Jared Leto to visit the LSC Plaza today | Page 2
Page 8
Back to battlegrounds Obama and Romney campaigns return to Colorado in final stretch
THE RO CKY MOUNTAIN
Fort Collins, Colorado
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
COLLEGIAN
Volume 121 | No. 56
www.collegian.com
THE STUDENT VOICE OF COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1891
Students struggle to find common ground
the
Strip club
For those of you who find the iPad a little too large, Apple has just the thing for you: The iPad Mini! About 7.9 inches across, about 0.72 inches thick, and it weighs less than a pound. Downside, it still costs more than $300. But, Apple has the chance to “miniaturize” other products, like...
Parents influence student’s political views, some say By Amanda Zetah The Rocky Mountain Collegian While watching the first presidential debate, Stacy Winner, a 20-year-old business junior major at CSU, was hesitant to talk to her father about the issue of taxing big businesses. Like many students, Winner’s parents influence her political beliefs, but she often doesn’t see eye to eye with them. According to Kyle Saunders, a political science professor at CSU, this is a common occurrence. “In the last couple of generations, due to societal trends such as the increase of families with mixed partisan identities, as well as the decline of the nuclear family, this has become the less the case,” Saunders said. Younger voters are less likely to share the same views as their parents, because other political viewpoints are more readily available to students. “I pay more attention to politics now that I can vote,” Winner said. She grew up in a mixed partisan family. Her father is a Republican, while her mother is a Democrat. She associates closer with her mother’s ideals than with her father’s. This can cause tension within a household. “My dad always tries to See Hometown on Page 5
How are the polls? Visit http://www.electionprojection.com/index.php.
Erin Mross | COLLEGIAN
Public Relations and Volunteer Coordinator Jennifer Hahnke places a flock of pink flamingos outside of the Women’s Resource Center office on Tuesday. Flamingo flocking is a fundraiser where donors can pay to have someone’s yard covered in flamingos as a way to show support for the center and raise awareness for breast cancer.
Flamingos fight breast cancer By Kate Simmons The Rocky Mountain Collegian Bright pink flamingos have overtaken Larimer County business fronts, lawns and streets to fight breast cancer. The Women’s Resource Center (WRC)’s Flamingo Flocking Fundraiser has been going on through the month of October to raise awareness about breast cancer. Throughout the month, anyone in Northern Colorado could send a flock of 20 plastic pink flamingos to someone’s yard for a day. The flamingos are a fun way to promote the work of WRC, according to Jennifer Hahnke, volunteer coordinator and head of public relations for WRC. “When people are out around town, they can have a discussion about what the flamingos are and the flamingos can open a discussion so people can learn about the programs and life-saving services we provide to women in Larimer County,” Hahnke said. The WRC is a 501c3 private grassroots nonprofit organization that helps educate women about health aware-
ness, prevention and affordable health services. Along with outreach and educational programs, WRC brings women across Larimer County affordable mammogram screenings, dental care and connects them with affordable doctors if they require further care. Businesses and individuals alike have purchased a $30 “flock” during WRC’s Flamingo Flocking Fundraiser. Through the month of October, “flocking” has raised between $2,500 and $3,000 for the organization. “It’s a very affordable fundraiser,” Hahnke said. According to Hahnke, the WRC found a base of businesses that support their work and will continue to be a part of the Flamingo Flocking Fundraiser in years to come. Individuals purchased flocks for birthday celebrations, children’s parties and sent them to breast cancer fighters and survivors. “All the money we raise goes right back into providing service to the women of Larimer County,” Hahnke said. WRC has been focusing on a new outreach program targeting high
school and college students in an attempt to promote volunteering and philanthropy among future leaders. “If you (groups on CSU’s campus) are going to be a philanthropist, we want to help you be philanthropic. If you come and volunteer with our groups, we, in turn, want to advertise and promote your events,” Hahnke said. “It helps us get into the college campuses and we can reach a larger audiences college students have yet to penetrate.” Betsy Hill, a CSU masters student studying public health with a concentration in global health and health disparities, has been working in WRC’s outreach department since June. Hill and her outreach partner teach in-home workshops and small group educational workshops. “Our base objective with outreach is the trickle down effect,” Hill said. “As students, all of us know someone who is uninsured or underinsured, so the idea is that if one person knows about our services we hope they will share it See flamingo on Page 6
Best turnout ever for Chili Con Kappa
By Allison Sylte The Rocky Mountain Collegian
Hunter thompson | COLLEGIAN
Students from all of greek life gather around the Kappa for Chili Con Kappa, their fall philanthropy event. People pay to get a cup of chili to help support the sorority.
A long line of CSU students, parents, alumni and Fort Collins community members filed out of the Kappa Kappa Gamma house on Tuesday night, singing along to Garth Brooks and waiting to get their hands on a hot bowl of chili. But it wasn’t the food or the country music that brought them to Chili Con Kappa, one of Kappa Kappa Gamma’s biannual philanthropy events. Instead, it was the chance to support a good cause. “When I first showed up, it took 20 minutes to get through the line, because there was such a huge turnout,” said Bik Bajwa, a junior computer tech-
Things Apple Should Miniturize
Glasses (iSpecks)
Everyone who needs glasses, but doesn’t like them wears contact lenses. Apple’s iSpecks can be smaller and less irritating than ordinary lenses. Also comes with a built in HeadsUp-Display!
TV (iTube) Disclaimer: Not the Apple TV. Apple needs to reinvent the actual television. An iTube will be 50 percent larger and razor thin. It can even be a giant iPad, but it’ll get lousy satellite reception.
Motorcycles (iCycle)
nology and economics major. “I just think it’s great for us to come out and support charitable causes.” This year was the 10th anniversary of Chili Con Kappa. Proceeds benefitted the Kappa Foundation, which supports Kappas in need, as well as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In the dining room where the countless bowls of chili were served, a poster board saying “Kappa [hearts] Emily” was displayed in honor of a Kappa sister at Kansas State University who has recently been diagnosed with leukemia, and who was an old friend of sorority Vice
Modern motorcycles just don’t have the futuristic flair that Apple can provide. More or less a regular motorcycle, just with some sleek futuristic chrome and interactive features. No word on whether or not Apple will try to include a combat function a la Tron’s Light Cycles.
See Kappa on Page 3
The Strip Club is written by the Collegian staff.
2 Wednesday, October 24, 2012 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian
Community Briefs
FORT COLLINS FOCUS
Michael Brown apologizes for accusing CSU graduate of threatening to assassinate Mitt Romney Michael Brown, former FEMA director and 850 KOA News Radio show host, has apologized for accusing former CSU graduate student Katherine Van Wyngarden of threatening to assassinate Mitt Romney. Brown originally blogged on the 850 KOA website yesterday that Wyngarden tweeted, “and if Mitt Romney becomes president I’ll (sic) personally assassinate himself (sic) fucking joke.” The post has since been removed, and Brown apologized on the 850 KOA website today, writing that, “To the Katharine Wyngarden at Colorado State University, I apologize. I still have doubts about the misappropriation of a Twitter account, but am unable to verify one way or the other whether or not that Twitter account was misappropriated or not.” Brown’s original post labeled Wyngarden as a current teaching assistant
at CSU, though an article that ran in the Oct. 3 Collegian identifies Wyngarden as a former graduate student whose work at CSU included studying the effect of Facebook on politics.
Jared Leto to visit Colorado State campus for Obama Campaign event Wednesday
Actor and musician Jared Leto will visit the Lory Student Center Plaza Wednesday at 10:50 a.m. for the Obama Campaign, according to a news release. CSU is the first of three stops in Colorado Wednesday where Leto will promote early voting. Other stops in Colorado include UNC at 1 p.m., at the OFA Highland Field Office at 3 p.m. and the University of Denver at 4 p.m. Leto is best known as the lead singer of the band 30 Seconds to Mars and as an actor in “Requium For A Dream” and “Fight Club“. He was also a supporter of Obama in 2008. His band wore Obama t-shirts at the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards.
-- Collegian Staff Report
A flash mob in the plaza advocating for Relationship Violence Awareness Week on Tuesday, October 23. (Photo by Austin Simpson)
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THE RO CKY MOUNTAIN
COLLEGIAN Lory Student Center Box 13 Fort Collins, CO 80523
This publication is not an official publication of Colorado State University, but is published by an independent corporation using the name ‘The Rocky Mountain Collegian’ pursuant to a license granted by CSU. The Rocky Mountain Collegian is a 10,000-circulation student-run newspaper intended as a public forum. It publishes five days a week during the regular fall and spring semesters. During the last eight weeks of summer Collegian distribution drops to 4,500 and is published weekly on Wednesdays. During the first four weeks of summer the Collegian does not publish. Corrections may be submitted to the editor in chief and will be printed as necessary on page 2. The Collegian is a complimentary publication for the Fort Collins community. The first copy is free. Additional copies are 25 cents each. Letters to the editor should be sent to letters@collegian.com.
EDITORIAL STAFF | 491-7513 Allison Sylte | Editor in Chief editor@collegian.com Matt Miller | Content Managing Editor news@collegian.com Hunter Thompson | Visual Managing Editor design@collegian.com Andrew Carrera | News Editor news@collegian.com Elisabeth Willner | News Editor news@collegian.com Kevin Jensen | Editorial Editor & Copy Chief letters@collegian.com copy@collegian.com Nic Turiciano | Entertainment Editor verve@collegian.com Cris Tiller | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com
Kyle Grabowski | Assistant Sports Editor sports@collegian.com Kris Lawan | Design Editor design@collegian.com Nick Lyon | Chief Photographer photo@collegian.com
ADVISING STAFF
Kim Blumhardt | Advertising Manager Michael Humphrey | Journalism Adviser
KEY PHONE NUMBERS Newsroom | 970-491-7513 Distribution | 970-491-1146 Classifieds | 970-491-1686 Display Advertising | 970-491-7467 or 970-491-6834
Editor’s Note: News Editor Andrew Carrera interned with President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign this summer. He has removed himself from all political coverage including writing, editing and discussions – this include’s the paper’s daily editorial “Our View.”
The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Percentage of people with health care coverage in 2011
A LOOK AT HEALTHCARE
23% Public health care cover 60% Private health care cover 17% Uninsured
BACKGROUND
Money raised for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society KAPPA |
President of Academic Excellence Kat Jaeger. “I am so honored and excited that the chapter chose to support my friend,” Jaeger said. “It feels amazing to know that we are helping to find a cure for leukemia, because I feel like I am a part of her fight now. “Finding out that someone I care about is sick was heartbreaking, so I feel very blessed to have such wonderful sisters who were willing to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in her honor.” This year’s Chili Con Kappa drew far more attendees than its ever had in its 10 year history, according to chapter President Arianna Zabriskie — in fact, for the first time ever, Kappa ran out of chili because of the huge demand. “This event has been the most successful fundraiser we have ever had,” Zabriskie said. “...We are so excited
Candidate Romney vs. ObamaContrast
ISSUE
Junior economics major Bik Bajwa, middle, stuffs down some Chili at Chili Con Kappa Tuesday night.
Continued from Page 1
1 2 COUNTDOWN
ELECTION
HUNTER THOMPSON | COLLEGIAN
about the turnout, and owe it to the awesome CSU community that has supported us.” Last year’s event raised $1,500 for charity. This year’s raised $2,540. A group of Kappas have been planning the event since August, and leading up to it, everyone in the house pitched in to help with decorations and other preparations, house members said. Wendy’s, Texas Roadhouse and King Soopers donated supplies. Alumnae, Kappa upperclassmen, parents, Kappa’s house mom and others pitched in to help cook. Karl Schneider, whose daughter is a Kappa, drove up from Arvada for Chili Con Kappa. He said he made somewhere around six or seven liters of chili. “It was nice to see a lot of people come out and show their support,” he said. Editor in Chief Allison Sylte can be reached at news@collegian.com.
3
Quality health care at an affordable price is key for most Americans. In Larimer County, 15.1 percent of people were uninsured in 2011, according to the Colorado Health Access Survey.
WHAT THEY PROMISED* ROMNEY
OBAMA
“What I would do is keep—as we have today—state responsibility for those that are uninsured. You see I believe in the 10th Amendment. I believe the states have responsibility to care for their people in the way they feel best...And states will learn from each other, and some will have good experiences and others will not. That’s happening even today and states are learning and trying new ways to care for the uninsured. It’s important for us in my view to make sure that every American has access to good health care,” Romney said June 13, 2012 at Con-Air Industries in Orlando. Executive order to allow the federal government to issue Obamacare waivers to the states, and repeal Obamacare Put states in charge of regulating local insurance markets and caring for poor, chronically ill, or uninsured. Give block grants to the states for Medicare and limit federal standards on insurance coverage Promote free markets and fair competition Prevent discrimination for pre-existing conditions
“Since health care represents one-sixth of our economy, I believe it makes more sense to build on what works and fix what doesn’t, rather than try to build an entirely new system from scratch... (The ACA) will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance to those who don’t. And it will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses and our government. It’s a plan that asks everyone to take responsibility for meeting this challenge – not just government and insurance companies, but employers and individuals,” Obama said in a speech to Congress Sept. 9, 2009. Provide quality, affordable and reliable health insurance Stop insurance company abuses End to health insurance discrimination
WHAT THEY DID*
ROMNEY
OBAMA
2010: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 2006: An Act Providing Access to Affordable, Quality, AcHolds insurance companies accountable countable Health Care All Massachusetts residents must have health insurance Helps people save on Medicare that is free from preventative services to lower costs on prescription drugs and Government subsidies to provide insurance for low-inmonthly premiums come individuals Established Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority to offer private insurance plans Tax penalties on residents who do not have insurance and on employers who do not provide insurance REPORTING BY KATE WINKLE *Information provided by each candidate’s campaign office and public records
CSU Discount Days Wednesday & Thursday
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Collegian
OPINION Wednesday, October 24, 2012 | Page 4
your two cents
5%
24%
Yesterday’s Question: Which candidate has the best foreign policy?
39% 32%
*181 people voted in this poll.
39% Mitt Romney. 32% Barack Obama. 24% Gary Johnson. 5% Jill Stein.
Today’s question:
Are you going to do early voting? Log on to http://collegian.com to give us your two cents.
This is an unscientific poll conducted at Collegian.com and reflects the opinions of the Internet users who have chosen to participate.
Study before you vote or just don’t
By anna mitchell
On Monday night I watched the final presidential debate. I then tuned in to a YouTube Live Stream video of presidential candidate Gary Johnson discussing the debates with Internet personalities Phillip DeFranco and Elliot C. Morgan. Following the video feed I read a few articles and editorials, looked into a few fact-checking websites, and had a handful of Facebook conversations about various political topics, including the benefits and disadvantages of voting for a third party candidate. This is a pretty normal amount of daily political research for me. So I often get caught off-guard by people who are way more turnedoff by the political sphere. I understand politics can be scary or annoying. Politics seems to be little more than a bunch of (mostly) men shouting at one another, as their citizens follow suit. From bumper stickers, to coffee cups, to ads on Hulu, there is a lot of loud noise coming at you from all directions. Like many people, I don’t like loud noises, and certainly I don’t like how polarizing dirty politics can become. But I don’t think politics need to be polarizing or dirty. Despite all the negative factors, I do think that there is something beautiful about dialogue being created amongst a group of people surrounding meaningful and impactful topics. Especially if, as is the case for myself and many other college students, this is the first time you get to really have a voice on issues. There is something exciting about your first ever presidential election. You feel empowered. You feel invested. You feel as if — for the first time in your (however short) adult life — you could make a difference. Your vote counts in a democracy. You matter because you have a vote. But if you are not willing to educate yourself on who and what you are voting for, I beg you — PLEASE stay home on Election Day. Now, this sound contrary to things I’ve said in the past. I’ve spent a lot of energy the last three months encouraging every adult I know to register to vote. I really support the idea that every vote does matter in the election outcome. However, with the right
to a voice in democracy comes the responsibility to educate yourself on where your vote is going. An uneducated vote is far worse than no vote at all. Fortunately, we live in the age of research, so educating yourself is not difficult. Figure out how much research is enough for you. Maybe that just means skimming the Wikipedia pages of each candidate. Maybe that means tuning into the debates and reading opinion editorials on various issues. Maybe you rely on your friends to tell you about who they are voting for and why. This will be different for everyone. For example, while I find debates to be a great tool in educating voters, my roommate refuses to watch debates and instead just skips ahead to looking up fact checking websites the next morning. And while we may have differing political opinions, it doesn’t matter because both our opinions are educated. For me, “enough” research means figuring out who is on enough state ballots to hypothetically win the minimum required Electoral votes, and devoting time to figuring out who I think would best serve our country and represent my own personal stance on politics. I look into both partisan and nonpartisan sources, and try to get information whenever and wherever it is available. This may take a lot of effort, but I know that I am using my vote in the absolute best way I possibly can. I understand that what constitutes “enough” for other people may be a lot less work. But the reward of this labor is getting to voice an opinion that carries weight. A good friend of mine recently referred to me as a “Political Pokemon” that he could summon at a moment’s notice to discuss the election and the candidates/issues on the ballot because I care enough to research the topics. ANNA uses OPINION EDITORIAL COLUMN. It’s super effective! Of course, whether a person listens to my opinions or not is their choice (and I certainly hope I am not forcing them onto anyone). But at least I do my democratic duty in forming those opinions before I put them out there. If you aren’t willing to do that work this election, just don’t bother with voting. My vote will actually matter in this election. Will yours? Anna Mitchell is a junior liberal arts major. Her columns appear Wednesdays in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian. com.
our view
Female athletes are no different In an interview with the Hartford Courant, UCONN women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma suggested that lowering the rim for women would help increase the popularity of the game by creating higher offensive efficiency. While Auriemma’s position in the basketball landscape is well-respected, his stance here is completely off the mark. There is no reason the rim should be lowered and the rules of the game changed, and it’s wildly inappropriate for Auriemma to suggest that women athletes are less capable than men. The problem isn’t the height of the rim, it’s our culture’s approach to female athletics. We place an emphasis on male athletics. As a result there are far fewer women interested
in pursuing an athletic career and the talent pool is severely lowered because of this cultural expectation. This is at the root of women’s basketball’s diminished popularity.
“The problem isn’t the height of the rim, it’s our culture’s approach to female athletics.” The same five collegiate teams get the top level players and compete each year, effectively eliminating the thrill of the upset that is at the core of the men’s game’s success. Title IX
worked to close the gap between men and women in sports. Let’s not undo that by saying women are less capable of playing with a 10 foot rim. Auriemma argues volleyball lowers the net for women and softball fields are smaller than baseball diamonds, “so the women have the chance for the same kind of success at the net (as the men)." What message does that send to girls across the country? Certainly not the correct one. Yes, women’s basketball and other female sports are in need of a change, but it’s not by altering their rules and dimensions. We need to encourage women to pursue athletic competition from a young age and let them know they are no different than men.
The Collegian Editorial Board is responsible for writing the staff editorial, “Our View,” and for the views expressed therein. Letters and feedback in response to the staff editorial can be sent to letters@collegian.com. Allison Sylte | Editor in Chief editor@collegian.com Matt Miller | Content Managing Editor news@collegian.com Hunter Thompson | Visual Managing Editor photo@collegian.com
Andrew Carrera | News Editor news@collegian.com Elisabeth Willner | News Editor news@collegian.com Kevin Jensen | Editorial Editor letters@collegian.com
Nic Turiciano | Entertainment Editor verve@collegian.com Cris Tiller | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com Kris Lawan | Design Editor design@collegian.com
No personhood debate in 2012, but...
By caleb hendrich
Those of you who have already participated in early voting this year, or have mailed in your ballots ahead of time, may have noticed something peculiar about this year’s ballot. This year, unlike in 2008 and 2010, we the Colorado electorate are not being asked to vote on whether or not a fertilized egg qualifies for full rights as a citizen of the United States of America. In 2008, Amendment 48 was proposed by a movement called “Colorado for Equal Rights.” The bill that was proposed would amend the constitution of the state of Colorado so that the terms “person” and “persons” would include any human being from the moment of fertilization. The intention of the amendment was to criminalize abortion; essentially equating abortion to murder. Amendment 48, while wildly popular amongst the Colorado Pro-Life movement, utterly failed in the 2008 election. In fact, it lost by a margin of 26 percent for to 74 percent against. In electoral terms, that was a devastating loss. Measures on topics this controversial rarely get decided by nearly 50 percentage points. Undeterred, the Colorado ProLife movement put forward another amendment called Amendment 62 in 2010 under the umbrella organization Personhood USA. Amendment 62 had essentially the
same theme as Amendment 48, even though it was worded slightly different. While 48 applied the term “person” to newly fertilized eggs, 62 stated that the term “person” to eggs that had been biologically fertilized. According to Personhood USA founder Keith Mason, the wording change was to prevent any protection of human cloning. Once again, Colorado voters were not enthusiastic for the idea of personhood for fertilized eggs. Amendment 62 lost in a vote of 70 percent to 29 percent. Another monumental margin for a controversial topic. But displaying a sense of dogged stubbornness that many politicians wish they had, Personhood USA tried to get another personhood amendment on the 2012 ballot. However, they failed to get enough signatures to get the amendment on the ballot. Evidently, voters decided to just nip this issue in the bud before it even came up on the ballot. On the national political stage, a lot of other states are coming to the same conclusions as Colorado. Personhood Amendments have been proposed on state ballots ranging from liberal bastions like California to states as far to the right as Mississippi, and they have failed to pass almost universally. There’s a good reason for this. Giving “person” status to fertilized eggs carries a lot of unintended legal consequences. For one thing, any woman who has ever had a miscarriage or given birth to a stillborn child automatically becomes a murderer. For another, a lot of common birth control methods that act to prevent pregnancy (such as the morning after pill) become murder weapons in the eyes of the law. And consider the possibility of the mother’s death. If a mother dies in childbirth (admittedly not something that happens very often) and the infant has the same rights as a person, do you charge the infant with murder? If the birth of the infant results in severe tearing or infection, do you charge the infant with assault?
It sounds absolutely ridiculous, obviously, but if such an amendment is approved those sorts of questions are going to be coming up and are going to have to be decided, no matter how ludicrous they are. It is a legal quagmire that would be extremely unpleasant to wade through, no matter how fervent one’s desire to outlaw abortion is. It is not all that hard to see why this is not exactly appealing. It’s probably the best example of the kind of “Big Brother” government that small government conservatives like to talk about all the time. All of a sudden, the state decides that it has to insert itself into a woman's pregnancy and monitor it every step of the way. Every decision that an expecting mother makes is suddenly the business of the government. If she drinks or smokes, there’s a criminal charge. If she is not eating the right kind of foods, there is another charge. This is one area where the government red tape has absolutely no business being in. But Personhood USA is not giving up. Far from it. Shortly after they were informed that the latest iteration of a personhood amendment was not going to be making the ballot, Personhood USA stated that they were not going to be giving up. “Hopefully this proves our tenacity,” said Personhood USA founder Keith Mason. So be on the lookout for another potential personhood amendment coming up for the 2014 off-year election. This is not an issue that is going to be dying off anytime soon, despite its unpopularity. Keep voting “No”, Colorado. This is a government overreach that we absolutely do not need.
Editorial Assistant Caleb Hendrich is a senior political science and journalism double major. His columns appear Wednesdays in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.
Collegian Opinion Page Policy
The columns on this page reflect the viewpoints of the individual author and not necessarily that of The Rocky Mountain Collegian or its editorial board. Please send any responses to letters@collegian.com.
Letter submissions are open to all and are printed on a first-received basis. Submissions should be limited to 250 words and need to include the author’s name and contact information. Anonymous letters will not be printed. E-mail letters to letters@collegian.com
The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Wednesday, October 24, 2012
5
Get your vote on
“...It’s a commitee of a new era with new issues to address. We are tying to prioritize certain initiative in order to increase graduation and retention rates.” Rick Miranda | (CSU Provost) ASCSU
New commitee to close success gap ASCSU and Provost’s office team up to increase Ram’s graduation and retention rates By CARRIE MOBLEY The Rocky Mountain Collegian A new campus-wide committee has been formed in order to improve and assess student success, according to its chairman and CSU Provost Rick Miranda. The 12-member group has been formed as a response to President Tony Frank’s challenge in his Fall Address to increase its firstyear retention rate to 90 percent and graduation rate to 80 percent. Currently, those rates are in the mid ‘80s and ‘60s range, respectively. “We will be especially focused on influencing student learning,” Miranda said. “And we know that upgrading that is paramount to improving educational attainment.” As for specific plans for the new committee’s meetings, Miranda said the first order of business is to assess the current position of the university with regards to student success. The next step, he said, will be brainstorming ideas. “After we have assessed all possible plans and strategies we will try to select three to give initiatives and prioritize them so that we can try them and just see how they go,” Miranda said. As for specific goals the committee already has in place, Thayer said the main goals are to decrease current gaps that may exist in student success. “A big part of this is to eliminate gaps in student success and also to shorten the average time it takes a student to graduate,” said Paul Thayer, associate vice president for student affairs. “The biggest part of decreasing that, of course, comes with higher first year retention rates.” In the end, however, Miranda said that it is not so much the numbers that matter, as the individual results. “Every student is important to us,” Miranda said. “We try not to think so much in numbers as we do in impacting lives — that means a lot to us.” A similar effort was launched in 2005. About seven years ago the a campus-wide committee came up with several initiatives
WHY? Why does CSU need a commitee on student success? Dr. Tony Frank has challenged the university to increase its first year return rates to 90 percent and its graduation rates to 80 percent in the next six years. According to Provost Rick Miranda, current first year return rates are in the mid 80s, with graduation rates in the mid 60s. Because of this, the university is working to close gaps in student success and improve retention, with hopes of also decreasing the amount of time it takes for a student to graduate.
that CSU could focus on and then made a set of recommendations to campus officials. The university has since then been “chipping away” at those recommendations. Miranda stressed that “… It’s a committee of a new era with new issues to address. We are trying to prioritize certain initiatives in order to increase graduation and retention rates.” The biggest accomplishment of that last committee, according to Miranda, was the introduction of academic support coordinators to every college, a task that is not quite complete yet. “All eight colleges currently have these academic support coordinators, but not all 54 departments,” Miranda said. “We are still committed to accomplishing that, as well as adding new initiatives to start on.” Other accomplishments by the last committee include creating the TiLT Program, a longer orientation and transition program for first year students, redesigning more than 90 courses to reflect student feedback, and increasing efforts to encourage students to consider higher education, according to Thayer. “We have realized that there is no one single thing that will make a difference,” Thayer said. “It will be a whole range of things … there is no endpoint to this committee.” ASCSU Beat Reporter Carrie Mobley can be reached at news@collegian. com.
DYLAN LANGILLE | COLLEGIAN
Senior mechanical engineering major Nate Sherman votes in the North Ballroom of the Lory Student Center Monday afternoon. Early voting began Monday, Oct. 22 in the Lory Student Center and is open from 8 am to 5 p.m. until next Friday, Nov. 2.
HOMETOWN | Political Continued from Page 1 point out Romney’s great points,” Winner said. “He sees things differently than I do.” Another CSU student, junior biology major Haley Wilson, shared a similar experience because she does not harbor the same views as her parents. In her case, both parents are strict Republicans and she comes from Arizona, which often votes Republican in the elections. “We are always combating ideals and views,” Wilson said. A few issues that they disagree on include: women’s rights, same sex marriage, immigration and healthcare. Wilson used to share her parent’s views until she moved out of their home and to
ideals start with parents
Colorado. Then, she flipped from Republican to a more liberal political stance. “My dad thinks I am a Democrat because I am in college,” Wilson said. This tends to happen, especially with college-aged students, according to Saunders. They are released from the bubble of their hometown and their parents’ viewpoints and are introduced to different viewpoints on a variety of issues. “Students tend to be more liberal in their political belief systems, and are also more likely to identify with the Democratic Party than the Republicans,” Saunders said. In a study done by Christopher H. Achen of the University of Michigan, he suggests that par-
tisanship is well established because “most parents transmit their party identification to their children.” “I think it depends on how you are raised,” Winner said. For example, parents that pushed their own political agenda on their children often have children that accept these ideals as the norm. Another study by the University of Boulder said children are often subject to “parental transmission of partisanship.” Children often don’t question the
ideals passed on to them until much later. “If you come from a family where politics was discussed at the dinner table and news programs were discussed in an engaged fashion, those children are much more likely to become engaged in politics and pay attention to the news, and in turn have stronger partisan identities,” Saunders said. City Beat Reporter Amanda Zetah can be reached at news@collegian. com.
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Laurel’s Salon of Distinction Correction to Sept. 19 LSC Insert: In the Lory Student Center, Our Legacy, Our Stories, Celebrating 50, the 1960s and 1970s 50th Celebration insert cited “LSC 7” member Bill Neighbors as being a “decorated military vet when he arrived on campus.” While Neighbors has served his community in many positive ways, he is not a decorated military veteran.
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6 Wednesday, October 24, 2012 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian
“I feel like I am incredibly lucky to have gotten Dr. Prasad as my Ph.D. advisor. He’s an incredible teacher and advisor and has an amazing attitude.” Samanthe Lyons | Ph.D. student assistant
The man behind the medals CSU professor and his team reflect on historic achievement By Christopher Boan The Rocky Mountain Collegian The ability to systematically place adult stem cells in locations around the body might sound like something out of a sci-fi film, but it’s just part of the daily grind for CSU assistant professor Ashok Prasad. Prasad’s work on stem cell topography has earned the CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation, which goes to junior faculty members that conduct excellent research and education. Prasad, who works in the Department of Chemical Biological Engineering, said his team’s work could help solve a variety of issues involving the human body, ranging from arthritis to organ transplants. Their goal is to help use stem cells to rebuild damaged tissues and bones. “These issues are interesting, as both bone and tissue are vital to human development, so if we can create them then we could help create a breakthrough,” Prasad said. His career path leading
up to his work at CSU included serving as a professor of economics for 12 years at the University of Delhi, where he worked until he came to the U.S. to earn a Ph.D. in economics. “This is a second career for me,” Prasad said. “I used to teach economics at a college in India, but when I came to the United States I found the field of biomedical research fascinating, so I started doing research on the immune system and never looked back.” One of the things Prasad finds interesting is the close bond he has with his graduate and Ph.D. student assistants and the fact that he is able to study fresh topics frequently. “It’s never too late to try something new. My research here at CSU is quite broad,” Prasad said. “Some of the other stuff I research on in my lab is computational biology, so I work closely with experimentalists and my assistants, with the overall philosophy of trying to discover engineering principles of life.” One such assistant is CSU Ph.D. student Saman-
“Women’s health is a family issue. It’s a family investment.” Betsy Hill | CSU masters student
WRC works to remove barriers flamingos | continued from Page 1
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with other people and we can more effectively reach our target population.” In her work promoting women’s health with WRC, Hill has noticed an intergenerational impact and how women’s health can affect entire families. When Hill was working the Mammogram Van, a 70-year-old mother and her 40-year-old daughter came for a screening. The women brought their children, husbands and brothers. According to Hill, the entire family came. “Women’s health is a family issue. It’s a family investment,” Hill said.
Hill said she started working with WRC because the work they do is right up her ally — providing health care to underprivileged people. “I was aware of all the marginalization in our society, but (working at WRC) has reinforced the importance of removing barriers to healthcare,” Hill said. “As a small nonprofit in town we aren’t able to change the whole healthcare system, so our contribution is just to increase access to care and remove barriers like cost and language.” Student Life Beat Reporter Kate Simmons can be reached at news@collegian. com.
FOR IT
the Lyons, who attributes her success in the program to Prasad’s work as a teacher and advisor. “I feel like I am incredibly lucky to have gotten Dr. Prasad as my Ph.D. advisor,” Lyons said. “He’s an incredible teacher and advisor, and has an amazing attitude.” Prasad’s skills as a teacher revolve around his ability to connect with his students and let them have a say in the research done by the team. “Dr. Prasad gives us the tools needed so we can learn the subject on our own,” Lyons said. “The way he runs his lab is absolutely amazing, we have a lot of input on how we do our work, and we have a lot of fun together, which is always nice.” Chintan Joshi, who is a graduate student at CSU, believes that Dr. Prasad’s ability to come up with real world examples sets him apart as a teacher, and as a person. “The reason Dr. Prasad is successful is his ability to give examples that relate to students,” Joshi said. “I’ve taken several courses with him, and the way he works with students, and the time
he takes to make sure that you understand the subject is truly amazing.” Graduate Assistant Dustin Robert Berger said Dr. Prasad’s ability to achieve high levels of success stems from his love of the subject. “Dr. Prasad is definitely accepting and allows his students to study the topics that interest them,” Berger said. “I am thrilled that the work we have been doing has led to this prestigious award for him. It’s pretty awesome.” This willingness to be flexible with students, along with the respect held for his assistants are what Prasad said drives his research. “Ever since coming to CSU I have had fantastic students, they have gone to the best places in the world and will do well there,” Prasad said. “Working with them has been a joy, I really enjoy working with my students, I really enjoy the whole experience, because they are bright and are really excited about the experience, which I really enjoy.” Collegian Writer Christopher Boan can be reached at news@collegian.com.
Apple debuts iPad Mini tablet By Andrea Chang and Salvador Rodriguez The McClatchy Tribune
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The iPad Mini, the long-rumored smaller tablet from Apple, has made its debut. Apple launched the 7.9-inch tablet computer at an invitation-only media event Tuesday, telling a crowd of reporters that the device is as thin as a pencil and weighs .68 pounds. Prices for the iPad Mini start at $329. “It’s as light as a pad of paper,” said Apple’s marketing chief, Phil Schiller. The iPad Mini will be available for pre-order on Friday. The Wi-Fi version will go on sale Nov. 2 while cellular versions of the device will arrive two weeks later. The Wi-Fi model starts at $329 for 16 GB of storage while its cellular counterpart begins at $459. Rumors have swirled for months that Apple was designing a competitor to Amazon.com’s Kindle Fire HD and the Google Nexus 7, smaller and cheaper devices that appeal to on-the-go
consumers who don’t want to shell out for the pricey iPad. Apple has sold more than 84 million iPads since its debut in April 2010. Now, despite resistance from late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who reportedly said consumers would have to “sand down their fingers” to properly use a smaller tablet, Apple is looking to expand its share in a growing, highly competitive tablet market. The timing of the launch, just ahead of the all-important holiday season, is a smart move, analysts said. Many have already predicted strong demand from consumers for the smaller iPad. “In our view, the iPad Mini stands to target price-sensitive users and the e-reader crowd,” JPMorgan analyst Mark Moskowitz wrote in a note to investors ahead of the media event. “Given the global economic uncertainty, we think price-sensitive users could gravitate toward an iPad Mini instead of making a PC purchase.”
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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Wednesday, October 24, 2012
7
#Room-Antics
Daily Horoscope
Nancy Black and Stephanie Clement
JADE
Today’s Birthday (10/24/12). The coins keep flowing in this year ... use them to pay down debt and stash into savings. Adapt to constant change at work, as new opportunities arise. Reassess habits and practices for a healthier lifestyle; a subtle tweak can make a big difference. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Wondermark
Tim Rickard
Brewster Rockit
Rochelle Peeler
Meh Comex
Ctrl+z
Chelsea London
Aries (Mar. 21-April 19) ––6–– There’s no time for gossip; it’s too much to handle. It’s not a good time to travel for the next few days. Postpone expansion. Acknowledge successes, even if tiny. Taurus (April 20-May 20) ––8–– Don’t stop learning as you go along. Consider all possibilities before giving up. If you’re still stuck, listen to friends for advice and comfort. Make fun a priority. Gemini (May 21-June 20) ––8–– Take on new responsibilities today and tomorrow. There’s room for misunderstandings. Don’t despair if you’re not getting a response just yet. Replies come in later. Cancer (June 21-July 22) ––8–– This week is good for travel, but there could be delays or errors. Difficulties with family members get resolved later. Make long-range plans. Invest in your future. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) ––6–– Tackle detailed tasks and negotiations for the next few days. Define objectives. Stick to the budget without gambling. It may require digging into savings for a career investment. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) ––8–– It’s never too late to learn a new trade or language, or how to play an instrument. Let others help you. Choose something fun and immerse yourself. Get wet. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) ––7–– A breakdown in communication could happen, but you can deal with that. The more intricate the work is, the more rewarding; especially for the next two days. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) ––9–– Things fall together, with expert help. Stir things up, even if it’s just in your imagination. Consider opening new channels of communication. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) ––9–– You don’t need to worry; just get busy. It’s easy to overlook an important detail, so take notes and double-check your calendar. Discover your own truth. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) ––8–– Don’t waste words or money. And don’t dwell into the past either. Your intelligence is easily accessible now, so use it to your advantage. Accept a sweet deal. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) ––7–– You don’t have to go out of your way to dream, as fantasies abound. Improve your living conditions, but wait until later to close the deal. Toss the ball to a teammate. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) ––9–– You have extra confidence today and tomorrow, which helps you put together the best team possible. You all do the seemingly impossible. Make magic.
David Malki
RamTalk
compiled by Kris Lawan The new ram talk app: just one more reason not to pay attention in class.
Daily cartoons and games available at Collegian.com. Send feedback to design@collegian.com.
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
It’s an interesting turn of events when you go on a Saturday adventure to a toy store and the owner of that store ends up helping you do better in Physics.
Walking through the plaza with all the “people who wanna talk” is good practice for the zombie apocalypse. Its about that time of year when all the girls at CSU find their way to the gym to look good for the clothes they aren’t going to wear on Halloween.
Text your rants to 970-430-5547. Want more? The first RamTalk Book is officially in stock at the Student Media office in the Lory Student Center. Buy your copy for $10, or get one online for your Kindle or Nook.
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Submit RamTalk entries to ramtalk@collegian.com. Libelous or obscene submissions will not be printed. While your comment will be published anonymously, you must leave your name and phone number for verification.
Today’s RamTalk sponsored by:
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Apps
Across 1 Brains 7 Like many a reply env. 10 Low-tech missile 13 New Age physician 14 Zeno’s home 15 Namibia neighbor: Abbr. 16 Florida export 17 *”Ditto!” 19 *1955 Communist defense treaty 21 Old Russian dynast 22 Pulitzer playwright Rice 23 The tiniest bit 25 __ Moines 26 Sink, as a snooker ball 28 Flattering deception 31 Daddy-o 33 Marsupial sometimes called a bear 34 Friction reducer 37 *”I can answer your questions” 40 Map reader’s aid 41 Firefighter Red 43 Gaming console with a fitness component 44 County in eastern Ireland 47 R&B’s __ Hill 49 Peoria hrs. 52 Score tempo 54 Opposite of neo56 Fr. miss 58 *Momentarily forget 60 Like the best bonds, and a hint to the answers to starred clues 62 Dumpster fill 63 Reunion attendees 64 Goes down in the west 65 Done for the first time 66 Sew up 67 __ de deux 68 Trusty mounts Down 1 Made an appearance 2 Team captain’s concern 3 Morning janglers 4 Teeth-cleaning step 5 Title writer in a John Irving novel 6 Hasenpfeffer, for one 7 Director’s cry
Yesterday’s solution
Today’s Crossword sponsored by:
8 Jam thickener 9 Black Hills terr. 10 *”Wheel of Fortune” host 11 “A Day Without Rain” New Ager 12 Culture medium 14 Israeli diplomat Abba 18 When one might have a late lunch 20 “The Chosen” novelist Chaim 24 “The Addams Family” adjective 27 Special __: military force 29 Flamenco shout 30 Shoreline indentation 32 Print maker 34 Wine barrel wood 35 Dictator Amin 36 *Space cadet’s home? 37 Inland Asian sea 38 Lehár operetta “The Merry __” 39 Breathable gases 42 Car at a long light, say 45 Herbal brew 46 Everglades birds 48 Cheerful 49 Painter Monet 50 Had an inkling 51 Small gifts 53 Extremists, for short 55 2004 remake starring Jude Law 56 Fabricate 57 Rested 59 Venus de Milo’s lack 61 Egyptian snake
8 Wednesday, October 24, 2012 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian
Obama, Romney head back to battleground states By Lesley Clark, William Douglas and Anita Kumar The McClatchy Tribune HENDERSON, Nev. — President Barack Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney joined their running mates in rallying thousands of supporters in must-win battleground states Tuesday as they entered the final, frenzied, two-week stretch of the presidential race. Obama continued with a familiar line of attack, arguing that Romney has shifted positions on key issues to win voters. “Trust matters,” a shirt-sleeved Obama told a crowd estimated at 9,500 at a park in Dayton, Ohio. “You know, Ohio, you know me. You know I mean what I say and I do what I’m going to do. You know that I will make the tough decision, even when it’s not popular.” Romney criticized the president for answering Republicans’ charge of having no second-term agenda by distributing a 20-page pamphlet and a new TV ad with already-introduced plans. Romney’s campaign promptly dubbed it a “glossy panic button.” “That’s why his campaign is taking on water and our campaign is full steam ahead,” the former Massachusetts governor told 6,000 people at an outdoor pavilion in Henderson, Nev. “Attacks on me are not an agenda.” Obama campaigned in Florida and Ohio. Romney appeared in Nevada before holding an evening rally in Colorado with New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and singers Kid Rock and Rodney Atkins. Together, the two campaigns introduced four new ads Tuesday, including a pair in which the men speak directly into the cameras as they make their final pitches to undecided voters in swing states, who’ll determine the winner. Obama and Romney
participated in their third debate Monday night in Florida. It marked their final joint appearance before the Nov. 6 election. Initial polls found voters split on who won the debate, with the president taking a slight edge. Romney’s stronger performance in the first debate Oct. 3 led to his steady uptick in the polls. He remains ahead in overall national rankings, according to a compilation of surveys by the website RealClearPolitics, though Obama continues to lead in some battleground states, including Ohio, New Hampshire and Iowa. A new Washington Post-ABC News national tracking poll released late Tuesday found a statistical dead heat with Romney at 49 percent and Obama at 48 percent among likely voters. Nearly all interviews were conducted before the final debate. In Nevada, Romney and Rep. Paul Ryan, his vice presidential nominee, sought to portray their campaign as picking up momentum as part of “a movement across the country, as people are realizing we can do a better job than the past four years.” “We can handle two more weeks of campaigning, but we can’t handle four more years of what he’s given us,” Romney said, ticking off unemployment numbers, sinking housing costs and rising gas prices. He said he’d deliver 12 million new jobs, raise takehome pay and cap spending. “The president’s approach to creating jobs is another stimulus,” Romney said to shouts of derision from the audience. “How’d the first one work out? . . . His vision for the future is a repeat of the past.” Kevin Kersey, 41, who attended the rally along with his wife and 3-year-old namesake, said he supported Romney because of the candidate’s business experience. “That’s what we need in that office, a business-
man, someone with private-sector experience,” said Kersey, of Henderson, who owns a pool service company. “We need a businessman to run this country.” A fired-up Obama began his day speaking to 11,000 in the South Florida city of Delray Beach before joining Vice President Joe Biden in Ohio, where he accused Romney of coming down with a case of “Romnesia” — forgetting or abandoning his previous positions. “If you said that you love American cars during the debate, you’re a car guy, but you wrote an article titled ‘Let Detroit Go Bankrupt,’ you definitely have a case of ‘Romnesia,’ “ the president said to cheers. Romney, who’s promoted a more centrist message in recent weeks, has been under fire for softening or changing his views on a number of policies, including immigration, tax cuts and abortion. Obama reminded the crowd that he’d backed the auto industry bailout, a move that Romney opposed. While Detroit and Michigan have a reputation as the auto capital of America, Ohio also is the home of several automobile plants and an auto parts industry. One in eight Ohio jobs is linked to the industry. “Folks don’t remember what we did with the auto industry. It wasn’t popular when we did it. It wasn’t even popular in Michigan and Ohio. But it was necessary,” the president said. Obama spoke Tuesday about his newly released agenda, which included little that hadn’t been proposed before. It stresses classic Obama themes such as “building an economy from the middle class out” and promising 1 million more manufacturing jobs by 2016, keeping the 2010 federal health care law in place and recruiting
mark Randall | Mcclatchy tribune
President Barack Obama greets supporters with a wave in Delray Beach, Florida, Tuesday, October 23, 2012, the morning after the third and final presidential debate held at Lynn University in Boca Raton. Several thousand supporters filled the Delray Beach Tennis Center to hear the President speak at what the campaign called a Grassroots Event.
100,000 math and science teachers. “I’ve laid out a plan for jobs and middle-class security. And unlike Mitt Romney, I’m actually proud to talk about what’s in it, because my plan actually will move America forward,” the
president said in Florida. Romney hasn’t specified all the steps he’d take to reduce the federal budget deficit by trillions of dollars. Richard Clay Dixon, who served as the mayor of Dayton from 1987 to 1994, said he was confident that
Obama would win Ohio and re-election. He just wishes the race weren’t so close. “It’s closer than we would like. At one time he was 10 points ahead,” he said. “But with the early voting, we’re doing a good job in getting people out.”