The Vista June 05, 2008

Page 1

THE June

www.thevistaoniine.com

5, 2008

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■ IT staff maintains security measures

P. 2 • Student loans are difficult to find P. 3 Celtics-Lakers renew rivalry P. 6 • Liz Vermilyea retires after 20 years of planning P.3

Dare to 'Endeavor'

Student faces trial in threat case

Edmond native aims for archery title

By CARRIE CRONK Staff Writer

A UCO student will go to trial on July 14 in connection with a false bomb threat that occurred on campus on April 22. On May 8 a federal grand jury indicted Jason Ray Shandy on charges of providing false information about a bomb and giving false statements to federal law enforcement, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Oklahoma. Information was not available as to whether or not Shandy had an attorney. According to an article in the May 9 issue of the Edmond Sun, Shandy is believed to have called 911 and falsely reported overhearing 3 Middle Eastern students making plans to detonate a bomb on the UCO campus. After 14 hours of searching, UCO Police and numerous other law enforcement authorities were unable to find any evidence of an explosive device on campus. According to the article, Shandy was interviewed several times before he admitted his report was false. According to the indictment, he told a friend he made up the story so he could get out of school. Shandy faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of all charges.

Campus Safety UCO Police Report on page 5

By JORDAN RICHISON Staff Writer T.J. Pemberton may not be Robin Hood, but the Edmond native sure could give him a run for his money, even with only one leg. Pemberton, the 6th ranked Paralympic archer in the world, will be competing this weekend at UCO in the annual Endeavor Games. Pemberton said this is • his third year competing in the Endeavor Games. He said the participation rate in outdoor archery competition at the Games has grown rapidly the past couple of years. "My first year I was the only outdoor archer who competed, and this year there are going to be 30 to 40 participants in the competition," Pemberton said. Pemberton lost the use of his right leg six years ago when he was deer hunting in Southeast Oklahoma. He was driving his All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) back to camp when the lights went out by Vista photographer Chanel Henry just as the road curved to the TJ Pemberton, the 6th ranked Paralympic archer in the world, prepares right, causing him to miss the turn. Pemberton and the ATV for the annual Endeavor Gaines this weekend.

Endeavor Games * What: The University of Central Oklahoma is one host of the ninth annual Endeavor Games, which began in 2000. The Games are a multi-sport competition open to physically disabled athletes of all ages and abilities. * When: June 5-8, 2008 * Where: Various locations, including the UCO campus, Edmond North High School, and Cheyenne Middle School. * Notes: The Games will have a Beijing flavor.

careened 442 feet down the mountainside. He said the accident severed the nerve in his right leg next to his femur. He also suffered a broken femur and clavicle, three broken ribs and three broken vertebrates. He bruised both lungs, his heart and suffered severe nerve damage to his back as well as a traumatic brain injury. "The doctors didn't think I would survive the night, but two days after the accident I see ARCHERY, page 5

Advances lift paralympians By JORDAN RICHISON Staff Writer

In an age of steroids and performance enhancing drugs in sports, the one performance enhancer that often goes unnoticed is the rapidly improving technological,advantage for Paralympic athletes. In the last five years, technology in prosthesis has improved so much that Associated Press Paralympic athletes who were once Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius catches considered disadvantaged may now his breath after competing in the 400 meters of have the advantage over their ablethe Dutch Open Paralympics event in Emmeloord, bodied competition. One of the most recent advances in Netherlands, Sunday June 1, 2008. prosthetic technology is developing

limbs that rely on Bluetooth technology to "know" how to move. Scientists are even looking into a way where they could wire artificial legs and arms into the nervous system and make them part of the body itself. "These limbs are designed so people can walk and do things without any problems just like any able-bodied person can do," said Bert Herman, business manager at Oklahoma Orthotic and Prosthetics Services. Prior to chip technology, for an amputee to go down the stairs, they would have to take one step at a time. But chip technology, an amputee see PARALYMPIANS, page 5

UCO selects Oklahoma native as athletic director By NELSON SOLOMON

Copy Editor

Former Oklahoma State University Associate Athletic Director Joe Muller was named as the new head of UCO's athletic program at a press conference Wednesday, May 28, at Wantland Stadium. Muller said he is "committed to growing this program to be a model college athletic program." "The reason we're all here is for the studentathletes," he said. "My hope is that we recruit the best and the brightest in the state of Oklahoma." "Once we recru i tstuden tathletes to UCO, I think it should be the mission of

the athletic department to coach, mentor, train, educate, graduate and develop these young people into future leaders in this community, in this state, and in the world," he said. "If we do that, we'll be successful." Former UCO athletic director Bill Farley moved into the UCO Foundation's development department April 23. He has served as the A.D. since June 9, 2003. While in Stillwater, Muller provided leadership, marketing, management and organizational expertise to OSU POSSE, ticket opera Lions, marketing /

promotions and athletic development to the university, according to a provided biography. At OSU, he led an effort to raise more than $90 million in gifts and pledges for a football capital campaign and increased annual fund revenues by 168 percent in three years. He was also responsible for football ticket revenue increases of more than $6 million over three years. From 2002 to 2004, football season ticket sales increased from 31,056 to 38, 636, setting new attendance records. AfterservingatOSUfrom 2002 to 2006, Muller went to Purdue University to serve as a Senior Associate

Athletic Director, in charge of external affairs. At Purdue, he led revenue development and external affairs initiatives for the department with $53 million in annual revenues. He coordinated the firstever "Former StudentAthlete Campaign" tied to Mackey Arena renovation. He helped garner more than $750,000 in contributions, with $2 million pending, during the first six months. President Roger Webb introduced the Stillwater native after detailing the history of the university's athletic program, dating back to 1896, when a "ragtag football team went

Photo Services New UCO athletic director Joe Muller speaks May 28 to the media after President Webb formally announced his hiring. to play another ragtag film from OSU in 1981 team in Stillwater." and his master's in mass Muller received his communications in 1993. bachelor's in radio-TV


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