Cameron Collegian Monday, October 2, 2023

Artificial

Public Forum with Keynote Speaker Dean Hougen

Brittney Payette Managing Editor

At 4 p.m. on Sept. 25 in the CETES Conference Center Dr. Syed Ahmed hosted a public forum on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Ahmed is a Professor of Economics and the Director of Bill Burgess Jr. Business Research Center at Cameron, and he said he wanted to have this forum so students could learn more about AI.

“AI is all over,” Ahmed said. “When you turn on the TV, or read the newspaper … I think it’s an important topic, and our students should know the current developments of AI.”

Ahmed said there have been a lot of advancements in AI.

“It will have (a) far-reaching impact on our management of day-to-day affairs,” Ahmed said. “on every sector of the economy, from the healthcare to (the) manufacturing sector. The genie is just out of the bottle.”

Dr. Dean Hougen, Presidential Professor, Interim Director, and Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science at the University of Oklahoma, was the keynote speaker.

Hougen named his presentation "the disruption engine" and he began with a lesson on the history of AI.

“It was this computer technology in the hands of everyone that really began to make the big economic impact,” Hougen said.

He said that the uses of computers has greatly increased overtime.

“They’re able to compute, more or less, anything if you have enough memory for it,” he said. “They’re reprogrammable, meaning individual people or companies can come up with new things that they want to do with these computers and write the code to make it happen.”

Hougen said that there are different definitions that people use to describe AI, but he has his own definition.

“I define it as the research area dedicated to developing systems capable of performing tasks that would require intelligence if performed by people,” he said. “It’s a task that it’s doing, that if people did it, we would say ‘that person’s probably intelligent.’”

Hougen then spoke about a subarea of AI called "machine learning."

“You can think of it like mathematics and statistics,” he said. “There is a connection between machine learning and statistics - they’re both about data and what you can infer from that data.”

Hougen said people tend to have quite a few misconceptions about AI.

“The future is very long,” he said. “What I mean by that, is (that) there are so many people these days that tend to think ‘oh, I see this big breakthrough, computers are going to do everything, or AI is going to do everything in 10 years.’ And people have been saying '10 years' not for 10 years, for 20 years, for 30 years, for 40 years, 50 years.”

Hougen said that AI has a long way to go to become truly intelligent because intelligence is difficult and convoluted.

“There is going to be advances,” he said. “They are going to change the way that we do things and we need to think about those changes carefully, so that we can handle those disruptions.”

He said there are issues that arise with AI.

“That's again one of the problems with these systems,” Hougen said. “They're not reasoning on their own, these generative AI's, they're synthesizing the information that's out there, so they're limited to what people have already put out there about these topics.”

After the keynote speaker finished with his presentation, he was joined by Lawton mayor Stan Booker and Cameron Associate Professor Dr. Jawad Drissi for a question and answer panel discussion.

Hougen said he would not be studying and developing AI if he did not think it will be beneficial.

“It absolutely has done more good than harm," he said. “I think that it will continue to do that, but I don't think that's a guarantee, right. I think that we have to make sure we are using it wisely. I think we need to engage with the social scientists, we need to engage with the political scientists. We need to make sure that what we're doing gets used appropriately.”

Booker said he is excited about AI.

“I'm excited because anything that can help us run the city is going to be beneficial for the citizens,” he said.

Drissi said that AI opens up a lot of possibilities for the future and will bring forth a variety of changes.

“When you change, sometimes you have to change the system itself,” he said. “You cannot keep the system the same. Perhaps, the technology will force the system to change ... No one really knows, except that they know that artificial intelligence will make a lot of money, and they are pouring money into it.”

Additionally, Drissi said that the AI we currently have is under our control and any ethical issues that emerge is our problem because we are the ones training and developing AI.

Booker said he likes technology, but that does not mean it is perfect. He also said that there have been a lot of changes with how we do things on a day-to-day basis that was accelerated by COVID-19.

“More and more people are buying online," he said. “And convenience wins every time ... Who does it hurt? The lower-trained retail workers.”

Sophomore Computer Science (CS) major Estella Gilbreth was one of the attendees of the public forum.

“I figured since everybody’s talking about AI all the time anyway, I’d like an expert opinion,” Gilbreth said. “As opposed to online only.”

Gilbreth said the event was informative in a variety of ways.

“I learned that there are a lot of interested individuals in the community at large,” she said. “Kind of outside of CS that I wasn’t expecting. I learned a lot about the history of computers that I also was not expecting to know about and it provided a lot of insight.”

Gilbreth said she wanted to learn more about some of the possible issues with AI.

“Everybody knows that AI can come up with some crazy stuff,” she said. “And, machine learning definitely has pitfalls, but this gave me some more insight into what those pitfalls are and how exactly they’re explained and then how we can move forward utilizing them more effectively.”

Gilbreth said that AI technology has brought forth a multitude of changes in modern society.

“This is not the first time that some new technology on the block has kicked some people to the curb,” she said. “And, it won’t be the last. The economist need to get more on board with all this if we’re going to keep people in jobs, but more specifically, the world will keep turning.”

For more information, contact Ahmed at syeda@cameron.edu.

Public Forum Panelists: (Left to right) Dr. Dean Hougen, Lawton mayor Stan Booker and Dr. Jawad Drissi answer questions about AI.

Photo by Brittney Payette

Graphic courtesy of Tribune Content Agency

Hannah Owens Staff Writer

At 2 p.m., Sept. 18, in the Shepler Ballroom, Cameron University held a Constitution Day Event presented by District 5 District Attorney Kyla Cabelka.

As required by the Department of Education, all institutions of higher education hold an official observance of Constitution Day every year. Cameron’s theme for this year centered on “The 5th Amendment –Then and Now.”

Constitution Day, also known as Citizenship Day, is an annual observance in the United States that commemorates the adoption of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. Constitution Day celebrations serve as valuable educational opportunities for students to learn about the Constitution’s role in shaping the United States and its continued importance in their lives as citizens.

The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects various rights of individuals in legal proceedings. It includes the right to remain silent and not incriminate oneself, the right to due process of law, protection against double jeopardy (being tried for the same crime twice) and safeguards against government seizure of private property without just

compensation.

Cabelka has a longstanding career in the District Attorney’s office, starting as a legal intern in Comanche and Cotton Counties in 2011 and eventually being appointed as the District attorney over Comanche and Cotton counties in 2021.

Cameron University Social Sciences Chair and Professor Lance Janda introduced Cabelka as a Cameron University graduate.

“He’s a wonderful example of the outstanding graduates that we produce every single year,” Janda said. “You would be endlessly amazed at the quality of students that come here and the graduates from here that then go on to make meaningful differences in the community, in the state, in the country and in the world.”

Cabelka started with a brief history of the Constitution, diving into the Constitutional Convention, the Bill of Rights and the first ten Amendments. He eventually focused on the Fifth Amendment and explained its rights in detail. Cabelka wanted to make sure the audience understood the rights the Fifth Amendment granted them.

He was able to relate much of the content to his

personal and professional life. Cabelka is a District Attorney making the details of the Fifth Amendment one of his priorities as a criminal prosecutor.

He ended the presentation with a remark about what he hoped the audience would take away.

“I hope you have learned something today,” Cabelka said, “at the very least,

you all have maybe been reaffirmed of the fact that we live in the greatest country in the world, and it’s because of the Constitution.”

This year’s Constitution Day celebration is made possible by the Dr. William L. and Barbara Scearce Endowed Leadership in Political Science, the CU School of Graduate and Professional Studies, the

Department of Social Sciences and Lawton’s chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. For more information on the event or future Constitution Day Events on campus please contact Social Sciences Department Chair and Professor Dr. Lance Janda at ljanda@cameron. edu.

You know the drill: CU Duncan renovations

During the past fifteen months, machines as well as a microwave oven. The enclosed area keeps sound from the machines from interrupting students as they study.

One of the major projects was moving the testing center and computer lab from a central location to the northeast corner of the building. The construction process removed

four classrooms to make way for a testing center office, testing center, computer lab and a new student collaboration area. tables that students can use when doing group projects or meeting for study.

CU Duncan renovations finished in November 2022; however, work restarted after some major setbacks. This past December, a water line located in the ceiling, burst and flooded the entire campus.

While the flood affected every room in the building, six inches of standing water flooded the newly completed testing center and computer lab.

great flood of December 2022.

“That water event wasn’t quite as bad as the Christmas one,” Rowan said. “The damage was able to be remedied just before classes began after Spring Break. I would say, we’ve had a couple of challenges with the Rowan said that despite the building being 28-30 years old, it is in great

“We’ve tried to make it easy on the eyes for students, as well as functional,” Rowan said. “I think that is where we are at right now.”

Rowan said with the need for additional classroom space, renovations are converting the rooms that once held the testing center and computer lab into ITV classrooms.

“The majority of the classes here are ITV classes,” Rowan said. “We do what we can to make the students feel like they are in a face-to-face classroom with their professors.”

Rowan also spoke about an important goal of Cameron’s satellite

“One of our goals, I think, is to make education accessible and economical for students that live in this area and try to give them the best experience that we can,” Rowan said, “even though a lot of it is done

and to make the place usable.”

A second flood came just during Spring Break this past March when a 100-gallon hot water heater failed and re-flooded some of the same areas affected during the first flood.

Rowan said the damage from the flood was minor in comparison to the

CU-Duncan Director Dr. Dakota Kaus said she is proud of the work that has been done since the great flood and subsequent, great flood number two.

“We’ve done a lot of renovating,” Kaus said. “We are proud of our new student area and our new testing center. We would love for people to come get a glimpse!”

For more information, call Dr. Kaus at 580-581-5950 to arrange a tour or visit CU-Duncan at 3100 West Bois D’Arc in Duncan.

Scott Smith Voices Editor

Photo by Hannah Owens

Photo by Scott Smith

DO WHAT YOU LOVE

Work hard to develop your skills

Last year, I wrote a story about using my hobby of photography for relaxation. If you read the story, you’ll know that I photographed hummingbirds. I love photography and over the past several months, my photography has evolved.

Being a JRMP student, a lot of my training plays into my skills as a photographer. Thanks to Yanjun Zhao’s photojournalism class, I have learned camera settings. Professor David Bublitz was instrumental in teaching me more about post editing and of course, Dr. Jenkins taught a lot about composition and attention to detail. I’ve also used YouTube videos and online forums to learn things that I never imagined that I would learn. I have been able to practically apply techniques to actively make my photography better.

Earlier this year, I was able to apply the knowledge learned at Cameron to photograph some pretty unique things. In May, I was able to take a dream vacation to Yellowstone National Park. This trip was on my bucket list as a photographer.

The first thing I did when I flew into Bozeman, Montana, was to visit a camera store and rent a 150x600mm lens.

The lens really helped me capture wildlife at a great distance. I was able to photograph

grizzly bears, black bears, elk, pronghorn and wolves. Wolves are so elusive that tourists rarely get great shots, but it just so happened that I had the opportunity to get fairly close. Besides the animals, the landscape offered some beautiful photo opportunities.

I can’t wait to go back!

I also had a chance to use my skills with some concert photography. Earlier this year, I attended a Bret Michaels concert at a small venue. I know most of you are unfamiliar with Michaels, but he is the lead singer of the 80’s band, Poison. Ask your parents for more details.

Normally, attendees are not allowed to bring in professional photography equipment, but this was a smaller venue, and I received permission. Bringing my Canon 70x200mm, 2.8 lens was a treat for sure. During the show, I was able to make adjustments to my settings and get some really great shots. I think I took some 800 photos that night. I had so much fun with the photography that I forgot how the concert actually went.

I printed off some of the photos, dropped them by the venue owner’s office and sent a follow-up email. My phone rang minutes later,

and he told me how exited he was about the photos and invited me back to photograph more shows.

Since the Michaels concert, I have been able to shoot a Stoney LaRue show as well as Ted Nugent’s final show on his tour (ask your grandparents). With all of the shows, I was able to post the pictures to Facebook and tag the venue as well as the artists. I went from just a few people seeing my photos, to thousands. I was able to practice during the shoots and really dial in my shots.

Through the Facebook posts, I caught the eye of the local arts council.

They hold several concerts per year and have asked me to photograph all of the shows. I realized that my skills are valuable and have since started a photography business that I do in my spare time. I also sell wildlife and other types of prints and canvases.

The point is: if you have something you’re passionate about, you should work as much as possible to develop your skills.

I know without being a JRMP major and receiving the excellent training from Dr. J., Professor Bublitz and Professor Zhao, that my photography skills would not have evolved as quickly as they have. I owe them a lot of credit. Also, use everything you can find to learn more about what you want to do, regardless if you are a writer, photographer or mechanic. Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life!

If you love cool pictures, I would invite you to like and follow my photography page at https://www. facebook.com/Scott. Smith6987Photography

faculty,

content

Scott Smith Voices Editor

Photos by Scott Smith

A FATALLY BRUTAL MORTAL KOMBAT REVIEW

Kemar Noel A&E Editor

Mortal Kombat 1

(MK1) is a hot new game developed by Nether Realm Studios and published by Warner Bros. with a very promising future ahead.

Nether Realm has been responsible for games like Injustice 2, Batman Arkham City Lockdown and other Mortal Kombat Games, so this isn’t their first rodeo.

Mortal Kombat has had many different iterations since 1992 in games, movies, comics, shows and more. Mortal Kombat is a very beloved franchise, so when Nether Realm announced MK1, fans were very excited.

MK1 serves as the franchise’s 12th installment and second universal reboot since the game’s release.

At the end of MK11, Lui Kang became a time titan after defeating the previous one and started the story over from scratch. There are, of course, some problems with what he does after the reset, and there are ripples and changes throughout the timeline.

The Story mode in MK1 is complex and wellwritten and serves as a great sequel to the previous game. There are not too many fighting games with complex stories and cinematic cutscenes that are this prominent in their overall delivery. The story takes many characters who didn’t seem as important and gives them a story or just adds some meaning to their existence in the universe. It’s a completely new universe, and fans didn’t know what could happen next since some things remain the same while others are different.

The team for this game took their time in making each and every one of the playable characters likable to an extent which gives the game a better

feel upon the first playthrough. Small changes to things like Sub-zero vs. Scorpion or Mileena and Katana were amazingly done and made me more excited in the game.

Overall the storytelling was great, but some fans did have a problem with how it was handled toward the end.

There is a multiverse trend going around in pop culture, and MK1 took inspiration from that trend. MK1 introduces its multiverse timelines early in the game, but doesn’t emphasize them until the end. This still left a bad taste for the player because of the overused and oversaturated plot threads that had been introduced.

Graphically, though, the game looks amazing. It has been four years since the release of the last MK game, so of course, there were improvements, but the art style has changed a bit too. The previous two iterations of MK had a dark and gritty art style while this one is a bit brighter and more vibrant. While there was nothing wrong with the previous color pallet, the change is still welcomed with open arms.

The gameplay is relatively the same; it is a MK game with crazy gore, great combat and out-

of-pocket finishers. They have gotten rid of the offensive and defensive meters from the previous game (MK11) to make the game more balanced, especially in the competitive sphere. The old system was annoying to take but fun to dish out, so it had to be reformed. Changing how the game is played each game gives veteran players something to relearn, keeping it fresh for the longtime fans of the franchise.

There was also a removal of Krypt and now characters will unlock through other game modes. This doesn’t sit well for some people, and this is one of the changes that some people don’t like. The Krypt was akin to a booster pack, and people love to gamble.

There is new DLC that will be released soon that has Homelander from “The Boys,” Omni Man from “Invincible” and more. This DLC is slated for release sometime next spring.

This game was a fun play and had some of the best storytelling I’ve seen in a fighting game since Injustice 1. While the combat may not be as good as Injustice 2 or MK11, in my opinion, I still rate this game a 7/10. It isn’t a must-play, but it is worth it if you like a good story.

UNDER THE SEA: “THE LITTLE MERMAID”

Skylar Teddington Staff Writer

On May 26, Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” released after much anticipation. It is a liveaction adaptation of the 1989 Disney animated film “The Little Mermaid,” based on the 1837 Hans Christian Andersen story by the same name.

The movie follows Ariel (starring Grammy-nominated Halle Bailey), a headstrong, energetic young mermaid who desires to be where the people are– the surface.

However, she’s forbidden to do so by her father, King Triton, who believes all humans are inherently evil due to the circumstances surrounding the death of his daughters’ mother. Ariel makes due with her wish to go to the surface by collecting various knickknacks from the human world.

One day, Ariel decides to go to the surface, where she witnesses fireworks and overhears a conversation between Sir Grimsby and Prince Eric, in which she relates to the prince’s plight for more freedom.

Unfortunately, things go south, and the ship is set on fire and wrecked. Almost everyone got off of the ship safely aside from Prince Eric, who fell off the ship after being knocked unconscious. Ariel manages to save him, bringing him back to the shore where she sings to him before quickly leaving him with only the memory of her voice as she hears people coming down to the shore.

Trouble strikes when King Triton discovers Ariel’s stash of human objects, destroying them out of anger. With nowhere else to turn, Ariel turns to Ursula, who gives her legs in exchange for her voice.

After that is a whole whirlwind of events, both silly and serious.

The aesthetics were very nice, and the final face-off with Ursula was exciting and suspenseful.

After that, the movie ends on a heartwarming note, which I won’t spoil since it was recently rereleased.

Is “The Little Mermaid” worth watching?

I’d say it may be if you loved the original.

Bailey’s voice is phenomenal, and the soundtrack is unforgettable.

The film also contributes more detail to the original plot, including some small bits that just makes it feel more alive, such as Ariel helping Max swim to the lifeboat and the minor additions to Prince Eric’s story.

In addition to that, the plot was slightly revised to showcase each character, so we ended up with a lot more information about side characters like Ariel’s sisters and Prince Eric’s parents. Ariel’s and

Prince Eric’s romance was also expanded upon, so the two had some great chemistry.

There were some parts of “The Little Mermaid” that harmed its rating, though.

The CGI is a bit distracting since it doesn’t really fit into the movie’s aesthetic. Though it is a live-action, Flounder, Sebastian, Scuttle, and most of the animals in the movie looked strange. Also, some of the shots were very poorly lit, such as the final battle with Ursula, which takes away from the viewer’s experience.

The romance, soundtrack and plot are solid, and it is a movie that does what it set out to do: allow people to experience “The Little Mermaid” in a completely new light. Though the movie has its quirks, it is a unique experience and can be quite an enjoyable watch.

As a whole, I’d rate this movie a solid 7/10.

Courtesy Photo

Courtesy Photo

Tau Delta presents:

Banned Books & S’MOres

At 6 p.m., on Sept. 27, in the Bentley Garden’s gazebo, Sigma Tau Delta hosted the second annual Banned Books and S’mores. This is the second time Sigma Tau Delta has held this event, and even though they are an English honors society, the organization tries to hold events that are not completely English- or literature-centered due to student interest. Students and attendees had the option of taking a togo s’more kit or have

a fresh one made for them.

This gave students a choice to stop by for a few quick minutes, or they could stay for longer to hang out, eat their s’more, learn about banned books and make some found poetry.

Senior English Education major and President of Cameron’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta Scotlyn Koehler said Sigma Tau Delta hosted the event the previous year with a good turnout.

“We try to find a fun element to bring in to kind-of attract everyone’s attention whether they enjoy

English or not and so this was just our idea last year and it turned out really well,” she said.

Students who attended the event could make found poetry out of the pages of banned books like Toni Morrison’s “Beloved,” Angie Thomas’s “The Hate U Give,” John Green’s “Looking for Alaska,” Laurie Halse Anderson’s “Speak” and Lois Lowry’s “The Giver.”

To create found poetry, attendees took words and phrases from a book excerpt covering the nonselected or unwanted

words with black ink or art to hide them. In doing this, a poem emerges from the uncovered words.

Sigma Tau Delta hosted this event in order to bring awareness to the book bans sweeping across the United States.

Koehler explained that banned books are books that are prohibited to be in school and public libraries. This then blocks students from reading them and teachers from teaching or incorporating them into their curricula and classrooms.

“They’re typically [banned] at the

secondary level, middle and high school and sometimes even elementary, if the books kind of promote ideas outside of the norm,” Koehler said. Koehler said that many of the banned books surprised attendees.

“When they (attendees) got here, they were very surprised by the book selections that were banned because a lot of them were ones they read in high school, middle school or even on their own and that’s kind of the point exactly,” Koehler said. “Just kind of the ludicracy of the

banning of books.”

Though there was poetry and music, the s’mores were what drew people to come and participate.

Junior English major Marty Hoyte said, “I came because I like s’mores and I like poetry.”

Though this event is held in September, national banned books week is Oct. 1- Oct. 7.

For more information about Sigma Tau Delta or how to join, email Scotlyn Koehler at scotlyn.koehler@ cameron.edu or Dr. William Carney at wcarney@cameron. edu.

Cameron University Power Outage

During the power outage, the whole town experienced rolling blackouts.

causing students and faculty to lose access.

Lawton’s power source from Wednesday morning to Thursday morning.

The blackouts also affected Cameron, with many faculty and staff cancelling events, meetings and classes for that day.

The power outage also affected Blackboard,

Senior Director of Public Affairs Keith Mitchell said the power outage affected students differently, depending on where they live.

“The students who live on campus and (in the) village and Shepler have one way they look at it

... The students driving around the community they have a different view because of the power outage affected them offcampus, and of course, you have our students who are in Duncan and other communities who drive in,” Mitchell said. “They weren’t affected unless they were on

campus or trying to access the campus services.”

Mitchell said the power outage provided some insight into campus infrastructure.

“For us as a university, we saw this as an opportunity to look at how a crisis like this impacts our campus

infrastructure as well as the services we deliver to the students,” Mitchell said. “Try to continue forward in the normal kinda way.”

For more information about the blackout, visit www. psokalahoma.com or www.kwso.com.

Kaley Muse

Student Life Editor

S’more

(Left) Scotlyn Koehler and (right) Ryan Shows toast marshmallows for attendees of Banned Books & S’mores.

Laugh s’more, worry less! (Left) Alec Santos and (right) Amelia Lozano take donations for Sigma Tau Delta and hand out s’mores kits.

Jeramie McMichael Staff Writer

INTRAMURAL SPORTS + Get Your Game On

Ramona Villegas Sports Editor

At Cameron University, students can take advantage of many intramural sports options like basketball, volleyball, pickleball, dodgeball, racketball and pingpong.

CU alumnus and Aggie Rec Center facility manager Otis Gentry said students can sign up for intramural sports online.

“Go into the iamleagues.com then that’s where you start your process,” he said. “It also depends on the event, because some of the events are individual like badminton and ping pong. Like on the team events, the team captain will go and sign his team up for the particular event.”

The goal of the Rec Center is to get more people active on campus and promote physical activity. Not only does the Rec Center offer intramural sports, but also workout classes, recreational activities and monthly challenges –like squat, plank and running challenges.

Senior Psychology major Cierra Howse is currently doing the September monthly challenge which consists of wall sits.

So far, she has enjoyed the accountability, flexible staff and mental health boost following this challenge.

“Also, it’s good for helping build consistency in your scheduling to help motivate you to get

Another way the Rec Center is able to reach their goals is through not only having intramural

sports available to students but also to the community.

“When you open it up to the community, it will thrive more,” Gentry said. “Lots of kids going here to Cameron, they have brothers, sisters and friends that went to highschool together that probably didn’t want to go to college, but they would still like to be active in our sports program.”

There are many members of the campus and Lawton communities who enjoy participating in recreational sports.

Cameron Communication major Mikel Weatherspoon said he enjoys playing basketball at the Aggie Rec Center.

“It is open to everybody,” he said. “Growing up I never played basketball on a regulation team, so it’s really nice to have that free access to play casually among individuals who are either really good at basketball, terrible at basketball or learning how to play overall.”

With a gym pass and/or Cameron ID, Rec Center attendees can check out equipment including basketballs, racketballs, volleyballs, ping pong balls and paddles.

The next intramural sports event will be the pickleball tournament.

Registration will be open until Oct.16.

The captain’s meeting will be Oct. 17.

The date and time for the tournament is still to be determined.

For more information about Cameron intramural sports, contact the Aggie Rec Center at 580-5815555.

Graphics by Ramona Villegas