The Leadership Council student leaders have decided to be proactive in a society that’s becoming increasingly conscious of carbon footprints.

TLC’s first meeting of this semester addressed an environmental issue: Should OCCC make the transition to a greener cafeteria and absorb the costs now, or wait until a later date when biodegradable products are possibly more affordable?

A resolution on the issue was scheduled to be presented for discussion at the Feb. 10 meeting. The group would then bring the resolution to a vote on Feb. 24.

Otto Kling is a familiar face at OCCC.

The 81-year-old has worked out in the Wellness Center for the past 29 years.

Kling said he spends five days days each week on campus exercising.

He said he takes aerobics on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with Instructor Lisa Vaughan.

Students are eligible to be on the Vice President’s Honor Roll by achieving a GPA of 3.5 while carrying at least 12 hours. Part-time students are eligible if they have maintained a 3.5 GPA for two consecutive semesters.

Matthew Adair, Tessa Adams, Kourtney Adams, David Addison, Sunbal Ahmad, Casey Akard, Devin Akins, Oluwafemi Alademehin, Tyler Aldridge, Sada Alhamali, Melinda Allen.

Michael Alley, Sarah Allison, Shawn Allred, Veronica Alzubi, David Amarquaye, Christy Amos, Carley Anderson, Katessa Andrews, Daniel Andrews, Aydhee Anzo, Lavanda Aponte, Jordan Appleseth.

Nicole Archer, Christopher Armstrong, Jennifer Arnett, Jamila Asberry, Sahab Astani, Leisha Atkinson, Nathan Aviles, Kevin Axinn, Hulya Ayan.

Following the Virginia Tech campus shooting in 2007 that left 32 dead, many colleges, including OCCC, looked at how a similar situation might be averted in the future on their own campuses.

As a result, OCCC formed CARE, the Campus Alert Response Evaluation team.

CARE is a team of both staff and faculty at the college whose aim is to monitor concerns regarding student behavior.

“The overall goal of CARE is to promote a safe environment for all students and staff focused on student learning and student development,” said Erin Logan, Student Relations director, and part of the CARE team.

As students come to OCCC this spring semester, they may notice there are a few more places to park.

As many as 161 new spaces have been added to parking lot B, next to the school library, according to a safety and security report.

J.B. Messer, Facilities Management Direcor, said the additions were implemented as part of a renovation to the north side of the library, which also includes walkways leading from the library to the campus pond, and a parking area for the campus pond.

This semester, OCCC will partner with Oklahoma Study Abroad to give students the opportunity to study Spanish in the native environment of Costa Rica, in Central America, while also learning to travel on a budget, said Abra Figueroa, modern languages professor.

The trip will cost an estimated $1,450, and will be from May 23 through June 3, said Christian Alyea, trip coordinator

“This will be a travel-enhanced course,” Figueroa said.

“Students can enroll in a three-credit hour class called Spanish for Travelers, but it’s not necessary to enroll to go on the trip.”

In addition to studying Spanish, students will participate in a wide variety of activities designed to showcase the native culture and beauty of Costa Rica, she said.

Students interested in keeping up with campus news will have many more options than just picking up the newspaper this semester, said Joey Stipek, Pioneer student editor.

“The Pioneer has become so much more than just a newspaper,” Stipek said. “It’s also an online media outlet, serving all facets of campus newsgathering and reporting.”

And the Pioneer is putting a greater emphasis on online and multimedia services than ever before, said Whitney Knight, Pioneer online editor.

What is it like being gay and “out” in college?

According to Diana Kardia, Michigan University researcher, college is much less prejudiced than high school campuses.

Both faculty and students are expected to be aware of the importance of tolerance and respect for diversity in sexual orientation.

After graduating in 1999 with an automotive degree, Nicole Moan discovered her creative side. Now, she pulls in $600 to $5000 apiece with her custom-made adjustable ceramic corsets. The corsets are made from clay in four to six pieces, and laced together with fabric she said.

“I have to figure this out,” Moan said, about the first two corsets she made for her and her husband. They were one piece and uncomfortable. However, she said, the corsets ignited a lot of attention from both women and men at the party they attended.

Moan said it wasn’t until a year later that she would make her next corset, only this time she took to her drawing board. “My engineering side came out.” she said. Moan set out to make the corsets more comfortable, adjustable and lighter.

She said her explosion of creativity is masterminded in her home, which inspires creativity with beautiful works of art hanging there. She said her bathroom looks like an underwater ocean. Moan said she hopes to make her house a museum one day.

Born into a family of artists, Moan said she also gets inspiration from her family. In addition, she said, everyday life and society also help keep her creative edge going.

Snow is once again forecast for Oklahoma. AAA Oklahoma advises motorists to be prepared.

“Even a dusting of snow can cause slippery conditions that can result in a driving nightmare,” said Chuck Mai, spokesman for AAA Oklahoma. “Now’s the time to prepare your vehicle and at the same time, prepare your mind to be ready to drive at speeds that match prevailing visibility, traffic and road conditions.”