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NEWS: CSU panel explores question of age limits for politicians PAGE 4
SCIENCE: Reflecting on Henrietta Lacks’ impact on research ethics PAGE 8
SPORTS: Looking back at Joe Parker’s tenure as CSU’s athletic director PAGE 11
L&C: CSU celebrates 68th annual World Unity Fair PAGE 14
OPINION: Email etiquette is dying, but it shouldn’t be PAGE 18
A&E: Learn to make kolaczki, atta sheera with 2 CSU students PAGE 21
PHOTO: Right Horse Program PAGES 16-17
Full Snow Moon Gathering at The Movement Apothecary 6:30-8:30 p.m. Feb. 23
Rocky Mountain Raptor Program
31st Annual Gala & Benefit Auction at the Fort Collins Hilton 5-9 p.m. Feb. 24
“Thurgood” at The Lincoln Center 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24
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By Laila Shekarchian @csucollegian
Colorado State University is saying farewell this month to Benjamin Withers, the dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
After eight years in the position, Withers has decided to begin a new chapter of his career. He is leaving CSU this month to pursue a position at Iowa State University as the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. His final day was Friday, Feb. 16.
“At certain points in your career, you get to the place where you think that you’re ready for the next challenge,” Withers said. “Looking at Iowa State, I’ll be moving to a college that’s twice the size of (the CSU) CLA that includes the sciences in addition to the humanities and social sciences and performing arts, so it gives me an opportunity to learn more about those areas.”
Throughout his time at CSU, Withers has led many initiatives to improve not only the College of Liberal Arts but CSU as a whole, his most significant one being the revitalization of the Andrew G. Clark Building.
“The fact that several years ago we made Clark the No. 1 priority on campus and that the CSU system made it their No. 1 priority and we were able to achieve state funding for it is certainly a remarkable accomplishment,” Withers said.
In addition to the revitalization of Clark, Withers has been instrumental in improving the programs within the College of Liberal Arts.
“We’ve been able to hire many new faculty in the CLA, people who come in with expertise that have been excited, (and) I’ve been excited to see them develop,”
Withers said. “Because of the new faculty and the tremendous faculty we’ve had here before, we’ve tripled our research funding, so that’s allowed us for the first time to go over $5 million in external research programs.”
Withers also took part in organizing the thematic Year of Democracy and said he believes President Amy Parsons will take it even further to benefit the university.
“I still think that there’s work to be done on the democracy side,” Withers said. “I think there (are) opportunities for us to continue our discussions about academic freedom and the necessity in our classrooms to have conversations about difficult topics so that students can expect that to happen and the faculty know that we have their back when those things occur too.”
More specifically, Withers said he believes CSU should look at altering the curriculum offered to be more inclusive of the democracy theme.
“There’s room for us to look at our curriculum to make sure that the curriculum that we offer in history, political science, ethnic studies (and) various different departments are rich and robust when it comes to things connected to democracy,” Withers said. “How can we prepare individuals through their courses to be ready to go out and be productive and engaged citizens once they leave CSU?”
Although there is still work to be done, Withers remained positive while reflecting on his time at CSU.
“I loved my time here,” Withers said. “It’s very difficult to leave CSU because of the people, because of the environment, because of the trajectory that I think that the university and this college is on. ... I just want people to know how special the place is and continue to work on making it even more special in the future.”
Economics Professor Elissa Braunstein, who has been at CSU since 2005, will be interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts following Withers’ departure.
Braunstein has made it a goal to continue to work on the theme of democracy and make improvements as necessary.
“Dean Withers has done a tremendous job over the time that he’s been with us,” Braunstein said. “A key focus for me will be to maintain all of that good work to keep it going until we hire a new dean.”
During her time as interim dean, Braunstein has initiatives of her own that she hopes to implement to improve the college.
“Because I’ve been the associate dean for research, facilitating and supporting research efforts not only among faculty but also students is something that I’ll be bringing into my time as interim dean and really focusing on sort of supporting academic excellence,” Braunstein said.
A search committee has been put together to find a new dean for the College of Liberal Arts, and they are aiming for complete transparency and diversity among candidates.
The committee wants to have finalists visit campus during the last few weeks of this semester to allow students and staff to provide their input and have a say in the process.
“It’s an exciting time for the liberal arts, critical dialogue and interdisciplinary efforts to address pressing problems,” said Karen Estlund, the dean of the CSU libraries and chair of the search committee.
“The search committee is intelligent, creative and enthusiastic, and I’m confident they will help us recruit and identify the best candidates.”
Reah Laila Shekarchian at news@collegian.com.
With presidential primary elections already underway in many states and Super Tuesday — a day when over a dozen states, including Colorado, will hold their primaries — just around the corner, there is no shortage of political issues making headlines right now.
One prominent issue in the public conversation surrounding the 2024 presidential election is the candidates’ ages. President Joe Biden is 81, while former President Donald Trump, the current front-runner for the republican nomination, is 77. That puts both candidates well above the U.S. median age of 39 and has prompted public discourse over whether they are both too old to serve as president.
Due to the growing attention being paid to the ages of political candidates, Colorado State University’s Center for Healthy Aging set out to answer one of the questions that has become prominent in this conversation: Should there be age limits for politicians?
The panel discussion took place Monday, Feb. 19, in the Lory
Student Center and was organized by Center for Healthy Aging Communications and Outreach Coordinator Hannah Halusker to attempt to answer that question.
“The big kicker, however, is age in and of itself is what we call an empty variable. That means it has very little predictive validity. A person’s chronological age tells us, usually, very little about the competencies of that person or the health of that person.”MANFRED DIEHL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY STUDIES UNIVERSITY DINSTINGUISHED PROFESSOR
“(I knew) that there would probably be a pretty huge public discourse when it comes to this question: Should there be age limits?” Halusker said. “We’re seeing that play out right now.”
The panel consisted of Manfred Diehl, university distinguished professor of human development and family studies; Christine Fruhauf, professor of human development and family studies; Lucas Brady Woods, KUNC state Capitol reporter; and Nick DeSalvo, Associated Students of CSU president. The discussion was moderated by Karrin Vasby Anderson, professor of communication studies.
The discussion began with all of the panelists giving their initial response to the central question. They each discussed various aspects of the issue and focused on different ideas. All four panelists emphasized that the problem stems less from age and more from individual ability.
“A broad range, if we’re just saying 65 and over, doesn’t allow for the variability between those individuals that are healthy, self-sufficient, vibrant, versus those that might be dependent on others or need care or those
that might be limited in their abilities,” Fruhauf said.
Addressing the concept of age as the focal point of the issue, Diehl said people like to use it as a variable because it is easy to measure and is therefore an easy metric to understand.
“The big kicker, however, is age in and of itself is what we call an empty variable,” Diehl said. “That means it has very little predictive validity. A person’s chronological age tells us, usually, very little about the competencies of that person or the health of that person.”
Panelists went on to discuss other topics connected to the debate on age limits, such as mandatory cognitive testing, ageism and how race and gender impact the issue.
The event was particularly well timed, occurring in the wake of a special counsel report on Biden’s handling of classified documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this month.
While Biden’s age and cognitive function were not the focus of the report, there were mentions of his memory and age that have raised concerns.
DeSalvo specifically referenced a section of the report that described
Biden as “a sympathetic, wellmeaning, elderly man with a poor memory” as particularly concerning to him.
“We have to have a real conversation about who’s serving us and who’s representing us,” DeSalvo said. “When we’re thinking about genuine representation and who we want at the table for some of the most important conversations of our lifetime, I want someone who I don’t have any questions about being capable.”
Over the course of the discussion, which included an opportunity for attendees to ask related questions, the four panelists came together on some topics while disagreeing to varying degrees on others.
On the central question of age limits, however, all four panelists agreed that age cannot be used as the single determining factor of a politician’s capabilities.
“To consider somebody’s age as a sole factor of their abilities, level of productivity, willingness and as somehow a measure of being unable to do something, that’s just not something that I support,” Fruhauf said.
Reach Hannah Parcells at news @collegian.com.
PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN
Recently, Colorado State University hosted a budget forum welcoming students and staff to engage in a part of a series of presentations regarding the university’s budget and financial plans.
The event, which took place 9-10 a.m. Feb. 14 in the Lory Student Center, included panelists Vice President for University Operations Brendan Hanlon, Senior Vice President Rick Miranda, Office of Budgets Director Angie Nielsen and Provost and Executive Vice President Marion Underwood.
During the forum, panelists provided updates on the planning of CSU’s incremental budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year and presented their findings from past years. The university hopes to design a brand-new budget model that will foster transparency in CSU’s financial decision-making processes.
Currently, CSU and other universities across the state of Colorado are looking to the state for more funding and support for higher education.
“Five times in the last 20 years, the state support has been low or lower than what is being currently proposed,” Hanlon said.
The uncertainties surrounding state support have left many budget matters up in the air due to the influence it has on CSU’s financial state.
“Six times when not coupled with state and or market tuition controls, the (CSU) System institutions have struggled to improve compensation those years,” Hanlon said. “There is a direct impact of state support and compensation increases because it is one of the three legs of the stool when it comes to our revenue profile, enrollment growth, tuition rate increase (and) state support. So this is a significant contributor.”
In addition to state funding, CSU is working on tuition changes that occur naturally due to changes in state funding and enrollment.
“Our enrollment growth and our tuition are tethered together, and one pressures the other,” Hanlon said. “We increase tuition too much; that dampens enrollment — and then you get into a situation where you’re undermining your revenue profile, so it’s something that we’re going to have to balance out.”
The university has seen record-high numbers of enrollment in recent years, with the past two years being the third and first largest enrollment classes.
“That’s why we’ve tried to, over the years, adopt a growth model in terms of enrollment to try to support these other two areas, one that we’re going to have to use less of in tuition and one that has been relatively uncertain over time: state funds,” Hanlon said.
While many higher education institutions are struggling with these issues, it is not necessarily new to CSU, which means the university has a better understanding of what solutions there are.
“It’s not unfamiliar territory to us, and we’ve been looking at university budgets for quite a while,” Miranda said. “We see some ways to sort of shave the problem down. We think we’re going to need some form of reallocation or budget cuts in order to make the numbers work this year.”
However, it is unlikely that any reallocation or budget cuts will harm student success and progress around the university.
“We do not wish to undermine student success with this reallocation exercise, and to help that happen, I’m asking the deans to share their strategies with each other to make sure that one college doesn’t make a decision that could hurt the progress of students in another college,” Underwood said.
Although planning for a new budget has been a struggle, the university remains optimistic and is aiming to remain transparent with the community during this process.
“None of this is easy,” Underwood said. “We want to do our very best to preserve our priorities and to still invest in things that are important to the university. So I know this is difficult. None of it diminishes my enthusiasm for having joined this university.”
Those who were unable to attend this session and others prior can watch recordings and view presentation slides posted by University Operations. The goal of these forums is to foster transparency around university budget matters and encourage students and staff to remain active in such conversations.
Reach Laila Shekarchian at news@collegian.com.
One of the most controversial areas of debate in parenting is whether or not to use spanking, a form of corporal punishment. While past researchers couldn’t come to a definitive answer, there is now more concrete evidence to suggest parents should discontinue the use of spanking. However, spanking continues to be widespread, and disagreement across generations as to its effectiveness and morality is more present than ever.
In 2013, two major meta-analyses of past spanking research studies came out, which seem to conclude that spanking and other forms of corporal punishment have negative impacts on children.
Elizabeth Gershoff, human development and family sciences professor at The University of Texas at Austin, confirms in her 2013 meta-analysis “Spanking and Child Development: We Know Enough Now To Stop Hitting Our Children” that spanking creates negative outcomes while also causing aggression and noncompliance in children. Gershoff went as far in her article to say that “spanking violates children’s human rights,” citing warnings from organizations like the United Nations in her study.
This study references negative outcomes explained in Gershoff’s 2002 study “Corporal punishment by parents and associated child behaviors and experiences: a meta-analytic and theoretical review.” These outcomes were found to include mental health problems in childhood and adulthood, delinquent behavior in childhood and criminal behavior in adulthood, negative parent-child relationships and an increased risk that children will be physically abused.
Furthermore, the 2013 metaanalysis references a 2006 study “Punitive violence against children in Canada” that found being spanked increases the likelihood of committing physical abuse.
The second study in 2013 to question the use of spanking was “Spanking, corporal punishment and negative long-term outcomes: A meta-analytic review of longitudinal studies” by Christopher Ferguson, psychology professor at Stetson University. The metaanalysis by Ferguson is more hesitant than Gershoff to call for an end to spanking. While citing the relationship between using spanking as a punishment and longterm negative outcomes, Ferguson calls for exercising caution when explaining this to the public. While the research shows this relationship, he says some of the findings are being exaggerated beyond their actual effect.
Building off of past research and the 2002 study by Gershoff, both of the 2013 spanking research studies came to similar conclusions on negative outcomes associated with spanking. While these negative outcomes are valid, Gershoff and Ferguson disagree as to the severity of them.
However, a more recent 2021 report “Corporal Punishment and Elevated Neural Response to Threat in Children” confirms these 2013 findings of detrimental outcomes, signaling more concrete evidence. Researcher Jorge Cuartas, Ph.D. candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, found detrimental child outcomes in adolescents who have been spanked.
“We know that spanking is not effective and can be harmful for children’s development and increases the chance of mental health issues,” Cuartas said in the article “The Effect of Spanking
on the Brain.” “With these new findings, we also know it can have potential impact on brain development, changing biology and leading to lasting consequences.”
Ferguson and Cuartas joined in Gershoff’s cautioning in her 2013 study.
“Although most Americans do not like to call it so, spanking is hitting, and hitting is violence,” Gershoff said in her study. “By using the euphemistic term ‘spanking,’ parents feel justified in hitting their children while not acknowledging that they are, in fact, hitting.”
This is not a message isolated to the research community; many child experts agree that spanking is not a healthy option.
“Even if a spanking or hit is not strong, the fear and anxiety it creates releases stress hormones that can
damage the nervous system, brain and body over time, especially for a child whose brain is going through critical developmental stages,” said Chelsea Kline, a senior clinician for the Colorado State University Trauma and Resilience Assessment Center. “When children experience these spikes in stress over time, especially in the absence of protective factors, they are at higher risk of experiencing mental and physical health challenges.”
Ultimately, though, the final decision on the usage of corporal punishment remains up to parents’ discretion. As of 2013, eight in 10 Americans reported this was sometimes appropriate to use, showing that these findings might not persuade the masses anytime soon. It is still too soon to tell if Generation Z will differ from older generations in
this regard, as many millennials still practice spanking as well.
Kline said it’s important to look to this research as a way forward rather than a reason to feel shame.
“If parents do feel ashamed of using spanking in the past, just know it is never too late to repair with your child and try something different,”
Kline said. “I encourage parents to seek out education on alternative positive discipline practices that use connection and healthy boundaries to discipline children.”
Kline also recommended practices like Trust-Based Relational Intervention or looking into materials from parenting experts, like Becky Kennedy’s books and podcasts and Dan Siegel’s books and videos.
Reach Caden Proulx at science @collegian.com.
“Although most Americans do not like to call it so, spanking is hitting, and hitting is violence. By using the euphemistic term ‘spanking,’ parents feel justified in hitting their children.”ELIZABETH GERSHOFF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY SCIENCES PROFESSOR
Students with strong character are well on their way to becoming tomorrow’s leaders. Encourage them to skip entry level and get the education and skills they need to succeed as Officers in the U.S. Army.
In 1951, Henrietta Lacks, a young African American woman, went to Johns Hopkins hospital complaining of vaginal bleeding. She was diagnosed with an extremely aggressive tumor on her cervix, and she immediately started treatment for her cervical cancer. Then, the treatment involved putting glass vials of radium, a radioactive metal, into fabric pouches and stitching them to the site of the tumor while the patient was under anesthesia.
During treatments, a surgeon collected Lacks’ cells without her knowledge.
“When (Lacks’) cells were taken without her knowledge, there were no laws about that,” said Cami Lind, senior Institutional Review Board coordinator for the Social Behavioral and Education Research Panel.
Since the adoption of the Common Rule, more formally known as the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, in 1991, when human subjects or their biospecimens are used in research studies, it is required that informed consent be obtained.
This means the participants must be fully informed on the purpose and risks of the study, give their consent to participate and still receive the option to withdraw from the study at any time without consequence.
Lacks’ cells, which were collected from the tumor causing her cervical cancer, turned out to be groundbreaking. Referred to as HeLa cells for the first two letters of Lacks’ first and last names, they were the first human cell line able to survive and replicate outside of the human body.
The antiquated treatment for cancer in 1951 was very painful.
Lacks died two months after her initial diagnosis.
Although Lacks died, her cells lived on in revolutionary research across scientific disciplines. Her cells were used to create vaccines for polio and COVID-19, and they played a key role in the worldwide study of AIDS, leukemia and cancer.
“I used HeLa cells,” said Nicole Kelp, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and pathology at Colorado State University. “So many of us have used HeLa cells.”
Though the scientific community used Lacks’ cells for decades, her family was still unaware of the fact that her cells had been collected at all. While the discoveries made using the HeLa cell line proved to be lucrative, Lacks’ family never saw any compensation. It was not until the 1970s — 20 years after her cells were obtained — that Lacks’ family found out about the collection.
In 2010, the publication of the novel “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” written by CSU alum Rebecca Skloot, gained widespread attention for the story of HeLa cells and, with
it, the concept of informed consent in scientific procedures.
“You should choose what your cells are used to do,” Kelp said. “(Lacks) wasn’t given that choice. That’s the issue.”
To prevent situations like that of Lacks and her family from happening again, the scientific community has taken crucial steps to protect individuals who participate in studies. One of the biggest steps was the creation of the Institutional Review Board.
“The Institutional Review Board is responsible for making sure we’re
upholding ethical principles and federal regulations that pertain to research,” Lind said.
CSU is a Research I institution and has its own IRB with a vital role on campus.
“All human subject research should be reviewed and approved by the (IRB),” Kelp said.
Lacks was not the only person who was not given the right to informed consent throughout the years. Now the Henrietta Lacks Foundation aims to help people and their families who have faced similar situations, such as those involved with the Human Radiation Experiments or the U.S. Public Health Service Untreated Syphilis Study at Tuskegee.
“These (IRB) regulations are now in place because of things like the Henrietta Lacks case,” Lind said.
While Lacks was not given the choice of informed consent, she certainly helped improve human research. Without her story, we may not have the Common Rule, the IRB or numerous other protections for participants in research. HeLa cells continue to live on, and now so does Lacks’ legacy.
Reach Hana Pavelko at science@collegian.com.
John Weber, the new interim director of Colorado State Athletics, was appointed to the position Feb. 19 after it was announced that Joe Parker, the former athletic director, is stepping down. Parker will be a special advisor to CSU President Amy Parsons.
Formerly the president and CEO of Long Range Systems, Weber started in the college athletics sphere in July 2022 as the executive director of The Green & Gold Guard — CSU’s name, image and likeness collective.
After a 2021 NCAA decision allowed athletes to be compensated from NIL activities, NIL collectives were put into practice as a way for student-athletes to make money directly connected to athletics because universities could not directly compensate athletes. The Green & Gold Guard, which is classified as a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, works explicitly on a donation model from alumni of CSU and other interested parties, using their money to donate to charitable organizations and athletes directly.
“With 90% of donated funds deployed to fulfill the mission of bettering our communities, we are an efficiently run organization,” The Green & Gold Guard website reads. “In addition, we proudly donate a portion of our proceeds to our charitable partners.”
The charitable organizations
The Green & Gold Guard has listed on their website, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County, are accompanied by corporate partners such as FirstBank and X Golf Fort Collins.
In turn, other funds donated go directly to charitable partners, not accounting for the money athletes
can make through the Opendorse program, a second way of using the NIL agreement with the NCAA.
“There are a lot of great things that can happen in a well-run NIL program, and it starts with getting our student-athletes actively involved
in supporting our community,” Weber said in a CSU SOURCE article. “Helping our student-athletes and positively impacting our community is a win-win for everyone.”
Weber graduated from CSU in 1991 with a degree in business
“John has built The Green & Gold Guard from scratch, and as part of that incredible effort, he has earned the respect and trust of our coaches, student-athletes and supporters.”AMY PARSONS CSU PRESIDENT
administration. Weber was also a student-athlete for CSU, competing in track and field as a first-year student. Since graduating, he went through the tech sector and became a sponsor for the John and Julie Weber Business and Club Sport Scholarship, which gives funds to out-of-state business majors who play club sports.
“John has built The Green & Gold Guard from scratch, and as part of that incredible effort, he has earned the respect and trust of our coaches, studentathletes and supporters,”
Parsons said in a CSU SOURCE article. “Not only is he on the sidelines of nearly every game, but John is engaged on the national level with the fast-changing intricacies of NIL and seeking new and innovative ways to support all of CSU’s student-athletes and programs. I am confident in John’s capacity to take on this interim role.”
He has since stepped down from his role as executive director for The Green & Gold Guard.
In the CSU SOURCE article announcing the change, it was reported that Parker would work closely with Weber in order to ensure a smooth transition.
“Joe has built a strong foundation for CSU Athletics, and I’m humbled by the trust and confidence President Parsons has placed in me to lead the department during such a critical time,” Weber said in the CSU SOURCE article. “To our student-athletes and coaches — I will work tirelessly to make sure you have the support and resources needed to compete at the highest levels and to succeed academically. To our amazing alumni and fans — I will work every day to help CSU further build competitive and nationally prominent athletics programs.”
Reach Liv Sewell at sports @collegian.com.
By Liv Sewell @liv_sewell22
They say everything is bigger in Texas, and for Colorado State swim and dive, the biggest competition of the year is located in the Lone Star State.
The Mountain West Swimming and Diving Championships kick off Feb. 21 at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium in Houston and lasts for three days.
During the three days, swimmers will demonstrate their skills in hopes of winning an event; after all, CSU has not had an individual conference champion since 2019, when Maddie Ward won the 200-meter breaststroke. However, even loftier goals, like qualifying for the NCAA championships with an A or B time, are in the sights of many swimmers.
But who at CSU could qualify for the NCAA competition?
Maya White, a junior and a mainstay for distance freestyle on the CSU swim and dive team, has a real chance of qualifying for the NCAAs during her time at the MW championships.
According to White’s fastest time of the year — achieved at the Hawkeye Invitational back in November — White is within the B time for the NCAAs. She boasts a 16:30.35 for the 1,650-meter freestyle when the qualifying time is 16:30.59.
However, to win the event, White will have to stay ahead of Ava Olson, a first-year at UNLV who also meets the B qualifications with a 16:30.55 in 1,650 free.
Surprisingly enough, that is not White’s fastest time. She holds the second spot in CSU’s record books for three events: 500 free, 1,000 free and 1,650 free after Haley Rowley.
Erin Dawson (No. 1 in 400-meter individual medley in MW)
Erin Dawson, another teammate who is well within the reach of the B qualifying time, is a junior focusing on freestyle, butterfly and individual medley. She has a 4:15.35 in the 400-meter IM — two full seconds ahead of the B qualifying time of 4:17.30.
Like White, Dawson achieved this time during the Hawkeye Invitational. In order to win the event, Dawson will have to fend off Mai McKenna, a junior from San Diego State with a time of 4:18.13 in the same event.
Along with White, Dawson has multiple records in the CSU record book: fourth in the 200 IM and third in the 400 IM.
Lucy Matheson (No. 5 in 50-meter fly and 100-meter fly in MW)
Lucy Matheson, a major point-getter for CSU, holds the No. 5 spot in both the 50-meter fly and 100-meter fly in the MW. For Matheson, the 100 fly is crucial, as all four ahead of her qualify for the B time in the NCAAs.
To get on the pedestal for 100 fly, Matheson will have to overcome a familiar face.
McKenna from SDSU has the fourth spot with a time of 53.53 — a second ahead of Matheson’s 54.43 — and Yasmin Perry from Nevada holds a 53.50.
If she wants to get into the top three of the 50 fly, she only needs a 21st of a second. Her 25.47, compared to No. 4 Evonne Stehr’s 25.28 from SDSU and No. 3 Allana Clarke’s 25.26 from Air Force, is closing in on the top three times.
Lexie Trietley (No. 2 in 50-meter freestyle in MW)
Lexie Trietley, a sophomore, holds the Moby Pool record for
50-meter freestyle, previously held by CSU Hall of Famer and six-time Olympic gold medalist Amy Van Dyken. That record built upon the strong foundation she set her first year, when she made No. 3 in both 50 free and 100 free in the CSU record book.
As for the MW,Trietley is No. 2 after Meredith Smithbaker from SDSU, who has a time of 22.24. Overcoming Smithbaker is not the only thing Trietley is looking toward; like White, Dawson and Matheson, she’s well within a B provisional times for the 50 and 100 free.
The stiff cutoff of 22.67 for the 50 free and 49.36 for the 100 free is something only two people in the MW qualify for: Smithbaker for the 50 free and Maria Fernanda Mendez Guerra from UNLV for the 100 free with a time of 49.18 — 0.58 seconds faster than Trietley’s time.
Reach Liv Sewell at sports@collegian.com.
Colorado State announced Monday Joe Parker would be stepping down from his duties as athletic director. First hired in 2015, Parker experienced everything from huge postseason success to season-ending controversy in his nearly nine-year tenure. Here’s a look back at some of the defining moments of his time at CSU. Football, basketball success
Parker was an instrumental part of hiring two CSU football coaches: Steve Addazio and Jay Norvell. Addazio had a not-sogreat tenure, going just 4-12 in his two years before being bought out of his contract for $3 million.
Norvell was the second coaching hire for the CSU football program under Parker. Norvell is 8-16 two years into his career at CSU. Despite the lackluster start, Norvell ushered in the second-highest rated recruiting class in the Mountain West for the 2024 season and appears to have the program heading in an upward direction.
Arguably Parker’s most successful hire has been Niko Medved. Medved was brought back to CSU as the coach of the men’s basketball program in March 2018 after previously serving as an assistant coach for CSU 2007-13. Medved led the Rams to their first NCAA playoff berth in nine seasons in 2022. So far this season, CSU has been ranked in the AP Top 25 nine times, including the program’s highest-ever ranking at No. 13 in week five of the season. The Rams are 92-64 under Medved’s leadership.
In 2018, Parker secured a $37.7 million naming rights deal with the Public Service Credit Union of Colorado for the newly constructed football stadium. After the company’s rebrand to Canvas Credit Union, the stadium was dubbed Canvas Stadium.
In the Coloradoan’s report of the deal, Parker described the naming of the stadium as “probably the final milestone on our efforts to launch this stadium into service.”
Parker’s now-removed page on the CSU staff directory said
the former athletic director was crucial in securing funding for the opening of the new soccer and softball facilities, which gained of a $5 million donation from the Bohemian Foundation, according to a CSU SOURCE article.
In the article, Parker emphasized the significance of this gift in the history of MW women’s athletics.
In August 2020, thenuniversity President Joyce McConnell hired an outside law firm to investigate the athletics department after football players and staff raised concerns that the athletic department was attempting to cover up COVID-19 health threats. According to the Coloradoan, football players and athletic department staff claimed coaches threatened players with reduced playing time if they quarantined and altered contact tracing reports to keep as many players playing as possible.
After the investigation into potential COVID-19 protocol violations was announced, the Coloradoan published a report that claimed over 20 current and former football players as well as athletic department staff came forward with accusations of racially insensitive activities within the program under former football coach Mike Bobo and continued under Addazio, which witnesses claim Parker turned a blind eye to. Addazio was dismissed from his position shortly after the end of the 2020 season.
One of the biggest things Parker did over his tenure as the CSU athletic director was oversee the success of women’s athletics.
During his time as the athletic director, excluding his first year
of 2015, CSU won 23 Mountain West championship titles as of the end of the 2023 fall season, with 15 from women’s sports. The most recent title came from CSU firstyear cross country coach Kelly Hart, who brought CSU its first women’s MW championship win since 2007 in 2023.
During the same 2023 fall season, first-year coach Emily Kohan led the CSU volleyball team to a 19-12 record — second in the Mountain West — and to the MW championship, where they fell to Fresno State.
Keeley Hagen, who was hired in 2021 as the second-ever coach for CSU’s soccer program, led the team to the Mountain West championship last season, narrowly missing out on a title in a 1-0 loss to Utah State.
Damon Cook and Will Engle can be reached at sports@collegian.com.
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By Rebekah Barry @rebekahb24708
Stepping into the Lory Student Center ballrooms, visitors of Colorado State University’s 68th annual World Unity Fair were immediately greeted with an array of cultures.
Held Feb. 17, the event featured a variety of international foods, cultural stage performances and booths that accompanied vand represented 27 different organizations and clubs.
The World Unity Fair is organized by International Student & Scholar Services and the Council of International Student Affairs. It is co-sponsored by the Associated Students of CSU and the Fort Collins International Center.
“This year, there were over 30 clubs and organizations involved, with 24 booths, six performances and the International Bazaar,” said Bronwen Watts, assistant
director for programming at CSU International Programs. “In total, over 50 countries were represented as several of the clubs represent more than one country/culture.”
Dominik David, a sophomore majoring in computer science, is the vice president of the German Club. Their booth served a hot spiced cider in place of a traditional German wine: Glühwein. They did this in order to make sure that their booth was accessible to all ages.
“I was born in Germany,” David said. “I went back two years ago. All of my family is there. ... My father and mother are here in the U.S.”
Graham Crosbie, a sophomore majoring in computer science and the treasurer of the German Club, talked about their meetings.
“(During) the first half of our meetings, we talk about something relating to German culture — history, art,” Crosbie said. “The second half is when we do the Stammtisch.”
In German culture, Stammtisch refers to a regularly held informal group meeting. All groups had their own booth, and a select few sold cultural dishes. Most language clubs host meetings that are open to everyone — both experienced and learning the language.
“I took German in high school, and when I came here, I wanted to see if there was a German club, and there was,” Crosbie said. “I’m actually minoring in (German), but it’s also for fun.”
David explained some of the activities the club does throughout the school year, adding to the “for fun” part of Crosbie’s statement.
“During the Christmas season, we go to the Denver Christmas market,” David said. “Last semester, we went up to Breckenridge, stayed at a hotel and did a whole hiking weekend. But the main thing is our meetings every other Wednesday.”
In addition to the German Club, the fair featured the Latin
PHOTO BY SAMANTHA NORDSTROM THE COLLEGIANAmerican Students and Scholars Organization, clubs representing different parts of Asia, the French Club, the Amani Club and the Bangladesh Student Association.
“We’re selling empanadas,” said Angelie Nieves-Jimenez, president of LASSO. “We have different empanadas all over the Latin Americas. These are Argentinian. We have different activities (in the club), and it’s more so to create a culture of Latin America here and to create a family.”
Julian Montalvo, president of the Japanese Club, talked about his interest in Japanese culture while simultaneously serving visitors a Japanese curry with rice.
“For me, I have a bias for food,” Montalvo said. “I love the food a lot. I think it’s one of the best foods in the world. And it’s so efficient there. Everything is so fast, the public transportation, the health center. I had to get stitches and got a medical card, plus everything is super cheap.”
Loni Thorson, a senior instructor of languages, literatures and cultures at CSU, brought her two young kids to the event.
“Hey, Raven, do you want a bite?” Thorson asked her oldest son in Spanish, offering him gajar ka halwa, a sweet carrot pudding with nuts provided by CSU’s Hindu Youth for Unity, Virtues and Action chapter during the fair, and he nodded in approval. Thorson was in attendance because promoted the event to her students.
On center stage, there was a showcase of numerous cultural dances that originated from all over the world. One of the people watching was Mason Maynell, a second-year mechanical engineering student. He watched with awe as the dancers took the stage to present the Korean Hansori Drum and Dance.
Read the full version of this article at collegian.com
Reach Rebekah Barry at life @collegian.com.
Since starting as a pilot program in 2016, Colorado State University’s Right Horse Program has paired rescue horses from the Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center with students in CSU’s equine science program.
When Shelby was rescued in August 2022 by the Dumb Friends League, he arrived with his mustang identification tag embedded deep within his neck, resulting in an open and infected wound.
Working with the rehabilitation team at the Harmony Equine Center, Shelby gained trust in humans and learned to take a halter and saddle.
“He didn’t necessarily have a bad human interaction, but he needs some more help to get more confident,” student trainer Maia Lee said. “He’s very motivated to learn, and he will do a lot to just please you.”
Lee has always loved horses and leased one for almost nine years, competing in trail competitions and 4-H before coming to college. Lee trained Shelby, a sweet 3-year-old gray pinto mustang, alongside fellow student trainer Maddie Hawks.
“I fell in love with him, like, the first day I met him,” Lee said. “I was like, ‘That’s the one.’”
The program challenges students to assess and evaluate horses in transition for a second career. Then they train them to excel in a new home. Students start with evaluating their horse’s condition, manners, groundwork and behavior.
From there, they build skills week by week, teaching their horses to yield to pressure, take a saddle and bridle and conquer obstacles inside and outside of the arena.
Animal sciences course instructor Cayla Stone works with students, tailoring specific skills to specific horses and helping both the horse and trainer grow. Over the semester, students work with not only their assigned horse but also other students’ horses, allowing
them to experience horses at various levels of training and for the horses to experience different riders and trainers, each with a specific touch.
“They call them unwanted horses, all of the horses that need homes, and so I think my goal is that the students have a chance to work with a variety of horses,” Stone said. “Just about anything they may come in contact with in a rescue scenario.”
The equine program at CSU is unique, as no other university has a specific program focused exclusively on training rescued horses for adoption. Since its start, the RHP has grown from two horses in its first semester to more than 15, with off-track thoroughbreds among the mix of horses students work with.
“(Then) when (students) get out into the world and into the equine industry, if they want to get into the rescue business, they’ve had handson (experience) with all of these types of horses and have also worked with industry professionals,” Stone said.
Lee has an interest in working with abandoned or abused horses.
“I want to go into training myself,” Lee said. “I want to become a veterinarian and look into animal welfare, and properly training horses is really important for veterinary work. This class seemed like a good one to take, and I have learned so much.”
Several students have adopted the horses they were training, including Meg Schatte, one of the course’s teaching assistants and a graduate student working on a master’s in animal science under Temple Grandin.
“I think the coolest thing about this is you get to work with that horse for a whole semester,” Schatte said. “You get to know their personality and really try them out before you buy them.”
Schatte adopted her mare, Opal, following the conclusion of her class, and she has continued to work with her, doing liberty, tricks and trail riding.
“I just fell in love with her over the semester,” Schatte said. “She just has one of the greatest
“I think there is some bias against rescuing horses, and people don’t really understand what type of horses they can be for them. If we can show people that their horses can be versatile and ready to do disciplines that people want to do, I think that will start to lessen the numbers that end up in rescues.”
CAYLA STONE ANIMAL SCIENCES COURSE INSTRUCTOR
personalities. Other horses bossed her around, and she just let them. I mean, (she’s) just one of the sweetest horses I’ve ever seen.”
Schatte helps students out individually, offering an extra perspective when working through difficult moments. She also steps in to work with horses that need some more one-on-one training time throughout the semester.
The final challenge for students at the end of the semester is the Right Horse Showcase, where
students from both class sessions present their horses to potential adopters, demonstrating the versatility of rescue horses.
“I think there is some bias against rescuing horses, and people don’t really understand what type of horses they can be for them,” Stone said. “If we can show people that their horses can be versatile and ready to do disciplines that people want to do, I think that will start to lessen the numbers that end up in rescues.”
The program is the brainchild of Adam Daurio, director of the Temple Grandin Equine Center, and a couple of CSU alumni from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ Right Horse Initiative.
“We’re hoping, I’m hoping, (the Right Horse Program) expands here, but I’m also hoping it expands in other universities,” Stone said.
Reach Aria Paul at life @collegian.com.
Right Horse Program horse Sylt sticks her tongue out while standing beside her trainer, Sierra Moore, during a class session at the Temple Grandin Equine Center Oct. 11, 2023. Horses are rewarded with treats when they correctly complete a behavior asked of them.
1. Maia Lee offers a reward to Right Horse Program horse Little Miss during an excursion to an obstacle course off campus. Nov. 5, 2023. Students work with a variety of different horses during the program, both their own assigned horse and other students’ horses.
2. Emily McDorman practices giving Right Horse Program horse Nigeria oral medication with a dosing syringe Oct. 25, 2023. Student trainers work to prepare their horses for a variety of different experiences in their second careers.
3. Student trainer Maia Lee works with Right Horse Program mustang Shelby, introducing him to new experiences and objects Nov. 5, 2023. “I fell in love with him, like, the first day I met him,” Lee said. “I was like, ‘That’s the one.’”
4. Teaching assistant Meg Schatte relaxes with a mustang from Wild Rose Mustang Advocacy Group following a training session Nov. 5, 2023.
5. Maia Lee and Shelby take a break from practicing cantering during a session at the Temple Grandin Equine Center Nov. 1, 2023. “He didn’t necessarily have a bad human interaction, but he needs some more help to get more confident,” Lee said about Shelby.
6. Maia Lee bridles Right Horse Program mustang Shelby before a train session at Colorado State University’s Equine Center Nov. 29, 2023. Shelby was successfully adopted following the conclusion of the semester at the Right Horse Showcase.
7. Colorado State University Right Horse Program horse Tsunami looks through a set of ropes held open by course instructor Cayla Stone Nov. 5, 2023. Students are challenged throughout the course to evaluate and work with horses in transition for a second career.
8. Students in Colorado State University’s Right Horse Program work with their horses during an excursion to an obstacle course off campus Nov. 5, 2023.
9. Teaching assistant Meg Schatte observes students working with their horse during a class session at the Colorado State University Equine Center Nov. 15, 2023. “I think the coolest thing about this is you get to work with that horse for the whole semester,” Schatte said. “You really get to know their personality.”
2
Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
As college students, we spend a fair amount of time studying. There are so many places you can study around campus, from the Lory Student Center to the Behavioral Sciences Building.
Most of the buildings across campus have tables for students to sit and study at.
However, despite the multitude of study spaces across campus, many students are still guilty of studying in the one place they should not: their bedroom.
The best piece of study advice I ever got was from my high school art teacher: Do not study in your bedroom at college. Your bedroom should be your safe place, somewhere for you to relax and let the pressure go. If you try to study in your room, you will end up associating it with academics and stress rather than the relaxation and calmness you want.
I did not really understand how important this piece of wisdom
would become, but it is now a huge priority when I think about my habits.
Yes, your room is comfortable, and you can curl up with your favorite pillow and blanket while you look over your notes, but studying in your room actually has a lot of poor side effects.
Your bedroom should be your space where you can focus on aspects of your life that are not academics. Maybe you crochet, read or indulge in the pleasure of binge-watching a new Netflix series. But whatever it is, you should associate your room with the feeling of joy and serenity that your favorite activities bring you, not the fear you feel when you crack open a textbook.
When you study in your room, it becomes easy to associate it with the stress of school. And if you cannot differentiate between your room and the stress of school, it might be hard for you to sleep. Studies have found stress can negatively affect your sleep and therefore not allow many adults and teenagers to get a healthy amount of sleep.
In addition to causing your room to be a point of stress, it can also decrease the effectiveness
of your study session. Your room may radiate a sense of comfort, but it will not give you the motivation to study like other places that are not your bedroom. Especially if you study in your bed, it creates an environment that tempts you to curl up under the covers and simply “rest your eyes” for a few minutes. However, on the other side of the spectrum, the library creates a motivational
environment for studying, surrounded by other students who are doing the same thing as you.
If your bed is your go-to study spot, it also does not make it easy to lay out your materials like your laptop, papers, pens and flashcards. A desk in the library or even your kitchen table can grant you this space that a bed deprives you of. Therefore, you should
create a good space for yourself to study.
While it might be hard to get yourself out of bed, set yourself up to succeed and head somewhere else to study. Whether it be to the kitchen, a common area or even as far as the library, you will be doing yourself a favor in the long run.
ReachHana Pavelko at letters @collegian.com.
Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
No, you should not include “lol” in that email to your physics professor.
As slang and language continue to adapt over the decades, the
ways in which we communicate — within relationships, friendships and classrooms — adapt, too. Proof of this change already exists in multiple forms; classrooms shifted online over the COVID-19 pandemic, which required a whole different approach to communication, and the rise of accessible artificial intelligence programs spurred new lectures about its benefits and dangers, especially in the fields of digital communication and journalism.
Language has transformed and always will transform to fit social standards. We now laugh at the very same slang used in earnest years ago. I doubt anyone uses the word “cheugy” in everyday conversation anymore, but in 2021, it was a contender for the word of the year.
As slang develops and language transforms, so does the relationship between professors and students, particularly over email.
From the age of 12 years, teachers have drilled proper email etiquette into my brain like my life depended on it. If I didn’t send an email with the right prepositions, greetings or Mr./Ms./Mrs. usage, the point of my message didn’t matter; it would be regarded as unimportant and practically garbage.
Is email etiquette important? Absolutely. But for a 12-year-old in the sixth grade, I couldn’t even socialize correctly in person.
You’d think that because we’re all adults now, our etiquette has subsequently improved. We wouldn’t use slang in emails anymore, right?
We’d still communicate with some degree of professionalism, right?
But a lot of us have actually regressed.
I have scrolled on TikTok numerous times to see complaints of college students being supposedly mistreated by professors, whether that’s being denied a grade change, experiencing rude actions or just witnessing overall poor teaching.
While there is nothing wrong with holding professors accountable — in fact, that should be the standard when our education is worth thousands of dollars — these emails use informal language that is not appropriate to our academic hierarchy.
Although a lot of professors teach informally — preferring first name references and permitting slang or swear word use — emails follow a different set of rules than those within the classroom. We show up to class for the broad purpose of learning, but we email for the specific purpose of a question.
If not a question, it’s typically a proposal or a suggestion, like asking for a grade change. No matter the reason, though, an email is always a special request or statement made outside of the classroom. For that reason, emails should require more serious language.
By “serious language,” I don’t mean words like “salutations” or “sincerely,” and I don’t expect you to type out the Declaration of Independence — I think a professor would boot you from the class if you did that. Serious language or proper email etiquette indicates the exclusion of slang and profanity from emails. That’s it. There is no reason we need to be saying “shit” or “fuck” or “lol” or whatever slang is popular at the time in emails to our superiors.
Using unserious language to communicate serious questions strips the impact from them. So the next time you’re drafting an email to ask for a homework extension, you should probably emit that “lmao” — nobody is laughing their asses off when they have work overdue.
Reach Emma Souza at letters @collegian.com.
Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board. Letters to the Editor reflect the view of a member of the campus community and are submitted to the publication for approval.
The new fight to protect abortion rights is underway, and now is the time for students to pitch in. You may have seen the canvassers in the plaza asking, “Are you a registered voter in Colorado?” or, “Do you want to protect abortion?” and it is worthwhile to take a moment to sign this petition. If we gather enough signatures to get Initiative 89 on the ballot in November, Colorado voters will be able to decide whether to enshrine the right to abortion in Colorado’s constitution.
Here is the exact text of the proposed amendment:
“The right to abortion is hereby recognized. Government shall not deny, impede or discriminate against the exercise of that right, including prohibiting health insurance coverage for abortion.”
Two simple sentences that can change someone’s world. The Coloradoadopted Amendment Three currently prohibits the use of public funds for abortion, which has denied health insurance coverage for state and local public employees to have abortion access even in cases of rape, incest, fatal fetal conditions and pregnancies that endanger the life of the patient. Initiative 89 would lift this ban and allow around 1 million public employees working in schools, hospitals and the government to use their work health insurance to cover an abortion.
Importantly, Amendment Three also currently prohibits the use of health insurance coverage provided
through Medicaid for abortion services, even when the pregnancy endangers the patient’s health or when the fetus has a fatal condition. People living in poverty often cannot afford abortion access without insurance, much less to raise a child they are unprepared for. By amending the Colorado constitution, we can ensure everyone can get the health care they need regardless of the type of job they have, their insurance or their income.
Since the Supreme Court passed down their decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, 14 states have banned abortion or restricted the procedure earlier in pregnancy than the standard set by Roe v. Wade. Thankfully, the Colorado legislature protected the right to abortion by passing the Reproductive Health Equity Act in 2022. Statutes, however, are subject to change with a future legislature or governor, so the only way
to prevent abortion rights from being overturned on a whim is to enshrine them in our state constitution. To read the full text of the initiative, visit leg.colorado. gov/content/right-abortion.
I have been passionate about protecting the right to abortion since I went to my first Women’s March in 2017, so I jumped at the chance to become a petition circulator. It was a simple process, and I’m hopeful that more students and community members will get involved. For the initiative to get on the ballot, we need 2% of Colorado registered voters in each state senate district to sign the petition, which correlates to around 144,000 signatures. However, since some signatures will be invalidated due to mistakes such as writing a nickname or an incomplete address, reproductive rights organizations have set the goal of reaching 185,000 signatures by the end of March.
If you and your friends want to sign the petition or learn more about becoming a petition circulator, I’ll be at the tables outside of Sweet Sinsations in the Lory Student Center every Monday 11-11:45 a.m. and Friday 3-4 p.m. You can spot me by the flier on my laptop and a neon orange bag with petitions. If these times do not work or you want more information, please email me at co.abortionrights @gmail.com. If you need to register to vote in the state of Colorado, you can do so at coloradosos.gov.
As students, we represent the future and play an important part in the political system. Let’s register to vote and make our voices heard together. Your fellow Ram, Amber Wright
Send letters to letters @collegian.com. When submitting letters, please abide by the guidelines listed at collegian.com.
With the music booming and good vibes through the roof, Colorado State University students and staff catwalk across the Lory Student Center Theatre, showing their fierceness, confidence and individuality through every strut, vogue pose, dip and spin.
The Black/African American Cultural Center collaborated with the Pride Resource Center and RamEvents to bring the House of Balmain to teach the CSU community about ballroom culture and its importance to Black and queer identities in the Category is... Ballroom! dance class Feb. 15-16.
Torie Balmain and Calypso Jetè Balmain were the leaders, guiding everyone through a series of steps that encompass ballroom dance. They competed in the Max show “Legendary” with the House of Balmain, and they are dedicated to bringing passion, creativity and beauty to the dance floor. Accompanied by dancing, they also taught those at the event about the importance of ballroom culture and its rich history.
The two of them taught attendees how to catwalk across the theater, guiding them through the process of adding more hips into their strut and letting their fiery inner passions be free. From intense model walking to dips, the Balmains encouraged everyone to join in, helping them through the movements and specifically bringing more personal emotion to the steps.
Rafael Duarte recently graduated from CSU and continues to work as a career staff member in close collaboration with B/AACC. He spoke on his thought process behind starting this program and how he wanted to honor the history behind ballroom culture and appreciate the art form to its fullest. He wished for
it to be an engaging and educational experience that showcases diverse identities in a positive, valuable light.
“I think it’s just able to highlight and really put forth Black creators and Black artists and people who created this, which were queer people of color,” Duarte said. “One of the beauties of coming to CSU or obtaining higher education is you get the opportunity to meet people outside of your culture.”
Duarte appreciated how willing Torie Balmain and Calypso Jetè Balmain were to come back and reach the CSU community by expressing their passion for ballroom. Everyone who was present looked over in awe and excitement as the two performed powerful pieces dedicated to Black History Month, showcasing how this art form is a part of their identity and sense of self.
While Torie Balmain wore a bright red floral corset with tall red heels, Calypso Jetè Balmain wore a purple leopard-print bikini set with knee-high boots to match. They demonstrated their talent through intense and fluid movement, highlighting their electrifying style. In one of their standout performances, Torie Balmain danced to a song that reflected the African American movement, emphasizing their tenacity and strength.
“They’re just very sweet people that enjoy the community outreach of it all,” Duarte said. “And they’ve kept in touch with many students that have participated in the event last year. I feel like the students and the connections they were able to build were what really brought them back here again.”
Ashenafi Paulos is a junior at CSU and has been involved with B/ AACC for almost two years. This was her first time attending the event, and she said she found the experience very enjoyable as students
of different races and sexualities could find a place that feels like home, especially at a predominantly white institution.
“(It is meant) to showcase the beauty of ballroom culture and how it impacts both Black and queer history,” Paulos said. “It really allows students to come in here and feel the love and feel the warmth and get that understanding from a pure perspective.”
Adrian Salazar is currently in his fourth year at CSU and is involved in the Pride Resource Center and coordinating the ballroom event. He said he found it inspiring to see
how events such as this allow people from different cultural backgrounds to find unique connections. Salazar said he hopes this event will continue to prosper at CSU and bring in more unique voices to the creativity of the ballroom scene.
“It shows a lot of happiness and culture joy that’s being spread through different diverse perspectives,” Salazar said. “When (students) come to CSU, building a community is a very important thing, and events like this defend that those offices deserve to exist.”
Reach Sananda Chandy at entertainment@collegian.com.
“It really allows students to come in here and feel the love and feel the warmth and get that understanding from a pure perspective.”ASHENAFI PAULOS CSU JUNIOR INVOLVED WITH B/AACC
Cooking is a gratifying experience of bringing people together to make memories they will cherish for a lifetime. Families hold recipes near and dear to their hearts, representing their identity, culture and voice. Holding onto these recipes when separated from family can help students feel more at home in a new place.
The recipes below are from students who have stayed close to their family roots. They have kept these recipes close to their heart, maintaining a strong connection to an important part of their identity.
Sophomore Samantha Croix is a biomedical, chemical and biological engineering student at Colorado State University. One of the most valuable recipes in her family is kolaczki, which has been passed down for generations. Kolaczki is essentially a Polish cookie with a fluffy, pastry-like bottom and a sweet jelly filling. Croix said this special treat is a staple during the holiday season. She happily recalled when her and her family would
make dozens of these cookies at Christmas time.
“I feel like this recipe is a little glimpse into my heritage, and it’s something very unique to my family,” Croix said. “My family has always made these to share. They bring joy, so it’s an easy little recipe that goes a long way. Sharing culture through food is one of the best ways to learn about others.”
Kolaczki
Ingredients:
• 1 pound cream cheese
• 1 pound butter
• 4 cups flour
• Canned apricot and raspberry filling
Directions:
1. Let cream cheese and butter stand until they become soft.
2. Cream both the cheese and butter together until they combine. Then, add the flour a little bit at a time.
3. Mix until smooth and the mixture forms a dough.
4. Roll out the dough, and use a round glass to cut out the pieces. Then, fill each round piece with the apricot and raspberry filling, and prepare for baking.
5. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and enjoy!
Vaishnavi Satish Sonarikar is an MBA graduate student at CSU. The most valuable dish from her family is wheat flour sheera. This dish is a specialty in the Marathwada region of the Maharashtra state of India and is considered a sweet pudding that has many flavors. Sonarikar has been eating this sweet item throughout her childhood, making it an essential part of her sense of self.
“The world will become a very nice and welcoming place to live in if we learn to appreciate the differences in our backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities,” Sonarikar said. “We call love ... the universal language, but I think food is one more. By sharing recipes close to us, I think we are taking one more step in upholding the CSU Principles of Community.” Atta sheera (whole wheat flour sheera)
Ingredients:
• 1 cup atta or whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup pure ghee
• 2 cups water
• 1/2-3/4 cup jaggery (noncentrifugal cane sugar)
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds (optional)
Directions:
1. Place the whole wheat flour in a heavy-bottomed pan and roast on medium-low heat. Set the timer to 20 minutes. You need to continue roasting until the whole wheat flour turns medium brown.
2. Turn off the stove to allow the heated pan to cool slightly and avoid burning up the flour.
3. Add in the ghee, and stir until the ghee is well incorporated. Turn the heat back on, keeping it on a medium-low flame.
4. Add in the water and the jaggery, and allow it to cook, stirring frequently until the water is absorbed and the mixture thickens considerably. The consistency should resemble a thick oatmeal.
5. If you would like to include raisins and almonds, add those in after stirring.
Cool slightly, and serve warm.
Reach Sananda Chandy at entertainment@collegian.com.
To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.
Last
Last
By Abby Flores
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (02/22/24)
ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 19)
Tarot card: The Empress
You are business oriented and recently had some ideas for an invention or project that could bring great opportunities. Trust your heart, and it will lead you in the right direction. You are a creative self-starter, Aries.
TAURUS (APRIL 20 - MAY 20)
Tarot card: The Hierophant
Your tarot card is usually referred to as the Teacher of Wisdom, which means you’ll be getting spiritual revelations all week. If there is a hobby you’ve been wanting to learn, now is the time to do it.
GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUNE 20)
Tarot card: Judgement
Your ideal job would probably involve something that allows you to express yourself. You’re a very artistic person, and opportunities to show that side of you are coming up this week. Don’t give up because
people see how important your perspective is.
CANCER (JUNE 21 - JULY 22)
Tarot card: The Sun You’ve been happy as of late, Cancer. Your career is taking off this February, and there are a lot of opportunities in store for you. Your gratefulness brings great abundance because you are kind and lovable to those around you.
LEO (JULY 23 - AUG. 22)
Tarot card: The High Priestess You have been doing amazingly in your work and career, Leo. You are getting recognized for your work and the things you advocate for. Keep it up, but most importantly, don’t forget to take time to rest, too.
VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEPT. 22)
Tarot card: The Hermit You’ve been feeling the need to stay inside lately. This week will feel peaceful because the universe is making time for you to rest and recharge. You may get back to doing things like reading or painting. Enjoy it, Virgo.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23 - OCT. 22)
Tarot card: The Star You are achieving more balance every day, Libra. Work has been piling up, and you’ve been busy, but the next step is to allow yourself the freedom to rest and get away from work. Try getting a planner, or make a mood tracker to track your progress. You’ve got this.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)
Tarot card: The Magician You are reconnecting with friends you haven’t seen in a while. You
may decide to talk to them over coffee or lunch, which will make you realize how much you’ve missed them. Your friends love how loyal you are and value your positive energy
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC.
21) Tarot card: The Chariot Good luck is coming into your life fast, Sagittarius. This week will be a good one to travel or go outside. You will have fun connecting with nature and, most importantly, connecting with yourself.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN.
19) Tarot card: The Moon You are very in tune with your emotions and have a high sense of intuition at this time, Capricorn. Trust your gut, and everything will turn out just fine. Your friends trust what you have to say because you give helpful advice and affirmations.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18)
Tarot card: The Tower You will go through a great deal of transformation in the next couple weeks, Aquarius. Art and spiritual practices will aid you in the process. You are discovering new things about yourself and making changes so you can continue to flow in the right direction.
PISCES (FEB. 19 - MARCH 20)
Tarot card: Wheel of Fortune
The wheel of fortune is all about releasing the past and accepting the new. You recently ended an era or phase of your life, and the universe is blessing you with gifts in return. Sometimes we need to readjust in order to get back on track again. Keep it up, Pisces.
“I would pay
for Andy Samberg to
“I got really high and accidentally ate all of your peanut butter.”
“Freddy Fazbear tried to seduce me, but don’t worry, it did not work.”
