OKLAHOMA CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE INSIDE ONLINE EXCLUSIVE WORKSHOPS PROVIDE INTERVIEW INSIGHT IONEER JULY 9, 2010 WWW.OCCC.EDU/PIONEER COVERING OCCC SINCE 1978 Job skill workshops P are held every Thursday in July as a free service through Student Employment Campus security updates planned and Career Services. Find out about JUSTIN COMBS Threatening information will be sent upcoming sessions. Editor out “on a need-to-know basis,” Jordan OCCC to consider [email protected] said. “We need to get a hold on who we name badges Safety and Security will change two inform about what, and how [informa- ways it handles information coming into tion] can be misinterpreted or miscom- CASSIE STEGALL force. the college about potential threats, as it municated,” Jordan said.“We just need to News Writing Student The recommenda- CREDIT CARDS continues to deal with the after-effects be a little more careful with the policy tion came after a shoot- of a shooter scare, said Cordell Jordan, we have.” OCCC employees er scare Feb. 26, said FINANCIAL Media Relations coordinator The change comes after a message was may be wearing name Student Services and PROBLEMS OCCC will more tightly control who sent Feb. 26 to the Community Outreach badges soon, as part Enrollment Vice Presi- CAN HAUNT gets access to sensitive information and Education department about how to of a recommendation dent Marion Paden, STUDENTS about threats such as school shooters handle a possible threat during a swim made to the college by who co-chaired the and bombs, Jordan said. And, it will the Timely Emergency OCCC counselors See UPDATES page 5 See BADGE page 5 say a majority record calls made to Safety and Security. Communications Task- of students who visit their office are stressed out Eggact science PORTIONS OF CAMPUS SHUT DOWN AFTER HEAVY RAIN due to financial troubles stemming from credit card Storm floods college debt. Read to learn how credit card ETHAN HENDRICKS companies target Senior Writer View slideshows of flooding in students and how to the parking lots and the water avoid problems. [email protected] damage to OCCC buildings at www.occc.edu/pioneer NEWS, p. 12 Much of the Social Sciences Center, Wellness Center and the Aquatics Center were shut down EDITORIAL July 7 after about 2.5 inches of rain TRANSIT the evening before led to partial SYSTEM flooding of the college. at presstime. LAGGING The college reopened July 7 J.B. Messer, Facilities Manage- BEHIND with students and faculty being ment director, said the college was moved into other campus build- on top of the situation. Some students’ ings. The weight room reopened Facilities Management used needs are not being July 8 but the Social Sciences met by Oklahoma City’s transit system. Center and pool remained closed See FLOODS page 9 Pioneer staff writer Christy Johnson says it’s time for DIRECTOR ASKING FOR 400 TO 500 PEOPLE TO DONATE TIME some solutions. OPINION, p. 2 Arts Festival Oklahoma STUDENT LIFE in need of volunteers LEADERSHIP RETREAT ASHLEY MERRITT his office now, as July and August PLANNED News Writing Student are the main planning months for the arts festival. Student Life’s Arts Festival Oklahoma direc- The festival has about 25,000 Jennifer Pearsall/Pioneer annual retreat is Student William Dorsey concentrates on the proper tors said they are actively seeking patrons and is the largest in Aug. 13 to 15 and is release of his egg vehicle June 30 off of the second floor of volunteers to help prepare for the Oklahoma during the fall, Bar- open to everyone. Sept. 4 to 6 festival on campus. deguez said. See inside for more. the Main Building. Adjunct science professor Kenny Tapp held the event as part of his physics class. See page 10 Cultural Arts Director Lemuel He said the directors need 400 COMMUNITY, p. 10 for an additional photo. Bardeguez said those interested in volunteering should contact See VOLUNTEERS page 9 2 • JULY 9, 2010 PIONEER | OCCC.EDU/PIONEER OPINION OUR VIEW | More bus routes needed as the city grows Transportation woes still a problem for many OCCC students who don’t have cars or reliable only ride a bus from the bus terminal downtown transportation in Oklahoma City has improved, transportation to the college can only get here by in the morning and one in the evening. it still falls short of what bus riding patrons need. using the METRO Transit system. If the student misses the bus either These riders are right in noting the system is in Route 12 comes to OCCC and puts a bus near way, he or she must find another way need of an overhaul. the Main Building nearly every 30 minutes. to get to or from school because of To remedy this issue the Oklahoma City METRO This bus covers much of the southwest side the limitations on bus routes outside Transit system needs more buses, more routes and of the city. of the greater metro area. more frequent stops. Unfortunatly, the bus system is letting many And still others who have classes METRO Transit has yet to comment on the students down, especially when they are try- after 8 p.m. have to figure out a way questions for when it will improve bus schedules ing to leave the college. to get home — the bus won’t come and routes again. Some say the buses are simply too slow, for them. The transit system needs to react to the needs of often turning what would be a 15-minute car METRO Transit is the only public the community. There are too many people who ride into a nearly two-hour city tour — the CHRISTY transportation in the Oklahoma rely on the service for those in charge to come up bus ride from OCCC to NW 10th Street and JOHNSON City area. It is surely safer than short with solutions. MacArthur Boulevard takes an hour and walking, and less costly than a car. For bus routes and fares, contact METRO Transit forty-five minutes. The public transportation system at 405-297-2484 or visit www.gometro.org. Others say the system doesn’t offer enough stops has improved over the years, adding additional during its 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. run. routes and extending transportation times. Comment on this article at www.occc.edu/pioneer For example, a student who lives in Spencer can Yet, some students feel that although public YOUR VIEW | Update needed for college homepage OCCC website difficult to navigate To the editor: The application to the out prior knowledge of greatly in comparison. As fall semester draws college itself is hidden the website would be im- All of OU’s prospec- closer, new students are under the Admissions possible. tive student information beginning to enroll for dropdown. With no easy Most new students is easily accessed show- their first semester. access to the application, looking for enrollment ing scholarships, costs, In the age of comput- new students would nev- information or informa- housing and more, and ers, more of these new er be able to find the ap- tion on degrees or class- the link to apply is a students are turning to plication themselves. es would be lost. large, clearly visible link the campus website for Also, the costs to at- Some degrees, includ- on the home page. information, enrollment tend are difficult to find ing the degrees offered The OCCC website and admissions. and scholarship infor- in the Film and Video needs a very serious Just as quickly, new mation is not even of- department, are not even facelift if OCCC’s of- students learn a very fered online. The cata- listed on the website. ficials want students to troubling fact: the logue and schedule, When the OCCC ever be able to effectively OCCC website is nearly while not hidden, are website is put up to com- use the website for gain- impossible to navigate not easy for most new parison against the Uni- ing information. without the help of cam- students to find. versity of Oklahoma’s —Kelsea Burton pus employees. To find anything with- website, OCCC pales OCCC Student Mark Parisi/offtheMark.coM OKLAHOMA CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE PIONEER Vol. 38 No. 38 Justin Combs.................Editor-in-Chief Danniel Parker......................Staff Writer The PIONEER is a publication of Oklahoma City the right to edit all letters and submissions for length, libel Whitney Knight..................Online Editor Jeremy Cloud.......................Staff Writer Community College through the Division of Arts and and obscenity. Letters should be fewer than 250 words. Ethan Hendricks...............Senior Writer Christy Johnson....................Staff Writer Humanities. It is published weekly during the 16-week fall Students must list their major. OCCC staff and faculty Jennifer Massey...................Staff Writer Bishal Malla..........Advertising Manager and spring semesters and the eight-week summer session. must list their work title. Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not Letters to the editor can be submitted to the PIONEER Bonnie Campo.....................Staff Writer Chris Lusk........................Lab Assistant necessarily represent those of the PIONEER, the college office, located on the second floor of the Main Building, Demerye Paulin....................Staff Writer Ronna Austin......................Lab Director or the publisher. across from the elevator, mailed to 7777 S. May Ave., Christian Kosted...................Staff Writer The PIONEER welcomes letters to the editor and Oklahoma City, Okla. 73159, faxed to 405-682-7843, or Mark Schneberger........Faculty Adviser encourages the use of this publication as a community submitted via e-mail to [email protected] with a phone forum. All letters must include the author’s name, address, number for verification included.