Š 2018 collegian media group
T H E I N D E P E N D E N T V O I C E F O R K A N S A S S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
BUDGET
BUST
Page 3: SGA’s diversity programming budget cannot fund any more events in fiscal year 2018.
vol. 123, issue 56
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kstatecollegian.com
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Presidential candidates debate prior to primaries
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Cartoons, New York and hair: Cartier Diarra off-court
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LGBT Resource Center holds free STI testing
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wednesday, february 14, 2018
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EDITORIAL BOARD Rafael Garcia editor-in-chief Olivia Bergmeier multimedia co-editor
DeAundra Allen managing editor, sports editor
Conrad Kabus deputy managing editor
Logan Wassall multimedia co-editor
Monica Diaz social media editor
Rachel Hogan news editor
Nathan Enserro asst. sports editor
Kaylie McLaughlin asst. news editor
Kyle Hampel opinion editor
Leah Zimmerli features editor
Dene Dryden copy chief
Katie Messerla marketing manager Renee Dick design co-chief
The Collegian welcomes your letters. We reserve the right to edit submitted letters for length and style. A letter intended for publication should be no longer than 400 words and must be relevant to the student body of K-State. It must include the author’s first and last name, year in school and major. If you are a graduate of K-State, the letter should include your year(s) of graduation and must include the city and state where you live. For a letter to be considered, it must include a phone number where you can be contacted. The number will not be published. Letters can be sent to letters@ kstatecollegian.com or submitted through an online form at kstatecollegian.com. Letters may be rejected if they contain abusive content, lack timeliness, contain vulgarity, profanity or falsehood, promote personal and commercial announcements, repeat comments of letters printed in other issues or contain attachments. The Collegian does not publish open letters, third-party letters or letters that have been sent to other publications or people.
CORRECTIONS
If you see something that should be corrected or clarified, call editor-in-chief Rafael Garcia at 785-370-6356 or email news@kstatecollegian.com.
Gabby Farris design co-chief
ON THE COVER
The Collegian, a student newspaper at Kansas State University, is published by Collegian Media Group. It is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the school year and on Wednesdays during the summer. Periodical postage is paid at Manhattan, KS. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 828 Mid-Campus Drive South, Kedzie 103, Manhattan, KS 66506-7167. First copy free, additional copies 25 cents. [USPS 291 020] © Collegian Media Group, 2017
Logan Wassall | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP The Diversity Program Council has used all of its $175,000 budget for diversity-related events in 2018. Student groups who are funded by the committee will not receive funding from the DPC this quarter.
Grab your copy of at Radina’s
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wednesday, february 14, 2018
SGA budget for diversity programming depleted KAYLIE MCLAUGHLIN THE COLLEGIAN
After allocating the entirety of its $175,000 budget in the first three quarters of fiscal year 2018, the Diversity Programming Committee is unable to pull from the $98,000 in its reserve account. According to Chapter 24 of the Student Governing Association bylaws, the DPC’s 14 members vote — under the direction of the chair — to fund student-centered, diversity-enhancing events that exceed $3,000. Tendai Munyanyi, senior in management and chair of the DPC, said events must “dissuade prejudice and discrimination” against sexual orientation, racial minorities or religion. Munyanyi said he would be happy to open the reserve accounts to continue funding events in the fourth quarter because he doesn’t want students to feel as though DPC is holding more than $98,000 of students’ money “hostage.” The bylaws and statutes, which student senator Ryan Kelly, sophomore in civil engineering, described as “vague,” state that the DPC is not “held to KSU SGA funding guidelines” in that there is not a cap to the amount they can allocate per person or per organization. The DPC is, however, tied to a quarter system that dictates funding periods for the fiscal year. All fourth quarter events that seek funding from the DPC must have their applications submitted prior to the final Friday in January. Ashley Douglass, Center for Student Involvement liaison, said because the fourth quarter deadline has passed, the reserve account cannot be accessed to continue funding events. “I think it’s safe to say that many people, advis-
ers and other entities who know about DPC have been frustrated that it’s a mess,” Munyanyi said. “The system d o e s n ’ t work. It’s something I personally believe has been ignored. It’s my goal before I leave the term [in] office that I have somehow concretely fixed that.” Kelly said the DPC brings “cultural enrichment” to campus. “I think that this year has been an extraordinary year for students on campus, in terms of marginalized students and students who feel that their voices aren’t heard as much,” Kelly said. The DPC allocated $65,000, slightly under 40 percent of their budget, to the Black Student Union to bring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to campus as the Black History Month keynote speaker Feb. 6. The DPC also allocated $20,000 to Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity for the Martin Luther King III lecture and candlelight vigil. In the first two quarters of fiscal year 2018, the DPC allocated a total $49,574 to the India Student Association, Qualitative Research Student Organization, the Sexuality and Gender Alliance and others. According to an email Munyanyi sent out to student organizations, the committee allocated a total of $124,254 in the third quarter. Ralph Armah, graduate student in economics and president of the African Student Union, said his organization will not be able to fund their annual African Night program, which includes a
SGA president hopefuls discuss platforms in Monday debate RAFAEL GARCIA THE COLLEGIAN
keynote speaker and entertainment to display African culture, values and morals, without funds from the DPC. Armah said he has nothing “against bringing people to campus or other organizations” asking for large allocations, but wishes there was more “fairness.” “If DPC funds three cycles and tells us they’ve run out of funds, that means that whoever has any activity that falls in the fourth cycle will not have it funded, so that goes against those organizations,” Armah said. Stephen Kucera, graduate student in accounting and student support director, said he has been pushing for the DPC to reopen applications for the fourth quarter and use reserve funds to sponsor those events. “I’m not trying to critique this year’s committee,” Kucera said via text message. “I’m trying to be an advocate for the student organizations so they have a chance to apply for funding that students have already paid for. I am trying to make sure that Student Government listens and is responsible to the concerns of students; that’s how you maintain trust as a governing organization.”
During Monday's primary debate, the four student body president candidates express common platforms, relating primarily to increasing transparency of Student Governing Association processes as well as sensitivity to the affordability of attendance at Kansas State. Appearing without their running mates, each of the candidates took turns answering questions prepared by Corbin Sedlacek, SGA elections commissioner and junior in accounting, followed by questions from the audience in the Student Union courtyard.
PALOMA ROMAN
Paloma Roman, senior in athletic training and candidate for student body president, said if elected, one of her focuses would be on rebranding the Center for Student Involvement. Roman served as a member of the group that worked with university officials to facilitate the shift from the Office of Student Activities and Services to the Center for Student Involvement. "It was really important that there were students there [in the process of the change], but the message didn't get fully across to the rest of the student body," Roman said, speaking to the confusion among student groups as a result of the change.
Roman said she would concurrently also work to increase support for K-State 360, a program designed to help students keep track of their involvement and activities during their academic careers at K-State. Additionally, Roman said she wanted to "meet the need" by advocating for programs that deal with food insecurity, safety on campus and mental health. Specifically, Roman said she wanted to emphasize longterm sustainability for such programs. Roman is running with Michael Leverett, junior in social sciences.
see page 8, “SGA”
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wednesday, february 14, 2018
A Place to Call Home How to clean your dorm or house when you're tired and broke LEAH ZIMMERLI
bearable if you only have to do it every couple of weeks.
THE COLLEGIAN
When work, classes and life in general take their toll, it can be difficult to bring yourself to clean your living space. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the mess, take matters into your own hands and follow these simple suggestions for keeping your place clean.
SET TIME ASIDE TO CLEAN EVERY WEEK
I know it’s really easy to lay down in your bed on a weekend and go down a YouTube rabbit hole of 30-minute Vine compilations, but if you took a bit of time to give your space a once-over, you could reduce the time it takes to clean drastically. Run a load of laundry, throw away the chip bags accumulating by the couch and wipe down your surfaces with a damp cloth. You’ll feel productive and your space will look nicer, so it’s totally worth it.
DELEGATE RECURRING TASKS
How many roommate arguments have started over someone refusing to take out the trash? Save yourself the stress of an argument by establishing chore duties right away and sticking to it. If you really hate doing a task, get your roommates to help out. Nobody likes cleaning the bathroom, but it’s a bit more
USE GENERIC BRANDS TO SAVE MONEY
When you’re broke, you have to save money anywhere you can. You really don’t need the name brand dish soap. It’s dish soap — just get the store brand.
IF YOU USE SOMETHING, PUT IT AWAY
You know in your heart of hearts that the pan doesn’t need to soak before you actually wash it. There is nothing more unpleasant than trying to scrub off day-old pasta adhered to your dishes, so just wash it and put it away right then and there and save your future self the effort.
IF YOU DON’T NEED IT, TOSS IT
This one’s self-explanatory. It’s really easy to just ignore things like the expired coupons on the kitchen table, but tossing it now just means one less thing to do later. It’ll require more energy to pick it up and throw it away in a week or two. Leah Zimmerli is the features editor for the Collegian and a freshman in political science and journalism. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Collegian. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.
Logan Wassall | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Getting along with your roommates can sometimes be a struggle. Cleaning your home is one of many things that could be easy for two to bicker over.
OPINION: What not to do as a college tenant Now is the time of the semester when a lot of college students start looking for a place to live next school year. If you’re like me and you enjoy freedom (and pets), that probably means you’re looking for an apartment or a house to rent. Renting is built on trust, and
things can only get worse for you if your landlord doesn’t like you. Here are a few things you should NOT do when you’re renting a place to live.
The lease is the word of God that all renters and rentees must obey, so it’s always the first thing to check before you make a change in your living space.
1. DON'T REDECORATE WITHOUT CHECKING THE LEASE
see page 5, “TENANT”
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wednesday, february 14, 2018
A Place to Call Home TENANT continued from page
them. Landlords are people too, and they can grow to resent you when you ignore them just like anybody else.
4
If you want to install a new door or lock, put up wallpaper or even just hang a picture frame, it’s always best to see what the lease says first before anything bad can happen. I know they say it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission, but that doesn’t account for eviction notices.
2. DON’T IGNORE YOUR LANDLORD’S EMAILS
If your landlord wants to drop by, they have to let you know at least 24 hours in advance — it’s the law. Therefore, you should keep in contact with your property management as often as possible to avoid any surprises from the involved parties. It’s also a good idea to respond to emails when you get them so your property management knows you read
3. DON’T HAVE TOO MANY PETS
Pets are messy by their very nature, and more pets usually means more mess. With every extra pet, you’d be surprised how quickly the bodily fluids add up. Even if your landlord allows pets, don’t go crazy just because the local shelter is having a special on kittens. Minimize the number of pets and you’ll minimize the damage that comes out of your security deposit.
4. DON’T USE A COMMERCIAL TRASH CAN LID AS A SLED AND GO FLYING OFF THE ROOF EVERY TIME IT SNOWS Seriously, why would you do this? Your landlord won’t be happy when they have to clean your blood off the sidewalk.
5. DON’T IGNORE ISSUES WITH YOUR LIVING SPACE
The last thing your landlord needs is a defective unit on their property. If your plumbing, air conditioning, dishwasher or whatever is having problems, let your property management know and they’ll take care of it for free. The longer an issue goes unresolved, the more work it takes to fix it. Follow these steps, and I’m sure your landlord will thank you later for being such a good tenant — if not with words, then with a big fat check from your security deposit. Kyle Hampel is the reviews and opinion editor for the Collegian and a junior in English. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Collegian. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.
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From Big Apple to Little Apple: Wildcat Cartier Diarra’s story
Alex Todd | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Taking a quick break in between plays, K-State’s redshirt freshman guard Cartier Diarra plans to make the next move. Diarra scored nine points and had seven rebounds during Saturday’s game against Texas Tech.
AVERY OSEN
THE COLLEGIAN
There are two separate lives that redshirt freshman Cartier Diarra lives. The first, a Kansas State men’s basketball rising star who currently starts for the Wildcats and is averaging seven points per game. Then there is a second life that his mom calls “a fat boy living in a skinny person’s body.” That is the one you are reading about today. If you see Diarra, you might think the singer The Weeknd just walked past you because of the crazy hair he sports. “I used to have short hair actually, but once I came here I dread-ed it,” he said. “People don’t know that at one point I had it like champagne; it was practically white.” He proclaims to be a homebody who always orders takeout when he gets food.
“If I’m not in the gym or playing basketball, I like to be at home watching The Amazing World of Gumball or Naruto,” Diarra said. “I’m not a real going out kind of person, so I like to be at home and in my bed.” A cartoon addict, Diarra
will occasionally watch college basketball, but mainly because that is what his life is revolved around most of the time.
see page 7 , “DIARRA”
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DIARRA | continued from page
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“I’ll watch some NBA, but mostly college,” he said. “If I’m not watching those two things, it’s definitely cartoons.” He compares his skills on the court to NBA point guard
Rajon Rondo because that is who he watched growing up. “I’ve always tried to model his game and had a desire to play like him,” Diarra said with a smirk. “He gets his teammates involved, and that’s what I like about him.” Now let’s get back to who Diarra is off the court. Basketball takes up a lot of his time, but when Diarra does get time to cook himself a
good meal, he succeeds. “I’m not going to say I’m not a good cook,” he said. “I don’t cook a lot, but my mom is an amazing chef and she’s taught me how to do it. I just don’t most of the time.” His mom will get to see him play at the season finale inside Bramlage Coliseum against Baylor on March 3. “Some friends and family have been able to make a few
games, and when they do, it means a lot,” he said. Before basketball, Diarra had different ambitions in life, and now he focuses on improving his game. “When I started playing basketball, my thoughts kind of changed, and I thought to myself that I could be in the NBA,” he said. “That’s what I look forward to now, and my goal is still that.”
Diarra said some people say he is a good dancer and singer. “I’m pretty shy when it comes to singing, but the people who have heard me say I’m not bad,” he said. The boy from Manhattan, New York, has made The Little Apple his home for now, but his heart still lies in The Big Apple. “There’s nothing like
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Manhattan, New York,” he said. “It is amazing, but I love where I’m at right now, and this is a great city. I couldn’t ask for more, playing basketball at the highest level and in this great place.” Diarra will continue his freshman season as he and the Wildcats will travel south to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Find one here!
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SGA continued from page
3
KARL WILHELM
Karl Wilhelm, junior in agricultural economics, said if he is elected, his main focus would be on sustainability in three different forms — community sustainability, self-sustainability and sustainable living. Wilhelm said he wants to create a stronger relationship between the university and community businesses to provide students with networking
"Now I'm not saying that next year we're going to have solar panels or wind turbines on campus," Wilhelm said. "But we want to make sure that we get the ball rolling so that 10-15 years down the line, we have a renewable source of energy." Wilhelm is running with Marley Wareham, sophomore in music education.
JORDAN KIEHL
Jordan Kiehl, junior in industrial engineering and SGA chief of staff, outlined her platform of "expect more." "We talk a lot about value
through lower tuition rates, citing how out-of-state students pay about twice as much per credit hour as in-state students. Kiehl said she would begin this initiative by reviewing requirements for students to keep their merit-based scholarships from the university, as well as alternatives expensive textbook initiatives. Kiehl said greater access to resources is also key for student success and that, if elected, she would focus on getting students to feel connected to the university. Finally, Kiehl said it is her goal to increase transparency and outreach of SGA with the student body. Kiehl is running with Lacy Pitts, junior in agricultural economics and student senator.
WILL MORELAND
Olivia Bergmeier | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
As she addresses the crowd, junior presidential candidate Jordan Kiehl states her platform for the future of Kansas State University Student Governing Association. The K-State Student Governing Association had their 2018 presidential candidate debate at the K-State Student Union on Monday. opportunities to utilize when they graduate. Wilhelm said self-sustainability focuses on improving and tracking student experiences in their undergraduate careers through greater support for programs such as K-State 360. Wilhelm said he wants to expand Cats' Cupboard to possibly include options for protein and dairy as well as fresh produce. Wilhelm also zeroed in on need-based scholarships. Additionally, Wilhelm said he wants to increase support for green initiatives on campus.
at our university, but what does that really mean at K-State?" Kiehl said. "Everyone has to pay the same tuition and all that kind of stuff, but we want to talk about expecting more from our student leaders, from our administration and from the different resources on campus." Kiehl said she specifically would focus on affordability, access and accountability as the main pieces of her campaign Kiehl said she would look at how to entice out-of-state students to come to Kansas
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Will Moreland, junior in agricultural technology management, said his focal points center around unity, engagement and transparency. Moreland said transparency begins with better communication from the student body president, via initiatives such as student town halls and letters from the president. Such initiatives would give students more frequent and casual opportunities to engage with student government, Moreland said. "A lot of the people, I believe, in SGA tend to be from the same background," Moreland said. "When I was in the dorms my freshman and sophomore years, I felt very disconnected from SGA at that point until I got a senate committee and felt more involved." Moreland said safety would tie into his platform under the unity plank, with ideas like improving campus lighting. Moreland is running with Sean Marshall, sophomore in political science. Primaries for student body president run from noon Tuesday to 6 p.m. Wednesday. From there, the two selected candidates will advance to the General Election in March.
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Students access free STI testing on campus TRACE SALZBRENNER THE COLLEGIAN
Positive Connections offered free HIV and syphilis testing Tuesday in the LGBT Resource Center. Dustin Pfamatter, outreach and testing coordinator for Positive Connections, said half of all sexually active people will contract a sexually transmitted infection by the age of 25. “Out of the 25 to 30 students we test today, half of them will have an STI at some point,” Pfamatter said. The testing process in the LGBT Resource Center began with paperwork. Students then received a small prick to their finger for the HIV test.
The results took 20 minutes for this test. For syphilis testing, a blood test was required with results expected in two weeks. The entire process lasted about 30 minutes for each student. According to the organization’s website, Positive Connections is Kansas’ “first and most progressive” AIDS agency. It was founded in 1985 as the Topeka AIDS Project, and later underwent a name change to Positive Connections in 2011. Pfamatter said Positive Connections aims to educate the public about sexual health. “Unfortunately, people aren’t getting the education they need to understand HIV and AIDS,” Pfamatter said.
“That’s part of what we do. We give them that education.” Elli Hager, graduate student assistant in the LBGT Resource Center, said the free testing is important to college students because it helps promote safe sex, provides necessary resources to students with STIs and decreases negative stigmas. Hager said this is why the LGBT Resource Center has partnered with Positive Connections to bring free testing to K-State every month. “If we keep doing it once a month and open it up past the LGBT community, we might just be able to make a small dent in the stigma,” Hager said. The next free testing event will be March 8.