the
Volume 117, Issue 15
VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”
vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista ucentralmedia.com Tuesday, January 28, 2019
Kendra Horn Speaks on Student Debt Lauren Morris & Xunhong Zhou @thevista1903 REPORTER & CONTRIBUTING WRITER
United States Congresswoman Kendra Horn held a town hall on Jan. 23 at the University of Central Oklahoma in the Liberal Arts South lecture hall to talk about student debt. To start the town hall, Horn polled the room to determine how many people had or will have student loan debt. Nearly all in attendance raised their hands. “Why does this matter?” Horn said. “If it were achievable for everybody to repay it...we wouldn’t be having the conversations we’re having today.” Continued on Pg. 3 Oklahoma Congresswoman Kendra Horn speaks to UCO students in the Liberal Arts’ South Lecture Hall on Thursday, Jan. 23. The congresswoman’s focus during the meeting was student loan debt. (Cici Simon/The Vista)
Lakers Legend Killed in Helicopter Crash Maury “Kevin” Blair @mauryb007
REPORTER
Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant acknowledges fans after the last NBA basketball game of his career on April 13, 2016 against the Utah Jazz in Los Angeles. Bryant died in a helicopter crash in California on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. He was 41. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, file)
Former Los Angeles Laker star Kobe Bryant, 41, and eight others died in a helicopter crash that occurred at approximately 10 a.m Sunday near Calabasas, California, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The AP report indicated the crash occurred on a steep hillside in dense morning fog. Bryant’s daughter Gianna, 13, is confirmed as one of the others killed in the crash. Those killed in the crash include John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli and Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Ara
Zobayan, Sarah Chester and Payton Chester. According to the NBA website, Bryant began his 19-year career with the Lakers in the 1996-97 season, where he averaged 25 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. His jersey number was 24. According to the AP, fellow basketball great Michael Jordan said of Bryant, “Words can’t describe the pain I am feeling. I loved Kobe — he was like a little brother to me. We used to talk often, and I will miss those conversations very much. He was a fierce competitor, one of the greats of the game and a creative force.” Photo Story on Pg. 15
CAMPUS CHAT
SPORTS
AROUND CAMPUS
Want More Transparency Regarding Your Tuition?
Broncho Baseball Season Opening Day
A Look Into the Check Out What’s Impeachment Trial of Happening On Your See Pg. 8 Pres. Trump Campus See Pg. 4
See Pg. 5
See Pg. 13
NATIONWIDE
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the
January 28, 2019
Contents
VISTA
Content
UCOSA/Kendra Horn...................................................................3 Around Campus...........................................................................4 Campus Chat...............................................................................5 Accident/Buddy’s.....................................................................6 Impeachment Timeline................................................................8 Impeachment Timeline................................................................9 Brock Warren..............................................................................10 School of Design........................................................................11 MAPS 4......................................................................................12 Basketball Recaps......................................................................13 Bucking Broncho........................................................................14 Kobe Photo Story........................................................................15
Staff Jeff Elkins Haley Humphrey CiCi Simon Megan Thele JaNae Williams Kevin Blair Lauren Morris Chelsye Bacon Teddy Burch
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
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Reporter Reporter Reporter Photographer Adviser
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
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On the Cover:
Left: Christeah Foster, UCO professional media student, smiles for a Campus Chat photo. (Bailey Bussell/The Vista) Left Middle: University of Central Oklahoma infielder Phillip Scott prepares to swing during a home game last season at Wendell Simmons Field. (Provided/BronchoSports) Right Middle: Student Alliance for Equality (SAFE) student volunteer speaks to other students on campus about the organization during the 2020 Winter Involvement Fair. (Bailey Bussell/The Vista) Right: In this image from video, White House counsel Pat Cipollone walks to the podium to begin the presentation of the case by the defense during the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 25, 2020. (Senate Television via AP)
UCOSA/Kendra Horn
January 28, 2020
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Transparency is New Goal for UCOSA
Deveron Shannon, vice chair of UCOSA’s Ways and Means Committee, speaks at UCOSA meeting in November 2019. The first UCOSA meeting of the spring semester took place Monday afternoon. (Vista Archives)
Lauren Morris @TheVista1903 REPORTER
The University of Central Oklahoma Student Association conducted it’s first meeting Monday, and officers said multiple changes and improvements are in progress. Chair of Congress James Limbaugh said one of the large changes that will impact UCOSA’s future that occurred last semester was that senators now must be elected into the position, while before all they
had to do was sign up. “It makes senators more respectable to their position, and understand they’re there for a reason,” Limbaugh said. “They have people they’re actually representing, and they’re [going to] have to keep that up if they want to retain that position...There’s a lot more passion behind it.” Vice Chair Emma Sawyer said she feels like there has been a correlation between senator involvement and senators being elected. “[They’re] really excited to be
senators and do really good things. We saw that level of engagement rise versus years prior,” Sawyer said. “I think, overall, more people know about UCOSA and what we do and how we do it.” Sawyer also said since they now have one semester of electing senators down, they can create legislation to make the process smoother for the future. Secretary Dillon Rasberry said one of UCOSA’s goals is to be more transparent and engaging with the upcoming student body election. “We want more undecided voters coming,” Rasberry said. “We want a bigger voter turnout for our elections.” The applications for executive positions open on Feb. 3 and close on Feb. 24. Any student is allowed to apply, but must take a test consisting of questions about the UCOSA Constitution and Bylaws. The presidential and vice presidential town hall meeting will be April 6, and the election for the new student body representatives will be the next day. “We’re hoping to do one more
town hall with the executive members again before the presidential town hall,” Rasberry said. There is also an update on the judiciary committee. In Oct. 2019, UCOSA’s Congress discussed what to do with the current judiciary branch of the association. Students will have a primary committee they are a part of but will act on the judiciary committee if a need arises. Limbaugh said the judicial branch has only been used a few times in the last decade. There are also changes in how Freshman Council, which is currently run by Sawyer, will go. Sawyer said that the council is working with other organizations to plan a festival, but that the details of the event are not worked out yet. Limbaugh said improvements he wanted for the spring semester include scheduling the executive meetings better, more senators writing their own legislation, teaching the senators on the legislation process more clearly and being more efficient in posting legislation.
Congresswoman Horn Comments on Student Debt Continued from pg. 1
Horn said that 42 million people, or one in six American adults, carry a federal student loan, and that the amount adds up to $1.6 trillion, citing a U.S. News article from Nov. 1, 2019. “In the past six years, two million people have defaulted on their student loans and student loan debts,” Horn said. Horn also said she is still paying off her own student loans. “I’m fortunate that I was able to get a good education,” Horn said. “I had the opportunity to get the loans that allowed me to get the education that propelled me into my career, and to be able to make those choices, and I’m also very fortunate that at the time I graduated my student loan interest were pretty low...and yet I’m still paying.” Horn said that her main issue with student debt is that interest rates are too high and that debt forgiveness programs are impossibly hard to navigate. Student loan interest rates are between 7-10 percent and private student loans have rates up to 16 percent. “That’s credit card interest, that’s not student loan interest,” Horn said. “It’s a burden on students, a burden on the economy and a burden on our future. It’s hard to see that far forward when you’re just trying to make ends meet.”
Horn said she believed the solution is not to completely get rid of student loans. “I certainly know that it’s not my desire to have it wiped out, but what the solution in my view is that we have to come up with practical solutions,” Horn said. “Solutions that are both fair to students and to taxpayers...to those who hold the debt, and to those who’ve paid it off.” Several members of the audience, asked questions concerning student loans and forgiveness and also shared experiences about paying for education as veterans, single-income households or parents. Horn said someone could be under
a program that would forgive student loans, but the person must commit 10 years to public service. During those 10 years, the person is told they are in compliance with the guidelines, but after 10 years, they are told they were not actually in compliance and that their debt cannot be forgiven. One solution Horn presented was to have increments of two, four, six and eight years so that people could get some debt forgiveness along the way, without an all or nothing scenario. Student body Vice President Christian Coleman asked Horn how the people of the United States could support all sides of higher education. “I talk to students day in and day
Kendra Horn discussed student loans, loan forgiviness and the struggle of millenial students at a town hall meeting on UCO’s campus. The national student loan debt sum has reached more than $1.5 trillion. (The Vista/CiCi Simon)
out about how they’re [going to] pay for their education,” Coleman said. “I hear these stories every day, and then I’ll come back the next semester, and I don’t see the student in the classroom… When we look at a government that will invest two trillion into our own forces — and yes, that’s great to protect our grounds we call home— but at the same time when we have students...and all they want to do is get an education to make their own money, to take care of their people and to feed the economy, and they can’t do that because the government doesn’t see the value in their higher education.” Horn stressed the importance of three things: asking questions, talking to others and voting. “Young people between the ages of 18 and 24 are the lowest voting group in the entire United States,” Horn said. “And you have a lot of power to ask questions of each other, of elected officials, to change that dynamic and that dialogue.” The first vote in Oklahoma for the 2020 presidential election will be March 3. The deadline to register to vote is Feb. 7.
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January 28, 2020
Around Campus
A student helping the Pre Vet and Animal Welfare Club set up their booth to talk to students at the winter involvement fair. Each semester students organize tables around Broncho Lake so the campus community can learn about organizations and involvement opportunities on campus and around Edmond. (Bailey Bussell/The Vista)
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Swipe Your Pride: From 12:30-2:30 p.m. at Broncho Lake Clock Tower, the Student Programming Board invites students to swap any gently used clothing items for a UCO shirt. All swapped items will be donated to the Hope Center. If the weather is too cold, SPB will move the event inside to the Nigh University Center Second Floor Atrium.
TED x UCO: From 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Lillard Administration Building Room 110, TED x UCO will host a luncheon. The menu includes Qdoba burrito bowls, and guests will watch and discuss TED x UCO and TED Talks.
UCOSA Freshman Council Meeting: From 4-5 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Room 201, freshman students will have their first bimonthly meeting to learn the ins and outs of UCOSA and how they can use the organization to make an impact on the campus community. Relationship Builder 101: From 4-5 p.m. in Thatcher Hall Room 339, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will focus on the building blocks of creating and maintaining secure relationships with everyone. Students will learn and process what makes relationships tick, they will also work toward building their own sense of confidence and security.
Thursday, January 30, 2020 CMS Spring 2020 Seminar with Muralidharan Jayaraman, Ph.D.: From 4-5 p.m. in the STEM Building Room 101, the Student Transformative Learning Record will host a seminar with Muralidharan Jayaraman, Ph.D., director of NIH MTCRO-COBRE Biospecimen Core; director, Research Shared Resource Operations; core leader, Cancer Functional Genomics Core facility, Stephenson Cancer Center; and assistant professor of Research, Department of Cell Biology University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Jayaraman will be presenting Core Facilities at Stephenson Cancer Center, a NCI-Designated Center. WBB vs Missouri Western: The women’s basketball team will take on
Missouri Western State University at 5:30 p.m. inside Hamilton Fieldhouse. UCO students can attend the game for free.
Baseball vs Henderson State: Broncho baseball will host Henderson State University at Wendell Simmons Field at 7 p.m.
MBB vs Missouri Western: The men’s basketball team will also take on Missouri Western State University at 7:30 p.m. inside Hamilton Fieldhouse. UCO students can attend the game for free.
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Friday, January 31, 2020 Mister and Miss UCO International Pageant Informational Tea: From 12-1:30 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Will Rogers Room 421, UCO International Student Council asks that students come to learn information on how to be the next King and Queen of UCO International Royalty. Students will get information on the application process, requirements, and the pageant. Miss Black UCO Pageant Practice: From 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Room 320 B, contestants of the scholarship pageant will practice to compete for the title of Miss Black UCO 2020 on Feb. 15.
Miss Black UCO Pageant Practice: From 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Room 320 B, contestants of the scholarship pageant will practice to compete for the title of Miss Black UCO 2020 on Feb. 15. Monday, February 3, 2020 #METOO: From 1-2 p.m. in Thatcher Hall Room 339, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being is providing a safe and confidential space for female-identified survivors of sexual assault or any form of abuse to feel supported, empowered and validated. UCOSA Congressional Meeting: From 4-5 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Will Rogers Room 421, the UCO Student Association will have its weekly meeting to pass legislation and discuss campus concerns.
Campus Chat
January 28, 2020
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Would you like more transparency regarding your tuition dollars?
Logan Agneloo, Business Management, junior: “Yeah, probably, I’ve had a few complications. I think they can go more in-depth with it and explain what each fee is for.”
Steven Oloba, Business Finance, junior: “I would. As a transfer student, I’m new to the system. I’d like to know when the tuition money will hit my account.”
Nina Dayo, Forensics and Criminal Justice, sophomore: “Yes, I think that’s something I would like to have. Sometimes I’ll look at my account and think, Where did these charges come from? So, I think it would be really good to have a layout of extra charges. A lot of those things really aren’t shown.”
Jeremy Dickinson, Psychology, junior: “I suppose I would. I mean it’s all pretty cut and dry right now. I’d like to know how much I’m approved for.”
Gunnar Tignor, Interpersonal Communications, junior: “A little bit, maybe just have notifications on how much money I have in my account. It’d be nice to know when something is covered and what changes.”
Christeah Foster, Professional Media, freshman: “Definitely, I believe if there was some type of resource that we could look at that would show how our tuition is being dispersed it would be a really good feature for us to know how our funds are being used.”
Briana Lopez, Nursing, freshman: “Yes, I would. I just feel like it’s better to know what you’re getting yourself into.”
Noelia Maldonado, Nursing, freshman: “For sure, yes. I feel like you should be able to know when you start how much money you’re going to waste in college.”
Laura Nurbyek, Nursing, freshman: “Yeah, that would be nice. Right now I’m just paying a lot of money and I’m like, ‘I don’t know what it’s going toward, but I have to pay it for my education, so I’ll just do it.’”
Kayla Shaw, Actuarial Science, senior: “Yes, I don’t really know what all is going toward it. It just keeps getting higher. It seems like I don’t really know what all I’m paying for.”
Daniel Brock, History Education, junior: “I would, I don’t know enough on that topic. Where is it going? What is it being spent on? Where is tuition money going? That’s what I’d like to know.”
Grayson Kashwer, Accounting, junior: “Yes, because I think I looked the other day and I couldn’t figure out how much each class cost. That was something I kind of wanted to know and I wasn’t really sure how to figure that out.”
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January 28, 2020
Dumpster/Buddy’s
No Record of Charges Filed in Dumpster Crash Maury “Kevin” Blair @mauryb007 REPORTER
As of Jan. 24, the Oklahoma Supreme Court Network (OSCN) website shows no charges have been filed against a man that crashed into a dumpster in Edmond on Dec. 29, reportedly injuring a University of Central Oklahoma student. The driver of the car was attempting suicide after an argument with his significant other, according to Emily Ward, Edmond Police public infor-
mation specialist. Ward said Jahuan Long admitted to “getting into his car, closing his eyes and punching the gas pedal as hard as he could to crash into the dumpsters in a suicide attempt.” Long’s vehicle collided with another car before hitting the dumpster, Ward said. According to Ward, a female was throwing away trash when Long struck the dumpsters. Ward said the female was knocked “approximately 80 feet into the tree line.” The victim told officers she was a
UCO student, according to Ward, and was taken to the OU Trauma One Center where she was released the next day “with a lot of scrapes and bruises and a fractured hand.” Long was arrested for reckless driving, was medically cleared for transport and Oklahoma County was notified of his suicide attempt, Ward said. Right: Jahuan Long stands for his mugshot following his arrest for crashing into a dumpster on Dec. 29. As of yet, no charges have been filed. (Provided/Edmond Public Information)
Bye Bye Buddy’s: Clearing the Way for Park Space Haley Humphrey @HaleyBHumphrey MANAGING EDITOR
A new park space for students will replace the area currently occupied by Buddy’s on the University of Central Oklahoma campus following its demolition. “The new park will bring back green space lost with the construction of Bausher Place, and hopefully create new opportunities for events and interactions,” said Kevin Tero, assistant director of Architectural and Engineering Services at UCO. Lingo Construction began taking apart pieces of Buddy’s on Jan. 7 and demolition will continue over the next few months. The construction company also built Bausher Place, the newest building on campus that houses offices and Ayers Kitchen, the dining hall replacing Buddy’s. The park’s design has not been finalized, but will take up approximately 1.75 acres, according to Tero. “We hope [the park] will encourage
A pile of rubble from the beginnings of the Buddy’s Cafeteria demolition is picked up bit-by-bit for disposal on Tuesday, Jan. 2. The building is expected to be completely torn down this spring. (The Vista)
students in the residence halls to hang out outside and get to know their neighbors in other halls,” said Scott Monetti, UCO Housing director.
While a final cost for the demolition of Buddy’s will be determined at the end of January, Tero said the overall estimation for the teardown and the creation of the park is $600,000. Multiple university sources are funding these projects, but Campus Enterprises is the primary source, according to Tero. The Housing and Dining office falls under the Campus Enterprises umbrella. A majority of the demolition is expected to be finished by the end of March, and construction for the park will immediately follow, according to Tero. The park will be completed by the beginning of the summer if inA pile of rubble from the beginnings of the Buddy’s Cafeteria demolition is picked up bit-by-bit for disposal on Tuesday, Jan. 2. The building is expected to be completely torn down this spring. (The Vista)
clement weather does not delay the progress.
Movers from Missouri load in remaining furniture from Buddy’s site on Jan. 27. The building is expected to be demolished to make room for a new park area this spring. (Jeff Elkins/The Vista)
Impeachment Timeline
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A Look at the Presidential Impeachment Trial The Vista Staff @TheVista1903
As the United States barrells in to only the third impeachment trial the nation has seen, it’s important to keep a watchful eye on the events that have and will unfold. The Vista Staff has compiled a comprehensive timeline of events, beginning with the infamous phone call between United States president Donald J. Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. While the trial is far from over, we encourage you to follow along with the trial here, and through national news outlets, to stay involved and informed in the democracratic process of our nation.
August 12, 2019 - The July 10, 2019 - Ukrainian officials arrive
at the White House and allegedly learn that their government’s relationship with the United States, as well as almost $400 million in military aid, is dependant on Ukrainian President Zelensky publicly launching an investigation in to United States presidential candidate Joe Biden.
whistleblower files a complaint with Inspector General of the Intelligence Community Michael Atkinson.
July 2019
August 2019
July 25, 2019 - The infamous
In this Sept. 25, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the InterContinental Barclay New York hotel during the United Nations General Assembly, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
November 13, 2019 - The first
day of public hearings begins. William Taylor testifies again, as well as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George P. Kent.
November 4, 2019 - Sondland
testifies for a second time, now stating that he does recall a quid pro quo with Zelensky. He adds that he doesn’t recall any other key details from that time, nor does he remember how many times he spoke to President Trump on the phone.
November 2019
November 6, 2019 - Testimony
phone call between President Trump and President Zelensky takes place. Details published on the Ukrainian president’s official website later that day stated that Trump encouraged Zelensky to “complete investigation of corruption cases, which inhibited the interaction between Ukraine and the United States. Trump later denied pressuring Ukraine and called the phone call “absolutely perfect”.
November 15, 2019 - Former US ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch testifies, claiming that Giuliani worked with Ukrainians who were angered by her.
December 3, 2019 - Following multiple
testimonies, the House Intelligence Committee releases a report stating the impeachment inquiry had found that President Trump had “personally and acting through agents within and outside of the US government, solicited the interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, to benefit his re-election.”
December 5, 2019 - Speaker of the House
Nancy Pelosi announces that the committee will begin drafting articles of impeachment.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., arrives at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Jan. 10, 2020. Pelosi hasn’t relayed the articles of impeachment to the Senate for trial three weeks since President Donald Trump was impeached on charges of abuse and obstruction. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
December 2019 December 10, 2019 - The Judiciary Committee
unveils two articles of impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
from acting US Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor is published. He cites two White House officials as stating that November 21, 2019 Trump would not “sign a check” for the Former Senior Director for military aid until Ukraine completed Europe and Russia, Fiona Hill, their end of the deal. According to testifies at the National Security Taylor, Trump wanted Zelensky to “go Council. to a microphone and say he is opening investigations of Biden and 2016 November 20, 2019 - Sondland is election interference.” called to testify publicly and again states that there was a quid pro quo.
December 12, 2019 - The
House Judiciary Committee deliberates over the articles in a highly charged debate for over 14 hours.
December 18, 2019 -
The House votes in favor of the two articles of impeachment.
December 13, 2019 - The panel approves
the articles on a party-line 23-17 vote, making Trump the fourth US president in history to face impeachment by the House.
Impeachment Timeline
9
October 29, 2019 - Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, director
for European Affairs for the US National Security Council, tells investigators that the transcript of the July 25 phone call released by the White House had some crucial omissions. “I did not think it was proper to demand that a foreign government investigate a US citizen,” Lt. Col. Vindman said.
October 17, 2019 - US Ambassador Sondland
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., accompanied by the impeachment managers, speaks to reporters, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
testifies that he took Trump at his word that there was no quid pro quo with Ukraine. He also tells lawmakers that Giuliani’s efforts to persuade Ukraine to investigate Trump’s political rivals “kept getting more insidious”.
September 2019
October 2019 September 25, 2019 -
September 9, 2019 - Atkinson
notifies Democratic Chairman of House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, of an “urgent concern” regarding a whistleblower. However, Joseph Maguire, acting Director of National Intelligence, blocks communication of the full report. On the same day, three House committees launch investigation of alleged efforts by President Trump, his lawyer Rudy Giuliani and others to pressure Ukraine with the intent of helping Trump’s re-election. Committees request information on the July 25 phone call between Trump and Zelensky.
President Trump releases the transcript for the July 25 phone call.
September 24, 2019 - Democratic
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announces the formal impeachment inquiry.
October 22, 2019 - Acting US
Ambassador to Ukraine, William Taylor, tells investigators he was told more than once, by Sondland and others, that US military aid to Ukraine depended on a public declaration of an investigation into Biden.
October 8, 2019 - White House
announces it will not cooperate with the congressional investigation. US Ambassador Gordon Sondland, allegedly central to the Trump administration’s efforts to pressure Ukraine, is ordered to not testify.
October 31, 2019 - House conducts first vote on the impeachment inquiry, formalizing the process for public hearings. The House votes 232-196, and the process moves forward.
January 16, 2020 - Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts
is sworn into his presiding role. He then swears in the Senate’s 100 representatives, who will act as jury in the impeachment trial. House managers arrive at the Senate.
January 2, 2020 – Unredacted emails reveal that the Pentagon repeatedly warned that a freeze on funding military aid was in violation of the law, but that Office of Management and Budget Official Duffey had “clear direction from POTUS to continue to hold”.
January 7, 2020 -
Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell accuses Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of delaying the referral of the articles of impeachment.
In this Jan. 15, 2020, file photo, Clerk of the House Cheryl Johnson carries the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
January 2020 December 22, 2019 -
New documents are released following a freedom of information lawsuit.
January 15, 2020 – The articles
January 20, 2020 - The House and White House trade briefs that
lay out their official arguments. Mitch McConnell introduces a set of rules which will govern the impeachment trial, including the length of arguments allowed.
of impeachment of President Trump are delivered to the Senate, beginning the third impeachment trial of a US president in history. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi names her team of seven “impeachment managers”.
January 25, 2020 -
White House lawyers begin to lay out oral arguments in defense of the president.
January 22, 2020 - The Senate hears opening arguments from the House’s impeachment managers. President Trump sets a record for presidential tweeting in one day, hitting 125 tweets. Most of these were retweets about the impeachment process.
All images provided by AP Photo Exchange. Additional Information from The Week, CBS News, Politico, and Factbase.
January 31, 2020 - Debate within
the Senate regarding whether or not to subpeona witnesses and seek additional documents from Trump administration expected to begin.
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January 28, 2020
Brock Warren
Scholarship To Be Offered in Remembrance of UCO Alumnus Haley Humphrey @haleybhumphrey MANAGING EDITOR
The Brock Warren Memorial Scholarship will be offered for the first time at the University of Central Oklahoma on April 3 at the Mass Communication Awards ceremony in honor of a professional media alumnus who recently died. The scholarship was created in honor of Brock Warren, who died Dec. 30 from a probable pulmonary embolism, a blockage in one of the lung’s arteries. “We welcome donations of all amounts and hope some of the [alumni] who graduated with him will contribute whatever they can afford,” said Desiree Hill, mass communication professor. Warren, 24, was active in the professional media program, and was an anchor for UCentral News. His passions within and outside of journalism included writing, politics and sports. Hill said his personality traits and professional attitude enveloped the highest journalistic standards that are taught at UCO. The Broken Arrow native was a
UCO wrestler until his junior year with many accolades, such as placing fourth in a MIAA tournament, Fort Hays State Open and Jet Invitational. Warren’s mother Stephanie Wrightsman said Warren had a devotion to exposing corruption in his writing and reporting to ensure the underdog’s story was heard. “He had a drive for truth,” Wrightsman said. Hill and professional media student Anthony Mellendorf noted Warren’s dedication to political reporting at the Capitol while he was also a UCentral anchor during his last semester at UCO. “He was one of the most knowledgeable people I have ever met,” Mellendorf said. “It seemed to me that his brain was like an encyclopedia of information.” Warren had no problem talking to people he did not know either. Mellendorf and Hill both said Warren was always a friendly and positive influence on those around him. “He treated all of his colleagues equally,” Hill said. “He mentored those who needed a helping hand.” People mattered to Warren, and Wrightsman said growing up, Warren
UCO alumnus Brock Warren, 24, died on Dec. 30 from a probable pulmonary embolism. A scholarship is being named in Warren’s honor in the Mass Communication Department, where he was a professional media major. (Provided/UCentral Media)
had a zero tolerance for bullying. “I will definitely miss his infectious personality, his positivity and his re-
spectfulness toward faculty and classmates alike,” said Mark Scott, mass communication professor.
School of Design
January 28, 2020
11
New Year, New Status and Facilities for UCO Design Jeff Elkins @JeffElkins12
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
In an effort to accommodate for growth, the recently distinguished University of Central Oklahoma School of Design will turn the former St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on the west side of campus into a new facility for the program. Steven Hansen, dean of the UCO College of Fine Arts and Design, said as of right now, the school is maxed out on space. “We can’t continue to grow because we don’t have room,” Hansen said. “Every classroom is booked 200 percent and we are in Evans Hall classrooms from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.” Once renovations on the building, located at 326 E First St., are complete, the school will no longer have to operate above capacity. “Acquiring new space for the School of Design will benefit all our other programs, as well as open up spaces in the [Max Chambers] Library and Communication building for other academic units,” Hansen said. “We will finally have a bit of room to grow.” Funds for the facility were saved over the last three years internally and the school hopes to supplement that through fundraising and philanthropy. The new space is still unnamed, but Hansen said there are multiple opportunities to have classrooms, galleries and workspaces named after donor families or businesses. The acquisition and renovation of this property is a part of the school’s
The newly elevated University of Central Oklahoma School of Design is launching a capital campaign for the renovations of the UCO-acquired St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, located just west of Central’s campus. Artist renderings created by UCO School of Design faculty depict the building and classroom space after the renovations. (Provided/University Communications)
goal to become one of the top design programs in the United States. “There is a certain David and Goliath attitude that happens in our state because a lot of people consider Oklahoma flyover territory,” Hansen said. “People expect design in Los Angeles, Chicago and places like that, but maybe they’re not expecting fantastic design in Oklahoma City.” Hansen likens the Academy of Contemporary Music’s creation of a
The back side of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church is pictured. Located at 326 E First. St. in Edmond, the church was purchased by UCO to be used for the School of Design. In addition to the building, the church will also pay $1.4 million for the 23 acres near Broadway and Covell Road. (Chelsye Bacon/The Vista)
music hub in Oklahoma City to the School of Design’s vision to forge a hub of design that spokes out of Oklahoma City. However, he said that in order to achieve this, they have to strive to house one of the best design programs in the United States at UCO. “There are other small cities that have become known for design; Minneapolis comes to mind as a place that has major design firms located there,” Hansen said. “The hope is that you attract national design firms that will headquarter here in Oklahoma City because of the concentration of great design and great designers that you can find here.” The design program at UCO has grown 3 to 5 percent annually for the past five years. “This is happening during a time when overall enrollments have dropped significantly and when you factor in that this is not a STEM field, but more of a humanities based program, I think this is even more spectacular,” Hansen said. According to Hansen, the growth can be attributed to the intentionality of the faculty and the director of the school in creating a refined curriculum. “When our graduates go to graduate programs anywhere in the United States, they are better prepared than most of their peers,” Hansen said.
“That word has gotten out and people are coming here for that.” Amy Johnson, director of the UCO School of Design, said she sees the recent change from department to school, as well as the facility acquisition as moves that bring their perceived excellence to a level that better represents their earned excellence. “It’s not enough for me to say they are excellent, right? It’s significant that others like Graphic Design USA recognize it,” Johnson said. “Since 2011, we have won 1,045 student awards, not counting what they have already won this year. One of the reasons that’s important to us is it shows the quality of the student work and that we are nationally competitive.” One of the school’s goals is to become a top 20 ranked design program nationally. The closest top 20 design school to UCO is the University of Cincinnati. Johnson said both the designation and their continued growth are critical to the overall plan because students and faculty at UCO are as good as anywhere. “We don’t need to be in New York, San Francisco or Los Angeles, we can create excellence right here and that is really the goal,” Johnson said. “These changes will help us recruit in a different way.”
12
January 28, 2020
MAPS 4
MAPS 4: What’s Next for Oklahoma City JaNae Williams @janaebwilliams REPORTER
Oklahoma City residents voted to approve the continuation of a penny sales tax that will fund the 16 projects included in the MAPS4 initiative on Dec. 10, 2020. Voters cast their ballots overwhelmingly in favor of the initiative, with 72 percent voting in favor. However, overall turnout for the Dec. 10 special election was decidedly low. OKC has a population of approximately 649,021 as of July 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau website. According to election results from the Oklahoma State Election Board, only 44,461 voted, less than 7 percent of the city’s population. JoBeth Hamon, city councilwoman for Ward 6 in OKC, said she was somewhat skeptical as a council member during the initial period of public meetings for MAPS4. Hamon said she thought voters might feel forced to approve items they might not be as supportive of to get the things they really wanted. “That’s what I feel like is so unclear often for people in the general public about MAPS,” Hamon said. “The voters really just voted on a tax and the council put together a resolution saying ‘This is how we intend to spend it.’” The election was a chance for voters to decide whether to approve the continued collection of the penny sales tax that has been in place since 1993 when it was approved to fund the first MAPS project. Currently, the tax is being collected after the expiration of the MAPS3 collection period under the name “Better Streets, Safer City.” Approval of the tax does not in-
Oklahoma City Parks are slated to receive $140 million for renovations and new construction projects. The MAPS4 resolution details 16 capital improvement projects. (Provided/OKC.Gov)
Oklahoma City has proposed a diversion hub, shown here in an artist’s rendering, aimed at alleviating troubles at the Oklahoma County Jail. MAPS4 as a whole consists of 16 projects ranging from infrastructure to entertainment venues. (Provided/OKC.Gov)
crease the amount of sales tax being paid, but rather extends the rate currently in place at the expiration of the designated “Better Streets, Safer City” program period on April 1, 2020. Unlike with a bond, when voters approve a tax for a MAPS initiative, the city council has the ability to tweak or change the resolution in the future, according to Hamon. “It was a small turnout for that vote, but I think a lot of the folks that did turn out were a little more educated about that piece, opposed to in previous years,” Hamon said. The wide margin of approval left questions about what citizens were thinking regarding MAPS, according to Hamon. She said she wondered if it meant people simply agreed with voting on a package deal like MAPS4 because that was the way it had always been done. “My interpretation is that people really did want the neighborhood and human services related infrastructure so much,” Hamon said. “It really did bring people to the table to vote that maybe in the past haven’t, just because those pieces were so important to them.” The money collected from the tax will go to paying for the 16 projects outlined and approved in the council’s MAPS4 resolution. The projects include improvements and renovations to various city infrastructure and existing facilities, as well as the construction of new facilities. With the approval of the tax, city leaders must now move forward into a phase of meetings to discuss various planning committees. “Mayor and council are working on forming a citizen’s advisory board to oversee the expenses and all of the project implementation,” Hamon said. “Historically, for MAPS3, the makeup for that board was one appointee from every ward and two at-large appointments.”
Additionally, there will be the formation of subcommittees to help the board through the process. The next steps to move forward takes time and committees will probably be officially formed and named sometime in March, according to Hamon. David Todd, the city’s MAPS program manager, said his office has to wait for this process to take place and revenue collection to begin before MAPS4 becomes an active program. “We don’t start seeing any money until April,” Todd said. “But we are doing some internal things preparing the office for this new influx of work.” Once revenue collection begins, so does an eight year process of implementation, according to Todd. Proposed new construction includes facilities to provide support in the areas of mental health, addiction, homelessness, criminal justice, family violence, animal overpopulation and youth and senior services. Additional funds will be allocated for construction that will offer improved facilities for entertainment and will foster job creation and economic diversification. “I think everybody still has to be reminded that it’s a cash, pay-as-you-go, program,” Todd said. “All these projects aren’t going to happen immediately.” Hamon said that often the smaller projects that require less revenue collection are the first to be moved forward. “In the past when they started collecting the tax, the stuff that was really, really expensive they had been the last pieces essentially to start building,” Hamon said. She added that the cost of each project and the input of council and the public on what should be prioritized play a role in helping to influence the timeline of projects. Todd said that it will take the full eight years for all of the projects to be
fully realized and recognizes the city is headed into a new period of growth. With that, he said, comes some growing pains. “I always encourage patience and involvement,” Todd said. “We have a lot of transparency with everything that we do and there are opportunities to voice opinions.” Hamon echoed this, as she said a personal goal for MAPS4 is to provide more opportunities for public input to her constituents and all citizens of OKC. She hopes to increase engagement, public meetings and conversation between the city and its citizens. “I want people to feel like they’re part of the process and their voice is valuable, because it really is,” Hamon said. “I think in many ways the projects will end up being better and better received by communities if they were part of the process, not just feel like it, but if they are part of the process.” While Todd acknowledges that the structure of the MAPS program means some projects take a long time to see come to fruition, in the end the city is left with numerous improvements and no debt incurred to pay for them. “The highlight is opening a park, for instance last fall, and the day it opened it was paid for, ready to go,” Todd said. “The highlight is seeing all the people’s happy faces and being able to use the facilities that we worked so hard to put together.” Hamon said she wants MAPS4 to be a project that allows those citizens who have said they’ve felt neglected by previous MAPS program investments to feel like the city is embracing them and acknowledging their needs. She also wants to see MAPS4 shift how the city measures its success and growth. “Some of those things are how well do we take care of people who are really vulnerable, people who are facing crisis,” Hamon said. “How well do we invest in our neighbors and our neighborhoods?” As the MAPS4 process moves forward, Hamon has already started to think about future improvements and other projects OKC can consider. For now though, she wants to focus on the task of seeing MAPS4 through and making sure the process is handled correctly. “There was so much hubbub going up to the vote, but this next part of forming the advisory board and getting people involved and that public engagement is so important,” Hamon said. “If they’re not implemented well, it’s sort of a lost opportunity.”
Baseball/Basketball
January 28, 2020
13
Back on the Mound, First Pitch Thursday
University of Central Oklahoma infielder Phillip Scott prepares to swing during a home game last season against Missouri Southern State University. The Bronchos begin their 2020 season this Thursday in a three-game home series. (Provided/BronchoSports)
Jacob Silva @TheVista1903
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team steps back onto the diamond on Jan. 31. Ahead of the 50 regular-season games, the team stands with 16 players returning from the 2019 season to fill out the 45-man roster. Among those returning are standouts Kyle Crowl and Philip Scott, who respectively earned the most runs and hits for the team in 2019. The bullpen should find stability in their pitching with returning players Dylan Hall and Brayden Nelson.
Hall started 16 games last season and pitched more than any other returning player. Nelson broke the university record for ERA with 2.12. Second-year shortstop Blake Adams and returning outfielder Brice West will look for more playing time this season. Adams’ versatility as an infielder, and West’s reliability as an outfielder should prove them to be valuable contributors to UCO’s defensive lineup. Head coach John Martin returns for his fifth season with the team. Under Martin, the team has had four 30+ win seasons, including trips to the NCAA Regional Tournament in the last three seasons. In 2017 and 2019,
UCO reached the finals of the Regional Tournament. The team hopes to continue this streak of success into 2020. Martin said he believes the work his team has put in will pay off. “Our team has worked very hard from August to now and I believe they are very close to one another,” Martin said. Martin promoted assistant coach Rudy Darrow to a full-time coaching role in December, and he will continue to oversee pitching for the team. Backing up the coaching staff are graduate assistants Trent McMaster, who will coach outfielders and hitters, and Braden Brown, who will coach
the infielders. Martin said the bond his team has made will propel them through this season, “We have a lot of work ahead of us, adversity to overcome, but we hope that us being a family and so close will help us overcome those adversities and have a great season,” Martin said. The season will open on Jan. 31 with the Edmond First Pitch Classic, slating UCO to face Henderson State University at Wendell Simmons Field. The series will continue the next day with UCO facing Northwestern Oklahoma State University at 1 p.m.
Men’s Basketball Team Continues to Struggle Garrett Johnson @TheVista1903
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The University of Central Oklahoma men’s basketball team fell to the Emporia State University Hornets 9284 in Emporia, Kansas on Jan. 26. The Bronchos came into the game with a 7-12 record overall and 4-6 record in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association conference play while Emporia State came into the game with a 9-8 record overall and a 3-5 record in conference play. After turnovers and a couple missed shots from both teams, UCO junior Dashawn McDowell hit a 3-pointer to open the scoring two minutes into the game. McDowell’s 3-pointer was the only basket made by either team in the first four minutes of the game before Emporia State’s Keyon Thomas hit a layup to make the score 3-2. UCO’s offensive struggles against Washburn University were not as apparent in the first half against the
Hornets, as they matched their firsthalf point total of 23 just 11 minutes into the game, sparked by a 5-7 start from 3-point range. Each of the five 3-pointers were hit by a different Broncho. The Bronchos controlled the majority of the first half until Emporia State took the lead back with a 7-2 run over three minutes that put the Hornets ahead 28-27 with five minutes left before halftime. The Hornets took a 41-36 lead into halftime led by the shooting of guard Juhma’Ri Turner. He dominated the first half offensively, going a perfect 7-7 from the field and 5-5 from behind the arc for 19 points. UCO played well offensively in the first 20 minutes, shooting 50 percent from the field and 67 percent from 3-point range. Emporia State shot 57 percent from the field and 54 percent from three. During halftime, UCO play-by-play announcer Tony Sellars announced
that Emporia State held a moment of silence in remembrance of Kobe Bryant, who died suddenly Sunday morning in a helicopter crash in California along with his daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others. “There was a moment of silence for Kobe and his daughter today in the arena, and it is just a sad, sad situation,” Sellars said. At the first commercial timeout of the second half with 14:12 left in the game, UCO held a 50-49 lead following a three-pointer from guard Carson Calavan. UCO’s Camryn Givens hit consecutive three’s to put the Bronchos ahead 66-65 with 7:14 left in regulation. Givens ended the game with 17 points. After a Thomas three-pointer put the Hornets ahead 75-73 with 4:27 left, UCO’s McDowell hit a long two-pointer to bring the game even at 75 with just under four minutes to play. McDowell finished with 16 points.
Emporia State guard Dallas Bailey hit a three to extend their lead to five with 2:38 left, which Broncho forward Dashon Bell responded to with a layup to cut the deficit to just three with under two minutes in the game. The Bronchos had no answers for Turner, who put the Hornets ahead by seven with two of his game-high 32 points with 1:38 left. “[Emporia State] shot very well and we had some really good defensive possessions and some that were not so good […] just really frustrating,” said UCO head coach Bob Hoffman. UCO had a chance to cut the Hornet lead to three with 30 seconds left with a 1-and-1 free throw opportunity for Calavan, who made the first free throw but missed the second. The Bronchos return home for a two-game homestand with games against Missouri Western State University on Thursday night and Northwest Missouri State University on Saturday.
14
January 28, 2020
Football
The Uncertain Future of College Sports College athletics has yielded some of the most exciting moments in sports history. In 1966, Texas Western College took down No. 1 University of Kentucky, becoming the first school ever to start five black players, changing basketball forever. In 2006, the University of Texas’ Vince Young stretched across the goal line with 19 seconds left to secure the national title over the University of Southern California and cap off one of the greatest college football games ever. In 1970, Larry Owings pulled off one of the greatest upsets in sports history, ending Dan Gable’s undefeated wrestling record in the NCAA Finals. Now imagine if none of it had ever happened. Unfortunately, it seems the new era of collegiate sports is headed in this direction, as more and more athletes look at college only as their ticket to the next level. College basketball, surprisingly, has had five straight years of viewership growth dating back to 2014. Last season, viewership was up 5 percent, largely due to Duke University freshman phenom Zion Williamson, who when on ESPN, averaged 2.14 million
views a game. While the hype behind Williamson is a good thing for the sport, the fact he’s already the face of an NBA franchise is not. College basketball has a huge problem on it’s hands, and it’s called the one-and-done. Nearly every top recruited basketball player for the last decade has left after just one year of play. Barring meltdowns in their first year, many NBA teams will draft them just off their potential. It makes the sport less fun as a whole to have more and more young talent filtering into the pros. One can only dream of a hypothetical playoff run by Williamson that will never happen now. Baseball has the same problem on an even worse scale. As a high school prospect, you can immediately enter the MLB draft, which is exactly what the No. 1 and 2 overall picks in last year’s draft did. Their decision could end up being a good one, but there’s no question their talent at the college level would drive televisions ratings way up. College football is among the most popular sports in America, even while factoring in professional sports. Players must be at least three years re-
The University of Central Oklahoma student section celebrates after the Bronchos scored during the 2019 season. With many college athletes going pro after two years, the future of college sports remains uncertain. (The Vista Archives)
moved from high school, or 21 years of age, to enter the NFL draft, leading to team’s valuable athletes earning extended stays with the team. There is no such thing as one-and-done’s in college football. In each of the past four years, each football national championship has yielded more viewers than the previous one. The 2020 championship game between Louisiana State University and Clemson University peaked at 29.2 million viewers, and was the
Jordan Brown, center, celebrates after the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos made a touchdown against the Pittsburg State University Gorillas during the 2019 football season opener on Sept. 5 at Wantland Stadium. Athletes across the country are opting to leave early for professional leagues leaving the future of college sports uncertain. (The Vista Archives)
most-watched game since 2015. College football will remain a popular sport for a long time, but the injuries being sustained by college athletes will need to be dealt with. College sports aren’t going anywhere. The thrill of watching young men and women transition to professionals before our eyes is captivating. At the end of the day, college sports will need its talented athletes to stay and help build the programs to have a chance. If every basketball one-and-done had stayed at their respective schools this season, basketball as a whole would be much more exciting. Football teams would have unprecedented levels of talent pools, and the end of the year baseball tourney would be more exciting than ever. The same goes for nearly every sport. Athletes’ mindset of disregarding their college experience in order to rush into professional sports isn’t always helpful. Had Tim Tebow left early for the NFL, we wouldn’t have gotten his promise, which he eventually fulfilled. Had Christian Laettner been a one-and-done, we wouldn’t have had The Shot. How would Warren Morris hit a walk-off home run to earn LSU a national championship had he gone straight to the MLB out of high school? Moments like these are the very reason why people love college sports, but without the athletes, more and more of these moments will disappear.
Remembering Kobe Bryant
January 28, 2020
15
Lakers Legend Killed in Helicopter Crash
People gather outside Staples Center after the death of Laker legend Kobe Bryant Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Michael Owen Baker)
In this Feb. 14, 2016, file photo, Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant (24) hugs his daughter Gianna on the court in warm-ups before first half NBA All-Star Game basketball action in Toronto. Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and several others are dead after their helicopter went down in Southern California on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (Mark Blinch/The Canadian Press via AP)
Alicia Keys, second left, and members of Boys II Men, from left, Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman, sing “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” during a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant, seen on screen, at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
This Feb. 1, 2018, photo shows a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter (N72EX) at Van Nuys Airport in Van Nuys, Calif. NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and several others are dead after their helicopter, shown in this February 2018 photo, went down in Southern California. The chopper crashed Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, in Calabasas, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Hartman)
Flight path over the final minutes of the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter that crashed near Calabasas, California killing Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Bryant, and seven other passengers. It is unclear why the helicopter made a sharp left turn after gaining altitude. (Flightradar24 viaTwitter).
Investigators work the scene of a helicopter crash that killed former NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and several others Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Calabasas, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)