Columnist Hamilton Reed explores the future of cyber warfare | Page 4
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The road to success CSU volleyball defeats UNLV for first win away from Moby
THE RO CKY MOUNTAIN
COLLEGIAN
Fort Collins, Colorado
Monday, October 15, 2012
Volume 121 | No. 49
www.collegian.com
THE STUDENT VOICE OF COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1891
CSU substance use among highest in nation By Austin Briggs The Rocky Mountain Collegian Colorado is known for its sunshine, outdoor activities and being the healthiest state in the country. Ironically, it’s also known for its beer culture, liberal views on drug use and as having one of the highest rates of substance use in the nation. A 2012 national survey done by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that marijuana, alcohol and illicit drug use among adults age 18 to 25 in Colorado is among the highest in the country. Likewise, a yearly survey done by CSU and compiled by the American College Health Association shows CSU with similarly higher numbers when compared to other campuses across the nation. “These numbers are nothing new,” said Charles Smith, SAMHSA coordinator for the Rocky Mountain region. “Every year it’s relatively consistent data for our state in Colorado as well as for the region that includes Utah, Montana, North and South Dakota and Wyoming.” There are three main reasons that our state ranks so high, Smith said. Coloradans are less inclined to
believe that drugs and alcohol are unhealthy for you. The substances also aren’t regulated as much as in other states, which leads to greater availability. In addition, access to prevention programs and treatment centers is lower in Colorado then it is across the country. “Every year when the numbers are released that question gets asked,” Smith said. “Attitudes are definitely a big part of it. We don’t see it as risky to use drugs and alcohol. We know if people think it’s risky they tend not to use.” According to SAMHSA, 61.6 percent of adults aged 18 to 25 nationwide drank at least once in the last month. In Colorado, the number jumps to almost 69 percent. CSU also drinks more than most other universities. About 72 percent of students at CSU drank at least once in the last month, compared to 62 percent at other colleges surveyed by ACHA. Colorado also rated higher for the number of binge drinking episodes per month than the national average as well. SAMHSA defines binge drinking as consuming five or more drinks in one sitting. At CSU, 27 percent of students reported drinking five or more drinks one to two times in the last month. The na-
tional average is 21.4 percent. Alcohol use among college students is especially dangerous, said Donald Misch, the assistant vice chancellor for health and wellness at CU Boulder, because it can possibly increase the risk of death, disability, sexual assault, academic failure and legal difficulties. “Alcohol is the number one public health hazard on campus. It doesn’t solely cause all those problems, but it’s highly associated with them,” Misch said. “There is no other single factor likely to hurt a college student.” The trend is similar for marijuana. Nationally, 18.9 percent of people ages 18 to 25 smoked at least once in the last month. Head to Colorado and the number spikes to 26.4 percent of adults in the same age range. CSU rated lower than the state average of 18 to 25 year olds, with 18.7 percent of students claiming to have smoked marijuana in the last month. The average on college campuses nationwide is 14.3 percent. “Honestly, given the Colorado culture, I’m not surprised about the marijuana numbers,” said Andrea Coryelll, the assistant director of Alcohol and Other Drugs Health Education and Preven-
the
Strip club
Here’s a question that really makes students squirm: “Have you ever cheated on something?” Many have to some extent at one time or another, but there will always be someone who is a worse cheater than you.
Biggest Cheaters In History Photo illustration by Dylan langille | COLLEGIAN
CSU has higher drug and alchohol usage that the national average for Universities.
tion Services at CSU. “The laws are very lax here and I think there’s also a certain See substances on Page 3
Is this cheating?
Academic Integrity Week clears up the grey areas
Lance Armstrong
Not content with winning the Tour de France no less than seven times (allegedly) under the influence of performance enhancing drugs, Lance Armstrong has also been accused of running a doping operation with other cyclists as well.
By Candice Miller The Rocky Mountain Collegian The academic integrity honor pledge at CSU sounds simple enough: “I will not give, receive, or use any unauthorized assistance on academic work.” If only its interpretation were that easy. “The Honor Pledge by itself has lowered cheating at other schools,” said Elaine Green, director of academic integrity for The Institute for Learning and Teaching (TILT) at CSU. “It affects the student culture.” To reinforce the importance of this pledge, Green, Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services and student government have organized “Academic Integrity Week, which begins today. Over the course of the week, the organizations will host six events geared toward helping students avoid unintentional plagiarism. The events include writing theses ethically and avoiding academic dishonesty in foreign language classes. Sophomore equine major Allyx Moose had a run-in with the Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services (CRSCS) when she took an online test last year. The test was supposed to be closed-note, but she decided to take it at the same time as many of her classmates. “They told us they believed we had cheated off each other,” Moose said. “Because we took it at the same time, they assumed we took it together, that we had talked to each other during the test.” When instructors suspect academic misconduct, their next step is to follow specific See integrity on Page 5
Jayson Blair
Nick Lyon | COLLEGIAN
Bhauesh Khemka, left Pronaya Sath, Abheet Sathe, and Anoop Yodaw dance a traditional dance and drama prasiing Lord Krishna Sunday night during the CSU India Nite.
‘Heck yeah, India Nite’
CSU celebrates Indian culture in style, draws 900 people in attendance By Austin Briggs The Rocky Mountain Collegian Even though India is 8,400 miles away from Colorado, it seemed a lot closer Sunday night in the Lory Student Center. A high-energy crowd of approximately 900 people filled the LSC Main Ballroom to get a taste of Indian culture as part of CSU’s Indian Students Association annual India Nite. Unique food, dancing, music, comedy routines and prize giveaways showcased the country’s rich heritage, bringing a little culture to Fort Collins and a reminder of home for more than 120 Indian international students studying at CSU. “It’s so much fun to share the culture and show people what it’s all about,” said club president Bhavesh Khemka, who’s working on a doctorate degree in electrical and computer engineering. “There’s so many different aspects of Indian culture and we want to promote that.” By hosting India Nite, the club
hoped to both allow students from India to keep a connection to their heritage and to have community members experience first hand the richness and diversity found in India. Manoj Gedela arrived at CSU from India two months ago to work on a master’s degree in electrical engineering. He said this was the first time he had ever left the country and has been feeling homesick lately. India Nite was a good opportunity to reconnect with his culture, Gedela said. “I miss my home. There’s all the things you miss when you’re away,” Gedela said. “It’s always nice to have something to remind you of where you’re from. I loved watching the Bollywood dances tonight.” Jason Moses, a senior computer science major, heard about India Nite through a friend. He said he’s a big fan of Indian culture and cuisine and was excited to see what would be on hand Sunday evening. “When I heard it about I thought
‘heck yeah, India Nite,’” Moses said. “It’s a great idea because it gives people chance to experience another country’s culture and cuisine. I’m glad it’s here.” The exotic smell of spices filled the air as attendees sampled food ranging from samosa, a mixture of peas and potatoes deep fried in wheat batter, to sonpapdi, a light dessert that’s loosely described as the Indian version of cotton candy. On stage, dancers in brightly hued outfits took turns performing dance routines ranging from classic cultural to more contemporary Bollywood themes. Between acts, a rotating set of MC’s bantered with each other and handed out prizes to audience members. “Each state in India has its own dance forms,” said biochemistry master’s student Venkata Charepalli. “Dancing and festivals are part of every person’s life in India.” Charepalli performed in a showcase See india on Page 3
Blair was an upcoming and promising journalist at the New York Times, at least he was until it was discovered that he had plagiarized a number of his articles and straight up fabricated some of them.
Governor Mark Sanford
For six days in 2009, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford went completely AWOL. When he finally resurfaced, he claimed that he had been hiking the Appalachian Trail. However, he was spotted arriving at the airport from Argentina by the media. Turns out he’d been having an international extramarital affair; an affair that demolished his entire political career. The Strip Club is written by the Collegian staff and designed by Design Editor Kris Lawan.