Monday, September 14, 2020 Vol. 130, No. 8

GET YOUR VOTE ON ASCSU elections Sept. 14-16

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FORT COLLINS FOCUS

Colorado State University professor of entomology Boris Kondratieff discusses various aspects and determinants of water quality with Heidi Pruess, a resident of Fort Collins, Sept. 13.

The City of Fort Collins Natural Areas organized the program in which community members collected and examined invertebrate species that are found in the Cache la Poudre River.

PHOTO BY PRATYOOSH KASHYAP THE COLLEGIAN

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Jenna Landry | A&C Director Anna Schwabe | Copy Chief During the first four weeks of summer, The Collegian does not publish. During the last eight weeks of entertainment@collegian.com copy@collegian.com summer, The Collegian publishes online Monday Noah Pasley | A&C Editor through Thursday. Corrections may be submitted to Amy Noble | Design Director the editor in chief and will be printed as necessary on entertainment@collegian.com design@collegian.com page two. The Collegian is a complimentary publication for the Fort Collins community. The first copy is free.

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ASCSU campaign: Speaker candidates debate top University issues

By Serena Bettis @serenaroseb

Listening to student voices, micro legislation and favorite cereals were just a few of the many topics brought up at Tuesday’s speaker of the senate debate.

Candidates Christian Dykson, Kyle Hill, Tristan Reyez and Lys Taddei debated their goals and qualifications for nearly two hours Sept. 8, all vying to become the next speaker of the senate for the Associated Students of Colorado State University.

CTV Channel 11 moderator Lauren Wadsworth asked all candidates general questions regarding the issues they think are most prominent on campus and how they would lead the senate, along with inquiries into each candidate’s specific campaign platforms.

Leading the senate The speaker of the senate oversees senate operations, sets the legislative agenda and manages the business on the floor of the senate, according to the

ASCSU website. At the debate, candidates shared why they are qualified to be the speaker and what they hope to accomplish in this role.

Dykson frequently spoke on his idea to implement micro legislation, which he said will give more power to CSU students who do not personally know an ASCSU senator.

“Typical government bills, student government bills, are too long, they’re too complicated and they often don’t address the root of the problem,” Dykson said. “We understand that. We want to create a system where when you see a problem on campus, you identify a solution (and) you tell us how much funding you need and it immediately becomes a reality.”

Hill expressed concerns over Dykson’s ideas, stating that having a process that is too streamlined could result in unnecessary legislation and use of funds.

“I believe that we are holding a couple hundred thousand dollars of student fees,” Hill said.

“And if we were just to pass it off like flies, we could leave some

without any checks and balances. We can have a system where we go send it to committee, back to senate and if we keep going back and forth, it brings checks and balances.”

Dykson said the process for passing legislation would remain the same, but micro legislation would give all students more access to suggesting bills and solving problems they see on campus.

Reyez said he is more concerned with students feeling included than changing legislative systems, to which Dykson responded saying both can happen at the same time.

Throughout the debate, Taddei expressed her desire for efficiency and productivity within the senate to pass as many bills as possible.

Engaging students and creating an inclusive environment Reyez spoke on how, as speaker, he hopes to engage more students by creating an inclusive environment both within ASCSU and across the campus as a whole. see DEBATE on page 4 >>

Associated Students of Colorado State University speaker of the senate candidate Lys Taddei speaks at the debate in the North Ballroom of the Lory Student Center, Sept. 9. PHOTO BY ANNA VON PECHMANN THE COLLEGIAN

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DEBATE >> from page 3 “Students from the (Student Diversity Programs and Services) offices have repeatedly said they do not feel welcome in the ASCSU senate space,” Reyez said.

“Many of them have left due to controversies in the senate last year. It was just a hostile space for them to be in. ... We need to make sure that the atmosphere is good for all students, all identities and that people are being represented fairly.”

Reyez said that he does not know the experience of every student on campus, but will go to the SDPS offices and discuss what ASCSU can do to make effective change.

Earlier in the debate, candidate Dykson said hearing the stories of other students was really important to him, and he described a few stories international students told him about their struggles on campus and the uncertainty they have faced in the current political climate.

“It’s stories like that that we need to hear and we need to know,” Dykson said. “There is no limit to who may not feel heard right now because as the system is built now, it’s not built for you to feel heard.”

Reyez and Dykson also discussed the need for education on antisemitism in order for Jewish students to feel safe on campus.

Hill said he thinks real consequences, like suspension and expulsion, need to happen when the code of conduct is broken.

Taddei disagreed with Hill, saying that the code of conduct will not do anything to prevent people’s actions, and she thinks resources should be focused on supporting those impacted by antisemitism. “(It is important) to harbor an environment where diverse speakers are welcome,” Taddei said.

All candidates also emphasized the need to read the land acknowledgment at every ASCSU meeting.

ELECTIONS ASCSU VOTING BEGINS SEPT. 14 ON RAMWEB AND ENDS AT 4 P.M. SEPT. 16.

Balancing opposing viewpoints Taddei consistently said that it is not the point of the speaker to create policy, but to support the senate in doing so.

“ASCSU is an apolitical organization,” Taddei said. “My job is to support the people. I do that by making sure the senators can do their job as well as possible. My job as speaker of the senate is to moderate the meeting efficiently.”

Associated Students of Colorado State University speaker of the senate candidate Kyle Hill speaks at the debate in the North Ballroom of the Lory Student Center Sept. 9. PHOTO BY ANNA VON PECHMANN THE COLLEGIAN

Taddei stated that, as speaker, it is not her place to have an opinion.

Reyez disagreed, explaining that he thinks the speaker of the senate needs to use their position to advocate for students, especially because they have access to CSU administration and President Joyce McConnell.

“A speaker of the senate who does not advocate to the president of the University and have their own opinions, have their own policies and values that they want to advocate for, is not a speaker of the senate who will sit down with students and who will advocate for their needs,” Reyez said.

Dykson said he wants to make sure that both sides of an argument are heard equally.

“ASCSU is nonpartisan,” Hill said. “As speaker of the senate, it is good to hear both sides.

Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican or whatever political affiliation you are, you have the right to hear both, even if you do not agree with it. That is important when making decisions, and that is something that we need: impartiality.”

Voting for ASCSU speaker of the senate, president and vice president opens on RAMweb Sept. 14 and will continue through Sept. 16 at 4 p.m.

Serena Bettis can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Associated Students of Colorado State University speaker of the senate candidates at the debate in the North Ballroom of the Lory Student Center Sept. 9. PHOTO BY ANNA VON PECHMANN THE COLLEGIAN

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ASCSU campaign: Adam Peña and Merry Gebretsadik

By Sam Moccia @SamuelMoccia

assistant and now a presidential ambassador.

“Being in ASCSU for three years now, I know how student government works,” Gebretsadik said. “I know this space. …

I’ve worked a lot with prospective students and current students who have told me their concerns, and now, being a presidential ambassador, I get to work directly with administration.”

Her frustration with the lack of communication between students and administration was a driving factor in her desire to run, Gegretsadik said. “(I experienced) firsthand in senate students being frustrated that administration wasn’t communicating with them, especially last year around a lot of the racially motivated incidents,” said Gebretsadik. “It was very frustrating going into (Student Diversity Programs and Services) offices and being (an) RA last year and residents saying ‘What is administration doing? We feel like we’re not heard. We don’t feel valued.’”

Additionally, Gebretsadik said she also wants to ensure that all students have the opportunity to find their community and thrive at CSU, even non-traditional students and those with work or family obligations.

“Seeing the concerns and stress of students on campus just makes me strive to make this a better place for them,” she said.

Their platform Gebretsadik and Peña say they’re running to address three major issues on campus: unity, food security and student advocacy.

Toting extensive community and student government experience and campaigning under the slogan “Unity for our Community,” Adam Peña and Merry Gebretsadik are running to become the Associated Students of Colorado State University’s next president and vice president.

Peña and Gebretsadik are committed to bridging division across campus and ensuring that opportunities for involvement are available for all students, according to both candidates.

Adam Peña, presidential candidate Peña, a third-year psychology major who works as an involvement advisor, has been involved in community building on campus since he first arrived.

Peña has worked as an orientation leader, sat on the student board for the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the Neuroscience Student Organization and worked as an intramural sports referee.

Peña decided to run in response to what he saw as widespread division in CSU’s community, and he feels that his connection with both new and current students demonstrates the kind of authentic connection Associated Students of Colorado State University presidential candidate Adam Peña poses for a portrait at The which the position as president Lagoon. PHOTO BY SKYLER PRADHAN THE COLLEGIAN requires.

“We want to change that marketing campaign” and culture now. I’m only one perboosted SLiCE funding to get son, so I know I can’t do that transfer and first-year students alone,” Peña said. “Everyone can into involvement advising. They help someone. ... We can band plan to utilize relationships together as a community and with student centers, leave no Rams behind. experience as orientation That’s exactly what we’re and connections going to do. That’s why “We can band together as a leaders with SLiCE to fuel their we’re running.” community and leave no Rams behind, mission, according to Above all else, Peña that’s exactly what we’re going to do. both candidates. expressed his deep drive They plan to masto “make the students That’s why we’re running.” sively advertise the Rams feel heard in the converAgainst Hunger program sation, in the moment, ADAM PEÑA within SLiCE, which PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE right now.”

Peña described as “amaz“People want someing work” essential for one who’s real, who’s the community, promisactually gonna sit down and They hope to target each ing to commit funding specifihave a conversation with them issue by boosting Student cally to the program. about what they care about and Leadership, Involvement and Lastly, the two said they why they came to CSU,” Peña Community Engagement and want to streamline communicasaid. “And that’s literally the involvement advising funding; tion between staff and adminonly thing we’ve done since we massively increasing marketing istration, promising moderated stepped foot into CSU.” around community resources, Zoom meetings with not just Merry Gebretsadik, vice presidential namely Rams Against Hunger; CSU President Joyce McConnell candidate and creating consistent student- but deans of individual colleges.

Gebretsadik, a third-year to-administration dialogue.

Additionally, the two say they’ve political science major minoring “Ultimately, we wanna do developed feedback strategies in ethnic studies, has over three community building events and for those uncomfortable speakyears’ experience in ASCSU make sure that all the resources ing in meetings. and is currently a senator for and community guidelines that “I want every student to feel the Black/African American we have on campus are allocated proud to call themselves a Ram,” Cultural Center. Gebretsadik to everybody,” Gebretsadik said. Gebretsadik said. has also served as an ambassador Peña and Gebretsadik hope Sam Moccia can be reached Associated Students of Colorado State University vice presidential candifor the College of Liberal Arts, date Merry Gebretsadik poses for a portrait at The Lagoon. to develop “a Universitywide at news@collegian.com. an orientation leader, a resident PHOTO BY SKYLER PRADHAN THE COLLEGIAN

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ASCSU campaign: Hannah Taylor and Noah Schindler

By Alyssa Broyles @AlyssaBroyles

due to COVID-19. They also plan on making a COVID-19 relief committee that would hand out necessities, such as thermometers and hand sanitizer, to keep people safe.

“We don’t think that a student should go without hand sanitizer, a mask or a thermometer and have to be dishonest on their symptom checker because they can’t afford to pay for those things,” Taylor said. “So we think that we should provide for those.”

The COVID-19 relief platform would be their first priority if elected.

“We think immediately that needs to happen,” Taylor said. “Students are struggling, and we’ve seen it. We’ve experienced it with people around us.

We think that needs immediate attention, and we don’t think that the University has done enough.”

Their second platform is housing and fixing the issue of off-campus apartment complexes taking advantage of students.

“We want to create a performance review board on ASCSU’s website so that students can come on and give their honest experience about how they lived in these apartments and how they were treated,” Schindler said. “And then students who are coming into these new off-campus living areas can look at those reviews and understand what they are walking into before they are contractually obligated to be in those places.”

Their third platform is parking and transportation.

With transportation specifically, they want to expand on the partnership with Bird and make the Bird scooter rides free for students on campus.

Editor’s Note: Hannah Taylor is the alumni coordinator at Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation, which houses The Collegian.

Hannah Taylor and Noah Schindler run a campaign centered on three different platforms. Their hope is to drive forward change within the Associated Students of Colorado State University.

“I’m tired of waiting for the change I know that we can be,” Schindler said.

Hannah Taylor, presidential candidate Hannah Taylor has worked as ASCSU deputy director of governmental affairs. She has a grounded knowledge of government systems and deeper connections within the Fort Collins City Council.

“Taylor served as a member on the Student Fee Review Board, works with Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation as the alumni relations manager, is a College of Liberal Arts ambassador and is director of membership selection for Pi Beta Phi,” their campaign website said.

Taylor believes this background has prepared her for the role of ASCSU president.

“I have these relationships Associated Students of Colorado State University presidential candidate Hannah Taylor poses for a portrait at built up because of my work The Lagoon. PHOTO BY SKYLER PRADHAN THE COLLEGIAN with the city council and the mayor,” Taylor said. “So that’s pect everyone to be able to afsomething really nice to have ford that.” walking into this position, but When it comes to parking, we also have the experience of they want to cheapen permit leading teams and really workfees and expand free two-hour ing in persistence to accomplish parking due to fewer amounts something.” of students needing to park on Noah Schindler, vice presidential campus. candidate “We don’t think that Noah Schindler has students should have to no previous ASCSU expea parking permit if rience but is committed “(ASCSU) is supposed to be a buy they only have one class,” to ensuring that student collection of different ideas about Taylor said. “And if a stufees are only going to sysachieving the same goal, which is dent needs to buy a parktems that directly benefit permit, it shouldn’t the students. improving campus life for students ing cost as much since that “It’s really important of all backgrounds, and we want demand is no longer to me, and us, that we cut students to be seen as valuable there.” areas in the budget that Their slogan is students no longer have members of our community rather “Stand for students,” and access to,” Schindler said. they want to make ASCthan a number.”

“The student fees should SU, as an organization, only be going to fund proNOAH SCHINDLER more inclusive. grams that are currently VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE “(ASCSU) is supaccessible to both online posed to be a collection and in person students.” of different ideas about Their platform “Right now, they have a achieving the same goal, which Taylor and Schindler’s partnership for the Bird scoot- is improving campus life for stucampaign is centered on three ers to be in the City,” Taylor dents of all backgrounds, and key platforms: COVID-19 said. “And, also, CSU students we want students to be seen as relief, housing and parking and get a discount on their first ride. valuable members of our comtransportation.

We want to expand on that. ... munity rather than a number,” Taylor and Schindler said We think that since there (are) Schindler said. they hope to create a relief fund bus capacity limits, it’s safer for Alyssa Broyles can be Associated Students of Colorado State University vice presidential candithat would particularly benefit date Noah Schindler poses for a portrait at The Lagoon. students to find other ways of reached at news@collegian.com. students financially struggling PHOTO BY SKYLER PRADHAN THE COLLEGIAN transportation, but we can’t ex-

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Student sues University over sexual assault claims

By Laura Studley @laurastudley_

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. The Collegian is investigating and will update accordingly.

CBS Denver and the Coloradoan reported today that a Colorado State University student, Katelyn Schiller, has filed a lawsuit against the University, alleging that a prominent donor sexually assaulted her.

Schiller claimed that Michael Best, husband of realtor and former 9News anchor Susie Wargin, touched her inappropriately and called her names while she was working as a waitress at Canvas Stadium.

Additionally, Schiller said that she was demoted from her serving position to working in

the pantry, a lower-paid position, causing her to leave her job. The lawsuit claims that Wargin used “financial pressure” to compel CSU to take “illegal retaliatory action” against Schiller.

“In the lawsuit, Schiller claims Best grabbed her upper thigh so hard it caused bruises,” the CBS article wrote.

“She claims Best assaulted her during three different football games.”

At the third game, Schiller said Scott Schell, one of Best’s friends, “touched her on her private parts and caressed her hips.”

Schell denied this claim, stating that these accusations are false, according to CBS. According to Schiller, she went to the police after the

CSU Athletics Department said they weren’t going to take any action.

A report filed by the Larimer County District Attorney’s Office found Schiller credible; however, investigators found the case lacked evidence due to “the school (failing) to report the assault to police in a timely manner and (failing) to retain surveillance video of the loge box.”

In a statement, the University said it took “appropriate measures to protect the student before its formal investigation into her allegations even began.”

Editor’s Note: An update was made to reflect additional information on Susie Wargin.

Laura Studley can be reached at news@collegian.com.

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ASCSU campaign: Jasper Sloss and Mkay Armbrust

By Joshua Kellogg @sc0o0rche

In their bid for the presidency and the vice presidency, respectively, of the Associated Students of Colorado State University, Jasper Sloss and Mkay Armbrust have put an emphasis on short-term policy goals over larger goals that might take longer than their potential time in office.

“I think, a lot of the time, you start to hear very similar campaign platforms year after year,” Sloss said. “You hear about affordable housing; you hear about lowering parking (costs). We’re tired of telling students these great ideas and then having minimal follow-up.”

Jasper Sloss, presidential candidate Jasper Sloss, a third-year student majoring in finance, is a relative newcomer to ASCSU, having joined as a member of the Student Fee Review Board last spring.

“We could care less about the title. ... What we really care about is what we can actually implement right now, today, this year, this semester for students.”

MKAY ARMBRUST VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

In that short time, however, he’s held a number of positions, according to Sloss. These include senator for the College of Business, a council member within the College of Business and intern with the vice president of ASCSU. “I kind of watched what (Alex Farias) was doing and got a better feel for how the vice presidency works, what roles they take on,” Sloss said.

Sloss said that he helped with a wide variety of projects in this position and that it eventually led to his serving on the social-norming task force for ASCSU over the summer.

Mkay Armbrust, vice presidential candidate Mkay Armbrust, a senior majoring in political science, has been a part of ASCSU for just over a year. He’s served in multiple executive branch positions, including one in governmental affairs, where he worked with City Council to tackle issues such as student housing and transportation.

Armbrust is less concerned with holding the position of

Associated Students of Colorado State University presidential candidate Jasper Sloss and vice presidential candidate Mkay Armbrust pose for a portrait in The Oval. PHOTO COURTESY OF MAX RIVERA

vice president than he is with helping implement policies, seeing the position as a means with which to do so.

“We’ve held titles; we’ve held positions before,” Armbrust said. “But to be completely honest with you, it’s really not about that for us. We could care less about the title. ... What we really care about is what we can actually implement right now, today, this year, this semester for students.”

Their platforms Sloss and Armbrust have settled on three short-term and timely platforms: ones they think will be uniquely relevant to students at this moment and ones they hope to implement within the time they would spend in office. “(We’re) ... focused on how

the world is working right now with a pandemic going on, with hybrid classes, with social distancing,” Sloss said. “The things that we’ll want to talk about and the things that we want to push should be very specific to this year.”

The first of these three core platforms is providing more ways in which ASCSU can directly enact the will of the student body.

Sloss said that he wants ASCSU, and the presidency and vice presidency specifically, to be more of a voice for students.

He said that he wants ASCSU, more than it ever has been in the past, to be open to students and to prioritize their input.

“To us, that means opening up office hours and direct lines of communication to student

leadership,” he said.

Their second platform focus is expanding students’ access to mental health resources.

“Obviously, ... as a student, stress (and) anxiety ... are all things that are all part of students,” Armbrust said. “You know, you add a pandemic on top of it with hybrid classes, and it’s just crazy. The world we live in is really crazy right now.”

While the Student Health Center provides access to five free counseling sessions, Armbrust believes this might not be enough.

“They’re not beneficial to some students, or some students don’t feel comfortable talking with those people,” Armbrust said.

Sloss and Armbrust’s third platform focus is what they call

“unity for the community.”

“We believe that CSU not just should (offer) an education for every student, but a home for every student,” Sloss said.

Sloss thinks that one way to help make CSU more inclusive would be to incorporate an orientation module on diversity and inclusion, similar to those already in place surrounding alcohol and sexual assault.

“On top of that, we’d love to revise the community guidelines through ASCSU and really have ASCSU have a zero-tolerance (policy) on those kinds of situations and make sure that the things we say we stand for and believe in, that we back them up when they’re challenged,” Sloss said.

Joshua Kellogg can be reached at news@collegian.com.

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ASCSU campaign: Diego Tovar and Rachel Jackson

By Serena Bettis @serenaroseb

tending the meetings, and I realized how crooked everything was and how there wasn’t much change happening even though it was promised,” Jackson said.

“And so, from there, that’s when I decided to run with (Tovar).”

Their platform Tovar and Jackson are running on four campaign platforms.

“We believe we’re the ‘B.E.S.T.’ candidates for CSU, and B.E.S.T. stands for belonging, equity, sustainability and transparency, and within those four key identities, we have different platforms,” Tovar said.

Under belonging, Tovar and Jackson want to push for diversity education across the entire campus.

“So, through that, we will go to the Student Code of Conduct and create a definition for hate speech because, as of now, if an act of bias happens on campus, it’s pretty up in the air if the perpetrators are educated on why they were in the wrong,” Jackson said.

Jackson said that would look like requiring the EverFi Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Education module for all new students and a diversity course to fulfill all-university core curriculum credits.

“For equity, we believe it is inequitable for there to be such high textbook costs,” Tovar said. “(Our) way of tackling that is creating library liaisons for each college to work with faculty and staff (on) how to write, develop and find existing materials for classes, so that way students don’t have to pay such a high fee for textbooks.”

Their goals for sustainability include creating on-campus clothing donation bins and expanding the pocket pantry programs. Jackson said they also want to create supply boxes available in each college where students can borrow small items like glue sticks and pens.

Having worked together in leadership roles for two years, Diego Tovar and Rachel Jackson are ready to take on the next step as candidates for president and vice president of the Associated Students of Colorado State University.

Since fall 2018, Tovar and Jackson have served as the respective president and vice president of the group Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences for the Warner College of Natural Resources and hope to continue to create a positive impact on campus through ASCSU. “We’ve been doing this for two years already; why not make it a larger scale if we’ve seen how successful it’s been through MANRRS?” Jackson said. “We’ve grown an amazing community; all my best friends come from the club, and I want that sense of community to expand on campus because no one should be left out from that.”

Diego Tovar, presidential candidate Tovar is a third-year student from Austin, Texas, studying ecosystem science and sustainability, with minors in political communication and environmental affairs.

Tovar has been a senator representing Warner since his first year at CSU. The committees Tovar Associated Students of Colorado State University presidential candidate Diego Tovar poses for a portrait at The has been involved with include Lagoon. PHOTO BY SKYLER PRADHAN THE COLLEGIAN Budgetary Affairs, Internal Affairs, External Affairs and the and they have plans to reform Legislative Strategy Advisory the CSU Police Department.

Board. In addition to ASCSU “We want to have frequent and MANRRS, Tovar is also discussions, town hall meetpresident of the Warner college ings, ways to contact us through council and is a student ambasthe app, town hall, Zoom, that sador for Warner under the dikind of thing,” Tovar said. versity, inclusion and student Jackson said that since success branch that was creatthe elections were postponed, ed this year. she and Tovar had the time to Rachel Jackson, vice presidential speak with members of candidate the Morgan Library and Jackson is a thirdto talk about the year from Houston, “We believe we’re the B.E.S.T. CSUPD feasibility of their ideas Texas, studying wildlife candidates for CSU, and B.E.S.T. stands so they know that what biology with a minor in botany. for belonging, equity, sustainability they are promising is possible.

Also a student amand transparency, and within those “(Being) transparbassador for Warner and four key identities, we have different ent, U+2 doesn’t happen vice president of MANin a year,” Tovar said.

RRS, Jackson said her platforms.” “(We) really value our main role is to provide platform on being someDIEGO TOVAR diverse students in scithing students can see PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ence, technology, engithe benefits of this year neering and math fields and not years down the with jobs and experience line. … It’s not big ideas, it’s big and to help them get involved Under transparency, To- ideas with actual detailed plans around campus. var and Jackson want to create within those so we can stay “My experience with ASCan app that students can use transparent with the student SU kind of started around a to track ASCSU legislation, body.” year ago, (after) the blackface Associated Students of Colorado State University vice presidential contact their senators and see Serena Bettis can be incident, when I started atRachel Jackson poses for a portrait at The Lagoon. their senators’ voting records, reached at news@collegian.com. candidate PHOTO BY SKYLER PRADHAN THE COLLEGIAN

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ASCSU campaign: Christian Dykson

By Joshua Kellogg @sc0o0rche

In his bid for the position of speaker of the senate of the Associated Students at Colorado State University, candidate Christian Dykson has placed an emphasis on student outreach.

“We hear you, and we understand that your story and your experience (has) power,” Dykson said. “We believe that stories are what shape the system around us.

It’s what shapes the institution.

Stories have power, and they drive change.”

Dykson, a second-year political science student, currently serves as the chair of the University Issues Committee, a position he has held for a full year, among others.

“Basically, my job is to talk to students about what they like or they love or they wanna change on campus, and to present and create legislation that responds to it,” Dykson said.

Among Dykson’s other current positions is one on the Student Fee Review Board, where he said his main priority was minimizing fees for students wherever possible.

“We understand that every dollar that goes toward student fees is not going toward your textbooks, your rent, your food … the necessities of success, academically,” Dykson said. “Last year was one of the

lowest fee increases in a number of years, (and) I fought tooth and nail to knock down a couple of proposals because I know that every dollar that goes to student fees is not going to the necessities.”

Dykson has had a hand in passing a number of resolutions in the senate as well.

“What (ASCSU) should be, its entire purpose, should be outreach.

Meet the people that you don’t know, and discover stories that you haven’t yet heard because that is how you honestly and authentically represent.

That is where my heart is at.”

CHRISTIAN DYKSON SPEAKER OF THE SENATE CANDIDATE

“We passed a resolution to support the volleyball team when they went to the NCAA championship,” Dykson said. “(And) then we passed the student privacy resolution last spring because we realized, (for) students, ... having to have their camera and their video on at all times during (tests) is an incred-

ible breach of privacy, right? Not to mention, if they’re living in close quarters with family members, it’s concerning for a lot of reasons.”

Speaking to the latter, Dykson mentioned the importance of trust.

“We trust that students mean well and that the ones who are here to pursue and to find success will do that honestly,” Dykson said. “Two things come from that: assuming the best and supporting students in every way.”

Dykson said that he wants to use the position of speaker to promote more balanced discussions within the senate.

“The tendency is for us to let the dominant voice take over,” he said. “But that’s a dangerous assumption, right? Because then what happens is it silences the few, … so the idea of a speaker, the role of a speaker, and this is something I’ve learned in my role as a committee chair, is (that) your job is to make sure every voice is heard.”

However, he said his prominent concern is keeping ASCSU in conversation with the students it represents.

“What (ASCSU) should be, its entire purpose, should be outreach,” Dykson said. “Meet the people that you don’t know and discover stories that you haven’t yet heard because that is how you honestly and authentically represent. That is where my heart is at.”

Joshua Kellogg can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Associated Students of Colorado State University speaker of the senate candidate Christian Dykson poses for a portrait outside the senate chambers. PHOTO BY ANNA VON PECHMANN THE COLLEGIAN

CAMPUS

ASCSU campaign: Kyle Hill

By Serena Bettis @serenaroseb

A second-year student and the author of multiple senate bills, Kyle Hill is campaigning to lead the Associated Students of Colorado State University senate as speaker of the senate for the 2020-21 school year.

Hill, who is from Colorado Springs, is majoring in biomedical sciences and has represented the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in the senate since September 2019.

“I am prepared to be speaker of the senate because, (with) my senator experience this past year, I have written a few bills in my time that are very important,” Hill said.

In a video posted to his campaign Instagram, Hill said he decided to join student government after freshman Anthony “TJ” Avery died after a car accident at the beginning of last school year.

Since joining ASCSU, Hill has written three bills: the “flu vaccine incentive,” which did not pass but aimed to increase a higher flu shot turnout rate on campus; the passed

“COVID-19 compensation bill,” which requested the return of student fees to students when campus closed in March; and a bill that will be voted on in the coming weeks that will place cameras near bike stands around campus.

His most recent bill will also place signage warning people of the security cameras in the area around bike stands in an effort to prevent bike theft on campus. Hill said research has shown that these actions could reduce theft by 30% to 50%.

Lowering student fee and textbook costs, continuing to advocate for a change to U+2 and adding seats in the ASCSU senate for students involved in fraternity and sorority life on campus are Hill’s main campaign platforms.

“When I’m speaker of the senate, I’m prepared to work with (the) student body president and vice president and the rest of leadership to get more initiatives done here on campus,” Hill said. “I want to finish U+2 (and) finish reforming it to Me+3. President (Ben) Amundson and his cabinet have done a lot of work for that, a lot of progress.

During my term, we will finish it.

We will get that done.”

Hill said that, with representatives in the ASCSU senate from all the colleges and Student Diversity Programs and Services, he believes students in the Interfraternity Council deserve an equal voice as well.

“As someone who is also involved in Greek life, I realize that that is a very important part of me, and I believe I’m the only candidate running for speaker of the senate who’s involved in Greek life,” Hill said. “So I am able to represent them and show that they are, that they can be, representatives just as well.”

Hill said that he is here to represent all students. “(Given) the time of division throughout our whole community, it is a time to bring unity and peace to everybody,” Hill said. “And that is something I am absolutely prepared to do. I want to bring peace to all of campus, especially during times of partisanship and people disagreeing.”

Serena Bettis can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Associated Students of Colorado State University speaker of the senate candidate Kyle Hill poses for a portrait outside the senate chambers.

PHOTO BY ANNA VON PECHMANN THE COLLEGIAN

Monday, September 14, 2020

@CSUCollegian

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CAMPUS

ASCSU campaign: Tristan Reyez

By Alyssa Broyles @AlyssaBroyles

Having been senator for the College of Health and Human Sciences and the chair of the Internal Affairs Committee for the Associated Students of Colorado State University until February, Tristan Reyez believes he is more than qualified for the role of speaker of the senate.

Reyez’s campaign is centered around serving students and student voices.

“We, as students, have the power to change this campus for the better,” Reyez said in his campaign statement. “I am committed to following the principal that ASCSU is a place that serves all students.

We can do better, act better, be better together.”

Reyez is currently the chair of the Colorado Student Government Coalition, a coalition of students across the state who serve in student government roles, adding to his student government experience.

Reyez claims this position with CSGC has aided his ability to connect students and has prepared

him for the role of speaker of the senate.

“The Colorado Student Government Coalition really taught me how to connect students together across the state and various universities that have a ton of different needs,” Reyez said. “Those positions really helped me in moving forward and, I think, will really prepare me to be speaker of the senate.”

With this abundance of experience, Reyez wishes to serve as speaker of the senate to ensure more transparency within ASCSU. “My goal for this year is really just to serve students and really make ASCSU transparent and accountable back to the students,” Reyez said.

Reyez believes his experience as a senator with ASCSU has thoroughly prepared him for this next step in his ASCSU career.

“That really helped prepare me for understanding the bylaws and constitution,” Reyez said. “I wrote a bill to change it and revamp it and make sure that all of our standard procedures were in place that we were using.”

Reyez also said his experience has allowed him to be in contact

with the executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education, and this has helped him communicate with higher officials. “(Dr. Angie Paccione) and I have been in contact in order to to help students through the pandemic and really understand how COVID-19 is impacting students,” Reyez said. “That position really is helping me understand how to work with higher-up officials within administration to really advocate for our students and advocate for student needs on a broader basis so that all students can have equal access to campus to have quality education.”

Reyez is running his campaign on the goal of transparency. He said he wants the focus back on the students.

“Multiple students I’ve talked to have said, ‘You know, students don’t feel that ASCSU is transparent,’” Reyez said. “And I really want to make sure that students are at the center of the organization and that we’re not just trying to serve ourselves or serve a personal agenda, that we’re working towards a common goal for students.”

Alyssa Broyles can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Associated Students of Colorado State University speaker of the senate candidate Tristan Reyez poses for a portrait outside the senate chambers.

PHOTO BY ANNA VON PECHMANN THE COLLEGIAN

CAMPUS

ASCSU campaign: Lys Taddei

By Sam Moccia @SamuelMoccia

Alyssa “Lys” Taddei is a second-year interior architecture and design major who began her work with the Associated Students of Colorado State University last year, when she served as interim speaker of the senate.

Taddei believes that her experience as interim speaker, her own ongoing leadership education and her passion for creating a happier, more productive senate environment would make her highly effective in her role as this year’s speaker of the senate.

Taddei described the interim speaker as responsible for working directly with the speaker of the senate to ensure effective passing of legislation. As Taddei explained, her job as interim speaker was to “help the speaker be efficient” above all else and to create a smooth, productive workplace environment in the senate.

Taddei also said she was particularly proud of her time as interim speaker because, despite a shortened legislative season due to interruption from the COVID-19 pandemic, she was able to help lead the senate to passing numerous bills.

“I got to shadow what Blake (Alfred) did and work with him,

see all the little things,” Taddei said. “I’ve been doing this role behind the scenes for over a year now.”

In hopes of supplementing this experience, Taddei began studying leadership and conflict mediation in preparation for the role, committing her time to reviewing parliamentary procedure and Robert’s Rules of Order, both of which are tools she says would make her extremely effective in the role of speaker.

“I can always find a smile, I can always make other people smile and inside of that office ... (having) a person in the role of speaker who can make people smile, who can bring people together, is really important.”

LYS TADDEI SPEAKER OF THE SENATE CANDIDATE

“I’ve been preparing myself a lot, mentally, for the role of speaker, educating myself a lot on leadership,” Taddei said. “It helps you moderate these meetings and bring that large group of people to a consensus. It keeps it organized, it keeps it civil and it keeps it professional.”

Taddei believes that, alongside her experience in ASCSU and ongoing leadership development, one of her strongest qualifications is her naturally mediating and joyful personality.

“I am a very positive human being,” Taddei said. “I can always find a smile; I can always make other people smile, and inside of that office, it can get a little hectic. It brings you down sometimes. Having a person in the role of speaker who can make people smile, who can bring people together, is really important.”

Taddei believes that if she is elected as the newest speaker of the senate, she’ll be able to widely educate students across CSU on the role ASCSU has on campus.

“One of the things I wanna do ... is make sure that students know about ASCSU because we have such a big role, and so many students don’t know what we do,” Taddei said. “I think that that’s an issue that needs to be highlighted.”

Taddei said that as speaker of the senate, she’ll be able to more effectively introduce students from a wide variety of backgrounds to ASCSU and encourage students to get involved, advocate for their needs and work with the senate.

“At the end of the day, we work for the students,” Taddei said.

Sam Moccia can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Associated Students of Colorado State University speaker of the senate candidate Lys Taddei poses for a portrait outside the senate chambers.

PHOTO BY SKYLER PRADHAN THE COLLEGIAN

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Monday, September 14, 2020

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Monday, September 14, 2020

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Cars drive up Horsetooth Reservoir under an orange sky Sept. 7.

PHOTO BY CONNOR MCGRATH THE COLLEGIAN

Record breaking 48-hour weather cycle in Fort Collins Smoke hangs over Fort Collins from the Cameron Peak fire Sept. 7. PHOTO BY CONNOR MCGRATH THE COLLEGIAN

Smoke seen from a window in Fort Collins as the Cameron Peak fire continues to burn Sept. 7. PHOTO BY PRATYOOSH KASHYAP THE COLLEGIAN

Ash from the Cameron Peak fire rests on the windshield wiper of a car Sept. 7. PHOTO BY MATT TACKETT THE COLLEGIAN

Having burned over 160 square miles and with single day growth of over 60 square miles on Sept. 7, the Cameron Peak fire enters into the history books as one of the largest Colorado wildfires on record. According to the National Weather Service’s Boulder forecast office, the smoke plume from the Cameron Peak fire reached over 40,000 feet on Sunday, blocking out the sun and casting orange-red light over Fort Collins.

When the sun rose the next morning, snow coated the town. According to the Coloradoan, there was about 2.6 inches of measurable snow in Fort Collins with 8-15 inches of snow blanketing the fire Sept. 8, breaking a 130 year record for earliest snowfall. The fire has stayed at a constant 102,596 acres while maintaining 4 percent containment since Sunday morning. The snowfall has created lasting moisture aiding in maintaining fire lines.

A fallen tree branch lies in The Oval during the winter storm in Fort Collins Sept. 8. PHOTO BY BEN LEONARD THE COLLEGIAN

Person walks outside the Lory Student Center Sept. 8.

PHOTO BY BEN LEONARD THE COLLEGIAN

Snow coats a street sign along The Oval Sept. 8.

PHOTO BY BEN LEONARD THE COLLEGIAN

Snow gathers on a chain link fence outside the Jack Christiansen Memorial Track along the Mason Trail Sept. 8. PHOTO BY BEN LEONARD THE COLLEGIAN

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Monday, September 14, 2020

Collegian.com

COLLEGIAN COLUMNIST

Take Sloss and Armbrust’s campaign with a grain of salt

By Cat Blouch @BlouchCat

Editor’s Note: In order to evaluate each candidate, a few Collegian columnists discuss where they believe each candidate thrives and where they fall short. All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

A great deal of courage is required for every candidate running for the Associated Students of Colorado State University president and vice president positions during this political climate. This is a critical year where student representatives must tackle a number of severe issues, and every campaign is taking a unique approach to its promise in advocating for students.

Presidential candidate

Jasper Sloss, a business student brust would be a vote for a proposed tuition break that the studying finance, economics campaign that does not spend 2020-21 fiscal year’s budget has and sports management, and energy on things that are out of already been set. The fee has alhis running mate Mkay Arm- their power. However, it might ready been charged, and most brust, a senior studying polit- also be a vote of ambiguity as students have already paid it.

“For us to tell you that you ical science and legal studies, to what specific policies one plan to follow through with this might expect on the sectors of will get a refund — that you will promise with their three-plat- the student government they receive money back — is a lie,” Sloss said. “And anyone promform vision focused on putting actually have influence on. ising that cannot say students first. The platthat to you with full conforms include: fidence.”

A voice for students “An unavoidable flaw in the campaign Not making false Sloss and Armpromises should ideally brust believe ASCSU is a lack of transparency for specific give the campaign the should be restored to a policies regarding issues in their opportunity to focus on “students-first organiplatform.” what they can realistization” by focusing on cally do during a shortfighting rising student ened term. However, an fees and ensuring stuDuring the ASCSU presi- unavoidable flaw in the camdents’ health and safety. dential debate last Wednesday, paign is a lack of transparency Prioritizing your mental health They believe mental health they reiterated that the basis for specific policies regarding resources should be more read- of their campaign is promising issues in their platform.

Continuously, Sloss and deliverable results: “All of the ily available and transparent.

Emphasizing unity for our commu- platforms that we have prom- Armbrust made the point that ised are things that we know the campaign was first and nity Sloss and Armbrust prom- are tangible and can be fol- foremost focused on hearing ise to focus on transforming lowed through on without de- the voice of the whole community, but a specific policy to the campus culture by propos- bate,” Sloss said.

This straight-to-the-point address this topic was scarcely ing better inclusion education in addition to a “zero-tolerance approach was reinforced by elaborated on. Outside of the policy on violation of commu- Sloss not talking around what debate environment, Sloss and ASCSU can and can’t deliver Armbrust have the only camnity guidelines.”

Voting for Sloss and Arm- upon. He said in response to a paign without a website to out-

COMIC ILLUSTRATION BY SCOTTY POWELL @SCOTTYSSEUS

line their plan of action.

Upon response to an inquiry about how campaigns would provide students with COVID-19 relief, Sloss’ answer didn’t seem to provide much outside of protocol students are already accustomed to, such as wearing masks when inside buildings, keeping 6 feet apart from others and not attending social gatherings.

This ambiguity was not helped by an out-of-touch joke asking the discussion facilitator if he meant “corona as in Corona beer or coronavirus?”

Advocacy for a situation that has personally affected the lives of many members in a profoundly traumatic way does not begin with making light of the situation.

Nonetheless, it’s apparent that the candidates put a great deal of effort into advocating for students, having both been active members of ASCSU leading up to their campaign. However, their promises should be taken lightly.

Cat Blouch can be reached at letters@collegian.com.

Monday, September 14, 2020

@CSUCollegian

COLLEGIAN COLUMNIST

Cooke: Tovar and Jackson make promises, but also fall short ready standing policies. One addition includes a Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee

By Cody Cooke in ASCSU, which sounds more @CodyCooke17 like a clone of the Race, Bias and Equity Initiative than an original and effective program. Along those lines, the candidates’ platform calls for Editor’s Note: In order to evalincreasing transparency with uate each candidate, a few the RBEI, but unlike their tanCollegian columnists discuss gible transparency measures where they believe each canrelated to ASCSU, this proposdidate thrives and where they al doesn’t seem to have any bite fall short. All opinion section behind it. content reflects the views of the On the other hand, Tovar individual author only and does and Jackson’s sustainability not represent a stance taken by initiatives seem fresh and origThe Collegian or its editorial inal. Over the past five years, board. ”protecting the environment” It’s time to vote for the has become a topic on which next president and vice more and more young president of the AssoAmericans can agree, ciated Students of Col“On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and this campaign seems orado State University. this week, students absolutely must to echo that sentiment.

The Collegian’s opinion Their plans to ramp up desk, in its effort to “alfind the time to vote their choice for composting options in low reaction and discusthe Lory Student Center ASCSU president and vice president.” sion” for what’s going and their idea to bring on around campus, has farmer’s markets to our decided to provide readThat’s not to say that the campus are just two proposals ers with a balanced breakdown two candidates’ plans for in- that appear to have real potenof the different candidates and creasing transparency fall flat. tial for impact. their platforms.

No political campaign, Transparency is perhaps their Diego Tovar and Rachel platform’s strongest compo- no matter how engaged or loJackson’s campaign comes nent. According to their web- calized, is perfect. That being across as organized and site, Tovar and Jackson plan said, all of the candidates in well-constructed, but falls on developing an ASCSU app, the ASCSU race this year have short on a few key issues. available through Canvas or the potential to truly translate Tovar and Jackson’s web- RAMweb, that will “show what students’ concerns into actual site is a thorough medium that bill will be on the senate floor change. But this doesn’t hapshowcases all of their points each week” and “give updates pen without our vote. On Monand perspectives, including be- on how certain senators vot- day, Tuesday and Wednesday longing, equity, sustainability ed, and if the bills passed or this week, students absolutely and transparency. It’s a strong- failed.” must find the time to vote their ly articulated layout that is While transparency seems choice for ASCSU president easily accessible and, for the to be Tovar and Jackson’s forte, and vice president. most part, shows exactly what other items on their platform Cody Cooke can be reached they want to accomplish and read as hollow additions to al- at letters@collegian.com. how they plan to accomplish it. This level of organization is indicative of a strong and competent candidacy.

But where the two candidates don’t seem so strong is precisely where we would expect that they should be: raising the student voice within ASCSU. Tovar’s personal statement says that he wants “every student to have a platform and share how we can make CSU better for all.” Aside from a few proposed measures to increase transparency, which would directly affect ASCSU operations and not, per se, student involvement, the campaign doesn’t seem to have a solid plan for achieving that goal.

NOPE

&

DOPE

Haikus.

Haikus.

Reading for class.

Lemon Oreos.

Friends who are Snape sympathizers.

Blue skies.

Midterm scaries.

Oreo flavored Oreos.

When groups take up the entire sidewalk.

Voting.

Celebrate Homecoming with our 40th Annual Virtual 5K Entries accepted through 9 a.m., Saturday, October 3rd

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www.chhs.colostate.edu/hes/5k Check your email for race submission instructions Thank you to our valued 2020 sponsors:

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Monday, September 14, 2020

Collegian.com

COLLEGIAN COLUMNIST

Peña and Gebretsadik need more tangible ideas

By Corinne Neustadter @cneustad

Editor’s Note: In order to evaluate each candidate, a few Collegian columnists discuss where they believe each candidate thrives and where they fall short.

All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

This semester marks the Associated Students of Colorado State University’s annual presidential election with four different tickets running for the positions of president and vice president. The presidential and vice presidential candidates Adam Peña and Merry Gebretsadik are both third-year students with leadership experience in a wealth of campus organizations who are running on “building unity in (the CSU) community.”

Peña and Gebretsadik have solid policies built around

pressing issues for students, ing students with their college want to publicize the various but they have room to grow in deans and higher University programs the SLiCE office oftheir policy platforms to make administration by utilizing web fers to students and the benetechnologies could significantly fits that students may be eligithem more tangible.

Peña and Gebretsadik’s help students voice their con- ble for in this challenging time. platform consists of four ma- cerns in a more productive way. To further assist students, the team wants to make stujor points: communidents more aware of benty-building for unity, efits they might not know food insecurity, advoca“Publicizing resources for food- they are eligible for, such cy and tangibility, which are all explained in insecure students could improve as the Supplemental NuAssistance Progreater detail below. access to food banks, but will not trition gram through the state of Community-building for remedy food insecurity on campus.”

Colorado, which could be unity helpful for students who Peña and Gebretqualify for work-study or sadik hope to use virtuHowever, it remains un- who work 20 or more hours per al platforms such as Zoom to make college deans and Uni- clear how Peña and Gebretsa- week.

Many students are unversity administrators more dik would organize community connected with the students service activities on behalf of aware of the Mobile Food Panthey serve. To help students the entire student body, given tries and food bank programs who may not be comfortable social distancing guidelines and on campus, so vocalizing these expressing their opinions on restrictions on group activities opportunities through ASCZoom, they also plan to set up on campus. More communica- SU could help. It may also be an online survey for students to tion and collaboration between helpful to collaborate with local voice their concerns in a more students and administration food banks in the Fort Collins is sorely needed during this area to expand food bank hours personalized and private way.

To connect students with stressful time; however, it may on campus or put more student the Fort Collins communi- not be feasible to build commu- fee funding toward mobile food ty, they want to work directly nity via in-person service learn- pantries around campus to ensure greater access to food for with Student Leadership, In- ing projects this semester. students. volvement and Community En- Food insecurity However, while publicizTo help out Rams who are gagement to make community service projects more readily currently experiencing food in- ing resources for food-insecure available to students. Connect- security, Peña and Gebretsadik students could improve access

COMIC ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN GREENE @TFOGDOGS

to food banks, it will not remedy food insecurity on campus.

Advocacy As student leaders who have held a wealth of positions on campus, they focus on how important it is to “bridge the gap” between students and University administration to have a positive impact on both parties.

They want to advocate for the students and create policies centered around making CSU an “equitable and inclusive university.”

Tangibility In their platform, Peña and Gebretsadik highlight the importance of producing tangible results for the CSU community and advocating on behalf of all students for better polices.

They want to address issues that need “immediate attention.” However, they hardly elaborate on what these issues are.

These policies are great first steps towards addressing student issues on campus, but they need more backing to make a difference in student engagement.

Corinne Neustadter can be reached at letters@collegian.com.

Monday, September 14, 2020

@CSUCollegian

17

COLLEGIAN COLUMNIST

Taylor and Schindler may be giving empty promises

By Alexandra Macdonald @alexandramacc

Editor’s Note: In order to evaluate each candidate, a few Collegian columnists discuss where they believe each candidate thrives and where they fall short. All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

Editor’s Note: Hannah Taylor is the alumni coordinator at Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation, which houses The Collegian.

Just a few weeks into the fall semester, the time has come for us, as students, to decide who will best cater to our needs by representing us in the Associated Students of Colorado State University. We don’t want confusion to come when the ballot arrives, and hopefully you don’t find yourself dizzy

As a student myself with trying to remember who stands students,” he said. He promised for what on that long list of that if he and Taylor are elect- two in-person classes, I think ed, he would work toward af- receiving a personal thermomnames.

Well, the Hannah Tay- fordability for students attend- eter would save me a lot of time lor and Noah Schindler team ing Colorado State University in the morning as I am trying wants you to remember one by trying to keep student fees to get to campus. It certainly would make using the daily thing when you look at their as low as possible. symptom checker a much names: “We’re pretty more simple and honest nice people. Which is just as important as our “Promises are promises, but there is task. As for student houspolicies. Maybe more.” no real reason for students to believe ing, Taylor and Schindler This pair seems also promise to “implelike an option that is that this campaign is any different.” ment an online review really going to work for system” for each major the students, and they apartment complex for try to portray themNow, what do they promise students moving out on their selves as people who want to own for the first time after livto do for the University? make students’ lives easier.

COVID-19 takes the fore- ing in the dorms. Additionally, Taylor, the presidential candidate, appears to be a busy front of their campaign, with they demand an end to the “abwoman. A triple major, former their acknowledgment of the surdly outdated” U+2 law in deputy director of governmen- pain that it may have caused Fort Collins.

A concern I raise for this tal affairs, a history of member- their fellow CSU students. It’s ship on the Student Fee Review a particularly modern problem pair is the consideration of Board and the Rocky Mountain and good that they address it what they will actually accomStudent Media alumni rela- prior to everything else be- plish. The problem of U+2 has tions manager — the list goes cause, like a lot of the headlines caused a major headache for we’ve see dominating media off-campus student living for on.

Schindler, the vice presi- lately, it’s on everyone’s mind. years now, and campaigns of dential candidate, takes a firm Taylor and Schindler promise the past have made similar stance on the allocation of stu- a relief grant with free medical promises to end its suffocating supplies to each and every stu- reign. Promises are promises, dent fees.

“Fees should be limited to dent, including a mask, a ther- but there is no real reason for students to believe that this services that directly benefit mometer and sanitizer.

campaign is any different.

Bird is the word with Taylor and Schindler. The environmentally friendly ride-sharing company responsible for the electric scooters throughout the town may be the resolution to CSU’s problem with parking.

More free rides, more availability and easy student accessibility is what they promise here.

While this idea seems fun and easily implementable, there is no proof that Taylor and Schindler will be able to guarantee a scooter for each student or, for that matter, even half of the students. What will happen when the scooters break down in our harsh Colorado winter? What happens if these scooters are abandoned around campus? These are questions I’d like to see answered as soon as possible.

We want our college years as stress-free as we can make them. Taylor and Schindler are the ones who may add more fun, but some of their promises might not have the backing we need.

Alexandra MacDonald can be reached at letters@collegian.com.

COLLEGIAN COLUMNIST

Littering is thoughtless, contributes to greater issue

By Cody Cooke @CodyCooke17

Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken

by The Collegian or its editorial board.

A couple of days ago I was waiting between classes on a bench outside of Clark C when I watched a man smoke the last of his cigarette, drop the smoldering butt on the ground, stomp on it and then walk away.

This kind of carelessness is not reserved only to smokers, and it is certainly not an isolated episode. Littering is another kind of pandemic.

Littering is an ever-present problem that shouldn’t be a problem in the first place since it is entirely a matter of personal choice. Granted, Fort Collins isn’t drowning under a sea of garbage, but the behavior itself is never, in any place, accept-

able and always, everywhere, worthy of condemnation. The bottom line is that it’s inconsiderate to purposely drop your garbage anywhere other than a trash can.

First of all, it’s ugly. Nobody wants to look at Styrofoam cups or plastic chip bags in bushes and on sidewalks. Back home in Louisiana, littering on major roadways was so bad that my friends and I would joke that the state flower might as well be fast-food to-go containers.

Further, it puts wildlife in extreme danger. Just looking at water alone, plastic trash, when not disposed of properly, can affect animals and their habitats. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “It has been estimated that plastic marine debris adversely affects at least 267 species globally, including 86% of sea turtles, 44% of seabirds and 43% of marine mammals.”

These are just the effects on a few marine animals. A sharp edge on a glass bottle or an aluminum can seriously endanger an unsuspecting animal. A plastic bag can easily suffocate an animal it comes

into contact with. Animals are an essential part of ecosystems, and by endangering them, we endanger the natural systems our planet was created with.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing about littering is that it is totally avoidable. If you’re within City limits, there is certainly a trash can nearby. Even if there isn’t, put the trash in your pocket. It’s yours, and you are responsible for it.

“Littering is the quintessential act of a horribly materialistic culture that is utterly disconnected from the natural world and totally inconsiderate of the consequences of its choices.”

Don’t we try to keep our own homes clean and free of loose garbage? Aren’t we diligent enough to pick up trash if it winds up in our own front

yards? If so, then why are we OK with tossing down trash in a public setting? Has our super-sensitive individualism really desensitized us to the point of indifference?

If simply the sight of litter doesn’t make us cringe, then we should seriously reevaluate where our priorities lie in this consumer-based, plastic-wrapped market-ecosystem we inhabit.

One of my fellow columnists at The Collegian, Corinne Neustadter, wrote an article about the historical roots of consumer waste.

“The accumulation of waste and its presence in American society could be viewed as ... a parallel to the rise of capitalism in the United States,” Neustadter wrote. I couldn’t agree more.

Littering is the quintessential act of a horribly materialistic culture that is utterly disconnected from the natural world and totally inconsiderate of the consequences of its choices. The words wasteful and inconsiderate barely begin to describe people who don’t think twice about leaving their

trash on public ground for everyone to see.

Some say don’t judge people so quickly, but if I see someone litter, I feel justified in judging them as careless, thoughtless and just plain lazy.

Carrying your own trash and making sure it ends up where it should is not an undue burden, it is basic decency.

This summer I took a trip up to Vedauwoo Recreation Area near Cheyenne, Wyoming, for a day of separation from the city. While I was walking through the wild pines and blankets of leaves and needles, I saw a bright orange object on the forest floor. When I picked it up, I found that it was a halffull Gatorade bottle.

I kept that plastic bottle, and it sits in my room today as a physical reminder that human negligence truly has touched every inch of the globe. It reminds me that a cleaner world won’t be a reality until each and every one of us decides that it is always worth our energy to pick up and keep track of our own trash.

Cody Cooke can be reached at letters@collegian.com.

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Monday, September 14, 2020

Collegian.com

BASKETBALL

BASKETBALL

Former Ram Nico Carvacho signs Nuggets push for professional contract in Europe game seven with

an eye on the prize

By Tyler Meguire @TMeguire

Colorado State University basketball player Nico Carvacho (32) shoots a free throw during the Rams nonconference game against South Dakota State Dec. 10. The Rams won 72-68. PHOTO BY GREGORY JAMES THE COLLEGIAN

By Bailey Bassett @baileybassett_

Nico Carvacho will always be remembered for his time rocking the green and gold of Colorado State University. Carvacho was at the top of the national leaderboard for rebounding with 12.9 rebounds per game as a junior. He also did his part as the key offensive threat for the CSU Rams, scoring on average 16.1 points per game.

His reward for a dominant season was being selected for the 2018-19 first-team All-Mountain West Conference team.

Before the 2019-20 season, Carvacho placed his name into the 2019 Nation Basketball Association draft class. In previous years, this draft declaration would effectively take away the college athletic eligibility Carvacho had remaining, but thanks to the NCAA changing this rule, Carvacho was able to test the waters of the 2019 draft before his senior year of basketball at CSU. Fans were grateful that Carvacho was returning for

the 2019-20 season. Carvacho was an all-conference star that could clean the glass and be an absolute pest inside the key, a brick in the road towards the Mountain West Championship game. However, Carvacho’s production had an unfortunate drop-off. He finished the 2019-20 season averaging 10.8 rebounds per game and 12.9 points per game. His senior year was definitely not as electric as his junior campaign, but his efforts still managed to land him on the second-team All-Mountain West Conference team.

After a drop-off in production, Carvacho’s draft stock took a downward trajectory. At the end of the 2020 draft, Carvacho found himself without a call from an NBA general manager.

Thankfully, this was not the end of Carvacho’s career, as he has recently signed a contract to play in Europe in the Bulgarian first division for Rilski Sportist. The now former CSU basketball player is on to the next stage of his basketball

career.

This won’t be Carvacho’s first time playing abroad. In 2013, Carvacho, a Chilean citizen, competed in Uruguay for Chile in the FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship. In 2014, he continued to represent Chile, this time in Germany in the Albert Schweitzer Tournament. He was also an all-tournament honorable mention in 2016 in the South American Basketball Championship hosted by Venezuela.

CSU Rams fans should be excited for the future of one of their fondest former Rams.

Carvacho will bring excellent rebounding, rim protection and size to his new team. He is also an excellent passer for a big man, offering something that players haven’t seen much of from opposing bigs. Carvacho is posed to have a great start to his professional basketball career.

With a bit of luck and a lot of hard work, Rams fans may see Carvacho make his way to the NBA in the future.

Bailey Bassett can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

The Denver Nuggets know all about facing adversity. Pulling off an incredible win with a seven-man rotation victory against the Utah Jazz earlier this season, coming back from a 3-1 deficit against the Jazz in the first round of the NBA playoffs, and now the Nuggets are forcing a game seven against one of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers. After being down by at least 15 in backto-back games, the Nuggets are getting used to having their backs against the wall.

While the Los Angeles Lakers are hanging at the pool in the Orlando National Basketball Association Bubble, the Clippers and Nuggets are battling out to see who will advance to the Western Conference finals. The winning team will be awarded the challenge of playing against the number-one seeded Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers are a star-studded team that has crushed their side of the playoff bracket, dominating both of their previous series opponents 4-1.

The Lakers have made these playoffs seem easy and may have changed the minds of many NBA fans who already decided the Clippers would make the finals.

The Nuggets do not have the star power that the Lakers or Clippers do. While Nikola Jokić is arguably the best center in the league, his counter-part, Jamal Murray, has not quite reached stardom yet.

While Murray has made history with multiple 50-point games in the first-round matchup against the Jazz, he has not proved he can be consistent — scoring under 20 points in half of the games this postseason. He is close, but not there yet.

For the Nuggets to win, they need to have a strong game

by Jokić and Murray. No, Murray does not need to score 50 points. It would help though.

Anything over 22 would have the Clippers shifting more defensive pressure off Jokić.

Gary Harris needs to step up on offense — if he cannot do that, he needs to play exceptional defense. It would

help if he could be more than a non-factor on the offensive side, but his defense has been great for the Nuggets. If he cannot make it work offensively, he needs to focus on distributing the ball and being a solid defender.

Strong third quarters have been key for the Nuggets. In the win in game five, Paul Millsap ignited a run for the Nuggets in the third quarter. The Nuggets outscored the Clippers 29-24 and carried this momentum to the fourth quarter. Similarly, in game six, the Nuggets were trailing the Clippers 63-47 at the half, but a strong third quarter — they outscored the Clippers 30-16 — provided momentum for a comeback win.

The Lakers have shown how dominant they can be this postseason. Beating the strong Houston Rockets in four of their five games seemed almost effortless for them. The Clippers, with their struggles against the Nuggets, may be showing they are not as dominant as many thought. Many thought this would be a 4-0, 4-1, or 4-2 series and not going seven games.

WCF Predictions Lakers vs. Clippers This series will likely go six or seven games, most likely seven. Although the Clippers are struggling, they still have Kawhi Leonard, who is debatably a top-two player in the NBA. However, the Lakers have LeBron James and Anthony Davis who have proved to be the most dominant duo in the league. Based off the Clippers’ Western Conference semi-finals, the Lakers will win this series 4-3 to advance to the NBA finals.

Lakers vs. Nuggets The Nuggets were not supposed to make it this far but have somehow defied the odds, proving they are a lot stronger than they’re given credit for.

Out of all the teams in the playoffs, this Nuggets team has proved they have a lot more heart than anyone. However, it is unlikely the Nuggets can pull off yet another miracle against the star-studded Lakers.

This series might make it to game six or seven, but likely it will be a 4-1 Lakers series victory to advance to the NBA championship.

Tyler Meguire can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

Monday, September 14, 2020

@CSUCollegian

19

FOOTBALL

Denver Broncos looking to add fresh faces to roster

By Bailey Bassett @baileybassett_

The Denver Broncos are a young team loaded with youthful talent. If the team wishes to make a post-season push to the playoffs, someone has to make the jump from role-player to problem-causer. Here are three young prospects who are likely to bloom in their own right from future contributors to active stars in 2020.

Drew Lock - QB - 2nd Season The second-year quarterback out of the University of Missouri is the obvious requirement for a run in the post-season. On paper, the Broncos are loaded with talent, but ultimately the fate of the Broncos is going to come down to the player under center, the most important position on the field.

Last season, after seeing starts and failures from Joe Flacco and Brandon Allen, Drew Lock became the starter with five games left and saw success finishing the season 4-1.

He didn’t necessarily look like John Elway, but he did enough to excite Broncos country about the team’s future and his potential as a playmaker.

The former second-rounder is set up for success. The Broncos signed Melvin Gordon and Graham Glasgow on big-money deals to take the pressure off of Lock. But the Broncos’ organization went further and drafted big-play pass-catchers Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler and Albert Okwuegbunam in the early rounds of the draft. Let’s not forget that the Broncos still have Courtland Sutton and Phillip Lindsay, two standout offensive threats from seasons past.

There are no excuses for Lock; this is his time to shine.

In those five starts last year, Lock tossed for 1020 yards and seven touchdowns, including some big-time plays in clutch moments, something the Broncos have been missing for years.

Lock has a cannon of an arm and is capable of throwing the ball deep down the field. If he is able to gain chemistry downfield with the young talent around him, the sky is the limit for what the young Broncos quarterback is capable of.

Because of the weapons at his disposal, he won’t have to do everything for the Broncos.

Limiting turnovers and generating points and being a versatile threat who can get yards in multiple ways are all things that Lock is not only capable of doing, but they are also things that will be key in Lock blooming and making the Broncos playoff contenders. The era of dink and

dunk and a defense that carries the offense is in the past.

Lock is only 23 years old and will have room to grow, but if he doesn’t shine, the Broncos may be forced to look in another direction at the quarterback position. This is a make-orbreak year for the team, and president of football operations and general manager Elway is growing impatient. In terms of blooming as a player, the talent is there, but that will only take Lock so far. The big reason he will likely make the leap to becoming a household name is because of his attitude. Lock plays with a contagious swagger. Both his teammates and himself have confidence in his abilities; team morale is higher than it has been in years.

A.J. Johnson - LB - 3rd Season A.J. Johnson is already a stud, but he should only improve from here. Johnson came into the league late because of alleged criminal charges that were eventually acquitted. The Broncos gave him a chance, and although he didn’t produce much his rookie season, he jumped onto the scene last year as a starter and proved himself.

He received one of the best grades in the league for inside linebackers by Pro Football Focus with an 88.5 grade. The site that analyzes every snap by every player ranked Johnson as the number three linebacker in the entire league, and this was with him not starting until week five. Johnson is now a full-time starter and one of the leaders of the defense. He is already recognized as a star

by Broncos fans and analyzers like PFF, but another great year will put Johnson in the national spotlight.

Johnson is extremely versatile. He is a stud against the run, the pass and as a rusher.

Johnson was already the top dog in the middle last year, but surprisingly to Broncos country, Todd Davis was released during a cut last week. The absence of Davis and the insertion of Josey Jewell into the starting lineup will force Johnson to take on even more responsibilities. He is more than up to the task. Look for the dinosaur claw celebration that Johnson pulls out after big plays to become a league-known signature.

Bradley Chubb - Edge - 3rd Season Expectations were already high for the return of Bradley Chubb who missed the majority of last season with a torn ACL, but now the Broncos will be relying on the former fifth overall pick even more. Von Miller, the future first-ballot Hall of Famer and Broncos Super Bowl 50 MVP, went down with an ankle injury. The leader of the de-

Denver Broncos linebacker A.J. Johnson jumps during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs Oct. 17, 2019.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY BEALL VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

fense and the other half of perhaps the league’s most talented edge-rushing tandem is likely done for the season. Although this is a devastating blow to the Broncos as a team, it means that Chubb will be expected to produce on a similar level of the future Hall of Famer.

Only getting double-digit sacks isn’t enough anymore.

Chubb may need 15-plus sacks

for the team to produce to the level they were expected to before the Miller injury. Chubb is more than capable of taking on this burden. He had 12 sacks his rookie year, and his combination of size and speed is overwhelming for opposing lineman. Chubb stands at six-foot four-inches, 275 pounds, and is a monster of a man compared to most edge rushers.

More attention will be paid to Chubb in Miller’s absence but Chubb will be more relied on by his teammates and this should motivate him to be the defensive star the team now needs in the front seven. Chubb was drafted to be a top tier linebacker and now is the time for Chubb to make that leap.

Bailey Bassett can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

20

Monday, September 14, 2020

Collegian.com

CULTURE

How identities intersect: Meet Dora Frias, El Centro director

By Jenna Landry @yesjennalandry

Colorado State University’s Latinx cultural center, El Centro, named Dora Frias as its new director. Frias is using her own intersectionality and experiences to enhance the connections between El Centro and other portions of the CSU community.

Frias was born in Durango, Mexico, and grew up in El Paso, Texas, something Frias said she always talks about. In her meet the director letter on El Centro’s website, Frias also stressed how important her wife and daughter are to her.

“It’s an important part of my identity and who I am and how I’ve come to understand my identity and certainly influences my work as well,” Frias said.

Frias received her master’s degree from CSU in student affairs and higher education. Since then, Frias has spent her career mostly working in identity-based cultural resource centers on different college campuses across the country.

Before becoming the newest director of El Centro, Frias served as the director of CSU’s Pride Resource Center for 2 1/2 years.

The Pride Center, another office housed in the Lory Student Center, leads student diversity programs for Rams who identify with the LGBTQ+ community. Frias, who identifies as queer, said she is excited to move next door in her new job.

Pride and El Centro have always been close in proximity, but they haven’t always had a strong connection, according to assistant director of Pride, Maggie Hendrickson. However, they said Frias is changing that.

“Pride and El Centro, we’re in the same cluster, we’re in Student Diversity Programs and Services and we’re right next door to each other in the LSC,” Hendrickson said. “We even share a door, and we’ve been connected, but I think we just haven’t had the strongest of relationship(s), and now, I think, with Dora’s leadership, our offices are collaborating on how we’re open this fall, the resources we provide.”

Hendrickson also said that since there’s an overlap between Latinx Heritage Month and LGBTQ+ History Month, between September and October, Frias is starting a new program series called the Borderlands Speaker.

The series — which will feature poetry from Seattle-based writer and healer La Espiritista this year — will feature a person who is Latinx and queer every year, according to Hendrickson.

Brandon Paez, a third-year honors student studying psychology at CSU, said that Frias inspired him and continues to be a role

Dora Frias is the new director of El Centro, Colorado State University’s Latinx cultural center. Prior to taking this position, Frias served as the director of the Pride Resource Center for 2 1/2 years. THE COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

model to him and others in Pride.

Paez serves as the student chair of the President’s Multicultural Student Advisory Committee and the student representative for the Pride Resource Center.

“Her affirmative voice made sure that whoever entered the center would feel accepted and valued.

Dora will continue to impact Pride by leaving a legacy of acceptance and understanding.”

BRANDON PAEZ STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE FOR PRIDE RESOURCE CENTER

“Dora has impacted Pride through love,” Paez said. “Everyone who came into the center felt her genuine care. Her affirmative voice made sure that whoever entered the center would feel accept-

ed and valued. Dora will continue to impact Pride by leaving a legacy of acceptance and understanding.”

Like Hendrickson, Paez believes that the centers will grow closer.

“Pride has always been connected to El Centro,” Paez said.

“The door between our centers remains open, and people walk to and from. With Dora as the director of El Centro, ... I think that there will be a deeper level of intersectionality, community and understanding across the identities of El Centro and Pride.”

Frias said that the roles in Pride and El Centro are similar, as they’re both director positions for identity-based centers, but that the new position is a shift in the identity lens that she’s leading with. In Pride, Frias led with gender identity and sexual orientation always at the forefront in her mind. However, Frias now leads with a racial lens, specifically a Latinx/Hispanic lens, “(and) always with intersecting identities in mind.”

“Our students are more than

just their racial experience,” Frias said. “They show up with a variety of different identities and experiences that influence how they understand who they are.”

One of the biggest issues for El Centro is the current pandemic, which changes what El Centro used to be for students. Regardless, Frias still has many goals for the center and for its students.

“El Centro has always had that legacy of being that home away from home for Latino students, Latinx students, Hispanic students on this campus,” Frias said. “I hope that we can continue some of that legacy of what the center has been.”

Frias said her goals include building out programs and services to support the student experience since many Latinx students don’t see themselves reflected at CSU because it is a predominantly white university.

Frias wants to ensure that El Centro’s programs and services are supporting their academics and personal and professional goals as well. Frias is most focused

on short-term goals as of right now to help students still feel connected.

“My goal is to know students as best I can given the super virtual space that we’re in, so I’m doing my best trying to outreach to students,” Frias said. “We’re trying to increase our social media presence, we’ve established a newsletter to get the word out about the resources that we have going on, and (we’re) doing our best to support student(s) during this really difficult time.”

For students who want to stay connected with El Centro, there are several avenues to do so. El Centro primarily uses Instagram to connect with students and share resources. El Centro has also announced their virtual Latinx Heritage Month programming, including cultural cooking lessons on Instagram Live and a student-facilitated dialogue series that Frias hopes will be a good opportunity to connect with students.

Jenna Landry can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.

Monday, September 14, 2020

@CSUCollegian

21

CULTURE

Pride Center is place of affirmation, community on campus

By Bella Johnson @bellakj2020

Comfortably located in the northeast corner of the Lory Student Center sits Colorado State University’s Pride Resource Center. From its initial creation in 1997, the center has served the LGBTQ+ community for 23 years, celebrating 20 years of support in 2017.

For those who have not had the opportunity to stop in, the center is a place of inclusion, validation and affirmation. It is committed to offering a safe space where the CSU community can educate each other about gender expression, gender identities, sexuality and romantic orientation at an institution that is typically heteronormative.

“We don’t look at LGBTQ students through one singular lens; we understand that there’s financial backgrounds, that there are racial backgrounds — especially right now — that are really affecting the ways that we navigate a place like CSU.” PEDRO RAMOS PRIDE CENTER PROGRAM COORDINATOR

“When I go in there, I’m instantly surrounded by ‘my people,’” said Hannah Kramer, president of the Bi, Ace, Aro, Pan, Poly, Queer and Questioning organization. “In my everyday life, I honestly don’t feel that I’m very ‘seen’ as a person — I feel invisible most of the time. But when I’m at the Pride Center, I’m completely a real person whom others will listen and talk to.”

The shared area offers many unique benefits to their community such as gender-affirming garments like binders for those who would like to be present within their own body. The center also fosters a multitude of organizations like BAPPQ, OSTEM, Queer Women Engaging in an Encompassing Nexus, Graduate QTS and Prism for students looking for support in their sexualities, identities and more.

Kramer also shared that her favorite part of the center was a mason jar. This jar had a coin added to it each time a student made a deprecating comment towards themselves.

“It worked so, so well, and I loved doing it,” Kramer said.

“People started recognizing be-

The Pride Resource Center is located in room 232 and provides resources and support for all Colorado State University community members to explore and increase their understanding of sexual/romantic orientation, gender and identity intersection. PHOTO BY COLIN SHEPHERD THE COLLEGIAN

haviors that they had previously been doing subconsciously so they could put the effort to stop it in, and people weren’t afraid to call out others if they were being negative towards themselves.”

The Pride Center was initially created by students and has since added some leadership positions to support CSU’s LGBTQ+ community. One of the newer members, Pedro Ramos began working as the center’s first program coordinator starting in July.

“I think my big focus now is really focusing on how do we incorporate different racial identities into the conversations around gender and sexuality because I think sometimes that’s the missing piece,” Ramos said.

Ash Powers, a fifth-year student studying social work and women’s studies, shares in this concern.

“I do, however, want to acknowledge that my whiteness does afford me a level of comfortability within the center and that the center still needs to work toward creating an environment where queer Black people, Indigenous people and people of color can fully thrive,” Powers said.

Ramos said the Pride Center has quite a few resources for those

in need during COVID-19 and other tough times. They offer an emergency scholarship called the Leah Memorial Fund, which is intended for those who may have financial trouble due to coming out or other discriminatory factors.

Anyone within CSU’s LGBTQ+ community can apply.

“We don’t look at LGBTQ students through one singular lens; we understand that there’s financial backgrounds, that there are racial backgrounds — especially right now — that are really affecting the ways that we navigate a place like CSU,” Ramos said.

The center recently created multicultural counseling hours for those who may not be able to come into the center for emotional support due to situations at home or COVID-19-related factors.

Despite the difficult times, the Pride Center is standing out as an example for its community and the rest of the CSU student body through the history it has made and the progression it continues to make.

“We made history in 1998, I think we’re gonna make history in 2020,” Ramos said.

Bella Johnson can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.

The Pride Center was initially created by students in 1997 and has offered a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community on campus for 23 years.

PHOTO BY COLIN SHEPHERD THE COLLEGIAN

Monday, September 14, 2020

Collegian.com

go of self-criticism and tell yourself how much you love you.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) Nobody is as charismatic as you. Use your charm to inspire others. You’re at your best when you encourage others to develop relationships with their passions.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (09/14/20) ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) Tell the important people in your life how much they mean to you. In the coming months they will be around to support you, so show them some gratitude.

TAURUS (APRIL 20MAY 20) You deserve a much-needed break. Reward yourself by indulging your senses.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) Speak with your chest. Honor

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) If you got it flaunt it.

You have a lot to be proud of, so give yourself a pat on the back. Take some time to write down your accomplishments as a way to check-in with yourself.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) Your body is a vessel for your spirit. Adorn yourself with the finest pieces of clothing and accessories you have.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) When was the last time you said “I love myself.” Let

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SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) Open the blinds. Yes, you shine in the darkness, and you still need some vitamin D. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22DEC. 21) Share the love today. Pay it forward through empathy and kindness.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22JAN. 19) When was the last time you were truly intimate with someone? Embrace vulnerability and show others your soft side.

A

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) You have some amazing people in your life. Allow others to guide and support you as you progress forward.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) Work is boring. Spice it up. Use your creativity to make the work you do enjoyable.

KE CAR TA

E RAMS T

REST and recover at HOME. PROTECT our community.

RAMS

By: Jorge Espinoza

your story by accepting the good, bad, ugly and everything in between. Doing so will make others appreciate your tenacity and resilience.

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DAILY HOROSCOPE

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TOGETHER WE CAN SLOW THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.

91%

of students practice public health behaviors to avoid spreading COVID-19.* Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care.

Remember to complete the Daily Symptom Checker. *covidrecovery.colostate.edu/socialnorms

Monday, September 14, 2020

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Puzzle Junction Crossword Puzzle

Across 1 Just a handful 4 Court call 7 Mouse catcher 10 Surrounded by 12 “To Autumn,” e.g.

13 Searches 16 Guardianship 18 Like draft beer 19 Very small 20 Appropriate 21 Varnish ingredient 23 Be in harmony 26 Psyches 27 Faux pas 28 Kind of jet 29 Winter woe 31 Pool shots

32 “The Lord of the Rings” figure 33 Lady’s man 34 Drunk 35 Paper clip alternative 37 Exit 40 Canyon feature 41 Crones 42 Lulu 44 Laughable 47 International money 48 Kind of jerk 49 “Tristia” poet 50 Quick punch 51 Kind of closet 52 Lacking value 53 Obstacle

54 Black, to poets 56 Appointed 58 Contraband mover 62 Related maternally 63 German resort 64 Emerald Isle 65 High degree 66 Islet 67 Jazz instrument Down 1 Blubber 2 Down Under bird 3 Humor 4 Student aid 5 Jittery 6 Driving need 7 Hacks 8 Em, to Dorothy

COMIC ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN GREENE @TFOGDOGS

COMIC ILLUSTRATION BY MIKAYLA RUST @MIKAYLA_RUST

9 Blast maker 11 Inhibit 14 Eagle’s claw 15 Paddle 17 Fanciful story 20 Recipe word 22 Romaine lettuce 23 Brewed drink 24 Salon supply 25 Huck Finn’s conveyance 26 Feverish 27 Defense acronym 29 Serene 30 Bonanza find 31 Dad’s lads 33 Cast-ofthousands film 34 Kind of palm 36 Bone-dry 37 Children’s card game 38 Fairy tale’s second word 39 Daily riser 41 Busy airport 43 Goat god 44 Debate side 45 Sheeplike 46 Italian city 47 Corn serving 48 Burn slightly 50 Without interest 51 Register 53 One of the “Little Women” 54 Austen novel 55 In use 57 World view 58 Dry, as wine 59 Fleur-de-___ 60 Baseball stat 61 Name fit for a king?

Sudoku

Last edition’s crossword solution

Last edition’s sudoku solution

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23

Associated Students of Colorado State University presidential candidate Adam PeĂąa speaks at the presidential debate in the North Ballroom at the Lory Student Center Sept. 9.

PHOTO BY LUCY MORANTZ THE COLLEGIAN

Live stream camera films the Associated Students of Colorado State University presidential debate in the North Ballroom of the Lory Student Center Sept. 9. PHOTO BY LUCY MORANTZ THE COLLEGIAN