The skinny: The Tough Mudder is one of the most demanding obstacle courses in existence. Designed by British Special Forces, the Mudder is a 10-12 mile course that will test your stamina, strength, teamwork and mental will.

With this in mind, the Tough Mudder makes sure that its participants will be anything but bored. There will be running, sure, but it won’t be anything like a marathon (an event that Mudder officials recognize as supremely boring). Competitors will zig and zag their way to the finish line, splashing through mud, water and everything in between to get there.

Despite the fact that completing the Mudder is no simple feat, the Tough Mudder is not to be taken overly seriously. At the finish line, event organizers will provide participants will beer, smiles and a live band, intent on making sure that everyone has a blast.

If you are interested in participating in the Tough Mudder, it is not too late to sign up. Information can be found online at toughmudder.com Pikes Peak Hill Climb Date: July 8 Location: Pikes Peak Toll Road The skinny: First completed in 1916, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb is the second oldest motor sports race in America. The race course is 12.42 miles long and features 156 turns before finishing at the summit of Pikes Peak. Drivers will climb nearly 5,000 feet during the course of the race. This year, the race has 16 classes and nearly 200 drivers.

In the week leading up to the actual race, there will be a variety of race related events including motorcycle jumpers, beer gardens and live bands.

For more information on the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, visit usacracing. com/ppihc.

tent on growing the sports.

There will also be a trade show that will include giveaways, competitions and opportunities to meet the athletes. The opening ceremony for the event will be on July 4, with the actual competition beginning on July 5.

U.S. Open Ultimate Championships Dates: July 5-8 Location: U.S. Air Force Academy

World Softball and Boxing Championships Dates: Aug. 2-11 Location: UCCS

The skinny: This summer, Colorado Springs will play host to the inaugural U.S. Open, a major international Ultimate Frisbee competition and convention. The event hopes to draw more than 20 teams and 600 athletes from around the globe to compete for the championship.

The competition is an invitation-only event, but the convention is open to anyone who wishes to promote and advance the sport of Ultimate.

The convention will feature a number of speakers and discussion groups in-

The skinny: In January, the city of Colorado Springs was awarded with the right to host both the World Softball and World Boxing Championships. The events are open to all student athletes that have not been graduated for more than a year and are between 17 and 28 years old.

Combined, the two competitions are expected to bring more than 300 athletes and officials from 30 countries to Colorado Springs.

The boxing championships will be held at the Gallogly Events Center,

while the softball event will be conducted at Four Diamonds. Athletes will be housed at Summit and Alpine village residence halls.

USA Pro Cycling Challenge Dates: Aug. 20-26 Location: Colorado (one stage in Colorado Springs) The skinny: The USA Pro Cycling Challenge is a seven-day stage race throughout the Colorado Rockies. Before the race is completed, riders will tally over 650 miles on their bikes, beginning in Durango and finishing in Denver.

On Aug. 23, competitors will begin the day in Breckenridge and finish in Colorado Springs. While in the Springs, riders will climb through Garden of the Gods before finishing the stage downtown.

For more information on the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, and specifically on the Colorado Springs stage, visit RideStage5.com. S

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