The Vista Feb. 2016

February 2016 Vol. 113 Issue 6

Enjoy the motion of every day News on Campus....... Section A Living in Oklahoma... Section B Sports and Life.......... Section C

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TABLE OF CONTENTS A group of geese gathers on Broncho Lake during sunset on Wednesday, January 20. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

NAME AND POSITION Alex Brown Editor-in-Chief

Matthew Peterson Photographer

Queila Omena Managing Editor

Brianna Ryba Photographer

Daltyn Moeckel Design Editor

Kateleigh Mills Reporter

Bradley Jayroe Sports Editor

Jessica Phillips Reporter

Ryan Naeve Photo Editor

Eriech Tapia Reporter

Sabrin Abu Seir Copy Editor

Rachael Corbin Reporter

Cara Johnson Photographer

Ike Wilcots Sports Reporter

David Terry Photographer

Teddy Burch Advisor

ON THE COVER

SECTION A Latest at UCO...........................................................3

Letter to the Editor..................................................14

Editorials...............................................................4-6

UCO Features....................................................15-16

UCO News..........................................................7-11

Campus News..............................................14, 17-20

Macro Mystery...................................................12-13

Columns............................................................21-23

As humans, we are constantly in motion. We all have places to be and things we have to get done. However, sometimes we get so wrapped up in our busy lives that we take them for granted. We, the editors of the Vista, would like to challenge everyone to enjoy the motion of every day, take time to really listen and never forget what makes you happy. Photos by Cara Johnson. Photo illustrations by Daltyn Moeckel.

Advertise with the Vista: The Vista is published monthly during the spring, summer, and fall semesters In all issues, The Vista has opportunities for both classified, online and print ads.

Email your questions to:

ucovista.advertising@gmail.com

The Vista is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students, monthly 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, with a maximum of 250 words, and must include the author’s printed name, title, major, classification and phone number.

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 vistauco@gmail.com.

“Batdog was here” could be seen taped to a window from the outside of Thatcher Hall on Friday, January 22. Who could this mysterious Batdog be? Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

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LATEST AT UCO

Low gas prices:

a blessing or a curse?

Luke Overmyer @lmdrluke

Contributing Writer

Many Oklahomans have seen a decrease in gas prices over the last two years due to an increase in supply from both the United States and other countries because of a new way to produce oil.

Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” allows hydraulic wells to crack the earth by filling up pockets of oil with sand and water to build up pressure in the ground, which allows the oil and other natural gas to seep out.

However, even though many Oklahomans are saving at the pump, many believe that these fracking techniques are the cause of the recent earthquakes.

“I absolutely believe they do. While it’s not necessarily the fracking process, when the disposal wells are injecting the water back into the ground it causes shifts in the Earth’s structure,” said Travis Roach, University of Central Oklahoma Economics Professor.

Furthermore, the decrease in gas prices has affected those who work in the energy sector, such as employees of Chesapeake Energy and Devon Energy.

For Instance, according to CNN, Chesapeake Energy plans to lay off over 15 percent of its workforce due to the decrease in oil prices.

“The Energy sector in general is depressed, so these people don’t have another career they can jump into quickly,” Roach said.

On the other hand, many college students have been taking advantage of the recent shift in gas prices by spending more on groceries and other necessities.

“I, for one, am in love with these gas prices; being able to fill up my tank for less than $20 at a time allows me to spend more on clothes and food,” said UCO student Daniel Whalen Jr. In addition, reduced gas prices give the the general consumer a chance to build up a savings account, purchase a new vehicle, or even buy a brand new TV. On top of that, it also allows many individuals to save on travel expenses when driving to and from work, as well as cutting costs for a family vacation or road trip.

The recent shift in gas prices has been

Gas prices have plummeted over the last year, and many Oklahomans are taking advantage of the low gas prices so that they can spend money on things like food or bills. However many other Oklahomans, such as those working in the energy industry, are suffering because of the drop in natural gas prices. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

viewed both positively for the increase in consumers’ spending money and negatively for oil and gas company layoffs.

However, it is still possible for the job market to bounce back.

UCO concurrent student fills his truck with gas, “pumped” about the low gas prices. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.

“Since we are spending less on gasoline maybe we will spend more elsewhere, creating new jobs in other sectors allowing those who were laid off to find new jobs,” said Roach.

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EDITORIAL

Desensitizing death Sabrin Abu Seir @SabrinAbuSeir Copy Editor

People die every day; to be more accurate, people die every second. Yet we go on with life.

We never realize how real death is until it hits home. We pass countless numbers of people every day and unless we know them or know someone in common we have no way of telling if they’ve lost someone they love.

Death is a sensitive subject. It can turn a normal conversation and encounter awkward and temporarily sad.

When someone tells you a person they loved died, your typical response would be some form of apology or sympathy for their loss. You wouldn’t pretend you knew that person or liked them, at most you would have a brief moment of sadness and then chase away the scary thought of losing someone you love.

Yet the etiquette around death seems to be ignored when a celebrity is involved. We get caught up in the trends and the latest hashtags that we forget the sensitivity of the issue.

We become fans of people; celebrities, for various reasons and often times it only takes a few exposures to their work.

Maybe a movie, a song or even a silly YouTube video that leads you to contin-

ue following them and their work, but their death should not be a reason.

Don’t get me wrong, when people create memorials and post tributes about a celebrity’s death it’s a sign of their work. It shows that in their lifetime they touched people’s lives, regardless of whether it was because of their looks, a character they played, a song or even their humanitarian work. They left an impression on people.

But liking someone because #RIPInsertNameHere is trending, is just disrespectful.

It is inconsiderate to the actual fans who have formed that connection with them. More than that, it is inconsiderate to their family and friends; everyone that loved them and that they loved.

As fans we get to keep them the same way we always knew them; through movies, music, videos, artwork, whatever field they worked in. For their loved ones, that’s all they have now.

The physical person that would lie on the other side of the bed almost every night for x amount of years, or sit across the table for dinner or be on the other end of the phone when they needed them is gone.

Alan Rickman died of cancer on January 14, 2016. The British actor was most famous for his role as Snape in the Harry Potter series. Photo provided by the Associated Press.

A woman looks at shirts with a portrait of David Bowie in London. David Bowie, the other-worldly musician who broke pop and rock boundaries with creative musicianship, nonconformity, striking visuals and a genre-bending persona and christened Ziggy Stardust, died of cancer Sunday, January 10. He was 69 and had just released a new album.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (Frank Augstein)

Most of all, it is disrespectful to the celebrity that died. Nobody wants to be an afterthought or have their tragedy the talk of the internet.

The most recent example that bothered me personally surrounds the death of Alan Rickman. He died in January from pancreatic cancer.

If you told people Alan Rickman died, quite a few people would know who that was. However in order for many people to actually know who you were talking about you would have to tell them the guy who played Snape died, or the bad guy from Die Hard died.

For people to grieve the death of the actor who played Severus Snape is understandable. For many college students and young adults born in the 1990’s Harry Potter was most likely a part of their childhood.

I have been a fan of Rickman’s for as long as I can remember, I grew up watching his movies and performances. I find disrespect in the long winded and somber posts and comments from people that have never read the Harry Potter books and can’t even name another character Rickman played right off the bat without thinking or stammering.

Liking a character someone played but knowing nothing else about them or their work doesn’t make you a fan of that actor but the character. There is a difference. More often than not the characters are fictional and hold few ties to the actors themselves or who they really were.

Everyone is allowed to grieve, we are entitled to it. Movies, characters, songs,

books and artwork have an emotional hold on us.

They make us feel a certain way, or not feel a certain way. They take you back to a moment in your life that meant something to you. So it is natural to grieve when that memory is harmed or tainted.

What we aren’t entitled to is using the death of person loved by many as a way to gain more likes, retweets, favorites and shares.

We live in a world where one of the things that matters most to individuals is the numbers on their social media accounts and being in-the-know about the latest trends. And sadly that includes death.

Dying isn’t a trend. Liking someone that recently died isn’t a trend.

It is insensitive. It is disrespectful. It is rude.

Imagine someone you love dies; a parent, a child, a sibling or a best friend, would you want some random person that had no idea who they were, posting about their death? Would that offend you?

My guess would be yes. I know it would offend me.

The next time you see a #RIP on social media or you hear people talking about a recent death, ask yourself if you knew them, if you were a fan and if it affects you in anyway other than the typical brief moment of sadness that death brings.If the answers are no, do not post about it.

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EDITORIAL

How to be a Queila Omena @queilaomena Managing Editor

Being a great boss takes practice, and a lot of effort. But you don’t have to be perfect to be one.

Great bosses need to manage their time and priorities, working with ethics and integrity.

Bosses need to be able to collaborate with ideas, coach employees, develop systems and raise overall quality.

However, these qualities are not what make a great boss; dealing with people the right way is.

We believe treating others the same is a great idea, but when it comes to management the idea doesn’t work.

Everyone has a unique personality, and treating everyone the same would harm some and benefit others. So, how do you learn to treat employees differently but still be true to fair play?

Let’s start with personalities, the core of a person.

Extroverts, like me, get their energy from connecting with people and talking with others. They are more likely to enjoy a conversation face-toface than an exchange of emails. Extroverts like to be around people most of the time, and are often comfortable speaking in public.

Introverts, on the other hand, get their energy from the life of the mind, having plenty ideas to present and share. They prefer to process things fully before presenting to others. Introverts tend to be good listeners.

A boss needs to discern the importance of understanding people’s personality.

If an extrovert receives an email saying that they are not invited to go to a work trip because there are more people qualified, they will be hurt.

That person would be more understanding if the message was passed face-to-face, and with more emotional care. For an introvert, the email might not be a problem.

On the other hand, an introvert can appear to have an approach with

BOSS

slyness, aloofness or lack of ideas.

Good bosses recognize the talent of an introvert even when they are not the first ones to speak.

“It’s also important to understand that introverts are quite capable of leading meetings, giving great presentations, and speaking at length about subjects that are important to them.

The best proof I can offer: TV news anchors. They’re all extroverts, right?

Nope. Those introvert anchors can still shine in the spotlight, ad-lib for hours of breaking news, or charm a live audience. They just want a little quiet

time when they’re finished,” said Jill Geisler, at Work Happy.

When it comes to communication, it’s important to know that some people will tend to speak more in metaphors, when others want to be more precise and follow the facts.

For instance, a teacher might hold a bag of cookies in front of her students, and ask them to write three words about the package. Some students will focus precisely on the details, contains 12 cookies, 200 grams, while others might focus on a broad topic, being more vague rather than specific. They

might be the ones with the creative mind that wants to make sense of what “cookiess” means.

Great bosses know that people are a combination of personality, generational influence, life experience, backgrounds, and many other facts.

They value their employees for their uniqueness, and help them grow professionally.

We understand that nobody is perfect, not employees or bosses. But with awareness, will and effort, we are able to experience harmony in the workplace.

Being a boss is tough, but somebody has to do it. To be an all around good boss, someone has to be able to understand other people, manage their time properly, and prioritize. Photo provided by splitshire.com

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CAMPUS NEWS

Murdaugh to close this summer Eriech Tapia @eriechtapia95

W Reporter

With the expectation of another record-shattering freshman class, the University of Central Oklahoma Housing and Dinning Office will face the closure of Murdaugh Hall in June, with West Hall becoming the new co-ed dormitory.

“Murdaugh Hall has served UCO well for a long time, but it’s time to do the needed renovations to make sure the building will be around for a long time to come,” Scott Monetti said, director of housing and resident life at UCO. The closure comes after years of improvements by the university to keep the 79-year-old building up to date, with the last round of renovations addressing the growing mold problem. “Murdaugh Hall is almost 80 years old, so it needs new electric, new plumbing and a new heating/air conditioning system.

We’ll also be adding a fire suppression system,” Monetti said.

Many students who live in Murdaugh and West are voicing their concerns over whether they will be able to live on campus next year. “They are doing first-come-first-serve this next year,” said Murdaugh

resident Sean St. Aimie. “I feel like they are kicking us out and making us fight for a room.”

The new round of renovations will begin this summer with the closure of the entire building, addressing recent plumbing issues with rusty water being seen by residents. Other areas being remodeled include hallways and rooms getting updates to the plumbing and air units.

“In addition to the renovation I mentioned, we’ll be doing some cosmetic improvements, but we won’t know the extent of that until we have an estimate of how much everything will cost,” Monetti said.

The building currently houses roughly 260 residents, who will have to find new living arrangements for the fall of 2016. However, the Housing and Dinning Office expects for all of their dormitories to be at or near capacity.

“Hopefully we will not be too overwhelmed this next year with requests,” said Ryan McClain, a student housing worker.

St. Aimie receives a housing stipend through the university for housing and would not be able to

receive them if he lived off campus. “I am definitely worried about the changes this next year,” St. Aimie said, “I cannot live off campus without my scholarships.”

Students will be able to sign up for the next year’s housing during the week of February 15 -19; however, students who participated in the Hall Olympics and won were able to sign up early for housing.

With West Hall becoming co-ed, men will have to start their applications soon, as only the south wing of the building will be available for men. “West Hall has room for 465 students, and about 130 spots will be used for males in 2016-2017. Of those 130 spots, 40 of them will be used for our new Learning Community, Future Leaders,” Monetti said.

“While a lot of the focus of the renovation will be on the infrastructure, I think Murdaugh’s residents will really appreciate the new heating and air system, which will allow for individually controlled temperature in each room,” Monetti said.

Murdaugh Hall, an 80-year-old dormatory, will be closing for renovations this June. Some of the renovations the building will recieve include plumbing upgrades and modern heating and cooling systems. Photo by Matthew Peterson, The Vista.

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CAMPUS NEWS

UCOSA opts for gun control on campus Luke Overmyer @lmdrluke Contributing Writer

T

The University of Central Oklahoma Student Association placed a vote January 25, reaffirming the university’s stance regarding gun control on campus.

The legislation states: “The official opinion of the University of Central Oklahoma Student Congress remains the same as previous declarations – that the UCO Student body opposes any modification to state law that would effectively allow guns on campus.”

Furthermore, the legislation was passed with a majority rule and no debate with 19 votes yes, two votes no from Senators Corey Winston and Justin Berman, and one abstain from Senator Running.

“In accordance with our previous decisions, concealed carry weapons are not allowed on campus with the exception of law enforcement personnel,” UCOSA Senator Caroline Reckner said.

In addition, the UCO Faculty and Staff Senates passed a joint resolution January 5, declaring a “continuing opposition to any modification of state law which would allow non-law enforcement personnel to have concealed weapons on a University or College campus.”

The UCO student congress holds a meeting every year to declare an official position of the student body regarding gun control.

However, if UCOSA were to vote against the current gun control policies the student congress would have to debate the issue even further with the Faculty and Staff Senates.

“Right now we are falling in line

A University of Central Oklahoma police officer looks at Old North from outside of UCO’s police station. Currently only officers of the law are permitted to carry firearms on campus. Photo

by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

with the faculty and state’s policies, but I don’t see UCOSA’s stance changing anytime soon,” Reckner said.

For these bills to pass they must first be proposed by the UCOSA president, who in turn sends the bill to the proper committee, and then the committee brings the bill to the floor.

Once the bill has been brought to

the floor the author comes up as the speaker and discusses the bill before proposing a call for debate. If no one steps up to debate the issue at hand, a vote is held with majority rule.

Meetings to propose legislation take place every Monday at 1 p.m. in the Will Rogers Room, located on the fourth floor of the Nigh University

Center. Meetings to vote on the legislation are held at 5 p.m.

Students are allowed to sit in on these meetings; however, they are asked that they sign in as a non-voting member. They are allowed to come in and listen as long as it is a non executive meeting which is indicated by closed doors.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Hoverboards Callie Ridley @calliejoyridley Contributing Writer

The University of Central Oklahoma has now officially banned hoverboards from campus due to the recent concerns brought forth by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. UCO President Don Betz and the president’s cabinet decided to remove these hoverboards from campus after the recent fire safety hazards they have caused.

“It was really the national trend. They were one of the big Christmas gifts,” said Beth Kerr, one of two Legal Council advisors at UCO. “It was a proactive decision.”

In order to maintain campus safety and remain in compliance with fire protection and prevention efforts, UCO has decided to add the hoverboards to the list of

= campus contraband

items not allowed on campus. This includes student housing where Adrienne Nobles, assistant vice president of University Relations, believes they were most likely to appear.

Students living on-campus often bike, skateboard, or scooter to class and Nobles said she believed hoverboards were most likely going to be used on-campus along with the other modes of transportation to ensure students get to class on-time.

According to Nobles, Betz’s cabinet and legal advisers collaborated to come up with a decision that would be best for the students on campus. They urged students to remove the hoverboards from campus immediately in order to maintain safety.

“Our students’ safety is our primary concern,” said Nobles.

Both Nobles and Kerr said The University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University have banned hoverboards from their campuses as well. UCO looked

to those campuses first before making a final decision on the banning.

Kerr also mentioned that there was a fire involving a hoverboard in Oklahoma City recently, citing this as one of many reasons she believes the hoverboards needed to be banned from campus.

“I think it was a wise decision,” Kerr stated.

Several students agreed with the decision to ban hoverboards from campus, but not all students felt that it was any safer than other modes of transportation on campus.

UCO is planning on revisiting the idea of hoverboards on campus once the defects are fixed. They are continuing to monitor the ongoing federal investigation regarding hoverboard safety and may lift the ban based on the recommendations made by the national consumer safety investigations.

For more information, contact the Office of President Don Betz at 405-974-2311.

A student stands on a mini segway, otherwise known as a hoverboard. However starting this semester these hoverboards have been banned on campus. Photo by David Terry, The Vista.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Safety on campus Katrina Butcher @hurriKaneskis Contributing Writer

Since 2013, there have been over 160 school shootings, prompting campuses across the U.S. to crack down on safety.

Unfortunately, firearm incidents aren’t the only crimes campus police must deal with.

Many students don’t know that here at the University of Central Oklahoma, our police department handles crimes ranging from larceny, burglary, aggravated assaults, and rape. We are even given the opportunity to know when and where these incidents occurred.

One feature we have can come straight to our phone is known as Central Alert.

For example, if a suspicious backpack is found on campus, we all will receive a “text alert” to let us know where it was found and what areas to stay away from.

Our Police are there to respond to any emergencies, investigate crimes that occur, and keep students informed on campus activity. Their Twitter page is a great place to find out what is going on around campus, and help them locate criminals they may need help looking for.

Students are also offered a free 24/7 service called “SafeWalk.” The goal is to help students feel safe as they walk to their cars or go to class. In many buildings, there are SafeWalk phones, where at the push of a button, a police officer will escort you across campus.

According to the Daily Crime Log from Police Services, there have already been at least 10 crimes that have taken place on campus since January 1, 2016.

Two of the most recent crimes include burglary and larceny.

Many cases also include possession of a controlled substance where arrests and charges are filed. Three of those particular cases occurred in Murdaugh Hall just this past month alone.

If students witness a crime on campus, they are encouraged to report it to UCO Police. Each month UCO Police count the number of incidents according to each category, and then report it to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

The OSBI then reports it to the FBI, who in turn will publish the crime statistics.

Emergency phones are also located across campus, typically on the first floor of any given building. These phones are tested frequently and connect directly to the Police Services Communication Center.

Students are highly encouraged to be aware of their surroundings, and should feel free to contact UCO Police with any problems. You can get more information on UCO’s campus safety policy at uco. edu by searching “safety.”

(Above) Security measures have been implemented to help keep students safe around UCO. One of these measures is the safe-walk telephones installed through out some of the buildings on campus.

Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

(Below) Several UCO campus police cars sit parked outside of the Safety services office. Since the beginning of 2015 there have already been several crimes commited on campus, including burglary and larceny. Photo from Vista Archives.

PIANO 10A

CAMPUS NEWS

Recreational music classes at UCO Jasmine Misner @jaslemis

Contributing Writer

The Oklahoma Center for Arts Education and the College of Fine Arts and Design at the University of Central Oklahoma began offering lessons in piano and other instruments January 25.

The Central Community Music School program has group lessons Monday evenings for one hour for the next eight weeks at the School of Music building.

Director for the OCAE Ines Burnham stated that the program was created as a need to serve the community.

“It was not possible for young children and older adults not pursing degrees to get private lessons through our professionals at the university without enrolling as a student.”

Burnham has worked for CFAD for the past 13 years focusing on arts

education outreach programs for pre-k through adult, including special needs individuals. Through her work with CFAD, Burnham has reached over 17,000 individuals each year as participants, sponsors and audience members.

She set out two years ago with one of Central’s piano faculty members to create a program that would allow these groups the opportunity for

learning and growth. That same faculty member works exclusively with adult students and had some interested participants wanting to participate in group lessons.

The Recreational Music Making class began two years ago as just that.

Each semester there are between two and five students signing up for the eight-week sessions.

The classes have gotten to be so popular, Burnham explained, that this semester they have added level two sessions by request of the students who attended in the fall.

“We were able to support a program of this magnitude by using both professionals from our faculty and our university students,” Burnham stated.

Today they host lessons in voice, piano, guitar, trombone, violin, flute, and an array of other instruments. Lessons are for children as young as five years old up to all experience levels.

“In a way, I guess everyone kind of wants to learn to play piano and the Recreational Music Making class gives them the opportunity to go for it.”

Burnham left us with a positive message: “It doesn’t matter if you have never played at all or it you played years ago and can’t remember how.”

If you have questions or would like more information you can email Burnham at iburnham@uco.edu.

A UCO student practices a song on piano. The college of fine arts and design and the Oklahoma Center for Arts Education is offering piano lessons in UCO’s music building for the next few weeks. Photo

by Cara Johnson, The Vista.

CAMPUS NEWS

N.O.W.

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on campus

Jessica Phillips @thejessphillips

Reporter

The University of Central Oklahoma’s National Organization for Women held its first meeting of the semester Wednesday, January 20.

“We also say it’s UCO’s Organization for Gender Equality because we are welcoming to all genders,” said Dr. Lindsey Churchill, faculty sponsor.

While the organization has been around for several years, it was revived in 2013. NOW focuses on a variety of gender related issues spanning anywhere from body image to reproductive justice.

The group’s current project of focus is creating an on-campus daycare option for UCO students.

“In February there will be a resolu-

tion on the floor in the University of Central Oklahoma Students Association about childcare for the UCO community,” Churchill said. “We want to find viable options for childcare that help our students and improve graduation and retention rates. This is a student-led coalition.”

Courtney Mertz, co-president of NOW, said that the goal is to get the movement seen as a need presented by the student body. “When people show up to the vote it makes those voting actually take it seriously,” graduate student and UCOSA member Ben Rose said.

UCOSA currently has $460,000 in its “rainy day” fund.

NOW also works with the Women’s Research Center and the BGLTQ+ Students Center which promote engagement with both women’s and gender issues to support interdisciplinary, educational and social programs.

NOW has other events planned for the spring semester as well, starting with a film festival titled Women in Film that will be presented by NOW and the UCO Film Society. The first film being shown is a documentary called Harlan County USA which looks at the roles of women in a particular violent workers strike.

This event will take place in the Pegasus Theater, January 27 at 7 p.m.

The group will also be coordinating

An attendee to the first NOW meeting of the year examines an informative flyer about gender diversity. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

events for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in March, including Take Back the Night, which is an event that focuses on sexual assault.

“Last year there were so many people lined up to talk about their experience with sexual assault it took over an hour and a half,” Churchill said.

NOW meets every other Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. in room 201 of the Nigh University Center and new members are always welcome.

“If you are looking for an organization that takes action and can make a difference on campus this is the place to be,” said Churchill.

BIC lighter. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.

Water droplets. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

Circuit board. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.

Photo Editor

Contributing Photographer

Ryan Naeve

Cara Johnson

@itwasryan

@cara_johnson_

can you guess the image?

Macro Mystery

MACRO MYSTERY

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Serrated kitchen knife. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.

Vinyl record. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

Pen tip. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.

American Spirit cigarette. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.

MACRO MYSTERY

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

DEAR EDITOR, I decided to attend UCO’s Third Annual “Glamazon: An Educational Look at Drag” show on Wednesday, February 3, 2016, at 7:30 p.m., in the Nigh University Center’s Ballroom C, sponsored by the Freshman Activities Board, a division of Student Affairs, to glean any information that I could regarding the gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, and asexual (GLTBA) community.

I like to support events that promote tolerance, understanding, and respect of any minority group that faces discrimination, intolerance, bigotry, and hate-crimes.

As I watched the dancers and their karaoke lip movements and saw their worshipping fans hold out bills to them in appreciation, I noticed the adoration on their young faces as they looked up into their faces.

It was good to see that they had a connection, yet I could not help feeling extremely disappointed and offended by the profane innuendos, vulgar body language of sexual acts, rebellious words, and attitude, which was cheered and encouraged by GLTBA representatives in the audience as well as, at times, most of the crowd.

There were several times I heard the f-word by a gay, mature, adult representative from Oklahoma City who was standing between the door and the audience (I know this because he was introduced by the one on stage with the microphone and deliberately pointed out to the audience).

All of these expressions were very . . . educational.

In a family that has both gay and lesbian members, I just expected more information than the brief media interview clips, a better agenda, maybe a question-and-answer panel/discussion, and tasteful performances as representatives of the GLTBA community (By the way, Raja was a lady and gave an excellent performance.) I wondered if these performers realized that they were in a mentorship role as GLTBA ambassadors in an educational arena with ardent fans.

I could not help but feel let down, disappointed in their educational depiction of the drag culture. I felt that I had to leave before the event was over because I decided that if I wanted to see an event like this that I would just save it for The Boom (drag bar) and Long Island Tea. Next time, I hope that the “Glamazon” event would at least replace Glamazon: “An educational look at drag”advertisement and insert: “for mature, adult audiences; expect some raunchy and vulgar expressions.”

Sincerely,

Anonymous The Vista always accepts letters to the editor. If you would like your response to an editorial displayed in the next issue, please send your letters to The Vista at 100 N. University Drive Edmond, OK 73034 or email your response to the Vista Editors at TheVista1903@gmail.com.

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UCO FEATURE

Study abroad

for a semester Eriech Tapia @eriechtapia95

Reporter

In the fall of last year, one of the state’s largest scholarships to study abroad was awarded to Chelsea Ratterman, the only University of Central Oklahoma student to receive the award for last semester.

Ratterman was selected as part of the Brad Henry International Scholar Program, which allows students to study abroad for the entire semester with the cost of lodging, tuition, and a bus pass being covered in the scholarship.

“It is an experience that everybody should have in their college careers,” Ratterman said, “It is definitely not America, because everybody is not as friendly, plus you have to learn how to use public transportation.”

The scholarship however did not cover the estimated $3,800 extra expenses that mostly included food, site seeing and other novelties, however she credits UCO’s Foundation Director Anne Holzberlein for making sure she was able to go.

“I really could have not gone without Anne [Holzberlein], she made the entire trip possible and was able to get me the funds,” said Ratterman.

Students from across the state were selected to be a part of the program, however only five students total went from Oklahoma, with others coming from California, Colorado and other states across the country.

“Students came from across the na-

tion, which I thought was an extremely cool thing to meet others while there,” she said.

Throughout the entire study program, weekend excursions where common after being in class on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, including some trips throughout the United Kingdom and other areas in Europe.

“We had pretty much four days to squish one city in, which it never felt like enough time,” Ratterman said.

During a trip to the Vatican, Ratterman was able to get a view of Pope Francis during his procession out, after the Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass Service.

“The procession walked by and you are like it is the Pope,” Ratterman said, “I needed the Francis dust after what had happened so far during the trip.”

The trip did come with unexpected illnesses, the loss of her wallet, and a second attempt at flying into France that was canceled due to terrorist attacks in Paris.

“We missed out completely on Paris, it was a complete let down, however it will be something I can look forward to next time I am traveling over there,” Ratterman said.

However, a sinus infection during their time in Berlin and having to make new plans right before her trip to France, never stopped her from seeing Europe during their weekend trips and her educational experience.

Chelsea Ratterman stops at Windsor Castle while visiting England. Because of the Brad Henry Scholarship Program Ratterman was granted the opportunity travel the world while in school.

Photo provided by Chelsea Ratterman.

Chelsea Ratterman explores the ruins of Pompeii while studying abroad. Photo provided by Chelsea Ratterman.

16A

UCO FEATURE

Incorporating passion into programs Jessica Phillips @thejessphillips Reporter

University of Central Oklahoma Faculty member Dr. Lindsey Churchill directs several on-campus programs, is an author, and is an avid traveler. Churchill is Director of The Center, Director of the Gender and Sexuality Studies minor, and Director of Graduate Studies.

The Center is an organization that provides support for the students in the Gender and Sexuality minor, academic and community issues.

The First Annual Gender and Sexuality Studies Conference will be hosted by The Center, Sept. 26-28. Proposals for presentation at the conference are being accepted until March 11 and may be sent to thecenteratuco@gmail.com.

Additional information about The Center and the conference is available at uco.edu/central/thecenter.

As Director of Graduate Studies, Churchill personalizes plans for students, hosts orientation, provides information on upcoming conferences and opportunities, and supervises teaching assistants.

“I love working with students, so to me, this is kind of the best way to interact with students, because you get to know students on a one-on-one basis.

You get to help them with graduate school, because graduate school was really tough for me,” she said.

“Becoming the Tupamaros: Solidarity and Transnational Revolutionaries in Uruguay and the United States,” is the title of a book which Churchill authored, published in 2014 by Vanderbilt University Press.

“It actually comes from my dissertation and research I did in South America about the connections between revolutionaries in the United States in the 1960’s and 70’s, and revolutionaries in Latin America-- particularly in Uruguay,” Churchill said. “I tried to make [the book] to where people would want to read it and would think it was interesting.”

Churchill has an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in women’s studies. For her master’s thesis, she wrote about revolutionary women in the United States, including a group called the

Weather Underground, a radical, pro-violence group from the late 1960’s to early 1970’s.

“I noticed they said, ‘We are now developing, or going to use, the tactics of the Uruguayan Tupamaros.’ And I said, ‘Well, what is this group all about,’” she said.

Originally from Florida, Churchill said it was an adjustment to transition to Oklahoma.

“I love the beach. I’m from Florida, I mean I’m a fourth-generation Floridian, so I just like outdoors things. That was

kind of tough, moving to Oklahoma and not being able to just walk outside in my sandals, which I still do,” she said.

She moved to Oklahoma to start her position at UCO. “I really love this community. When I came to visit here, it really impressed me, the way that you could, you know, have these small class sizes, but it’s not like this school that’s so small where you, you know, feel like you’re going to see the same people everyday. So, you get the best of like a big school, and then a small school, as well,” she said.

In addition to her love for outdoors, Churchill loves to travel. Among her favorite places are Australia and Africa.

“I taught at the University of Ghana, so I really like different various places in Africa, like I went camping in Botswana, things like that,” she said. “I’m trying to hit 50 countries this summer, that’s my goal.”

For more information about The Center, her book, the Gender and Sexuality minor or Graduate Studies, contact Churchill at lchurchill@uco.edu.

Dr. Lindsey Churchill is an author, traveller, and director of several on-campus programs such as The Center, an organization that provides support for students with the Gender and Sexuality Minor. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

17A

CAMPUS NEWS

Jessica Phillips @thejessphillips Reporter

The Center is a new organization on campus to support and discuss women’s and BGLTQ+ issues. It is composed of two branches: The Women’s Research Center and the BGLTQ+ Student Center.

“This is an effort that is built upon, you know, years of work with issues of gender and sexuality at UCO,” Lindsey Churchill said. “But we decided that we need an actual site where we can look at these issues academically and also have a community center, as well.”

The Center provides support for the Gender and Sexuality Studies minor, academic and community issues. This semester is the soft opening and the grand opening will be in the fall. The Center currently does not have a meeting place on campus, but Churchill said the hope is to have their own building in the future.

“We’re hoping to, eventually the dream, is to have our own stand alone building, so we can have this site where people can meet. We can, you know, have book clubs, we can have seminars, all within this space,” she said.

Supporting LGBTQ by opening The Center Churchill said she is working with the center because she is interested in women’s equality.

“To me, feminism offers a path for liberation in a lot of different ways.

Feminism can encompass a lot of different types of social movements, ways for us to move towards a more equitable society, so I think it just makes sense,” she said.

The First Annual Gender and Sexuality Studies Conference will be hosted by The Center September 26-28. Proposals for presentation at the conference are being accepted until March 11 and may be sent to thecenteratuco@gmail.com.

Submissions should consist of a 250-300-word abstract on the topic of gender and sexuality in social sciences, humanities, natural sciences and fine arts, according to the event flier. Proposals may be for papers, panels, roundtable discussions, and posters, or performance pieces, including creative writing, drama, music and visual art.

“And this is really exciting, because

I’ve already gotten an abstract from someone in Germany, so I think it’s truly going to be international,” Churchill said. “That was the first submission we received.”

Churchill said she hopes to receive at least 500 submissions. The conference is open to anyone and everyone who like

to submit proposals or attend. Student registration is $25 and regular registration is $125.

Registration, more information about the conference, and The Center is available at uco.edu/central/thecenter. For questions, contact Churchill at lchurchill@uco.edu.

Members of the UCO Women’s Research Center and BLGTQ+ Center pose together. The Center’s goal is to provide support for Gender and Sexuality minors, and have a voice in academic and community issues. Photo provided by the Center.

18A

CAMPUS NEWS

Scholarship fund honors Nikita Nakal

Katie Standlee @kkkkkatiemarie

Contributing Writer

Textbook Brokers recently donated $1,551 to the Nikita Prabhakar Nakal Memorial Scholarship fund. The money that was donated was raised through the sale of long sleeved shirts that were made to honor Nakal’s memory.

This is a scholarship that was put into place shortly after University of Central Oklahoma graduate student, Nikita Prabhakar Nakal, passed away from injuries sustained at the Oklahoma State University homecoming parade that took place October 24, 2015.

“We wanted to honor Nikita by creating a scholarship that will forever honor her name and dream,” said Elizabeth Kennedy, manager of devel-

opment for the College of Business at UCO. Nakal was from Mumbai, India and was attending UCO to get her a masters in Business Administration.

The scholarship will be available to students who are enrolled in the UCO MBA program in the College of Business.

“As soon as I saw it was a UCO student, I knew I had to do something,” Cameron Cox said, manager of Textbook Brokers. Cox met with a co-worker and collaborated on the idea for the long sleeved shirts honoring Nakal’s memory.

They partnered up with Tack De-

signs who helped them make the shirts.

There were about 200 T-shirts to begin with and now there are a few going for as long as supplies lasts.

“It’s really nice seeing people around wearing the shirts,” said Cox. Cox stated that people really liked the shirts, and he would like to do something like this to help out the community again.

“It would be wonderful to see students be engaged with this scholarship and give something back to causes that are meaningful to them. Every gift counts; even by giving what you might have spent on coffee for that day--you can make a difference in the life of

another person,” said Kennedy.

She explained that many generous donations have been received for the scholarship from members of the UCO community. Donating to the fund not only helps out UCO students, but most importantly it also honors the memory of Nikita Nakal.

Anyone who is wanting to make a tax-deductible donation to the scholarship fund can do so online at www. centralconnection.org/NakalFund or by mailing a check to the UCO Foundation, 100 N. University Dr., Box 133, Edmond, OK 73034. All donations are appreciated.

Candles illuminate a photo of Nikita Nakal at her memorial service on October 27, 2015. Textbook Brokers, next to UCO’s campus, recently donated $1,551 to the Nikita Prabhakar Nakal scholarship fund.

Photo from Vista Archives.

19A

CAMPUS NEWS

RUSO meeting: on takeover and tension

Eriech Tapia

@eriechtapia95 Reporter

Making a two-day stop to discuss everything from new facilities to the state of the six universities under the Regional University System of Oklahoma, tension and pride could be seen as the six spoke on how their campuses are doing.

“I think one of the keys for developing or perhaps instigating a culture of leadership and of innovation has to do with the recognition that nobody does this alone and that the power is in the posse,” Don Betz said, president of The University of Central Oklahoma.

Betz relating to members of his cabinet, expressed that with financial worries ahead, the university would continue to provide the superior education that it currently offers.

Mark Kinders the vice president for public affairs spoke on the new bills being introduced into the legislature this session, highlighting bills that bar taxpayer funds used to support any event related to same-sex marriage and state employee benefit plans.

During their first day of meetings, university presidents expressed concern over certain areas in the new legislative year, with one being student success and safety.

In addition to higher education bills, Kinders dispersed a packet listing bills that deal with firearms, most dealing with recent talks of bringing guns on campus, however it had little to no support among the RUSO members.

“The thing we have to look for is which one of these bills has traction and ones that we will have to address,” Kinders said.

Oklahoma House Bill 3098, by Rep. Jeff Coody was brought out at the meeting, which would take away the penalty for carrying a gun on campus, however keeping the ban in tack. The bill is still in the early stages and has not made it to the house floor.

“It doesn’t really change our restrictions for guns on campus, but it takes Susan Winchester, President of the research institute for economic development, speaks during a RUSO meeting held in the Nigh Center on January 28. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

out the penalty…it takes the teeth out of enforcement,” Kinders said.

Laughs were heard around the room after members heard about HB 3098, citing that without teeth anybody could carry a gun on campus.

UCO gave a campus update during the regular January RUSO board meeting, in which the five members of administration spoke on their areas of campus development.

“One thing that I hope we don’t cut

in this next year is collaboration and innovation,” said UCO Provost Dr. John Barthell, who also spoke about the National Conference on Research being held at the university in spring of 2018.

Transformative learning was a common theme between the five who spoke, with Jeff King, executive director for the Center for Transformative Learning, citing that “learning doesn’t always take place in the classroom, but outside the classroom.”

With budget cuts and those cuts affecting higher education regents stressed the importance of attending Higher Education Day at the Oklahoma Capitol, which is slated to take place February 16, though no official program is planned for the day.

“I want to also challenge all of the regents and members to get involved at Higher Ed Day at the capitol, we are probably second fiddle to them up there,” Jeffrey Dunn said, regent for RUSO.

20A

CAMPUS NEWS

Increasing adaptability in the Wellness Center Jessica Phillips @thejessphillips

Reporter

The Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation program at the University of Central Oklahoma’s Wellness Center now owns 12 sport wheelchairs for use by students and community members.

The chairs were used for the first time in an intramural wheelchair basketball tournament on January 21. In addition to basketball, they can be used for tennis, table tennis and other sports.

“We wanted them for our program, our Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation program, and then for anyone to check out for everyday use,” Coordinator of Adaptive Sports and Events Heather Kohl said.

The chairs can be checked out at the front desk of the Wellness Center using a student ID and may be used outside of organized games or events. The chairs will also be used during the UCO Endeavor Games, set to take place June 9-12.

“This is pretty cool, what we’ve got, so we’re hoping that this creates more interest,” she said.

Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation is open to anyone to join. Meetings are held the second and fourth Wednesday of every month and consist of playing a different adaptable sport, such as sitting volleyball or wheelchair basketball.

The program is partnered with Disability Support Services and Student Support Services.

“We want students with disabilities and without to come and do this,” Kohl said.

UCO used to have sports wheelchairs, but they were old and deteriorating.

When sports wheelchairs were needed, the Wellness Center would borrow them from other universities or from the Greater Oklahoma Disabled Sports Association.

“It’s nice that we have them for students just to be able use whenever they want,” she said.

Basketball intramurals are in full-

swing with 30 teams participating, nine of which are women’s teams, Intramural and Recreational Specialist Vivian Briones said.

Teams who compete in regular intramurals were offered a discounted fee if two members of their team played in the wheelchair basketball tournament. Members from 17 teams combined to make eight wheelchair basketball teams.

“It’s all about getting people interested in trying something new,” Briones said.

She would like to see leagues and longer tournaments for adaptive sports and

incorporate adaptive sports into regular intramurals.

Often, the biggest hurdle for getting students with disabilities involved with intramurals is transportation, Briones said. She would like to be able to increase accessibility for these individuals to participate in intramurals in the future.

For more information on the Adaptable and Inclusive Recreation program, visit uco.edu or contact Kohl at hkohl@ uco.edu. You can also visit the intramurals Facebook page to learn more about the intramurals program.

Several UCO students play a game of wheelchair basketball using new sports wheelchairs in the Health and Wellness Center. Sports wheelchairs such as these can cost anywhere between $1,500 and $4,000. Photos by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

21A

COLUMN

Zika:

what to know Callie Ridley @calliejoyridley

Contributing Writer

Zika is a virus transmitted through mosquito bites.

Recent outbreaks have been found in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and now the United States.

According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Zika was first confirmed last May in Brazil.

These are the five things you should know about Zika: Pregnancy Effects: The CDC has issued a travel notice, warning people from traveling to certain countries where Zika has been transmitted, especially concerning pregnant women. Although it has not been confirmed, there have been reports of certain birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes in babies of mothers who were infected with the virus.

Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment: Common symptoms of Zika are fever, joint pain, rash, red eyes, muscle pain and headaches. Although the symptoms are mild, they can last between a few days and a week.

There is currently no vaccine for Zika, but the CDC recommends that you get plenty of rest, drink fluids, take medicine; such as over-the-counter pain relievers, and avoid taking anti-inflammatory drugs.

The Vista always accepts letters to the editor. If you would like your response to an editorial displayed in the next issue, please send your letters to The Vista at 100 N. University Drive Edmond, OK 73034 or email your response to the Vista Editors at TheVista1903@gmail.com.

Transmission: Zika is transmitted through mosquito bites. These mosquitos lay eggs near stagnant water in places like ponds, gardens, pet water dishes, and buckets.

Mosquitos become infected after feeding on a person already infected with the Zika virus. They then transmit the virus by feeding on another person.

At this time, the CDC believes the virus cannot be passed from mother to child, but there is a case reported in Dallas where Zika is believed to have been transmitted sexually.

Prevention: Since there is no vaccine available to prevent the spread of the virus, the CDC recommends that you avoid mosquito bites which is most likely to occur during the daytime. The mosquitos that carry the Zika virus carry other viruses as well.

In order to prevent mosquito bites, it is recommended that you wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. They also recommend staying in buildings with air conditioning to avoid humid temperatures and keeping screen doors and windows closed at all times. The CDC also

recommends that you use mosquito repellent at all times and reapply as directed.

If you have a child, the CDC recommends that you dress your child in long-sleeved clothing and cover their crib, stroller, or baby carriers with mosquito netting.

Areas with Zika: Before 2015, Zika occurred in South Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

Currently, there have been outbreaks in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, America Samoa and many other countries in South America.

The number of cases in the United States is expected to rise as travelers return home from affected countries.

“These imported cases could result in local spread of the virus in some areas of the United States,” stated the CDC. If you have recently traveled, tell your doctor when and where you traveled so they can order special blood tests to look for traces of Zika.

The CDC is currently working on preventative actions to stop the spread of the virus.

In this Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016 file photo, a health workers stands in the Sambadrome spraying insecticide to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits the Zika virus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Inspectors begin to spray insecticide around Sambadrome, the outdoor grounds where thousands of dancers and musicians will parade during the city’s Feb. 5-10 Carnival celebrations. Brazil’s health minister says the country will mobilize some 220,000 troops to battle the mosquito blamed for spreading a virus linked to birth defects. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File)

22A

COLUMN

Intellectual benefits of bilingualism Candice Macis @c_annemacis

Contributing Writer

Learning a second language has often been touted as having intellectual benefits; this is in addition to bilingualism’s reputation of combating age-related diseases.

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, has a long list of correlations between bilingualism and multilingualism.

Studies found: bilinguals perform much better on verbal and nonverbal tests, older people who know more than one language have better working memories than those who don’t, bilingualism may improve attitudes, second-language learners get a cornucopia of cognitive benefits, and not just better memories but better problem-solving skills and spatial abilities and more.

While many of the links between learning a second language are backed up by multiple studies, the links are not concrete and there’s much we still don’t know.

“We’ve come up with some statistical evidence that people who are multilingual seem to have a little better resilience to some of the issues of dementia and so forth. Whether that means they’re actually thoroughly resistant, or their brains are just a little more developed so they cope better longer…that’s probably a different issue,” said Dr. Rudi Nollert, professor of German at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Nollert went on to explain the plain

benefits of being multilingual, which are having a larger vocabulary and being better able to express yourself.

The fact of the matter is; the whole process of learning more than one language helps to work our brains in ways we ordinarily wouldn’t. In order to learn a romance language, like French or Spanish, we have to learn different sentence structures and verb forms.

If you go on to learn languages like Arabic, German, or Chinese, you have to train your mind to break grammar rules learned in English. It’s hard at first, but persistence can pay off by expanding your mind to a variety of ways of thinking.

Learning a musical instrument has some of the same cognitive benefits as language learning, because it is simply working the muscle that is your brain.

When asked about how hard college-aged students find learning a second language, Nollert said the biggest challenge to language learning is the labor.

In other words, word memorization is not really intellectual as it is labor intensive. It is simply finding the time to go over foreign words for maybe thirty minutes a day.

Lastly, language learning is also cultural learning, and the more we understand other cultural norms and ways of living the more we understand ourselves and humanity.

Professor Melanie Parry teaches her Elementary Spanish 1 class on Tuesday, February 9. Studies have shown that people who know a second language experience higher cognitive function. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

23A

COLUMN

DIGITAL Art in the digital age

Rachael Corbin @rachaelcorbin

Reporter

Technology over the years has sent a shockwave through the world that has left few people unaffected. It has changed the way people shop, communicate and do their jobs.

It has also altered marketing approaches and personal labels. The internet has created a vast landscape where artists are able to create portfolios for themselves.

But has the digital age made it easier for artists to find success doing what they love, or has it made it more difficult?

Some students at the University of Central Oklahoma have expressed their insecurities about being able to lead successful careers in the field of art.

“Art has always been a tough field because artists have to start from the bottom and work very hard to gain any kind of recognition,” said Vanessa, a senior of art education at UCO. “In this age, however, the desire

for fine art among the everyday individual has seemed to decrease, making art harder to sell - ultimately making it harder to earn a living.”

Dr. David Maxwell, department of art chair at UCO, recognized that the internet has had a part to play in some of the challenges new artists face. For instance, many artists have had their artistic works stolen by corporations that refuse to compensate them for their art.

However, Maxwell does not see this as a serious issue for those who want to publish their art online. Although, he said, many of his students incorporate copyright symbols into their pieces to prevent theft.

Maxwell also acknowledged that while the platform for artists has expanded, the wide berth the internet has granted them also serves to wash out many of their voices.

“You have a greater reach to hit that select audience

you want, but there’s much more competition to deal with,” Maxwell said. “You have expanded your potential audience, but you still have to get people to look.”

Nonetheless, Maxwell insists that attracting viewer’s attention has always been an uphill climb for those in the artistic industry.

While the playing field has changed more in favor of those who choose the route of graphic design, Maxwell doesn’t believe that there will be less jobs for traditional artists in the future.

“I think there’s just as high of a demand for art,” Maxwell said. “In fact, the market is showing there’s even more of a demand for the handmade. That’s the pendulum swinging back. We’ve become so mass marketed that now people are looking for the unique.”

A student takes a picture of a vase on display in the art building at UCO. With the advent of technology it has become easier than ever before to share art with people. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

Living in Oklahoma Take time to really listen

2B

TABLE OF CONTENTS

UCO’s first musical instrument, as well as other oddities from throughout the university’s history, can be seen in the museum in Evans Hall. In 1892 the Literacy society of UCO held a ball in order to raise the $90 needed to purchase this organ. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

A crane empties dirt into a truck outside of Mitchell Hall to prepare for an expansion that will be added on to the building later this year. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

SECTION B Voices of Oklahoma..............................................3-5

Spotlight.............................................................14-15

International news.................................................6-7

In Memoriam.....................................................16-17

OK News.............................................................8-10

Column........................................................18-21, 23

OKC Day Trip...................................................12-13

Classifieds...............................................................22

Preston Drain takes advantage of a short burst of warm weather and practices playing his french horn in Plunkett Park on February 1. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

3B

VOICES OF OKLAHOMA “I’ve been approached at

the mall and at Wal-mart, the movie theater— everywhere.

Somebody yelled at the movie theater one time ‘Front Desk Lady!’ and I just turned around and yelled ‘My name is Ember!’ I still couldn’t tell you who it was.”

Ember Tardif, UCentral checkout desk attendant

“I’m afraid of cats. It’s just the hair. It gets everywhere. I really don’t want to talk about it.”

J.R. Pettis, Freshman

The Vista photography staff looks for people around campus and the metro that seem like they have an interesting story to tell.

All Voices of Oklahoma photos by Ryan Naeve, Cara Johnson, Matthew Peterson, and Brianna Ryba, The Vista.

4B

VOICES OF OKLAHOMA

“Last semester I had some scuttles with my ex-boyfriend of three years… and then I didn’t have any money so I was just hungry all the time, and my mom left Missouri, so I no longer have any family here. Last semester was crazy… I’m doing better.”

Elizabeth Young, aspiring writer

What world issue are you most concerned about now?

“Preventing Donald Trump from becoming President... Yeah, I don’t want Donald Trump to be President; he’s a terrible human being.”

Kody Field, 23

VOICES OF OKLAHOMA

“No matter who wins this election, it could potentially split the country. Neighbors will hate neighbors, friends will hate friends. I’m not saying that this is what’s going to happen. I’m just scared it will be a civil war between a once undivided country.”

Mary Bowman, OU International Studies Major

“If there was one thing you needed to hear right now, what would it be?”

“Oh goodness, that’s a tough one. I guess just the fact that it’s okay to feel whatever you’re feeling at this moment in time, you know? I just recently lost a grandparent, and so, it’s hard not to just want to be strong for my mom. It’s a process that I have to go through as well.”

Katie Scott, Photographic Arts Major

5B

“I let my lack of focus sway me from my dreams and I dropped out of college. I’m 28 now and going back to college. That’s something I would never let my kids do.”

William Brillis, pre-dental student

6B

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Is Paris still the city of love?

Kateleigh Mills @kateleighSuz Reporter

Paris is one of the most iconic cities in the world, known for its food, fashion, and atmosphere.

However since the city began removing love locks from its bridges it has come into question whether or not it’s still the city of love. Photo courtesy of Yann Caradec.

The Pont des Arts was the first metal bridge in Paris. It was built in the early nineteenth century under Napoleon I. The Pont des Arts collapsed in the late 20th century and was later rebuilt with the plans by the original architect, Louis Arretche.

The “love locks” first appeared on the Pont de Arts back in 2008 due to a similar phenomenon in Rome.

It was estimated in 2014 by Le Monde that the bridge held around 700,000 locks. Before all the locks were taken down in 2015, the bridge carried over one million locks. According to an article

by Alissa J. Rubin and Aurelien Breeden from The New York Times Co., the weight of the locks were equivalent to roughly the weight of 20 elephants.

The current bridge, which links the Institut de France and the Palais du Louvre, replaced the “love locks” with clear lock-proofed panels.

As for 2016, what are couples in Paris going to do on Valentine’s Day? A blog titled “Parisianist” dedicated a post “Top 10 things to do in Paris for Valentine’s Day 2016.”

Some of the activities include cruising on the Seine, visiting the Paris Aquarium, enjoying a performance at the Opera Garnier, or spending the day in the romantic village of Montmartre.

Dr. Karen Manna is a French professor at the University of Central Oklahoma

and she has spent a total of five years in France. First in 1997 as a student, then as an au pair in 2000, and finally to write her dissertation in 2008.

According to Manna, Valentine’s Day isn’t as big of a holiday as it is in the United States. French couples will most likely share the holiday together but, Parisians do not necessarily need one day in the year to prove the romantic nature of their city and country.

“They see it more as a commercial holiday,” she said.

Manna was in Paris in 2014 when the controversy of the love locks was in the thick of it all. She remembered the thousands upon thousands of locks that couples lined up and down the historical bridge before the removal process began.

“I could see the bridge bending under the weight from the locks,” she said.

As for Paris, Manna said that proof of affection in the city has always been apparent and all over the place.

“Love is expressed in a different way,” she said.

Although Parisians seem to have mastered the art of love and romance, they could also be an excellent example of how Valentine’s Day could be spent. The lesson that can be learned from the Parisians then, is to remember that spreading love does not have to be allotted to just one day, it can be all the time.

A worker removes “love padlocks” attached on the railings of the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris on June 1, 2015. Started by tourists in Paris in 2008, the love locks ritual, which also spread in the early 2000s to cities including New York, Seoul and London, has resulted in the transformation of several bridges : every inch of their railings is now covered with clunky brass padlocks. (STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP/Getty Images)

7B

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Zika Virus continues to spread Kateleigh Mills @kateleighSuz Reporter

The Zika virus, an illness that is spread through mosquito bites, has spread from South America to parts of North America, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has updated the guidance for the people that the virus affects the most, pregnant women.

The disease which is linked to microcephaly, a condition in which a baby’s head is much smaller than expected and can lead to the underdevelopment of the brain, has been mostly found in Brazil and other parts of South America. Brazil has revealed that it is investigating 3,670 suspected cases of microcephaly in babies linked to the Zika virus.

Of the 3,670 cases, a total of 404 have been confirmed, while 709 have been discarded, according to Brazil’s health ministry.

As of February 3, the CDC has updated its Zika virus guidance for pregnant women, after a case in Dallas County, Texas health officials said the virus involved a patient who had sex with someone who had recently returned from Venezuela infected with the mosquito-borne virus. This case, confirmed by the CDC, was the first of the virus being acquired in the continental U.S. The guidance, which had previously suggested that women who are pregnant should refrain from traveling to the affected areas, now extends that guidance to protect themselves if their male sexual partner has traveled to or lives in an area where Zika virus is circulating.

A city worker fumigates to combat the Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes that transmit the Zika virus, at the San Judas Community in San Salvador, El Salvador, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016. Worries about the rapid spread of Zika through the hemisphere has prompted officials in El Salvador, Colombia and Brazil to suggest women stop getting pregnant until the crisis has passed. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

According to an article by CNN’s Debra Goldschmidt, Dr. Tom Frieden, CDC’s Director, spoke to CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta about cases in which the virus was not spread through mosquito bites.

“There have been isolated cases of spread through blood transfusion or sexual contact and that’s not very surprising,” Friedan said.

Other cases around the world include two cases in Australia in which two Sydney residents had returned from the Caribbean, which officials have confirmed. Zika has also been reported in the Republic of Ireland, a case in which an man and a woman had traveled to a Zika-infected country.

According to Gupta, the virus lasts in the blood for about a week. Symptoms can include a fever, rash and joint pain.

It is also common for an infected person to experience a headache, vomiting and red eyes.

The World Health Organization declared that microcephaly, linked to the Zika virus, is a global health emergency.

The statement, which was comprised of the opinions of 18 officials and advisers from the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations, was released after a teleconference on February 1.

“The experts agreed that a causal relationship between Zika infection during pregnancy and microcephaly is strongly suspected, though not yet scientifically proven. All agreed on the urgent need to coordinate international efforts to investigate and understand this relationship better,” stated the WHO.

Gleyse Kelly da Silva holds her daughter Maria Giovanna as she sleeps in their house in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. Brazilian officials still say they believe there’s a sharp increase in cases of microcephaly and strongly suspect the Zika virus, which first appeared in the country last year, is to blame. The concern is strong enough that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this month warned pregnant women to reconsider visits to areas where Zika is present. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

8B

OK NEWS

Anti-LGBTQ bills protested at the capital Kateleigh Mills @kateleighSuz Reporter

Outside of the Capitol, a group of

House Bill 3044 and House Bill 3049.

bills are in response to the number of

terrorism or Islam, which I think is a

protesters gathered with signs that

Both bills are sponsored by Rep. Sally

transgender people who are growing in

big threat.”

support the LGBT community. One of

Kern from District 84.

visibility.

the protestors, Allison Ward, a student

The State of Oklahoma currently

Some of the sponsors for the 26 bills

Freedom Oklahoma, the state’s LGBT advocacy organization, has been

at the University of Central Oklaho-

leads in the greatest number of bills

include Rep. Sally Kern, Rep. Mark

tracking and combating these bills

ma, said that she wanted to show her

that directly attacks the LGBT commu-

McCullough, Rep. Michael Ritze, Sen-

since their conception. One of the bills,

support for equality on a day when

nity and their families in Oklahoma.

ator Joseph Silk, and Senator Joshua

House Joint Resolution 1059 or HJR

the state legislature was debating bills

State legislators met on the Senate

Brecheen. These representatives and

1059, is particularly worrisome for

against the LGBT community of Okla-

floor February 1 to discuss these 26

senators also sponsor more that one of

the organization because it is directly

homa.

anti-LGBT bills.

the anti-LGBT bills.

against the LGBT community.

“I feel like they are inhumane in a

Oklahoma beat the 23 anti-LGBT

way, regarding the ones that have to

bills that were proposed last year in

known in the media for the remarks she

tive which skips the normal committee

do with the counseling of children in

Texas. Some of the bills in Oklahoma

has made about gay men and women.

process and doesn’t require Governor

schools. Also the bills that concern the

that were proposed can be directly

Back in 2008, Kern reportedly said, “I

Fallin’s signature. Executive Director

transgender community,” said Ward.

linked to the Supreme Court’s ruling

honestly think it’s the biggest threat

of Freedom Oklahoma, Troy Steven-

The bills that she refers to is the

in favor of same-sex marriage, other

our nation has, even more so than

son, said that HJR 1059 would be like

Rep. Kern has become somewhat

HJR 1059 is a proposed ballot initia-

Only two protestors showed up to the protest held outside of the Oklahoma capitol building on Monday, February 1. They were there to protest the 26 anti-LGBT bills in the Oklahoma senate. Photo by Kateleigh Mills, The Vista.

OK NEWS proactively allowing discrimination.

Freedom Oklahoma emerged after Cimarron Alliance Equality Center and The Equality Network came together in January 2015. Stevenson has found that the response to what the organization is trying to accomplish for LGBT Oklahoman’s is mostly positive. “The biggest thing that we have gotten from the public is that there is a nine-hundred-million dollar budget hole and yet the legislature would rather talk about being mean to gay people,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson believes that is one of the reasons there is a general upset from the public towards the Oklahoma State Legislature. Not only that, but Stevenson also argued that the public is also doubting the work of state legislatures after they cut $47 million from public school funding.

The demographics that usually volunteer for Freedom Oklahoma range all over the board, from teenagers to retirees. The events for volunteers include lobby days, where people can come to the capital and talk to legislatures.

“There are a lot of people who are out there that just do not like discrimination,” Stevenson said.

One of the anti-LGBT bills sponsored by Rep. Ritze, House Bill 2215 or HB 2215, states that any person who has undergone sex reassignment surgery has to report that information when they are an applicant for marriage.

“They want to basically mark people as transgender and have that as a public record, which is a violation of HIPPA rules. They are forcing people to out themselves and their medical history,” Stevenson said.

If the anti-LGBT bills are denied then the next step for Freedom Oklahoma is to help provide employment protections across the state for members of the LGBT community as well as looking at the next election year.

The goal is to make sure some of the legislators are not re-elected.

February 1 was the 2nd Session of the 55th Legislature.

A protestor holds up a sign outside of the Oklahoma capitol building on Monday, February 1. Photo by Kateleigh Mills, The Vista.

9B

10B

OK NEWS

New program to boost youth literacy

Elizabeth Spence @lizzlynn Contributing Writer

Genipha Bachoulou works for the Oklahoma Youth Literacy Program in Oklahoma City and has a dream that may change the future for children.

“We are creating leaders,” this is the goal of the OYLP as Bachoulou explained. Changing the everyday routine of children’s school lives and showing children that learning can be useful and fun.

“I am praying to create a structure for this school and to be able to come up with a curriculum to get them involved with their learning.” Bachoulou has worked for the OYLP since 2014 and has watched as the children have been added to the program.

The children come from their school in a bus provided by the program and are greeted by Bachoulou and her co-worker Gina Darby with an opening prayer and some lunch. After the children are done eating they go straight to working through their

homework and then Bachoulou leads a Bible study lesson.

At the end of the day Bachoulou and Gina Darby close in a word of prayer with the children and check them out to their parents.

The program is working to “teach the children how to have responsibility, confidence, and discipline for their future.” Bachoulou says the two most important things these children know is that, they are loved regardless of what they do and that they have the confidence in knowing they can do anything they put their minds to.

As of now there are 14 children in the program and the only people that are working with the children are Bachoulou and Gina Darby. Volunteers or mentors are needed for the children.

Bachoulou says that at this point in time they

Sofia Kunz, 5, works on some homework after school. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

cannot afford to pay a mentor but if they are a student this will count toward their degree as an internship and the impact mentors and volunteers will make on the children is priceless.

In the future Bachoulou prays that the donations that are made to the OYLP will be enough to start planning field trips and vacations for the children.

Bachoulou wants the message that “There is something out there worth having” to sink into the children and their lives.

Any donations of any price can be made for these children and anything given is put towards helping the children and their education.

The best way to contact Backoulou is by email or the Oklahoma Youth Literacy Program website.

Experience the Pleasures of the Fleche!

The Fencing Club at UCO

We meet Mondays 4-5:30 pm at Wantland Gym, and on Thursdays and Fridays. Contact Dr. Bowen jbowen@uco.edu or Dr DeBolt ddebolt@uco.edu for information.

12B

OKC DAY TRIP

Places to see

in

Cara Johnson @cara_johnson_

Contributing Photographer

Have you every sat around on a beautiful weekend and wondered, “what the heck is there to do in Oklahoma?”

The Vista staff has compiled a list of

OKC

places that would make a fun day trip. Be sure to save up if you plan on visiting all of these locations in the same day.

(Above) If you like pizza, but love pizza with ridiculous toppings, then this is the place for you.

From your typical cheese pizza to the Brussel Westbrook, a pie slathered in roasted garlic, bacon, carmelized onions, fennel, brussel sprouts, and banana peppers, Empire Slice House is the king of pizza shops. Each day hosts deifferent “Slices of the Day” in addition to being able to purchase any full pie, any day. Sixteenth Street is that much better with Empire on its team.

(Above) Classes, stationary, stamps, pens and pencils, stamps, personalization, chirps, and cheers. If you like any pf that, then this may just be your new favorite store. Chirps & Cheers, over on Walker Avenue, is the perfect place to release your inner office supply nerd in the most fashionable way.

Shop Good is a local Oklahoma shop on 9th Street in Midtown OKC. First opened in 2009, Shop Good specializes and clothing and gifts for OKC lovers. A portion of every sale goes back into the community to strengthen and support Oklahoma.

(Above) Trade Men’s Wares, located on Walker Avenue, is a go-to for the guys. Clothing, shoes, accessories, and “ beard treatments” are just a few of the novelties you can find in this little shop. If you’re searching for a gift for a man in your life, or just want to pick something up for yourself, try out Trade Men’s Wear.

13B

OKC DAY TRIP

(Above) Movies have become an American passtime, and at the Moore Warren Theatre, it’s no different. The Warren Theatre, off I-35 in Moore, gives movie-goers a one of a kind theatre experience with a diner, concessions, and even “Upstairs” seating and dining for 21 & up.

(Above) Mutts Hot Dogs is a classic little diner on 23rd Street where you can get the hotdogs of your dreams. With kosher, gluten-free, and vegan hotdogs available, Mutts is rocking OKC with their style and dogs. Be sure to stop in, or find their food truck in the city streets.

(Above) Donuts available 24 hours? What’s not to love? Norman may be a bit of a drive, but Hurts Donut Company is definitely worth the wait. With donuts named after Jesus, out of this world good, and Homer Simpson himself, and so many more, who could resist this sugary haven?

(Above) Would it be too cliché if we said something about lions, tigers, or bears? Oh my. At the OKC Zoo, you can find all three, and so much more. Your kids will love it, your parents will love it, and you will love it. The child in all of us wants to touch a stingray and feed a giraffe. The OKC Zoo is waiting for you over on Remington Place.

All photos by Cara Johnson, The Vista.

(Above) Looking for a place to start date night? Look no further— as long as you 21 & up, of course. Oak & Ore, located in OKC’s Plaza District, is the place to go for craft beers, brewed in Oklahoma and around the world. At this bar, your beer can be thoughtfully and creatively paired with a food that will compliment your beer and your stomach.

14B

SPOTLIGHT

MENCHIES Menchie’s in the Metro

Elisabeth Slay @Eslayslay

Contributing Writer

Despite the chilly weather, members of the community continue to gather at Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt shop to enjoy a sweet treat.

Menchie’s began back in 2007 in Valley Village, California by couple, Danna & Adam Caldwell, after they went to a yogurt shop for their first date.

“They went to a yogurt store and they fell in love with it and decided to have one of their own. ‘Mench’ is Yiddish for ‘good person,’ and they would call each other ‘Menchie.’ So that’s where the name came from,” Manager Louis Natermalbonabo said.

Located at 205 S. Santa Fe Ave, Edmond offers the only branch in Oklahoma of this international franchise. Natermalbonabo, has been with the store since it first opened in Edmond in 2010.

“The best thing about working here are[sic] the people. I’ll have a group of customers that come in and it doesn’t matter if you’re having a bad day; you just start talking to them and get to know them,” he said.

Menchie’s has a variety of customers that all come for the same creamy, delicious taste.

“We get a combination of everything from families to an older lady with her dog. We get teenagers and college students it just depends on the day,” he said.

Although there is only one store in

Menchie’s offers a wide variety of frozen yogurt flavors and toppings. It’s located at 205 South Santa Fe Ave, Edmond. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

the entire state, Menchie’s has become relatively well known throughout Oklahoma.

“Once you come here you actually tend to fall in love with it. Also the product is really good quality,” said Natermalbonabo.

While Menchie’s is popular all over the world, all the yogurt in every store is made organically at the company’s own factory in California.

“We have our own cows so, in a way, it’s healthier and you’re getting what you paid for. A lot of people come here and assume our yogurt is expensive but actually we’re about mid to lower range when it comes to price,” Natermalbonabo said.

Along with quality product, Menchie’s architectural design is rather unique with its bright colors. “[The owners] wanted something different and they wanted something cute to attract people. Some places are just white and boring but here the color just pops and it’s an eye opener.”

Although there are hundreds of stores worldwide, each branch is privately owned by local people.

“Anyone can own a Menchie’s. Like with anything you can just look it up or Google it. You would need quite a bit of money and it would also depend on how popular you are,” said Natermalbonabo.

15B

SPOTLIGHT

Hooked on Pie:

Pie Junkie

Abdullah Bashiti @bashroom

Contributing Writer

When Leslie Mossman and Darcy Schein began baking pies for their community in a rented kitchen church for fun, they never imagined that the demand for their desserts would be so immensely huge. Three years later, they opened Pie Junkie.

“I actually don’t remember how we came up the name,” Schein said. “We just knew we had to have ‘pie’ in it, and we thought people would become pie junkies once they try our pries.”

Mossman and Schein’s passion for making pies started with their grandmothers when they were young. Their grannies taught them that every pie should have a special and unique characteristic that distinguishes it.

Walking into Pie Junkie, there is an inviting atmosphere created by the shop’s simple, yet cozy design. A few tables on the right, a pie fridge on the left, and in front is the kitchen where all the work is done. The owners, Mossman and Schein, are usually either in the kitchen helping

out and baking pies, or in their offices figuring out new recipes to excite their customers. On their website PieJunkie. com, they describe themselves as two moms with a passion for both comforting classics and modern twists on the traditional. They also believe that trying out one of their pies will turn the customer into a real Pie Junkie in no time.

Customers enjoy many favorites, including the famous Drunken Turtle Pie. At first, it was called Turtle Pie but after Mossman and Schein noticed customers not really caring about it, they added bourbon caramel and renamed it, which turned it into a favorite for many.

Pie Junkie will celebrate its third anniversary in May, an occasion the owners never expected to reach. They are looking forward to prolonging the life of their shop for many more years to come.

It is located on NW 16th St. in Oklahoma City, and is open Tuesday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Pie Junkie offers dozens of types of pie to its customers, including peanut butter chocolate, french silk, and their famous drunken turtle pie. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

16B

IN MEMORIAM

Remembering

those that left a legacy

Alex Brown @aymae_baybay

Editor-in-Chief

Each of these legends has a unique meaning to everyone; they’ve been part of creations that have touched people in different ways for many different reasons. Though some fans may not have gotten the

opportunity to meet these icons, they still effected many lives.

they may have never met.

One thing is certain: with each of these deaths, the

Fans got to know them through their craft, and by

world is poorer for it.

extension, may have felt an affinity with these men

Alan Rickman It’s safe to say that this man

“Love Actually,” and “Truly, Madly,

doesn’t need that much an intro-

Deeply.” His final performance, that

duction; most of the people in our

fans can cherish, will be his voice as

generation know him as the dark,

Absolem the Caterpillar in the up-

mysterious Professor Severus Snape

coming movie, “Alice Through the

in the Harry Potter movie series.

Looking Glass,” that will be released

Alan Rickman was much more

May 2016.

than the wizard many of his fans

With over 65 movies and plays

believe him to be. He didn’t even

under his belt, Rickman made many,

consider pursuing an acting career

dear friends who reached out with

until after he had started up a design

kind words after learning of his death

company, called Graphiti, because

from Pancreatic cancer on Jan. 14,

he didn’t believe acting to be a very

2016.

stable career choice at the time.

Though he was much more than

Rickman studied acting at the

the potions professor at Hogwarts

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in

School of Witchcraft and Wizard-

London, and went on to be a member

ry, will he still be remembered and

of the Royal Shakespeare company

loved after decades have passed?

where he performed in many modern

Fans have to continue to share his

and classical plays.

legacy, but I believe that come 2050,

Rickman was also known for his roles in movies such as “Die Hard,” “Sweeny Todd: The Demon

if a true fan was asked: “After all this time?”

They’ll answer: “Always.”

Barber of Fleet Street,” “Dogma,”

British actor Alan Rickman, whose career ranged from Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Company to the “Harry Potter” films, has died. He was 69. Rickman’s family said Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016 that the actor had died after a battle with cancer. (Photo by Grant Pollard/Invision/AP, File)

17B

IN MEMORIAM

Lemmy Killmister Known as the English musician who founded and started the rock band Motörhead in the 70’s, Lemmy Kilmister was an upfront man, known for his dedication and grit. According to family and friends, Lemmy was very polite, and truly the kindest person you would ever find.

Lemmy had just come back from a tour to celebrate his birthday when he is urged by family and friends to go to the doctor for not feeling well.

His doctor came back a couple days later with the results from the tests to confirm that Lemmy had terminal cancer in his brain and neck, and was given 2-6 months to live; he died two days later.

Though he died Dec. 28, 2015, four days after his 70th birthday, Lemmy is included on this list because of his legacy, and his death is still fresh for his friends, family, and-- by extension-- his fans.

“...I remember going to him, one time, after getting beaten again-- and walking up to him-- and Lem, I went over to him and shake his hand. And I gave him a hug, and he looked right at me and he goes, ‘Man you suck.

You can’t win a match to save your life. I don’t know why I come and see you.’ And I guess I probably looked at him stunned and he grabbed me by the back of my neck and said, ‘That’s why you’re perfect for Motörhead,’”

said Triple H, WWE wrestler and friend who gave a eulogy at Lemmy’s funeral.

In his autobiography “White Line Fever,” Lemmy had this to say about death: “People don’t become better when they’re dead; you just talk about them as if they are, but it’s not true! People are still assholes, they’re just dead assholes! … I didn’t have a really important life, but at least it’s been funny.”

Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister performs in Germany in 2011. Photo provided by Wikimedia.

David Bowie Also known by his flamboyant alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie was an innovative presence in the music world.

Bowie was known for numerous songs such as “Space Oddity,” “Fame,” and the famous collaboration with Freddie Mercury “Under Pressure.”

He paved the way for men in makeup, as well as really, really tight pants. He did so with his alter ego Ziggy Stardust, and his role in Jim Henson’s “The Labyrinth” as Jareth the Goblin King.

Bowie continued to work on his Off-Broadway musical “Lazarus” and released music actively, up until his death on Jan. 10, 2016. Bowie had been battling liver cancer since his diagnosis 18 months prior, and had even released his final album, “Blackstar,” on his 69th birthday-- just two days before his death. “...His death was no different than his life-- a work of art.

David Bowie during a concert in New York in 1997. AP Photo, Rob Frehm.

He made ‘Blackstar’ for us, his parting gift...” said Bowie’s producer, Tony Visconti.

This much is true; Bowie almost seemed to tell his fans that his time was coming. In his hauntingly prophetic music video “Lazarus,” Bowie is seen in a hospital bed, and again at a desk frantically writing.

It could be construed that Bowie’s message was that perhaps he felt that he was running out of time, but he still had so much he wanted to say-- even do. He keeps getting pulled from his writing desk, and he shows his frustration with being pulled away into the darkness of a cupboard; he’s being pulled away from what he loves to do: create.

In this final music video, Bowie sang some very powerful, chilling lyrics from the hospital bed: “Look up here, I’m in Heaven...Everybody knows me now.”

18B

5

COLUMN

Resume building tips

Eriech Tapia

@eriechtapia95 Reporter

The new year is here and job and career fairs are springing up everywhere, however spring cleaning is one thing most dread. Cleaning up your resume can be included in your list, but knowing the right ways to build a resume and what to include are important.

A resume should always be kept current during your college years, because

you never know when you will need one.

A resume should not be just a list of everything you have done, instead a reflection of who you are in the most positive light. Having one ready will save you the stress of cramming one together right before your interview. Below is my list of requirements for every resume and my own:

Be concise There is no need for a novel sized answer in your resume, which most employers will not read.

Instead, be explicit with every word you use and not using a thesaurus to find the most sophisticated word you have

ever heard of.

When you go in for your interview your resume should be an exact replication of the person you are and make sure that is reflected on your resume.

Correct grammar Contrary to popular belief, word processing programs do not catch every single error, though they can catch simple typos.

Having a friend or others read over your resume for grammar and copy

errors is extremely important, seeing as your future employer will be reading it.

Do not be afraid to let others read your resume, in fact you should be proud of the accomplishments on your resume.

Be honest Lying on a resume is a sure way to get looked over and not get the job. No lie can withstand the test of time as well as your future employer researching you.

Simply calling a past employer or

checking your social media, will generally reveal everything about you. Some employers can also spot the lie during an interview and can call you out on it, so only put the truth.

Layout & design Having your resume stand out is extremely important, though printing it on neon pink construction paper with a lime green Curlz MT font is not the way to go.

There are two options: Times New Roman or Arial. This rule comes with no exceptions and should be in

12-point font.

Dividing your resume into different sections will also help the employer find things quickly and without hassle.

If you are brave enough and want to take your resume one step higher, buy a thicker paper.

A young professional updates her resume. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

Quantify your accomplishments This stems from being concise and not writing a novel about each accomplishment.

Including numbers and hard data in your resume will greatly increase your chances of a possible future employer

responding with questions.

This will allow for conversations about how you improved in your last job and includes facts, which is what most employers are looking for.

19B

COLUMN

Failures in modern-day relationships Queila Omena @queilaomena Managing Editor

Did people forget how to love?

Most people think they are looking for love, but they are only focusing on excitement and thrill in life. They want somebody to go to the movies with, somebody to hang out and spend a couple hours laughing and partying.

They spend time together, catch feelings, and later on stop talking to one another. What happened to them? Did they fail in falling in love?

The problem is, people are not investing in each other like they used to.

We get bored, and suddenly move on to another partner. We are so blind by the thrill of adventure that we forget the benefits of having a partner for life.

In modern relationships people give up easy, instead of trying to understand somebody’s deepest silences.

Love is forever. It’s not about focusing on a instant and the excitement that may eventually fade, but truly understanding the other person and accepting them for their flaws.

We immerse ourselves in a busy lifestyle-- leaving no space for love. We don’t have time to deal with relationships, because they take too much effort and dedication.

Sometimes we are so narrow-minded, chasing materialistic things that we believe relationships are inconvenient and too time consuming. Having a short-term relationship seems to be more appropriate for the inpatient ones.

With technology the problems increase: our physical presence has been placed by texts, phone calls, Snapchats, voice mails and video calls. We don’t have time to see each other often, and if we did, there would be nothing left to talk about.

Remember: we don’t want to get bored again.

We are social people, so we better have options, right? There’s no need to being faithful and honest. We want to have everything at once, but end up having nothing.

We value meaningless, superficial friendships, and don’t appreciate finding a partner for life.

Spending a couple of hours with your friends seems to be more important than

spending the whole day with your loved one.

We want our partner to be perfect, even though we are not perfect ourselves.

We have a creative imagination, and everything should be like Disney’s love movies; we can just look for somebody new.

“He didn’t call you back after work?

Girl, dump him.”

We run for a quick fix, instead of trying to understand what the other person is going through. It’s more difficult to listen, rather than judge, right?

It’s sad, but some people often go on dates, and rarely open up to one person and truly give them a chance for something more serious. Everything seems superficial and fake.

We are a scared generation, feeling too scared to fall in love, commit, and get our hearts broken once again. We don’t allow people in our lives, fearing they won’t reciprocate the feelings we have for them.

It’s easier to move on, and pretend that person never existed, because “I can’t handle it anymore,” seems to be easier

than “We need to fix this problem.” So, we are quitters.

Love is about not giving up. It’s about fighting for that person, and holding them as long as we can.

Our generation is not prepared for sacrifices, compromises and unconditional love. Why invest in making a relation work, when we can find somebody more interesting?

We don’t let our love grow, but we let love go before giving it a chance.

With the advent of new technology, breaking up is easier than ever. People have started to become less personal and more detached from their loved ones. Screenshot by Cara Johnson.

20B

COLUMN

ELECTION 2016: Kateleigh Mills @kateleighSuz

Do millennials care about voting?

Reporter

As the presidential preference primary approaches for Oklahoma on March 1, anxious voters wait patiently for their chance to practice their rights as a citizen, some for the first time. How do millennials fit into this equation? Are millennials excited about voting?

A USA Today and Rock the Vote poll for millennials found that the 34 and under generation were more pragmatic than ideological and also not yet firmly aligned with any political party. Among female Democratic millennials, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders leads by 19 points over party front-runner, Hilary Clinton. Bernie Sanders’ senior director Tad Devine spoke to USA Today about how Sen. Sanders has become one of the favorites among millennial voters.

“The challenge of this election is to disprove the skeptics who believe [young people] don’t vote,” Devine said.

The top issue for millennials is the economy. Whether that is a discussion about their concerns for jobs, the

minimum wage, or paid leave for families or emergencies, millennials seem to have the same agenda for the nation’s economy similar to baby boomers and Generation X. The second highest ranked issue was more specific to where millennials are at in their lives: college affordability and student debt. Following close behind are issues such as terrorism, health care, foreign policy, and guns.

However, some millennials feel that climate change and global warming should be one of the top, if not the first, issue that the next President of the United States should tackle.

The poll also found that around a third of millennials are likely to vote in the Republican primaries, 40 percent said they’re likely to vote in the Democratic primaries, and 60 percent said that they are likely to vote in November.

When looking at Oklahoma, millennials seem to have

a distinct voice. Janae Nunley, a junior at the University of Central Oklahoma, felt that people in her age group do care about voting. She also said she thinks it depends on what is up for the vote.

“Presidential stuff is based off of the Electoral College, so it doesn’t really matter in my hometown. I think our generation is more outspoken than others,” Nunley said.

Bryan Dean, Oklahoma’s State Election Board PIO, posted a press release that found a climb in the number of independent voters in the state. The State Election Board began recording statewide Oklahoman voter registration by party in 1960; the official voter registration statistics are recorded every year in January.

The press release also found a decrease in the number of Democratic voters, which fell by six percent or a “net loss of 53,000 voters from 2014.” However, the number of Independents grew by about “11.6 percent in the last two years.”

Lupita Gonzalez, Sarah Davis, and Joe Buck, members of the campus group Bronchos for Bernie, assist several UCO students register to vote Monday afternoon in the Nigh University Center. Bronchos for Bernie is encouraging students to register before the primary election begins. Photo by Matthew Peterson, The Vista.

21B

COLUMN

A UCO student fills out a voting ballot. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

The press release also showed that there are 1,978,807 registered voters in the state, as of January.

Kressley Werth is a junior at UCO, who is registered to vote. She said she believes that the opportunity to vote, whether it is at a state level, or a national level, can sometimes be taken for granted by millennials.

“I think that [voting] is one of the things that is under-appreciated. It’s a baby privilege. When you give a baby a toy, you can easily take it away,” Werth said.

Werth also said she thinks that the lack of inspiration to vote in millennials has to do with not living during a time of social turmoil, like the Civil Rights Movement

or when women fought for the right to vote.

“We’ve never suffered from having our liberties at risk,” Werth said.

Back at the national level, the U.S. Census Bureau said millennials, which number to around 75.3 million in the nation, surpassed the number of baby boomers in 2015 as the largest living generation. However, three in four millennials believe that voting is a way to change things in their communities while also having an impact on issues that they care a great deal about.

A majority of millennials also believe that their vote could decide an election.

Ashley Spillane, president of Rock the Vote, believes that the numbers from the poll do not show the work that goes into engaging young people in civic processes such as registration or providing new voters with information about each candidate that is running.

“These poll numbers should put to rest the notion that millennials are unaware of the value of their vote,” Spillane said.

What the poll does not guarantee, however, is whether or not millennials will bother to vote at all during the 2016 election.

Attendees smile as Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a campaign stop at the University of New Hampshire Whittemore Center Arena, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Durham, N.H. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

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CLASSIFIEDS

C LA S S I F I E D S

The 1st Annual Gender and Sexuality Studies Conference, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma.

September 26-28 Deadline for proposals: March 11, 2016

THE CENTER

Private room and bathroom for rent in centrally-located Edmond home.

No parties or drugs. Smoking allowed outside. Female preferred, but responsible, clean males may be considered. $500 a month, all utilities and hi-speed wireless internet included.

405-820-9709. Leave message.

WOMEN’S RESEARCH CENTER & BGLTQ + STUDENT CENTER

A University of Central Oklahoma Organization

The Center at the University of Central Oklahoma, composed of the Women’s Research Center and the BGLTQ+ Student Center, invites proposals for presentations at the first annual Gender and Sexuality Studies Conference, which will take place September 26-28, 2016 in Edmond, Oklahoma. The organizers of this international interdisciplinary conference welcome proposals for presentations in a variety of formats that address

issues of gender and sexuality in the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, and fine arts. We invite students, faculty, staff, scholars, and activists to propose papers, panels, roundtable discussions, and poster presentations. We also welcome proposals to present or perform creative work including creative writing, drama, music, and visual art. Send a 250-350 word abstract about your project by March 11the thecenteratuco@gmail.com

Additional Information: https://www.facebook.com/thecenteratuco/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheCenteratUCO Payment for the conference: Centralconnec*on.org/genderandsexualitystudiesconference

Earls Rib Palace now accepting applications day and night service staff flexible hours.

Apply at 2121 S. Broadway

23B

COLUMN

Skyler Baldwin

Modern-day heiroglyphics

@skylerbaldwin13

Contributing Writer

Dictionaries are constantly being updated, with new words for old things and new words for new things being added annually, but today, the same can be said for emoticons.

Now, if it exists, there’s a good chance that there is an emoticon to represent it, and if there isn’t one yet, it will not be long before someone comes up with one. Whether it be the classic characters on a keyboard or Emojis, emoticons are sweeping the world of language, especially in text messages and social media.

“I use emoticons way more often than the average person,” student at the University of Central Oklahoma, Jacob Parker said.

While studies done by Apple show that the younger generations use emoticons much more frequently than older generations, everyone uses them to spice up their text. “I use them pretty often,” English professor John Goodine said. “If I’m working on a big project obviously I won’t.”

The reasons for using emoticons are relatively consistent between those that use them. “I use emoticons usually when I’m talking to the opposite sex,” student Josh McConicl said. “It shows extra personality.”

Parker agrees that emoticons do add more personality to text, whether they be text messages or Facebook statuses, but they aren’t as genuine, or as revealing as face-to-face body language.

“I think they help communicate certain facial expressions,” Parker said, “but you can hide your true emotions behind a smiley.”

Goodine also draws comparisons and contrasts between emoticons and genuine body language, but feels that emoticons have brought good things to the evolving methods of communication.

“Texting has now replaced face-to-face conversation,” Goodine said. “I think [emoticons] are a necessary addition to language.”

With so many articles and books being

published about the deterioration of language due to the tyranny of emoticons and their descendants, emojis, older generations are growing more and more concerned about the direction in which language and communication is going.

“I’ve seen things like Shakespearean plays told in Emojis,” Goodine said.

“I didn’t think it was that good.” Other famous literary pieces have also been

translated into Emojis, such as “Moby Dick,” published as “Emoji Dick.”

Throughout all of this fear, though, Goodine does not feel that emoticons are to blame for the deterioration of modern language, yet calls attention to other factors, such as the lack of punctuation and the addition of redundant words such as ginormous.

“I understand that language evolves

and that’s fine. But, when we start losing things that affect the clarity of what we’re saying, I get bothered by it,” Goodine said.

With communication becoming more and more digitized, communicators do miss out on some of the most vital communication cues, such as body language.

And while not perfect, emoticons are filling in some of those gaps.

UCO students send emojis through text on their smartphones. In recent years emojis and emoticons have been used more and more. Photo and illustration by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

Every two minutes in America, someone is sexually assaulted.

YWCA’s

8th Annual 2 Minute 5K & Kiddie K

5K registration: $25 online/$35 day of race Kiddie K registration: $15 online/$20 day of race Snooze for SAAM: $20 online April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and the YWCA is raising awareness and support for Oklahoma victims at the 8th Annual 2 Minute 5K and Kiddie K.

Date: April 16th

Time:

Place:

Registration starts at 7:00 a.m. Kiddie K starts at 8:00 a.m. 5K starts at 8:30 a.m.

OKC’s Stars and Stripes Park, Lakeshore Drive and North Portland Avenue

Running not your thing? Snooze for SAAM – register for the race, post on social media using #SnoozeForSAAM and get the T-Shirt without breaking a sweat. All proceeds from the YWCA 2 Minute 5K and Kiddie K are used to provide lifesaving services to Oklahomans.

For more information and to register, go to www.ywcaokc.org

Sports and Life

Never forget what makes you happy

2C

TABLE OF CONTENTS

On Saturday, February 6, Cherish Hyatt was crowned Miss Black UCO 2016. She was crowned by Lukeesha Thompson, last year’s Miss Black UCO. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.

On Tuesday, January 19 the water in the fountain in front of Old North froze solid.

Inside, construction workers worked on renovating the building. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

SECTION C Broncho Sports......................................................3-6

NBA....................................................................9-13

Superbowl 50............................................................7

Music.......................................................................15

Column......................................................................8

News..................................................................16-17

Life....................................................................18-23

A new exhibit in the College of Arts and Design hosts a series of 10 shoes, made out of wires and metal. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.

3C

BRONCHO SPORTS

It’s time again for

Lady Bronchos softball

Nicole Brady @nicolebrady Contributing Writer

University of Central Oklahoma softball is back in action since the Bronchos played in Ada against East Central University for a double-header at the end of January.

The lady Bronchos were on the road for the first eight games before getting to their home opener that was on February 12.

Last year, the lady Bronchos ended up with a 41-20 record. They got beat out at the conference tournament but were ranked high enough to still qualify for postseason regionals that were held in Siox Falls, South Dakota.

The team that beat out the Bronchos just so happened to be ECU, the team they opened the season against this year.

Cody White has been with the lady Bronchos for four years, with three of those years as the head coach.

“We have really focused more on defense, mentality, and our pitchers have conditioned a lot harder than they have in the past. We are all ready and focused to compete and want to leave 110 percent out on the field,” White said.

The lady Bronchos have six new freshmen and two transfers that are looking to complete this year's team.

Six key seniors are back this year and they are ready to take on ECU.

Ally Dziadula swings for the ball during an April 2015 Softball game against Northeastern State University. Photo from Vista archives.

Senior Ashton Smith, who received first team all-conference and second team all-region honors, expressed how she felt opening up against ECU. "We are ready to get them back. With them beating us out last year at regionals, it gives us a little something extra to add some fuel into the fire. We have been practicing to prepare the best we can to take on ECU," Smith said.

In 2015 the lady Bronchos were setting many single-season records for runs, hits, doubles and runs batted in. Last year was their fourth straight National Tournament appearance.

The lady Bronchos only had nine hits on the day with two runs, and only managed five hits against ECU. The lady Bronchos lost to Augustana 5-1 and ECU 4-1.

In Central Regional last year, the Bronchos got beat out on Saturday by No. 9 Augustana whose record ended up being 52-9, and ECU who ended with a 34-16 record.

UCO has 22 out of 55 games at home this year.

You can follow the UCO Bronchos softball games on Twitter at @ucoathletics, @ucosoftball, or go to the UCO softball website. The full schedule is online at http://www.bronchosports. com.

4C

BRONCHO SPORTS

Broncho Baseball coming back Ike Wilcots @IkeWilcots Sports Writer

STRONG

UCO pitcher Carson Coriff pitches during the game on Saturday, March 7, 2015. UCO lost against Emporia State University 4-11. Photo from Vista Archives.

The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team is back and ready to dominate on the diamond. The Bronchos started their season playing at home before heading to Arkansas for the weekend-long Southern Arkansas Tournament.

UCO will also debut its new head coach, John Martin, this season. Martin took the head coaching position last summer after departing Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, where he had been the head coach since 2011. He was also drafted to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006.

Martin hopes to prepare his team for what might seem like a challenging year, as they began the season playing the Division II-ranked Southern Arkansas University for their first tournament.

Last Season, UCO went 14-21 during conference play and went 19-26 overall falling under .500 pct for the season.

They come into this season not ranked in the top 40 of the Collegiate Baseball Division II poll.

Some key players in the lineup this season: Jacob Borrego: The captain of the team, Borrego is a returning starter at the shortstop position. Borrego had a batting average of .253 and finished the season with a total of 38 hits, 29 RBI, and three home runs all last season (Broncho Sports). The senior shortstop

was a JUCO transfer from Connors State College and looks to showcase his sharp infield skills this season for the Bronchos.

Isaac Hellbusch: The senior slugger looks to find his inner Ken Griffey Jr. at the plate this season. Hellbusch played at the University of Arkansas before transferring to Seminole State College where he would be a starter.

Hellbusch is ranked as one of the MIAA’s top hitters, and from the look of his stats from last season, he is someone who know his way around the bases.

With a batting average of .299 last season, Hellbusch racked up 47 hits to go along with 43 RBI and ten home runs (Broncho Sports).

Chris Lobato: The junior out of Albuquerque, New Mexico is likely to be the starting catcher for the Bronchos.

Last season, Lobato wasn’t much of a threat offensively, batting .217 average with 15 hits and seven RBI, but was a star defensively recording a .990 fielding percent (Broncho Sports). Lobato comes from Garden City Community College in Kansas and looks to continue his role as a dominating catcher for the team.

The University was also recently granted a donation of $1 million to the Complete the Dream Campaign, which will help build and remodel the athletic facilities for the student athletes.

The UCO baseball team observes as Josh Ingram (8) bats at the March 7,2015 game against Emporia State University. UCO lost this game 4-11. Photo from Vista Archives.

5C

BRONCHO SPORTS

Women’s Basketball

to finish the season with a fight

TJ Eckert @tj_eckert Contributing Writer

The University of Central Oklahoma’s women’s basketball team is off to a great start, and is looking to hit its stride as it winds down conference play.

The Bronchos started the season hot, winning 10 of their first 12, including their first five. With just under a month left in the regular season, the team sits at 15-7 overall, and 9-7 in the MIAA conference, good enough for fifth place.

The Bronchos opened up the season with four comfortable victories over in-state opponents, and all but one of which were on the road. McKenzie Solberg led the way in three of those games, including a career-high 36 points against Northwestern Oklahoma.

UCO opened up conference play on the road for their first four, going 3-1 in those contests, with their only

loss to third place Pittsburg State in a game they led for the majority of the contest. The road-trip was highlighted by an overtime victory over Missouri Southern, which was capped by a three-point play by Julia Mason near the end of extra time.

Mason continued her heroics in the Bronchos’ next game against in-state rival Southern Nazarene, as she hit a jumper with just under three seconds remaining to give UCO a 64-62 victory. The team went back on the road for four in a row, this time going 2-2, with a 78-47 blowout victory over East Central in Ada, the big game.

UCO returned home for two games, splitting the contests, including a 61-51 victory over Washburn, before going back on the road for the last time in the next month. The road trip began with a 73-65 victory over

UCO’s Jordan Ward (3) attempts to make a pass to Haley Weathers (12.) Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

Nebraska-Kearney, and ended with a tight 59-56 loss to conference-leading Fort Hays State in overtime.

The Bronchos opened up a seven-game home stand on January 21, where they lost to Southwest Baptist 7762. UCO then went on to win three in a row, including a lopsided 77-48 win over Central Missouri.

The Bronchos have been led all season by McKenzie Solberg, who has started every game and is averaging 15.2 points per game. Julia Mason has started every game as well, and is the team’s second leading scorer with 9.6 points per game.

UCO will go on the road for two games before returning home for its final two games, including the final game of the regular season against Fort Hays State on February 27 at 1:30 p.m.

6C

BRONCHO SPORTS

Men’s basketball battling through conference TJ Eckert @tj_eckert Contributing Writer

The 2015-16 season for the University of Central Oklahoma’s men’s basketball team is well under way, as the Bronchos are deep into their conference slate.

Buzz around this year’s team began well before the season tipped off.

The Bronchos welcomed new head coach Tom Hankins on May 14 after former head coach Terry Evans resigned.

Evans would later take the head coaching job at Edmond North high school.

Hankins spent three years at Division 1 Southern Illinois University before taking the head coaching job at UCO. Prior to SIU, he spent 15 years as an assistant at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa.

The Bronchos opened the season with three straight road wins over in-state opponents Northwestern Oklahoma State, Southeastern Oklahoma State and Oklahoma Christian, before falling at home to rival Southwestern Oklahoma State.

The Bronchos hosted the Thanksgiving Classic tournament where they split two games, with a victory over Oklahoma City University and a tight loss to Southern Nazarene.

UCO began MIAA play in December, and started off the conference slate with seven straight road games. The Bronchos were only able to win one of those games, but it came against Lindenwood, the second-best team in the conference.

The Bronchos opened against Missouri Southern State in Joplin, dropping that contest 81-66, then traveled north to Pittsburg State where they lost a close one 74-71 after leading for the majority of the contest.

UCO then hit the road to the capital of Missouri, Jefferson City, to take on Lincoln University, where a late rally fell short as the Bronchos lost 84-79.

The Bronchos then picked up their lone road win of the stretch by pulling off the minor upset against Lindenwood in St. Charles, Missouri, 66-59.

In-state rival Northeastern State got the best of the Bronchos in Tahlequah, which was the last game for UCO before Christmas break.

UCO returned just after the New Year, and took a long road trip to conference-leading Northwest Missouri, where the Bronchos held a nine point lead at halftime before eventually losing 78-59.

The Bronchos then finished off the road slate by losing to Missouri Western State 77-60.

The Bronchos returned home on the January 7, and have played four of their last six at Hamilton Field House, going 5-1 in the current stretch.

The current home stand was highlighted by Saturday afternoon’s double overtime victory over Central Missouri

Corey Alpough (2) goes for a lay up during the January 23 game against Missouri Central State University. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

90-86.

UCO has been led in scoring by Cornell Neal, a junior point guard from Midwest City. Neal has averaged 14.8 points per game, while chipping in 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

Kendahl Amerson, a junior guard from

Detroit, has also had a solid season thus far, adding 12.2 points per game.

The Bronchos return to Hamilton Field House February 28 against Lincoln at 7:30 pm, which will be the third of seven consecutive home games.

Central Oklahoma’s Garen Wright (0) attempts to block a pass from Missouri Central State’s Spencer Reaves. Central Oklahoma won this game with a final score of 90-86. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

7C

SUPERBOWL 50

Super Bowl 50 takeaways Bradley Jayroe @bradjayroe Sports Editor

In a highly-anticipated matchup between the NFL’s two best teams anchored by elite defenses, the AFC Champion Denver Broncos (12-4) toppled the NFC Champion Carolina Panthers (15-1) by a score of 24-10.

While most of the media hype leading up to the game revolved around the marquee matchup at quarterback, the game ended up being a defensive showdown as neither signal caller played well.

Big plays on offense were few and

1.

“Defense wins championships” was verified once again.

As of now the NFL’s number oneranked defense is now 10-2 in the Super Bowl (ESPN). Even looking at context, most of those times the defense was playing a high-powered offense and still dominated.

Perhaps no one knows that better than Denver. After averaging nearly 38 points per game in the regular season, the 2013 Broncos ran into the Seattle Seahawks and their top-ranked defense, losing 43-8 (Pro Football Reference).

One of the most remarkable storylines about this Broncos team is how it is almost the complete inverse of that team.

2.

far between as the two top-five defenses squared off.

Linebacker Von Miller took home Super Bowl MVP honors for the Broncos.

In a battle for field position defined by brutally tough defenses, Miller had two monumental strip-sacks of NFL MVP Cam Newton that ultimately swung the game and sealed the deal for Denver’s third Lombardi Trophy.

Here are three takeaways from the final football game of this season:

While the 2013 Broncos broke records for scoring, they were soft defensively and couldn’t stop anyone.

Meanwhile, the current Broncos team struggles to score at times but completely shuts down opponents on the defensive side of the ball, forcing turnovers and smacking opponents in the mouth, killing their drives.

While many high-flying offenses may indeed hoist a Lombardi Trophy someday, it’s clear that defense is what truly anchors a championship-caliber team ma majority of the time.

The Panthers’ depleted receiving corps finally let them down.

While a lot of credit has to be given to the Broncos defense for rattling Newton and shutting down the Panthers offense as a whole, Carolina shot themselves in the foot several times offensively.

Newton, the league MVP, didn’t have a very good day according to his standards.

He completed less than 50 percent of his passes to go along with three turnovers (ESPN). Each of his fumbles led directly to touchdowns for the Broncos.

However, Newton threw many accurate passes that were dropped by his receivers.

There were at least five drops by Carolina receivers and all of them seemed to be in crucial moments, such as on second and long or third down.

Even in the third quarter when the game was still within reach, Newton’s red zone interception went through the hands of Ted Ginn Jr. on a throw that wasn’t perfect, but definitely catchable.

Watching the game, you couldn’t help but ponder how things may have turned out differently if the team still had Steve Smith Sr., or even 2014 rookie phenom Kelvin Benjamin to pull down some of Newton’s passes.

Even Carolina’s highly consistent Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen was held mostly in check, reeling in just four catches for 41 yards on nine targets (ESPN).

While it was a nice story for Newton to carry the passing game with less-thanstellar talent outside of Olsen, it came back to bite the Panthers in the worst way and at the worst time.

Getting Benjamin back from injury will be huge for them in 2016, but it may also be wise to look at options in free agency, the draft, and perhaps even a trade to give Newton more weapons at wideout.

Denver Broncos’ T.J. Ward (43) fumbles after making an interception during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 50 football game Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

3.

Can either team make it back next year?

One of the biggest storylines this NFL offseason will undoubtedly be whether Manning retires after a highly successful and illustrious career.

Despite what he’s accomplished overall, the 2015-16 campaign was a tumultuous one for Manning.

He threw almost twice as many interceptions than touchdowns in the regular season, was benched in favor of Brock Osweiler, and even faced allegations of HGH use after his surgeries.

In this sports writer’s humble opinion, Manning should go out on top and even take a lesson from fellow legend Brett Favre. Favre, after having arguably the best season of his career leading the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship in 2009, mulled retirement but ultimately returned the following year.

Favre struggled mightily in the 2010 season and even got injured toward the end of it, as the Vikings missed the playoffs and didn’t come close to giving Favre the sendoff many had hoped for and felt that he deserved.

Favre also faced some off-the-field controversy during that time, only adding to what ended up being a nightmarish season for him.

In sports, you hate to see the biggest figures wait too late to walk away, and their swan song seasons end on notes that don’t do their legacies justice.

Manning has a rare chance to walk away from the game with a storybook ending that fits a first ballot Hall of Famer.

With or without Manning, the Broncos will still have an elite defense next season that will almost assuredly earn them a playoff spot, at the very least.

John Elway and the rest of the front office has done a tremendous job building a bully to be reckoned with in the AFC for the foreseeable future.

As for Carolina, there really isn’t much room for improvement despite the aforementioned problems at receiver.

Getting Benjamin back will remedy most of that, and Newton looks to be just entering his prime.

The Panthers defense is young and elite as well, anchored by linebacker Luke Kuechly and shutdown cornerback Josh Norman, among many other bluechip talents.

It’s hard to imagine the Panthers not being a perennial powerhouse for the next several seasons.

Carolina is a much better team than what it showed on Super Bowl Sunday.

When the Broncos were embarrassed against the Seahawks two years ago, it’s safe to say that it was a harsh lesson that galvanized the team, and it bounced back to claim the ultimate prize later.

The Panthers could very well do the same thing, and perhaps a humbling lesson will be good for them in the long run.

Oftentimes in sports, you have to have your heart broken before you can reach the mountaintop.

Time will tell if Carolina can turn this heartbreak into an ultimate victory.

8C

COLUMN

Above the Rim:

2 Fantasy Football lessons

Bradley Jayroe @bradjayroe Sports Editor

Unless you play daily fantasy, your fantasy football season has been over for a while. Even if you play daily, the Super Bowl was one of the few events you could have played in over the last several weeks.

This season in traditional, season-long fantasy was even more unpredictable than usual. Whether it was solid veterans’ production falling off of a cliff, top quarterbacks completely flopping, or a second-string running back turning into Barry Sanders for over half a season, your team could have gone a lot of different ways.

1

For the next several months there’s no more checking your phone ten times a day looking for free agents or trade targets. No more waffling back and forth on who you should start in your flex. We have a long time to wait until football season is back.

But whether you’re resting on your laurels or looking to redeem yourself after a horrible season, it’s always good to reflect on the past season and extract lessons to take with you in the future.

The harsh lessons that many of us had to learn were really just reminders anyway, so this is more of a review. Let’s begin:

Handcuffing your running backs is still a great strategy:

I remember early last fall when a fantasy expert on television said “Nobody should use handcuffs anymore. That’s such an outdated strategy.”

I don’t remember who it was, but was that guy dead wrong or what?

Let’s take a look: Le’Veon Bell, Arian Foster, Jamaal Charles, Marshawn Lynch, LeSean McCoy, Dion Lewis, Mark Ingram, Chris Johnson, Matt Forte, DeMarco Murray and Carlos Hyde all missed several games with their respective injuries. Some were luckier than others, but a lot of them missed either most of the season (Bell, Foster) or got injured right around the crucial playoff hunt of the fantasy season (Lynch, Johnson, Ingram).

That’s eleven vital players- a third of the NFL’s starting running backs- that wound up on the injury report for the majority of the season. This undoubtedly torpedoed a lot of teams out there.

Adding insult to injury was if you owned one of those players and didn’t

acquire his backup. DeAngelo Williams was incredible filling in for Bell, Karlos Williams was a touchdown machine in McCoy’s absence, and Tim Hightower- who hadn’t played in the NFL in four years- was a fantasy superstar after Ingram was sidelined.

Not to mention, if you’re like me and drafted Tevin Coleman, you probably felt pretty good after the Atlanta Falcons’ first game. Then it was announced that he would be out for a game or two.

Devonta Freeman stepped into the starting role, and we never heard from poor Mr. Coleman again all season.

On that same team, I drafted Bell and his handcuff, Williams. When Bell came back from his suspension, I dropped Williams when he didn’t get any carries behind Bell. Then Bell was out for the season, and someone else picked up Williams on waivers.

I’m lucky that I drafted Todd Gurley, who ended up being the healthiest player I had in a bizarrely ironic twist.

Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) of Team Irvin runs through the Team Rice defense during the first quarter of the NFL Pro Bowl football game, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, in Honolulu.

(AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

2

Waiting to take a quarterback is still a good idea:

If you spent a high draft pick on Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning, you have my condolences.

The only highly touted option at this position who didn’t disappoint was Tom Brady. Even Aaron Rodgers wasn’t his usual dominating self, and other good quarterbacks like Ben Roethlisberger and Tony Romo missed several games with injuries.

If you waited to take a quarterback, though, you may have ended up with someone like Cam Newton or Carson Palmer, who both finished in the top five of ESPN standard scoring (ESPN).

Even first-year starter Tyrod Taylor and rookies like Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston were productive despite going almost universally undrafted.

One person I know waited to draft a quarterback and ended up with both Newton and Palmer. It should come as no surprise that this person went on to win a fantasy championship.

I understand the temptation to draft a quarterback early. I even had to learn the hard way myself.

You think you can just nab this elite quarterback right away and not have to worry about that position all season. But this has a ripple effect when you could have had more depth at the skill positions which tend to be a lot more shallow compared to the wealth of options at quarterback.

It’s 2016 and the NFL has changed drastically over the last several years to make things easier for quarterbacks.

We live in a world where Brian Hoyer can throw three touchdowns in multiple games and a rookie can throw four touchdowns in his very first game like it’s a walk in the park.

In any case, if you want to be successful in just about anything you have to take notice of trends, and the upward trend of viable quarterback options is undeniable.

9C

NBA

THUNDER

Prospects for upcoming Thunder trades Alex Hudsonpillar @alexcaterpillar Contributing Writer

Sixty-seven percent. That is the number the Thunder starters are accountable for this year in total points scored per game. That’s 73 points of the 108 points the Thunder average this season.

Of those 73 points, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Serge Ibaka are responsible for 64 of them. The trade deadline is coming up on Feb. 18 and Sam Presti and the Thunder need to make waves yet again.

Demarcus Cousins, Kevin Love, and Chris Bosh are all viable scoring options and could split time with Ibaka at the forward position. Contracts for these players might be high, but with the salary cap increases in 2017 and 2018, every team in the league has flexibility to play around with to make improvements to their rosters.

The Thunder is in a great position to make a run for any of those players. Anthony Morrow has seen a considerable drop in playing time this season and still offers a three-point touch many teams could utilize. Although

Dion Waiters has been a good fit in Oklahoma City, his contract of $5 million per year could free up space for the Thunder to make a run at a better scorer.

This season for the Thunder so far has been a mix of frustration and confusion. Flashes of brilliance through December and January have been sprinkled with inexplicable losses to Sacramento and Portland, among other duds.

Durant and Westbrook both have been heavily productive in these games however, averaging fifty points together. The bench play has so far been the most noticeable problem for the Thunder. Kyle Singler, playing better as of late, has only averaged 2.9 points per game, despite playing 12 minutes per game.

Presti has shown his genius since the Thunder came to Oklahoma City in 2008, drafting players such as Westbrook, Ibaka, and James Harden. When the Thunder has had the most success, however, it’s had

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dion Waiters, right, tries to work the ball inside as Denver Nuggets forward Will Barton defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016, in Denver. The Thunder won 110-104. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

productive role players to complement stars like the aforementioned players. This season is no different and the Thunder need more points off the bench.

Fans of the Thunder are hungry for another title run, but the team faces fiercer competition for the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder have not played in the Conference Finals since 2014 and have not won the conference since 2012.

The back end of the Thunder schedule includes a home and away split with Golden State and three games with San Antonio, both first and second in the Western Conference, respectively. The Thunder could make a run at second place by taking one game with Golden State and winning two or three of the matchups with the Spurs, but a move needs to be made and the clock is ticking.

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Dion Waiters (3) defends New York Knicks’ Arron Afflalo (4) during the overtime period of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016, in New York. The Thunder won 128-122.(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

10C

NBA

Examining the 2016 All-Star starters:

Eastern Conference

Alex Hudsonpillar @alexcaterpillar

Contributing Writer

Toronto gets set to host its very first NBA All-Star weekend this month.

The NBA All-Star festivities have always been popular with the fans.

It features the game’s greatest athletes competing in various competitions throughout the weekend, some even including celebrities and former players, and wraps up in a high scoring, head-tohead matchup between the best players from each conference.

The Western Conference, regarded as the top conference in recent years, showcases Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook,

Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Kawhi Leonard as starters this year.

This season, the Eastern Conference will start the usual veteran talent, as well as some newer faces. Kyle Lowry, the hometown hero in Toronto, will be starting in just his second All-Star game. Paul George will be starting in his second All-Star game as well; however, this will be his third appearance overall.

These players have had stellar seasons thus far.

Here is a closer look at the Eastern Conference All-Star starters:

Kyle Lowry (TOR): These last two seasons, Lowry has established himself as one of the league’s elite players running the point.

Toronto currently sits at 34-16 and has surprised many by currently holding second place in the Eastern Conference.

Lowry’s play has undoubtedly led them

to this point.

Lowry is averaging 21.0 ppg and 6.2 apg (ESPN). He will be the hometown favorite of All-Star weekend and he is molding himself into one of the best players in the entire conference.

Paul George (IND):

Lebron James (CLE): Every year, there are those players that you know going into the season are going to be a part of the All-Star roster.

James is fifth in the league in scoring this season with 25 points per game and his Cavaliers (36-14) are first in the East-

ern Conference (ESPN).

James was the leading vote-getter for the Eastern Conference this year with 1,089,206 votes. This will be James’ 12th All-Star appearance.

Carmelo Anthony (NYK): This will be Anthony’s ninth All-Star appearance.

The Knicks, although currently out of playoff contention, have seen a drastic improvement from the 2014-15 season.

The team has already won six more games than last season’s total and it is only the halfway point.

The most noticeable difference is the addition of rookie Kristaps Porziņģis, but

Toronto Raptors’ Kyle Lowry drives to the basket as Los Angeles Clippers’ Wesley Johnson tries to block during first half NBA basketball action in Toronto on Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Anthony has had a stellar season thus far as well.

Anthony is averaging 21.1 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game (ESPN).

A huge second-half surge from Porziņģis and Anthony could very well land the Knicks in the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

The Pacers have slipped in recent years from contenders for the Eastern Conference Finals to seventh place this season, after missing the playoffs entirely last season.

George has remained a bright spot in the franchise and his recovery from injury is a huge reason why they are in

playoff contention this season.

George is the NBA’s eighth-leading scorer with 23.4 points per game to go along with 7.1 rebounds per game (ESPN). Since his return from suffering a broken leg playing for Team USA, George has not skipped a beat.

Dwyane Wade (MIA): 2016 will be Wade’s 12th All-Star appearance. Following Lebron James’ departure from Miami, most of the general public expected a huge decline from Miami’s NBA franchise.

With one week before the All-Star break, the Heat is sitting at 29-23 and fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

Wade’s high level of play is a huge con-

tributing factor.

Wade is averaging 18.7 points per game this season and 4.7 assists per game.

Wade’s experience in late game situations has kept the Heat on the higher side of the win column and still very much in the playoff race (ESPN).

11C

NBA

Western Conference Ike Wilcots @IkeWilcots Sports Writer

This year, the Western Conference starting lineup includes some familiar faces in the All-Star game.

Players like Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant have been selected as starters in the past.

Russell Westbrook has been an AllStar before, but will make his debut as a starter in the backcourt this year.

The last player, Kawhi Leonard, has never had an opportunity to play in the star-studded spectacle, and being able to start in his very first All-Star game is something special.

Following are some quick summaries of the Western Conference starters’ first halves of the season, with some stats and storylines:

Kevin Durant (OKC): The 2014 League MVP will be playing in his eighth All-Star game.

After sitting out most of last season with a foot injury, Durant was selected as a reserve in last year’s game.

He has bounced back and look to bring his great scoring for the west this year.

Durant is averaging 26.5 points and 7.7 rebounds in the first half of the season (ESPN).

With his point guard also starting by his side, Durant will likely put on scoring show with his partner in crime

Kawhi Leonard (SAS): Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, left, drives to the basket past Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay in the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Stephen Curry (GSW): The 2015 League MVP and 2015 NBA Champion started the season off with a 21-0 record.

Curry is having another MVP-caliber season and will go into the AllStar weekend averaging a league-high 30.1 points to go along with 6.6 assists (ESPN).

Golden State fans hope to see more Warriors get selected with Curry, after the controversy of Draymond Green not being selected as a starter this year.

Curry is looking for his third consecutive start in an All-Star game.

The silent player that dominates loudly.

Leonard, 2014 NBA Champion and Finals MVP, will be an All-Star and a starter for the first time in his career.

Averaging 20 points and 7 rebounds so far this season (ESPN), Leonard is a key factor for defending the star power of the

Eastern Conference.

The San Antonio Spur has also joined an exclusive club, alongside some great company, as one of three players named Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and All-Star (SB Nation).

Kobe Bryant (LAL): In his final NBA All-Star weekend, Bryant will seemingly be the reason for the anticipation of the All-Star game.

In his last season in the league, the 17time All-Star received the most votes by fans (719,235) and is the all-time leading scorer in the All Star game with 280

points (NBA).

Bryant is so far averaging 15.8 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists (ESPN).

With this being his last performance in the All Star game, fans should expect something special from the future first ballot Hall of Famer.

Russell Westbrook (OKC): The man with the hardest slam will be starting for the very first time in the AllStar game.

Westbrook, averaging 24 points, 9.8 assists, 7 rebounds, and leading the league in steals all in the first half of the

season (ESPN), will look to showcase his powerful play against the best of the best.

Westbrook will also look to repeat as All-Star MVP as he and fellow teammate, Kevin Durant look to bring a little OKC flavor to Toronto.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant, center, passes the ball under pressure from San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard, left, and center Boris Diaw during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 22, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

12C

NBA

NBA Midseason awards Ike Wilcots @IkeWilcots Sports Writer

The NBA season is approaching its halfway mark and the competition this year has had its ups and downs. The Golden State Warriors have been the obvious best team of the first half. Upholding the notion of “small ball” being a dominate factor, the defending champs started the season with a 21-0 tear being led by one of the most elite shooters in the history of the league.

Other teams like Cleveland and Oklahoma City have had their times where they look like both contenders and pretenders. With locker room problems from the Cavaliers and a defense problem for the Thunder, these two teams will need to become more focused in the second half of the season.

Teams like the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Rap-

Rookie of the Midpoint: The 2015 NBA Draft brought some true franchise players into the league.

Players like Karl Anthony-Towns and Jahlil Okafor have played like seasoned professionals.

Anthony-Towns has averaged a near-double double for Minnesota with 16.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

Jahlil Okafor has also put up great numbers for a rookie, averaging 17.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

These two rookies have already made a name for themselves in the league, but

there has been one rookie who surpasses them with popularity and nonstop hype.

New York Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis has become a house hold name and has been a key factor for the Knicks this season.

Averaging 13.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, Porzingis has helped the progression of the Knicks and will hopefully be a player the organization can build around in the future. However, better numbers gives Towns the edge.

tors could also be an NBA Finals matchup. Both teams have played great team basketball and are lead by some commendable star players.

Here are some regular season awards for some of the notable players for their performances midway through this season:

Most Valuable Player: This is the season of Stephen Curry.

He has been on a level we have never seen before with his score-at-will ability.

Curry, averaging a league high 29.7 points to go along with 6.6 assists per game, has been the most unstoppable player on the most unstoppable team.

Coming in not too far from him is the defender everyone fears, Kawhi Leonard.

These two have gone head to head with Golden State prevailing tremendously in a 30-point victory. Leonard

is having the best season of his career averaging 20 points and 6.7 rebounds while accumulating the second-highest three point percentage in the league.

There are others around the association who have been showcasing MVPtype numbers- such as Lebron James and Russell Westbrook- but these two are the most valuable assets around the league.

However, between these two, there’s one clear-cut choice.

Winner: Karl Anthony-Towns

Winner: Stephen Curry

In this March 15, 2015, file photo, Kentucky forward Karl-Anthony Towns (12) celebrates his shot against Arkansas during the first half of the Southeastern Conference tournament championship game in Nashville, Tenn. Towns is a top prospect in the NBA draft on Thursday, June 25, 2015. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after scoring against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 25, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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NBA

Sixth Man of the Midpoint: This category could be a bit challenging because of the inconsistency of players coming off the bench and getting a starting position. One player that has stood out from other bench players is the Pelicans’ Ryan Anderson.

Anderson, averaging 17.5 points and 6.1 rebounds off the bench, has been a big helping hand for Anthony Davis and

the struggling New Orleans squad.

Oklahoma City’s big man off the bench, Enes Kanter, could also be in talks for the sixth man nomination. He doesn’t average as many minutes as Anderson, but does bring an average of 11.8 points to the Thunder. Anderson, though, has had five games this season where he went for over 20 points.

Coach of the Midpoint: With Steve Kerr out for most of the season while Golden State ruled the league, it is hard to put him in the best coach category. Someone who isn’t hard to be put in the conversation is Gregg Popovich.

The three-time Coach of the Year has helped choreograph the Spurs to another

excellent season. Other coaches who could be in the conversation are Rick Carlisle from Dallas and Dwane Casey from Toronto. Carlisle has an older Dallas team firmly in the playoff picture, while Casey currently has Toronto as the number two seed in the East.

Winner: Ryan Anderson

Winner: Gregg Popovich

(Above) New Orleans Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson reacts after hitting a 3-point shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets in New Orleans, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. The Pelicans won 105-103. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

(Above) San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich signals to his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic, Monday, Feb. 1, 2016, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

(Above) Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum drives to the basket during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Portland, Ore., Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016. The Blazers won 112-97. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)

(Above) San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives past Dallas Mavericks guard Deron Williams during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, in San Antonio.

San Antonio won 112-83. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Most Improved Player:

Defensive Player of the Midpoint:

One player that has improved this

younger Trail Blazers squad, McCollum

year is Portland’s C.J. McCollum.

is averaging 20.7 points per game and

McCollum averaged only seven points

is a part of one of the league’s most

per game last year and even less in his

potent back courts with star point guard

rookie season.

Damian Lillard.

This year however, playing with a

Winner: C.J. McCollum

No player has been as great defensively as San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard.

With the Spurs having the highest defensive efficiency, Leonard has been the guy league stars fear most when matched up against.

There have been other players like

the Miami Heat’s Hassan Whiteside, the league leader in blocks, and the Detroit Pistons’ Andre Drummond who have created a tough defensive presence around the rim. But the player who has been a consistent big-time defender is hands down Leonard.

Winner: Kawhi Leonard

Introducing: Elementary TURKISH!

Courses offered in: ARABIC, CHINESE, FRENCH, GERMAN, ITALIAN, JAPANESE, KOREAN, LATIN, AND SPANISH

Brought to you by The UCO Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultural Studies.

Email: modlang@uco.edu Website: www.uco.edu/la/modern-languages

15C

MUSIC

Panic! At The Disco:

DEATH OF A BACHELOR Kateleigh Mills @kateleighSuz Reporter

Panic! at the Disco released “Death of a Bachelor” on Jan. 15, 2016 after the lead singer, Brendon Urie, was the musical guest on New Year’s Eve Game Night. The album has traces of the edgy pop sounds that brought Panic! at the Disco to the music scene back in 2005 with their first album “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out.” However, the new album has traces of Sinatra-inspired tones and a more empowering message than any of P!ATD’s earlier works.

Urie is now the only remaining member of the original band. Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left P!ATD after the band’s second album release, “Pretty. Odd.” Spencer Smith left in 2015. Urie said that he gets more candid with each album that is written, but “Death of a Bachelor” has more confessional undertones because the album has a lot to do with his personal past.

“It’s just really cool to look back and be like, ‘wow, that’s so weird. I never thought I’d be where I’m at today. It’s kind of a throwback to it,” Urie said.

Urie said that some of the inspiration for the songs have to do with his marriage in 2013 to his wife, Sarah Orzechowski. Urie also told Entertainment Tonight that the album’s name was a throw out to his wife.

“Death of a Bachelor” has already made history for the band by becoming the first album on the Billboard 200

Death of a Bachelor is Panic! At the Disco’s fifth studio album. Photo courtesy of Panic! At the Disco.

chart, beating out Adele’s “25” album

distance. The cover art was done by

glance into what I was going through,”

at second place, and Justin Bieber’s

Nicole Guice, who was asked to do an

Urie said.

“Purpose” in third. According to Bill-

‘illograph,’ or where she drew a sketch

board, the album sold 169,000 in pure

over a picture.

album sales.

The album’s art has also been getting

The album’s scenery was what Urie

Panic! at the Disco will be touring with Weezer starting in The Woodlands, TX on June 10, which will be

was looking at when he wrote the

known as “Summer Tour 2016.” The

a little of attention from fans. The scen-

album, which is the depiction of the

tour will be in Oklahoma City at the

ery on the album cover has Urie lying

morning after a good party.

Zoo Amphitheater on July 16.

unconscious on top of a roof with a retro car in a pool and two chairs in the

“I wanted to show people exactly what I saw. Maybe that’ll give them a

16C

NEWS

Discussing the future of college professors Jessica Phillips

Eriech Tapia

@thejessphillips

@eriechtapia95

Reporter

The Oklahoma chapter of the American Association of University Professors examined higher education funding, preventing guns on campus, and how to protect the Teacher’s Retirement System at its annual state conference meeting January 30.

Higher Education funding The state is facing a $900 million budget shortfall this year. Last month, state agencies took more than $177 million in cuts, with $24 million of that being cuts to higher education, David Blatt, executive director of the Oklahoma Policy Institute, said.

Being more than 5 percent below the certified budget estimate, that was developed in May of last year, renders an official shortfall. The state is 7.7 percent below the estimate and that gap may grow.

Of every $100 appropriated by the legislature, $90 goes to 10 state agencies, including education. Higher education receives about $1 of every $3 of state appropriations.

“When you have large budget shortfalls, even if you’re looking at shortfalls of $200 and $300 million, it’s very hard to balance a budget without cutting those large agencies in core government areas,” Blatt said.

The revenue failure was announced in December and another failure is expected to be declared before the end of the year. “That triggers across the board cuts to all state appropriated agencies,” he said.

The last time Oklahoma faced major shortfalls was during the recession and the federal government gave a stimulus package to help states avoid massive cuts and balance budgets, according to Blatt.

“The feds are not coming to Oklahoma’s rescue this time,” he said.

State colleges and universities faced tuition and fee hikes averaging 4.8 percent in 2015 due to a 3.5 percent budget cut. The University of Central Oklahoma raised tuition and mandatory fees by 5 percent for the current school year.

Preventing guns on campus “There is no negotiating point. The negotiating point is no guns, period,” Mark Kinders, vice president for Public Affairs, said at the conference. “Having a lot of people carrying guns is a formula for disaster.”

The university is currently tracking 27 proposed bills in the Legislature involving weapons policy. UCO Executive Director of Safety Jeff Harp said there already are weapons on campus. Daily, 17 police officers are present on campus with at least two officers there at any

Reporter

given time.

According to the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, any full-time employed or reserved police officer can carry a weapon at UCO. Citizens who have permits to carry can secure their firearm in their vehicle on campus.

“So there’s guns there,” Harp said, “we don’t want guns in our dorm rooms, we don’t want guns in our classrooms, in our laboratories, in our dining facilities.”

Harp and Kinders agreed that the argument for allowing guns on campus primarily stems from a desire to expand rights under the Second Amendment, not to maintain safety. “From their perspective, they use safety as their tool in order to make campus safer. But really it’s, in their hearts, they just simply want to expand gun rights,” Harp said.

“It is totally about guns,” Kinders said.

“Oklahomans will not vote for guns on campus.”

Teachers’ pensions

One area of concern that received its own breakout session was “Faculty Retirement Under Threat,” which was attended by faculty and professors from universities across the state and focused on teachers’ pensions.

Questions ranged from whether or not they will be able to retire with a full pension and if future educators will continue to receive it.

“Most legislatures agree that they will not mess with current employees, but they will mess with future employees,” Amanda Ewing, associate executive director of the Oklahoma Educators Association, said.

Members say pensions are under attack by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation and the Secure Oklahoma Coalition; other states are having the same issue. “It is really important to anybody in a pension program,” Ewing said, “There are those who would like to change that to a defined liability program

[401k].”

Currently, the pension program is 63 percent funded, and according to Ewing, is on track to reach 100 percent funding in 12 years. However, 80 percent is considered well-funded.

“It’s not just TRS [Teacher’s Retirement System] that is well funded, but all across the board these programs are well funded,” Kristopher Masterman, executive director of Keep Oklahoma’s Promises, said.

Around 42,000 people are paying into the pension programs. Masterson warned against moving to a 401K program, mentioning failed plans in Alaska and West Virginia. “There is enormous amounts of money to be made in the transition of the pension system, but hopefully that will not occur,” he said.

For more information about the Oklahoma conference and upcoming meeting dates, aaup.org.

David Blatt, executive director of the Oklahoma Policy Institute, discusses the state budget during a conference of the American Association of University Professors. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

17C

NEWS

Shop Central hits roadblock Eriech Tapia @eriechtapia95 Reporter

After halting progress of the new Shop Central App, the University of Central Oklahoma Legal Counsel office is now reviewing the legality of whether or not the new app can legally proceed to its final stages just months before it was planned to be revealed.

After reviewing the contract Dr. Brad Morelli, senior legal counsel in the UCO Legal Counsel Office, cited that the problem is due to the company being based in a foreign country, in which a state agency can not lawfully fall under the jurisdiction of the contract.

“There are some indemnification provision in the contract, in which if something goes wrong then we are responsible for it,” Morelli said.

The planning stages of the app were started by the executive branch of the UCOSA, right after President Austin Sheehy took office, who said he believes it would be a great benefit to students and would allow them to save money around Edmond.

The app would have consisted of discounts for students at varying places in the Edmond area, including Evoke Coffee Shop, Scott Cleaners, and CrossFit OKC. “We try really hard to make it easy for businesses to sign up for the app and for students to use it,” Sheehy said.

Included in the array of local discounts, other non-partnership discounts would be included inside the app for students to use.

“I can’t think of any other place, that I know of, that is doing something this grand and will benefit so many students,” Sheehy

said. “It is free to use and I know students will like it.”

The future of the app is unknown at this time and could be be stalled upwards of a month in negotiations between the UCO Legal Office and app company, however plans were to have it revealed later this semester.

“We are moving forward with just the online version of the app,” Sheehy said, “It is not what I would have dreamed of, but we will have to go forward without it.”

Morelli took into consideration the risk factor of the app, in which after he reviews a contract, he makes a decision on the risk associated with it.

“I do not think there is a high risk here,” Morelli said.

The UCO Legal Counsel Office is preparing to move forward with negotiating the contract, with future steps including addressing concerns with the app company and working with the UCO Office of Information Technology.

“We are still in negotiations with the contract … with everything there is always some give and take on contracts,” Dr. Elizabeth Kerr, UCO Legal Counsel said.

With the application being delayed, plans are still continuing to bring new businesses to the website for students to use and Sheehy hopes that with the new UCO website coming in the future, a more mobile friendly version will allow for students to easily access the discounts.

A UCO student browses Shop Central’s website on his phone. Plans to release an app for Shop Central were halted by the university’s legal counsel. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

YO G A 18C

LIFE

Improving mental and physical health

Ericka Brumley @Ericka_b07

Contributing Writer

Yoga can provide college students many benefits such as improving flexibility, building muscle strength, and perfecting your posture; these are just the key benefits to doing yoga.

Did you know that there are actually more benefits?

Yoga helps alleviate stress from social and academic pursues. Students are young, but still aren’t immune to stress.

As a college student you are expected to write 10page papers, have a high GPA and make new friends from scratch. You are supposed to do all of this while also learning to take care of yourself, because you are now on your own for the first time.

“If you can do yoga everyday that is great, or at least try and do it three times a week,” said Alex Wong, yoga instructor.

With all of these obstacles that are laid out for you, it can really take a hit on your psyche.

Yoga and college do have common attributes. College is intended to help you harness potential to change the world by encouraging you to learn and cultivate new understandings. College prepares us to engage with the world and to fulfill our purpose.

In yoga, this purpose is called dharma and the point of yoga is actually the same as that of college when it comes to fulfilling your dharma: the practice gives you the tools to engage with the world with impact.

Yoga practice helps boost memory retention and reaction time, which is perfect for getting through final exams or that surprise quiz.

While yoga cannot act as a shield from germs and viruses, it can help your body fight back against regular illnesses. Yoga is believed to improve immune and nervous systems through raising and lowering antibodies.

“Yoga is different than stretching because it focuses more on body alignment and breathing techniques,” said

Wong.

Another benefit of yoga is that it can improve your concentration immensely. Concentration is a leading contributor to success in school because our ability to concentrate is keen to making the most of our college experience.

Yoga also benefits parts of your body that you wouldn’t normally think of. Yoga actually helps with your overall health by not just relieving stress but also improving bone health, fighting against arthritis, regulates adrenal glands, and even prevents digestive problems-- there are dozens of benefits.

The UCO Wellness Center offers yoga classes for students and faculty as well as many other different group fitness classes. You can contact the Wellness Center at 405-974-2000 or visit their website http://www.uco.edu/ wellness.

Yoga can be very beneficial to the average stressed-out college student. Some benefits of doing yoga include increased memory retention and reaction time, better posture. Photo provided by unsplash. com

20C

LIFE

Benefits of paying taxes James Rodriguez @jamesthekuma Contributing Writer

Taxes are something we as Americans have to deal with on a daily basis. We’re taxed everywhere with income taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, and the list goes on.

But what is it all for? What is all this money that we’re spending going to?

The simple answer is: the government. We pay the government with our tax money and in return the government spends that money on things that benefit us.

Both the state and the federal government take our taxes and take action to improve things in our own day to day life. Taxes pay for smaller things like the road construction currently going on at 33rd Street and South Broadway in Edmond, to larger things like the United States’ defense spending.

The problem that arises is that not everyone is equal in thinking that the tax money we pay the government is used efficiently. Some feel like taxes are too high and do too little, other than give money to an otherwise broken system of government that doesn’t spend its money properly.

“Taxes are a necessary evil imposed by the government so that it can provide its obligation to the citizenry, its protection and well-being, and sometimes our government doesn’t do that efficiently,”

said Jon Zollo, a University of Central Oklahoma history major.

However, there are people who believe that higher taxes could allow our government to pay for more and do more. There are plenty of examples of countries with higher tax rates that are able to do more, and because of that example, there is a belief that with higher taxes could come more benefits.

“We have a lot of examples of countries with high taxes that perform very well. Take Denmark for example; it’s in the news all the time, one of the happiest countries, one of the healthiest countries and they have taxes up to 60 percent,” said Dr. Mihai Nica, a UCO Associate Economics Professor.

Taxes will always be an issue to people. It’s currently one the hottest debated topics in the upcoming Presidential election, and will probably continue to be in any election going forward.

So in the end, maybe one of the most important things to think about when thinking about taxes is how you, as an individual, can make the changes to the United States government that would allow for a better tax system. We’ll always be taxed, so you should make sure taxes go to the areas you think are most important.

Taxes may be a pain, but in any organized society, they’re necessary. Without taxes there would be no way to fund road work, government employees, or government support for those who need it. Photo provided by Pixabay.com

21C

LIFE

Dealing with death in your Elizabeth Spence @lizzlynn

20’s

Contributing Writer

Many people die every day. In this world there are two things we can be absolutely sure of: that we live and that we die.

In the grand scheme of things when you think about it, if you think about it.

If it isn’t you dying, it is someone you know or someone they know. People die every day.

What do you do when someone dies but you don’t think you’re dealing with the death the right way.

Jessica Golightly a psychology professor at the University of Central Oklahoma says “there is different entities of death...age is huge when it comes to loss because you have the two sides, ‘Oh no, they were so young why did they have to die’ or ‘They lived a really good and long life’ the difference between dealing with the two is extremely complex. That’s why we have books and articles about this.”

You have a life. Maybe you’re in col-

lege and you have to let all your teachers now that you are going to be missing class because something tragic that you don’t even know how to say out loud yet just happened to you.

“I feel you should think about how they would want you to be,” said Kelsie Walling, UCO student.

Death is scary and cruel, but it is definitely a part of life that is not going to be changing anytime soon.

Auriuse Tahmasebi, a UCO stu-

dent says “death is something so little compared to what life is. We as humans forget about each other and the memories we create throughout life but when someone passes away our emotions bring out the memories. You shouldn’t let death be a reason to appreciate and acknowledge the memories you create with someone...”

Social media plays such a massive role in the lives of the people today, Molly Pierce had some advice on what to post, if you post about death “keep your captions positive but remember that your family and friends are what you need most in this time. Don’t get on social media and try to just go on with life like nothing ever happened.”

Clayton McKenzie a University of Central Oklahoma football player said “if someone posts on social media about death, it’s just their way of dealing with it. I think the most important thing to remember though is that life goes on.”

The main thing to see in this is that not all deaths are the same and not any one person handles death the same way.

Maybe some grieve openly, verbally, and physically, they may post things on social media or talk about it until they feel it has helped them release some of the loss they feel.

Some may grieve quietly and to themselves, feeling almost offended at the people that grieve openly, for it is not as easy for them. However and whenever you grieve is completely unique and sacred to you.

Everyone deals with death in their own way. The key to everything that happens in life, whether it is good or bad is to remember that you are not alone and if you do lose someone you love, try to think about how they would want you to feel and try to keep living for them.

Death is something that everybody has to deal with at one point or another. Photo by David Terry, The Vista.

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LIFE

Fashion:

SPRING 2016

Kateleigh Mills @kateleighSuz Reporter

As soon as the comfort of cozy

Although spring fashion week has

lighted some of the trends that were

Jonathan Simkhai.

sweaters and chunky scarves are finally

come and gone, the trends that kept

seen on the runways. For women, there

Other popular trends for women

embraced as the armor for winter

popping up again and again for women

seemed to be a plethora of ruffles, high

include lightweight denim, pleats,

winds, the season starts to shift into the

seem to reflect some of the trends

necklines, puffy sleeves, and a lot of

netting, and marled knits.

time of rebirth and new beginnings. Al-

that was from fall. Seventies inspired

flowers. These particular trends went

As for men, spring fashion seems

though there are some lingering trends

pieces, such as fringe, bold patterns,

along with the Victorian Era inspired

to mirror some of the women’s trends.

from fall, such as 70’s-inspired or

smooth suede, and bell-bottomed jeans

themes that were present last season.

This is true for throwbacks. The men

Victorian Era inspired, spring fashion

have been making their confident on-

for both men and women seem to have

slaught during fashion week.

a few tricks of their own.

A list put together by Elle, high-

Piles upon piles of dark lace, ornate diamonds, and pearls have been re-

but instead of a Victorian Era, it leans

placed by more cheerful patterns and

more towards cuts from the 50’s. Other

colors that made their mark on fashion

cuts include bomber jackets, overalls,

enthusiasts.

white chinos and trousers, and yes,

The minimalism trend popped up

those memorable short shorts for men

for both men and women due to the

that are seen in quite a few movies

chic and effortless look it exuded last

from the 70’s.

season. It has also become a staple for

Another trend that is reminiscent of

spring; however, for women, the clas-

last season is the oversized, minimalis-

sic white-oxford button-up has become

tic looks. Instead of the dark hues from

a little less stiff and proper.

the fall, men also seem to be picking

Instead designers, such as Phillip

up on the colors of the season from

Lim, Tome, and Monse, have gone for

the women. Laurie Pressman, the Vice

a souped up and off-the-shoulder style.

President of the Pantone Color Institute

Ramon Martin and Ryan Lobo, the

said that the colors of 2016 will be

women’s wear line designers for Tome,

calming and peaceful combined with

started their first resort collection with

hues that are bold and playful.

a charitable initiative called the White

“Going into 2016, we wanted to

Shirt Project. The purpose was to show

capture the feeling of what we started

that a basic, white cotton shirt isn’t

to see a year ago--this idea that people

worn by someone, but rather that the

want to turn off all the incoming

person wearing it shows off their own

information sometimes and stop and

personal take on a classic piece.

unwind,” Pressman told InStyle.

The proceeds from the sale of the

Some of these colors include “Rose

shirt went to Ford’s foundation Free-

Quartz,” a pale light pink, “Serenity,”

dom For All.

a cross somewhere between periwinkle

Another noteworthy trend for women this spring has Spanish influences, such as bold red hues and toreador-es-

and light blue, and “Limpet Shell,” another blue that is closer to mint.

Vertical stripes, suede, lightweight

que flourishes. Not only can the dark

denim, and darker shades of floral

red hues be found on Adele’s cover of

are also patterns and materials that

Time magazine last December, but also

seems to be popping up with regularity

on the runways for designers Diane

among men’s fashion for the spring.

Von Furstenburg, Michael Kors, and A student wears a gray bomber jacket. Photo by Cara Johnson, The Vista.

still have some 70’s inspired styles,

LIFE

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Daltyn Moeckel wears a multi-patterned blouse with eye-catching, bright red jeggings. Photo Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

Lu Zheng wears a marled knit sweatshirt with light wash denim. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

Roosevelt Thomas mixes patterns and a bow tie for a 50’s inspired look. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.

Cheyne Fowlen wears a textured 50’s cut shirt with a light colored chino. Photo by Ryan Naeve, The Vista.