Vol 127, no 42, oct 12, 2017 by The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Vol. 127, No. 42 Thursday, October 12, 2017

OPINION

SPORTS

STAND IN SOLIDARITY

SOFTBALL PLAYER FINDS PASSION IN SINGING

PAGE 11

PAGE 14

A&C

HAUNTED PUB TOUR SPOOKY FUN PAGE 19

Sorority recruits wait in their recruitment groups for the bidding selection process to begin in Spring 2017. PHOTO BY ELLIOTT JERGE COLLEGIAN

Sororities face decreasing retention rates By Piper Davis @PiperLDavis

Colorado State University’s sororities are facing decreasing in retention rates over each academic year, while fraternities not only retain, but increase chapter size every semester, according to reports released by Fraternity and Sorority Life. Disparities in sorority chapter size exist between fall and spring semesters, according to

reports. Looking at Chi Omega, the sorority with the largest chapter size at CSU, its spring enrollment varies greatly from its fall enrollment. Sororities open bid in the spring and many of the members are lost right after bid day. But, for the 2016-2017 academic year, Chi Omega’s enrollment decreased from 210 in the fall to 179 in the spring, meaning a decrease of 31 members the first semester of the

year—a loss of nearly 15 percent. In comparison to the previous academic year, Chi Omega faced a loss of around 5 percent of its members, with a chapter size of 190 in the fall of 2015 and 179 in the spring of 2016. And, three years ago, the chapter only lost 2.5 percent of members with a chapter size of 159 in the fall of 2014 and 155 in the spring of 155. Conversely, most fraternities at CSU experienced an increase in members each semester.

According to the same reports released by FSL, Kappa Sigma, the fraternity with the largest chapter size at CSU, has seen a continual increase in enrollment since 2015. In spring 2015, Kappa Sigma had a chapter size of 101. Fall of 2015 retained the same chapter size and grew to 107 in the spring of 2016. Kappa Sigma’s chapter size experienced its greatest percent gain of enrollment for the academic year of 2016/2017. In fall

of 2016, the chapter size was 110, and as of spring 2017, their chapter size grew to 126, an increase of nearly 13 percent. From fall of 2015 and spring of 2017, Kappa Sigma gained 25 members, an increase of nearly 20 percent. According to former sorority members, the decreasing retention rate can be attributed to several factors.

see SORORITY on page 4 >>

COLLEGIAN.COM Thursday, October 12, 2017

FORT COLLINS FOCUS

Former graduate student, Niah Venable, teaches Warner College students, at CSU’s mountain campus, about watershed science. “I have found that student engagement is key,” Venable said. She taught a hands on demonstration of how to calculate the movement of a stream and encouraged students to take part in the watershed sciences. PHOTO BY ANNA BAIZE COLLEGIAN

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NEWS Thursday, October 12, 2017

CAMPUS

ASCSU extends impeachment procedures one week By Haley Candelario @H_Candelario98

The impeachment process of student body president Josh Silva was extended another week Wednesday night as the University’s continues to investigate the Associated Students of Colorado State University’s president. Chair of the impeachment committee and Chief Justice Brittany Anderson said the committee voted to extend the procedure another week in order to review evidence that was submitted following their ratification at last week’s senate session. “The committee needs this time to meet in a group and go over evidence, that way the committee will determine what evidence is relevant before moving on to the next stage in this process,” Anderson said. Anderson reminded the senate body that anyone can still submit evidence to any member of the impeachment committee, and all names will be redacted unless otherwise specified. Impeachment procedures have been underway since the

ASCSU Senate on Oct. 11 2017. PHOTO BY COLIN SHEPARD COLLEGIAN

first senate session of the academic year, but did not move forward until last week. Sen. Cerridwyn Nordstrom brought forth the first impeachment petition against Silva with claims that he violated the ASCSU Constitution for not presenting a bill to the senate body that would fund a contract for the Wall Street

Journal for students to access digitally and physically. The Sept. 6 senate session was cancelled to meet with faculty advisors and for reasons outside of the organization’s control. The impeachment petition could not move forward at the Sept. 13 petition since a clause in the ASCSU governing documents requires

that the finalized petition be brought forth a week after the document is submitted. Nordstrom redacted her initial impeachment petition, but brought forth a second petition which claimed Silva violated the ASCSU Code of Ethics for disrespecting others and discriminating against them. Additional accusations

included that Silva harassed and verbally abused members of the executive branch, deleted and concealed emails and files in attempt to obstruct impeachment proceedings, and caused a lack of respect for others in the executive branch for having a consensual relationship. The second petition was unable to move forward as the Office of Equal Opportunity launched their own investigation into Silva. The organization was advised not to continue with impeachment procedures. Nordstrom brought forth a third impeachment petition against Silva which removed the allegations of disrespect and discrimination. The petition was finalized during last week’s session, and the impeachment committee was ratified. Silva is accused of failing to inform the senate body of the Wall Street Journal contract, failing to create a job description for himself, and attempting to obstruct impeachment procedures by deleting and concealing emails. Haley Candelario can be reached at news@collegian. com.

NEWS Thursday, October 12, 2017

CAMPUS

Freshmen class reflects growth Sorority By Natalia Sperry

>> from page 1

@Natalia_Sperry

The freshman class of 2021 is the largest, most diverse class in Colorado State University’s history, according to University records. A record number of 5,031 freshman students enrolled for the Fall of 2017, a 1.5 percent increase from the previous year. The previous year, with 4,956 students, was the largest freshman class CSU on record, according to the Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Effectiveness. There are 5,115 first-year students enrolled, if student athletes, international students enrolled in summer semester classes and students participating in Semester at Sea are included. The class of 2021 follows the general trend of increase in both size and ethnic diversity at CSU. This includes increased enrollment for out-of-state students. Likewise, the University reports an overall record high school GPA of 3.62 and a record number of 421 first-year students in the Honors Program, according to Honors Assistant Director Diane Burton. “Our growth is pretty consistent, 1 to 2 percent each year, and that’ll continue to be a target moving forward,” said Leslie Taylor, interim vice president for enrollment and access. Taylor said this is a comfortable growth rate for CSU. She said the University can accept at this rate without major issues in housing and transportation since the campus is also exapanding. Class demographics can be broken down into five components: ethnic diversity, gender, academic profile, firstgeneration status and residency. Ethnic Diversity Since 2016, the number of students with minority status has increased by 2.6 percent, according to the new student profile. CSU uses the federal definition for minority status, which classifies minority students as those who self-report as AfricanAmerican, Asian, Hispanic/ Latino, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Native American or multi-racial, according to institutional research manager Heather Novak. It does not include international students. The current freshman class includes 1,366 ethnically diverse students, who make up about 27.2 percent of the class. AfricanAmerican and Asian students make up less than 3 percent of each. Hispanic/Latino students are 16.7 percent, which is higher than the proportion of Hispanic/ Latino students in the total student body, according to the the 2016 Fall census. Multi-racial students comprise 4.8 percent of

Percentage of minority students over ten years GRAPH COURTESY OF

CSU OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH, PLANNING AND EFFECTIVENESS.

the total, and Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Native American students make up less than 1 percent each. “We always want to continue to grow the diversity of each class to more closely mirror the state of Colorado,” Taylor said. “We’re not quite there yet … and diverse populations will continue to be larger part of (Colorado’s) population, so we will continue to concert our efforts to recruit students from these backgrounds.” Over the past five years, a 7 percent increase was reported in the percentage of students who fall into ethnic minorities of each freshman class. Gender Diversity The freshman class is 53.7 percent female-identified, with 2,700 students, and 46.3 percent male-identified, with 2,331 students. Although the University allows students to self-identify their gender when applying, the federal government only looks at binary options when collecting class demographics. The University has considered extending their analysis of the class profile to include a broader spectrum of gender, due to the efforts of the President’s Commission on Diversity and Inclusion, according to Taylor said. Academic Profile Despite the record average high school GPA of 3.62, the overall academic profile of students remains largely unchanged. Median SAT scores remain in the range of 560 for critical thinking, and the average ACT score of 25.2 is the same as it was last year. The reported average 3.62 GPA reflects a 0.28 percent increase. Average GPA has remained largely within the range of 3.6 since 2013. Taylor said improvement of the academic profile is a high priority for the University, but stressed that one criteria does not outweigh the other when it comes to building each new class of freshman.

“In the admission part of it, whether a student is admitted or not, none of these categories is a consideration over the others,” Taylor said. “Each student is first looked at in terms of academic profile. Then we do holistic review, (looking at) where they’re from, any extenuating circumstances, and their background.” First-generation status and residency First-generation students make up 22 percent of the freshman class, the same proportion as 2016. It reflects a proportional decrease in firstgeneration students in the past 5-7 years. Out-of-state students make up 33.4 percent of the new freshman class, reflecting an increase of 7.4 percent from Fall 2013. Colorado freshman still make up more than a majority of the class at 67 percent. While the class includes students from all 50 states, enrollment of students from California, Texas and Illinois demonstrated the most growth with an increased enrollment of 16 percent from those states. Looking to the Future In his Fall Address, President Tony Frank celebrated the diversity of the new class and also talked about his goal for improvement. “Part of the role of a university president, at least as I have come to understand it, is to use these same milestones to provide perspective on work that remains undone, areas that require our attention,” Frank said. Taylor said the University wants to not only increase the amount of students represented in each demographic category but also improve the overall profile of incoming students. “We have some goals to be sure that we are offering equal access to lower income, first generation and ethnically diverse students,” Taylor said. “We want to grow, (but) we also want to have overall better students (academically) as well.” Natalia Sperry can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Caroline Packard, a sophomore studying physics, went through rush her sophomore year, but only lasted until the first bill for her sorority came within weeks after rushing. “I was in Tri-Delta, but I chose to leave largely because of the cost,” Packard said. “I can’t remember exactly how much it cost, but it was somewhere around $1,500 a semester living outside of the house. It was definitely not worth it to pay for friends.” A former member of Gamma Phi Beta, who asked to remain anonymous, decided to leave for numerous reasons, but predominantly for the major changes in her experience. “I had got what I came for, which was friends, support and community,” she said. “I learned a lot but I don’t feel that I would have benefited anymore than I already had if I were to continue my time in my chapter.” Despite admiring the high standards sorority life is held to, the student said she disliked how restrictive the rules and standards felt in her every day life. “I really respect that FSL has rules and standards set in place for Greek organizations,” she said. “It holds us to a high standard and encourages (us) to be the best people we can be, but I also felt very held down by these rules. I felt like they were so caught up in the image that it restrained me from being myself or posting things that I want to post on social media.” Taylor James, a sophomore studying journalism and media communications, decided to leave Pi Beta Phi because she said it felt like the wrong fit for her. “It really had nothing to do with the women or the organization itself,” James said. “I really felt like I wasn’t meeting anybody or making deep connections. I didn’t feel comfortable, I didn’t feel involved, and by the end I just couldn’t see myself staying. I was very unhappy, so ultimately I decided to drop in order to take a step back from everything and work on myself first.” Despite James’s experience in her previous sorority, she eventually rushed again to join Alpha Delta Chi. “This is why I do love Greek life so much,” James said. “There are so many options and so many unique and beautiful chapters that can identify with individuals personally. I

am able to pursue specific interests and have gained leadership opportunities in my first active semester.” Despite disparities in chapter sizes between the fall and spring semesters, there is a steady increase in participation in the FSL community. In the Fall 2014, 9.5 percent of CSU undergraduates were involved in the FSL community. In the Spring 2017, 12.1 percent of CSU undergraduates participated in Greek life, a 2.6 percent increase. Brooke Ortmayer, a sophomore studying journalism and media communications and a current member of Chi Omega, not only found value in being in Greek life, but prioritizes it because she has made close friendships. “The girls I met in Chi O are the best friends I always wanted,” Ortmayer said. “And, it occupies my time because I like to be busy. I think the cost is worth it. I pay for it myself, and it’s something I don’t even think about anymore because I budget it in.” Fraternity enrollment has also experienced an increase overall over each academic year. In 2015 spring semester, only 9 percent of undergraduate men at CSU participated in FSL. As of the spring of 2017, the amount of undergraduate men in Greek life increased to 10.1 percent. Ryan Duke, a senior studying finance and economics, has been a member of Pi Kappa Phi since rushing the first semester of his freshman year. “Personally I was looking for just kind of something to do when I came to college,” Duke said. “I didn’t want to be bored in my dorm room only hanging out from my old high school friends, so I rushed and found a home at Pi Kappa Phi and all of the people there. It truly changed me as a person. I would suggest rushing and staying in Greek life to anyone.” According to Elijah Serena, the advisor for the Multicultural Greek Council, staff members of the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office are unable to comment on Greek life retention rates. “I think it’s an awesome way to find community, a support system, and a way to get involved at CSU,” James said. “A journey through Greek life is so so personal and people realize that once they go through it. So if anyone is even thinking about it, it’s always worth a shot. You could find a home or just learn something about yourself and others.” Piper Davis can be reached at news@collegian.com.

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Thursday, October 12, 2017

NEWS Thursday, October 12, 2017

CAMPUS

New construction projects to come to campus By Austin Fleskes07 @Austinfleskes

Construction projects continue to occur on the Colorado State University campus, including new buildings and renovations. Students can expect a number of different construction projects to begin in coming years. Many buildings will gain additions to preexisting structures. There will be brand new buildings and some buildings will be torn down. The Michael Smith Natural Resources addition to the Warner College building will add 37,4000 square feet to the existing building. The addition will have flipped classrooms, instructional laboratories, a Student Success Center, offices and meeting or collaboration spaces. The cost of the addition is $20.2 million, and is planned to be ready by fall of 2018. According to an announcement published by Facilities Management concerning the building, the Warner college is currently on track to grow 30 percent in students over the next seven years. The announcement states students are in need of collaborative space that inspires discovery, of innovative classrooms that

expand learning opportunities, and a common place where they can work together. The National Western Center Health Education Outreach center will be an addition to the Anatomy and Zoology building and has a planned budget of $23.3 million. This building addition will add 39,600 gross square feet to the existing building, and will include student study areas, an anatomy computer lab, a gross anatomy lab, a neuroanatomy lab, office space for an outreach coordinator, support spaces and cooler space. Milton Brown, project manager for this addition, stated this project will provide students with some outreach education around human anatomy and neural anatomy. JBS Global Food Innovation Center The JBS Global Food Innovation Center, an addition to the CSU Animal Sciences building, is proposed to cost $20-21 million and will add 38,000 square feet to the existing building. The building addition is said to create an integrated facility to provide hands-on instruction for students, which is currently lacking, according to an announcement by

Construction workers and equipment is pictured along West Plum Street near the Colorado State University Transit Center on Tuesday morning. Workers were replacing and rerouting a condensation line underneath the roadway. PHOTO BY FORREST CZARNECKI COLLEGIAN

Facilities Management. The addition will provide resources such as livestock handling, meat harvest processing and more. Brown, also the project manager for the JBS building addition, stated buildings

like this and the NWC Health Education Outreach Center are exciting from where he sits in his position. “I think from a Project Manager standpoint it is always exciting to work with the user groups to provide the facilities that they need to keep their students educated for their future professions,” Brown said. Richardson Design Center The Richardson Design Center, an all new structure for main campus, is planned to cost $16.5-20 million, and is envisioned to be part of a larger ‘design district’ according to a plan given out by Facilities Management. “The CSU Richardson Design Center will create opportunities for students from multiple disciplines to create, innovate and collaborate in an open and immersive design community,” according to the plan given by Facilities Management. The plan for the Corbett and Parmelee dinning halls is to combine them into one dinning hall, as currently it has been a struggle trying to communicate that it is one cohesive dinning center, according to Laura Bently, project manager for the reconstruction. “Scope wise, it covers the Parmelee dinning hall, the kitchen, the Corbett dinning hall and the Corbett lobby,” Bently said. By reconstructing the

space, Bently believes it will provide a space that incorporates diversity and inclusion, while providing students in their educational endeavors with the resources they need to be successful on campus. The renovations of the dining halls and kitchen will begin in March of 2018; lobby renovations will start in May of 2018. The entire process has a fixed design and construction budget of $8.5 million. Fred Haberecht, the university master planner for Facilities Management, stated all of these projects will not get in the way of students getting around campus. “For the most part they are all encapsulated in their sites,” Haberecht said, adding that none of the projects should impede student traffic around campus. Cass Beitler, assistant director of capitol construction with Facilities Management, stated these new buildings and additions will benefit students on campus. “(The new buildings and additions are) going to further the education of students,” said Beitler “It is a positive position to build more projects and help students with their education, and it will make CSU a better university than it currently is.” Austin Fleskes can be reached at news@collegian. com.

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Thursday, October 12, 2017

NEWS Thursday, October 12, 2017

CAMPUS

Global Biodiversity Summit keynote encourages advocacy through storytelling By Natalia Sperry @Natalia_Sperry

Storytelling and human connectivity, subjects not often emphasized in the scientific community, were at the forefront of Colorado State University’s Global Biodiversity Summit’s welcome keynote. A diverse group of students, community members, researchers and advocates within the field of conservation and University officials gathered together in the Lory Student Center Theater on Oct. 11 to discuss the importance of global biodiversity. According to CSU’s Global Biodiversity Center, biodiversity is the measure of variety within the ecosystems that constitute all life on earth. It can be studied from the local to global scale and across the many levels of organization, and maintains life on our planet. “The GBC’s mission is to understand, conserve and appreciate biodiversity and all life’s variation,” said Chris Funk, director of the GBC and professor in the department of Biology. “We do this through research, policy advancement, education and outreach.” As the first of its kind at CSU, the Global Biodiversity Summit follows the University’s success as a leading global institution in biodiversity conservation research, ranked tenth in the world by the Center for World University Rankings. According to Funk, the purpose of the summit is to address why is biodiversity needed in the 21st century, and demonstrate how people can take action to reverse issues within the field. “Our planet’s ecosystem is becoming less and less diverse every day,” Funk said. University President Tony Frank spoke on the importance of biodiversity both globally and within the CSU community. “Biodiversity is not a small topic,” Frank said. “And it is also increasingly an area of concern …

we are a University that is firmly committed to the science and practice of sustainability, and we believe that we have an obligation to spearhead conversations and interactions on which our shared future depends.” The keynote speaker Dr. M. Sanjayan, chief executive officer of Conservation International, used humor and storytelling to get across the point that in order to make real change, the conservation community must give biodiversity a human face. Sanjayan demonstrated this necessity for human connection by showing a short film from Conservation International’s series “Nature is Speaking,” which personified Mother Nature, voiced by actress Julia Roberts. The film series features other celebrities, such as Harrison Ford, who also serves as vice chair for the global organization. “Nature doesn’t need people,” Sanjayan said, summarizing the film. “But people need nature.” Sanjayan shared anecdotes from his own career and personal life to demonstrate what can come from providing people with tangible incentives in order to promote conservation and biodiversity. “Most of the landscape is human dominated landscape and unless you give people some direct connection to conservation, where they’re benefiting from it, it’s very hard to (get them involved.)” Sanjayan said. As an advocate who had a vocal presence in online media, Sanjayan stressed the idea of storytelling as an essential tool in instilling effective change. “A lot of times when we’re communicating, we forget that it’s not just the story that matters,” Sanjayan said. “When you think about stories (when communicating) biodiversity or conservation, don’t just think about the story you’re trying to say. Think about the messenger.” Focusing on the idea of conservation itself, Sanjayan

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M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International, speaks about his personal connection with studies in biodiversity, as well as global perspectives on past, present, and future issues in regards to biodiversity and the environment. The Global Biodiversity Summit will continue through Thursday afternoon, and will contain a variety of panels, speakers, and films open for public viewing. PHOTO BY ROB SCARSELLI COLLEGIAN

also stressed the importance of tropical forests and mangroves, swamp-like areas that grow in coastal areas, to reducing carbon emissions. According Conservation International, the destruction of mangroves alone contributes to six percent of the Earth’s carbon emissions. “If there’s one thing we could actually do in our lifetime to change the climate verdict … it would be stopping the destruction of mangroves.” This discussion of tropical ecosystems roles within the carbon cycle continued as the GBC opened up the end of the summit to a Q&A session with the community. Executive director of the Fundación Neotrópica, an organization from Costa Rica which specializes in fair and equitable distribution of the benefits generated by natural resources Bernardo Gonzalez

shared his perspective on the matter. “One of the things that mangroves … also are inhabited places. This is mostly by poor communities that have been marginalized in these undesirable swamps,” Gonzalez said. “One of the challenges that is going on right now is the tension that exists between (conservation groups) and these communities.” Students such as Alyssa Bareda, a senior zoology major, also became involved in the discussion about the importance of biodiversity. “We need (biodiversity) because this world contributes everything we need,” Bareda said. “I think that it’s important to be aware of the impact biodiversity has on us as people in a positive way. Biodiversity … is healthy for us, just as much as it is for individual ecosystems.” The Global Biodiversity

Summit will continue on Oct. 12, and is also open to all CSU students, faculty and the entire Front Range community. The all-day events will feature activities such as two panel sessions with speakers across disciplines from biology to business, in the LSC’s North Ballroom on “Preserving Biodiversity” and “Fostering a Biodiverse Future.” A poster session will follow, where researchers can present their work to the public. Later, aquatic conservation researcher Wendy Palen will speak at the closing keynote. The summit will end with a showing of the film Yasuní Man in the LSC Theater. “With the nature of social media today, it’s not very hard … for people to get involved in these issues,” Sanjayan said. “It really can make a difference.” Natalia Sperry can be reached at news@collegian.com.

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OPINION Thursday, October 12, 2017

COLLEGIAN COLUMNISTS

Incentives for upperclassmen can save sorority membership retention Allec Burst @allecburst

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. I did the sorority thing. I loved it. Then, I quit. I was a member of Gamma Phi Beta at CSU for two years. As a lone freshman, I saw joining a sorority as a means to find lasting friends. That was exactly what I found. However, as I moved from dorm life to high-level classes and a career path, the experience changed. Sororities are more concerned with fostering culture for younger members than they

are about retaining older ones. As I started to advance in my academics and work, the events of a social sorority became redundant. All the socials were the same. I was about to move out of the chapter house, so I didn’t look forward to living in. The things I loved as a freshman became the things I hated about my sorority as a sophomore. I loved Gamma Phi Beta until I grew out of it. There was no incentive to stay. But, there can, and should be. Sororities have an issue with retention. For the 2016-2017 academic year, Chi Omega’s enrollment decreased nearly 15 percent. Other sororities display significant decrease in retention over time. Sororities should work to retain more upperclassmen membership. I believe this goal can be accomplished by focusing on positive incentive.

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Positive incentive is proven to have a larger impact on participation than punishment, according to a Princeton study on positive sanctions. One staple of sorority life is being fined for not attending events in an effort to gain participation. Fines ranged from around $5 to $50. If women prioritized work, athletics or academics over a mandatory sorority event, they should not have to face a fine. Instead of these small, but infuriating, fines, sororities should encourage women to attend events by providing incentives for going. Sororities could give extra points for attendance or provide food (Who doesn’t respond well to a good pizza?). This will allow women who are active in the community to avoid fines. Fear of fines, or accumulating an excessive amount, is not a positive reason to

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maintain membership. The fines are small and simply unnecessary punishment. Another problem with incentive lies in nature of events. I stopped enjoying date dashes and socials after about two years. The nature and redundancy of these events is what ultimately drives older members away. They are supposed to build community, which is great for the younger members. I enjoyed them as a freshman and sophomore because they were an excellent setting to meet new people and get to know my sisters. The problem is that they are redundant. There should be other events offered. Creating events for members who are 21+ would be a perfect positive incentive: It gives women something to look forward to. Having a few older ladies together for a yearly 21+ tour at New Belgium, for example, could be a

great tradition. Or, perhaps older women could be offered privileges, like the ability to hold certain positions at a philanthropy event. I had a very positive experience until I had to put work and school over Gamma Phi Beta. Many of my closest friends are members of Fraternity and Sorority life. Positive incentives and less of a demand for upperclassmen attendance is crucial to retaining membership. Women need to gain support and positivity from their chapter, not have it be a mandatory nuisance that cuts into academic and career success. This can be done through less intrusion and more positive incentives. Women join sororities for sisterhood, and a positive, safe, encouraging community to last a lifetime. So, lets give the people what they want: a reason to stay. Allec Burst can be reached at letters@collegian.com

OPINION Thursday, October 12, 2017

COLLEGIAN COLUMNISTS

America is failing its children by not renewing CHIP Michelle Fredrickson @mfredrickson42

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. For the ‘anti-abortion’ party, Republicans are not doing much to protect children. Their latest offense has come from the failure to fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP offers insurance for kids up to the age of 19 who are uninsured, but do not qualify for Medicaid. It also covers pregnant women in the same situation. In Colorado, there are 75,000 children and 800 pregnant women on CHIP insurance. In order to keep this program in effect, CHIP funding must be reauthorized by Congress. Every Congress has successfully reauthorized it since the program was funded in 1997, only cutting it close once. But not this year.

On its 20th anniversary, the Republican-controlled Congress missed the deadline to reauthorize funding. This means that, unless they can come to a deal, almost 9 million children and 370,000 pregnant women across the country will suddenly be without health insurance by the end of the year, or by next summer at the very latest. Some states will even run out by the end of the month. Colorado’s Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing issued a statement imploring action to save CHIP, which is known as CHP+ in Colorado. Funds are estimated to run out by the end of January. We cannot sit idly by and let this happen. Everybody who cares about the welfare of children, which hopefully includes people from both sides of the aisle, should be calling their Senators and Representatives right now and urging them to schedule a vote. The Senate Finance Committee did come together in mid-September to form a bipartisan reauthorization bill, but it has not gone to the floor for a vote yet. This bill does not outline any funding mechanisms

for CHIP, either. A similar bill came from the House Energy and Commerce Committee and was set to go to vote this week, but after strong Democratic opposition to where the financing would come from – out of Medicare and Affordable Care Act programs – the committee returned to the negotiating table in order to get a more bipartisan bill. But they are almost out of time to renegotiate. If they don’t reach a deal by the end of the week, they won’t be in session again until Oct. 23. That is cutting is very close for states that will be out of money for the program before the end of the year. “We are disappointed Congress did not act by the Sept. 30 deadline to continue federal funding for CHIP. Colorado CHP+ members need to know they still have coverage until the federal funds run out at the end of January,” said Dr. Susan E. Birch, executive director of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, in the statement. “Congress can still act in the coming months.” CHIP is funded with mostly federal dollars, though states

contribute some to the cost. The most states can do once the federal funding dries up is use unspent federal funds to carry through in the hopes that Congress will extend the program soon. It’s all up to Congress right now, which means it’s important to put the pressure on our legislators to pass a bill that will extend CHIP coverage without cutting from other needy people. While gridlock is a bipartisan problem, the blame for this instability lies primarily with the Republicans. The main reason they missed the deadline for a vote was because of the last-ditch efforts to push the GrahamCassidy bill through. Hillary Clinton was First Lady when CHIP was passed originally. It came after Bill Clinton failed to fully reform healthcare. It was bipartisan in its foundation, and Hillary Clinton was a champion of the project. It was passed, and reauthorized every year since, because it protects a very vulnerable group. There are many reasons why a child may not qualify for Medicaid but may not have private insurance. Perhaps their

parents work for employers who do not offer insurance. Perhaps their parents are self-employed. No matter what, everybody, even the most cold-hearted politicians out there, would agree that it’s not the child’s fault for not having insurance. CHIP has been protecting children for twenty years and it needs to be reauthorized. We’re running out of time to do it – by the end of the year, as many as ten states and Washington, DC could be out of funding. Senators and Representatives need to take action to keep CHIP alive, and they need to do it right now. It’s too easy to sit back and think that because this is happening in Congress, we can’t do anything about it. Changes happen when constituents pressure representatives. Call Cory Gardner and Jared Polis and voice your support for CHIP. As Hillary Clinton said, “The test of any society is how it treats its children. We cannot allow millions of kids to lose access to basic healthcare.” Michelle Fredrickson can be reached at letters@collegian.com

OPINION Thursday, October 12, 2017

COLLEGIAN COLUMNISTS

Why we stand in solidarity for Elijah Thomas Jayla Hodge @Jaylahodge

Editor’s note: Some students did not wish to be identified, so the Collegian refrained from publishing last names. 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. On Monday, students of CSU’s Black community stood in solidarity for Elijah Thomas, a resident assistant who found a fake noose hanging outside his hallway in Newsom Hall a few days before classes started. Frank was scheduled to address Thomas and other students of color regarding his administration’s response to the incident, which was highly criticized. In preparation for the discussion, several leaders in the CSU Black community organized a demonstration to show support and to send a unified message. “We were the group of students at the lynching event, so we knew Elijah was going to be there at the talk. Our main purpose was to be there for Elijah,” said Jhasmne, a predominate figure in the CSU black

community. Isaiah Martin, also a community leader, agreed that while the demonstration served many purposes, the overreaching goal was to support Elijah. In his fall address, President Tony Frank introduced the notion of standing “shoulderto-shoulder” with vulnerable members of our community. The members of the Black community standing in lines dressed in all black, with some participants silent and unmoving for up to an hour an a half, reflects the pretense of Frank’s statement. This was a visual representation of marginalized students–the Black community–standing shoulderto-shoulder united by themselves. “Elijah is a quintessential student,” said Michelle. “He is involved in student (organizations), he is an RA, he is a face known for participating in the campus community. Whoever did this does not see anything but a young Black man, a duality that students of color must deal with everyday. If we are supposedly a part of a greater campus community, we need to be seen as that by the entire campus body.” Bias-motivated incidents this semester prove that CSU is still not a socially inclusive environment. The topic of prejudice and race make many

students uncomfortable. Many students on campus have the privilege of not having to think about these topics and like to believe we live in a “post-racial” society. This is a false connotation: a connotation used to hide the many microaggressions and incidents marginalized students have to endure, largely in silence, every day. “I stood because sitting is not an option. It is time for others to see that we are not just sitting around. There are people in our community, more than what was even present doing this type of work each and everyday,” Jakya said. While the demonstration was in large a show of support, many voiced more personal motivations as to “why they stood.” Jhaysmn said her reason for standing is “because of the injustices that students of color have to face more often than not. Whether it’s through micro or macro aggression’s, wrong is wrong. I stood because I pay $30,000 plus a year to be on this campus and I deserve to be seen and treated as if I matter.” Another vocal leader in the Black community, Abriyana, emphasized that Black students are partially invisible in the larger CSU community. Our voices and

perspective are often excluded. The demonstration was a way to call attention and to make our community visible to the school’s leadership. “We need to recognize the work everyone has been putting in,” Abryana said. “We need to recognize the positivity and impact of the demonstration. It was a platform to also share our experiences on this campus and how they can improve these experiences for Black students.” The predominately white CSU community is perceived as largely disinterested or unaware of the struggles of the marginalized communities and students on campus. The Newsom noose incident and other bias motivated incidents were addressed in a campus-wide email, publicly covered by the Collegian, and topic of many conversations. Even so, a seemingly large portion of the student body are still unaware these issues are occurring. “In these spaces, we have to rely on each other to be strong,” Micaela said. Similar sentiments were echoed by many voices in the community that marginalized communities must look inward to find support–support the school and student body are overwhelmingly lacking.

Outside of my roots in the Black community, I have many white friends and relationships, and can testify that after bringing up the incidents around campus, many were completely unaware that these bias and racist acts are occurring. Just last week, I had to inform my partner and close friends, all white students who attend CSU, of the noose incident. The incident happened months ago. These are students with Black friends and relationships, who don’t even recognize the local incidents that are inflicting so much discourse and pain on marginalized communities. This is the divide; this is where the students and issues are separated. Marginalized students have been suffering alone because they do not have the privilege to pretend these events aren’t happening. “(The demonstration) was a way to show that we are here, we cannot be ignored, silenced or erased,” said Shannon, an active member in the Black community. “Our experiences are valid, our voices are valid, and we’ll go to whatever lengths to show that change is necessary and together we’ll do what we can to make it visible to the whole campus.” Jayla Hodge can be reached at letters@collegian.

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12 Thursday, October 12, 2017 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Thursday, October 12, 2017

SPORTS Thursday, October 12, 2017

SOFTBALL

Atypical softball player: Hayleigh Evans is an entertainer By Mack Beaulieu @Macknz_James

Her arms are scarred and finger polish chipped. From a small country town with an attitude to match, she has a mean competitive streak. At first glance, it makes sense that Hayleigh Evans is a softball player, but she was born an entertainer. A senior softball player and journalism major at Colorado State University, Evans was born in Gretna, Nebraska to a conservative family. It was a small town and she always wanted a bigger stage to entertain on. “When people ask me what I want to do when I grow up, I always tell them I want to be famous,” Evans said. Evans sang for anyone that would listen from an early age, even to people she barely knew. She used to make concert tickets and hand them out to people, most of which dutifully sat and listened to the show Evans prepared for them. Evans participated in multiple singing competitions and even tried out for American Idol once. After six seasons of watching the show faithfully, she realized that if she was going to sing, then she needed to stay in her range. It’s one she’s now found in the style of newer R&B artists like Kehlani. Nobody expected that her first shot would come on a diamond rather than a stage. “Athletics is kind of the last thing I expected when she was younger,” said Mike Evans, Hayleigh’s father. As she got older, though, Evans’ athletic ability became readily apparent. Her older brothers prevented her from playing wiffle ball with the boys. But in time, they were vying to have her on their team. Her parents say she throws harder than both of her brothers, one

of whom plays football at Drake University. In her sophomore year of high school, Evans tried out for the softball team. Until that point, she was known mostly as the actress or singer type. She made the team, but she also learned firsthand how much an activity can define your identity. “I feel like I didn’t fit into either group very well, I was just kind of chilling in the middle,” Evans said. There was friction between Evans and her old artistic friends, forcing her to make new ones. She felt betrayed by the fact that they seemed happy to not have to sing against her anymore. Then they went on to not talk to her about softball, either. Even so, she’s happy the transition happened. In her simple terms, she would not be here if it didn’t. “When you take one path over another, doors close on you in the other,” her father said. So Evans kept following the doors that opened. After a successful first season of softball, she transferred to a Class A powerhouse where she recorded a .403 career batting average and forty stolen bases with plenty of personal and team accolades to boot. Some of those included district championships and three All-State honors as a player. After what seems like a forgettable freshman year both socially and athletically at Creighton University, Evans found her way to CSU. It is here where Evans has blossomed as a player and person. Throughout her sophomore year and first season at CSU, Evans put her competitiveness to good use, mostly appearing in pinch running opportunities. In her junior year, she finally got a chance to play every game as she hit .217. Evans sees herself as one of the more competitive people on the team and says she’ll put in the extra work if she feels

threatened for her starting spot. “She’s not ultra competitive at all things,” Mike Evans said. “But when she is, she takes it personally. Telling her she’s not something makes her angry.” That attitude has suited Evans well, allowing her to pursue multiple interests rather than be stuck in one niche. Ironically, it was not her competitive spirit that led her to connect with her fellow athletes at CSU. It was the thing her mom, Geni Evans, says never left: singing. Last year as a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Evans began arranging events for herself

and other student athletes. The Rammies, an award night for student athletes, allowed Evans to showcase her voice for the first time at CSU. According to her parents, it’s also the time she first started to feel accepted here. Preconceived notions of athletes were hurting Evans, even within the group she was most clearly a part of. But her singing ability allowed Evans to connect to her teammates in an entirely different way.. “It changed her whole perspective at CSU,” her father said. From here, Evans’ life is going to shift again into a role her degree has prepared her for while

allowing her to be the performer she never stopped being. She plans to move to the coast and pursue her singing career while working in a job that connects people, whatever that may be. For Evans, it’s not if her singing career will take off, it’s when. This is the same confidence and tenacity that earned Evans a free education and a plethora of athletic accolades. Though she combined her passion for singing with softball, the entertainer in Evans never escaped. After all, she was never just an athlete. Mack Beaulieu can be reached at sports@collegian.com

Evans (16) has a conversation with fellow outfielders prior to the start of the third inning against South Dakota on Sunday, May 7. PHOTO BY ELLIOT JERGE COLLEGIAN

TRACK

CSU track legend to be inducted into Colorado Sports Hall of Fame By Tyler Johnson @TylerGJohnson20

Former Colorado State football and track & field star Alex Burl will be inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2018. Burl joins a talented group of athletes, including Peyton Manning, Rashaan Salaam, Joe Glenn, Sam Pagano and Tracy Hill. Burl played both offense

and defense for Colorado State, known as Colorado A&M at the time. After being a threeyear starter, Burl became the first African-American from a university in Colorado to play in the NFL. Burl played running back for two with the Chicago Cardinals. Despite Burl’s success at football, he shined brightest on the track. Burl was a three-time All-American while in school.

In 1952, Burl placed 7th in the 100-meter dash to become the first African-American athlete to earn All-American honors in school history. Burl added two more All-American sprinting honors during his career and also qualified for the Olympic trials. To this day, Burl is the most decorated male sprinter in school history. Burl was inducted into the Colorado

State Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. After his career in the NFL, Burl gave back to the community, first serving in the United States Army before becoming a teacher in Denver. During his time as a teacher, Burl stayed active in sports by coaching football, cross country and track & field. Burl passed away in December of 2009 from a heart

attack. He will be remembered for his excellence both on and off the field and continues to be a role model for students and student-athletes to this day. Tickets for the event are now on sale and can be purchased from the Colorado Sports Hall of fame website. Tyler Johnson can be reached at sports@collegian. com

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Thursday, October 12, 2017

KCSUFM.COM

SPORTS Thursday, October 12, 2017

SOCCER

Standings tighten as Rams prepare for crucial conference matches By Christian Hedrick @ChristianhCSU

Sunday’s road win over Nevada kept the Colorado State women’s soccer team in the hunt of its first postseason appearance with just five games remaining. The Rams collected a much needed three points last weekend to lock themselves into a four-way tie for eighth place with Fresno State, Colorado College and Utah State. These log-jammed teams are all chasing the elusive sixth spot for a Mountain West championship berth, currently held by Boise State with 10 points. CSU gets the first crack at Boise State on Friday afternoon at the CSU Soccer Field. The Rams’ previous two victories at the CSU Soccer field each ended 5-1, yet CSU coach Bill Hempen is not anticipating similar outcomes this weekend. “Rarely do you get 5-1, much less two in one season,” Hempen said. “I think soccer is a one goal game, maybe two occasionally, so I completely expect these next two games to be close.” The Rams have lost five games by one goal this season, but on Sunday CSU was finally on the winning end of a closely contested match, providing valuable experience to the young team. “5-1 doesn’t really put you under that pressure to finish out a game,” Hempen said.

“When it’s 1-0, no matter who the opponent is, the opponent is always fighting for that equalizer just like we have. Being on the other end of that moment was big for our kids at this point in the season.” While one goal was enough to edge out Nevada on Sunday, the Rams know they will need more tallies to keep putting teams away in the Mountain West. “Scoring early helped us out, but we have to get in the mindset that one isn’t enough,” CSU defender Halley Havlicek said. This weekend, the Rams take on two teams they are chasing in the Mountain West in Boise State and Utah State. To cause problems for these conference foes, the Rams need more production from their forward group. “Alex (Lanning) scored a goal, but Alex is a midfielder and Mac (Makenzi Taylor) scores the free kick and she’s a midfielder,” Hempen said. “We have got to get consistent production from our forwards, and we haven’t gotten it.” Part of the reason for the forwards’ lack of production is an absence of pressure on opposing defenders. “In the grind, their defenders have to be like, ‘Uh oh, here she comes again,’ and I don’t think we have that,” Hempen said. “It’s hard to see our defenders have to deal with that.” Hempen said that every

Midfielder Alex Lanning moves the ball into Fresno State territory during the second half of action on Oct 1. PHOTO BY ELLIOTT JERGE COLLEGIAN

team the Rams have faced this season has had at least one special player that’s been hard to deal with. On Friday, the most difficult challenge for the Rams’ defense will likely be Boise State forward Raimee Sherle. The 2016 Mountain West Newcomer of the Year’s seven goals in 15 games make her the second most proficient scorer in the league. More importantly, her

six game-winners show her ability to perform in crunch time. The Rams struggled to contain UNLV’s lethal strikers last Friday in Vegas, but CSU is ready for the challenge this weekend at home. “Fortunately these are home games for us because that was a long trip,” Hempen said. “We’ll be ready for it. We’re excited for the opportunity to get

back home.” The Rams take on Sherle and Boise State at 4 p.m. on Friday and wrap up the weekend with Utah State on Sunday at 1 p.m. Both games are at the CSU Soccer Field. Christian Hedrick can be reached at sports@collegian. com.

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Thursday, October 12, 2017

COLOR US

SPORTS Thursday, October 12, 2017

NATIONAL

Vance Joseph prepares team for grueling 12-game stretch By Nicki Jhabvala The Denver Post

Vance Joseph roamed the Broncos’ indoor practice Monday afternoon sporting a new look. On the front of his gray, longsleeve T-shirt was “MORE,” in white block lettering. On the back read: Effort Detail Focus Commitment Since taking over the Broncos in January, Joseph has not-so-subtly scattered his aphorisms throughout the team’s practice facility, many of which were collected along his coaching stops over the years. They’re dictums as much as motivators, so when players returned from their bye week to begin their 12game stretch, awaiting them, too, were the new shirts. “The message to our team is to do more. We want more effort, more focus, more detail and more commitment,” Joseph said. “That’s our message. As we move through this season -hopefully with success -- as we have success, we want to do more to keep our edge, so to speak. “That’s our message after the bye: Let’s do more than what we did in the first quarter.”

The Broncos ended the first quarter of their season with a 3-1 record, but they have a fresh reminder of how quickly a season can turn, and how quickly playoff hopes can rise and fade. In 2016, when they returned from their Week 11 bye with a 7-3 record, they succumbed to the Kansas City Chiefs in a season-altering overtime loss and finished their season 2-4 and without a spot in the playoffs. This year, after enjoying their earliest possible bye of the season, the Broncos face a grueling stretch that includes three successive road games (Weeks 7-9) and two games against the undefeated Chiefs. Next up on Sunday are the 0-5 New York Giants, who lost receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Dwayne Harris to seasonending injuries last weekend and could also be without receivers Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard because of ankle injuries. Trap game? Not in the eyes of the Broncos, who heard the same words ahead of their loss at Buffalo in Week 3. “There might be a little uncertainty: 0-5 with a few guys out, they may try to mix some things up,” safety Justin Simmons said. “They also played

the first game of the season without Odell. So there might be some stuff there. All in all, you never know. ... That’s another great thing about this bye -- it’s an opportunity to prepare for everything that we might see. It’s a great opportunity at home to be 4-1.” After hosting the Giants, the Broncos embark on their threegame road stretch to Los Angeles, Kansas City and Philadelphia. For the last two of those road games, the Broncos could have starting edge rusher Shane Ray and rookie tight end Jake Butt on the active roster. The former was placed on injured reserve after suffering a wrist injury in training camp, and the latter has yet to play a live snap in the NFL because of a knee injury he suffered in college. Both are set to practice for the first time next Monday and figure to be key pieces in the team’s quest for the postseason. “For me, I just want to feel like I’m contributing to the team and helping this team win,” Butt said. “It’s been hard doing that from a distance a little bit behind the scenes. I’m excited to try to earn my fellow teammates’ trust in practice and earn the coaches’ trust.” The Broncos return from the

Denver Broncos free safety Justin Simmons picks off a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill in the first quarter Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN SLEEZER/KANSAS CITY STAR.

break with the league’s leading defense in total yards (260.8 per game) and yards rushing allowed per game (50.8). They return with an offense that ranks third in yards rushing (143 per game) and sixth in third-down percentage

(46.7 percent). But Joseph wants more. “It’s on my T-shirt,” Joseph reminded. He added: “That’s our second-quarter motto there.” Content pulled from Tribune News Service.

ARTS & CULTURE Thursday, October 12, 2017

FEATURES

Haunted Pub Tour is a frightening, festive activity By Casey Setash @caseysetash

Walking down the narrow steps to Prost Brewing’s basement steps is not for the easily scared. Musty, fetid air engulfs a group of eight Haunted Pub Tour attendees as they sink lower into an earthen pit, the merry sounds of the bar’s upper level slowly fading away. “Now, I brought you down here to tell you a tale of murder most foul,” said Shane Sheridan, the tour leader and publicist for Fort Collins Tours. He carries a small flashlight, illuminating the gravely floor and cobwebbed beams of the unfinished cellar. He continues on to tell one of Fort Collins’ most famous ghost stories of James and Eva Howe. In the 1880s, Mr. Howe apparently beat his young wife so badly during one of his characteristic drunken escapades that she decided she had had enough. She packed up her bags to leave the next day, but James came home early and was not too thrilled to find her escaping. Sheridan enumerated the rest of the sordid tale.

HAUNTED PUB TOUR ■ Hosted by: Fort Collins Ghost

Tours

■ Price: $15 per person ■ Website: www.fortcollinstours.

com

“James calmly and quietly walks down the front stoop, stands over his wife, reaches into his pocket, produces a knife, opens the blade, bends down and slits open Eva’s cheek,” Sheridan said. “He then switches hands, takes the blade, and plunges it into the side of Eva’s neck. Eva struggles to her feet, staggers out the front fence and says but one word before she collapses: ‘murder.’” This story was one of dozens Sheridan recounted during the two-hour Haunted Pub Tour. Fort Collins Tours operates several different ghost tours that exploit the city’s occasionally ghastly history. The Haunted Pub Tour runs on Thursday nights from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. and takes its participants to several of many haunted establishments across town. This tour began at The Copper Muse, a “house of spirits in more ways than one,” Sheridan said. In the back room of the distillery, various cocktails

A tour participant focuses a paranormal activity detector on an apparently haunted mirror, which is said to reveal the face of William Avery, a murder victim from the 1800’s. PHOTO BY CASEY SETASH COLLEGIAN

in hand, the participants quietly listened to Sheridan speak in a theatrical half-British, half-rich-Southerner (think Leonardo DiCaprio in “Django Unchained”) accent about why people have always been interested in ghosts. “Well, my friends, since this is a haunted pub tour, I find it fitting and proper to ask yourselves one question: do you believe in ghosts?” Sheridan asked. “Now before you hasten to announce it, dear friends, I also find it fitting and proper to look at the origin of the word, ‘ghost.’ Sheridan explained that the English word “ghost” comes from the German word “geist,” which literally translates to “agape” or “a ghast.” “You see, the ancients believed that when people took their last breath of air on this plane, and from their throat escaped a rather guttural death rattle, a veritable ‘ahhhhhh,’ Sheridan said, emitting a throaty croak, “the soul would exit through the mouth and exit either onto this plane or the next.” It took a few drinks for people to really settle into the rhythm of Sheridan’s stories, but once they did, they allowed themselves to feel the giddy thrill of being scared in a controlled way. In the basement of Prost, Sheridan handed one woman an electronic device used to detect paranormal activity and told her to explore the space. She crept closer to a dark closet, detector in hand, when suddenly an exuberant plastic skeleton leapt out from the doorway, its motion sensor apparently tripped.

Beer was spilled, screams were emitted and the childlike sense of a Halloween night sent giggles through the crowd. The tours are unscripted and change on the whims of the tour guides and guests. In addition to ghost tours, the company offers a Progressive Dinner Tour, a Dessert Tour and even a Christmas Shopping

Tour. Participants range in ages, but a small group setting makes the tours feel conspiratorial and exciting. Made all the more thrilling by a full moon and a brisk evening, the Haunted Pub Tour made for a light-hearted, unique transition into the Halloween season. Casey Setash can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.

ARTS & CULTURE Thursday, October 12, 2017

MUSIC

Local band’s frontman to go solo after Hodi’s Half Note concert ByJulia Trowbridge @chapin_jules

Places Back Home, a selfdescribed “dad-core” band, will have a bittersweet EP release concert this weekend. On Saturday, Oct. 14 at 9 p.m. at Hodi’s Half Note, the Fort Collins-based band will perform their new EP. In addition, it will be the last concert with their banjo player and vocalist, Corey Wright. “It’s a good time in my life to pursue the type of music I feel passionate about,” Wright said. “I’m reasonably heartbroken. I love these boys a lot. I love being in Places Back Home. But now I can just support the band and love on them as much as I can.” The band started in April 2015. Initially, it only consisted of three of the five members that are a part of the band today. All of the band members have been playing their instruments and enjoying music for most of their lives. “I started playing the guitar because I was a middle school boy who couldn’t find a girlfriend,” said electric guitarist Bailey Entner. “I don’t know if it worked. But I ended up falling in love with the instrument and music.” From practicing at interesting hours of the day to performing together in Fort

Collins and Denver, Entner said the band has grown to be a family and has shared many positive experiences with each other. “We had a perfect EP release show last September at the Artery,” Entner said. “The show was nuts. An outpouring of people showed up and really cared about what we were doing.”

UPCOMING CONCERTS: ■ Places Back Home: Saturday,

Oct. 14 9 p.m. Hodi’s Half Note

■ WeAreForests: Saturday, Oct.

28, House Show ■ Places Back Home: Saturday Nov. 4 at the Downtown Artery Places Back Home has grown into their sound. Their EP release that is coming out this weekend makes their growth apparent, according to Entner. Collin Stover, the bassist, was a fan for the past couple of years and has recently joined the band. “Being around for a couple of years and seeing even the evolution of stage performance was super apparent of the growth of the band,” Stover said. “It’s a good indicator, seeing people get more comfortable with their music on stage.”

With the connections in this band being strong and heartfelt, the art they create is heartfelt as well. The band writes and performs in order to create a connection with other people and explore the experience of being human. “We write because we’re compelled to write,” Wright said. “I think any decent writers want to engage in humanity and people’s experience.” Although Wright is leaving the band, they all still plan to work together and to open for each other’s concerts. Wright is currently working on his own music project, WeAreForests, which is more of a singer and songwriter genre. In general, Places Back Home encourages people to get out and go to concerts, saying that people are not going to shows as often anymore. Fort Collins has a budding band and performance scene, with good live music at low costs. “It’s really great and cheap entertainment,” Stover said. “There’s so much talent around town. You could see a tiny local band for $5, and they’d probably be really good. You get to see people making art in front of your eyes.” Julia Trowbridge can be reached at entertainment@ collegian.com.

FOOD & DINING

Comet Chicken flies the coup and almost sticks the landing By Ty Davis @tydavisACW

From the incandescent bulbs dangling all over the restaurant to the decorative roosters, Comet Chicken aims to mix classic Americana with modern sensibilities. Recently opened, Comet Chicken adds an individual spin to iconic recipes. The first thing I noticed about the fries was the lack of grease. They barely had a sheen to them. The fries had this full, golden taste that really comes through, throughout the entire side order. I do not think I tasted a single handful without this amazing golden flavor. But, the fries were drowning in salt. Once you have finished them, there is an intense after taste that completely covers your mouth and makes you want to chug your drink.

Commet Chicken is located at 126 W. Mountain Avenue.

The chicken was incredibly tender but the breading lacked crispness. This happened during my first visit too, the chicken did not have any crunch to it. The actual buffalo sauce did not have any kick to it and was so acidic that it bordered on being sour. Half the sandwiches feature coleslaw—including the buffalo—and it is a side feature when you order the chicken tenders. I do not usually care for coleslaw, but I actually found this recipe delicious. The coleslaw was incredibly sweet and extremely creamy. It literally dripped off my hands as I was eating the sandwich. Overall, I did not find

the sum of any part of the sandwich distinct or enjoyable in their own right. Each component was decent but nothing special. But, like my first visit I had to consciously prevent myself from wolfing it down. When all the flavors came together, it created a robust, indescribable, taste that completely mesmerizes you. The restaurant presents a unique aesthetic. The restaurant is a mixture between a toy store and rustic American kitchen with a modern twist. Most of the restaurant is covered in a dark colored wood and is accented with bright, warm. Across the restaurant, you can see decorative roosters and ceilings fans styled after classic windmills. The service area behind the counter is a sleek, tile-covered area resembling a contemporary kitchen. The most striking part of the restaurant is a cartoony wood carving of a chicken in a rocket ship above the ordering area. The restaurant offers an assortment of cocktails along with other drinks like beer, hibiscus tea and nitro coffee brew coffee. While there may be some who appreciate their inclusion, I cannot help but question why these options exist at all. Not only is no one expecting these options to be there, but most people likely do not want these options when eating at a chicken joint. The restaurants time could be better served offering more dish options and a variety of other options that are more suited for this type of restaurant. Comet Chicken is located at 126 W. Mountain Ave Ty Davis can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.

The four piece Chicken Tenders Basket on Monday, Oct. 9 from newly opened Comets Chicken. PHOTO BY JOSH SCHROEDER COLLEGIAN

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Thursday, October 12, 2017

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