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UCO360.com
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December 3, 2009
THE STUDENT VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA SINCE 1903
Petition circulates for officia 'Dead Week' Tiffany Brown sw,/). I I rile,•
At the University of Central Oklahoma, quiet week is not a time to simply not speak. Central students are loudly voicing their opinions about the policy that precedes finals week. While many students are focused on finishing last minute research papers and other class work, others are equally dedicated to making the effort to change the quiet week policy. UCO Student Association is attempting to work with university officials to redefine how course material is presented to students. "Is there not an institutional policy about quiet week?" Gaily Cannon, a business major senior, asked. "There have been several instances where assignments or tests have been administered during the last few days just prior to finals week." "Most people are in finals prep mode during this time and having to do additional work for whatever reason reduces the amount of -time needed to commit to a firm study period." -Cannon said. "Is there anyway to
Photo by Allison Rathgeber
Matt Stovall, an accounting junior, said, "I think for students with full schedules a dead week is a good time to study. if you don't have a lot of time during the semester...on the other hand I have a lot of friends taking not overly taxing course loads, so they could make use of it, but don't really need it."
Dr. Loren Gatch,professor, said, "I just don't think it is necessary to formalize a practice, which is probably adopted by professors as a way of managing their grading responsibilities at the end of the semester."
emphasize to those who would assign work during this period to consider the learning flow people use. "I have been impacted by this situation twice this semester and I am probably not the only
said.
Tax credit offered to some UCO students Emily Davis .sw,ll. I I riter
Students have a chance to get some help with a tax credit that was enacted by the Obama administration. The American Opportunity tax credit is a tax break for students attending college. This tax credit expands the already existing Hope credit. Dr. Randal Ice, professor and chair of the finance department said, "It is very important to consider how you can benefit, and take classes that allow you to gain the most from the credit. You also need to be very careful to save your receipts for tuition, fees, books and supplies. "You are responsible for documenting these expenses. If you are a dependent on your parent's tax return, they will benefit, and hopefully share the benefit with you in terms of supporting your education." Ice also said that th'e UCO Accounting Department provides tax preparation help to students each spring. According to the IRS, students that spend more than $4,000 in a single year on their education will get back a $2,500 tax credit that is 40%) refundable. This is different from the previous Hope credit,
Photo by Kory Oswald
which was not refundable. The students that qualify for the tax credit will get up to $1,000 cash back, if you don't owe taxes. According to the IRS this tax credit is up to $2,500 of the • cost of tuition and materials related to education that is paid during the taxable year. This is an increase from the Hope credit. This credit can be used for books, and supplies and equipment needed for courses. According to the IRS, "taxpayers will receive a tax credit based on 100 percent of the first $2,000 of tuition, fees and course material paid during the taxable year, plus 25 percent of the next $2,000 of tuition, fees and course materials paid during the taxable year." This tax credit lasts for four years instead of the two from the previous Hope credit. The tax credit is only eligible for undergraduate students. Also, if your single gross income is over $90,000 or jointly $180,000 you do not qualify. The tax covers only 2009 and 2010 courses. "It is important to pay for the courses in the year you wish to utilize the credit. So you need to plan your
one," Cannon said. "The fundamental purpose of education is learning not to complete all the requirements on a syllabus." "Quality not quantity as one of my former professor puts it," Cannon
For more opinions on an official dead week, turn to page two. Quiet week is not addressed in depth, but specific rules for faculty to abide by are stated in chapter 3, section 3.5 of the faculty handbook. Some students are not asking for the entire policy
see FINALS ; page 9
Alternative schedule
Students given option to learn by traveling Tivanna Harris
to be amended. Rather specific changes are sought, part of which includes the following. " ... Quiet week does not stop normal course work or examinations. All classes are expected to meet for the full sixteen weeks and no
college, academic department, or individual faculty member is authorized to reduce the number of academic weeks in the standard semester without specific approval of the State Regent ... " Daniel Stockton, UCOSA President said. "We are hoping that the simple change in vernacular will be supported and embraced by faculty and students alike." The faculty handbook was recently revised for the 2009-2010 school year. Yet, according to petition students' hope their input will be taken under consideration, by suggesting the section in dispute be replaced with language similar to the statement below. "Quiet Week shall also exclude any NEW coursework, including in the classroom assignments, homework, projects, presentations, etc. Furthermore, no quizzes or examinations should be scheduled during Quiet Week."' The petition, started in part by Stockton, also stated, ".the exact vernacular should be chosen by the faculty, and unofficially approved by student representatives.'" If the policy is amended to accommodate the suggestions made by UCOSA,
no longer a possibility
a class, this will be the first that he has done. "I've taken shorter trips with the photo club and assisted with the trip to Italy, but never as a ,class," said Miller. "I wanted to do a trip where it may cost a little more but it's about taking your time and getting to do a lot more". The students will fly into Las Vegas and take a van through San Diego, Los 'Angeles, Monterey, San Francisco, Yosemite and Reno before flying back to Oklahoma City. The class dates are June 7 through June 27 which includes the week of instruction. Students interested in going should e-mail Miller
Kory Oswald
sion was never about a four-
day week but about alternative scheduling to better Managing Editor serve current students and Looking to travel? The UCO will not change to a potential underserved stuMass Communications four-day school week or any dents." department has several other alternative scheduling Radke also said the reaoptions to choose from; for the 2010-2011 academic sons for the recommenopportunities that range year. dation were varied and from a two-week stateside The vice presidents of numerous but cited spephotography course to a the university unanimously cifically that "there is no whole semester in India. recommended to President evidence that current stuCalifornia is the final Roger Webb that UCO keep dents are not being served," destination for the Tthvel the current schedule model and "there is no current photography class that will and the president accepted information about how an be lead by Professor Jesse the recommendation. underserved group might Miller. Before departing Dr. William Radke, the be served by the change." on the trip students will go provost and vice presiParking and campus life through a week of instrucdent of Academic Affairs, were also among the reation over what to bring on officially announced the sons given for maintaining the trip and the class work president's decision in the the standard schedule, as expectancy. Academic Affairs newsletwell as the complication Professor Miller is excitsee TRAVEL, page 9' ter just before Thanksgiving of moving 650 sections of ed to being taking a trip as break. The newsletter goes class from Friday into the to all full-time faculty and other four days of the week, administration on campus. the availability of faculty During the fall 2008 and classrooms. semester Radke created UCO may be able to the Alternative Scheduling implement more Saturday Action Team to study the and night classes in the possible benefits of an future. The vice presialternative schedule for the dents did recommend that university. One alternative UCO continue looking for model was the four-day opportunities to serve the week. students on weekends and After the team published evenings where the univerthe report in April, the dif- sity has the available classferent departments on cam- rooms, parking, faculty and pus began to study all areas services to do so. that would be affected by "I think that is possible. the move from a standard However, no action will be Photo by Byron Koontz schedule model. taken until it is known a Dr. Mark Hanebutt will take students to Portugal, In an e-mail to The Vista need exists," Radke said in Spain and Morocco this summer. The trip will begin Radke said, "It is important see TAXES , page 9 July 9 and end July 25, see CLASSES, page 9 to be clear that the discus-
DID YOU KNOW UCO's Thatcher Hall used to be the men's dormitory and past Bronchos would look out their windows onto the football field, where Broncho Lake is currently located.
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