Officials investigate vOter registratiOns Of questiOnable applicants | page 5 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN Fort Collins, Colorado COLLEGIAN Volume 117 | No. 47 Wednesday, October 15, 2008 www.collegian.com THE STUDENT VOICE OF COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1891 Students create financial oversight group ASCSU officials to investigate CSU funding shifts By aarOn hedge and ment officials have formed an increased focus on marketing In Penley’s five years as presi- J. david McsWane investigative committee to re- research initiatives, which can’t dent, funding for administration The Rocky Mountain Collegian view the trends reported in the fund the academic mission of has skyrocketed and for the first Collegian. the school. time in school history, surpassed In response to CSU Presi- The grassroots, student-run “Our ultimate goal is a nice, funding for CSU’s colleges. dent Larry Penley’s controver- committee plans to release its shiny booklet to present to the During Penley’s five years as sial spending in recent years findings to state organizations Colorado Commission on High- president, tuition and fees have PalMer trOut sMOOt –– pushing millions of dollars and legislators who have called er Education,” said committee risen 52 percent and 73 percent, that could have gone to starving for transparency after finding leader Dan Palmer, the former respectively –– a trend some classrooms into administration out about Penley’s overhaul of director of Education for the As- and research –– student govern- top-level administration and sociated Students of CSU. See Oversight on Page 6 Shell Oil Co. HELPING OUT grants $950,000 for plant research Warner College of Natural Resources to continue plant growth project By Madeline nOvey spending our money,” Paschke said. The Rocky Mountain Collegian “The information that we gather from (the research) will be very im- Shell Oil Company granted portant in letting (the oil compa- $950,000 to the Warner College of nies) know how to deal with those Natural Resources to continue a disturbances caused by extraction.” decades-long research project that While oil companies have devel- aims to restore plant growth in oped advanced, less-invasive ways northwestern Colorado’s Piceance of extracting oil from the shale, Basin, which was devastated by project officials said the new envi- extensive oil harvesting in the area ronmental threat is the construc- until the 1970s. tion of roads and pipelines that will Previous methods of oil extrac- require the removal of soil and veg- tion were extensively damaging to etation in the area. revegetation processes such as the In the 1970s, oil companies upturning of topsoil and plant pop- were interested in drilling in the ba- ulations to retrieve oil shale. sin, which is one of the largest, un- The goal of the project is to re- tapped oil reserves in the world that grow plant communities that were boasts an abundance of oil shale. significantly damaged or, in some CSU scientists at the time be- cases, eradicated by the extensive lieved that the extraction methods oil harvests. used to retrieve the oil shale — a Mark Paschke, an associate pro- sedimentary rock that contains ma- fessor of reclamation ecology work- terials that, when heated at extreme ing on the project, said the research temperatures, are released as liquid efforts, which were “well underway” oil — were too invasive and damag- when they started this early this ing to the plant-life established in summer, will provide vital informa- the area. tion to affect the process of future The scientists recommended oil extraction by major oil compa- that the companies postpone physi- nies in the basin area. cal extraction until the effects of the “These studies will help us to invasive methods on the natural tell what we need to be concerned about and where we should be See Plant on Page 3 CSU works to prevent spread of listeria By JiM sOJOurner FaCts aBOut listeria The Rocky Mountain Collegian Name: Listeria Monocytogenes In the wake of a food-borne (known commonly as listeria). bacteria outbreak in Canada that What it is: A food-borne bacteria Caitlin Kinnett | COLLEGIAN has killed at least 17 people and that can result in illness. sickened more than 60 others, CSU Tina Stevens, a junior science education major, plays with her daughter Paige on Oct. 7. United Way is helping fund single mothers in the community to go to school and get degrees by helping them pay for child care. researchers are working to prevent Where it’s found: Soil, water and the spread of the deadly bacteria, vegetation. listeria. The university’s Center for Meat There are roughly 2,500 serious Safety and Quality and the Food cases of listeriosis, causing 500 Safety Cluster will collaborate with deaths in the U.S. each year. Cornell University, the University of United Way helps fund child 20 to 30 percent of people who Nebraska, Ohio State University and Kansas State University to better contract the bacteria die. understand outbreaks like the one care for single mothers at CSU Canada has experienced this year. CSU was recently granted a $3.4 million award from the U.S. De- cessing plants and even in homes. By JessiCa Cline ucation major has a scholarship semester. partment of Agriculture to expand Sen. Ken Salazar, who congratu- The Rocky Mountain Collegian from the United Way WomenGive “The scholarship provides me food safety research, which comes lated CSU on receiving the award. program, which helps fund all of with the ability to work and go to at a time particularly pertinent in “Any effort to prevent [listeria] Last year, CSU senior Shawnee her childcare expenses. school full-time and make sure light of the need to prevent listeria’s from getting into our food is some- McPahil worked three jobs while The program is dedicated that my son gets his education spread. thing that Senator Salazar supports,” taking 18 credit hours at school to raising money for single par- through the Colorado Preschool Listeria monocytogenes (known said Michael Amodeo, spokesper- and raising her three-year-old –– ents who would like to go back Program,” McPahil said. commonly as listeria) is food-borne son for the Democrat. all to be able to afford daycare for to school. If parents qualify for “I wouldn’t be able to afford bacteria that can result in illness Salazar is “basically a strong her son, Tristan. the program, their child’s care is and is found naturally in soil, water supporter,” said Amodeo, of agri Now, though, the English Ed- completely paid off for the entire See MOthers on Page 3 and vegetation. It can also grow at refrigerated temperatures in pro- See listeria on Page 3 Page 8 Page 5 Page 5 Klay Kubiak author to speak at three wildfires follows in family Csu on nuclear powers double in size footsteps Cravens to dispell overnight ‘misconceptions’ about Fires force thousands sustainable energy to flee Los Angeles 2 Wednesday, October 15, 2008 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian WEATHER CORRECTION Executive Director of the Lory CAMPUS EYE In Tuesday’s article titled Student Center) to a wall. Have “Libyan student triumphs over some fun and help fi ll the food Today polio, cultural differences,” bank for the winter! Partly cloudy Libya was spelled “Lybia” in two places in the article. The Grand Opening: University correct spelling is “Libya.” Center for the Arts 56 | 36 12 to 3 p.m. CALENDAR 1400 Remington St. in Fort Thursday Collins Today The campus and local Partly Cloudy Math, Science and Technology communities are invited to Day attend a free BBQ at noon, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. complete with the CSU Pep 64 | 38 Lory Student Center Main Band playing spirit tunes. Ballroom Following this, there will be a Friday The 17th Annual Math, ribbon-cutting ceremony and an Science, and Technology Day open house. Sunny is open to the general public and is free. Seven Days for Seven Dollars 66 | 41 6 p.m. Healthy Harvest Cooking Class This event is a unique Noon to 1:30 p.m. opportunity for individuals Gifford Building Rm 114 to challenge their habits of The Nutrition Center at CSU consumption and try to get a presents “Healthy Harvest,” sense of what hunger might an interactive cooking class to mean to the one billion+ people demonstrate recipes and tips for who live on $1 a day. quick, nutritious meals. The event offi cially starts on Thursday at 6 p.m. and goes 7 p.m. Women at Noon through Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. Through this week-long event, Loco Local Noon to 1 p.m. Lory Student Center Rm 214-216 participants will grow in their The Kathryn T. Bohannon understanding of the way they 9 p.m. Women at Noon program use food and the availability of Urban Takeover will present “Celebrating food in our society. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Activism in CSU Volleyball vs. UNLV 11 p.m. Northern Colorado.” 7 to 9 p.m. The Twilight Zone Join us as we learn about the CSU Rams volleyball plays successes and challenges UNLV in Las Vegas. Be sure these activists have faced. to catch the game on The mtn provided by Comcast and Why Going Green Means DirecTV. Going Nuclear 4 to 5 p.m. Friday Clark A, 103 Cans Around the Oval Author Gwyneth Cravens will 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. be visiting CSU to discuss her The Oval journey from skepticism and Join hundreds of CSU students, faculty and staff along with fear to an understanding that LISA STREEB| COLLEGIAN nuclear power is the only large- K-12 schools, area businesses, Tanner Irwin, a junior art major, works in the Art Department computer lab on Tuesday.