the
Volume 118, Issue 7 v
VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”
vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista ucentralmedia.com Tuesday, October 6, 2020
UCO student victim of deadly crash
INSIDE
Kiel Kondrick Managing Editor
Voter Registration The deadline to register to vote is coming up. Details on this and other election information. See Pg. 8
COVID-19 Changes UCO has updated it’s guidelines surrounding what type of face coverings are allowed on campus. See Pg.4
MIAA Announcement Information on winter and spring sports at UCO after the MIAA met last week. See Pg.6
Around Campus Events are happening all over campus this week! Experience Salsa Under the Stars with HASA! See Pg. 2
A UCO student died Saturday after being critically injured just after midnight on the Kilpatrick Turnpike in a head-on collision with a wrong way driver. Marissa Murrow, 19, was traveling in the southbound lanes of the Kilpatrick Turnpike near SW 15th Street when Malcom Douglas Penney, 39, traveling northbound in the southbound lanes, hit Murrow head on, according to Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Murrow was pinned for 21 minutes before the Oklahoma City Fire Department was able to free her. Murrow was then transported to the ICU at OU Medical Center where she later died due to her injuries, according to a statement on the UCO Sigma Kappa facebook page. “A piece of our hearts left when Marissa did. Our chapter will never be the same – a light is missing from this house. Marissa was the kind of person everyone strives to be,” stated the sorority in it’s facebook post. According to an OHP tweet, Penney was under the influence while driving, which caused the collision. Penney initially ran from the scene on foot but was arrested Saturday morning and booked on second degree murder and felony DUI charges, OHP reported. Murrow was a member of the Sigma Kappa sorority at UCO. After learning of the incident and death of Murrow, the sorority created a GoFundMe
Marissa Murrow was a 19 year-old sophomore at the University of Central Oklahoma. Murrow died due to injuries sustained in a head-on collision with a driver who was reportedly under the influence, according to OHP. (Provided/UCO Sigma Kappa)
page to help raise support for Murrow’s family to help with medical and memorial costs. The fundraising page states, “We hope to spread awareness of driving under the influence and to also show the world how bright Marissa continues to shine.” As of Monday afternoon, the page had raised more than $25,000. Sigma Kappa president, Kenzie Taylor, tweeted on Saturday evening: “As
the president of UCO Sigma Kappa, my heart is broken. Never drink and drive. Marissa, we love you. Fly high my beautiful sister.” According to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, between 2016 and 2019 there were 2,660 alcohol-related vehicle crashes across Oklahoma, 494 of which resulted in fatalities. Within the same time frame, 1,130 total drug related vehicle crashes occurred, which resulted in 661 fatalities.
virtual watch party last week hosted by the Debate and Speech Team at the University of Central Oklahoma. Rastakhiz, American national government professor at UCO, labeled which tactics stood out to him as most persuasive or repulsive. “I think it’s more a distraction strategy that Trump uses to avoid the question and throw it at someone else and put the spotlight on someone else because he’s cornered,” Rastakhiz said. “If you’ve been following Trump since 2016 or 2015 basically, this is his debate tactic. When he is cornered he just immediately throws something more colorful at you even if it’s not
true. It will at least divert attention as a strategy,” Rastakhiz said. Students participated in a live chat during the debate. The comments were informal and fluid. The more structured analysis took place afterward as the team specifically broke down each topic discussed during the debate. For example, the persuasiveness of the arguments made by the candidates under the COVID-19 section of the debate. Matthew Moore, Debate Team coach at UCO, led the discussion after the debate. He introduced why the
STLR credit offered for 2020 election debates Sarah Hite Editor-In-Chief
Students can earn STLR credits by watching the Vice Presidential Debate on Tuesday at 8 p.m., with the University of Central Oklahoma Speech and Debate team. This event is STLR-tagged in the Service Learning & Civic Engagement tenet. The watch party and discussion is intended to help raise awareness of issues in the 2020 presidential elections. Abbas Rastakhiz quickly spotted a familiar debate tactic used by President Donald Trump during a similar
Continued on Pg. 7
2 | The Vista
Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020 College Boss: Cut the Cramming: From 4-5 p.m. via Zoom, you can join the College of Business' Student Success Center to learn how to study with a purpose and reduce the stress and pressure faced when preparing for exams and assignments. STLR-tagged for Health & Wellness. Visit ucore. uco.edu/events for the Zoom meeting link. SAFE's Ally 101 Panel & Discussion: From 6-8 p.m. via Zoom, the Student Alliance for Equality (SAFE) invites you to learn what it means to be an ally. Visit ucore.uco.edu/events to register and get the meeting link! Intramural Quiz Battle: Beginning Oct. 6, UCO Intramurals invites you to compete in an online quiz battle. A different theme will be chosen each week and participants will answer questions via Sporcle.com to earn points. Highest total score each week wins an intramural championship t-shirt. Register via the event link at calendar.uco.edu.
October 6, 2020
clock tower by Broncho Lake and take a quiz to see what you know about Breast Cancer. Big Pink will also be providing educational information about the disease and its effects. High Tea: Join International House for tea, cookies and conversations with friends from 3:30-5:30 p.m. in the Quad W111. Open to UCO and the local community. For more information visit calendar.uco.edu. Vice Presidential Debate Watch Party: STLR will host a Service Learning & Civic Engagement tagged watch party for the Vice Presidential Debate from 8-10:30 p.m. via Zoom. Watch the debate with others and join discussions to help raise awareness of issues leading up to the 2020 election. Visit ucore.uco.edu/events for the Zoom link. Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020
Hangul Day with the Korean Student Association: Join UCO's Korean Student Association from 10 a.m-1:30 p.m. in the Nigh University Center and learn more about KSA and upcoming events, as well as, the popular Korean holiday of Hangul Day. Student's can also have their names written in Korean.
Breast Cancer Awareness Trivia: Join Big Pink from 11 a..m.-1 p.m., at the
Salsa Under the Stars with HASA: Join the UCO Hispanic American Stu-
Around Campus
dent Association from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for a night of virtual dancing. Contact HASA via UCORE or instagram(@ ucohasa) for more information.
STLR-tagged for Research, Creative & Scholarly Activities. Visit ucore.uco. edu/events for more information and the link to the Zoom meeting.
UCO School of Music - Symphony & Chamber Orchestras in Concert: Beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Ballrooms, UCO's Symphony and Chamber Orchestras will present a selection of music by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Shostakovitch, conducted by Dr. Ralph Morris.
Adopt-A-Street Cleanup with SNA: From 2-4 p.m. join the UCO Student Nurses Association for a street cleanup event! Meet at the corner of Ayers Street and Chowning Avenue and walk east to Danforth Road cleaning up to help keep Edmond and the area around campus beautiful! Trash bags and gloves will be provided. SNA members receive a philanthropy point for participation.
Friday, Oct. 9, 2020 Decolonizing the Academy: Join UCO's Office of Diversity and Inclusion in conjunction with STLR and Pi Alpha Alpha from 3:30-5 p.m. via Zoom for a program that will work to address strategies for decolonizing, transforming and recreating meaningful spaces that embrace and legitimize indigenous epistemology, ontology and presence in institutional and academic settings. STLR-tagged for Global & Cultural Competencies. Visit ucore.uco.edu/events for more information and the link to the Zoom meeting. A Mountain of Words and Feelings: Join UCO's STLR from 7-9 p.m. via Zoom for a poetry reading by artist in residence Alicia Mountain. A Q&A on the craft of writing will follow.
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020 UCO School of Music - Choral Concert: The Distance Between Us: The UCO School of Music presents a live vocal concert, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Mitchell Hall. The Concert Chorale, Chamber Singers, Cantilena(Women's Chorus) and Concert Choir will perform.
Clarification: A story in the Sept. 29, 2020 issue of The Vista reported the date the dance department was scheduled to return to in-person instruction as Oct. 5. That was the date listed for students in quarantine to return. All other students returned to practice Sept. 28.
To submit events for next week’s Around Campus, please email thevista@ucentralmedia.com. Include the title of your event, time and place, and a brief description. Descriptions are subject to editing.
the
VISTA
Staff
Sarah Hite Kiel Kondrick JaNae Williams Jacob Silva Cici Simon Lyric Peterson Tanner Laws Cynthia Faulkner
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Social Media Editor Photographer Adviser
Advertise with us! The Vista is published weekly during the spring, summer and fall semesters. In all issues, The Vista has opportunities for both digital, online and print ads. For information or questions contact: 405-974-5549 or thevista.ads@gmail.com
UCO’s Student Voice Since 1903 The Vista is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students, weekly during the academic year, at the University of Central Oklahoma. The issue price is free for the first copy and $1 for each additional copy obtained.
EDITORIALS
Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communication, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO.
LETTERS
The Vista encourages letters to the
editor. Letters should address issues and ideas, not personalities. Letters must be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s printed name, major, classification and phone number. Phone numbers are included for contacting purposes only. Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of questionable taste. The Vista reserves the right not to publish submitted letters.
ADDRESS LETTERS TO:
Editor, The Vista, 100 N. University Dr. Edmond, OK 73034-5209, or deliver in person to the editor in the Communications Building, Room 131. Letters can be emailed to thevista@ucentralmedia.com.
Orchestra Concert/FAFSA
October 6, 2020
The Vista | 3
Orchestras unite for night of classical composition
The University of Central Oklahoma’s School of Music oversees the schools Chamber and Symphony Orchestras. The Orchestras will perform several selections at a concert in Ballroom A of the Nigh University Center on Thursday. (Provided/UCO School of Music)
Steven Reese Contributing Writer
The University of Central Oklahoma’s Symphony and Chamber Orchestras will perform Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Ballroom A of the Nigh University Center. The concert will feature the first and last movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2, the Finale of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, and Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8. The concert will also honor Beethoven’s 250th birthday. Solo performers will feature UCO students Chazlen Rook, Sam Powell and Maria Marcos.
Rook and Marcos will be on violin, while Powell will be on cello. Ralph Morris, who has been a faculty member at UCO since 1991, directs the UCO Symphony Orchestra along with teaching viola and chamber music. Chazlen Rook, who is a senior music student and violinist at the university, shares the joy of performing under Morris. “We are fortunate to be led by the baton of Dr. Morris, who has had orchestral experience that many of us dream of,” said Chazlen Rook, a violinist and senior music student. “He has an encyclopedic mind and of-
fers some of the most valuable classes available to string players, such as Chamber Music, String Pedagogy, and String Literature. His specialization in historical performance is something particularly unique, which enriches the early music program that is growing here.” There have been changes to the rehearsal process and concerts due to COVID-19. “Unfortunately, Mitchell Hall’s stage isn’t large enough to accommodate the amount of players we have,” said Maria Marcos, a violinist and first year graduate student. “So we will be performing in the NUC ballrooms which
should allow enough space for both the orchestra and audience members with protocols in place to keep everyone safe. The rehearsal process for this concert has been quite unique. To allow for proper distancing, the strings and winds have rehearsed separately with only some rehearsals for a small group of strings to play with the winds and brass.” Marcos and Rook also performed in the previous concert “Shostakozartorelli: ‘We’ve Got Harmony.’” Both of the musicians feel that concert saw success despite having to follow COVID-19 protocols. “I am so pleased with how the performance went, and I’m incredibly proud of everyone who was on that stage,” Marcos said. “Despite the challenges of performing farther apart, everyone tuned in to each other to present a live music performance we had fun with and the audience enjoyed.” “Our last Chamber Orchestra concert demonstrated a new level of trust and musicianship among the performers,” Rook said. “Everyone’s hard work paid off and had us beaming on stage after the silence following our last note was broken by the applause from our audience. Having this experience creates an exciting momentum into our next concert, which will be more grand in scale and more colorful in timbre!” The concert will require social distancing and masks for everyone in attendance. Admission to the concert is free. For more information on the concert, you can visit calendar.uco.edu.
FAFSA applications open for 2021-2022 year Brianna Garcia
Contributing Writer
The coronavirus pandemic has put a financial strain on many families across the nation. Now more than ever, parents and students are questioning how they will afford a college education in the wake of a pandemic. According to a recent survey by Discover Student Loans, almost half of the parents in the survey lost income as a result of the pandemic and nearly 40% of parents who did not plan to apply for financial aid now say they will. In addition, tuition and mandatory fees increased statewide for some regional universities for the 2020-2021 school year, including UCO, making college slightly more expensive this year. The amount of financial aid a student receives is calculated by a family’s income tax from two years earlier. However, tax returns from 2019 may
not accurately reflect the financial situation of many families due to pandemic-related job losses and lay-offs. According to Tonia Barber, UCO service representative, students may need to take extra steps and submit a special circumstances appeal that will account for any differences in income that occurred due to the pandemic. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, offers hundreds of UCO students a variety of financial aid options, including loans, grants, and scholarships. The FAFSA application for the 2021-2022 academic year is now open for students to fill out. In Oklahoma, awards are made until funds are depleted so students are advised to submit their applications as soon as possible.
Jerkiya Davis, junior, sits in front of One Stop while students arrive to check in.
The UCO financial aid office is located on the 1st floor of the Nigh University Center. The office can schedule a Zoom meeting for students who need it. (Photo/Cici Simon)
4 | The Vista
October 6, 2020
Not My Homecoming/COVID-19 Changes
Student organizations boycott homecoming week Brianna Garcia Contributing Writer
The University of Central Oklahoma’s Diversity Round Table, a student-led organization, released a statement on Instagram Sept. 28, announcing their decision not to participate in any homecoming events. The organization is calling for changes to make events more inclusive for students and faculty. The Diversity Round Table challenged the Homecoming Activities Board to make some adjustments to future homecomings, such as changing the voting system and the pre-nomination process. According to DRT, one candidate said that votes for the homecoming winner are determined by the amount of money a student raises. “With a large portion of our students being first-generation or low
income, money is not something that can be used for events like this,” DRT stated. Some of the other changes students in the organization are seeking include broadcasting the opening of the applicants on a wider scale and creating events that will be more inclusive to international students and alumni. The president of the organization, David Farias, said the decision to boycott homecoming came after the Student Alliance for Equality organization brought it to their attention that the homecoming playbook only contains gender binary pronouns, which excludes students who don’t identify as a male or female. “Times are changing,” Farias said. “If we want to have students feel included we should have an updated version of these pronouns for them.” The SAFE organization and the Women’s Research & BGLTQ+ Stu-
dent Center hosted an online event Sept. 29 to start conversations about non-binary and gender expressive identity on campus. “I know that if we don’t start these conversations now it’s just going to take a longer process,” Farias said. “That’s why I wanted to start these conversations around homecoming so that we’re not completely blindsided in the future when it becomes a bigger problem.” SAFE hosted a “not my homecoming” virtual meeting to discuss the exclusive language used in homecoming events. By labeling the royalty members “king” or “queen”, it isolates individuals who identify as non-binary. Meeting discussion participants spoke about neo-pronouns and how campus language has successfully shifted to include non-binary identifying individuals. Students said this was the first time their pronouns were
clarified and professors asked all students to clarify their pronouns when classes began. Some of the candidates on the homecoming royalty court this year represented minority communities on campus. These candidates decided to use their platforms during the week to raise awareness about diversity and inclusion. “Homecoming is not only for a specific group of people,” said homecoming royalty candidate, Hans Seth Lu. “Homecoming is for every student on this campus so we do agree that homecoming should provide more equitable ways that students with any kind of identity can join together and get represented on the court.” At this time, the DRT is in the process of setting up a meeting with the homecoming activities board to discuss changes to future homecomings.
UCO changes guidelines for CDC compliance Logan Long Contributing Writer
UCO’s Division of Academic Affairs recently approved new guidelines regarding the operation of classes after a student reports a positive COVID-19 case: “Faculty, in consultation with their chair/director, will transition classes to a synchronous virtual format for the next meeting time or 48 hours (whichever is longer) when notified that a student in their class received a positive COVID-19 test result.” UCO Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs, Adrienne Nobles, gave her insight on the new guidelines and the reasoning behind them. “This allows time for the COVID-19 Response Team to conduct appropriate contact tracing to determine the extent of direct exposure to others from the person who tested positive. Direct exposure is defined as being 6 feet or less from an infected person for longer than 15 minutes,” she said. “They will also evaluate what mitigation factors were in place during potential exposure (masks, distancing, etc.). Anyone who is deemed to be directly exposed will be contacted and instructed to quarantine, monitored for symptoms and get tested per CDC guidelines.” So, if a student is instructed to quarantine when are they allowed to return to campus? “They can return to campus if it has been 10 days since symptoms first ap-
Students buy supplies at University of Central Oklahoma’s bookstore while utiziling masks and social distancing. With COVID-19 still growing in cases, the campus has provided new guidelines when instances occur and what to do for their next step to ensure safety for staff and students. (Cici Simon/The Vista)
peared, they have had 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving,” Nobles said. Students should notify their professors and the university under any of the following circumstances: “If they test positive for, are exhibiting symptoms of or have been directly exposed to COVID-19, as any of these conditions would result in the need to
isolate or quarantine per CDC guidance and would require they not come to campus for class,” Nobles said. Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated their guidelines on masks with valves or vents. The CDC does not recommend the use of masks with valves or vents because the masks with oneway valves allow air to escape through the hole in the material, which allows respiratory drops to leave the mask.
As a result, this type of mask is not effective in preventing the mask wearer from transmitting COVID-19. “Following revised CDC guidance, masks with exhalation valves are not acceptable for meeting the university’s requirement to wear a face covering when around others on campus,” Nobles said.
Homecoming/Giving/Talent
October 6, 2020
The Vista | 5
Esports hosts homecoming tournament
The University of Central Oklahoma's Esports team celebrated homecoming with the school's comittee this past week. The CO-OP hosted a Rocket League tournament and had multiple players at multiple stations during the competition. (Alex Fischer/The Vista)
Preston Poole
Contributing Writer
Homecoming 2020 fans might have missed football this weekend, but there was another option. The UCO esports team, alongside the homecoming committee, hosted a Rocket League tournament. “This tournament was definitely
odd, but one upside of dealing with esports is that meeting in person is entirely optional,” said Ty “Halt” Wallace, president of UCO Esports. For those unfamiliar, Rocket League is a vehicular soccer video game. With the Bronchos football season postponed until the spring, this competition was the only sports event on campus this week.
Bronchos raise money David Swank
Contributing Writer
Over $4,500 was raised during the Central Day of Giving for Bronchos helping Bronchos and Central Pantry on Sept. 29, according to UCO officials. Kristen Merritt, annual giving coordinator within the UCO Office for Advancement, said the numbers were still being tallied. “Our goal for this year’s campaign was to help raise awareness about the Bronchos Helping Bronchos program,” Merritt said, “as well as the importance of giving back to UCO.” This was the first time Bronchos Helping Bronchos program has been supported by the Central Day of Giving. Bronchos Helping Bronchos was started in 2013 and has distributed over $200,000 to date, according to Cole Stanley, associate vice president for Student Affairs. “The goal is to help provide assis-
tance for unexpected emergencies that students may encounter.” Things such as books, tuition and fees are not the purpose of the fund because a student should have planned for those expenses. “It is more for an emergency car repair, medical situation, house fire, etc.,” Stanley said. A student can be nominated by faculty or staff, and there is also an application located under the UCOSA page on UCORE. The typical limit is about $400 for a one-time award, and the program has helped over 530 students since its founding. “The funds are generated from the UCOSA general budget as well as from generous donors who have contributed to the program,” Stanley stated in an email. “This year, more than ever, the students saw the importance of not only taking care of themselves but also taking care of those around them,” Merritt said.
Like the football team, UCO’s esports joins collegiate tournaments, and with the ease of playing from home, UCO is still able to compete in those this fall. “It's nice to have some consistency during this year for sure,” Halt said. “There were 10 sororities/fraternities that had signed up for the competition and were split up between large/ small organizations. These teams
were composed of three people,” said Tecumseh Cline, who ran the bracket for the tournament. The CO-OP followed UCO and CDC guidelines, so only 24 people were allowed in the area at a time. Not being able to have a big crowd to make noise is a downside to physical tournaments during this COVID-19 era, Wallace said. Like any competition, it takes a lot of planning and a crew of people, Wallace added. “To run a tournament, you need to manage the teams entering and make sure you have a bracket. There are many different types of tournaments and elimination styles.” Behind the scenes, there is someone to organize the tournament, one to control the camera, one to control the stream, and two commentators, according to Wallace.. “Being able to stream gameplay from multiple computers with an NDI connection, while at the same time streaming that gameplay for the people in attendance is extremely hard,” Cline said. The competition was live-streamed on the organization’s Twitch channel to 30 live viewers, Cline said. The broadcast has brought in 306 total viewers on their Twitch channel. They stream all of their competitions on twitch.tv/UCOesports.
Alpha Delta Pi member wins talent show Daniela Arvizo
Contributing Writer
Alpha Delta Pi won the UCO Talent Show for the second year in a row on Sept. 30. Representing the sorority, Alexis Christinsan sang for her talent. “Singing is my favorite thing to do. I love seeing the looks on everyone’s faces when I sing. It truly makes me happy. I wanted something that would blow people away,” Christinsan stated. Christinsan said she never expected to place in the show that included 11 performers. “I saw that there were so many amazing people performing and I was really nervous.” Homecoming candidate Micah Wilson thought he had to participate, only to find out later he did not. He performed a poetry reading. “The reason why I picked both of those poems is because I love music.
Whenever I thought I had to go for the talent show, I could not think of talent I could perform. However, I knew that I love music and bringing awareness on Black issues and struggles, and Black empowerment,” Wilson stated. Wilson, who was representing the Association of Black Journalists, tied for second with Chazlen Rook, as the representative for the Medieval Society. Rook also represented the historical society in another performance. “I actually was not expecting to place,” Wilson said. “I wasn’t even supposed to perform. I was very surprised, but happy.” Also performing were: Shayla Coplen representing Sigma Phi Lambda, Canyon Dean representing Sig Tau, Kaydn Estes representing Alpha Gamma Delta, Sean Kimble representing Brothers Under Christ, Ky’esha Mitchell, Monica Tovar, and Stephen Osborne representing Pi Kappa Alpha.
6 | The Vista
October 6, 2020
MIAA/Zipline
MIAA announces plans for winter, spring sports Jacob Silva Sports Editor
The MIAA met Oct. 1 and decided to allow competition to resume for the winter and spring athletic seasons after canceling fall sports and ending the spring 2020 season abruptly. For the University of Central Oklahoma, that means men’s and women’s basketball will begin playing real games in mid-November. Sports generally included in the winter such as wrestling and track and field will be allowed to compete at the discretion of each individual college in the MIAA. UCO plans to allow its wrestling and track teams to compete, but a definitive schedule is still in its early stages per UCO Assistant Athletic Director Chris Brannick. Regardless, all athletics that take place this winter will follow strict health protocol to prevent the spread of COVID-19 across campuses. Football and cross country at UCO have not had seasons due to the pandemic, and following the meeting the MIAA will not budge from that decision. Instead, the association will allow
Hamilton field house is the home of many of the University of Central Oklahoma’s winter and spring sports. The MIAA decided to allow competition to resume for winter 2020 and spring 2021. Basketball will begin in November. (Cici Simon/The Vista)
football “no more than four” joint practices and scrimmages with other schools. This allows the teams to stay somewhat engaged in athletics until normal play is able to resume next year. The MIAA press release states that “a few MIAA schools have decided to pursue limited independent sched-
ules in both sports this fall. These independent events are non-conference contests as permitted per NCAA regulations.” There is no word yet on if UCO is one of the schools choosing this route. Volleyball and women’s soccer are set to begin competition in the spring as usual. The MIAA expects that to
continue as normally scheduled, but tweaks should be expected to comply with guidelines surrounding the pandemic. Non-conference opponents and tournaments are topics being discussed by the MIAA as ways to supplement the spring season were it to be altered.
‘Zip’ into the OAR for a new experience Gretchen Houk
Contributing Writer
Students and faculty at the University of Central Oklahoma can zip line for free from 2 to 5 p.m. on Fridays at the UCO Outdoor Adventure Recreation center until Nov. 20. Rebekah Johnson, manager of Outdoor Recreation, said zip liners can expect to ride multiple times. “As long as there’s not a line waiting you can zip as many times as you want during that time frame,” Johnson said. This is the second year that the OAR has offered free zip line hours, with the hope that students who try it come back in the future. Organizations and teams use the OAR ropes course for team-building and leadership training. Johnson said that many who use the ropes course express that the zip line is their favorite part, so offering free zips gives more people the opportunity to use it. She encourages students to take advantage of the other recreational equipment the OAR has as well, such as mountain bikes and kayaks, which are also free to UCO students. “You could come out, zip, and go out on the water,” Johnson said. Aiden Ferguson, a junior UCO
Outdoor Community and Recreation student and former ropes course employee, said that people of all skill levels can use the zip line. “I would describe the zip line as a
huge barrier that anyone can get over,” he said. “It is very satisfying when someone shows up and is certain they can’t make it to the top, but with a little encouragement they reach the top.”
Kollyn Reed rides the zip line at the Outdoor Adventure Recreation Center in Edmond, Okla. on Friday. Zip lining is free for students on Fridays until Nov. 20. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)
Johnson said that masks are required in the OAR building and on the zip line, and social distancing guidelines are in place. Masks are not required when using the kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, as there is space to social distance on the water. “By UCO standards, we try to follow social distancing, and we follow all protocol that has been set forth on campus,” Johnson said. Visitors can expect to wear their masks outside, as well, in accordance with the UCO campus mandate. Exceptions are made while zip liners climb up to the platform, but once at the top they can put their masks back on to zip down. The zip line is located at the UCO OAR center in Edmond Park at Arcadia Lake off Second Street. Students are given free admission into the park with a UCO student ID and can follow the signs to the OAR building, notable for its blue roof. The OAR will be open until 7 p.m. on Fridays in October, but will close at 5 p.m. starting in November. Walk-ups are welcome on Fridays during the free zip hours, but OAR requests visitors schedule a reservation during the week. Reservations can be made by calling 405-974-2200.
Debate
October 6, 2020
The Vista | 7
STLR credit offered for 2020 election debates Continued from Pg. 1
nomination of the Supreme Court was so important to this debate and spoke about former Vice President Joe Biden’s reaction to the distraction strategies. “It seemed there were places where Biden was losing traction,” Moore said. “As a result of the Trump distraction strategy that Abbas talks about, he was doing this to Biden by constantly harassing him so he would lose train of thought, so he would misspeak, so he would take missteps. At the end, he got Biden to misspeak and say he supported the New Green Deal,” Moore said. “So if you notice, how much of that strategy was in place -- get Biden to commit to things that would alienate the left because there’s no chance those people would vote for Trump. … Everytime he could do that, he pounced on it,” Moore said. Another example of that was when Trump brought up Biden’s controversial 1994 crime law that many say resulted in mass incarceration of Black people. The Commision on Presidential Debates says it will add new “tools to maintain order” to
the upcoming debates after a chaotic first contest between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden, according to The Associated Press. Leigha Maddy, assistant debate coach at UCO, compared the candidates debate tactics through the COVID-19 section of the debate. “Joe Biden was really taking a grounded emotional approach to rebutting those arguments that Trump was making about a theoretical world that might exist. Where Joe Biden’s administration would be in charge of the pandemic comparable to COVID, or if he was in charge of the COVID epidemic what would that world look like? And Trump argues, arguably worse, right?” Maddy said. Maddy said Joe Biden responds that the core of Trump’s argument isn’t based in reality by reminding voters, “let’s take a look at the reality.” When Biden spoke about the American lives lost to COVID-19, he appealed directly to the heart of the voters. He said many voters have lost a family member or have an empty seat at the table.
President Donald Trump speaks during the first presidential debate with Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Maddy explained this is a type of rhetorical strategy that presidential debates can take. “Along these kind of classical like logos, pathos, ethos style argument; where you’re appealing to this type of logic to this type of argument, where you’re appealing to the emotional core type of argument or you’re appealing to a type of persuasion strategy, right? Biden there, I think, is recalling a different type of debating than Trump is doing which can be effective for some voters and maybe ineffective for other voters,” Maddy said. STLR credits are available for those who attend the watch parties. One will be held for each debate. Nearly 20 UCO students and faculty members attended the watch party and plan to attend the other parties hosted by the debate and speech team. The second Presidential Debate is on Oct. 15 and the third Presidential Debate is on Oct. 22. There was also a national discussion about the debate on Wednesday. “So What Did You Think of the Debate? A National Times Talk with Students” was an event hosted by the American Democracy Project. It was
designed to reach across differences and create a space for discourse. The ADP discussion had approximately 90 people in attendance from across the country. A couple of polls were conducted beforehand to gather information about the group. “Is this the first Presidential election you’re voting in?” and “Have you already decided which candidate you’re voting for?” 88% of attendees have already decided who they are voting for. In smaller breakout groups, participants discussed their perceptions of the debate both scientific and personal. Moderator Janet Hoffman, professor of rhetoric and chair of political science at Georgia College and State University, summarized the unusual presidential debate. “That was 90 minutes of our collective lives last night that we’re not getting back, and we have finally found the unity that we’ve been craving in our national consensus that as Jake Tapper put it best, to me, ‘What we witnessed last night was a hot mess, inside a trainwreck, inside a dumpster fire,” Hoffman said.
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the first presidential debate with President Donald Trump Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News speaks as President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden participate in the first presidential debate Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland. (Olivier Douliery/Pool via AP)
8| The Vista
October 6, 2020
Election Coverage
Voter registration deadline approaches Rani Spindle Contributing Writer
UCO students who are eligible to vote may take advantage of additional resources in order to safely cast their ballot for the 2020 general election amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Students who are not registered to vote where they live must register by mail or in person by 5 p.m. Friday. Applications can be accessed on the Oklahoma State Election Board website or at locations across the state, including tag agencies. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is at 5 p.m. Oct. 27 “Applications for absentee ballots must be made in writing or using the Oklahoma State Election Board’s OK Voter Portal,” according to the election board.
Gov. Kevin Stitt extended a statewide emergency declaration that allows voters to mail a photocopy of their ID or voter registration card with their absentee ballot in lieu of having their ballot notarized.
Students who are not registered to vote where they live must register by 5 p.m. Friday. Alternatively, UCO students, faculty and staff may have their absentee ballots notarized at MidFirst bank, located on the second floor of the Nigh University Center. However, notaries are only allowed to notarize 20 ballots each in the state of Oklahoma.
Voters are advised to mail absentee ballots as early as possible or drop them off at their local election office since the U.S. Postal Service has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and “cannot guarantee all ballots cast by mail for the November election will arrive in time to be counted, even if mailed by state deadlines,” according to the Associated Press. In-person voters may participate in early voting in Oklahoma from Oct. 29-31. The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement reports that just 52% of UCO students voted in the 2016 presidential election. Lindsay Churchill, director of the Women’s Research Center, says it’s important for young people and women to vote in this election. “Young people vote at a lower per-
centage than other demographics. If that level reached even 60 or 70 percent we would see very different electoral outcomes,” Churchill said. This year is the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which protects women’s constitutional right to vote. “It is significant because legally women earned the right to vote after some very difficult battles, and these rights were not won easily,” Churchill said. “Women are still underrepresented in all levels of government, particularly women of color. Representation matters.” Both the Women’s Research Center and the office of the American Democracy Project, which are located on the first floor of Thatcher Hall, provide support and educational resources for students seeking to become more civically engaged.
Students registered to vote are beginning to recieve absentee voting ballots, by request, at the University of Central Oklahoma Monday. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, declared a state of emergency due to COVID-19 that adjusted abesentee ballot rules allowing voters to attach a photocopy of their voter registration card or another form of legal identification to their absentee ballots. Notarization is no longer required on absentee ballots. (Cici Simon/ The Vista)