Dead Pen Drawing Club unites artists with community, creativity
Photo by Samantha Nordstrom, story by Annamarie Burford, see page 17
THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN
FOCO EVENTS TOP STORIES
NEWS: Still seeking answers, family of CSU student who died in dorm files lawsuit PAGE 4
LIFE: Trailblazers at CSU Drone Center offer students education, resources PAGE 7
SPORTS: Bruiser bros: Buom Jock ascends to excellence alongside Chase Wilson PAGE 10
SCIENCE: CSU water conservation initiatives work toward sustainability PAGE 16
ARTS: Live music thrives at FoCo hub Surfside 7 PAGE 18
OPINION: CSU emergency text alerts should be mandatory PAGE 20
MEDIA: Moby Madness: CSU men’s, women’s basketball start seasons PAGES 12-13
Latin Night ft. DJ Javi & Friends at Aggie Theatre 9 p.m. Nov. 15
Holiday Market at Visit Fort Collins Welcome Center 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 16
Fauré Requiem at University Center for the Arts Griffin Concert Hall 4-5:30 p.m. Nov. 17
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Steve Jetter contemplates plaques of the four branches of military at Veterans Plaza in Fort Collins Nov. 11. “My dad was in the Marine Corps in World War II,” Jetter said. “I spent three years in Vietnam.” PHOTO BY KATELYNN ORTEGA THE COLLEGIAN
Prospect Plaza remodeling raises concerns over displacement, affordability
By Claire VanDeventer @csucollegian
It is no secret that the cost of living in Colorado is high. Housing costs in particular are 20% higher than the national average. Taking this into consideration, affordable housing options in Fort Collins are of paramount interest for students at Colorado State University.
Prospect Plaza Apartments, located on West Prospect Road, is widely regarded as one of the most affordable housing options for students living off campus. Alongside the lowest rent prices in the City of Fort Collins, it offers easy access to the Transfort Bus System, a laundromat and the Rams Against Hunger food pantry, making it an ideal option for housing and foodinsecure students at CSU.
Prospect Plaza is also home to the LuMin Student Housing Security Initiative, a program in collaboration with Lutheran Campus Ministry at CSU and OffCampus Life that offers subsidized housing for housing-insecure students. Donna Lopez, the housing coordinator for LuMin, touched on the opportunities
the program offers students to continue their education despite housing insecurity.
“We have really targeted students who are housing insecure, homeless (and) first generation; the result is that we’ve had a successful number of people graduate,” Lopez said. “When you have secure housing and the ability to not have to work every job in town and only work one job, you can focus on your academics. You can focus on being a student.”
Due to health and safety concerns in Prospect Plaza, CSU STRATA, a private company affiliated with CSU that owns the apartment complex, made the decision to close for remodeling during summer 2025. However, students have begun to voice their concerns over STRATA’s projected plan to remodel Prospect Plaza into a luxury apartment complex, raising questions surrounding affordability and the displacement of current residents.
There are many details about the project that are still unclear.
Valeria Valles Castañeda, a current Prospect Plaza resident and member of the LuMin Student Housing Security Initiative, said she received a letter from Prospect Plaza over the summer notifying her of the project and her options
regarding relocation and lease agreements. Only a portion of residents have received this letter so far.
“You could finish off your lease and be relocated into a different building, or you would be able to terminate your lease early,” Castañeda said. “Their ask was to notify the Prospect Plaza team by October, and that letter was sent on Oct. 3. There was just a lot of miscommunication. It seemed like things were scratched out of the letter, so it didn’t seem very direct and clear of what their ask was. I feel like it caused more questions than anything.”
LuMin and its members will be relocating to Ram’s Village following Prospect Plaza’s closure. While Castañeda will be graduating and moving out of Prospect Plaza in December, she expressed concern for the residents who will be forced to relocate and seek alternative housing.
“Most of the students that live in Prospect Plaza are nontraditional students, whether that’s international students, a student with a family, ... so it’s all these identities that typically are marginalized and not supported in accessing that higher education,” Castañeda said. “People rely on
the low cost of these apartments. Whether you’re in the initiative or not, these are the most affordable apartments in Fort Collins.”
Castañeda is also a member of the Associated Students of CSU Housing Caucus, which is working closely with Rams Against Hunger, Off-Campus Life and Student Legal Services to find out more information about the project.
Housing Caucus Chair Lauren Davis emphasized the power and rights students hold.
“There is the ability to negotiate and ask for things as a student, particularly around information,” Davis said. “It was pretty vague, especially in the letter that they sent out. I think that it’s not unreasonable for students to ask where they’re going to be relocated and if they can get their security deposit back. I think those two things are going to be where students have the most leverage and power.”
In collaboration with Student Legal Services, the Housing Caucus hosted an informational session for students in hopes of clearing up confusion regarding renters’ rights and laws. Penny Gonzales-Soto, the director of Student Legal Services, was asked vital questions from Prospect Plaza residents regarding
early termination laws, reasonable alternative accommodations and the ability of residents to negotiate with Prospect Plaza for certain arrangements.
While Gonzales-Soto could only offer information regarding the housing laws in Colorado, she insisted that there is no reason residents should not receive their security deposits back from Prospect Plaza after leases are terminated.
“(A) security deposit is an amount of money that a landlord holds onto if they have to do repairs at the end of your lease,” GonzalesSoto said. “My legal opinion is that they can’t hold one penny of that security deposit because they will be doing no repairs.”
Gonzales-Soto also encouraged residents to not be afraid to reach out to Prospect Plaza and negotiate for accommodations surrounding lease agreements, moving and more.
“I think it’s worthwhile to negotiate,” Gonzales-Soto said. “They don’t have to do it. Can you ask to provide us boxes? Sure. Do they have to provide them? No. This is something out of anybody’s hands, and it’s displacing a whole bunch of folks. You’ll never know until you ask.”
Reach Claire VanDeventer at news@collegian.com.
Prospect Plaza Apartments located on West Prospect Road Nov. 11
PHOTO BY DARYN WHITMOYER THE COLLEGIAN
Still seeking answers, family of CSU student who died in dorm files lawsuit
By Allie Seibel & Hannah Parcells @csucollegian
In the early morning hours of Oct. 2, 2022, Colorado State University student Sydney Meegan died in Durward Hall.
Two years later, her family is still seeking justice.
Sydney Meegan was a firstyear economics major who had recently rushed the Chi Omega sorority and worked at the Student Recreation Center Pool when she died of an allergic reaction in Durward Hall.
On Oct. 1, Jessica and Douglas Meegan, Sydney Meegan’s parents, sued Colorado State University; Brooks Balding and Sophia Cutinello, fellow CSU students who were with her the night she died; Hannah Brock, the resident assistant responsible for the floor Sydney Meegan lived on; and Robert Darling, a CSU Police Department dispatcher who answered distress calls the night of Sydney Meegan’s death.
According to the facts of the case provided by the lawsuit, Cutinello, Balding and Sydney Meegan returned to Balding’s dorm room following dinner.
“Sydney had a long history of a severe allergy to milk products, which was known to Balding, Cutinello and Brock,” the lawsuit states. “Upon information and belief, despite this knowledge, Balding and Cutinello still exposed Sydney to milk products along with potential exposure to dangerous drugs and alcohol.”
According to the lawsuit, Sydney Meegan began complaining of a numb sensation on her tongue
and difficulty breathing before going to a friend’s room on the 12th floor of Durward for allergic reaction medication. Shortly after leaving the room, Sydney Meegan collapsed in the hallway.
As the RA on duty, Brock was called and subsequently contacted CSUPD’s nonemergency line.
According to the suit, Darling, the dispatcher on duty at the time of the incident, did not route the call correctly, delaying lifesaving medical attention. He also did not direct anyone at Durward Hall to perform CPR.
According to the lawsuit, Darling was terminated from his employment with CSUPD following the incident.
Randal Manning, an attorney with Ramos Law, is representing the Meegan family in the lawsuit.
“This isn’t a situation where somebody stubbed their toe in the bathroom. Sydney lost her life, and so I know it’s going to be a lot of work. I think that’s the gist of it. It’s just all been inadequate.”
RANDAL MANNING ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE MEEGAN FAMILY
“We’ve just been digging and digging and digging, and we waited till the very last day that
we could file a lawsuit because that wasn’t necessarily our hope, and CSU wouldn’t pony up the information that we wanted, and so we’re going to go get it in court,” Manning said.
Manning said the Meegan family requested every single document related to Sydney Meegan’s death as well as body camera footage from police the night of her death. The university would not turn over some of these documents.
“The amount of body camera footage, for example, that I know for a fact they have and haven’t given us is probably enormous, but Sydney died,” Manning said. “This isn’t a situation where somebody stubbed their toe in the bathroom. Sydney lost her life, and so I know it’s going to be a lot of work. I think that’s the gist of it. It’s just all been inadequate.”
Manning said the process of investigating the death was hindered by lack of transparency from the university.
“What kind of atmosphere are people sending their kids to at CSU, and how did that contribute to Sydney’s death?” Manning said. “I think that’s a huge question for CSU to answer. I think there’s a lot of questions about how CSU responded to concerns from students who were there that night. … When I look at what happened here, I just see a broken system that’s not working for these students.”
A statement from CSU addressed the death and acknowledged the forthcoming legal process.
“Sydney Meegan’s death was a tragic medical event, and our hearts continue to go out to her family,” the statement reads. “CSU and its
employees were not responsible for her passing, which will be addressed through the legal process.”
Jessica and Douglas Meegan began working with the state legislature to pass SB23-299, “Epinephrine Auto-injectors At Institutions Of Higher Education.” The legislation was first introduced in the Colorado Senate in late April 2023, almost seven months after Sydney Meegan’s death at CSU. It was sponsored by Sen. Lisa Cutter and Reps. Brandi Bradley and Brianna Titone.
The legislation requires that institutions of higher education like CSU “acquire and stock a supply of epinephrine autoinjectors” in order to prevent situations like the one that led to Sydney Meegan’s death from happening in the future.
“An EpiPen is life-saving medication,” Titone said. “We make available (automated external defibrillators) in the event that a cardiac arrest might occur, but you know, this was kind of a thing that I think has been largely overlooked.”
The bill text outlines several key steps that institutions of higher education are “encouraged but not required” to take regarding epinephrine auto-injector access and availability.
The sections of the legislation that are only encouraged are intended to make institutions of higher education take accountability for the safety of their students without punishing them for not meeting every item of the bill, Titone said. This is largely because each institution is in a different financial situation, and not every university has the resources to implement the legislation in its entirety.
“We didn’t want to make it punitive if they didn’t have (the resources),” Titone said. “Having a law like this means ... if there’s a situation that happens like this again at another school, the school is really going to be scrutinized by some attorneys who will say, ‘You knew this was a possibility.’”
The legislation was passed by the General Assembly in May 2023 and was signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis June 6, 2023.
Though the legislation represents steps toward preventing what happened to Sydney Meegan from happening to other students, it doesn’t undo the events that occurred on CSU’s campus in 2022, and it doesn’t provide any answers for Jessica and Douglas Meegan as they continue to discern exactly what happened the night they lost their daughter.
“I’m speaking on their behalf, but I think they want authenticity, and they want closure, and they want to really know what happened so that people have some idea of what they’re getting into when they send their kids to school,” Manning said.
Manning expressed hope that both the legislation and the lawsuit will bring changes to college campus safety.
“I hate to say it that bluntly because CSU is my alma mater, but I think that they feel betrayed,” Manning said. “I don’t think they had the capacity to warn her of the risks before they made the decision to tell her to go (to CSU) or supported her in going.”
Reach Allie Seibel and Hannah Parcells at news@collegian.com.
The south entrance to Durward Hall March 12. PHOTO BY CADEN PROULX THE COLLEGIAN
Larimer County sees high voter turnout
By Chiara Coronado Rosales @csucollegian
Civic engagement ran high as Larimer County’s voter participation in the 2024 General Election surged to an impressive 84% among active voters. In Larimer County’s 2020 general election, 226,901 votes were cast, and this time around, 230,644 votes were cast out of 273,159 active voters, mostly through mailin voting at 92.5%, while 7.5% of voters cast ballots in person.
Of the total ballots cast, 61,315 were from Democratic voters, 55,916 from Republican voters, 108,733 from unaffiliated voters and 4,680 from minor party voters.
The Democratic presidential ticket, Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz, led the race in Larimer County, garnering 128,638 votes, outpacing Republican contenders Presidentelect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, who received 89,179 votes. Third-party candidates, including unaffiliated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Green Party’s Jill Stein, garnered smaller shares of the vote.
In congressional races, incumbent Rep. Joe Neguse, a Democrat, won District 2 with 85,930 votes, while Marshall Dawson, the Republican competitor, garnered 46,151 votes. The race in District 4 saw a narrow victory, as Democratic candidate Trisha Calvarese edged out Republican Rep. Lauren
where students described mixed motivations surrounding their votes as well as the difficulties first-time voters face in staying informed.
For many out-of-state students, like Mary Guevara-Guzman, a first-year biology student from Nevada, voting came with various barriers.
“First-time voters don’t really have any guidance on how to vote — (we) only get told to vote,” Guevara-Guzman said. “The registration can take up to days and be problematic, especially for out-of-state students who wanted to vote but aren’t eligible in the state of Colorado.”
Guevara-Guzman also discussed the importance of deciding which state to cast her vote in.
“The fact that Nevada is a swing state and my vote would have mattered more there than in Colorado (influenced the way I voted),” Guevara-Guzman said.
Boebert with 33,487 votes to Boebert’s 30,962.
Local races also drew attention, with Tina Harris, the Republican candidate, winning the race for Larimer County clerk and recorder, securing 121,831 votes to Democrat Wyatt SchwendemanCurtis’ 89,073. Additionally, both county commissioner races were highly competitive, with Democrats Kristin Stephens and Jody Shadduck-McNally securing victories in Districts 2 and 3, respectively.
Morgan Adams, a first-year engineering student from Maine, said she made her voting decisions carefully, weighing the moral character and policies of each candidate on issues relevant to her home state, such as fisheries and women’s rights.
Addison Begeman, a first-year mechanical engineering student from Michigan, shared similar sentiments about the challenge of finding credible information.
“This is my first election, so I was honestly excited to vote,” Begeman said. “I try not to believe everything that I see, so before the election, I educated myself on everything and tried to find real information that was legit.”
Lindsay Tate, a first-year mechanical engineering student from New Jersey, found her faith and personal beliefs influencing her vote.
“I looked at each candidate’s policies and what they said they were going to do to help America in their separate ways,” Tate said. “Personal factors like religion definitely affected my decisions.”
Tate described growing up in a family in which the importance of voting was emphasized yet mentioned voting’s potential social impact emerging as a concern.
“The fact that people will stop being friends with you (affects voter participation),” Tate said.
“I had an experience where my friends stopped talking to me because of my certain beliefs on a topic.”
Adams said she shared similar views.
“It’s very polarized in our country right now” Adams said. “You can lose important people in your life for voting a certain way.”
Kyle Saunders, a political science professor at CSU, commented on the factors contributing to voter turnout in the local community.
“For individual voters, higher education and higher socioeconomic status increase the likelihood of an individual voting, all other things being equal,” Saunders said, especially in “salient and/or competitive elections,” where voters feel the stakes are high.
This article was written based on unofficial results posted Nov. 8 from the 2024 Larimer County General Election.Final results are expected to be posted by the Larimer County Clerk’s Office Nov. 14. Reach Chiara Coronado Rosales at news@collegian.com.
GRADUATE STUDENT SHOWCASE
Celebrating research, creativity, and entrepreneurship
“I know a lot of women in other countries don’t have the right to vote or even to speak and share their mind. So as an American, I’m very proud to be able to vote, and I would never not exercise that right.”
MORGAN ADAMS FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING STUDENT
Out of all of Larimer County’s in-person ballots, 2,313 were cast at Colorado State University,
“I know a lot of women in other countries don’t have the right to vote or even to speak and share their mind,” Adams said. “So as an American, I’m very proud to be able to vote, and I would never not exercise that right.”
Adams said voting while balancing college life created difficulties in voter participation.
“If you’re a busy college student, you don’t have a lot of time to educate yourself and look up all these things,” Adams said. “There’s so much biased media. It’s easier to just run away and not face it than it is to educate yourself and have hard conversations with people.”
Nov. 20, 2024 | Lory Student Center
Poster Presentations, Visual Arts, and Performances
3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Keynote Address: Dr. Samuel Ramsey “ Hive and Prejudice: The Enduring Obstacle to Saving the Bees ” 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Awards ceremony and networking
People wait in line to vote in person at the Larimer County polling location in the Never No Summer Ballroom in the Lory Student Center Nov. 5.
PHOTO BY HANNAH PARCELLS THE COLLEGIAN
CULINARY ADVICE
5 techniques to improve your home cooking
By Will Engle @willengle44
For many, cooking at home can be a daunting task. What starts as cooking a nice meal inevitably leads to piles of dishes, unfortunate food waste and a result that never seems to live up to the expectations you had in your head.
However, by returning to the fundamentals of cooking, we allow ourselves to build upon these necessary skills, drastically improving the quality and ease of any recipe you set out to tackle.
Learn proper knife skills
There is perhaps no single technique more important to improving your home cooking than learning how to properly use a knife.
First, begin with a sharp knife. Mistakes happen, and any experienced cook will tell you how grateful they were that their knife was sharp when they cut themself. A dull knife requires significantly more force to cut, resulting in more severe injuries in the event of a slip.
For the beginner home cook, I recommend an 8-inch chef’s knife. This knife provides
versatility, allowing you to tackle any recipe.
Second, focus on your grip. Never — I repeat, never — lay your hand flat on the cutting board. Turn the hand you will be holding the food with 90 degrees to the side, and assume a claw grip around the food. This way, rather than your entire finger sitting out ready to be chopped off, just the side of your knuckle will be exposed to the blade. Nothing ruins a recipe more than food covered in blood.
Taste along the way
The first time you taste your dish should never be at the finish line.
If you’re making a full meal for yourself — for instance, aglio e olio with sauteed broccoli — the meal should be tasted as you move along. Taste the pasta when it nears al dente to check its doneness; taste your broccoli after it’s been seasoned; and taste your pasta once again after adding garlic and oil.
By doing this, you will gain a greater understanding of how to create flavorful dishes. If you taste the broccoli and find it bland, add some seasoning of your choice — maybe some salt or red chili flakes to bring in some new flavor profiles. If you taste the aglio e olio and find it overwhelming, experiment with adding some acidity, like freshly
squeezed lemon, to balance out the flavors and add some pop.
While this all may seem confusing right now, the only way to develop that intuition is to taste as you go and experiment.
Clean as you go
There’s nothing worse than enjoying the meal you’ve just spent your valuable time making only to return to your kitchen and see a mountain of dirty dishes.
Especially as you start to explore more complex dishes, the number of pots, pans, utensils and extraneous containers necessary for you to dirty only seems to grow. As if that wasn’t enough, spilled sauce, food scraps and other random stains litter the kitchen, turning a 30-minute dinner into an hourlong cleanup.
Thankfully, a significant portion of this post-meal hassle can be avoided by cleaning as you go. While you wait for water to boil or a sauce to reduce, take that free time to grab a pot, pan or cutting board that’s no longer in use and give it a quick soapy scrub. If you’re so inclined, channel your inner Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto and throw a towel over your shoulder. Whenever some sauce spills over or your knife gets dirty, you can quickly clean it up before it dries and requires heavy scrubbing later.
Mise en place
It’s a tale as old as time: You buy all of the ingredients for your recipe from the store, start cooking and, right when you’re about to throw in one of your ingredients, you realize you’re not prepared. Maybe there was an onion that should’ve been diced or a combination of spices that should have been portioned out. Now your time window has passed, forcing you to continue without an ingredient or add it far too late and eat chunks of uncooked onion.
This whole situation can be avoided with the practice of mise en place — a French term loosely translated to “everything in its place.” Before you start cooking, take the time to portion out every ingredient you need. In this prep phase, you will also have time to focus on making precise, even cuts with your knife. Evenly chopped ingredients cook better and ensure every part of the dish reaches doneness at the same time.
It doesn’t matter the recipe length or ingredients — just make sure you are prepared before cooking, and it’ll make the whole job easier.
Stop asking how; ask why
If you want to transition from a novice home cook to someone ready to cook a dinner party for all your friends, stop looking at recipes only as instructions for how to make something.
Of course, a recipe is inherently a set of instructions. But beyond telling you how to make something, it also offers you an opportunity to ask why. This is where true culinary knowledge comes from.
At first, these answers may be difficult to come across. Allow yourself to simplify and perhaps ask, “Why does the recipe want me to take the pasta out one minute before it’s al dente?”
As you start to gain an understanding of these simpler answers, you can begin to ask questions that require fundamental knowledge. For example, if a recipe asks you to add soy sauce, ask yourself, “Why is umami flavor needed here?”
These answers will not only allow you to sound smarter at your dinner parties, but they will also aid you in making those quick, on-the-fly decisions while cooking.
Reach Will Engle at life @collegian.com.
FUTURE PROSPECTS
Trailblazers at CSU Drone Center offer students education, resources
By Ella Dorpinghaus @csucollegian
Bound together by their passion for drones, Colorado State University Drone Center Director Christopher Robertson and Assistant Director Adam Smith began working at the Center in 2014, championing the use of drones in law enforcement and search and rescue in Colorado.
Having attended the same high school and worked together as police officers, the duo’s missions seem to have aligned, even if unintentionally.
When Smith and Robertson began their work with drones in the police force, the regulations surrounding drone usage were unclear. Although the technology was available,Colorado had not yet capitalized on its full potential. Robertson first worked with drones at Larimer County Search and Rescue. After realizing their potential, the two got special permission to fly drones by applying for a Certificate of Authorization through the Federal Aviation Administration.
“We saw all the things that drones could do for good,” Robertson said. “We use them to help locate lost people. We can use them to assist officers with
safety and risk assessment so that we don’t have to put people in dangerous situations because, basically, we can see robotically what’s going on, slow the situation down (and) deescalate it. (There are) various different uses. We can document the world.”
Robertson and Smith have also found ways to incorporate drones into other police tools, like K9 teams. The CSU Drone Center offers classes to law enforcement, teaching them how to use drones to keep K9s safe and make operations as efficient as possible.
“One of the things we teach them is how to work with the K9 team as a law enforcement K9 team,” Robertson said. “You can work with that K9 using a thermal camera at night to be able to see in front of them a couple 100 yards and be able to warn them when that suspect is coming up.”
Robertson’s dog, Bohannon — “Bo” — acts as an ambassador for LSCAR and has plenty of search and rescue missions under his belt. He sometimes stops by the office at the Center and goes out in the field.
The CSU Drone Center is a nonprofit that offers access to a wide range of services, all committed to serving the community. The Center hires engineering students to build
drones, offers classes to orient CSU students with the world of drones and provides opportunities for students to work on obtaining their pilot license.
Smith compared the functions of the CSU Drone Center to a tripod: It is composed of three essential pillars that guide the center’s work.
Robertson described the pillars as research, which includes supporting researchers with the help of drones; education, including teaching classes at CSU; and the Center’s services, which comprise videography and photography.
Addisen Hollis, an engineering student, said she heard about the Center in a civil engineering lecture. Like many students, she is excited by the Drone Center’s offerings, especially the career-related experiences.
“Having that experience would be super cool and would be a great skill set to have,” Hollis said. “If I were to go into transportation for civil engineering, it could be helpful to have this knowledge.”
Smith and Robertson said they recall what it was like to be beginners in aviation, and they draw on that memory to make their programs accessible for students of all ages and backgrounds. The Center offers
workforce development training for younger students who may have limited access to opportunities.
Robertson described the memories of his first flight and how it feels to teach beginners at the CSU Drone Center.
“They said, ‘OK, pull back on the yoke,’” Robertson said. “And I pulled back, and the aircraft became an airplane, and it stopped being a spunky little tricycle land vehicle. And you feel yourself get lighter, and the wheels stop rolling — you
hear them stop. (It was) just this magical moment.”
Through the work of the CSU Drone Center and its outreach programs, Smith and Robertson hope to share their passion with future generations. With the help of Bo, the duo plans to continue to push for education and access to everything drone technology offers.
Reach Ella Dorpinghaus at life @collegian.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY DRONE CENTER
CSU Writer’s Harvest donates food through reading
Author Sarah Perry reads from her latest book, “Sweet Nothings,” at the Creative Writing Series: Writer’s Harvest in the Lory Student University Ballroom Nov. 7. “One thing that’s unique about the Writer’s Harvest is that it always features (Colorado State University) faculty,” said Matthew Cooperman, Creative Writing Series director. “It’s a chance for the audience who don’t necessarily get to hear the professors in the creative writing program read that often, a chance for everybody to kind of hear what our faculty are doing.”
PHOTO BY SAMANTHA NORDSTROM THE COLLEGIAN
By Audrey Weishaar @csucollegian
With a can of food in one hand and a book in the other, readers and writers gathered together to help their community and raise up Colorado State University writers.
The English department at CSU put on the Creative Writing Reading Series: Writer’s Harvest, an annual celebration of work from writers. It’s been happening at CSU for the past 20 years. It is also a way to raise donations for the Food Bank for Larimer County, as attendees are encouraged
to bring nonperishables. In return, those who bring food can be entered into a raffle for various prizes from books to gift cards. All prizes were donated by bookstores, CSU departments and local Fort Collins businesses.
There were three writers at the event: Andrew Altschul, Sasha Steensen and Sarah Perry.
Altschul writes in multiple different genres, including novels and short stories. He said he writes to explore and try to understand the world.
“The fiction I write is often trying to put that reality under a microscope,” Altschul said.
He expressed admiration for the goals of the Writer’s Harvest, as it enables artists to have a platform to help those in need.
Altschul read from a short story titled “Halle Berry,” a comedy which followed the interactions and perceived slights between a white family and their Black waitress. It explored the idea of the hypervigilant vigilante, seeing everything as a perceived slight, even when most don’t see it that way.
Poet and essayist Steensen writes from her experiences and takes inspiration from the media she ingests, like books and visual art as well as history.
“Most importantly, as a fundraiser, … it just feels like a generative and good event,” Steensen said.
Steensen read from a book of poems and essays titled “Well.” It centers on her experiences and battles with cancer and allowed her to express her fears, concerns and hopes during a dark point of her life.
Perry is a memoir and short story writer. Her writing focuses on drama, love and pleasure. She writes about power dynamics and gender. Like the other authors, she writes stories used to explore and navigate the world she is a part of.
“It’s so great to get up and read and know that it’s directly for a good cause,” Perry said about the Writer’s Harvest.
Perry read from an essay collection set to be released in February 2025 called “Sweet Nothings: Confessions of a Candy Lover.” The essays are centered on various candies, including Swedish Fish and Circus Peanuts. These essays cover difficult topics and take a scrutinizing look at past events.
The Writer’s Harvest gives artists an opportunity to raise up those less fortunate, giving voices to people who are often unseen and unheard. It brings the community closer together through thoughtprovoking writing and the joy of helping others.
The next Creative Writing Reading Series event is the MFA Thesis Reading Dec. 5 at the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art. Reach Audrey Weishaar at life@collegian.com.
“It’s so great to get up and read and know that it’s directly for a good cause.”
SARAH PERRY MEMOIR AND SHORT STORY AUTHOR
CSU football aspires to add hardware with victory over Wyoming
By Michael Hovey @michaelfhovey
Every game counts, but the Border War is worth more than most.
For Colorado State football, the game against Wyoming is more than just another matchup: It’s another chance to redefine the team. After three straight years of falling short to their cross-border rivals, the Rams are ready to reclaim the boot. Currently on a four-game win streak and fighting for a Mountain West title, CSU enters the game fueled by the confirmation of their toughness.
While recent victories have emboldened CSU, UW poses a familiar challenge. The Cowboys may be struggling this season, but the rivalry’s intensity remains strong.
“You always remember the games in November,” coach Jay Norvell said. “We want this to be a memorable one.”
A victory Friday wouldn’t just break UW’s current hold on the rivalry — it would inch the Rams closer to a Mountain West title, a goal that has felt distant in recent seasons. Norvell’s approach this week has been simple: focus, execute and “put the foot on the gas.”
Rivalry games have lately been disappointing for the Rams. CSU hasn’t defeated both Air Force and UW in the same season since 2015. This season, however, the Rams are positioned to do just that, having already toppled the Falcons in a decisive game.
“This was our preseason goal: to beat our rivals,” Norvell said. “We’re doing things that haven’t been
done around here in a long time.”
The Rams will likely rely on their powerful, run-first offense, a strategy that has proven effective lately. CSU is averaging over 30 points per game during its win streak. This is largely due to standout performances from players like Avery Morrow, who has been a force late in games, and Dane Olson, whose relentless hustle has brought big plays and stability when CSU needed them most.
“We’re built for November,” Norvell said. “The way we’re playing, we’re ready for the weather, the wind, whatever comes our way.”
CSU’s special teams, which have been playing at a high level, could also prove decisive. A 60-yard field goal from kicker Jordan Noyes showcased just how effective the unit has been, and it even won him the Lou Groza Star of the Week Award.
The Rams’ victory against Nevada in week 10 came with a 2-0 win in the turnover battle, three field goals and a miraculous kickoff recovery for a touchdown. The Rams also dominated starting field position by 15 yards, a difference that made life easier for both their offense and defense.
“The drive start average is incredibly important,” Norvell said. “It’s a huge weapon for us and one of those things that can tilt the game.”
Individual players have also been key in the outcomes of recent games.
Despite limited opportunities, Olson heavily contributed to the win in Reno, Nevada. With a 43-yard reception and a
crucial recovered fumble, he continued to find ways to make a difference when it mattered most.
“It’s been awesome,” Olson said. “I see the trust in the coaches — it builds up every day. They trust me more and more each day. And (I’m) just looking forward to more opportunities as they come.”
CSU has generated more trust in its entire team, but some games have been closer than they needed to be.
While CSU didn’t have to move the ball as much, it was still outgained by over 100 yards against Nevada. The Rams found themselves fending off a potential second-half comeback in which the Wolf Pack scored all of their points.
The game came down to capitalizing on each moment.
“In order to win games, you have got to be proficient on all three phases,” linebacker Chase Wilson said. “(Special teams) helps the offense out with field position, (and) it helps the defense out in the reciprocal field position.”
The Rams will continue to use every part of their team to triumph in their upcoming matchups.
UW may not be the team it once was, but that only amplifies the stakes. Norvell said he believes his players understand what this game means. After years of rebuilding and missed opportunities, the Rams are ready to embrace this chance and redefine the rivalry.
“We’ve got a chance to do something special,” Norvell said. “It’s time to write the next chapter.”
Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com.
PHOTO BY KATELYNN ORTEGA THE COLLEGIAN
SPORTS
BRINGING THE BOOM
Bruiser bros: Buom Jock ascends to excellence alongside Chase Wilson
By Damon Cook @dwcook2001
Although Buom Jock said him and Chase Wilson have yet to establish a nickname, they’re certainly deserving of one.
The dynamic duo has been one of the defining factors that has allowed the Colorado State defense to see success. After losing Justin Sanchez, the team’s third-leading tackler, Jock was handed the big task of reinforcing the Rams’ front seven alongside his cohort — a task Jock has tackled with vitriol.
Through nine games, Jock leads the team in tackles with 81, and right behind him is Wilson’s 78. On the other hand, Wilson leads the team in interceptions with two, and right there with him is Jock, who has one.
“He kind of got thrown into a bigger role (and) thrown to the fire a little bit this year,” Wilson said. “And he’s taken it and ran with it. He’s really taken an understanding for what offenses are giving us. Certain splits and certain formations, what plays
we’re getting out of that, and he’s done really well.”
Jock is relatively new to his role as an inside linebacker. When he committed to CSU, he came in as a wide receiver. In high school, he played receiver and safety and also saw a little bit of time on the edge last season.
He came in to CSU at 205 pounds and has since put on 30 pounds to adjust to playing on the inside. All of that experience has culminated into a slew of experiences that Jock can use to his advantage.
“Playing free safety, you kind of see the whole field (and) see everything that’s going on,” Jock said. “And then playing receiver with the ball skills (requires) grabbing balls out of the air, getting your hand on the ball, seeing and reading the quarterback, seeing tendencies from receivers and tight ends (and knowing) what it’s supposed to look like because at linebacker, you have to put it all together.”
The year Jock sat behind Sanchez and Wilson was a year that would prove vital in his development. Everything that Wilson did, Jock watched. He knew that in a year’s
time, he would have to stand next to him on the field.
Wilson played at the Mike position last season — the position Jock plays now — before switching over to the Will position this season.
“(I was) playing behind them, seeing how things are supposed to be played, and then now I get to play with Chase,” Jock said. “We complement each other well because I was behind him seeing how you’re supposed to do it.”
Learning what each other likes and how each other plays becomes critical on a week-to-week basis as the two prepare for the fight ahead.
The linebacker position is a battle and often involved in a lot of the plays. As the saying goes, iron sharpens iron.
“We’ll be talking through plays at practice and talking through film study with coach (Adam Pilapil), giving different looks and some tendencies that certain offenses are giving us,” Wilson said. “We’re really able to kind of bounce those things off each other, and it has really made both of us better. And we’re also competitive with each other, but that makes it fun, and it’s been awesome.”
Pilapil said one of the biggest things he has seen in Jock this season is the sheer amount of work he puts into bettering himself. From his mental approach to the game and his physical improvement, Jock has set an example of what it means to work hard in order to succeed.
That work is something Wilson has embodied throughout his five seasons in Fort Collins. Now with Jock and Wilson playing together, Pilapil said it’s been great to watch them to bear witness to what they have accomplished this season.
“It’s been really cool to watch them grow, learn how to play together (and) learn how to help each other through situations,” Pilapil said. “Chase you would look at as the older guy; Buom is the younger guy that’s coming along, but I think they’ve both done a great job of humbling themselves.
… It’s been fun to watch that relationship grow.”
The two’s chemistry on the field has been clear from the jump, and while the reps Jock and Wilson take together in practice have been key to that, something just as important has been the comradery off the field.
Those things have allowed them to connect in a way only a dynamic duo can. Reading each other’s movements and having the ability to react to the other without verbally saying anything are key to CSU’s success on the field.
“We kind of understand each other more than just football,” Jock said. “Certain intangibles, we get, we understand. On the field, certain things we know, like, we get a little nod, or we just know (what the other will do) because (of) the way we think. … When we see something on the field, we recognize something, we know what’s about to happen, so that kind of (nonverbal) communication we have (is important).”
The brotherhood the two have developed over the last two seasons has already begun to pay off and will continue to do so as CSU chases its first Mountain West championship in history.
“It’s been awesome to get to know Buom as a person, not only as a player — it’s been a real privilege,” Wilson said.
Reach Damon Cook at sports @collegian.com.
Colorado
THE CAMMIES
Collegian roundtable discusses CSU soccer postseason awards
By The Collegian Sports Desk @rmcollegianspts
Editor’s Note: All opinion content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
As the Colorado State soccer season concluded Saturday, it’s time to determine this year’s Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.
Sophie Webb, Devin Imsirpasic, Sophia Schaller, Alex Graser and Adam Gross of The Collegian’s sports desk discussed CSU soccer’s biggest difference makers throughout this season.
MVP
Webb: Mia Casey. It’s no surprise Casey is a leader for her team, but being a sophomore makes it all the more incredible. Her skill set is undeniable, having scored a total of seven goals this season.
Imsirpasic: Mia Casey. Casey ties everything together for a CSU soccer team that plays as a unit. She
leads the team with seven goals and seven assists and always looks so impressive with the ball in her possession. When Casey has the ball at her feet, defenses don’t know what magic may be coming, which gives her my nod for team MVP.
Schaller: Mia Casey. All season, Casey has been a huge asset for the Rams. She’s excelled on the field, from her skilled footwork to overall dominance in the face of opponents. Showing no hesitation to shoot on the goal, Casey’s power and assistance to the team establish her as their top player.
Graser: Libby Brooker. Brooker came into the season part way through after Shayna Ross went down against Colorado College. As a first-year who has controlled any opposing teams, she has only allowed 10 goals over 12 games. I wouldn’t be surprised if she starts full time next season after what she has shown. If anyone deserves the recognition, it’s her.
Gross: Mia Casey.Only in her second year, Casey emerged as the top scorer for the Rams. She is by far the reason this team made a deep playoff run.
Offensive Player of the Year
Webb: Mia Casey. See above.
Imsirpasic: Mia Casey. For the
same reasons she is my MVP, Casey earns my OPOY vote as well.
Schaller: Avery Vander Ven. Each game, Vander Ven manages the ball really well and utilizes her confidence to push through opponents. With three goals and three assists, she helps hold the team together and makes her way up and down the field. Vander Ven’s shining personality makes her my OPOY candidate, as her confidence doesn’t get in the way of her great communication with her team.
Graser: Mia Casey. Casey is one of the best offensive players in the Mountain West. She is a force to be reckoned with. If I played goalkeeper, the last person I would want to see with the ball is Casey.
Defensive Player of the Year
Webb: Libby Brooker. With Ross out with an injury, the Rams needed a leader, and Brooker was right there to step up. She is one of the many reasons CSU competed in the Mountain West tournament.
Schaller: Libby Brooker. In her first year as a goalie, Brooker is making leaps and bounds. She stepped up to fill the role that Shayna Ross left, and in that role, she helped lead the Rams to the conference tournament.
She worked hard to overcome the struggles she faced this season, but her communication and confidence in the net have helped guide her to success.
Graser: Katy Coffin. Every time I sit down to watch a CSU soccer game, I look for No. 14: Coffin. She is a master of the sideline. Against many opposing players she faces, she can force them wide or win the ball back. She is the anchor of CSU soccer.
Gross: Libby Brooker. Brooker is a new goalkeeper this season and is holding the role down well. She’s split half of the season with Ross, and having the versatility of two keepers who can both do well gives the Rams a huge advantage.
Read the full version of this article at collegian.com.
Reach The Collegian Sports Desk at sports@collegian.com.
Colorado State University soccer player Kate Dunne (9) holds up a Ram hand sign during player introductions before a match against the University of Wyoming on the CSU Soccer Field Oct 31. CSU drew 0-0.
PHOTO BY ARIA PAUL THE COLLEGIAN
INTERSTELLAR CURIOSITY
James Webb Space Telescope offers game-changing perspective of universe
By Miles Buchan @buchanmiles
Nearly 1 million miles from the planet soars one of the most advanced telescopes ever created. It scans the vast cosmos using stateof-the-art detection instruments and data processing methods while it orbits the sun, sending back information that is the rst and most detailed of its kind.
In the almost three years since its launch, the James Webb Space Telescope has shown just how powerful and revolutionary this technology is. Functioning as a visual time machine, the JWST is regularly conducting novel research that has the potential to cause fundamental shifts in human understanding of the universe.
In just a few months, Christmas Day will mark the third anniversary of the JWST launch. is may also mark the beginning of the rst wave of interest surrounding the JWST for most; however, Colorado State University Associate Professor Emily Hardegree-Ullman has known of the JWST for a lot longer. Hardegree-Ullman said
that while she was completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona in the early 2000s, a member of the institution shared with her that they were involved with developing technology for a new space telescope.
Hardegree-Ullman teaches classes in astronomy and physics while also planning events at the Madison-Macdonald Observatory on campus. Hardegree-Ullman said she had heard about the JWST for a long time while it was still in development, but “it takes 20 or 30 years to get any telescope from beginning to actually launching it.”
e JWST’s mission duration is set for ve to 10 years, meaning that at least two more years of data collection from the JWST can be expected. During this time, NASA lists four mission goals set to guide the JWST in its research. In brief, those missions are to search for the rst luminous objects formed after the big bang, determine how galaxies evolve from their formation, observe the formation of stars from initial stages to planetary formation and measure the properties of planetary systems while investigating the potential for life on other worlds.
Hardegree-Ullman said that the JWST pushes everything forward.
“We always have a handful of excellent telescopes, but the reiteration keeps getting more and more powerful,” Hardegree-Ullman said.
One of these previous iterations is the Hubble Space Telescope, known for its advanced capabilities but also its limitations. e Hubble is much closer to Earth than the JWST, orbiting about 320 miles away. While the Hubble Space Telescope orbits Earth, the JWST orbits the sun with a keener eye for peering into deep space.
“It’s more of a complement to the Hubble than it is a replacement,” said Andrew Caldwell, Front Range Community College astronomy faculty member and Northern Colorado Astronomical Society president. “As wonderful as Hubble has been and continues to be, it was time for a major leap.”
e JWST launched through the atmosphere aboard the Ariane 5 ECA vehicle with a total payload mass weighing about
“Any time in astronomy we can use a different wavelength of light, we see a totally different universe.”
6,200 kilograms, including the observatory, on-orbit consumables and launch vehicle adapter. e mass of the JWST apparatus weighs 2,400 kilograms, requiring many engineering feats to assemble. e rst worth mentioning is the backplane, which supports all 2.5 tons of hardware.
NORTHERN COLORADO ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY PRESIDENT
e JWST is easy to recognize with its nowiconic hexagonal gold segments, which make up the telescope’s primary mirror. e segmented mirror is xed to a structure that folds into a shape small enough to t into the rocket and then expands when in space. In collaboration with the National Reconnaissance O ce and the U.S. Air Force, NASA developed lightweight optics that would contribute to Webb’s
minimal mass. e backplane supports this mirror with such precision that the margin of alignment is within 1/10,000 the diameter of a human hair.
e primary mirror’s 18 segments are made of beryllium and coated with gold, measuring just over 21 feet across. e view of the JWST is shaded, and its components are protected from the intense light and heat of the sun by its unique sunshield rated at an astounding SPF 1 million. e sunshield is made up of ve layers that progress in temperature protection. e shield is built to withstand temperatures
up to 383 kelvins on the hot side and as low as 36 kelvins on the cold side.
e JWST mirrors and sunshield are major components, but they would be of little use without the main four instruments that do the telescoping. ese instruments are the Near Infrared Camera, Near Infrared Spectrograph, MidInfrared Instrument and the Fine Guidance Sensors/Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph.
Each name of the instrument hints toward the JWST’s main advantage, which is that it views the infrared light waves across the universe with remarkable sensitivity. Seeing in infrared is advantageous in deep-space observations because the lower wavelengths penetrate clouds of particles and dust that otherwise obscure information beyond.
“Any time in astronomy we can use a di erent wavelength of light, we see a totally di erent universe, and it really is a great advantage to be able to do that,” Caldwell said. e JWST sees infrared light waves on the spectrum from 0.6-5
microns, drastically increasing what can be detected beyond the visible light spectrum.
is light reaches the JWST from the earliest stars, galaxies and other luminous objects formed in the universe. Using the NIRSpec, these light waves are dispersed into a spectrum, allowing observations of an object’s physical properties, such as temperature, mass and chemical composition. Such details were hidden by previous telescopes, but the JWST is designed to capture light 100 times fainter than that of the Hubble.
“It can see very, very far back in time essentially,” HardegreeUllman said.
is is possible because the farther away an object is when people on Earth look at it, the earlier in the history of the universe they’re seeing it.
“Because the universe has been expanding for about 14 billion years, all of the light that was originally emitted is getting stretched to longer and longer wavelengths over time,” Hardegree-Ullman said.
Reach Miles Buchan at science @collegian.com.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NASA JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE
Moby Madness: CSU men’s, women’s basketball start seasons
1 2
2. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson high-fives a teammate during the starting lineup announcements at the CSU men’s basketball game against TSU Nov. 8. PHOTO BY AVA PUGLISI THE COLLEGIAN
3. Rashaan Mbemba shoots the ball during the CSU men’s basketball game against TSU Nov. 8. PHOTO BY AVA PUGLISI THE COLLEGIAN
4. Mbemba dribbles the ball down the court during the CSU men’s basketball game against TSU Nov. 8. PHOTO BY AVA PUGLISI THE COLLEGIAN
5. Guard Marta Leimane jumps to shoot the ball during the CSU women’s basketball game against Oregon State University Nov. 8. CSU won 65-59. PHOTO BY LAUREN
THE COLLEGIAN
6. Kyan Evans (0) finds an open pass during the CSU men’s basketball game against TSU Nov. 8. PHOTO BY AVA PUGLISI THE COLLEGIAN
7. Guard Brooke Carlson dribbles the ball around an OSU defensive player Nov. 8. PHOTO BY LAUREN MASCARDO THE COLLEGIAN
8. Hannah Simental (32) shoots the ball during the CSU women’s basketball game against OSU Nov. 8. PHOTO BY LAUREN MASCARDO THE COLLEGIAN
9. Emma Ronsiek (21) jumps to shoot the ball into the hoop during the CSU women’s basketball game against OSU Nov. 8. PHOTO BY LAUREN
1. Nique Clifford dunks the ball during the Colorado State University men’s basketball game against Tennessee State University Nov. 8. CSU won in overtime 87-79. PHOTO BY AVA PUGLISI THE COLLEGIAN
MASCARDO
MASCARDO THE COLLEGIAN
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
CSU water conservation initiatives work toward sustainability
By Hayley Bisant @csucollegian
Colorado State University is on a mission to be more sustainable, and one goal that accompanies this is continuing to seek out ways to conserve water.
It begins with development. The university conducts a wide variety of advanced research on water conservation through several facilities. One example is the Western Colorado Research Center, run by the College of Agricultural Sciences, which works on finding ways to reduce consumption in farming. Additionally, CSU Spur’s Hydro Water TAP lab space focuses on water quality testing for reuse.
CSU hosts the Colorado Water Center, one of the 54 Water Resources Research Institutes across the United States that comprise the National Institutes for Water Resources.
While many of these research positions are held by water conservation experts, undergrad students can also get involved. Degree program offerings like the sustainable water interdisciplinary minor allow those just starting out to gain invaluable experience.
However, the water conservation goal is even more integrated into
CSU’s everyday operations. In fact, it occurs under students’ feet every day. The Sustainability & Energy Management group, which is housed under CSU Facilities Management, is dedicated to finding ways to preserve resources.
“The focus is on implementation, meaning we are trying to find projects and opportunities to help the university with energy, water and resources,” said Stacey Baumgarn, CSU’s campus energy coordinator.
One past project included installing kits in autoclaves and sterilizing devices that utilize steam. To avoid damaging sewer pipes with the hot water that drains out of them, cold water was used to dilute byproducts. These water lines were previously left running but are now only turned on when the device is used, said Carol Dollard, the President’s Sustainability Commission co-chair.
“It took about a year to get all the autoclaves on campus converted, but it saved millions and millions of gallons … in some buildings — it was really dramatic,” Dollard said. “Another undertaking involved updating bathroom facilities on campus to use more efficient technology.”
Perry Cabot, CSU extension professor and irrigation specialist, drew the distinction between conserving and saving water, as
the two are frequently confused. Water saving aims to use water as efficiently as possible during a single process, while water conservation looks at what kind of process would be best overall.
“If you reduce consumptive use by growing a plant that uses less water, then you are conserving water,” Cabot said. “If you’re just irrigating in such a way that you don’t need to apply as much water, you’re probably not going to conserve water because your plant is using the same amount. With this in mind, water conservation specialists at the university continue to work on making changes to our current
systems that will have the largest impact overall.”
Currently, Sustainability & Energy Management is installing waterless vacuums in the Veterinary Health and Education Complex. At the moment, the vacuum pump in use functions with running water; however, new technology has developed a way for equipment to work without continuously sending water in and out of the system. This project is expected to be completed during 2025 and will save a drastic number of gallons per year, similar to the replacement of autoclaves, Dollard said.
“We do need everybody’s help because there’s a role for everybody to play,” Baumgarn said. “The idea behind the ongoing project in the (Veterinary Health and Education Complex) actually came from a student there who noticed how much water was being used.”
While there are various ways for students to get involved in sustainability initiatives across campus, an impactful method to conserve water can simply be vigilance on a day-to-day basis.
Reach Hayley Bisant at science @collegian.com.
COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO
Dead Pen Drawing Club unites artists with community, creativity
I
By Annamarie Burford @csucollegian
“All mediums are welcome, no experience necessary, bring whatever,” is the unofficial slogan for the Dead Pen Drawing Club, founder Chris Jones said.
Starting the club in October 2021, Jones envisioned a space for all artists to convene and create art in a shared environment without prompts, themes, exercises, critiques, fees or registration.
“There’s no structure,” Jones said. “I think that’s one of the most important aspects of it.”
What the club does have is consistency. They meet 6-9 p.m. every Monday at Wolverine Farm Publick House, a nonprofit literary arts organization, bookstore and coffee shop based in Fort Collins.
When heading up to the second floor of Wolverine Farm on a Monday night, one can find a room of individuals creating their own art — drawing, painting, sculpting, felting, embroidering — with diverse conversations,
about
wanted to
it
PHOTO BY SAMANTHA NORDSTROM THE COLLEGIAN
quiet music and soft light filling the room. Others quietly work on homework or other crafts, sharing the space and occasionally chiming into the chatter.
Willow Sudam, who has been attending the club meetings for about two years, tried her hand at making ceramic beads this past Monday for a bracelet.
“Consistent practice makes you more comfortable with creating. There’ve been a lot of friendships that have started from the drawing club. ... I’m grateful for the community of people that have been a part of it.”
CHRIS JONES DEAD PEN DRAWING CLUB FOUNDER
“Everyone is just very, very nice and welcoming, and I think we’re all just about encouraging people’s art,” Sudam said while she worked with clay.
Jones envisioned the club to be exactly that, as he detailed in an artist statement he wrote for the club’s first-ever art show in July, in which members could showcase any of the art they created in the club. They displayed 45 pieces in various mediums at Wolverine Farm.
“I want Dead Pen to serve as a comfortable environment for people to come together without the fear of judgment, ridicule or embarrassment and to be a space that supports learning through experimentation, play and conversation,” Jones wrote in the artist statement.
Originally started as a small group of artists, the club has since grown to attract an average of 1015 attendees each week, as members invite others to share in the company of fellow artists.
The club is a blend of regulars and newcomers, with the opportunity to befriend strangers and reconnect with familiar faces each week.
Jared Kaser has attended the club since the beginning, even following the club’s transition from Avogadro’s Number to Wolverine Farm roughly a year ago. After moving to Fort Collins from Chicago four years ago, Kaser, despite his initial nerves, was ready for new connections.
“I’ve always kind of liked drawing and done a little bit over my life,” Kaser said. “I’m not, like, an artist, but I got to go to this thing. And then after drawing once a week for a couple of years, (I was) like, ‘Oh, I can do this.’ It’s a good twofold club of friends and regularly practicing drawing or anything.”
In the session, artists voluntarily share insight into their creative processes, showing one another their work and providing feedback or ideas when someone is unsure of what direction to take their piece.
“A lot of times, art or drawing will be a pretty solo activity,” Kaser said. “It’s nice to do it in a different context.”
Being in the space for three hours almost every week for a couple years makes a difference. Jones said he has witnessed many artists grow in their abilities and build bonds with one another.
“Consistent practice makes you more comfortable with creating,” Jones said. “There’ve been a lot of friendships that have started from the drawing club. ... I’m grateful for the community of people that have been a part of it.”
Those interested in joining the Dead Pen Drawing Club can find more details on their Instagram or Wolverine Farm’s website.
Jones said the club developed from the idea of being a judgmentfree space for artists into the community it is today. Though, he recognizes that he couldn’t have done it without those who shared his dream.
“Now it has its own life — its own legs,” Jones said. “I organized it at the beginning, but ... I don’t view it as my club — it’s our club.” Reach
Burford at
@collegian.com.
Annamarie
entertainment
Ryan Walker, Mark Hagelberg and Leo Espaillat work on their art during the Dead Pen Drawing Club meeting at Wolverine Farm Publick House Nov. 4. The Dead Pen Drawing Club meets once a week on Mondays. “I come to Wolverine all the time, sometimes to work and sometimes to catch live music,” Hagelberg said. “So naturally,
heard
Dead Pen and
check
out. Since I did, I found that I really like it. It’s really great vibes (and) good people.”
ROCK BAR
By Riley Paling @rileypaling
Live music thrives at FoCo hub Surfside 7
Surfside 7. “It’s so personable in a way that I really love and respect. The stage is 2-inches tall, so it’s like you feel like you’re right there with them.”
Nestled in the heart of Fort Collins, Surfside 7 has become a beloved institution for local music lovers and touring acts alike. Known for its laidback vibe, eclectic lineup and intimate setting, the venue has established itself as a cornerstone of the city’s thriving music scene.
Whether you’re a fan of indie rock, blues or electronic beats, Surfside 7 provides a stage for a wide array of musical genres and is a go-to destination for those seeking an authentic live music experience.
Since opening in 1999, Surfside 7 has created a unique space where emerging artists and seasoned bands can showcase their talents. The venue occupies a modest yet inviting building, with its dim lighting, vintage surf decor and dive bar feel. Surfside 7 strikes the perfect balance between a dive bar and a concert hall; it’s a space where music takes center stage without unnecessary frills.
“You can come as you are, and you can talk to the bands after or before and buy them a drink and sit with them,” said Lauren Martinsen, a bartender at
LOCAL LAUGHS
Surfside 7’s reputation has grown steadily over the years, thanks to its commitment to hosting diverse acts and fostering a welcoming, community-driven atmosphere.
While it’s one of the smaller venues in Fort Collins, its charm lies in its intimate setting, where music enthusiasts can experience performances up close and personal. There’s a certain magic in the energy that reverberates off the room’s walls when a band plays, and the crowd — ranging from college students to long-time locals — feeds off it.
One of the key features that sets Surfside 7 apart is its diverse musical programming. The venue’s calendar regularly features a mix of local talent and national acts across genres. From rock to folk, electronic and metal, the venue’s lineup reflects Fort Collins’ eclectic tastes and the variety of artists eager to perform in the city.
With its compact size, Surfside 7 offers an up-close concert experience in which attendees can often engage directly with the artists between songs,
creating a sense of intimacy that larger venues simply can’t replicate.
Surfside 7 enables bands to thrive and show off their genre and music to the audience. Bands like DaiKaiju, a popular rock band from Huntsville, Alabama, create these communities and keep Surfside 7 true to its roots.
“DaiKaiju comes here every couple of years; the people that know are, like, on it,” Martinsen said. “I mean, they’re crazy. They light stuff on fire outside, and they are just crazy with it. They’re out in the crowd, passing around their instruments to people and letting them play. And it sounds horrible for five minutes because no one knows what they’re doing. It’s great. It’s awesome.”
Surfside 7 also carved out a niche for hosting events that blend music with other art forms. Events like “Surfside Sessions” spotlight regional talent and give emerging musicians the chance to perform in front of new, enthusiastic crowds.
Additionally, the venue’s commitment to supporting local bands and DJs has made it a favorite spot for both artists and fans who form the backbone of Fort Collins’ tight-knit music community.
“There’s no dive bar in the entire country like this one,” said Chris Rae,
who does sound and booking for Surfside 7.
The venue’s top-notch sound system is known for its size, ensuring the sound is crisp, clear and immersive, no matter the genre. Whether it’s a raucous punk show or a laid-back acoustic set, the quality of the audio consistently matches the caliber of the performers.
“I keep a spreadsheet of all the bands I’ve mixed for,” Rae said. “I’ve
been doing sound for a very long time. I like to try and come up with new tricks to keep it unique and fun.”
Between the artists who grace the stage and the fans who pack the house, Surfside 7 remains a testament to the power of live music, bringing people together and keeping Fort Collins’ music scene alive and kicking.
Reach Riley Paling at entertainment @collegian.com.
Rams Improv Comedy delivers quick-witted gold to FoCo comedy scene
By Claire Vogl @csucollegian
Teamwork, openness and originality: These three skills are embedded in the fabric of the Rams
Improv Comedy Troupe at Colorado State University. If you’ve ever wanted to witness a Saturday Night Live-level comedy performance, look no further than the 10 Rams who constitute CSU’s most riotous student organization.
The Troupe performed Nov. 10 at The Comedy Fort under the glow of incandescent lights, rousing laughs and gasps from every person in attendance.
Molly Peek, the president of the Troupe, joined the club her first semester at CSU. Seeking a community of the same spontaneity and creativity she found in her high school theater program, the club enabled Peek to nurture her passions for acting and comedy.
“I did theater in high school, and I did improv in middle school for funsies,” Peek said. “I never really liked memorizing scripts. ... And then when I got here, I missed doing the theater stuff, so I got back into improv. One of
my friends was like, ‘Hey, Molly, you should audition for this,’ and I did — I loved it.”
Shows are typically held once every month and bounce between locations at The Comedy Fort or in lecture halls right on CSU’s campus. Regardless of where the troupe convenes, there is rarely an empty seat in the house.
Preshow rehearsals closely mirror the energy on stage and in the audience; it only takes an utterance of one word to send the entire room — and the Troupe — into a fit of laughter. Members walk in unknowing of what might be said or joked about.
While some of these Rams have prior experience in theatre, acting and improv, a few joined the club without any background in performing.
Teddy Herms, a sophomore in the group, hadn’t taken part in a comedybased entertainment group before discovering RIC.
“My friends all said I was pretty funny, and I was looking for a comedy thing on campus,” Herms said. “During the club fair, I saw their table, got a note card and auditioned. It seemed fun, and I was right — it is fun. There’s great people; it’s cool how it’s a little friend group.”
Drawing inspiration from every moment, the group uses ideas from each other and audience members to set the scene. Each member of the Troupe has the opportunity to create and organize an activity of their own, which usually shows up on the official performance setlist.
In one such activity, an audience member was interviewed about their day, followed by a performance in which the Troupe improvised and brought the day’s events to life — only with a nightmare twist. Each member chimed in throughout, creating an amusing rendition of hilarity.
The following scene commenced as fast as one can say, “Freeze!” This pattern repeated itself throughout the night, introducing new games, voices, activities and storylines.
Each member of the Troupe shares the crucial skill of adapting, whether it be to a newly introduced story or spontaneous mishaps. Knowing when to end a scene is another vital part of the performance that can either enhance or detract from the comedy.
Aside from strengthening the bond between all its members, RIC has taught many of them how to better communicate with
confidence in — what could be — intimidating social settings.
Troupe member Zach Luiz said he identifies with this perspective. He attended multiple RIC shows prior to auditioning himself, sparking an initial interest in the club before ever being a part of it.
“I had been to the shows for a few years, and I was like, ‘I don’t want to graduate college without at least trying it out,’” Luiz said. “I was very much coming out of my comfort zone doing
this because it’s scary. But coming into it, it’s been really fun. It’s definitely increasing my public speaking skills.” The Rams Improv Comedy Troupe has two more shows to close out the semester. They will be performing at the first-ever Fort Collins Improv Fest at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, at The Lyric. Their December show will commence at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, in Willard O. Eddy Hall room 212. Reach Claire Vogl at entertainment @collegian.com.
Rams Improv Comedy Troupe members Michael Spacone and Teddy Herms act out the day of an audience member, putting a nightmare spin on the performance Nov. 10.
PHOTO BY CLAIRE VOGL THE COLLEGIAN
Customers sit at booths and tables in Surfside 7 Oct. 31. Surfside 7 is a local bar that hosts live music and events.
PHOTO BY AVERY EVANS THE COLLEGIAN
CAMPUS SAFETY
CSU emergency text alerts should be mandatory
By Leah Stephenson @csucollegian
Editor’s Note: This content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
Emergency alerts for students at Colorado State University are not mandatory via text. However, keeping phone notifications optional can jeopardize student safety during times of danger. Making text alerts mandatory for all CSU students is the best way to keep everyone on campus safe.
When students enroll at CSU, they are given the option to sign up for emergency text alerts on RAMweb. The text alert program is run by Everbridge, and students can sign up by simply entering their phone number and checking a box granting permission to receive text message alerts on RAMweb.
However, because the notifications are optional, RAMweb permits students to opt out of text alerts anytime. If a student opts out, there are other means of communicating
emergencies to students, such as through email. However, email and text alerts are not linked, which means students who receive email alerts about safety are not necessarily receiving text alerts.
“Safety
shouldn’t be an issue that gets buried in an inbox. Technology and resources exist for every student to receive a text alert when a safety threat occurs on campus. Making text alerts mandatory would prioritize students’ safety and awareness.”
SCRAMBLING STUDENTS
Text alerts are a more effective way to keep students informed about safety on campus. If a student only receives email alerts, they may not check their inbox frequently enough to get a safety alert within a prompt period of time, meaning that by the time they see the message, the danger could have already passed.
Furthermore, many students stop checking their email at a certain time of day to cement a healthy work-life balance. Because of this, emails alerting students to lockdowns or safety concerns on campus may be ineffective.
Safety shouldn’t be an issue that gets buried in an inbox. Technology and resources exist for every student to receive a text alert when a safety threat occurs on campus. Making text alerts mandatory would prioritize students’ safety and awareness.
To get students on the sender list for text message alerts, there should be a new feature installed on RAMweb that requires the input of a phone number along with a message notifying users that they will be texted
about emergencies occurring on campus.
Mandatory text message alerts do not guarantee student awareness. A possible solution to guarantee total awareness might be implementing a unique alarm sound that bypasses do not disturb settings, similar to an Amber Alert. If students are in close proximity to a dangerous situation on campus, they shouldn’t suffer the consequences because they silenced their phones for class.
In the future, the loud and mandatory nature of the alerts could pose a problem for students who are no longer on campus. However, it is feasible that students could disable or fall out of the sender list if they graduated,transferred or studied abroad.
Safety is a moment-to-moment situation. There isn’t time to waste when it comes to alerting students. If you aren’t signed up, you should log in to your RAMweb and do so now. Reach Leah Stephenson at letters @collegian.com.
The reality of searching for off-campus housing
By Charlotte Seymour @csucollegian
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.
As the semester comes to an end, most first-year students are thinking about completing assignments, taking holiday breaks and seeing family. Searching for off-campus housing is doubtlessly at the bottom of everyone’s to-do list. Moving out of the dorms comes with a newfound independence. The freedom of choosing who you want to live with and what your lifestyle will look like is very compelling, but moving into a house or an apartment comes with many responsibilities. If you think too hard about it, it gets stressful. But you have to let excitement balance the stress and fear.
So if you are struggling to imagine living completely on your own with no more meal plan, no more bathroom cleanings and no more Durrell Center, use this as your incentive. Although you will likely still have roommates, you get to have your own kitchen, shower
and space to do whatever you want. To make this a comfortable reality, you should probably start looking for housing within the next couple of months.
After being at college for approximately four months, students are supposed to decide who they want to share a house or apartment with the following year. Three months is certainly not enough time to declare genuine friendships — it sounds immensely overwhelming. But remember, you do not have to be best friends with the people you live with. If you find yourself uncertain of who you want to room with next year but feel the need to sign a lease in the next couple of months, it is typically safe to room with your current roommate, as you already know what it is like to live with them.
Unfortunately, the housing demand here in Fort Collins, especially near Colorado State University, is through the roof. If you don’t want to live in a grimy, malodorous shack, you must start looking for off-campus housing. CSU has a large student population, and Fort Collins only has so many affordable housing options close to campus, which is what everyone seems to want. The City of Fort
Collins has a somewhat tight rental market, meaning the number of apartments available for students and nonstudent residents is limited, which puts pressure on rental prices.
“There is always the biking option, but you would have to join the CSU Rams Cycling Team to stay in shape if you committed to biking up to 10 miles per day just to commute to class. What if your bike gets stolen or your tire goes flat? Then you are simply doomed, so start looking now while nearby homes are available.”
The parking situation at CSU is a separate story, but because there is restricted on-campus parking, living a few miles away from campus is inconvenient. There is always the biking option, but you would have to join the CSU Rams Cycling Team to stay in shape if you committed to biking up to 10 miles per day just to commute to class. What if your bike gets stolen or your tire goes flat? Then you are simply doomed, so start looking now while nearby homes are available.
If you are uncertain where you want to live next year, CSU has many resources to help,including the Housing Fair hosted by Off-Campus Life. At
this event in the Lory Student Center Grand Ballroom, representatives from apartment complexes and property management companies offer students the chance to learn about the various housing options.There is also a housing module on the CSU website that assists students in their search for the perfect home. This might all sound like a train wreck, but if you find yourself growing anxious, it’s OK. Ultimately, it would be fantastic if the demand wasn’t so high and the process wasn’t so stressful, but apparently, that is just a part of becoming an adult. Reach Charlotte Seymour at letters @collegian.com.
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY KAYLEE MADSON THE COLLEGIAN
PORNOGRAPHIC GAZE
Sexually explicit media pushes harmful dynamics, sets unrealistic expectations
By Astrid Thorn @csucollegian
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.
The current generation of college students is one of the first in history that grew up with unrestricted internet access. Unless your parents heavily monitored your online activity, you probably had the whole world at your fingertips when you got your first phone or computer.
While young people can learn a lot from spending time online, one side effect of this is a drastic increase in early exposure to sexually explicit imagery or pornography, and this is something society is seeing the consequences of in young adults today.
Before the age of the internet, it was much more difficult for young people to access porn. Pornographic material consisted of pictures in magazines, posters and videos that could only be obtained as physical tapes and discs, most of which cost money and were age restricted.
Today,pornography has found its way into almost every corner of the internet and is therefore incredibly easy to access. You can find hours and hours of free porn with one quick Google search or on platforms like X, Instagram and even Pinterest if you know where to look.
A major issue with this is that porn can also easily find you, with images and videos popping up in the timelines of unassuming users. This makes it very difficult to avoid if you are a frequent internet user, as most young people are.
Porn is not explicitly a bad thing, and watching it is not something that should be shameful. There are numerous ways to watch porn ethically, and this can help people learn more about their sexuality and sexual preferences, or it can simply help make selfpleasure more interesting.
However, the amount of pornographic material consumed by young people today is a major issue, especially because much of the easily accessible porn is extremely fetish driven, antifeminist and graphically violent.
When asked to think of porn, many of us picture the same thing: rough, often heterosexual sex with a clearly established dominantsubmissive dynamic, degrading comments, choking, slapping, running mascara and the man calling all the shots.
also seep into life outside of the bedroom, fueling toxic masculinity and the belief that femme people must accept poor treatment from men. Porn not only sets unrealistic sexual expectations of other people, it also greatly influences how people, especially young people, view themselves as sexual beings.
Additionally, a lot of adult videos feature half-baked storylines that often include themes of prostitution, incest and infidelity. The popularization of these themes has made them more normalized than they should be. This variety of porn — though rather taboo — is by far the most common form to see online, and this is a problem.
While things like pain, choking and other unconventional sex practices can be enjoyed when both or all parties are on board, modern porn has convinced younger generations that this is completely normal and you are “boring” or “vanilla” if you don’t like to engage in such acts. This is damaging to people of all gender identities and sexualities.
Porn has caused many young men to view women as something to be conquered through violent sex acts, and women and other feminineidentifying people feel that they have to suffer through violent sex even if it doesn’t feel good. These beliefs can
Many now-college students had their first exposure to sex from watching porn, and this can greatly impact how they approach their first real-life sexual encounters. Because porn is incredibly scripted and made to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible, many young people compare themselves and their sexual performances to what they see on screen.
Young men often worry that they are not big enough or don’t last long enough, and many women worry that their bodies are not attractive enough or that they aren’t making the right faces and sounds. These issues would be much less prominent if people were not exposed to pornographic standards so young.
When a young person who is just beginning to explore their sexual identity sees people in pornography, it can cause immense sexual insecurity and forge a negative relationship with their own sexuality. It is of the utmost importance that to feel comfortable and confident in the bedroom, young people must explore their own sexuality without comparing themselves to adult actors.
Read the full version of this article at collegian.com.
Reach Astrid Thorn at letters@collegian.com.
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN
MEDIA
Sudoku
WEEKLY HOROSCOPE
By Sophia Masia
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (11/14/24)
ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 19)
Since June, Saturn has been inviting you to turn inward and reflect on hidden fears and past wounds. Everyone, including you, has made mistakes and learned from them. Have you learned to stop punishing yourself for the past so you can move forward? Be gentle with yourself, Aries.
TAURUS (APRIL 20 - MAY 20)
Over the last four and a half months, Saturn has been urging you to examine your friendships. Maybe you went on an unfriending spree after the election, outgrew some long-term friends, gained new ones and then cut them off too. You’re now able to see the people in your life for who they truly are rather than who you want them to be, Taurus.
GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUNE 20)
Saturn’s retrograde has asked you to look deeper into your professional path and public image. Maybe you had a chance to make some shifts in your career goals, got a promotion or changed how you feel about your career path. Now that Saturn’s moving forward, get ready to climb that corporate ladder, Gemini.
CANCER (JUNE 21 - JULY 22)
You are closing out a chapter that began during your solar return, forcing you to expand your perspectives and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Yes, it’s unpleasant pulling your belief system up by the roots, but with Saturn now direct, you’ll have a stable foundation to move forward. Stay curious, Cancer.
LEO (JULY 23 - AUG. 22)
Over the last few months, you’ve been dealing with themes of intimate relationships, shared resources, boundaries and loss. Over this time you may have met people or obtained money, things or a position that was ripped away from you or not what you originally thought. By now, you’ve learned that nothing they can take was ever worth keeping, Leo.
VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEPT. 22)
Ideally, your partner is someone who you’d want to be like. You love a project, but since June, Saturn has been begging you to stop making your partner that project. Now that you’ve had the chance to assess your boundaries and revisit your expectations of others, it’s time to level up your social circle. You deserve the same effort you give, Virgo.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23 - OCT. 22)
Saturn’s retrograde highlighted the need for structure in your daily routines and health habits. You’re about to enter your health and wealth era so long as you’ve learned to commit to routines that truly nourish you. Too much of a good thing can have negative effects, so get creative, Libra.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)
The past few months have been all work and no play. You might have overloaded your class schedule or found yourself in an unhealthy relationship as Saturn pushed you to recognize the value of joy and self-expression.
Downtime, playfulness, artistic expression and spontaneity are essential to a healthy life. Have you learned to prioritize fun, Scorpio?
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22DEC. 21)
Since June, Saturn has been urging you to reflect on your home, whatever that may be for you. Whether home is your roommates, your family or more of an emotional foundation, you’ve explored ways to nurture yourself better at home. Now with Saturn direct, you’re rested and ready for the next adventure, Sagittarius.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19) Saturn’s retrograde has helped you reassess the ways you express yourself. You may have changed up your style, adjusted your relationship with social media or set new boundaries with others. However you choose to show up in the world, you can now do so with confidence, Capricorn.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18)
Over the past four and a half months, Saturn’s retrograde has prompted you to reevaluate your relationship with money, resources and your self-worth. Opportunities and relationships you believed would fulfill you fell short, teaching you to establish more stable and intentional foundations. Building confidence takes time, Aquarius.
PISCES (FEB. 19 - MARCH 20)
For months, Saturn’s retrograde in your sign asked you to get real about who you are and where you’re headed. You’ve been tested again and again, released old habits and redefined your personal identity. Now you’re ready to show the world a truer, wiser, more confident version of yourself. How are you going to make your dreams reality, Pisces?
Last edition’s crossword solution
Last edition’s sudoku solution
OVERHEARD AROUND CAMPUS
“I was distracted by the contraceptive that was chucked at my head.”
“I
Have you overheard something funny on campus? Put your eavesdropping to good use. Tweet us @CSUCollegian and your submissions could be featured in our next paper!
