OKLAHOMA CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE INSIDE PIONEER ONLINE To comment on stories, or to access the latest news, features, multimedia, IONEER online exclusives and PNOVEMBER 11, 2011 WWW.OCCC.EDU/PIONEER COVERING OCCC SINCE 1978 updates, visit occc.edu/pioneer. OCCC earns Up close and personal positive marks EDITORIAL LOCKOUT College on way to reaccreditation BOXING OUT by Higher Learning Commission NBA FANS JEREMY CLOUD Staff Writer Morgan Beard shares his Editor thoughts on the NBA [email protected] lockout and what it means for the Faculty and staff breathed a sigh of relief this past fandom in Oklahoma Wednesday, when they learned that the college will City. Read for more. be recommended for reaccreditation. OPINION, p. 2 Rebecca Nickoli, corporate college services vice president at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, read excerpts from the first draft of the Higher Learn- Rachel MoRRison/PioneeR CAMPUS LIFE ing team’s report to a standing room only crowd of Film and video production major Bobby Gardner admires a monotype by TAKE MOBILE faculty and staff in the Al Snipes Board Room. Kiowa/Cherokee artist Navarre Scott Momaday titled “The Actor” recently in PRECAUTIONS The report was positive, overall, indicating that the Visual and Performing Arts Gallery. The work was part of the Oklahoma THIS WINTER OCCC had met all criteria for reaccreditation, with Artists: Pioneers to Present show that was on display until Nov. 9. OCCC automotive only a few suggestions on areas for improvement made professors stress by the HLC team. HALL OF FAME INDUCTION HELD ON CAMPUS the importance of President Paul Sechrist said that while he’s pleased winterizing vehicles. with the results, he wants it to be clear that this is not Continue reading the end of the process. College alumni to be honored to see what they “There are a lot of people saying, ‘does this mean recommend doing CAYSIE GREENFIELD Michael Jackson, associate director before winter hits. we’re reaccredited?’ And it actually doesn’t,” he said. “This is the team who comes to make the recom- News Writing Student of The Education and Employment NEWS, p. 7 mendation. The commission in Chicago will review Ministry; the material the team submits, and then make the OCCC will be honoring seven college Dr. Brian Lamkin, Age Management SPORTS final decision.” alumni, as well as two community lead- Medicine Physician for the Lamkin ers, on Tuesday, Nov. 15, by inducting Clinic; HEALTH “But the team’s recommendation is to reaffirm OCCC’s accreditation through 2021 with no focused them into the Alumni Hall of Fame. Mike McAuliffe, CEO of Doctors on INSURANCE The banquet and inductee ceremony Call, OKC Motorsports, Oklahoma IN REACH visits in between,” he said. Among the positive comments read by Nickoli were will be held in the general dining area Energy Grand Prix and OKC Events & Students need to be of the Main building on campus and Entertainment; Jaquie Sherrard, OCCC aware of what health compliments on the quality of programs and facilities. will begin at 6:30 p.m. All staff and executive assistant; insurance coverage “We’ve all been really jealous while we’ve been here, is available to them looking at your facilities,” Nickoli said. faculty have been invited, along with Dr. Markus S. Smith, OCCC political and is important to That’s a welcome affirmation, Sechrist said. members of the Association of Alumni science professor. consider getting. “When you’re here every day, you know where the and Friends. Also being honored with the seven More information All inductees have been nominated alumni are Thomas L. Legan, president inside. areas are that you wish you could improve,” he said. “So to have a third party come in and say how nice by their peers or college staff members, and CEO of Coppermark Bank and SPORTS, p. 8 the facilities are, and that they’d love to work here is who find them extraordinary, said Coppermark Bancshares, Inc., and P.B. a nice reminder that we really are a great college.” Lealon Taylor, the college’s executive Odom, third generation home builder director of Institutional Advancement. and president of P.B. Odom Construc- CAMPUS LIFE Among the concerns voiced by the team was a need for clarification over online classes. The 2011 Alumni Hall of Fame in- tion Company. DRIVE GETS Nickoli’s comments indicated a concern that online ductees are: Smith said he was humbled by the BLOOD classes did not have a standardized set of procedures Dr. Jessica Estrada, Target pharma- acknowledgement. He said his goal is FLOWING and goals separate from on campus classes. cist; to inspire students. A recent blood Sechrist said that while such policies are in place, Angela Hill, associate librarian for the “I love the fact that being an alumni, donation drive they’ve never been given formal documentation. Metropolitan Library System; I can look at my students and say that taught donors the “Up until now, we’ve considered online classes to Dr. Phong Hoang, pharmacist at the I once sat in their seats,” Smith said. importance of giving be just another way of getting the knowledge out, of University of Oklahoma’s Pharmacist He wants his students to know that he blood. Read on to Care Center; understands how overwhelming col- learn more. teaching students what they want to know. We didn’t Sunny Lee Fanning, superintendent COMMUNITY, p. 10 See REPORT page 9 of FAA Academy; See FAME page 9 2 • NOVEMBER 11, 2011, 2011 PIONEER | OCCC.EDU/PIONEER OPINION EDITORIAL | Absence of a basketball season may be bad for the OKC Thunder and its fans NBA lockout could push the fans away During the summer, football fans had to endure The NFL’s lockout situation was, essentially, some- months of lockout news, gossip, and negotiations to a thing to pass the time in the off-season in comparison nauseating point. As I write this editorial, basketball to the problem the NBA is facing. In fact, it’s gotten fans are going through the same so bad that the Oklahoma City Thunder’s very own situation. Kevin Durant is playing flag football in Stillwater As we all know, the NFL to pass the time. It’s November and KD is playing owners and players solved their football, not basketball. problems in time for the 2011 Luckily the college football season is in full swing NFL season. Unfortunately, the to distract Oklahomans from the annoyance that is NBA has not. the NBA lockout. For NBA fans, the outlook Games are canceled and the entire season is in jeop- is much more bleak than we ardy, yet full-blown panic mode hasn’t engaged just ever thought it could be. In the yet. What about when the football season comes to a back of everyone’s minds there close and there aren’t any NBA games being played? Morgan Beard was this glimmer of hope, the Die-hard basketball fans will still stick around and thought that the NBA owners wait for any morsel of Thunder coverage. They aren’t and players would resolve their the concern. issues in time for the start of the season. They just had The questions arise when it comes to the “on-the- to, so you figured a deal would be struck no matter fringe” NBA fans. Fans who are football fans first, how bad the situation was. basketball fans second. At a time where the Thunder gReg holkan/gRegholkan.coM Boy, were we wrong or what? The NBA has already is in the middle of a fantastic era, this lockout could canceled a month of the season and at the time this not come at a worse time. editorial was written, closure isn’t really near. The Thunder is still relatively new to Oklahoma be the fans lost in the crossfire. Some point out the fact that canceling games and and the absence of basketball may push fans away at Here’s to hoping the two sides can get rid of their losing that revenue contradicts the entire basis of a time when they were just getting pulled in. stubborn ways, their egos, and their lack of urgency. the lockout in the first place. Both sides want more The last thing the NBA needs is a full-fledged Just get us some basketball. Please. money, yet they are willing to sacrifice their paychecks cancellation of the NBA season. Aside from the lost —Morgan Beard because of stubborn greediness between the two sides. games and the lost revenue, the biggest casualty may Staff Writer YOUR VIEW | Veterans, teachers and public servants are not hippies Occupy protestors are all American citizens To the editor: Scott Olsen, was injured in Oakland last week. He a large part of that problem has come from dialogue Staff writer Priscilla Colley’s commentary on the has only recently been upgraded from critical and is like Ms. Colley’s. Proclaiming that people she has Occupy Wall Street movement in the Oct. 28th issue still currently in the hospital unable to speak. never met are lazy, or hippies, or unemployed, does of the Pioneer would be right at home on right-wing The Occupy protesters all around our country are nothing to attempt to solve those problems. Instead blogs and “news” sources. not the slovenly hippies that Ms. Colley would like to it only drives that wedge deeper. Perhaps instead She proclaims that the protestors have no work paint them out to be. Instead they are all American of making hasty generalizations about a group of ethic, and have made a conscious decision not to work, citizens.