VOL. 121, ISSUE 61
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T U E S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 5
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR KANSAS STATE UNIVERSIT Y
INSIDE
K-State student experiences hellish night in Paris
this issue 4: >> PAGE Opinion
writers chat about liberal media bias
JONATHAN GREIG the collegian
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string of coordinated terror attacks in Paris shook the world Friday night. Monday, the latest reported death toll is 132 people, with an additional hundreds wounded. Jeffery Morris, vice president for K-State’s Division of Communications and Marketing, explained the university’s response efforts Friday night. “We first thought there were four (K-State students), then we found out there were five in France at the time, one that was in Paris,” Morris said. “That night, Friday night, we were getting emails that we were tracking them down. We were looking to see who we had where and trying to get in contact with them. We work closely with the American Embassy in those countries through the State Department. They know what’s going on down on the ground.” Efforts were made to immediately contact the students to make sure they remained safe. “We have several ways to get in contact,” Morris said. “Before they go, we set up an emergency phone line, and we’ll monitor it 24/7. Their adviser has that line, and they can call. Two, we will try email, we will try text, and this time we saw that one of the students was actually posting on social media.” Morris also provided written information that detailed their safety protocols, and he said that as
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DANIELLE COOK BROWNBACK MAKES KANSAS ONE OF 17 STATES TO DENY HELP TO SYRIAN REFUGEES
Kansas has become one of 17 states to withhold aid efforts for Syrian refugees Monday afternoon, in light of the recent attacks on Paris, KWCH12 reported. According to an article from the Kansas City Star, multiple governors across the nation, a majority of them Republican, have said they will “try to bar the U.S. from resettling Syrian refugees in their states.” This movement began with Michigan and Alabama governors and has now become a trend with governors in other states. In a recent statement, Brownback said he signed an executive order to keep state agencies from aiding in the resettlement of Syrian refugees. “It is unfortunate that we must take this step to protect the safety of Kansans, but the federal government cannot guarantee that Syrian refugees coming to America would not be part of a terrorist organization seeking to harm our citizens,” Brownback said in his statement. The statement does not say that refugees would be absolutely prohibited from resettling in Kansas, though. “It’s possible no governor has the authority to impose a ban on federal resettlement of refugees,” the Kansas City Star reported.
RCPD TO COLLABORATE WITH JOINT TERRORISM TASK FORCE
According to KMAN, the Riley County Police Department will be granted a voice on an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force that operates out of Kansas City. see page
6, “BRIEFS”
George Walker | THE COLLEGIAN
Attendees of the candlelit vigil for the victims of terrorism hold hands during a moment of silence on the steps of Bosco Plaza Monday. Although there was a light rain during the event, many people still came for the vigil. of 12:30 p.m. Monday, all but one of the five students had responded and are safe, while due to social media activity K-State is relatively certain the fifth is safe as well. In addition to the five students studying abroad in France, there was at least one more studying abroad in Ireland this semester who was on a trip to Paris that night. Jenna Pelter, junior in social work, remained safe and answered the Collegian’s questions via email to take us through the attacks. Where were you during the attacks? When the attacks started, which was around 9:25 p.m., my
roommate and I had been eating at our hostel’s restaurant. We had been planning on going out for dinner, but decided to stay in, which ended up being the best decision we made that night.
stand the reporter because we do not speak French, but we could tell something very bad had happened. The cashier was able to communicate to us that there had been a shooting and seven people had died. After finding this out, we booked it back to our hostel, a three-minute walk away. Little did we know that we had only been a 10-minute walk away from the nearest restaurant that was attacked and 1.1 miles away from the Bataclan, the music venue where people were being held hostage.
How did you find out about the attacks? After dinner, around 9:45 p.m., we decided to walk around and find a convenient store to get something to drink. We were still not aware of the attacks, or else we would not have been walking around. Once we found a convenient store, there was a TV that the cashier could not take her eyes off of. Unfortunately, we could not read the headlines or under-
see page
5, “PARIS”
Variety of factors affect housing cost increases SHELTON BURCH the collegian
When Wefald Hall is completed in the fall of 2016, K-State’s utility bill from the city will inevitably increase. Despite the added cost to the university, however, students living in other residence halls are unlikely to see a direct major change. “Our overall bill will be larger, but our cost-per-student will not be significantly more,” Nick Lander, assistant director for residence life, said. If anything, the new Kramer Dining Center will be more expensive for students because it will be a brand new facility, Lander said. While it will affect housing costs universitywide by increasing utility usage, the majority of its impact will be from other factors. “It’s going to be completely different than anything anyone has seen here before, so there will be a slight increase as far as that,” Lander said. “Only a portion of that is utility based; a lot of that is going to be more about the fact it’s a new building and the staffing related to that.” Despite the cost, Virginia Cardello, freshman in family studies, said she thinks she will likely stay in Goodnow Hall even though she thinks she could live more cheaply off campus. Infrastructure effects on student housing costs Infrastructure projects — such as Wefald Hall and Kramer Construction — are some of the many factors that cause utility rates to change from year
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
Jessica Robbins | THE COLLEGIAN
Monica Wolf, freshman in secondary education, gets a glass of water at the Derby Dining Center on Nov. 2. to year, both at K-State and in the surrounding community. The city is in charge of determining water rates, according to Randy DeWitt, Manhattan’s assistant director of public works with water and wastewater. It does so based on revenue needs, such as upgrading the water processing plant and other similar projects. “When we change rates, it’s really based on our expected expenditures for the upcoming year,” DeWitt said. “There’s a lot of factors that we use to go into trying to determine what our
revenues and expenditures are going to be.” Numerous city agencies and departments also affect rate increase decisions, according to Dewitt. The Department of Public Works, Department of Finance and Public Administration, the City Manager’s Office and the City Commission all contribute. “Any change in rates requires either an ordinance or an amendment to an ordinance, and those go through a first reading and a second reading with the City Commission,” DeWitt said. “They ultimately are the ones that are
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approving the rate increases.” Though water bills for students living in the residence halls are built into the rate the students pay for living there, Lander said, ultimately increasing water costs do trickle down to them. “If water rates increase in the city, then we pay those increases as well,” Lander said. “As we look at what we charge students to live with us, that’s all factored into the amount that students have to pay.” Lander said the costs of other utilities such as trash, electricity and gas also affect the costs to live in the residence halls. “We have to look at rates,” Lander said. “We have to anticipate potential rate increases and then adjust our rate as what we charge students for the upcoming year.” Minimizing cost increases Contrary to what Lander said was popular belief, the Department of Housing and Dining Services does not receive financial assistance from the university. “With Housing and Dining, we’re what’s called an auxiliary, so we don’t get any money from the state, we don’t get any money from student tuition dollars, we don’t get any money from the university,” Lander said. “Everything that we have in our budget is based on what students pay to live with us. Then we have our retail operations and then we also have our summer conference operation.”
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CORRECTIONS If you see something that should be corrected or clarified, call editor-in-chief, Jon Parton, at 785-370-6356 or email news@kstatecollegian.com.
The Collegian, a student newspaper at Kansas State University, is published by Collegian Media Group. It is published weekdays 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] Š Collegian Media Group, 2015
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THE BLOTTER ARREST REPORTS MONDAY, NOV. 16 Jonathan Michael Roberts, of the 3300 block of Musil Drive, was booked for driving under the influence. Bond was set at $750.
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Holiday
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‘Tis the season to be more inclusive MIRANDA SNYDER the collegian
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or many, the upcoming winter months are about good food and making memories with friends and family for the holidays. For a majority of the K-State family, these months are dedicated to the joys that come with Christmas, such as giving and receiving gifts. For many, however, Christmas is not on the agenda — but different holidays might be. Michelle Reznikova, sophomore in biology, is Jewish and celebrates Hanukkah. Reznikova said she is used to not seeing Hanukkah promoted or talked about the same way Christmas is. “A majority of people celebrate Christmas so it’s not unusual,” Reznikova said. “You don’t really see Hanukkah written anywhere, and it makes me realize how small of a population there is of Jewish people.” Although small gifts are given during the eight days and nights of Hanukkah, its traditions are different from Christmas-related customs. People should be conscious of this when giving gifts during the holidays. Gift-wrapping paper is an example of something to be aware of because most wrapping paper is Christmas-themed. This could be offensive to some who do not celebrate Christmas. “At my house we have Hanukkah paper and it’s silver and blue,” Reznikova said. “Those are the colors
Miranda Snyder | THE COLLEGIAN
Abdull Alkhraisi (right), English learning program student, talks with friends at the K-State Student Union about their cultural differences Friday. of Hanukkah and any gift is okay.” A simple gesture such as this is a good way to be inclusive in your gift-giving without offending anyone
who might not like Christmas-themed wrapping paper due to their religious views. Brandon Kliewer, assistant pro-
fessor in the Staley School of Leadership Studies, said it is important to remember that our worldview is not always the same view others may
have. By listening, people can begin to understand other religions, philosophies and values. “It would be helpful to remember that the U.S. is a multicultural and value plural society,” Kliewer said. “As such, individuals celebrate a range of holidays during this time of the year or none at all. I always try to give my friends, family and colleagues gifts for celebrations that are important to them. Just because certain holidays or dates are important to me does not mean it is of significance universally.” For those who do not celebrate any holiday during this holiday season, gift-giving can be more difficult. Abdull Alkhraisi, student in the English learning program, is Muslim and does not celebrate Christmas or any other holidays around this time. In fact, there are only two religious holidays that Muslim’s celebrate: Eid al-Fitr, which celebrates the end of fasting for Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, which is also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, according to Alkhraisi. “For my holidays it is more about giving money to the poor and helping people,” Alkhraisi said. “I would be appreciative of any gifts my American friends would give me for Christmas, even though I do not celebrate it.” Giving gifts for Christmas is not a bad thing, but it is good to be aware of those who do not celebrate Christmas to avoid offending anyone. Even something as simple as choosing a wrapping paper or a bag that is a solid color rather than one covered in drawings of Santa Claus can be more inclusive and make people feel more comfortable.
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OPINION tuesday, november 17, 2015
HEAD TO HEAD CHAT Liberal bias in media
JONATHAN GREIG
AUSTIN MCCAMPBELL the collegian
the collegian
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or this head-to-head, we decided to try out a more chatlike format where we can better address each other’s arguments, directly question each another and hopefully dig deeper into the issue of media bias. I am the opinion editor, Jonathan, and surely if you have read my pieces before, you will know how annoyingly liberal I am. Discussing this issue with me is my friend, fellow writer here at the Collegian and staunch conservative, Austin McCampbell. Jonathan: The New York Times detailed the declining trust the American public has in its media, and this phenomenon is especially true of American conservatives who now trust almost no one. While my role here is probably to vehemently disagree that the media is left-leaning, I think the paradigm of the “liberal media” is indeed true, and I know my partner surely feels the same way. But even so, the much more interesting question we’ll be focusing on is: Why is that the case? Austin: While both of us agree that liberal bias exists in the media, I believe the root cause is twofold; it is a result of liberal saturation of news and social media outlets, in addition to the liberal atmosphere colleges endorse where future journalists are taught. The first aspect of liberal media bias is because of the media itself. News outlets and newspapers are for the most part liberal, and when that’s all anyone sees, then it’s what they tend to accept while shunning the opposing viewpoints of another source. According to a Pew Research poll, 23 out of 32 news outlets are politically left of the average respondent’s beliefs. Another source I have found is from NewsBusters’ website. (I find it ironic that pointing out a bias tends to be rooted in a bias in and of itself in this instance, but I digress.) The article points out a “Morning Joe” airing on MSNBC in which Joe Scarborough, a host of the show, challenged the show’s other hosts and guests to name a single Republican that has hosted a Sunday show or that has been an anchor of the big three networks (ABC, CBS or NBC as he specifies later) over the past 50 years. By and large, it is true that the vast majority of news outlets are left-leaning. Secondly, while colleges are good conduits for civil discussion of ideas, many of those in charge of the discussion tend to swing left. The Leadership Institute, a group that advocates conservatism on college campuses, gives an example of this from the University of California-Irvine, where the American flag was banned by the legislative body for being a “weapon of imperialism.” While it is an extreme example, there are other smaller instances of pushing leftist principles on college campuses. Jonathan: Why do colleges lean left? Austin: I think that it comes down to the way of thinking. Liberal ideology is more institutional and focused on what’s good for the masses while conservatism places more emphasis on the individual. Being in college gives students the chance to think and participate as
Illustration by Kent Willmeth part of a collective for the first time, so institutional thinking is much more appealing. Why do you think bias exists in the media? Jonathan: Could is be possible that liberals are just smarter? Should we consider that maybe the reason conservatism finds enemies in scientists and journalists (whose job it is to watch over society) is that facts themselves lean liberal? Austin: Well I don’t think it’d be considered fair to assume that liberals are smarter based on media consensus. And facts on their own don’t convey bias, but rather in how they are interpreted. Do you have proof for claiming facts have a liberal bias by themselves? Jonathan: I don’t mean that liberals are smarter based on media consensus, and heck, I don’t really mean that liberals are inherently smarter at all. But I do think it’s an interesting question to at least lead us to talk about the connection between higher education and liberalism. You say that being in college is being part of a collective, and thus lends one to lean toward more institutional thinking — I am not exactly sure what you mean by that, could you explain further? And though I am absolutely not arguing that liberals are smarter — I sincerely hope no one takes me too seriously — as a liberal I would very much argue instead that we are beholden to fact more often than our ideological counterparts. One very easily observable example, the first that comes to mind, is the issue of climate change. According to another Pew Research Center study (that’s right, I have one too), 87 percent of scientists from the American Association for the Advancement of Science think climate change is
real and largely because of human activity, and a total of 96 percent believe it exists, at the very least. To contrast, Pew also reported that only 15 percent of conservative Republicans think it is real and largely because of human activity, and only a shocking total of 38 percent of the group believe it exists at all. Ninety-eight percent of scientists know that humans have evolved over time, according to Pew. Sixty-six percent oppose offshore drilling for oil and gas. Eighty-six percent say that your child’s vaccinations should be required. What I’m ultimately trying to get at here are the root causes behind why liberals end up dominating higher education and why liberals end up in journalism. It’s fine to agree that the media has a liberal bias, but is that necessarily and inherently for sinister reasons? I think not. Far too often conservatives not only abandon the most knowledgeable people we have — our scientists and teachers — but too often they outright scorn them. When one group tries to tear at both our most-learned and the journalists whose job it is to reveal truth (for opinions can be wrong), it leads me to believe they must be in the wrong more often than not. Austin: What I meant by thinking as a collective was that college allows new students to interact with new people and ideas and for them to think in more of a big-picture context. This differs quite a bit from the topics discussed over lunch in a high school cafeteria. While climate change is a good example of how facts can help one side, liberals in your example, the same can be said for statistics that can promote conservative beliefs. Take climate change again for example. Climate Change Dispatch’s website is dedicated to providing environmental evidence that
climate change is not as apocalyptic as it’s made out to be by the media. For example, they came out with a report, “Our Science-DenierIn-Chief,” claiming that Obama’s opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline was unfounded. That “the State Department 2014 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement not only concluded that approving the pipeline would not increase greenhouse gas emissions, but would actually reduce emissions relative to the ‘no action’ alternatives.” So why would liberals continue to push for anti-oil measures when state officials are saying otherwise? Maybe liberals dominate the news industry and higher education because it’s the majority of what is expressed by news outlets that push their own agendas, regardless of conflicting evidence. To me, it seems like liberal bias in the media is a cyclical pattern. I agree that having a bias is not inherently bad, but not allowing equal representation in the media is where it can become a slippery slope. Jonathan: Interesting. Interacting with new people, new ideas and new ways of thinking sure sound like good things to me. Shouldn’t we strive for this for all young people? And by your logic that this leads to a liberalized mindset, shouldn’t we strive for that for all young people too? OK, now I’m just intentionally pestering you. I agree with you about being able to paint statistics to your own point to a certain degree. It is far too easy to misuse data and cherry pick numbers that suit your argument. The reason I chose to use the above statistics in particular, however, is that I feel they are some of the most unbiased numbers we have — the thoughts of scientists, our society’s experts.
Scientists have an incredible mechanism of community-based self-critique, and their theories must survive lengthy and vigorous challenges to garner credibility. I would argue therefore that their collective opinion cannot be reasonably construed as partisan agenda chasing, but is the purest representation of fact we have yet achieved. But here’s where I think I split with you. While in a vacuum, yes, equal consideration should absolutely be a pillar of discourse; perhaps instead we would actually be better served by ensuring equally deserved consideration. What you fear is conservative ideas being suppressed by a partisan and biased media. What I fear is that accusations of that supposed suppression are being used to prop up bad ideas, under the guise of “equal consideration.” Just because there are two opposing ideas does not always mean that one isn’t more right than the other. I also think, in summation, that if we are going to argue that the media is disproportionately liberal (which again, we agree that it is) we should dig deeper into why. Does liberalism have inherent ideological and philosophic advantages that lead it to positions of influence like higher education and journalism? Or is it merely a self-fulfilling cycle we’ve stumbled into somewhere along the way? I’ll give you the last word. Do you have any concluding thoughts on the roots of media bias, its impact on public discourse or possible solutions? Austin: Absolutely. Opening students’ minds to the world around them is one of the central ideas and benefits of college. While the change in atmosphere can impact students’ ways of thinking, I believe that students need to be taught to consider an individual-centric mindset as well as how to operate within an institutional setting. Show the pros and cons of both and let the students decide which one to advocate. In regards to bias, it’s unrealistic to think that news will ever be purely objective. There will always be evidence to back liberal and conservative ideologies, so I wouldn’t say there’s more or less data contributing to either side, depending on what issue is up for debate. That said, I believe bias in the media is a perpetuation of itself, liberal or conservative. Biased news sources influence future news outlets when holding the majority of media output. Right now, liberal sources control most of the output, so that is what to be expected until a shift in narrative. When that might be, I haven’t the faintest idea. Until then, conservative fists will continue to shake at the media and to blame “the system.” I’m sure the same would be said of liberals if the balance of bias tips the other way. 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.
Jonathan Greig is a senior in anthropology and Austin McCampbell is a senior in history. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com
Letter to the Editor: Allow concealed carry on campus Dear Editor, The opinion article “How ‘concealed carry’ equals concealed ignorance” by Ryan Villwock is flawed to say the least. I am a concerned K-State student that is strongly in favor of allowing concealed carry on campus. Our college campus should be a safe environment for everyone. However, gunfree zones are a target for mass murders because there is no threat to the shooter from faculty, staff or students who are carrying a gun. The Crime Prevention Research Center indicates that in the U.S., 92 percent of mass shootings have occurred in gun-free zones since 2009. Many people vividly remember the mass shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007 in which
a mentally unstable shooter killed 32 people on a gun-free campus. The gunman chained doors from the inside of a science and engineering building to prevent the police from stopping him and to keep his victims from escaping. The locked doors slowed down the police response at Virginia Tech. When time is of the essence, the police will most likely not be there to help you soon enough. If someone in the building had a concealed handgun, perhaps less innocent people would have died. I personally do not want my college campus to be the target of a mentally unstable active shooter and be the topic of CNN’s Breaking News. The 2015 Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report for Manhattan
indicates that there were 23 reported sexual assaults in 2014. This number has gone up significantly from six and eight reported sexual assaults in 2012 and 2013, respectively. What if those victims could have defended themselves with a handgun, preventing an attack? We all have seen the blue emergency phones scattered around campus that are intended to provide some type of security to students and faculty. How will a blue phone prevent you or your daughter from being mugged, assaulted or raped? Could you have been able to reach a blue phone or get your cellphone out of your pocket to make a call before you were victimized? Violent crimes happen quickly. Ponder that next time you are walking across campus after dark.
Contrary to the belief of some people, more guns do not equal more violence. It will not become, and has not become, the Wild West with shootouts being commonplace as portrayed by Hollywood movies. The FBI shows that violent crime has decreased by 14.5 percent from 2004-13. At the same time, background checks for gun sales have increased 41.2 percent over the time period of 2004-13, courtesy of the FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System reports. Fox News and the Crime Prevention Research Center report the murder rate in the U.S. has decreased over the last eight years while concealed carry permits have increased by 178 percent. The facts show that when people own more guns and carry con-
cealed handguns, society does not become a more dangerous place, but a safer one. Contrary to an earlier opinion published by the Collegian on Nov. 8, guns are used in self-defense often. According to Dr. Gary Kleck, a criminologist at Florida State University, guns are used in self-defense situations close to 2.5 million times annually. Protecting yourself with a gun in most cases does not require shooting the criminal. The FBI reports that from 200610 there were less than 233 justifiable homicides committed annually by private citizens with firearms. The numbers show that guns are great deterrents to criminals without lethal force being necessary nearly 100 percent of the time. Before you decide
whether you agree with concealed carry being allowed on campus or not, look at the facts. Allowing concealed carry on campus will not turn Kansas State into a battlefront. Instead faculty, staff and students will be able to defend themselves and fellow Wildcats. The possibility that a criminal could likely encounter someone with a concealed handgun decreases the criminal’s safety and may be deterrent enough, making our college safer. Most criminals are cowards who strike only when they are sure there is no risk to themselves. If you do not support concealed carry on campus, will the blue emergency phone be able to save you? Daniel Adee Senior in Agronomy
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tuesday, november 17, 2015
Wildcats sit at 2-0 for the start of the season RILEY GATES the collegian
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t was truly home-sweet-home for the K-State women’s basketball team in their home opener on Monday night at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats faced off against Abilene Christian in their 2015-16 home opener, and it was quite the way to come out in your first home game. The Wildcats of K-State defeated the Wildcats of Abilene Chirstian 76-45. “Well, I thought offensively we did some good things,” head Coach Jeff Mittie said. “Early, I liked our ball movement. Defensively, I’m still concerned with a lot of areas, but it got a little better as the night went on. They did have a rough shooting night which was a little bit more them than us. We had a little more discipline, which I thought was better. We got some deflections, which was better. Rebounding is still a big concern. But all-in-all, not bad. I think this was a good test for us.” It took K-State some time to get the ball rolling as they trailed Abilene Christian 18-17 after the first quarter of play. However, K-State would come to life in the second quarter thanks to the performance of Megan Deines. The senior guard from Springfield, Missouri scored 18 of her 20 points in the first half, 12 of which came in the second quarter, and led K-State on a 20-7 rally in the quarter which sent the Wildcats into the locker room at halftime with a 37-25 lead. “I thought she (Deines) had a good look,” Mittie said of Deines’ performance in the Wildcats’ home opening win. “She does a good job of getting in the middle and that’s an area that I think we have mul-
tiple players that are comfortable there. But Megan, I thought, had a real good feel in there and we get the ball there with her, I think good things happen. She was able to get some passes but also score some buckets.” For Deines, it was all about following the game plan that Coach Mittie set up, and doing what was necessary for K-State to come out on top. “Like (Coach Mittie) said, getting to the middle,” Deines said. “We knew we weren’t going to run a bunch of our offense but like coach said, he wanted people to make plays.” Not far behind Deines on the score sheet was junior Breanna Lewis with 19 points. Nine of those 19 points for Lewis came in the third quarter including eight consecutive points scored by Lewis alone. Lewis was complimented on her play on Monday night, but is still not satisfied with all aspects of her game. “I mean, we were looking at our rebounds and it was good to be 9 for 12,” Lewis said. “But I feel like I’m not satisfied within myself because I want to work on other things. As far as rebounds, that’s just bothering me.” K-State would at one moment hold a 36-point lead before Abilene Christian would cut it down to only 31 before the final buzzer sounded and K-State advanced to a 2-0 record. The Wildcats will be at home again on Thursday night to play host to South Dakota with a tip-off slated for 7:00 PM. Rodney Dimick | THE COLLEGIAN
Senior guard Megan Deines pushes through defenders during the game against Abilene Christian Monday inside Bramlage Coliseum. Deines sunk a total of 20 points.
PARIS | People shocked, confused by attacks, student says continued from page
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What was your immediate reaction and that of the people around you? What was the fear of danger? I was freaking out, but people around me were dealing with the news a lot better than I was. Mostly people were just shocked and confused because not that much information was available at the time. When I found out how close we were located to all the attacks that took place, my fear only increased. Thankfully our hostel had Wi-Fi, and we were able to message our friends and family that we were safe. Was there ever a moment that night when it felt like the violence had to be over? There was never a moment when I felt like the violence was over. No one knew how many accomplices there were, if they had all died or if they were still at large. It has been three days since the attacks took place, and I still feel like it’s not over, especially now that the problem has moved north to Belgium and air strikes have increased in Syria. I believe the attacks in Paris were just the beginning of the violence that is to come.
George Walker | THE COLLEGIAN
Laura Meyers, junior in public relations, lights a candle during the vigil for the victims of terrorism on the steps of Bosco Plaza Monday. The Veteran Student Organization sponsored the event with the help of the K-State College Republicans.
Did you get any sleep at all? I got very little sleep on Friday night. Fear and worry invaded my mind, not just for my friend and myself, but also for our two other roommates who had still not returned. We had no way to contact them, and the only thing we could do was pray for their safety. By the time I was done messaging all my friends and family it was around 4 a.m., 9 p.m.
back in Kansas. Our hostel was also near a hospital and the sound of sirens did not stop all night, and they served as a constant reminder of all the evil that had taken place that night. Were you already planning on going back to Ireland that weekend, or did the attacks spur you leaving? Luckily we were able to fly out Sunday morning as planned, and the flight went smoothly with no problems. What was the energy like in Paris the next day? We ended up only leaving our hostel once the next day, and that was to get lunch right across the street. Even then I was on edge, 100 percent aware of everyone and everything that was happening in the store. I might have been paranoid, but I was not the only one. The atmosphere was sorrowful; there were less cars on the streets, less smiles and less trust in humanity. After I realized how nervous I was just to walk across the street, my friend and I decided not to leave our hostel unless absolutely necessary. Staying in my room all day on Saturday was not how I wanted to spend my last day in Paris, but I couldn’t even complain or be upset because I was alive and well. All the support and messages that I received from my family and friends were incredible. It made my whole experience a little easier and ended up making me miss everyone so immensely. I cannot wait to be reunited with my family in Topeka just in time for Christmas and my K-State family in January. Go Cats!
HOUSING | Residence halls aim to lower costs continued from page
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To help minimize cost increases for students, Lander said Housing and Dining Services tries to maintain their buildings as cost-efficiently as possible. “We really try to do a good job with staying on top of things before they become issues,” Lander said. Skyler Harper, associate director of Housing and Dining Services Facilities Management, said the department is working on projects to help students see the impact of habits, such as long showers or leaving faucets running. Since students living in the residence halls do not receive individual water bills, it is harder for them to make the correlation between their individual usage and their actual cost of living than it might be for those who do not reside in the residence halls. “We’re trying to do some things that would help our students understand how much water usage we do,” Harper said. “Hopefully within the next year we’ll be able to actually give more feedback to the students on what water usage we have and give them more opportunities to be a participant in the conservation of our water usage.” Harper said he could eventually see competitions happening between residence halls to see which ones can save the most water. For now, however, a number of water-saving features already exist in many of the halls, including low-flow faucets and showers. Cardello said she thought having competitions between floors within each residence hall could be a better idea than having the competitions between halls because it would make it easier for leaders to get everyone on board with conservation efforts. Still, Cardello said she was supportive of competitions even if they were between halls. “Making a competition out of it would be a good idea,” Cardello said.
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tuesday, november 17,2015
Finding the perfect gifts for your loved ones MAYARA GARAY KOSTIANOVSKY the collegian
W
e are getting to the time of the year when gift-giving is often expected. Thinking about what to get your loved ones can sometimes be stressful, but there are several options when it comes to choosing what presents you want to give those close to you. There are many things that can be given as gifts that are often forgotten when we’re in a hurry. There are several things to take into consideration when thinking about what to get someone you love for the holidays. Some things to keep in mind are the person’s likes and dislikes, favorite music genre, favorite singer or band, a place in the world they dream about going, what they like to read, what their hobbies are and everything that makes you love them. Another thing you can think of is where to go to find gifts for everyone in your family. Megan Barrett, employee at Acme Gift, said that when in doubt she just looks through the store and usually finds something that makes her think of someone. “We have a ton of different varieties of stuff, so we have things that you could give to your grandma; we have cookbooks and random books,” Barrett said. “I walk in everyday and I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness, this would be perfect for so and so’ and I don’t
even need to get them a gift; its not even their birthday … we just have a lot of things that reminds people of stuff or other people.” Barrett also said that for couples, giving something funny to your “bae” would be a good idea, no matter the reason for the gift. “There’s a lot of people who come in and get funny things for their boyfriends because you know you have those idiosyncrasies with each other,” Barrett said. “Always flowers, you can always get your girlfriend flowers. We love those … and for a boyfriend, the local pints pack are best sellers in the store.” On the other hand, some people like it better and find it more meaningful when you make their gift. Lizzie Young, sophomore in elementary education, said her favorite things to give are presents made with pictures because it shows you remember and treasure the time you spent together with someone. “I like to give things that would make people happy and things that they’ll know I put a lot of thought into; I like to make little and personalized things,” Young said. “I usually go on Pinterest or Shutterfly. I think pictures show memories and that you like spending time with that person, and I think that’s just a lot more meaningful than giving a gift card.” If you are in a rush and don’t really have time to make something yourself, however, you can always go back to gift cards. One type of gift
Slightly sarcastic horoscopes from Madam LoCoco: Week of Nov. 16-22
Renee Dick | THE COLLEGIAN
Ashley Krier, sophomore in biology, and Julie Cooper, sophomore in biochemistry, browse for upcoming holiday gifts in Acme Gifts Sunday. The shop in Aggieville offers a wide variety of shirts, cards and trinkets that suit any taste. card that could be useful for college students are Follett gift cards, which are affiliated with the K-State Student Union Bookstore, as well as many different colleges across the U.S. Rhonda Darrow, employee at the store, said these can be good ideas
the collegian
Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20) As you continue to hurtle towards the end of your academic career at a reckless terminal velocity, remember an important lesson from driver’s ed. Using your cruise control for long trips might be more comfortable, but that doesn’t mean you can let go of the steering wheel.
Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Air-headed buffoons are swarming around you this week like moths around a porch light, and of the people who you irritate on a daily basis with your incessant whining are eating up whatever it is that you’re subconsciously putting out…and your patience with it. Payback’s a bitch, ain’t it?
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) You may find yourself inspired to spend some time at the rec center this week, but you’ll just stare in awe at all of the washboard abs and perky butts all around you. It’s too bad that your eyes don’t need to slim down, because that’s the only part of your body that will be any kind of a workout.
Aries (March 21 - April 19) Try not to let your insecurities get the better of you this week. Jumping to conclusions about whether your partner was trying to cheat on you or trying to screw you over will only make you look like a fool if you’re wrong. And even if you’re right, you’ll look like a dramatic jackass and be single to boot.
Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22) People around you are starting to pick up on the fact that you’re all mach and no vector. Before long people are just going to start tossing your big talk of lofty goals right out in the window. Cut the B.S., take the job in food service, and keep your mouth shut until you’re ready to actually go after what you say you want.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) Everyone gangway! Here comes the multitasking machine! Try not to get yourself to wrapped around the axel about your workload, though. You tend to make a lot of weird faces and strange distressed noises when you’re stressing out, and it’s really uncomfortable for everyone else to watch.
Taurus (April 20 - May 20) You’re as desperate as a dog begging underneath the Thanksgiving table. Stop being so single-mindedly obnoxious in your pining. You’ll eventually get what you want. You almost always do.
Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) You’ll find that one of life’s greatest gifts is finding that special person who is not completely draining to spend time with. Life’s greatest curse in that you’ll only ever meet maybe three of them. Life’s greatest statistical inconvenience is that you’ll almost never be one of each other’s three people at the same time.
Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Look at you go, Gemini. This week you are more lovelorn and passionate than the steamiest Spanish telenovela. Hopefully you’re intended beau will be speaking your language (if you know what I mean), but make sure you aren’t just mistranslating. They’re probably just trying to tell you, “adios.”
From the President’s desk
ANDY HURTIG JOE TINKER Fellow K-Staters, Hope you all had a good weekend and are excited to close out the week and start Thanksgiving break. We know the last week of school before break can be agonizing, but we encourage you to power through it to the end of the week. On Friday, we watched with the world as Paris was engulfed in terror as armed militants and suicide bombers conducted attacks on innocent civilians. We want to take a moment to express our support for the people of Paris. The issues of privilege, racism and the role agencies of higher education play in addressing these issues have been a crucial subject among students at schools around the Midwest. The University of Missouri and The University of Kansas are both witnessing the impact of not being proactive and
have brothers or sisters that go to Notre Dame, or Purdue or something like that they can always use them for those too.” Now that you have different gift options, you can find the perfect present for everyone on your list.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) You may be feeling compelled to try some out-ofthe-box thinking to make a quick buck, but beware of this state of mind: lately, those spam email scams about starting a business from your dorm are looking mighty appealing, but remember, desperation is the mother of all incarceration.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) This week you’ll feel positively born-again. And no, not in the religious sense. Waaaaah! Let it all out with a good cry, but don’t bank on anyone else trying to pacify your immaturity with a bottle or a blankie. A rum and coke might do the trick, though. You can even put it in your favorite sippy-cup.
IRIS LOCOCO
because you can choose exactly how much to spend on a gift. “We have the Follett gift cards and you can get them anywhere from $5 up to $500, and we sell quite a bit of those,” Darrow said. “You can use those in any Follett store, so if you
adequately addressing the issues faced by multicultural students. We aim to be different. K-State has prided itself on fostering a culture of “family” on campus. This means we strive to be inclusive, understanding and appreciative of one another. Yet it would be wrong for us to assume that our campus is free of any intolerance or prejudice. Last Thursday, Joe and I worked with the Black Student Union, Office of Diversity and Office of Student Life to bring to light the barriers that prevent us from fully realizing the concept of “family.” In this time of unrest with racial tension across the nation, we gathered with students and advisors from our diverse multicultural and international communities to acknowledge the reality that there is always work to be done. The conversation led to several ideas for supporting and celebrating diversity such as: Cultural competency courses, Cultural awareness facilitation training, A more diverse faculty, staff, and administration, and Developing a university campaign to highlight how culture and diversity adds value to the educational experience and supportive environment that we are proud of here at K-State. While events around the
country bring magnitude to this dialogue on our campus, we are energized and committed to working toward a better, more inclusive K-State of the future. We invite you to help us address this issue together by reaching out and contacting either the Office of Diversity, Office of Student Life or us directly if you experience any form of racism or inequality at K-State. Our contact information can be found below. The survey regarding student views on gun control policies should be active and in your K-State inboxes. We strongly urge you to take this survey largely because it is a sensitive issue that affects all areas of campus. We need your feedback in order to help us advocate for what is best for K-State’s campus. Lastly, as always, we would love your feedback, comments and concerns. We depend on them to inform our decisions as we work towards enhancing your experience at K-State. You can reach us directly via Twitter at @ KStateSBP_SBVP or by email at sga@ksu.edu. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!
Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) You’re positively vibrating with creative energy this week, but maybe making origami fortunetellers out of sticky notes on your desk isn’t the most productive use of that sudden influx. Try to be a little more efficient—and mature—in your artistry and you might not end up unemployed and starving to death.
BRIEFS | RCPD joins task force,
Touchstone accepting submissions continued from page
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This collaboration will be possible after a consensus of the five members on the County’s Law Enforcement Agency Law Board to add a new member to the group. The member would be chosen from RCPD ranks. The position is full time and would involve reporting to RCPD authorities regularly. Considering the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility and the recent bomb threat incident at Fort Riley, Brad Schoen, Riley County Police director, said now would be an opportune time to participate in terrorism prevention. Schoen informed the board that while this opportunity would leave RCPD a person short, it would be worth the department being in the loop on situations of concern, according to KMAN. Craig Beardsley, program administrator for the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center at K-State, said he was in favor of RCPD joining the group, according to KMAN. Reportedly, the board discussed more work on the ultimate agreement before
signing it. RCPD officials were given permission to proceed in forming a “more definitive agreement” by December’s meeting.
K-STATE LITERARY MAGAZINE ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS
Touchstone, K-State’s literary magazine that is published every spring, “showcases nationwide graduate and undergraduate work,” according to K-State Today. The magazine is published by the College of Arts and Sciences with help from K-State Creative Writing faculty, the Fine Arts Council and the English department. The magazine accepts poetry, fiction, flash fiction, creative nonfiction and artwork. K-State undergraduate entrants who earn first and second places will receive a cash prize in the Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Fiction and Art categories. More information on acceptable submissions is available on the submissions website or by emailing touch@k-state.edu.
relive the moment
Andy Hurtig, student body president Joe Tinker, student body vice president
with The Collegian & Royal Purple reprints photos.collegianmedia.com
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