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vol. 124, issue 85
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Hispanic American Leadership Organization expects continued growth in the future
SYDNEY HOOKSTRA THE COLLEGIAN
The Hispanic American Leadership Organization, or HALO, is the largest Hispanic organization on campus and is continuing to grow at Kansas State University. HALO promotes the Latino culture as well as strong academic Hispanic students while engaging the local and K-State Hispanic communities. Two years ago, there were only two Greek organizations affiliated with HALO, said Francisco Cardoza, community service chair and junior in management information systems. Now, there are four major Greek Organizations involved in HALO: Sigma Lambda Beta, Sigma Lambda Gamma, Kappa Delta Chi and Omega Delta Phi. Cardoza believes the real growth is yet to come. “Everyone has a different story, but at the same time share something in common,” Cardoza said. “HALO should be a place to bring both. The real growth will be in partnering with other multicultural or-
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ganizations to support and learn from one another.” Increases in Hispanic enrollment at K-State may have had an impact on HALO’s growth, said Tatiana Briceño, HALO treasurer and sophomore in secondary education. “As HALO members we’ve tried to impact [Hispanic] high school students, therefore, we hope they come to KSU so we can help them in any way possible,” Briceño said. HALO is meant to be a place where Hispanic and Latino students can feel at home, Cardoza said. “Being here at K-State, I don’t have many opportunities to talk Spanish or hear Spanish music with others that grew up or currently listen to it,” Cardoza said. “Spanish music reminds me of my home in [Kansas City] and how my family would always play it for parties and just while cleaning. HALO is my home away from home.” Jaden Castinado, HALO secretary and sophomore in food science technology and global food systems, said HALO is a place where he was able to reconnect with his roots. “My dad is Latino and
Rowan Jones | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Tatiana Briceño (left) and Melitza Ramirez stand united with fellow students from HALO and the League of United Latino American Citizens during 2018’s KSUnite rally. my mom is white so I’m 50 percent Latino, so it was really unique for me to channel back into that part of my culture that I haven’t had a lot of exposure to,” Castinado said. “For a lot of people, it’s second nature. For me it’s being re-immersed back into it and just becoming more incorporated to it on a personal level.”
Two candidates for Bosco’s position hold open forums, third today
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He went on to say it is a safe place for Latino students to build community and have somewhere comfortable to talk. During HALO meetings, the group discusses topics and problems that are related to the Hispanic community and how to solve those problems surrounding K-State and the community.
HALO hosts events such as the Belleza Latina Pageant. During Hispanic Heritage month they host guest speakers and activities and Hispanic food is given out. HALO meets every other Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Leadership Building. For more information, visit K-State HALO’s website in the About section.
K-State’s tuition will increase next year, uncertain by how much
NEWS
K-State unveils future site of the Multicultural Student Center by Julie Freijat A crowd of people gathered around the east doors of the Kansas State Student Union on Monday morning, waiting in anticipation for the site unveiling ceremony for the Morris Family Multicultural Student Center. Pat Bosco, vice president of student life and dean of students, said the building can’t stand alone and that K-State must be committed to curriculum reform and need-based scholarships. “This center is built on the shoulders of giants,” Bosco said. “Men and women that serve this community in a lot of different ways — students, faculty, administrators, alumni, that are committed to making sure that we provide a voice for those that have no voice.” A major donor involved in the center is Jim Bob Morris, a retired NFL player. The center will be named after Jim Bob Morris. John Morris, senior vice president of development for the KSU Foundation, said Jim Bob Morris is the embodiment of what it is to be self-made. “He is from small town Virgil, Kansas, he is of Cherokee nation descent,” Morris said. “He lost both of his parents at a very, very young age. He was impoverished, on welfare and 15 miles from the nearest paved road. There was no pathway for him to succeed or to get out. Athletics provided him that opportunity.”
see page 3, “MCSC”
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EDITORIAL BOARD Kaylie McLaughlin Rachel Hogan Co-Editors-inChief Dené Dryden Managing Editor
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MCSC continued from page
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Jim Bob Morris went on the get a scholarship from a community college and later K-State, leading him to a career in the NFL and future business endeavors. The Homecoming Committee and Alumni Association presented the center a check for $10,000. The check represents the proceeds that came from the 2018 Homecoming 5K Race. Del’Sha Roberts, senior in biology and president of the Black Student Union, said BSU is ready to finish the work do whatever is needed. “We are very excited for the positive change and growth the Morris Family Multicultural Student Center will bring to campus,” Roberts said. “I believe this center will serve for cross cultural learning and growth.” Monica Romero, sophomore in nutritional sciences and president of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization,
Morgan Clarke | COLLEGIAN MEDAI GROUP
From left: Morgan Elliot, Taylor Beashore, Mercedes Rodriguez, Dhruthi Singamsetty and Marcus Kidd hold the Homecoming 5K proceeds toward the Multicultural Student Center on Monday, April 29. thanked K-State for its efforts in creating the center. “As a part of the Hispanic and Latinx community, we want to thank K-State for their initiatives towards diversity and inclusion,” Romero said. “I think the center will really serve as a place for students to come and get resources and cultural development and find a new home.” Adrian Rodriguez, associate vice president of student life for
diversity and multicultural student affairs, estimates that construction will begin on July 22 of this year. The center would open on July 1, 2020. “This is the beginning,” Rodriguez said. “A building doesn’t solve all issues. It doesn’t fully move us towards social justice and equity. As we are on this success agenda, it’s really [about] the work that we do from this point forward.”
K-State club tennis helps students stay active, build friendships JULIA JORNS
THE COLLEGIAN
College has a way of helping you step out of your comfort zone and get involved in things you have always loved, and club sports teams at Kansas State University allow students to continue being involved in a sport they loved growing up and making new connections along the way. Matt Berneking, junior in industrial engineering, is the president of K-State's club tennis team. Berneking said he started playing tennis in middle school, but started to take it more seriously after his freshman year in high school. Immediately after coming to K-State, Berneking joined the club team. "[It's] the highlight of my week,” Berneking said. Berneking said holding the position of club president has helped him in different ways. "Club has really helped me
with managing my time and managing a big group of people," Berneking said. "For the tennis side of it, it’s kept me active when I otherwise wouldn’t be." This year has been the most successful year for the team in club history. Some of the tournaments the team played in this year have been in Arizona, Illinois, Missouri and Iowa. The team also made its first ever appearance at the United States Tennis Association Tennis on Campus National Championships in Phoenix, the largest trip this year for the club. Brett White, senior in marketing and professional strategic selling, started his college career at Washburn University, where he played on the university's tennis team. After playing there for two years, White transferred to K-State. He knew the club president at the time and played in a tournament his junior year. “The friendships I’ve made
on the club tennis team have definitely been the best part about club tennis,” White said. “Along with that, after playing college tennis, it’s been great being able to play at a high level since then.” Amy Fugit, senior in mathematics and civil engineering, said tennis is definitely a family sport. The Andover, Kansas, native competed at Emporia State University during her time there, and she said she wasn’t ready for her tennis career to end once she came to K-State. “The tennis club team has helped me step out of my comfort zone," Fugit said. "I have always been very shy. Being asked to help run practices and help lead the club has forced me to grow and improve my abilities on and off the court.” Members of the team agreed the best part about being on the club team is the people you get to meet.
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Rapping queen: Meet the winner of the 2019 Belleza Latina pageant REBECCA VRBAS THE COLLEGIAN
Leslie Ramirez, junior in secondary education and English, is a rapper, poet and now the winner of the 2019 Belleza Latina pageant held on Saturday, April 20 at Kansas State University. Ramirez is no stranger to the Belleza Latina pageant, hosted by the Hispanic American Leadership Organization, having previously helped with and hosted the pageant — but this year, she got to see a whole other side of it as a contestant for the first time. Ramirez was born in Mexico City, Mexico, but spent most of her life growing up in Kansas City, Missouri. She said her entry into the Belleza Latina pageant this year was her first time ever competing in any pageant. Since coming to K-State, Ramirez has been involved with a variety of community service projects thanks to the organizations she’s a part of, including HALO, the Kappa Delta Chi sorority and the League of United Latin American Citizens. “Currently, I don’t like sleeping,” Ramirez said with a laugh regarding her busy schedule. Ramirez showcased her rapping skills for the talent portion of the pageant, remixing the hook of the song “Love Yourz” by J. Cole with her own lyrics and a homemade video with a personal message. “The overall theme was to raise awareness of the issues that were going on, not only in this country but around the world,” Ramirez said. “And then at the same time, kind of having that moment to remind yourself that
life is beautiful.” Although she’s passionate about writing both poetry and rap, Ramirez said it can be scary to perform the songs she wrote herself. “I felt like this pageant helped me step out of my comfort zone, in the aspect of ‘I would never perform my own music,’” Ramirez said. “It’s something very personal.” Tatiana Briceno, sophomore in secondary education and winner of the 2017 Belleza Latina pageant, said Ramirez’s rapping talent was impressive and she was excited to see her win. “Leslie is really dedicated in everything she does,” Briceno said. “If she’s passionate about something, she’s going to do it to the end. I’m really proud of her. She really deserved the title.” Every Belleza Latina winner gets a platform to discuss an issue they’re passionate about. Ramirez said she will use her platform to help victims of domestic violence, an issue that is very close to her. “I’ve seen my mom suffer through that, so I know what it feels like to be in that kind of situation,” Ramirez said. “I wouldn’t want other people to be in it. I would want to provide adequate resources that those people need to get out of this situation.” As a member of multiple multicultural organizations, Ramirez also said she is glad to see plans moving forward for the Multicultural Student Center currently planned to be constructed at K-State. “I won’t be here when it’s here,” Ramirez said. “But I still want it to be here for future generations to come.”
Morgan Clarke COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Junior Leslie Ramirez, winner of the 2019 Belleza Latina pageant, poses in the Multicultural Student Organization Room at the Student Union — an area where she finds herself spending a lot of time, she says.
Ramirez said her personal favorite part of the pageant was having her family members here to support her, some of whom traveled from Mexico to see her compete. “It just meant a lot, ... having my brothers, my mom, just my family here,” Ramirez said. “It was the most amazing part.”
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Cardio with kicks: Student teaches low-intensity kickboxing class MATTHEW HEINEN THE COLLEGIAN
Many students participate in group fitness classes at the Peters Recreation Complex to stay active, and cardio kickboxing, taught by Kristin Yankey, junior in electrical engineering, is one of the more exhilarating classes out there. After coming to Kansas State University, Yankey received a concussion in an accident. While the concussion stopped her from playing sports, she still had the opportunity to remain active by teaching group fitness classes. “I still wanted to be active and I love music,” Yankey said. “Since I’m studying engineering, I was looking for something else to do. I found that group fitness incorporated music and physical activity — and I wasn’t going to hurt my head, obviously.” Jenna Duncan, sophomore in business administration, is one of several regular participants in Yankey’s cardio kickboxing class.
“I started taking this class because it sounded like a fun, interactive way to be active at K-State,” Duncan said. “I just kept coming because of the people and the environment and felt like I got a workout out of it.” Yankey said leading the cardio kickboxing class has been rewarding for her. “My favorite thing about teaching cardio kickboxing is that I love seeing people’s smiles,” Yankey said. “Especially when I say, ‘Try this new move,’ and they say, ‘Oh my gosh, are you kidding me?’ I’m like, ‘Seriously, you can do it.’ “It’s really fun helping people push what they thought were their limits and realizing that they can go so much further,” Yankey continued. “Also, the students don’t come back because they need to. They come back because they enjoy it and love it. It’s about taking care of yourself and having fun while doing it.” Cristina Alamos, senior in food science and industry, said she enjoys
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cardio kickboxing because of the instructors. “They are always in a good mood, and it’s almost like working out with your friends,” Alamos said. “It’s a very relaxed environment.” Yankey said she would recommend her cardio kickboxing classes to students from any walk of life. “We welcome everyone,” Yankey said. “One of the best things about being a group fitness instructor is that you can find so many modifications for so many different fitness levels.” Alamos shared similar feelings, saying cardio kickboxing is not an exhausting workout. “Anyone can really join because it’s not really intense by any means,” Alamos said. “It just gets you moving and it gets the blood flowing. You will not walk out absolutely exhausted, you’ll just walk out being happy that you moved for 45 minutes.” Yankey holds her cardio kickboxing classes on Monday evenings from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. at the Rec Complex.
Caleb Pfeifer | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Participants in the Peters Recreation Complex’s cardio kickboxing class follow along with their instructors through a workout led by upbeat music. Cardio kickboxing is one of the Rec’s numerous group fitness classes available for K-State students at various times every day of the week.
SAY HELLO TO SUMMER
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wednesday, may 1, 2019
REVIEW: ‘Shout’ memoir gives personal insight to current issues
Courtesy Photo by Penguin Random House
The cover of Laurie Halse Anderson’s memoir “Shout.”
MACY DAVIS
THE COLLEGIAN
My first Laurie Halse Anderson novel was not Anderson’s groundbreaking 1999 novel about sexual assault, “Speak.” Instead, the first novel I read by Anderson was “Twisted,” shortly after my older sister read it. This was followed by “Catalyst,” “The Impossible Knife of Memory” and “Wintergirls.” It wasn’t until late high school or perhaps even early college that I finally read “Speak." However, I was quick to pick up Anderson’s most recent release, “Shout.” For 20 years, Anderson has been giving a voice to teenage girls through her young adult fiction. Through "Shout," Anderson finally shares her own story in a nonfiction memoir. Written in verse, "Shout" follows Anderson’s childhood, stories of her parents,
the writing of "Speak" and her other novels and visits to schools as a published author. Anderson delves into a host of timely topics surrounding female agency and
sexual assault. With all of that content, there are times — especially in the second of three parts of the memoir — where Anderson’s writing doesn’t feel as connected as it could be. Some poems are not succinct and coherent with the rest. However, despite poems that didn't flow smoothly with the rest of the memoir, the overall package still packed an emotional punch. Anderson establishes herself as a master of tone and language use in poetry. Anderson is known as a fiction author, so it was refreshing to see the narrative-based nature of her fiction replicated in poetry that still managed to be lyrical and natural to read. The switch of genre was no problem for this book. There were two subjects Anderson covered in "Shout" that I was particularly riveted by: her parents and her writing. First, Anderson crafts her parents as incredibly complex characters, sharing stories about their past to reconcile them with the people she knew growing up. Anderson bookends "Shout" by discussing her parents,
and this provides a strong framework for an intensely personal book. Anderson also goes in depth about her writing. While the information she shares about “Speak” was familiar based upon information included in the author’s note of that book, Anderson also discusses inspiration and aims for her other novels. These moments interested me; as a writer, I appreciate any glance at other writers' processes. It was great to gain more insight into Anderson’s other works that I read before “Speak.” Having the importance of those works recognized by Anderson made me revisit the emotions I felt reading those books when I was in middle school and high school. This verse memoir shows correlations between
Anderson’s life and her fiction, and she notes that reality influences fiction. For example, Anderson herself is a sexual assault survivor and she used that experience to write “Speak.” In “Shout,” Anderson shares her own story in a powerful way. For fans of “Speak” or Anderson’s other novels, this is new insight into the author. For other young women, the novel is proof that they are not alone in their struggle. Anderson acknowledges shared experiences amongst young women by bridging the gap between her experiences growing up and scenarios she heard while visiting schools with contemporary culture. As conversations about sexual assault amplify in society, Anderson literally shouts her feelings and experiences
through “Shout,” providing a pivotal narrative to the conversation. Macy Davis is the culture editor for the Collegian and a senior 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.
Pretend like youʼre taking notes and do the SUDOKU
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Interviews for Bosco’s replacement begin with Missouri State admin RACHEL BROWNE THE COLLEGIAN
Before dean of students Pat Bosco's retirement this summer, open forum interviews to fill his position began today in the Kansas State Alumni Center. Thomas Lane, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Missouri State University, was the first of three finalists to interview. Lane recalled how a spontaneous decision to apply for a position in a student life office took him from nearly flunking out of college to graduating, achieving a master’s degree, a career he loves and eventually his doctoral degree. “Never underestimate the impact that student affairs can have on others and the campus community,” Lane said. “Not only did being involved in a program offered by student affairs help me to achieve academically, it provided a learning laboratory for developing leadership skills that have benefited me in many other areas of life.” Lane proposed his strategy to advance student success at Kansas State University, composed of five focus areas to help students succeed in the same way student life aided him. The first focus area promotes student success and learning. It also includes development for student affairs professionals. The second focus would aim to create a more inclusive campus. Lane said the Office of Student Life must ensure all students feel like they belong. “Student Life needs to play a pivotal role in providing intentional opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue interaction, recognizing and celebrating the diversity within the Wildcat family and ensuring all students know and feel they are valued members of the institution," he said. He then went on to college student mental health. With in-
creases in mental health diagnoses, Lane said Student Life has a responsibility to take action. “If we’re serious about student success, we must be willing to engage with students in discussing mental health with the same creativity, the same persistence and importance that we’ve had dialogues and discussions about alcohol and other substance abuse educational efforts,” Lane said. His plan for a more inclusive and open campus impressed Alec Onstad, senior in operations and supply chain management. “I really liked his focus on inclusivity and mental health,” Onstad said. “He talked a lot about looking at campus life through the lense of minorities, which is so important, so I am glad that’s something he is prioritizing.” Another priority of Lane’s, the fourth focus area, is fostering a vibrant campus life and Student Life's role in forming the university’s brand. He stressed the importance of making sure K-State is service-focused and student-centered, a place that students are proud to be a part of. In the final focus area, Lane identified resources for innovation. Faced with budget challenges, Lane said he looks at how things could be done more efficiently to best meet student needs. He also stressed the importance of engaging alumni as mentors, supporters and inspirers for current students. “Our division can help look for ways to create a cycle where today’s students are mentored by today’s alumni, those students become tomorrow’s alumni, and we ask them to give back by staying involved with the next generation of students,” Lane said.
To read more, visit kstatecollegian.com
Second potential Bosco replacement Solis talks improving K-State, his pet chihuahua EMMA WITTER
THE COLLEGIAN
Santiago Solis, associate vice president of student affairs at Towson University in Maryland, held an open forum Tuesday afternoon at the Kansas State Alumni Center to discuss his candidacy for the open position of vice president of student life and dean of students at Kansas State University. The position, currently held by Pat Bosco, will be filled by one of three final candidates at the end of the semester as Bosco is retiring in July.
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At the forum, Solis spoke of his experience in college where he initially struggled as a first-generation, minority student. Throughout the forum, he emphasized his passion for creating a campus environment that supports marginalized students as well as activism and engagement in the larger community. Solis outlined his vision for the future of K-State in three areas of focus: community engagement, institutional policies and life on campus. Honoring K-State’s traditions and roots as a land-grant university while also “moving
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the campus community forward in new, interesting, exciting and challenging ways” is a priority Solis said he would honor if offered the position. Solis went on to emphasize strategies for the transformation of his three main focus areas through marketing and data assessment. He said he would hope to spend time improving K-State’s brand and boosting recruitment and retention, especially for minority and international students. While he was initially met with assertions from his colleagues that K-State is “in the middle of nowhere” when he
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told them about his decision to interview for Bosco’s position, Solis emphasized that, to him, K-State is a “hidden gem of the midwest” and it is important for potential students and faculty to also see the university through this lens. “It’s not in the middle of nowhere, it’s in the middle of somewhere,” Solis said. “People live, work and study here, so how do we challenge that notion?”
To read more, visit kstatecollegian.com
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wednesday, may 1, 2019
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K-State tuition will increase again, how much depends on Legislature RACHEL HOGAN THE COLLEGIAN
Tuition at Kansas State University will increase again next year, but the rate of increase depends on the Kansas Legislature’s decision regarding a cost of living adjustment with the state budget. In the last Tuition and Fees Strategies Committee meeting of the semester Tuesday evening, Ethan Erickson, assistant vice president of budget planning, presented two scenarios based on whether the Legislature includes a 2.5 percent cost of living adjustment in the state
budget and other expected increases in expenses. “Ultimately, all we’re doing in the tuition proposal is accounting for increased operating costs next year,” Erickson said. “That’s the bare bones tuition rates that we’re proposing for next year at this point.” If the Legislature decides to include an adjustment in the budget, tuition at K-State will increase by 3.7 percent. If not, the increase will clock in at 2.1 percent. With privilege fee increases factored in, undergraduate resident students taking 15 credit hours will pay $202.50 more per semester under the
3.7 percent increase. If the Legislature does not include an adjustment, undergraduate resident students will pay $127.50 more. For non-resident undergraduates, this amounts to increases of $489 or $289.50, respective to the Legislature’s decision. The tuition increase is based on other increased university expenses, including the share of health insurance costs the university must pay for, as dictated by the state. However, university employees may not see much benefit from the increased fringe rates. “What we’re doing is meeting what the state has
set for benefits that employers pay,” said Cindy Bontrager, vice president of administration and finance. “We’re not even talking about what employees pay because employees have seen declines in their net pay because they have to pay more for their health insurance. So, what we’re doing is funding the bare minimum, and depending on what the state decides what happens with the salary, it may not improve at all employees’ standard of living.” Increases in expenditures focused on increasing the budget for scholarships and the recruitment of out-ofstate students will also influ-
ence the tuition rate increase. The increased spending aims to increase enrollment, thereby increasing tuition revenue. “If you think about it in terms of increasing our enrollment, that benefits us as well,” said Jordan Kiehl, committee chair and senior in industrial engineering. “The money that we’re putting in now will hopefully return in the amount of students we can bring back.” Last year, tuition increased by only 1.1 percent, the lowest increase since 1989. Bontrager said the Legislature will likely make a
decision regarding cost of living adjustments by early next week.