The Independent Issue 49 by The Independent Student Press

The

Fort Lewis College News Magazine

Issue 49

WHAT WE WANT

TO S(K)NOW ABSTINENCE

IN COLLEGE

HOW TO SKI

FOR FREE

AND MORE...

October 2013 FREE

Stacye Heaton

Haley Pruitt

Ayla Quinn EDITOR IN CHIEF

LEAD PRINT DESIGNER

VISUAL EDITOR

Lindsey Fuller Livia Hooson Ciarra Krening Megan Prins Cover photo by Hana Mohsin

VISIT US on the web for breaking news, daily campus and community updates, sports, and much more!

CHIEF COPY EDITOR

Aimee Gardere

Chloe Eckerman

Emily Fagerberg

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Deanna Atkins Madi Bates Bob Brockley Alexa Chance Taylor Ferraro Meghan Olson Julia Volzke

SOCIAL MEDIA

Emily Griffin

Hana Mohsin

Carter Solomon FINANCIAL MANAGER

PHOTOGRAPHY

REPORTING

LEAD ONLINE DESIGNER

SOCIAL MEDIA VISUAL EDITOR

Rise Fujita Livia Hooson Christian Bachrodt Anthony Martin

Allie Hutto

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Alie Pallat SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

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BUSINESS DIRECTOR

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NEWS EDITOR

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COPY EDITING

DESIGN

Trevor Ogborn

Editors & Staff

BUSINESS

PUBLIC RELATION DIRECTOR

www.theindyonline.com

Campus News

Fort Lewis College: Climbing Enrollment, But Still Enough Room

Story by Madi Bates

Entertainment

Money Saver

COVER

Health

Sex

Horoscopes and Indy on the Street

Free Durango Mountain Resort Season Pass with 10 Days of Volunteering Story by Deanna Atkins What We Want to S(k)now: Story by Taylor Ferraro

Learning Through the Lens: Studies Offer a New Method for Educational Improvement Story by Julia Volzke Abstinence in College Story by Meghan Olson

Green

Grassroots Campaign Against FLC Fossil Fuel Investment is Warming Up Story by Bob Brockley

Entertainment

Recipe and Word Search

To our readers, As I try to write this, I realize I have nothing particularly profound to say for myself, for the value of this paper comes not from me, nor any individual, but relies on the collaborative efforts of a dedicated staff of editors, reporters, photographers, designers, and business staffers. I hope that you find value in the content we put forth and that our efforts to produce a viable and interesting publication for your consumption are seen and appreciated. While we are involved with The Independent to learn and gain experience for ourselves, our ultimate goal is it serve you, our student body. We are truly committed to honing our own skills while providing for you a resource to consult for news, catered to the students of FLC. My role on staff is to help facilitate the production of valuable news content through my management of a devoted team of reporters. I cannot overstate the importance of these individuals to our staff, nor can I convey how truly proud I am of the time and effort they put into their work. During the production of this package, we regrettably had a reporter leave our staff. In their absence, my team of reporters stepped up and collaborated to bring you the Buzz Bus article, which otherwise would have been impossible to produce under time constraints. Many of our great staffers go above and beyond to help bring together this publication, and it would not be possible without them.I hope that in the coming months, the work I do for The Indy helps showcase the diligent efforts which our staffers, from photographers to editors, put forth. This is my second year of college, and I have much to learn. Unlike many others at The Independent, I have a long road ahead of me before graduation. I am eager to continue my commitment to the publication and to use the opportunity which The Indy has provided me to continue my growth as a journalist, as an editor, and as a leader. I have worked hard to be where I am, and I deserve the position which I hold. This journey has been good to me thus far, and I hope to pass this fortuitous opportunity on to others in the future. Thank you,

Trevor Ogborn News Editor

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From the Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Desk

CONTENTS

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Campus News

Fort Lewis College: Climbing Enrollment, But Still Enough Room

The rise of enrollment has ensured that parking spaces around campus will fill up quickly. Story by Madi Bates

his year, enrollment is on the rise at Fort Lewis College, while previous years have shown little to no growth. The 2013-2014 academic year shows that the student enrollment grew by 4.5 percent, pushing total number of students to 4,065, which is the first time the total enrollment has been over 4,000 since 2004, according to the Fort Lewis College Messenger. This is one of the largest growths that FLC has seen in several years. “We raised our admission standards back in 2004 or 2005 and enrollment started going down,” said FLC President Dene Kay Thomas.“The enrollment went down for six years in a row and everybody was worried.” In response to this drop, FLC began to work on recruiting students both in and out of state. Last year, when the new Strategic Plan was enacted, there was a 2.35 percent increase in enrollment. The plan highlights a push for enrollment utilizing such attractions as a new graduate degree program for Teacher Leadership and capitalizing on the location, Thomas said. “We are a hidden gem here, and we really need to get the story out about what a great place we are,” Thomas said. Part of what makes FLC a great school is the affordability of tuition for both in-state and out-of-state students, and recruitment is working to get that message out, Thomas said. Many athletic and merit-based scholarships are offered at FLC. Additionally, FLC offers the Native American Tuition Waiver and Colorado residents may take advantage of the Colorado Opportunity Fund. FLC’s goal is to help students have a successful experience and an on-track graduation, Thomas said. The school continues to have small class sizes and personalization, but the effort to attract new students is in full swing. “We have marketed ourselves in different ways to different populations,” Thomas said.

Photo by Anthony Martin Enrollment and recruitment are crucial. “Ever since I have been here, there has been a push for enrollment,” said Lee Frazer, assistant professor of adventure education. Because of the growing enrollment for first-year students, the number of students living in on-campus housing has increased. There was a 2.5 percent increase for on-campus housing for first year students. However, the largest increase was for returning students to on-campus housing, which rose by 8.5 percent since the opening of last year, said Julie Love, the director of student housing and conference services. “We are here for students, and our goal is to help them focus on academics and not worry about their housing,” Love said. Not only has enrollment increased, but so has student retention. “We have done very well with continuing students,” Thomas said. “That really says something about our programs – that our faculty are connecting with students and that we had more students coming back.” It is important to recruit more students, but it is very important to maintain current students, Thomas said. Housing is currently at 97 percent occupancy, but Love is not worried about the short-term housing. “We have contingency plans in every building that create more space,” Love said. Four rooms in West Hall have already been converted to fit three people. These are handicapped-accessible rooms with a large floor space, Love said. “We did some prior planning this summer knowing that our numbers were going to be high,” Love said. Animas Hall is the newest housing facility and was opened in 2009. The Bayder-Snyder housing complex is the next to be focused on for renovation, starting with Snyder A, Love said. Snyder A is currently vacant, in preparation for the renovations.

There will be a complete remodel, including upgrading electric, plumbing, fire safety and infrastructure, Love said. Student Housing and Conference Services will also be reconfiguring many of the dorm hall suites. With an increased number of students on campus, from both housing and commuters, parking lots are increasingly congested. However, campus has plenty of available parking away from these popular areas. “The stadium lot always has space available, no matter what day of the week you are talking about,” Love said. Costs for parking have also increased. Students previously paid $90 for a full year pass, and are now required to pay $110. “We are not in a position of running out of parking,” Love said. “It just might not be right in the lot next to the building you want.” While FLC continues its work to accommodate existing students, the focus will still be on enrollment. Class sizes will only increase incrementally to accommodate the increase in enrollment, said Carol Smith, the associate vice president of enrollment management. “Class sizes are determined based on the learning experiences

necessary to meet learning outcomes,” Smith said. “For example, if achievement of a course’s learning outcomes require significant writing by students, course size has been set at 25.” Revenue is an important part of the college maintaining its excellence, in order to hire great teachers and upgrade the campus. “If we want to really increase enrollment and bring in more revenue, we cannot operate on a shoestring,” Frazer said. “We cannot do things like raise faculty salaries or raise staff salaries if we do not bring students in.” However, this is increasingly difficult with lowering government funding of higher education. “The support for higher education has been dropping for the past 20 years,” Frazer said. “This has been a national trend.” Though FLC’s location gives many recreational advantages, such as biking, hiking and rafting, it does cause FLC to be isolated and hard to get to, Thomas said. Instead, to increase enrollment, the school plans to “capitalize on the location” to combine a strengthening in relationships with local schools and businesses, as well as using the recreation available, Thomas said.

Enrollment at Fort Lewis from 2003 to 2013: YEAR

TOTAL STUDENTS

FULL-TIME, FIRST YEAR FRESHMEN

RETENTION RATE

2012-2013

3891

837

62%

2011-2012

3856

760

N/A

2010-2011

3864

820

63%

2009-2010

3685

825

60%

2008-2009

3746

789

59%

2007-2008

3905

Unavailable from Source

2006-2007

3970

886

57%

2005-2006

3937

881

Unavailable from Source

2004-2005

4187

Unavailable from Source

2003-2004

4178

Unavailable from Source

http://www.fortlewis.edu/budget/FLCDatabookFactSheets.aspx

Entertainment

Halloween Word Search COSTUME FRIGHT GHOST HALLOWEEN HAUNTED JACK-O-LANTERN PUMPKIN SCREAMS WALK-OF-SHAME ZOMBIE MARCH

J Z N H G M A R C H C Q F T K L M Y

W A L K O F S H A M E N P C N I E Z

D D C N J H U Q C X E G O E R G K K

M E B K V K S Q Z N U G E H K Y R Q

W H T N O C Q W H E Z W G W D H T Y

G S G N R L L S A F O G S Q W S F S

S O J E U N A X K L M S H W O E G C

F S A S J A I N L C B U I H Y M U D

G M O E N C H A T U I N G V D U Z R

S S B P C Z H S L E E W A S R T Z T

F Y D C D E C B A D R C S Z K S S K

Q R I V P F A C U M F N R L C O F Z

K Q I T U J O N I K P M U P Q C R E

B N W G W K I B V I H M F O P Y R Q

C I P S H P G N O H M D I N Q C X H

D F I U I T O B A F N D B Q Q Y E H

Y R J A P Z G B B O O A D H L F G T

G J C O B A L P F G Z Q V Q D X M R

Recipe Sugar Cookies 1 package funfetti Cake Mix 1/3 cup oil 2 eggs Heat oven to 375째F. In large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs; stir with spoon until thoroughly moistened. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. With bottom of glass dipped in flour, flatten to 1/4-inch thickness. Bake at 375째F. for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

Recipe and Photo by Hana Mohsin

Money Saver

Volunteering at Durango Mountain Resort: A Resource to Receive a Free Pass this Winter Story by Deanna Atkins Photo by Christian Bachrodt

he ski and snowboard season is coming close, and with prices of season passes for Durango Mountain Resort continuously on the rise, how can students and community members enjoy the winter without putting a huge hole in their bank accounts? This year’s ski resort season begins Nov. 18. DMR allows students and community members to apply and participate in 10 days of volunteer work in various areas of the mountain in exchange for a free season pass. According to the website, DMR will be posting winter positions online on Oct. 15 and interested volunteers can apply for desired positions at that time. According to DMR’s website, volunteers of any age can apply for positions by emailing a resume directly to DMR’s website. The website states that volunteer hiring fair will be held at the La Plata County Fairgrounds on Nov. 18 from 4pm to 6pm. After applications are submitted and the hiring process begins, DMR looks for volunteers with previous customer service experience and a flexible schedule based on job needs, said Kim Oyler, the director of communications at DMR, in an email interview. Applicants must go through an interview to be considered for hire, and early applications are also accepted, said Judy Wachob, the vice president of village services at DMR, in a phone interview. As soon as volunteers are signed on, a season pass will be granted to them, said Erin Hyder, the director of human resources at DMR, in a phone interview. If the volunteers do not meet the 10-day requirement, the pass will be revoked, Hyder said. The free pass gives the volunteer all-day access to the resort on both work and non-work days and receives discounts in food and beverage areas as well as some retail shops in the village, she said. According to DMR’s website, pass holders receive 10 percent off food and beverage purchases and reduced priced lift tickets for family and friends with a five person limit. Each volunteer is able to choose where they would like to be placed, whether it is in Food and Beverage, Mountain Safety, Ticket Checking, Tubing Hill, Maze Control and more, Oyler said. The amount of work for each volunteer depends on the area they are assigned, and all areas have a set amount of volunteers needed, Hyder said. DMR hires around 60 to 70 volunteers each season, Wachob said.

About 50 to 60 percent of volunteers have given time to DMR before, and about 20 to 25 new volunteers are signed on each season. Several new and old students apply as well, she said. Volunteers do not have to know how to board or ski to apply and receive a pass, but if they can do either, they can be accepted in mountain guiding positions, she said. Volunteers who have worked for DMR before are not immediately accepted again, but they can be considered in the hiring of paid staff, Oyler said. Before the volunteers start their work, they must participate in a preseason orientation and training session where they learn and understand expectations, dress code, conduct, and tour the resort, Wachob said. If a volunteer does not know the area, they can be paired to work with another volunteer who is more familiar with the area, she said. A volunteer’s main job is to provide customer service, thank, help, direct, and aid their guests, she said. Because DMR is a resort, their higher staff stresses personal touch and assistance for its volunteers, she said. Although volunteers are assigned to certain areas, they can also help other departments, going wherever they are needed, she said. Each operation day, a majority of the volunteers start their days in the plaza parking lot welcoming their guests, assisting with parking, and unloading equipment, Wachob said. From the parking lot, volunteers follow the crowds and help with ticket charges and directions until the guests are on the mountain, she said. While on the mountain, volunteers assigned to trail areas provide directions and are ready with emergency equipment, she said. If any guests get hurt on the mountain, both the volunteers and employees contact the patrol, she said. The volunteers assigned to the eating areas start their day early in preparation for the lunch rush, which starts around eleven in the morning, she said. Once the crowds come in off the mountain, volunteers help with the temporary storage of equipment, bus tables, clean trays, and provide customers service, she said. When the resort comes to a close or when guests start leaving, volunteers help their guests back to the parking lot through service buses or valets, and the volunteers thank them for coming, Wachob said.

A DMR pass gives discounts at: Zia Taqueria~ 10% off your lunch or dinner

Star Liquors~ $2 off your purchase of $15 or more

Carver Brewing Co.~

10% off your breakfast, lunch or dinner

Steaming Bean~ 10% off

your coffee and related purchases

Trimble Hot Springs~

10% off your soak or spa treatment

Lost Dog Bar & Lounge~ 10% off your bill Mild to Wild~ 10% off your watercraft rental or guided trip

Purgatory~ Perk benefits for individual passholder only.

Cover Story

What We Want to S(k)now Story by Taylor Ferarro Photo by Hana Mohsin Graphics By Livia Hooson

An overhead view of Durango form the Lion’s Den

he 2013 record-breaking monsoon season that began in late June and ended around the second week of September left locals wondering what to expect for this winter season. People often think that a strong monsoon can be related to the expected amount of snowfall, which is false, said Gary Gianniny, a FLC professor of geology. Winter precipitation has no direct correlation with the monsoon season that Colorado has experienced in the past six weeks, said Klaus Wolter, a research associate for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in a phone interview. Monsoons are driven by continental heat. The monsoon begins in western North America in the Sierra Nevada region, early in the year, Gianniny said. Usually Southwest Colorado has a longer monsoon season because it is closer to the source, said Nolan Doesken, state climatologist at Colorado State University. During the year, the continental heat increases. When this happens, the air condenses and causes a convection current that pulls moisture in and forces it to rise above the Southwest region, Gianniny said. As the air rises above the mountains and reaches higher altitudes, the decrease in pressure and altitude causes it to condense and precipitate, he said. When this happened in Boulder, the surrounding pressure systems held the water vapor in place causing the abundant amounts of rain that Colorado experienced during the first two weeks of September, Gianniny said. The monsoons however, are a separate phenomenon from the jet stream and weather patterns responsible for the winter storms, Gianniny said. The only way they affect each other is in terms of melt off.

Within the last 15 years, the snow tends to be melting off faster and faster, Wolter said. When there is less snow, which happens during a La Niña year, it melts off faster due to the buildup of dust and increasing temperatures, he said. As the snow melts, the surface heat decreases, which in turn helps set up the monsoon, Wolter said. With the increased evaporation and an earlier melt off season, the runoff reaches the reservoirs earlier, Gianniny said. The runoff from the winter snowfall then stays in the reservoirs longer, meaning that more water is evaporated, he said. Because the snow is melting increasingly earlier, causing the precipitation to melt and run into nearby reservoirs and evaporate sooner, there is less water available at the end of summer to finish up crops, Gianniny said.

“It becomes a chain reaction. What is happening in Siberia affects whether or not we are going to have a good ski day later in the week.” -Gary Gianniny, FLC Professor of geology “I have the feeling that we tend to get earlier monsoon patterns,” Wolters said. When there is an earlier onset in terms of the snow melting, the seasons begin to change to adjust to the climate. This in turn affects when the monsoon season begins, he said. It makes the climate worse than it used to be, Wolter said. The biggest variable to consider is what happens with the precipitation. Expect more extreme weather events, Gianniny said. There is a clear trend of increasing abundance that depicts

severe weather events, he said. In terms of winter precipitation, it is impossible to say exactly what will happen, Wolter said. Currently, the atmosphere is experiencing an El NiñoSouthern Oscillation (ENSO) neutral period, which means we will neither experience an El Niño or La Niña winter, Wolter said. An El Niño winter refers to the warm oceanic phase in the Western Pacific waters, Gianniny said. Normally, the trade winds will blow along the equator and then towards the West. During an El Niño winter, the trade winds diminish, allowing the warm water to slosh across the equatorial region, he said. This in turn creates water vapor, brought on by the warm water, and also changes the oceanic circulation in the Eastern Pacific, which directly affects Durango, Gianniny said. During El Niño, we experience lots of moisture and warmer temperatures. However, if the jet stream is too far north we can have a lot of melting, which can lead to an earlier monsoon season, Wolter said. An El Niño winter changes the moisture balance, meaning that there is a greater amount of water vapor, therefore greater amounts of snow. Typically, El Niño is associated with vast amounts of “wet” snow, because of the warmer temperatures, Gianniny said. El Niño and La Niña usually occur in 3-7 year cycles. The

neutral period, which is the time period in between an El Niño and La Niña winter, usually does not last longer than a couple of years. This will be the third consecutive ENSO-neutral winter, Doesken said. In a La Niña phase, we experience colder temperatures, and the snow tends to be more powdery. Typically during La Niña, South America will experience a drought, Gianniny said. It is important to be aware that El Niño and La Niña conditions can change as the season develops, Gianniny said. “We may start to develop something that looks like an El Niño winter, but as it progresses, it can change,” he said. At this point weather predictions are still developing and changing. The atmosphere is a complex system with a lot of variables, Gianniny said. There is nothing that has ever been a direct pattern so it’s difficult to say exactly what to expect for the upcoming winter, he said. “Things like that make you realize how connected you are in the atmosphere,” he said. “It becomes a chain reaction. What is happening in Siberia affects whether or not we are going to have a good ski day later in the week,” he said. The expectations for an early snow season in the mountains looks more possible than the last two years, and from a drought perspective, this is good news, Gianniny said. “Statistically you can’t make a forecast that is bombproof,” Wolter said. “Everything is susceptible to change.”

IN O

Seasonal Outlook through December

From Klaus Wolter, Research associate for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

*CPC’s precipitation forecast: October-December predicts enhanced monsoon patterns for the rest of September but no tilt in the odds for the rest of the year. *The precipitation forecast for October-December is dry for Southeastern Colorado and “wet” in the Northeastern corner. *Colorado faces moderate risk of renewed drought conditions in the next 3 months according to the soil-moisture analog forecast. *Climate prediction center temp forecast for October-December 2013 reflects warming trends. ENSO-neutral conditions. This means we are neither experiencing an El Niño or la Niña year. *The first forecast for snowpack on Jan 1 is optimistic for most of Colorado, for the exception of the Yampa and Rio Grande Basins. *Monsoon stayed longer than usual- (second week in September). All time records were broken from the Southwest part of Denver to Ft. Collins- especially around Boulder and Aurora.

Health

Learning Through the Lens

Studies Offer a New Method For Educational Improvement

Story by Julia Volzke Photos by Christian Bachrodt Graphics by Rise Fujita

isiting professor of biology Roger Dilts and visiting professor of public health Connie Kitchens conducted a study last year, giving out surveys to lower level lecture classes, to find any students that tested positive for Irlen syndrome. “Irlen Syndrome is a problem in perception and light, specifically contrast,” Dilts said. This means that on black or white paper, there is too much contrast and individuals that have Irlen syndrome have a difficult time reading, and attention is drawn to blank spaces on the page, rather than the words, he said. According to the Irlen website, a resource for people learning about the syndrome, Irlen syndrome is not an optical issue, but rather a problem with the ability of the brain when processing visual information. The study was based on Dilts’s observations while he was a professor at Salish Kootenai College, a four-year tribal college in Pablo, Mont. Dilts said that while studying students at SKC diagnosed with Irlen syndrome, he saw great improvements in student academic scores with the different treatments they used. “Treatments included using colored paper, using colored cover sheets and/or colored lens glasses,” Dilts said. Dilts’ hypothesis to test on FLC students was formulated because many of the students diagnosed with Irlen syndrome at Salish Kootenai College were Native American. There were also nonNative American students that were tested. Dilts wanted to see if Native American and non-Native American students at FLC were affected by Irlen Syndrome. Dilts went on to say if they found students at FLC with Irlen Syndrome, to then treat them using the same methods with hope to see academic improvement and higher retention rates, thus increasing the number of students completing degrees at FLC. Dilts and Kitchen said in their formal report that they studied FLC students in biology, public health, chemistry, physics and engineering. They distributed a survey to 318 students with yes or no questions, with more yes answers indicating that a student had more symptoms of Irlen Syndrome. Dilts and Kitchens also found that over 75 percent of the students surveyed in the above disciplines may have some form of Irlen Syndrome. “Therefore, as an example, someone who answered more yes answers on our survey might have a shorter attention span when reading compared to another person with fewer yes responses,” Dilts said. Dian Jenkins, coordinator of student disability services, said students were given different material to read and various colored paper or filters to see what happened to their reading patterns from each color. If students didn’t have to focus so hard, their comprehension rates went up which led to better exam scores and thus better grades in classes, Jenkins said.

According to the Irlen website, Irlen syndrome can also affect different areas, including academic and work performance, behavior, attention, ability to sit still, and concentration. Irlen syndrome can affect each person differently, with symptoms mostly dealing with light sensitivity to depth perception, headaches and reading problems. Jenkins recommended that people diagnosed with Irlen Syndrome are encouraged to use different colored sheets of paper or filters to find what color calms their brain down the most. The less contrast and the calmer a person’s brain is, the better because that’s when retention rates start to raise. Students with Irlen Syndrome do better studying in a dimmer environment with no fluorescent light, said Shere Byrd, an FLC biology professor. Les Sommerville, an FLC chemistry professor, advised the study and let Dilts and Kitchens survey some of his classes. “My understanding is that it is so different from one student to the next so changing lights in a classroom could impact one student but not another with the same syndrome,” Sommerville said. “So, using the different colored sheets of paper and the filters, if it really gets established and there’s a source for it, it could be useful.” When asked about what they would do, if they noticed a student showing symptoms of Irlen syndrome or having trouble reading, both Byrd and Sommerville recommended going to see a professional. “I would suggest they go and see Dian and be evaluated through her office and whatever evaluations tools she has,” said Sommerville, in reference to Dian Jenkins. Jenkins has seen a great improvement in students with Irlen syndrome, seeing higher test scores and more confidence in academics and social life. She has already had three students this year come in using different colored pieces of paper or filters and asking to be in darker rooms. “College is hard enough as it is without having to fight your brain too. It’d be nice for them to feel normal,” said Jenkins To learn more about Irlen syndrome visit www.irlen.com, or if you think that you may have Irlen syndrome, visit Dian Jen-

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Sex

bstinence Story by Meghan Olson Graphics by Graeme Johnston

o some, abstinence and college may seem like oil and water: incompatible. Yet for others, abstinence is an important quality to hold onto through and past their college years. Young adults may decide to abstain from sex, among other pleasures, for religious, moral, or disciplinary reasons. While the stereotype for collegeaged young adults may be that it is unlikely for them to abstain from sex or other pleasures, there is definitely a place for abstinence in collegiate culture. “For me, abstinence is important on a moral level, but I’m not going to judge anyone based on their own personal choices,” said Megan Mooney, a FLC sophomore. “I am a Christian and I do believe in abstinence, but especially because I can’t be that vulnerable with someone without the love-commitment of marriage.” For Mooney, abstaining from premarital sex creates a stronger relationship with the person she chooses to marry. “I think it’s unrealistic because, at this point in our lives, we’re experimenting and finding out what drives us physically, emotionally, and sexually—all that fun

in College

stuff,” said Grace Landry, a FLC sophomore. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing to preach, but it shouldn’t be pressed upon the greater good.” Zach Graveson, FLC sophomore, strongly values abstinence. “By giving up your virginity before marriage, you lose something that you can never get back,” Graveson said. “Yes, God will always forgive you of your sins, but you will never be able to get your virginity back.” “I think it has a huge effect on the way people live. I think sex before marriage can cause both emotional and physical harm. Sex inside of marriage is grounded in commitment, stability, and safety. There is no fear of STD’s or regret,” Graveson said. The interplay between sex and abstinence creates a double standard, said Betsy Schur, an FLC senior. “I think that it’s problematic for women because they see themselves as an object and not a human being with these natural animalistic feelings towards sex,” Schur said. “For men, if they have multiple sexual conquests, they almost get a pat on the back for it,” she said. “For a woman, if you want to explore sexuality you’re deemed a slut.” Not very many people in college practice abstinence, but there are certainly some. There must be those who are committed to that choice, said Molly Sobel, a FLC freshman. Jackson Salamunovich, FLC Junior, does not practice abstinence and believes everyone can make their own personal choice. “I think, overall, a devout Christian will practice abstinence in college, and I think people who aren’t really religious are probably more hedonistic, and more willing to not care,” Landry said.

Green

Against FLC Fossil Fuel Investment is

W A R M I N G

U P

FLC Student Activists Eric Smith, Nathan Murcia, Anthony Reinert, and Michaela Steiner.

Story and photo by Bob Brockley

ort Lewis College activists are joining the ranks of more than 300 colleges and universities in a campaign that calls for institutions to stop investing in companies that trade fossil fuels. Supporters of the grassroots movement are gathering signatures for a petition that calls for FLC to divest from stocks or mutual funds that involve the 200 largest companies exploiting oil and coal. According to ASFLC Student Body President, Dylan Leigh, 1500-2000 signatures are needed to bring about a resolution within ASFLC in support for the campaign, Michaela Stiener, an Environmental Science Major said. “After this resolution is written, we hope to bring this to the Board of Trustees for vote,” Stiener said. Steiner initiated the campaign in June and, through visiting classes and tabling efforts, has collected about 400 signatures from students and alumni, she said. Based on FLC’s last publicly available financial audits of 2011-2012 divestment would mean pulling $713,334 from companies that trade in oil, coal, and natural gas. These include Halliburton Co., BHP Billiton, and 24 others, Steiner said. With increased transparency of mutual fund holdings, the total divestment would be around $1 million, estimated Anthony Reinert, a student activist who has been

actively researching FLC’s investments. Reinert wants to work with the Economics Club to find stocks that invest in renewables and are ethically responsible. These would be then presented to the FLC Board of Trustees. Would Divesting $1 million ‘move the needle’? Eric Smith and Nathan Murcia, both student supporters of the petition, said most of the discussion heard on campus from FLC students support the divestment movement.The most frequent argument against the campaign dismisses FLC’s relatively small endowment as having little to no impact on fossil fuel industries. Small schools are important to the national divestment campaign, wrote Boulder-born Harvard Law student Alec Harris in an email to the Independent. Harris is an activist in the divestment campaign for the world’s largest University endowment. Last year 72 percent of Harvard students voted in favor of divesting their $32 billion endowment from fossil fuel industries, and Harris is now fighting to get his school to commit to a divestment strategy. “Places like Harvard are large, ossified, and imageconscious,” wrote Harris by email, “Places like FLC can

Colleges and Universities that have committed to divest from fossil fuels:

1. San Francisco State University Foundation, CA 2. Hampshire College, MA 3. Unity College, ME 4. Sterling College, KS 5. College of the Atlantic, ME 6. Green Mountain College, VT

Source: gofossilfree.org/commitments

move bigger players in the right direction — by creating a positive example and by making larger institutions look out of touch.” Even if Harvard divests its huge endowment, the impact on companies like Exxon, which earns $50 billion a year, “won’t move the needle much,” he said. Harris says the impact of school divestment reaches beyond the direct financial impact on large corporations, since the society recognizes the students as it’s future. “Colleges are great institutions to lead the divestment movement, both because they developed the science on carbon pollution and because they are a nerve center of our society,” he said during email correspondence. “Students listen to students, parents listen to students, employers and mutual funds listen to parents,” Harris said in an email. “Congress People listen to all of the above.” Since the school promotes itself as having green, progressive policies, the portfolio should reflect this, said Reinert, who is outspokenly disappointed about the disparity he sees between the college’s environmental missions and it’s policies. “Divestment is way for the school to live up to it’s advertising,” he said.

ingly popular ‘divestment’ movement - led by radical environmental groups and now publicly supported by President Obama.” The word divest has become trendier lately, but it is not a novel word or concept. Obama wrote in his autobiography that as a 19-year-old Occidental College student, his first acts of political activism involved the divestment campaign against South African apartheid in the ‘80s. Seeking Cooperation, but Armed for Battle

Steiner is confident she will get her signatures, but that this is only the first step in the battle. The Harvard campaign clearly shows that student consensus alone is not enough to enact a divestment policy. Steiner feels that ASFLC President Dylan Leigh’s seat on the board of trustees would improve the campaign’s chances in a vote, but she points out that he represents just one vote among eight board members. If the issue went to a vote and got a majority approval, the next step would be to follow through with the Board to make sure that they are remaining steady with their commitments, she said. This type of action would employ what Steiner refers to as a “hero strategy.” This type of Does Obama Support the FLC Fossil Fuel Di- implementation would benefit the schools imvestment Petition? age as a progressive leader of environmentally conscious policies, Steiner said. Divestment supporters celebrated what they An alternate plan, called a “cover strategy,” called a major victory in June, when President would be employed by the campaign if the school’s Obama used the campaign’s keyword during a response to the campaign is lukewarm, she said. speech about climate change to Georgetown Positive demonstrations and written articles would University students: be used to influence the board to take actions. “Convince those in power to reduce our The campaign is preparing for the possibility carbon pollution. Push your own communi- of much more resistance, however. ties to adopt smarter practices. Invest. Divest. “Oil and gas has a huge influence,” Reinert Remind folks there’s no contradiction between said. “We haven’t got any pushback yet, but we a sound environment and strong economic are expecting it.” growth,” Obama said. If the petition gains enough support to Activists considered the word choice a direct bring the issue to vote and it receives a cold Presidential endorsement for their campaign. response from the Board of Directors, Steiner “He buried the word within that paragraph, plans to use a “pressure strategy”, which inbut for those involved in our campaign we knew volves sit-ins, letter writing from alumni, petiexactly what he was referring to and the word tions and negative press. choice wasn’t accidental,” Steiner said. Reinert compares our society’s reliance on The campaign’s opposition seemed to con- fossil fuels to a drug addiction, and he warns cur. A letter posted on the Center for Industrial that the drug, oil, is going to run out. Progress Website was signed by 80 American “We can just wait until it’s gone and go cold professors who oppose fossil fuel divestment. turkey, or we begin to wean ourselves from our The letter opens with a reference to the “increas- dependence,” Reinert said.

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Horoscopes Pisces~ February 19- March 20 You’ll hit a few rough patches soon, and your loyalty will be tested. This is an opportunity to divest yourself of certain areas of your life that you are uncertain about, but do so sparingly.

Leo~ July 23- August 22 You’ve been having a hard time keeping your ego quiet lately, and increasingly find yourself speaking without thinking and getting into trouble. Try to keep your opinions to yourself for a while.

Aries~ March 21- April 19 Schoolwork will be easier for you soon—tests will seem more simplistic, homework will fly by, and you’ll end up reading just for the fun of it. Don’t be afraid to exploit this!

Virgo~ August 23- September 22 This month, your luck will take a swing for the better. You may find yourself in a new relationship, or you’ll be promoted at work, or maybe you’ll do unexpectedly well at school. Either way, congratulations!

Taurus~ April 20- May 20 Socially, you’re heading for an awkward patch; maybe you’ll be uninvited to a party, or homework will plague you. Rest assured there are people who care about you, and they’ll see you soon.

Libra~ September 23- October 22 Your school life is getting tough—you’ll likely be swamped with homework soon. Just try to do your best and remember that the sooner it’s done, the less you have to worry about.

Capricorn~ December 22- January 19 You are in for a bout of restlessness in the coming weeks; the urge to drop everything and just leave will be almost overpowering. This may be the right thing for you, but make the choice wisely.

Gemini~ May 21- June 21 Your business life will take a turn for the better soon, but only if you follow your instinct. Don’t sit quietly by—take charge! Make your voice heard, and the outcome will be favorable.

Scorpio~ October 23- November 21 Your love life will change drastically soon—for better or worse. Maybe you’ll meet The One, or maybe you’ll have a breakup. It’s up to you, so do whatever feels right (although a box of chocolates might help).

Aquarius~ January 20- February 18 This time is busy for you, but don’t worry—in a few weeks you’ll hit the doldrums. Just make it through this hectic period one day at a time, and things will calm down soon.

Cancer~ June 22- July 22 This is a bit of an uncomfortable time for you. Things are happening you’d rather have nothing to do with, but keep your chin up. The problems will resolve in the fullness of time.

Sagittarius~ November 22- December 21 Things will quiet down for you soon, and you’ll experience a lull in schoolwork and your job. Take advantage of it, and use the time to get ahead, as the coming weeks will get busier again.

Indy on the Street What is your best pick-up line? Cam Miller 19 Adventure Education Denver, CO

How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice.

Lucas Archuleta 21 Finance Albuquerque, New Mexico

Did you have lucky charms for breakfast? Because you look magically delicious.

Jacob Gondrezick 19 Business Administration Salt Lake City, Utah

Are you an angel? Because you look like you fell from heaven.

Photos by Christian Bachrodt Graphics by Graeme Johnston and Allie Hutto Madison Chamberlin 20 Cellular Molecular Biology, with a double major Psychology. Longmont, CO

Was your dad a baker? Because you have really nice buns. Alex Kilman 21 Exercise Physiology Castle Rock, CO

If I was co-sin squared and you were sinsquared, we’d be one.

Serae Mele 21 Exercise Science Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Is there a mirror in your pocket? Because I can see myself in your pants.

CORRECTION: In issue 48, the center spread Photos were also taken by Hana Mohsin.

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