The collegian will resume prinTing a weekly ediTion on june 17 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN Fort Collins, Colorado COLLEGIAN Volume 118 | No. 1 Monday, May 11, 2009 www.collegian.com THE STUDENT VOICE OF COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1891 CSu pushes wind farm against BIKING ACROSS AMERICA firm skepticism By JoSh Allen unpredictable, bringing and AAron hedge problems to the project, The Rocky Mountain Collegian which, university officials admit, is already uncer- LIVERMORE –– A long tain. “With the change in train of electrical transmis- terrain, you have to expect sion lines, supported by how the wind is going to large skeletons of power change from this area to transformers, vanish over this area.” a distant horizon east of If construction of CSU’s Red Mountain Road on wind farm is successful, the edge of the 11,000-acre she said, the tower, which Maxwell Ranch in northern gathers meteorological Colorado. data for the university’s The road, which CSU Atmospheric Science De- plans to use as construc- partment, will be joined tion access for its proposed by dozens of massive wind Green Power Project –– a turbines that are expected lofty initiative to power the to completely fuel the uni- university’s main campus versity. solely with wind energy –– But the project –– which snakes through a network comes with a $400 mil- of deep arroyos and large lion to $500 million price hills in the windswept foot- tag and is pending large hills of the area. amounts of research to de- Nina Jackson, a mem- termine its viability –– is ber of a group of about 35 not without skepticism. local property owners that Jackson and the 35 oth- organized to oppose the er local residents formed project in October, steered the group to protest the Mike kAluSh | COLLEGIAN her white Ford F-350 over initiative because, they the crest of one the hills say, preliminary prepara- Kristen DeMint, front, and Mark Kowalik, train on May 3, in plans to bike across America this summer to raise money and aware- and pointed out a CSU tions for the project herald ness for the Invisible Children Organization which helps rescue children in Northern Uganda who have been forced into military weather tower close to the a largely unattainable goal, combat. Their route begins in Astoria, Ore. on the Pacific coast and will end on the Atlantic coast in Yorktown, Va. power lines. pitting the university’s con- “The winds are typi- tractor against a myriad of cally pretty fast here,” she technological and physical said, explaining that the fierce foothills wind is often See MAxwell on page 7 CSU grads ride cross-country to raise funds, awareness for Invisible Children By erin SMith the Invisible Children Foundation, BuY A Mile, teACh A Child The Rocky Mountain Collegian a non-profit created in response to a 22-year-long civil war in North- Who: Kristen DeMint and Mark Kowalik, both “You’re biking across America ern Uganda. soon-to-be CSU graduates in May this summer.” Period. What would From Oregon to Virginia, for What: Through their campaign, “Buy a Mile, you do, if one your college friends each of the grueling, 4,262 miles on Teach a Child,” they will bike 4,262 miles from text-messaged something similar the road, they will be seeking spon- Oregon to Virginia this summer after gradua- to you? sorship of $3, to total into $10,000 tion in order to raise $10,000 for the Invisible Kristen DeMint, a senior grad- in donations to the “Schools For Children Foundation, a non-profit created in uating with a degree in restau- Schools” program, which is a proj- response to a 22-year-long civil war in Northern Uganda. rant and resort management, said ect aimed at bringing 10 Ugandan Their Campaign: “Buy a Mile, Teach a ‘okay’ to her friend Mark Kowalik, schools decimated by the war to a Child,” which will raise money for the “Schools another senior graduating this nationally competitive standard. For Schools” program, which is a project aimed BrAndon iwAMoto | COLLEGIAN spring, when he invited her on Through their campaign, at bringing 10 Ugandan schools decimated by a cross-country bike trip via text “Buy a Mile, Teach a Child,” they the war to a nationally competitive standard. Power lines disappear over the horizon at the Maxwell message last November. have collected donations through Donations: Donations can be made Ranch near the Colorado-Wyoming border on Saturday They will be riding their bi- their Web site, www.biking4invisi- throughout the summer at their www.biking4in- morning. cycles together this summer from blechildren.com, since early this visiblechildren.com. the month of May, just following semester. Distance: They will average 60 miles per graduation ceremonies, until Au- day and will tow a small trailer with all of their gust in an effort to raise funds for See pedAl on page 3 gear. Stakeholders debate national ‘Tall bike buy’ brings smiles to the road presidential search By kAeli weSt Video The Rocky Mountain Collegian By eMilY JohnSon ing someone who is com- Visit Collegian.com to see a video The Rocky Mountain Collegian mitted to CSU and not about how Silas Siegrist mounts Ringing his silver bell 10 feet from the and rides his high bike. merely looking for a step- pavement, “the tall bike guy” coasts east- Students and faculty pingstone in their career. bound along Laurel Street as pedestrians traded verbal jabs Friday, “He has succeeded at cheer on what can only be described as a parked at his apartment next to the Rio debating whether or not the university more than one-man parade. Grande Restaurant in Old Town, Siegrist the university needs to anyone else has. We like A customer on the porch of Woody’s Tav- says he enjoys riding throughout the conduct a nation-wide him. We trust him,” said ern gives a thumbs up to the man on the be- community and from time to time with search for a permanent Barry Lewis, the account- hemoth bike as five teenagers skateboarding the other members of the tall bike squad president. ing department chair, on in the opposite direction nod coolly, saying, that call themselves members of “high At a series of stakehold- behalf of his department. “Sick ride,” “Sweet” and “What’s up?” society.” er meetings meant to gath- Students echoed these As the tall bike guy approaches a stop- “High society,” Siegrist says, is a sort of er the CSU community’s sentiments. light that threatens to break his momen- off-the-cuff identifier for those who ride input on the presidential “I really like Tony Frank. tum and balance, he sets his foot on the tall bikes of all frame shapes and sizes, search process, supporters He relates well with stu- bed lip of a red pickup truck, whose pas- bringing smiles to people going through of Interim President Tony dents and also knows how senger immediately leans out the window the motions of their day. Frank encouraged the CSU to disagree professionally. and says, “Do a wheelie.” “It brings out this youth, this smile, System Board of Gover- He’s a good candidate. I Fifteen yards ahead, the light turns this excitement,” Siegrist said. “It’s the nors Chair Doug Jones and endorse him,” said Tim green and the tall bike guy kicks away greatest icebreaker.” newly appointed Chan- Sellers, the student govern- from the truck, pops a wheelie and after a “It brings communities together,” he cellor Joe Blake to forgo a ment chief of staff-elect. laugh from the truck, moves down Laurel added. national search and name However, not every- Street to be greeted with more double- Riding the tall bike gives him empow- Frank CSU’s permanent one supported appointing takes, smiles and waves. erment to make people’s day, he said, and president. Frank just because he is There are a handful of oversized, cir- to get that person who normally stares “What I’d like to see is already in office, and ques- cus-like bikes roaming around Fort Col- at the concrete to raise their head and someone who can earn the tions about equal opportu- lins, so no one person can stake claim to smile. respect of various constitu- nity arose. handle “the tall bike guy.” Siegrist recalled one time riding down ents both on and off cam- “It’s obvious that there’s But today, just north of campus, the Mulberry Street when an entire Grey- pus. Tony Frank has been already someone in mind,” tall bike guy is Silas Siegrist, a junior CSU hound-sized bus stopped so the passen- BrAndon iwAMoto | COLLEGIAN able to do that in a very said one of the stakehold- student. gers could snap some photos and take in short time,” said Richard ers who left before Colle- the rare tall bike. Silas Seigrist, a rider in the tall bike riding crew Eykholt, the chair of the gian reporters could “High Society,” poses for a portrait with his ‘high Society’ bike outside of the Hartshorn Health Center on faculty counsel, stressing Though his bike is most often seen See Bike on page 6 the importance of choos- See debate on page 3 April 29. Co l l e g i a n .C o m Pa g e 14 Pa g e 6 61-year-old student Moby Awards recognize Students throw to graduate in second the best of 2008-2009 down clothes for college attempt a good cause Star athletes, memorable games Larry McGarity will receive make the grade for this season Event organizers say Summa Cum Laude turnout, donations were upon graduation ‘mission accomplished’ 2 Monday, May 11, 2009 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian Weather Calendar a smooth transition to their next Campus eye experience.