UCCS scored 652.5 points and was led by an RMAC championship in men’s golf. The Mountain Lions also recorded top-five conference finishes in men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball and women’s basketball. UCCS also scored points in the core sport of men’s basketball and the wildcard sports of softball and men’s outdoor track and field.

The RMAC All-Sport Competition Cup uses finishes from four core sports of football or men’s soccer, volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball. The competition then uses the top three finishes in men’s and women’s wildcard sports, which are any other sports that the conference sponsors a championship in. The regular season finish is used for the sports of soccer, basketball, volleyball and softball, while the conference championship finishes are used for cross country, track and field and golf.

The Mountain Lions had five teams either nationally ranked or receiving votes and nine mentioned in the regional rankings or polls during the 2012-13 season. UCCS was ranked No. 80 out of 286 Division II schools in the Learfield Sports Director’s Cup, which serves as a national all-sport competition cup, at the end of the winter season.

The Mountain Lions will wrap up the 2012-13 seasons at the national championships for golf and track and field. Men’s golf will begin May 20 at the Hershey Country Club in Hershey, Pa., while the men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams will begin May 23 at the DeRose ThunderBowl in Pueblo.

257 middle and high school students from around Colorado as well as the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science, Mobile, Ala., attended the XXX Colorado Mathematical Olympiad on April 26. Participants were presented five problems and four hours to solve them and provide a complete essay-type solution.The Colorado Math Olympiad is led by Alex Soifer, professor, Interdepartmental Studies.

Judges awarded the honors to the following individuals:

First Prize. First prizes were awarded to two students, Albert Soh, junior, and Jesse Zhang, sophomore, : at Fairview High School, Boulder. Each will receive a gold medal of the Olympiad, a $750 scholarship to be used at any certified American university or four-year college, a $1,000 UCCS Chancellor’s Scholarship, a Casio Prism calculator, a Wolfram Mathematica for Students download, a copy of “The Mathematical Coloring Book: Mathematics of Coloring and the Colorful Life of Its Creators” by Alexander Soifer, and an Olympiad-related book by Springer publishers. This was Soh’s second first-place finish.

Second Prize. Second prize was awarded to Shawn Ong, junior, Douglas County High School, Castle Rock. He will receive a silver medal of the Olympiad, a $1,000 UCCS Chancellor’s Scholarship, a gift certificate for two nights at the Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort Hotel, a Casio Prism calculator, a Wolfram Mathematica for Students download, a copy of “The Mathematical Coloring Book: Mathematics of Coloring and the Colorful Life of Its Creators” by Alexander Soifer and an Olympiad-related book by Springer publishers.

Third Prize. Third prizes were awarded to Jeremy Schiff, freshman, Cherry Creek High School, Greenwood Village, and Sisi Peng, sophomore, Rampart High School, Colorado Springs. Each will each receive a bronze medal of the Olympiad, a $1,000 UCCS Chancellor’s Scholarship, a Casio Prism calculator, a Wolfram Mathematica for Students download, a copy of “The Colorado Mathematical Olympiad: From the Mountains of Colorado to the Peaks of Mathematics” by Alexander Soifer and an Olympiad-related book by Springer publishers.

Fourth prizes were awarded to Yue Niu, junior, Rampart High School, Colorado Springs; Jackson Chen, freshman, Fairview High School, Boulder; Hana Admasse, grade seven, Aurora Hills Middle School, Aurora; Justin Wahlers, junior, Alabama School of Math and Science, Mobile, Ala.; William Shand, freshman, Discovery Canyon High School, Colorado Springs. Each will receive a Casio watch, a Wolfram Mathematica for Students download, a Casio fx-9750G11 graphing calculator; and copies of “Mathematics as Problem Solving” and “How Does One Cut a Triangle” by Alexander Soifer.

First Honorable Mention prizes were awarded to George Younger, freshman, Colorado Academy, Denver; Jessica Shi, grade eight, Challenger Middle School, Colorado Springs; Avi Swartz, grade eight, Challenge School, Denver; Aaron Lou, grade eight, Cresthill Middle School, Highlands Ranch; Sebastian Rowe, sophomore, Edison High School, Yoder; Andrew Morton, junior, Rangely High School, Rangely; Joshua Sun, grade seven, Jenkins Middle School, Colorado Springs; and Austin Layne, grade seven, Aurora Quest K-8, Aurora.

The students will receive a Casio fx-9750GII Graphing Calculator, a Wolfram Mathematica for Students download, and copies of “Mathematics as Problem Solving” and “How Does One Cut a Triangle” by Alexander Soifer.

Second Honorable Mention prizes were awarded to Anna Carrigan, senior, Discovery Canyon High School, Colorado Springs; Aurora Ortman, grade seven, Galileo School of Math and Science, Colorado Springs; Emma Chesire, junior, Doherty High School, Colorado Springs; Raphael Angoulvant, grade eight, Mountain Ridge Middle School, Highlands Ranch; Sebastian Blitt, junior, Discovery Canyon High School, Colorado Springs; Alexis Corcoran, senior, Doherty High School, Colorado Springs; Robert Olson, junior, Discovery Canyon High School, Colorado Springs; Colton Sorbie, grade eight, Aurora Quest K-8, Aurora.; Elizabeth Resendiz, grade seven, Aurora Quest K-8, Aurora; Allan Chen, grade eight, West Middle School, Colorado Springs; Sara Del Valle, sophomore, Coronado High School, Colorado Springs; Jenny Bushnell, senior, Doherty High School, Colorado Springs; Drake Rutherford, freshman, Coronado High School, Colorado Springs; Jared Burton, senior, Doherty High School, Colorado Springs; Alex Fulton, senior, Discovery Canyon High School, Colorado Springs; Rowan Binkley-Jones, junior, Edison High School, Yoder; Any Wang, grade eight, Mountain Ridge Middle School, Highlands Ranch; Cam Nguyen, senior, Doherty High School, Colorado Springs; Nick Lin, grade eight, Mountain Ridge Middle School, Highlands Ranch; Eric Wu, junior, Alabama School of Math and Science, Mobile, Ala.; Frank Gomez, grade seven, Aurora Hills Middle School, Aurora; Rachael Moese, grade seven, West Middle School, Colorado Springs; Prakhar Singal, senior, Discovery Canyon High School, Colorado Springs.

The students will receive a Wolfram Mathematica for Students download, a Casio Scientific Calculator fx-115ES PLUS, and a copy of “Mathematics as Problem Solving” by Alexander Soifer.

In the 30 years of Colorado Mathematical Olympiad, more than 18,000 students have participated. They wrote more than 89,000 essays and received about $317,000 in prizes. The Colorado Mathematical Olympiad is a unique joint effort of school districts, schools, institutions of higher education, business community and local and State governments.

For more details and sample questions of the Mathematical Olympiad, please visit http://www.uccs.edu/olympiad. The XXXI Colorado Mathematical Olympiad is scheduled for April 25, 2014.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs, is one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The University offers 36 bachelor’s degrees, 19 master’s and five doctoral degrees. UCCS enrolls about 9,800 students on campus annually and another 2,000 in online programs. For more information, visit www.uccs.edu.

May 6, 2013

Statement by Susan Szpyrka, vice chancellor, Administration and Finance

In re: evacuation of UCCS housing students

As a precaution, at about 10 a.m. Monday, May 6, University of Colorado Colorado Springs students living in the Antero and Shavano buildings of UCCS student housing were evacuated to Crestone in the Alpine Village housing area.

The students were evacuated after a construction crew struck a natural gas line nearby. The evacuation is a precautionary move. There is no danger at this time.

Crews from the Colorado Springs Fire Department are on standby.

Students will be advised when they can safely return to Antero.

Update

To the Campus Community:

Memorial services are scheduled for 11 a.m. May 8 at New Life Church, Colorado Springs, for Angelina Sicola, a sophomore communication major from Palmer Lake.

Angelina died May 2 at her off-campus apartment. Colorado Springs Police are investigating her death as a homicide.

I again offer my condolences, on behalf of the university, to Angelina’s friends, family, and classmates.

University officials are in contact with Angelina’s family and the Colorado Springs Police Department. We will assist the family and, if requested, the police department, in its investigation.

Students who would like are encouraged to contact the University Counseling Center, 255-3265.

Angelina’s obituary, as published in the Colorado Springs Gazette, follows. To share online condolences with the family, please visit http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/gazette/obituary.aspx?n=angelina-marie-sicola&pid=164673279&fhid=6102

Respectfully,

Pam Shockley-Zalabak
Chancellor

May 3, 2013

To the Campus Community:

I am saddened to share news of the loss of a member of our community.

Angelina Sicola, 20, a sophomore communication major from Monument, died May 2 at her off-campus apartment. Colorado Springs Police are investigating her death as a homicide.

I offer my condolences, on behalf of the university, to Angelina’s friends, family, and classmates.

University officials are in contact with Angelina’s family and the Colorado Springs Police Department. We will assist the family and, if requested, the police department in its investigation.

Angelina graduated from Palmer Ridge High School and enrolled at UCCS for the fall 2011 semester.

We will share memorial service plans when they become available.

Students who are experiencing difficulty are encouraged to contact the University Counseling Center, 255-3265.

Respectfully,

Pam Shockley-Zalabak
Chancellor

UCCS Police have received two reports of vehicles being stolen off the UCCS campus within a nine day period.

Reported Offense: On April 16, 2013 the UCCS Police received a report that a late model Honda Accord had been stolen out of parking lot 1 between the hours of 4:40pm and 7:40pm. There were no signs of forced entry such as broken glass in the space where the vehicle had been parked to indicate that the suspect(s) had broken a window to gain access to the vehicle.

Reported Offense: On April 25, 2013 the UCCS Police received a report that a late model Honda Accord had been stolen out of parking lot 4 between the hours of 9:00am to 6:00pm. There were no signs of forced entry such as broken glass in the space where the vehicle had been parked to indicate that the suspect(s) had broken a window to gain access to the vehicle.

Suspect Information: No suspect information is available at this time.

Additional Information: From April 1, 2012 to today’s date there have been five total vehicle thefts on the UCCS campus. Each theft has occurred in either lot 1 or lot 4. In all but one of the cases a late model Honda Accord was reported stolen. It is important to note that regional law enforcement has noted a significant increase in vehicle thefts this year. A regional law enforcement taskforce, of which UCCS Police is a member, has been assembled to address the problem.

Report Suspicious Activity: The University of Colorado Colorado Springs Police Department urges everyone to use caution when leaving their vehicles parked and unattended. It is important to remember that when you leave your vehicle anywhere for any significant period of time that all doors should be locked and any items of value be hidden from sight from passersby. Late model Hondas have been the target of most car thieves recently due to the interchangeability of their component parts. If you are the owner of a late model Honda additional precautions, such as a wheel lock, should be considered.

Please contact the UCCS Police Department immediately if you observe any suspicious individuals or activity on campus.

Andrea Wallace, “Deux Clementines Lafayette,
Colorado,” Archival Digital Print, 2013

Editor’s note: Images available upon request

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs Galleries of Contemporary Art will feature three Colorado-based artists and their compelling personal narratives in a new exhibit, “Documentation,” beginning May 3 at GOCA 121, 121 S. Tejon.

The work and stories of Matt Chmielarczyk, Bill Starr, and Andrea Wallace will be displayed in the downtown gallery. The exhibit opens with a 5 p.m.-9 p.m. May 3 reception. The exhibit will be open from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday or by appointment through June 29.

All events are free and open to the public.

About the artists:

Matt Chmielarczyk’s iPhone-generated and social-media shared photographic documentation of his daughter’s life-changing surgery explores the boundary of personal versus public and invites viewers to become a part of one family’s community of support and empathy. In his most recent work, Chmielarczyk addresses the idea that images are images, regardless of the tool with which they are captured or how they are viewed.

Bill Starr has captured movement in dance, theater, performance art and most recently Colorado’s indie/electronic/folk music scene through photography for the past 30 years. Starr’s physical and social challenges from living with acute rheumatoid arthritis since the age of nine inform how he observes and translates movement into his prolific photographic practice. His photographs capture the structural economy of the body, the architectural and functional beauty of muscle and bone, as well as the extravagant beauty of the human form that escapes the bounds of interpretation. Starr sees the studio as a space that allows interaction and experimentation among those who collaborate to create a photograph: models and photographer.

Andrea Wallace’s background as a photojournalist informs her work in large-format color photography. Her work is concerned with sense of place, memory and identity. Wallace is exhibiting a new body of work for this exhibit entitled “Towards Amnesia”.

GOCA is a regional hub of contemporary art, culture, and conversation. By featuring world-class artists, hosting artist and expert talks, and offering meaningful events, the gallery engages UCCS students, faculty, staff and Pikes Peak Region community members in contemporary culture and life.

For more information, high resolution images or interview requests, please contact Daisy McConnell, director, Galleries of Contemporary Art,  dmcconne@uccs.edu or l (719) 255-3504.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs, is one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The University offers 36 bachelor’s degrees, 19 master’s and five doctoral degrees. UCCS enrolls about 9,800 students on campus annually and another 2,000 in online programs. For more information, visit www.uccs.edu.

But a chance opportunity to participate in a Russian-style math competition at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs helped change the now 40-year-old’s perspective.

“As an eighth grader, I received a first honorable mention,” Kahle said of his first visit to the Colorado Math Olympiad at UCCS in 1987. That was followed by third prize in 1988, first honorable mention in 1989 and first prize in 1990 and 1991.”

Kahle, who later earned a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Washington, held postdoctoral fellowships at Stanford University and the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, N.J. and is now a tenure-track assistant professor of mathematics at Ohio State University, will return to Colorado Springs April 26 to help judge the 30^th Colorado Math Olympiad at UCCS. On May 3, he will join with other past winners and both university and community leaders to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Colorado Math Olympiad, assisting in the awarding of medals and prizes to this year’s middle and high school competitors.

“I participated in several statewide and national math competitions,” Kahle said recently. “But the Colorado Math Olympiad at UCCS was special. The problems are much harder, and you are given hours to work on them, not minutes or seconds like many other math contests. This is closer to what we really do in research in theoretical mathematics. I feel like the CMO gave me a glimpse of what hard problems look like.”

An estimated 400 middle and high school students will compete on April 26 in Berger Hall and the Gallogly Events Center. The event begins at 9 a.m. For four hours, students will work to complete five essay-style problems.

A week later, on May 3, Alex Soifer, CMO chair and professor, Interdepartmental Studies, will review solutions to the problems, give a lecture on legendary mathematician Paul Erdos (1913-1996) and deliver “Charge to the Winners: Ten Professional Principles.” UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak will lead a roundtable discussion that features Kahle, 1984 CMO winner Russel Shaffer, a computer software analyst; three-time CMO winner David Hunter, a professor and department chair at Pennsylvania State University; three-time CMO winner Mark Heim, a senior math student at Colorado State University; Gary Miller, a retired Coronado High School math teacher; Robert Ewell, owner of a statistical consulting firm; Dennis Mithaug, a professor at Columbia University; and Greg Hoffman, director of human resources, Intermap Technologies.

UCCS leaders and representatives of Colorado Springs School Districts 11 and 20 will award medals, college scholarships, and prizes including software packages and calculators donated by global manufacturers.

UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak will offer gold, silver and bronze medalists a scholarship to UCCS. Other prizes include Casio calculators, math software provided by Wolfram Research, and a book by Soifer.

Student participation is free and open to all students grade 6-12. There is no limit on the number of schools or students who may participate. For more information, students individually or school district representatives should contact Margie Oldham, (719) 255-4552, moldham@uccs.edu

The Colorado Math Olympiad is supported by Casio Inc., Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort Hotel, the Office of Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ewell, Wolfram Research, the UCCS Office of the Chancellor, UCCS College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Colorado Springs School District 20 and Colorado Springs School District 11.

For more information about the Math Olympiad, and to view problems from previous years, visit http://www.uccs.edu/olympiad.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs, is one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The University offers 36 bachelor’s degrees, 19 master’s and five doctoral degrees. UCCS enrolls about 9,800 students on campus annually and another 2,000 in online programs. For more information, visit www.uccs.edu.

To the Campus Community:

Campus safety was ensured this afternoon following action by Campus Police officers.

At about 12:30 p.m., a male passenger from a city bus approached a UCCS police officer and asked if he could have a gun on campus and removed what appeared to be a gun from his jacket pocket. After complying with the officer’s request to put the gun on the ground, the officer determined the gun was a BB gun. After questioning, the man was given an exclusion notice and escorted from campus. He was not a UCCS student and, to our knowledge, not affiliated with the campus in any way.

At no time were members of the campus community in danger. Campus police officers reacted to the situation in a professional manner.

Following the events in Boston yesterday, I understand the heightened sensitivity of campus community members. I assure you that Campus Police officers are actively patrolling the campus to ensure a safe learning environment. As always, community members are encouraged to report any suspicious activity to Campus Police by calling 255-3111.

Respectfully,

Brian McPike, interim chief, UCCS Police Department

WHO: Neil deGrasse Tyson will answer questions about his career and current projects. UCCS Office of Student Activities staff members will provide details about his sold out 7 p.m. campus speech. 

WHEN: 3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. on April 17. 

WHERE: Skybox (second floor in the Gallogly Event Center). For a campus map, visit www.uccs.edu/map. 

PARKING: Marked media vehicles do not need a parking pass and may park in any legal parking space at UCCS. Drivers of unmarked media vehicles should call Tom Hutton, (719) 255-3439, or Philip Denman, (719) 255-3732, for alternative arrangements. 

ADDITONAL INFORMATION: A media feed (XLR) multi-box will be on site during the 3:45 p.m. event. Media members may also attend Tyson’s 7 p.m. presentation, “America’s Past, Present and Future in Space.” Videography is not allowed at the 7 p.m. event. Still photography is permissible. To attend one or both events, please contact Philip Denman, (719) 255-3732, pdenman@uccs.edu.

More information about Tyson’s visit is available at http://pressreleases.uccs.edu/?p=1305

CONTACTS: Philip Denman, Office of University Advancement, (719) 255-3732, pdenman@uccs.edu, or Tom Hutton, (719) 255-3439, (719) 351-6519, thutton@uccs.edu.

Meeting in downtown Denver at a special meeting, the Regents approved tuition increases for all four CU campuses. The six percent increase for Colorado-resident UCCS undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences is well below the rate increase cap established in law and by the Colorado Department of Higher Education.

The UCCS rate increase is expected to be among the lowest of universities and colleges in Colorado. Tuition increases are necessary because of demands from growth, and the uncertainty of sustained state support of public higher education in the future. Colorado ranks 48th nationally in its financial support for higher education on a per capita basis. Additionally, the University’s administrative costs remain below those of similar universities.

“As leaders of a fast-growing, highly regarded university, we are doing everything possible to contain costs, maintain quality and provide students with options,” Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak said. “We understand the challenges that students and families face and the choices they have.”

Colorado resident freshman and sophomore students in the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences will see per credit hour costs increase $14 per credit hour to $249, a six percent increase. For a full-time student taking 15 hours a semester, the increase will be $210 to $3,735 per semester for fall 2013.  Colorado resident graduate student rates will also increase by 6 percent.

Non Colorado resident undergraduate and graduate rates will increase by 4 percent.  Rates vary among UCCS colleges and specific programs. A website to assist UCCS students in calculating tuition and required course fees will be updated by May 1. The site is www.uccs.edu/bursar.

U.S. News & World Report recently ranked UCCS graduate programs in business, nursing, psychology and public affairs as among the best in the nation. This fall, the magazine editors ranked the university as a whole ninth among Western regional public universities and the undergraduate engineering as one of the nation’s best.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs, is one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The University offers 36 bachelor’s degrees, 19 master’s and five doctoral degrees. UCCS enrolls about 9,800 students on campus annually and another 2,000 in online programs. For more information, visit www.uccs.edu.