Four years ago, two high school girls who immigrated illegally wanted to have a bill passed that would allow for undocumented citi-zens to receive in-state tuition rates. On Jan. 24, Senate Bill 13-033, which is very similar to the bill crafted four years ago, went to the Senate Edu-cation Committee and passed on a 6-3 vote. The bill, more com-monly known as the AS-SET legislation, allows illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates. There are an estimat-ed 1,500 Colorado high school graduates with-out legal immigration status. Of those gradu-ates, approximately 500 would attend a Colorado college if the law should go into effect. Students must meet several qualifications. The student must have attended a public or pri-

vate school for at least three years, have gradu-ated from a public or pri-vate school or obtained a GED, apply and be ac-cepted into a Colorado institution of higher edu-cation and already be in the process of obtaining legal citizenship as soon as possible. “If [students] have committed and done well enough to get into college, I don’t believe they’re leaving, and the more educational op-portunities we can give them, the better,” said CU Regent Michael Car-rigan. Sen. Mike Johnston, D-Denver, and Sen. An-gela Giron, D-Pueblo, have also demonstrated their support of the bill. Still, the legislation has many opponents. “I cannot provide my support to the legisla-tion,” said Stephen Col-lier, UCCS student body president, in a statement released Jan. 29. Collier argued the bill does not guarantee

illegal immigrant stu-dents will establish legal residency and that the bill’s language permits “taxpayers to subsidize the educational costs of undocumented students, which technically speak-ing, are in Colorado il-legally.” He added, “It is im-moral and illegal to pro-vide taxpayer assistance to these students, but po-tentially deny the same support to a legal resi-dent.” This round marks the bill’s sixth attempt. Even though it has passed through the Senate Ed-ucation Committee, it must now go to the Sen-ate Appropriations Com-mittee. According to the Den-ver Post, if the bill pass-es, “new students would bring in a $2 million in-crease in tuition for col-leges and universities in the first year and $3 mil-lion the following year.” The 2013 version of the bill also advocates for illegal immigrant

students to also have ac-cess to the College Op-portunity Fund. The state would spend

$930,000 more in the first year to subsidize the students and $1.4 mil-lion the next year.

the cribeMonday, February 4 2013 UCCS Student NewspaperVol. 37, Iss. 13

culture

newsMyLeavepage 3

Black Historypage 5

opinion Vaccines

page 9

sportsKenya

page 12

InsideIssuethis

Student Employment has introduced a new way for student em-ployees to track and

submit payment.

The Black Student Union will be hosting and participating in mul-

tiple events celebrating Black History Month.

With the recent flu out-break, students should get their flu shots. Vac-cinations will prevent us from getting sick. Right?

Cross country members traveled almost 10,000 miles away from home to volunteer at a Ke-nyan children’s center.

Build-a-Bear community service project,page 2

Photo courtesy of Michael CarriganCU Regent Michael Carrigan supports ASSET.

With a record number of outbreaks across the United States, many peo-ple are concerned about contracting the flu. According to the Cen-ters for Disease Control and Prevention, almost all U.S. areas are expe-riencing record levels of the outbreak this season. Google’s “flu trends” has listed Colorado Springs flu season as intense, its highest level of measure-ment. For students, as the semester begins, the ability to spread germs becomes easier. The Stu-dent Health Center aims to keep UCCS students healthy for class. Dr. Vicki Schober, medical director on cam-pus since 2005, has been involved with the Stu-dent Health Center for more than 10 years and is dedicated to keeping students well. “The flu is caused by the influenza virus and is transmitted through a va-riety of ways including

sneezing and touching,” Schober explained. This allows the flu to spread more easily and can, in extreme cases, result in death. There are ways stu-dents can keep healthy and not catch illnesses during the semester. “The biggest tips proven by researchers are washing your hands,” she said, suggesting that students sing “Happy Birthday” twice for the correct amount of wash-

ing time. “You don’t have to sing it out loud,” she said. Schober added that basic habits can keep im-mune systems healthy. “Carrying hand sanitizer, getting enough sleep, eating healthy and drink-ing plenty of water really help,” she said. Despite national sta-tistics, UCCS has not yet experienced a flu out-break. “The first couple of weeks are when we expect to see students

in,” Schober said. The Student Health Center has ordered more vaccinations in antici-pation of an increase in cases on campus but ex-pects to be out of their supply soon. Schober encouraged students to get the flu shot. “The flu vaccine is made based on what the widespread strain is, and this year it is a good match,” she said. There is a chance the shot will not help based

on personal medical his-tory, but it can greatly reduce one’s chances of getting sick. “It takes two weeks for the antibodies to take care of the virus. The shot is an inactive strain of the virus, and you cannot get flu from the shot,” Schober ex-plained. “It’s common to feel achy after the shot, but that’s your immune system at work.” Schober said, “If stu-dents have a fever over 101 [degrees], students should not go to class.” The Student Health Center can also contact professors should a stu-dent miss class for being sick. Students living in the resident halls can re-ceive support from their resident assistant, who can help get food service when they are sick. In an email sent out to students last week, the health center said it had “a handful of shots left at $20 each.” Students interested in getting a flu shot can call 255-4444 and schedule an appoint-ment.

Student Health Center advises students during flu seasonAlexander Neddanedd@uccs.edu

Photo by James SibertThe last bottle of flu shot vaccine was in the Student Health Center’s stock of supplies.

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Illegal immigrants closer to getting in-state tuition ratesSamantha Morleysmorley2@uccs.edu

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News February 4, 2013 Page 2

In “Amendment 64 public information session on campus,” CEO of iComply Mark Slaugh was incor-rectly referred to as Mark Siaugh.

Correction

While you’re buying chocolates and roses for Valentine’s Day, consider making a bear for a child in the hospital. Beth-El Student Nurse Association (BSNA) is hosting a Build-a-Bear event on Feb. 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Chapel Hills Mall. Students and staff can create a personalized stuffed animal, which will then be donated to Memo-rial Children’s Hospital. Children will be greeted with the present when they’re admitted to the hospital. Amy Digan, commu-nity service representa-tive for Beth-El, said she does a community service event every month, but this one she wanted to be more individualized. “It’s a bummer to be in the hospital, and it’s just something special to cheer them up,” she said. “This is the first time we’ve done anything this large. It’s a fun, unique community service proj-ect,” she added. “You’re helping out children that might not have the op-portunity to ever make a bear.” Digan said that when she was younger, she thought it was a lot of fun to be able to build a bear. “Kids in the hospital can’t

do that, but they’re able to have the bears as a special gift we made them. I think it will be more rewarding than keeping it for my-self,” she said. “I still have one from when I was little. It’s al-most a security blanket, and when you’re in a new environment, especially in a hospital, it’s a com-

forting measure to make kids feel more at home.” In addition to the bears, Digan said participants will be writing messages to the children on the back of the certificates that come with the bears. She said, however, that the messages will remain anonymous. Digan said the goal

is to make 100 bears through BSNA as well as other organizations and donations. There will be a table by Jazzman’s this week and tables in the University Hall cafeteria area where anyone can donate. The average cost for the bears will be $10, and accessorizing the bears

will cost an additional $3 to $15, depending on how much participants wish to spend. Digan said due to pa-tient safety, specified health care workers will hand out the bears, but anyone is welcome to help take them to the hos-pital. “I’m very excited,” she

said. “It’s a really fun op-portunity to give back to the community and it’s really different from other community service.” Those with questions or concerns, or who knows of another organization that would like to par-ticipate in the event, can contact Digan at adigan@uccs.edu.

Build-a-Bear project to cheer up sick children at MemorialApril Weflerawefler@uccs.edu

Something on your mind?Email the editor at scribe@uccs.edu

Photo by Nick BurnsBeth-El Community Service Representative Amy Digan has helped put together a service project to provide children admitted to Memorial Children’s Hospital a Build-a-Bear.

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Students who performed poorly in a class and are retaking it for a better grade may be interested to learn that the Student Government Association is pushing for a program intended to benefit them. A new grade forgiveness policy has been approved and may be enacted as early as the end of the spring semester. Students attending class for the 2013 fall semester could have a new grading policy applied to courses. When a student receives a “D” or “F” in a class, the two grades are averaged out when the class is retaken. Under grade forgiveness, the higher grade replaces

the lower grade. SGA President Stephen Collier has been a proponent of grade forgiveness. “The policy,” he wrote in an email, “will reflect our predominately commuter campus that combines traditional students with students who work one job or more at a time, single parents who must find a balance between family and school, and for our large population of active duty, Reserve, and National Guard military members who must balance duty and education constantly.” Last spring, students voted 1,049 to 89 in favor of bringing a grade forgiveness policy back to UCCS, which was used as the previous grading policy almost a decade

ago. The Faculty Assembly gave its support for the policy in December. The Educational Policy and University Standards Committee (EPUS) will craft the policy’s guidelines in the spring. The proposal will go back to the Faculty Assembly for potential approval when it is completed. SGA envisioned the crafting of the new policy to take place in a transparent way in the hope that students would be able to provide feedback, but the EPUS Committee appears to prefer operating behind closed doors. “As students initiated this action, we hope the EPUS Committee will have a one to two week comment

period on the draft policy prior to it going to the Faculty Assembly for final approval,” Collier said. Any student can seek out petition signatures to place a referenda items on the ballot. A student needs

more than 50 percent of the number of students who voted in the previous SGA election to get an item on the ballot, which currently amounts to about 582 signatures, as a total of 1,165 students voted.

“The petition sent a clear message to our Faculty Assembly that we, as students, need their support on this issue. From the outcome, I am pleased to see it was a successful message,” Collier said.

SGA working to bring back grade forgiveness measureMikaila Ketcherside mketcher@uccs.edu

Photo by Josh CamachoSGA President Stephen Collier has been collecting signatures to support grade forgiveness.

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Student employees at UCCS will begin using the MyLeave system to file all of their paid hours, shifts and jobs in the near future as the university gradually introduces the new system. The system, designed with streamlining and waste reduction in mind, was created in 2011 pri-marily for faculty and has since seen been in-troduced and improved for student employees. Shannon Cable, assis-tant director of Student Employment and Ameri-Corps manager, said that the system is still a work in progress. While the system requires a little give from employees, it takes a burden off the student employment of-fice. Under the older time-card style systems, if a department improperly

logged an employee’s hours, there was a long and arduous process to fix the error, usually re-sulting in the next pay period two weeks later being larger to compen-sate.

With the new system, employees are still re-sponsible for submitting their hours. Once hours are submitted, the depart-ment then confirms that the hours are accurate. From there, the in-

formation is sent to Stu-dent Employment and funds are channeled to the employee but with less physical paper. “The mechanism is now off of paper and online through the portal,” explained

Cable. The system isn’t with-out problems, however. Employees have report-ed issues where their pay was never sent until weeks after their hours were logged. Others have had issues where submit-ting hours was impos-sible. Lauren Burgess, an in-formation desk employee in University Center, said, “At first it’s really confusing just because it’s new and you’re not used to it.” Burgess also stated that she was dissatisfied with how the new system rounds minutes to the nearest 15, as opposed to the previous model log-ging each minute. Other drawbacks in-clude the user interface, which does not label in-dividual jobs if an em-ployee works for more than one department. Student Employment is aware of the issues and

intends to roll out updates continually until the sys-tem is more efficient. “What I’d really like to see the program do is be able to set up our preferences in one spe-cific way for student employees and differ-ent employment groups and make the look and feel of the calendar more useful,” said Alejandro Dejesus, assistant direc-tor for Event Services and Scheduling. “I’m looking forward to having no paper asso-ciated with this process.” In our mobile world, the ability to access per-sonal electronic informa-tion remotely is crucial. For now, MyLeave does not have any foreseeable updates for smartphones or tablets. Cable said that such a feature would be “ideal in the future” but that she “wouldn’t expect it in the next year or so.”

NewsFebruary 4, 2013 Page 3

Photo by Alex GradisherShannon Cable, Student Employment and Americorps manager, explained the benefits of the new MyLeave system for student employees.

MyLeave system gradually implemented for student employeesPeter Farrellpfarrell@uccs.edu

In a simple black frame, the paper inside waterlogged and dirty due to age, it goes un-noticed by the majority of students and faculty passing through Univer-sity Center. But once those pass-

ing by stop and read the sign, they will realize it contradicts the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling regarding weapons on campus. UCCS’ Policy 14.1 deals with weapons con-trol and is under fire for its disturbance to the Second Amendment rights of students and

faculty. Revised on Sept. 12, 2012, the policy states that “the unauthorized possession of firearms, explosives, or other dan-gerous or illegal weapons on or within any Univer-sity of Colorado campus, leased building, other area under the jurisdic-tion of the local campus police department is pro-hibited.” The document goes on to explain exceptions and specifications. How-ever, many students and faculty think that posting the policy is an infringe-ment against the Second Amendment. By law, Colorado is an open carry state, meaning people are per-mitted to carry a weapon on them as long as it is visible. Obtaining a con-cealed carry permit is the only legal means to hide a weapon. The Students for Am-munition and Weapons Safety (SAWS) club on campus advocates that everyone should main-tain the right to legally possess weapons. Evan Shelton, CEO of SAWS, has worked with Chief of Police Jim Spice and Chancellor Pamela Shockley-Zalabak in re-gards to Policy 14.1. “The minute after [the policy] passed, we were in their offices and discussing how it would

work and we talked about the housing, and the new housing,” Shelton said. “We discussed with the chancellor ... and when those news build-ings opened, we were supposed to be there ad-vocating for them to be concealed carry build-ings,” he said, referring to the Summit and Al-pine residences. A housing contract was developed, stating weapons are banned in dormitories with fresh-men. In Alpine Village, however, concealed car-ry permit holders over the age of 21 may have their weapon. Residents also have a choice of whether or not to tell the Public Safety

office of the weapon and may, in turn, receive a safe to house the device. Spice said it isn’t a requirement for those living in Alpine Village to claim weapons. He said there “haven’t been any issues” in relation to people possessing weap-ons on school grounds. In the CU regent de-bate held during the 2012 election season, then-CU regent candidate Steve Ludwig made his stance in regards to concealed carry very clear. “I do not support concealed carry on campus,” he said. Shelton responded to Ludwig’s determination by stating, “He (Ludwig) can say whatever he wants, but now he’s vio-

lating what the Supreme Court says. Once [the law] was passed by the Supreme Court of Colo-rado, that’s it.” There, however, may be changes in the future in regards to weapons at large, public events host-ed at UCCS. For large gatherings, Spice and the Public Safety office are work-ing on a plan to create a statement on admission tickets stating that at-tendees forfeit their right to bear arms in events. Spice summarizes that if someone pays for a ticket, there may be a notice on the back stat-ing that a weapon, con-cealed or not, cannot be taken into the event.

Unlawful sign and university weapons control policy under fireSamantha Morleysmorley2@uccs.edu

Photo by Nick BurnsThe old policy is posted inside of University Center adjacent to the main entrance. The posted policy does not represent the current concealed carry policy at UCCS.

Photo by Nick BurnsEvan Shelton discussed the policy posting and the elements in-volved with the policy change.

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News February 4, 2013 Page 4

Freshmen and upper-classmen intimidated by the writing process may be dreading some chal-lenging assignments in their core classes this semester. Enrollment has skyrocketed in the past few years and is ex-pected to continue in that upward trend. With an increase in enrollment comes an in-crease in demand for the many academic facilities available to help students be successful in classes. The Writing Center, lo-cated on the third floor of Columbine Hall, is one of those facilities. “It’s not super busy right now; it’s always kind of slow the first few weeks because students don’t have papers due,” said Kacey Ross, interim director of the Writing Center. While it may not be busy right now, the center expects the demand will spike as midterms and finals loom. Many stu-dents often report finding

themselves scrambling to get their papers turned in by the deadline. “Midterms and finals are our busiest times. Appointments need to be made two weeks in advance,” Ross said. However, appointments

are not students’ only options. “We offer face-to-face consulting, the OWL (Online Writing Lab), [in] which students can turn papers in online and the ORCA (Online Real-time Consulting Appa-

ratus),” she added. The ORCA system involves a live webcam chat with a writing tutor. The Writing Center is a place where stu-dents can go to get help editing a paper, but the center can also help stu-

dents understand essay prompts or work on a scholarship letter, among other services. “A lot of people think of us as a place to fix your commas, but we’ll help if you don’t under-stand your assignment

or need help brainstorm-ing,” Ross said. “Re-gardless of what it is, if you’re a student, we will help you out.” The Writing Center has 19 “consultants” for UCCS students who can help in 45-minute ap-pointments. The consul-tants vary in range from English majors to com-munication and history majors. Each consultant has experience writing in various disciplines. The center will likely become busier, but Ross encouraged students to not let that deter them from visiting and earning the higher letter grade they want. “We do good work here and meet the needs of students. It is sad when we turn students away [on a walk-in basis],” Ross said. “If you plan ahead and give yourself time, you will probably be able to get an appoint-ment.” Appointments can be set up two weeks in advance by calling 255-4336 or by visiting Col-umbine Hall Room 316.

Writing Center welcomes worried students with optionsKyle Marinokmarino@uccs.edu

Photo by Robert SolisThe Writing Center is available to students looking for help and advice.

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CultureFebruary 4, 2013 Page 5

Kevin Landis is no stranger to the spotlight on stage, having directed and acted in several plays in his career. But it’s his work off stage that continues to impress his colleagues and students around the community. Landis is an assistant professor of theater and di-rector of theater at UCCS. In December, Landis was given the prestigious True West award for his work with the Prologue Lecture Series, a group committed to the art of theater and acting. Every year, the award recognizes some of the best directing and acting in the region. The award is given by John Moore, a former Denver Post theater critic and one of the most respected names with theater in the Colo-rado area. The Prologue is a collaborative effort that Landis oversees between Theatreworks and Visual and Performing Arts in an effort to connect students with professional acting agencies. “My joy in working here has been to bring people in and to have stu-dents work on a profes-sional stage and have that connection,” Landis said. “It’s very gratifying.”

Landis has attracted the local and national atten-tion of other theater artists to come speak at UCCS. It’s a full-time job that benefits those in the act-ing community and gives a sense of real-world act-ing for likely scholars. For Landis, this means every-thing. The award-winning

season of Prologue this year featured actors and playwrights to speak with students. “This year we had Sarah Ruhl in October, probably the most famous play-wright in America right now,” Landis explained. “Coming up in March we plan on having Oskar Eustis, who is no doubt the

most powerful producer in theater. We just have some great people coming up for next year,” he said. “One of the best things about the Prologue series, both for the students’ sake and for the community, is that it’s free. You will never have to pay a dime to visit these lectures.” Landis still makes time

for his love of theater by taking part in stage pro-ductions. Guiding students along the way, Landis has directed the plays of “Sa-lome,” “The Inspector General” and “The Bac-chae.” For the spring semes-ter, he plans on directing the hit musical “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,”

set to open in March. Landis has been with VAPA for three and a half years and has also acted with Theatreworks and other professional compa-nies. The productions “Church” and Shake-speare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost” are among his re-cently produced plays.

Lights, camera, award: UCCS professor awarded True West titleAlexander Neddanedd@uccs.edu

Photo by Nick BurnsVAPA professor Kevin Landis has received the distinguished True West award in recognition of his work with the Prologue Lecture Series.

Between Valentine’s Day for couples and Pres-idents Day representing our admiration for coun-try, February is the month of love. But throughout the month, there’s another kind of love, a love for a culture: Black History Month. “It celebrates the strug-gle and accomplishment of our people and of peo-ple who weren’t afraid to stand up for black rights,” said Whitley Hadley, se-nior and president of the Black Student Union (BSU). Hadley said she didn’t have an extensive knowl-edge of black history un-til she came to college. “With the schools I at-tended, you learn the fluff about black history,” she said. “It isn’t just the Mar-tin Luther Kings and the Rosa Parks.” BSU is attending and hosting several events

throughout the month, including “The N!gga (er) Word,” Harlem Re-naissance, Black History Movie Night and the BSU Talent Show. “The N!gga (er) Word” is hosted by the Matrix Center Feb. 4 from 6-7 p.m. in University Center Room 302. Hadley said the event is an open forum that will discuss how the n-word is holding back the commu-

nity, what it means now in 2013 and how it’s differ-ent from 30 years ago. Dr. Eddie Moore will present. “The n-word is a double standard; black people use it – white people can’t, and if they do, they’re looked down upon, so just get rid of it,” Hadley said. “I find it disrespectful; others find it empowering.” The second event is Har-lem Renaissance, which will be hosted by BSU on

Feb. 7. Phillip Ramsay, a student who presented for the Educating Children of Color Summit on Jan. 12, will be presenting about the Harlem Renaissance. “It was a really big movement for black peo-ple – really big move-ment for black artists and books,” Hadley said. The next event is Black History Movie Night on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m., which will show a film from

black history. The event will be followed by Jazz Night and Candlelit Walk on Feb. 16. Jazz Night and Can-dlelit Walk will include a reception with coffee and pastries and an open mic night. “We really want to reach out to the com-munity and remembering people who’ve put in so much work for the black community to be where they are now and celebrat-ing,” Hadley said. The last event will be the BSU Talent Show on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. The tal-ent show will include step-ping, drummers, strolling and poetry. “We really wanted to showcase the talent we have in the community that is overlooked,” Had-ley said. She added that she will be stepping with some of her friends and family and strolling with her sorority, Phi Sigma Sigma. Hadley explained that stepping is making music with your body, and stroll-

ing is how black Greeks historically showed pride in their organization. “I attended a Black Student Government con-ference, and it blew my mind. You could see how proud the Greeks were of their sorority,” she said. Hadley said she thinks it’s exciting to learn about other cultures. “You will interact with people of other cultures, and I think it’s significant to know why this is important to them,” she said. “You shouldn’t for-get the past – how much people have put in to get you where you are, and I think it’s important to cel-ebrate.” Hadley said that she hopes that BSU will con-tinue growing and that people will learn and have fun. “I think if you have fun learning, it sticks with you,” she said. “We are open to all walks of life – just want everybody to come out and learn about our cul-ture.”

Black Student Union celebrates Black History MonthApril Weflerawefler@uccs.edu

Photo courtesy of the Black Student Union’s Facebook pageThe Black Student Union, shown last year accepting the Non-B12 Counsel Award, is pre-paring to help celebrate Black History Month.

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The scene opens with an abstract red painting center stage and the mod-ern painter Rothko who is smoking his cigarette and nudging a 20-something apprentice wannabe into the painting. “What do you see?” Rothko asks. UCCS Theatreworks’ “Red,” which runs Jan. 31 through Feb. 17, asks the audience to revisit how each individual’s experience colors his perceptions and human-ity through a discussion of all that the color red embodies and what art means to humanity as a whole. The plot centers on a series of red abstract paintings the historical Mark Rothko was com-

missioned to create for the Four Seasons Restau-rant, a project that was left unfinished. In the play, Joel Leffert plays the part of Rothko. Since Leffert wasn’t originally cast to play the character, he only had two and a half days to prepare for opening night. Rothko and his ap-prentice Ken (Jordan Coughtry) are caught in the middle of the creative process and an attempt to define human experience with three colors of paint – red, black and white. Red symbolizes blood and life for both artists. Ken associates red and white with his parents’ murder, but Rothko views life itself as a struggle between red and black, which for him means death. Rothko says, “There is one thing that I fear in life, my friend. One day the black will swallow

the red.” Later, he elaborates, “We are foolish, we hu-man beings – we try to make the red black. But the black is always there.” Ken replies, “We look for that red, that glimmer of hope.” The artists cover a blank canvas with red paint at the climax of the play to the pace of sprightly classical music, demonstrating the artists’ expressiveness to cover the white canvas, which, for Ken, is associated with death. Ken and Rothko dis-cuss the painting centered on the easel on stage, but then turn back to the au-dience, commenting and gesturing as if at finished works hung on the studio walls. “They change, they move, they pulse … Do these pictures pulse when they are alone?” The audience is incor-

porated into Rothko’s mural series, blending the distinction between an inanimate work of art and a human being. In the first scene, Rothko is wearing a plaid shirt and casual clothing while Ken is dressed in a business suit. Rothko, an over-bearing mentor figure, tells him that artists do not work that way, and for most of the play, both wear plaid. In one of the final scenes, Rothko enters wearing a suit and Ken takes the role of in-structor, telling Rothko how he has been wrong about art and life. “My friend, I don’t think you would recog-nize a real human being if he were standing right here in front of you,” he says, further emphasizing the connection between people and artwork. A record player on the

side of the stage plays primarily classical spo-radically throughout the production. At one point Ken attempts to put on a jazz record, much to Rothko’s dismay. This contrast between the orderly music and

the apparent chaos pres-ent in the murals and the creative process also cre-ates depth throughout the plot’s execution. As the lights dim, Rothko asks once more, “What do you see?” “Red,” Ken answers.

Culture February 4, 2013 Page 6

The feeling of fear and hope before reaching a destination is hard to ex-press. But concepts like it, alongside appreciation for culture and history, will be expressed at a Galleries of Contempo-rary Art exhibit opening this week. “Ceramica: Contem-porary Clay” will feature five artists expressing ab-stract concepts with com-pelling designs. Elaine Ng, a graduate student at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Mich-igan, will be displaying her piece, “It Was While We Were on Our Way Home.” The installation con-sists of clay shapes sus-pended in midair from threads stretched across walls. GOCA is letting Ng use a triangle room for it, so the brown and yellow colors will be en-hanced during display. Ng’s piece is based on the concept of in-between moments. A former stu-dent of science as well as art, she said she’s fasci-nated by metamorphosis at the physical and bio-logical levels. She told a story about the awkward space be-tween locations when she transferred to Cranbrook to study art. “I left my career, my life, my home, and I hadn’t quite gotten

to my destination yet. It was really confusing, re-ally uncomfortable. It was probably the most frightening thing I’ve ever done.” She wrote a five-line poem to display along-side the piece with the same title. Corie Cole, who studied at Arizona State University, said her art concepts come from be-ing raised in a politically concerned family. Most of her clay figurines are references to political in-stances and jokes. Her clay display for

GOCA is an installation about labor with 360 figu-rines. Each unglazed por-celain figurine is about six inches high and a self-portrait of Cole depicted as an early-20th century laborer. She displays them with cloth draped among them so they mime work-ing on the fabric. “I did a social experi-ment in order to under-stand outsourcing,” she explained. “I went to China and had 600 copies of a figure that I made.” While in China, she learned that her idea of sweatshop labor was dif-

ferent than reality. “Because porcelain is such an ancient art form, it’s done in a sort of cot-tage industry-type way, where individual fami-lies each specialize in a particular part of the pro-cess. So one man made all 600. He cast them into an 11-piece cast mold.” In hindsight, she said that the American percep-tion of large-scale facto-ries in China is inaccu-rate. Instead of countless machines manufactur-ing products, from what she has researched since her visit, many things in

China are made by hand. Among the products made by human hands are iPads, she said. Jerry Morris, a Colo-rado Springs resident, has brought an installation called “Cruella: freedom, status, personality.” To build his piece, Morris took 16 hood or-naments from 1950s cars and cast them in plaster, then reproduced about 400 of them in clay. These are hung to form the shape of a 1955 Ca-dillac Coupe DeVille. Morris described it as homage to Harley Earl,

who was the chief de-signer at General Motors for more than 30 years. The second and main reason for the piece is how the car culture of the 1950s is responsible for changing the country. Morris spoke of the end of the World War II, when rationing ended and people had money to spend. They bought cars, and the automobile in-dustry grew. His piece is a tribute to the car culture and its founders. Two other artists will also be displaying their work in the exhibit: Mark Wong’s 1,000 cranes proj-ect, which was covered in the Dec. 10 issue of The Scribe, and the work of Del Harrow.

GOCA opens exhibit exploring clever clay conceptsCynthia Jeubcjeub@uccs.edu

The LowdownWhat:

Ceramica: Contemporary Clay

When:Feb. 8-April 12

Wednesdays-SaturdaysNoon-5 p.m.

Where:GOCA 121

121 S. Tejon, Suite 100

How much:Feb. 8 ART&WINE

opening: $25 for members, $35 for

nonmembersFree after Feb. 8

More information:uccs.edu/~goca

Photo by Nick BurnsRecasted in clay, 16 1950s hood ornaments are suspended to form the body of a 1955 Coupe DeVille.

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Photo courtesy of Theatreworks“Red” runs until Feb. 17 at Theatreworks.

‘Red’ attempts to define experiences through colorEleanor Skeltoneskelton@uccs.edu

Rating:

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The pungent odor of ink has returned to The Scribe Office on Friday nights, when bundles of newspapers are rolled in fresh from the press. It announces The Scribe is back to being a weekly publication. However, beginning this spring, you will need to rely more on your smart-phone to access some is-sues. Big changes are un-derway for The Scribe, so it’s only appropri-ate you hear about them from us first. Our policy has al-ways been transparency with our fellow students, especially because the newspaper relies on stu-dent fees for operating costs such as student payroll. To deliver 10 printed issues to our stands this semester, we will also pay our printing costs with funds from our stu-dent fee account. In the past, we have relied on advertising rev-enue separate from our student fee account to fund printing. We still want to abide that arrangement and do not intend for student

fees to be a permanent solution to our printing costs. Our advertising rep-resentatives are reaching out to advertisers with new advertising pack-ages and deals so we can return to paying with ad-vertising revenue. But relying on stu-dent fees has become a temporary necessity. Without them, we would have been forced to have a semester of online-only issues. Even though a 2010 ballot referendum calls for “phasing out the paper edition” of The Scribe by Aug. 1, 2015, we are not prepared for such an im-mediate transition. We are, however, taking steps to prepare for it. Your student fees help en-force a simple idea: payment for printing a newspaper w r i t t e n for stu-dents by students. To e n s u r e fewer is-sues will be left on the stands at

the end of each week, we have reduced our print-ing. Except for our last issue of the semester – our annual orientation issue given to incoming students – we will print 500 issues compared to our usual 750 so we can focus more on our online presence. Although we respect the ballot referendum, we don’t agree with a completely online news-paper. Eliminating print means eliminating op-tions for our readers. If students don’t own a laptop or smartphone, they should still be able to visit a stand for a paper to read between classes,

during lunch or while waiting for the shuttle. Still, we can’t ignore online news popularity with the college demo-graphic, which has be-come undeniable. According to the Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism, 65 percent of the 18-to-29-year-old age group said they get their news from the In-ternet. To accommodate that trend, we have at least one online-only issue scheduled every month except for May. It’s the beginning of our gradual print-to-online transition. We also post our print is-sues online the same day they hit the stands.

We are also working on

another development: an iPhone app. The app is currently in beta stage and may need another month or two before it’s available for download in the Apple Store. We are tentatively planning for a launch around spring break. An iPhone app is only the beginning of our dig-ital expansion, though. We initially planned to buy a custom website and app package until we learned just how expen-sive an app – for just one platform, no less – can cost. So we decided to start with the iPhone. After that has launched,

we can propose another budget line for an over-hauled website that can bring in more advertis-ing revenue, as well as an Android app that can do the same. These changes are being made with you in mind. Although our method of delivering news is changing, The Scribe’s mission is not. We continue to use student fee money re-sponsibly, ensuring each issue representing the student voice will reach you – whether it’s by stand or by screen.

Opinion February 4, 2013 Page 8

Staff Editorialscribe@uccs.edu

Letters to the EditorThe Scribe strongly encourages letters to the editor. Letters intended for pub-lication must not exceed 350 words, must be legible and include the writer’s name and contact information. Letters must be submitted to The Scribe via email at scribe@uccs.edu.com by 5 p.m. on Wednesdays before publication. The Scribe reserves the right to reject letters to the editor that are libelous, obscene or anonymous and has the right to edit as necessary due to space limitations, spelling or other grammatical errors and AP style guidelines.

Distribution PolicyThe following conducts are prohibited by The Scribe: Publication and news rack theft. A person commits the offense(s) of publication and/or news rack theft when he or she willfully or knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over more than one copy of any edition of a publica-tion distributed on or off campus (a “publication” is any periodical that is distributed on a complimentary basis). Any person who commits these of-fences is responsible for compensating The Scribe for any reasonable costs incurred, including, where appropriate, the refunding of advertising fees.

ArchivesAdditional copies of the current publication volume are available in The Scribe’s office. The Scribe keeps issues from the past five vol-umes for internal use only. The Office of University Archives will han-dle any request for additional issues from the past five years and before.

AdvertisingIf you, your club, organization or business wishes to advertise with The Scribe, please call (719) 255-3469 or email scribe2@uccs.edu.

the cribeEditor-in-Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sara HortonManaging Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jesse Byrnes Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taylor HargisNews Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eleanor SkeltonCulture Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cynthia Jeub Opinion/Life on the Bluffs Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aaron CollettSports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonathan TomanPhoto Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Gradisher Business Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike EnglishDesigner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emily OlsonDesigner and Photographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert SolisWeb Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edwin SatreAd Sales Representatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nikolas Roumell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jamie Burnett Junior Ad Sales Representative. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew YersakLead Photographer and Columnist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nicholas BurnsJunior Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobby Lane. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joshua Camacho. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James SibertReporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April Wefler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Farrell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samantha Morley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kyle Marino. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mikaila KetchersideJunior Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexander Nedd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nick BeadlestonJunior Sports Reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seth PolichJunior Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taylor Eaton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shelby ShivelyDistributor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lisa EricksonAdvisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laura Eurich

Contact us:On campus: UC 106Phone: (719) 255-3658Email: scribe@uccs.edu

Follow us: www.uccsscribe.com www.facebook.com/uccsthescribe @uccsscribe

Fewer printed issues, increased digital presence ahead for The Scribe

Photo by Robert SolisThe Scribe will continue to deliver content concerning

students at UCCS.

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OpinionFebruary 4, 2013 Page 9

Six months after the shooting that killed 12 and injured 58, the Cen-

tury Aurora 16 theater re-opened Jan. 17. It was all over the news with infor-mation about new seats, new screens, new paint and a new marquee. Yet we have heard noth-ing about new security. According to ABC News, “individual theaters are now labeled with let-ters instead of numbers.” Additionally, “Theater 9, where James Holmes al-legedly carried out his at-tack, is now ‘Auditorium H.’” It’s possible there

is new security and the plans are under wraps so, if someone tries to mimic Holmes, the security will surprise them. But on the other hand, shouldn’t the public be made aware of the secu-rity? Holmes chose the the-ater because Cinemark banned guns. If there had been security that night and members of the se-curity team were allowed to carry guns, would the shooting have occurred? According to Fox News,

“armed security guards at movie theaters are rare in low crime areas … armed guards may have experi-enced difficulty getting quickly inside.” However, this was the night of the shooting. You would think that afterward there would be new security plans and that the news would make sure the public knew the security plans so no one tried to do something like it again. Still, nothing. Amid the debate over gun use that is currently

dominating American society and President Obama’s second term since the shooting at San-dy Hook on Dec. 14, it’s curious that the news nev-er said anything about the theater’s new security. If the theater didn’t create plans for new se-curity but has new seats, new screens, new paint and a new marquee, then weren’t they just wasting their money? Although some of the victims’ families did at-tend the reopening six

months later, other fami-lies boycotted it because they felt it was too soon. If they knew there was security around, would they have been less likely to boycott? Or did they know that there was new security and did they boy-cott anyway? Either way, it would have been more beneficial for the theater, both mon-etarily or otherwise, if the public had been made aware of new security plans if, in fact, there are any.

Aurora theater reopens – with no mention of new security

April Weflerawefler@uccs.edu

Flu shots are abso-lutely pointless. Every year, consumers are fed the same nonsense about how necessary it is to get the flu shot, especially for children and seniors. The main advertised reasoning is that seasonal influenza mutates every year, therefore encour-aging people to protect themselves against the newest threat. But do we really need to go through with the an-noying stabs in the arm? No, we don’t. Influenza was a ma-jor problem for Russian and European societies in 1580. Over 8,000 peo-ple died in Rome alone. Scary, right? However, we must now consider that the society we currently live in is much more conscious of our hygiene than ever be-fore. We don’t rummage around in soiled streets, where rats can carry dis-eases all over the country.

Instead, we live in a time where we

have a very

structured way of keep-ing ourselves clean and healthy. And yet, about 36 percent of people continu-ally receive the flu shot (or nasal spray) every year. Ironically enough, de-spite having gotten the flu vaccine, citizens of Boston have experienced more than 700 confirmed cases of flu with 18 deaths. All but eight states have reported widespread cases of the flu at the end of 2012. Why is this happen-ing even though people went through the effort of “protecting” their bodies against the disease? It comes down to this: In order to protect your-self from the flu, your im-mune system must build protection against it. In order for that to oc-cur, the flu virus must be introduced to the immune system. This is accom-plished via flu shot and nasal sprays. A short-list of ingredi-ents, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-vention, consists of pre-servatives (such as thime-rosal, which is mercury), aluminum salts, sugars, gelatin, egg protein, form-aldehyde and penicillin. The ingredients don’t appear very threatening.

However, consider that egg protein’s

purpose is to allow the cultivation of

the virus and bacteria for

the immune system to

battle.

Also consider that your body is being fed mer-cury and formaldehyde. Thimerosal is believed by some to contribute to cases of autism in chil-dren. Formaldehyde is routinely used to preserve bodies, like those you dis-sected in high school biol-ogy class. And that’s just a basic list of ingredients. Each pharmaceutical company creates their own concoc-tion of chemicals every year. If administered in im-proper doses, a person’s brain, central nervous sys-tem, skeletal, cellular and endocrine systems could all suffer negative long-term effects. The basic rule to learn here is that you absolutely must do research about vaccines before going through with the flu shot or nasal spray. I have never received the flu shot and haven’t had the flu. I’m leaving it up to my immune system to conquer the virus. We must learn that, as a society, we are not permitting our bodies the ability to fight infections. We’re forcing our im-mune systems to become dependent on whatever chemicals are shot into our arms. To produce a healthier future, we must under-stand that a vaccine may be useful only for so long. In the long run, vaccines may increase the infec-tiousness of the bacteria or virus, thus producing greater healthcare prob-lems in the future.

Flu shots useless in the long runSamantha Morleysmorley2@uccs.eduAlex Gradisher agradish@uccs.edu

You are walking down a dark hallway, each step echoing louder than the last. Open doorways line both sides, begging for your attention. Every time you try to take a peek in-side, something is taking a peek at you. Something awful lurks in each room. A lucky glimpse may be the only thing you see before it at-tacks. Getting to the end of this hallway is going to be difficult. In each room lies an ill-ness. The human body has to navigate this hallway, in the dark, every time you go outside. And schools are breeding grounds for many of these illnesses. There is a way to make the journey easier, how-ever, with the introduction of vaccines into the human body. Vaccines allow us to close most of those doors, making sure the illness can no longer affect us. There are only a couple of arguments against vac-cinations, and they are eas-ily dispensed with. Argument 1: Vaccines have ingredients, such as mercury and aluminum, which are harmful to the human body. Mercury was indeed used in vaccines. This is no big secret; the informa-tion can be found on the websites of the Center for Disease Control and Pre-vention and the Federal Drug Administration. Mercury is present in the form of ethylmercury and was part of the preserva-tive known as thimerosal. This preservative prevents the growth of bacteria and fungi while the vaccine is being stored.

Although it has been proven safe for use in hu-mans, controversy over the use of this ingredient forced the FDA to remove it from children’s vaccines with the exception of the flu vaccine. However, even the flu vaccine has a thimerosal -free version available to patients. Now only a few vaccines, such as a tetanus shot, contain it. The purpose of alumi-num is to jumpstart the body’s immune system into producing more anti-bodies. Without it, multi-ple shots would be needed to have the same effect. The amount of alumi-num present does not harm the human body. An antac-id tablet has close to 1,000 times more aluminum than in a vaccine. Argument 2: Vaccines can cause autism. I cannot stress this enough how very false this statement is. It would be the equivalent to saying Morgan Freeman does not have a soothing voice. The autism argument centers around thimerosal – the preservative men-tioned earlier. Even though it was removed from chil-dren’s and most other vac-cines in 2001, autism rates have continued to climb unimpeded. Wouldn’t this demon-strate that there are other factors causing autism? Even if there were other factors, there would have at least been a stall in growth if the two were related. Argument 3: The herd mental-ity. This is the idea, “The majority of people are get-ting vaccinated, and there-

fore I do not need to vacci-nate myself since I will not be exposed to the flu.” This strategy did work well for some time. Sur-round yourself with vacci-nated people and you will not be exposed to the ill-ness. Problem is, as more and more people decided to not get vaccinated, the herd immunity becomes weaker. Once a single individual is infected, it can spread like a flood when there is a lack of vaccinated people. This is evidenced by the outbreaks of whooping cough in Colorado. In 2012, it became so severe that Colorado de-clared whooping cough an epidemic. Although the highest cases of whoop-ing cough involve infants, there is a growing num-ber of children around 12 years of age contracted the illness. Why? Because many are missing their vaccinations. There are many myths surrounding vaccines. I un-derstand that not everyone is going to trust them. Do your own research, under-stand what is entering your body and do not rely on people only claiming to be experts for your informa-tion.

Vaccines close the doors to illnessRobert Solisrsolis@uccs.edu

Dueling Opinion Are vaccines important for staying healthy, or do they inhibit our immune system’s ability to protect us? These Scribe staff members debate.

Photo by Nick BurnsRobert Solis, left, and Samantha Morley, right, disagree about the need for flu shots.

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Life on the Bluffs February 4, 2013 Page 10

Campus ChatterStory and photos by Eleanor Skelton, eskelton@uccs.edu

This week at

UCCSTuesday, Feb. 5 Wednesday, Feb. 6 Thursday, Feb. 7 Friday, Feb. 8

Curiosity UnlimitedUniversity Center 3029:30 a.m.

Ceramica: Contemporary ClayGOCA 1215 p.m.

Poker NightClyde’s6 p.m.

Sigma vs. Sigma Alpha Epsilon DodgeballRecreation Center6 p.m.

SGA SenateUniversity Center 3039:20 a.m.

Mardi Gras NightClyde’s6 p.m.

Top TenStop complaining about parking.

No more sleeping on couches in the ROAR office.

No more prank calling seniors as commu-nist spies.

Stop sniffing whiteboard markers.

No more troll comments on YouTube.

No more scrubbing toilets with roommate’s toothbrush.

No more “chocolate chips” in Tuesday morning pancakes.

Stop getting on the wrong bus to talk with the right girl.

Stop stealing urinal cakes. Where are all of them, anyway?

No more photobombing pictures of the Clyde statue.

10987654321

Resolutions we’ve already broken

There are more than 20 million students in America, and more than 10,000 of them are at UCCS. Their opinions matter.

Mezen Ibrahim, MPA and ESL studies

Have you ever had a flu vaccine?I took [the flu shot] before I came here … Jan. 14 from Saudi Arabia. Ev-erybody ask[s] me, “Did you take the flu shot? Did you have the flu before?” But in our country, maybe it’s not that cold, that’s why we didn’t have the flu. Because the weather there is mostly hot during the year. I ask for the flu shot [for the first time be-fore coming here], and my doctor also recommended [it] when he [knew] about my traveling here … I was recommended to have a flu shot when [I came] to the Springs.

Tim Fisher, junior, computer engineering

Have you ever had a flu vaccine?No. I think it’s a waste of money and a waste of time. I haven’t [had one]. Never in my whole life. I haven’t had the flu since eighth grade. I’ve never had the shot, and I’ve never had the flu.

Parker Boyce, sophomore, electrical engineering

Have you ever had a flu vac-cine?Yes.

Did you have one this year?Yes. I think it’s nice to have a flu vaccine, even though the way the vaccine works is it gives you a spectrum of possible viruses that may develop this year, not the ac-tual virus … But I think it’s nice to not have to worry about getting the flu, so that way you can study longer without being sick.

Do you ever think you’ve gotten sick from the flu vaccine? Have you ever had the flu?No. [I haven’t had it] recently that I can remember. I did get sick during “dead week” last semester, but I don’t think it was the flu.

Dog House Diaries

Comic courtesy of thedoghousediaries.com

Sudoku Bring your completed sudoku to The Scribe Office (UC 106) for a prize! Last week’s sudoku answers can be found at uccsscribe.com.

Donuts and Hot Chocolate4 Diamonds Parking Lot7:15-8:30 a.m.

Talk is PowerUniversity Center 3032 p.m.

Running ClubClyde’s5 p.m.

Michael Salter: Solo ExhibitionGOCA 1420Noon

Acoustic Artist Café 6512:30 p.m.

Greek Hunger GamesUniversity Center 3077:30 p.m.

RedDusty Loo Bon Vivant Theater7:30 p.m.

Lauren Russ, senior, psychology

What do you think about flu vaccines and have you had one this year?I have not had a vac-cine. I think that [the] flu vaccine could be really, really good for people that are prone to getting the flu … or people that have ill-nesses where getting the flu would be really dangerous for them, but I haven’t had the vaccine thus far in my life that I’m aware of unless my parents had me take it when I was much younger. But I think that it has its pros and cons. S

SportsFebruary 4, 2013 Page 11

Lance Armstrong, former world cycling athlete and sports legend, came clean about his usage of steroids with Oprah Winfrey two weeks ago, leaving many wondering what to make of it. In September, I covered the issue of Armstrong yielding his defense regarding allegations by the United States Anti-Doping Agency over his steroid usage, in which he was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles. If we put our pride out back for a moment, there’s something that we can all take away from this. Since his interview

with Winfrey, it’s pretty apparent there’s more to the former champion than just the sport. The person underneath embodies a very real warning to anyone who will listen: You’re not above extremes. When Armstrong said during his interview with Winfrey, “This is too late – it’s too late for probably most people, and that’s my fault,” there was a discernible amount of conviction in his face. I don’t know Armstrong personally and likely never will, but I wouldn’t say that he’s evil. I don’t mean to discredit the unjust things that he has done, though. The numerous people he and his team heinously sued for accurate allegations of unethical conduct have very strong feelings toward Armstrong and anyone else who enabled his doping scandal. When we think we’re better than the next guy regarding decisions of morals and character, we’re already approaching a decision

the wrong way. Admit it or not, our attitudes, habits and beliefs are influenced by what we value the most and the people we surround ourselves with. Armstrong’s fall from glory is a sharp reminder that peer pressure paired

with apathy is a social cannonball ready to backfire. In reference to athletic cycling, Armstrong’s own words were, “I didn’t invent the culture, but I didn’t try to stop the culture – and that’s my mistake.”

Though most probably don’t care anymore about what Armstrong has to say after such a huge scandal, I have to acknowledge the small initiative he has taken to come clean. He could’ve very well just kept quiet about the whole ordeal until

his dying days. But he didn’t. As a society, we should look at the Armstrong scandal as a warning shot for our egos. Everyone is capable of greatness, but greatness without accountability leads to ruin.

Armstrong’s fall from glory a warning shot for our egos

Peter Farrellpfarrell@uccs.edu

The Denver Broncos (13-3) had an impressive season and an 11-game winning streak go by the wayside in the AFC Divi-sional Playoffs at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens. It’s been a few weeks now since Rahim Moore was caught looking like a Pop Warner football player, since John Fox de-cided to kneel down with 31 seconds remaining and two timeouts and before Peyton Manning threw a decisive interception that led to a Ravens field goal and victory in double over-time. Fans can still taste that bitter loss and have flash-backs of the horror and disbelief they felt sitting there, watching the coldest

NFL game of the season. It is an unsettling and un-real feeling sure to plague memories for a long time. Scott Van Pelt of “SVP & Russillo” put it won-derfully: “I feel for Bron-cos fans. That loss is like having the flu; it sucks at first and just keeps getting worse,” he said. Even though it is a bitter feeling, it is time to move on, reminisce on a great season and look forward to many more great seasons with Manning at the helm. 2012-13 was a special season for Manning. Be-cause he was coming off four neck surgeries, many didn’t know what to ex-pect from him, but his play was masterful. In every game, Manning was breaking some sort of record. He set franchise records for passing yards and passing touchdowns in a season while also mov-ing into second all-time in touchdown passes and wins by a quarterback be-hind only Brett Favre. In addition to a record-breaking year, Manning brought out the best in “Black and Decker,” the self-proclaimed nickname of wide receivers De-maryius Thomas and Eric

Decker. Black and Decker com-bined for a staggering 179 receptions for 2,498 yards and 23 touchdowns to make one of the fiercest receiving combinations in the league. Thomas fin-ished his season with an impressive showing in the Pro Bowl. Not to be outdone by the offense, the defense was impressive as well, finish-ing fifth in total defense in the 2012-13 campaign. Pro-Bowlers Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil led the charge, combining for 29.5 sacks and 12 forced fumbles. Miller is also a strong contender for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Manning will be 37 next season, the same age as John Elway when he led Denver to their first of back-to-back Super Bowls after a heartbreaking 30-27 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The similarities between the championship teams of 1997-98 and now are obvious. Fate will be on our side as Manning will follow the footsteps of El-way and win back-to-back before riding off into the sunset.

Denver Broncos bucked from playoffs after wild season

Kyle Marinokmarino@uccs.edu

Photo courtesy of Lwp KommunikacioTwo weeks ago, Lance Armstrong opened up about his steroid use with Oprah Winfrey.

Photo courtesy of Jeffrey BeallPeyton Manning could not carry the Denver Broncos to the Super Bowl.

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Sports February 4, 2013 Page 12

During the winter break, some of us used the time off to head somewhere warm. Kenya is probably farther than any of us trav-eled, but members of the UCCS men’s cross coun-try team called it home for almost a month. A few days after Christ-mas, Head Men’s Cross Country Coach Mark Misch and student ath-letes Robert Scrivner, Luke Dakin and David Marino embarked on a trip that took them almost 10,000 miles away from Colorado. Coach Misch offered the opportunity to the en-tire cross country team. Those who made the trip spent 22 days in Kenya volunteering at a chil-dren’s center with no elec-tricity, no water and very little to live on. “It was a challenge big-ger than our world, but

the right guys went on this trip,” Misch said of Scriv-ner, Dakin and Marino. “When you’re in a third-world country, it is almost like camping inside all day; time was not an ele-ment out there in Kenya,” he added. Not many people can hold it together when liv-ing with almost nothing, but the teammates were able to keep it together and bring back valuable experiences to share. “We came back with a mission,” Dakin said. “We have a goal of raising over $4,000 to get seven teach-ers over to the school to help students learn and have a better student-to-teacher ratio.” Scrivner is a key cata-lyst to helping with the fundraising. He plans on making a running apparel line called Mizunga, a term the native Kenyans use for white people. “I want to start off small with some running

singlets, then maybe start making shorts, T-shirts, etc.,” Scrivner said. “Our motto will be ‘Run Like a White Guy.’” In addition, they will at-tempt to raise money with a Kenyan dinner night at

Grace Place Church on March 1. “Our goal will be to make $1,500 in one night. We will be selling tickets for $10. All-you-can-eat delicious Kenyan food prepared by Scrivner,

Marino and [me],” Dakin said. They hope to raise enough money to get the kids the help they need and enhance the lives of people who are in need. “You can make such

a huge impact by doing so little, even if it is just showing up. The kids ab-solutely love it,” Misch said. “These kids just love to have someone from the outside come in and show interest in their lives.”

Men’s cross country members volunteer at Kenyan children’s center

Kyle Marinokmarino@uccs.edu

“These kids just love to have someone from the outside come in and show interest in their lives.

- Mark Misch

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Photo courtesy of Robert Scrivner’s Facebook pageRobert Scriver wrote that the girl pictured with him above “was the only one out of probably 50 who would come close to us. She just plopped down in my lap and didn’t move for about an hour.”

Many athletic programs push their athletes to suc-ceed both academically and in sport, and UCCS has been honored for do-ing just that. Of the total 300 NCAA Division II affiliated insti-tutions, UCCS has been named one of only 24 to receive the Division II President’s Award for Ac-ademic Excellence. UCCS was one of just four public schools (Tru-man State, UC San Diego and Florida Tech) to re-ceive the award and one of only two universities in the Rocky Mountain Ath-letic Conference to meet the award’s criteria, along with Regis University. The Division II Aca-demic Requirements Committee established the President’s Award to

recognize athletic pro-grams that have consis-tently displayed academic success. 2012 marks the inaugural year the award has been given. In order to be eligible for the President’s Award,

a university’s athletic pro-gram must have an aca-demic success rate (ASR) of 90 percent over a con-secutive four-year period. At UCCS, 91 percent of student athletes have graduated over the past

four years – well above the national average, which stands at 72 per-cent. While the ASR is con-sidered a comprehensive way of measuring aca-demic success, it does not

take into consideration incoming transfers or ath-letes who are not receiv-ing financial aid. Outgo-ing transfer students are counted as not graduat-ing. UCCS Athletic Direc-tor Steve Kirkham was pleased with the reception of the President’s Award, citing it as proof of UCCS student athletes’ success in the classroom, despite the difficulties of juggling coursework and sports-related obligations such as practice and games. “Academics come first in our athletic programs,” said Kirkham. “That’s what our faculty likes to see.” The President’s Award reflects the purpose of Di-vision II athletics. While athletics play a large part in a student athlete’s life, seldom does it become a livelihood. The main pur-

pose of going to college is to get a higher education. “It’s very rare to see a Division II athlete go on to become a professional in their sport. Division II is about going and doing something you love for four more years and may-be getting a scholarship to do it,” Kirkham said. For UCCS, being hon-ored with the President’s Award is a sign that not only are the school’s ath-letes on the right track but also the university as a whole. To receive an award, less than 8 percent of the schools in Division II qualified for took a great deal of effort. “Doing well in academ-ics is not something that occurs by chance,” added Kirkham. “Whatever hap-pens [academically] has to be because you believe in something.”

UCCS athletics honored for academic excellence with awardSeth Polichspolich@uccs.edu

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Photo by James SibertUCCS Athletic Director Steve Kirkham discussed the Division II President’s Award.

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