This story is published as part of U.S. Democracy Day and the Utah College Media Collaborative, a cross-campus project bringing together emerging journalists from Salt Lake Community College, the University of Utah, Utah State University and Utah Tech University.

Ranging from polarization to the closure of student resource centers, University of Utah students shared their thoughts and concerns on democracy with The Daily Utah Chronicle. The Chronicle discussed this topic for International Day of Democracy.

A March Pew Research Center report showed that most people in 24 countries are unhappy with their democratic systems. In addition, 74% said they believe elected officials don’t care what they think. Similarly, Jamie Lachowsky, a freshman and games major at the U, said he feels like state lawmakers ignore his thoughts and have pushed against his interests.

DEI Changes

Lachowsky cited the LGBT Resource Center’s closure as an example.

“It’s just sad to watch and experience … and [it does not] feel as safe because I don’t know where these people are or how to find them or interact with them because we don’t have those places anymore,” Lachowsky said.

In January, Utah passed an anti-DEI bill. The bill led the U to close the LGBT Resource Center alongside the Women’s Resource Center and the Black Cultural Center.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the law does not currently require state colleges to disband their cultural resource centers. However, in a press conference, University of Utah President Taylor Randall said closing the centers and forming two broader cultural centers was based on uncertainty over the law.

“We could have taken other centers forward,” Randall said at a press conference. “We just thought if all the universities did that, there was a high likelihood they would all get rejected. That is just purely a judgment call on our part.”

Lauren Antley, a senior and strategic communication major, said she thinks the U decided to shut down the resource centers without considering students’ perspectives.

“I feel like the students haven’t had much say about that,” Antley said. “The teachers have tried to put their say in, but … nothing is really happening.”

Over 900 U faculty members and staff signed a letter condemning the closure of the resource centers in July.

Gerrymandering

Brenna Dunn, a senior civil engineering major, expressed concern about the state legislature’s power to overrule the voters. She pointed to lawmakers repealing Proposition 4, a ballot initiative that assembled an independent committee to redraw congressional maps to prevent gerrymandering.

In July, the Utah Supreme Court ruled that lawmakers’ repealing Proposition 4 was unconstitutional. In response to the court’s ruling, the legislature passed proposal Amendment D in a special session on Aug. 21. The proposal would amend the state constitution to allow lawmakers to repeal or amend any ballot initiative passed by voters.

Despite her concerns, Dunn said she feels her views are sometimes represented in state politics.

“Luckily, every time I’ve written to a congressperson, I feel like that has been heard,” Dunn said.

Political Polarization

Zoe Foster, a non-degree-seeking student, said one of her main concerns is the growing polarization between the two parties and the need for mediated discussions.

“I feel like a lot of the news that we get is either/or, and it’s not a lot of both/and,” Foster said. “You really have to search for the both/and kinds of discussions.”

Political polarization has increased animosity between voters. A Pew Research Center report in 2022 found that 72% of Republicans think Democrats are more immoral than other Americans. Meanwhile, 63% of Democrats think the same about Republicans.

The growing resentment between the two parties has made political rhetoric more antagonistic. According to a 2023 Pew report, 84% of Americans think political debates have become less respectful.

Andrew Grow, a freshman games major, said candidates seem less focused on policy and are more concerned about painting the opposition in a bad light.

“I’ve seen a lot of [politicians] trying to point out the things the other candidates are doing wrong and not building an argument that stands on its own,” he said. “They’re trying to put the blame on other people rather than … be accountable and trying to solve problems.”

Giovanni Radtke reported and wrote this story as a journalism student with the University of Utah’s The Daily Utah Chronicle. His article is part of U.S. Democracy Day, a nationwide collaborative on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, in which news organizations cover how democracy works and the threats it faces. To learn more, visit usdemocracyday.org.

g.radtke@dailyutahchronicle.com

@GiovanniRadtke

The post U Students Voice Their Thoughts on Democracy first appeared on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

As the game droned on, the faces of all 40,099 people in a record-setting Canvas Stadium crowd quickly faded from glee to gloom.

The Rocky Mountain Showdown waited 28 years to make its return to Fort Collins in what was a highly anticipated bout between the only two Football Bowl Subdivision squads in the state. Any hope for a Colorado State football win quickly faded into despair in the 28-9 onslaught, courtesy of Colorado.

Ram fans should take the first quarter, hold onto it and try to forget the rest because this was a game that is sure to leave a sour taste in anyone’s mouth who ever uttered the phrase ‘I’m proud to be a CSU Ram.’

There’s not much to spin positively for CSU. The offense lacked identity and the defense lacked any hope at stopping the high-powered CU engine.

“We just weren’t good enough tonight,” coach Jay Norvell said. “Little disappointed in the turnovers that we had and disappointed in the penalties.”

Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi has started the season throwing three interceptions to one touchdown. Saturday night, one of those interceptions happened right off of a big CSU defensive stop to begin the third quarter.

Backed up in his own end zone with a chance to regain some momentum, Fowler-Nicolosi threw across his body — something every coach will advise against — leading to an interception and crushing any hope for a comeback campaign.

“Whenever I set our defense behind the chains and put us behind schedule, it’s unfortunate and it takes a toll,” Fowler-Nicolosi said. “But it’s something I can learn from and capitalize on next week. But at the end of the day, there’s one turnover where it’s just mental error — no need for it.”

The untimely turnovers are something that Fowler-Nicolosi has struggled with his entire collegiate career. This season, there was hope that he would be able to turn those around, and although that is something that has failed to come to fruition thus far, Norvell maintains his confidence that things will change for the better for the redshirt sophomore.

While certainly there were points where the offense set the defense “behind the chains,” there were also points where the Rams defense struggled to get out of their own way. CSU has prided itself on playing clean and avoiding big penalties, but CSU had two resounding penalties that gave dwindling CU drives new life.

Andrew Laurich was called for roughing the passer after an incomplete pass that otherwise would have brought up a third-and-13. The other one came on a second-and-21 when James Mitchell was called for a face mask following a 16-yard run by Micah Welch.

“I think obviously penalties really hurt you,” Gabe Kirschke said. “I think we need to clean those things up. Obviously, we haven’t had a lot of penalties going into this game, but obviously emotions and stuff get into it.”

The turnover issues weren’t exclusive to Fowler-Nicolosi. After a promising drive, that could have put the Rams within two scores, Keegan Holles put the ball on the ground with goal-to-go. 

While the Rams proceeded to force their own fumble on the ensuing drive, it wouldn’t matter much as Fowler-Nicolosi had to throw the ball up on fourth-and-long, leading to a Travis Hunter interception.

“Those turnovers are killers,” Norvell said. “We weren’t good enough to consistently beat them man-to-man.”

On the contrary, that was something that Shedeur Sanders and Hunter had no issue doing. Each looked the part of the top-10 projected picks they’re expected to be in the NFL.

Sanders threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns, completing 36 of his 49 attempts. Hunter was on the receiving end on 13 of those completions for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

That assault through the air, was one of the biggest contributing factors in Norvell falling to 0-6 now in rivalry games as the CSU football head coach. It is, however, only September and the Rams have time to turn things around — something that has to be done.

“The good thing is we have a lot of season left, but we also have to look at where we have to prepare better to play in a game like this and to play well,” Norvell said. “And that responsibility falls on me and we’ll go back to work on that.”

There’s no way around the fact that the game concluded with disappointment clinging to the air. Now, the Rams will take 24 hours to wallow, before setting their sights on the task ahead.

The story now: how will CSU move forward from this, and can it light a fire and turn around the season?

“Lean on the things you trust in and the people you can abide in, is really what I’d say helps me get through it,” Fowler-Nicolosi said. “I mean it sucks, I’m not going to sit here and say it doesn’t suck. It’s a huge rivalry, emotional game. A lot went into it, so at the end of the day, yeah it’s tough, and it’s going to be tough to get over, but we got the boys. Lean on the boys and rally with them.”

Reach Damon Cook at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @dwcook2001.

Interested in more sports content? Sign up for Ram Report here for weekly CSU sports updates!

Student members can be a dime a dozen for local neighborhood organizations close to campus, but student involvement in these groups can provide a unique and fresh perspective many older residents are looking for. 

Past and present students working in neighborhood organizations say working with these associations allows them to impact their whole community, rather than just University students. 

George Masson, who recently finished graduate school at the University of Minnesota, said his time as a board director for the Southeast Como Improvement Association (SECIA) allowed him to connect with his neighborhood and local environment. Masson said he and his partner, who was also on the board, formed strong relationships with the older residents around them. 

“Getting involved with SECIA allowed me and my partner to feel like we were part of something bigger than ourselves, allowed us to really have a connection to our neighborhood,” Masson said. “Which is something that neither of us had really experienced before.”

Fourth-year University student and former Minnesota Daily employee Kelly Rogers is a current member of the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association (MHNA) and former SECIA vice president. She said her times with SECIA and MHNA have shown her how local governments can function and how she can make an impact on her community. 

“I feel like it was a really great way to experience what it might look like on a city council level or a larger organization,” Rogers said. “You really get to see the changes happen and you get to see the stuff come alive.” 

Many of the local neighborhood associations struggle with student recruitment but would like to see greater student involvement in the future, according to Executive Director Chris Lautenschlager at the MHNA. 

Masson said student recruitment to these organizations tends to be difficult, as most members are older. Masson added these associations are an opportunity for students to get hands-on experience in their communities which schools are not always able to offer. 

“Going to school is one thing of taking classes, but I think going out and actually trying to do things like build a pollinator garden or write a grant or something like this is something different entirely,” Masson said. 

Rogers said she learned about the administrative work of an association during her time as SECIA vice president. Now as an MHNA student member, Rogers said she plays a more participative role as a student-representative. 

Rogers said there is a lot of overlap between neighborhood associations and the Minneapolis City Council that students may not realize. Rogers added that neighborhood associations offer many community initiatives and community-engaged policy-making. 

“Students have an intrinsic stake in these decisions but are maybe less aware of the kind of influence that they can have on the outcome,” Rogers said. 

Masson said he was a part of SECIA’s environmental committee, where he helped create pollinator gardens around the neighborhood. He said his main focus in the association was the impact and importance of taking care of our ecosystem rather than representing all University students. 

Rogers said living across SECIA’s pollinator gardens was a constant reminder of how big someone’s impact can be when a part of these local organizations. Rogers added she felt a sense of belonging as she formed connections with longtime residents of these neighborhoods. 

“Getting to know your neighbors is so awesome,” Rogers said “You really start to build a community that feels a lot more like home.”

Residents of Machias can all agree, there is a new face to UMM. From repaints of the building interior to paved roads, we’re putting ourselves back on the map and back out into the world. This year, UMaine Machias welcomed a shockingly large freshman class, and they are no joke. From Bridge to Orientation to student events, these students know how to show up and bring the energy.

So, let’s talk about them!

When Covid hit, Machias was struck with a large drop in student activity and has slowly been increasing its confirmation numbers to get back to the glory it held before. This year, the class of 2028 is bringing the heat, with 27 students attending our weeklong freshman seminar, Bridge, and 30+ more students at Orientation. This spike wasn’t just welcome by the community, but by the students too. With 20 Orientation leaders, they were excited to plan out activities and meet all of the new freshman. It’s not every day you get to pass down the stories of your campus before you leave. Even Dean Walsh was seen being active with our freshman and upperclassmen, signing the orientation t-shirts and giving a beautiful speech during lunch. With such a close-knit community on and off campus, the freshman were warmly welcomed into all aspects of the campus.

With such a large class, it’s easy to see why they’re so upbeat. Their attendance is much more than just for show. They enjoy heading to events with their friends and even talk to the upperclassmen about classes and pathways. So many students can confidently say that they confirmed to UMaine Machias simply from the wonderful tours given by our admissions student workers, who also run our student activity events. It’s safe to say that our freshman are in good hands this year, and the future of UMM is as bright as ever.

Anna Bialkowski
Staff Writer

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of traveling up to Gainesville to visit a close friend of mine and past Editor-in-Chief, Emma Poole. We went on a pretty ambitious five mile expedition in search of the illustrious wild bison that live in the Paynes Prairie State Park, the last wild herd in the state of Florida. We were observed by a deer hiding in the shade under some wild oak trees, and were constantly bombarded by swarms of flies, grasshoppers and mysterious buzzing sounds. Our shoes got soaked in mud, and sweat glistened on our faces. Although we did not get the opportunity to see any wild bison or horses, I am still so thankful for being able to explore a Florida State Park. 

Recent decisions regarding the Great Outdoors Initiative have caused Americans to worry about the future of Florida’s state parks. Worry and distress that hotels would dominate the natural ecosystems was a common thread on social media, and many people held that belief about the initiative. However, it appears that the initiative had a different intention. 

“I heard that they were trying to put golf courses and pickleball courts on protected land … My environmental teacher was upset about it because we already don’t have that much protected land,” biology student Reese Laird said. 

With all of the outrage that has surrounded this initiative, there is a deep misunderstanding surrounding the issue. Although this executive order was thrust into the hands of Sen. Ron Desantis, the Great Outdoors Initiative has been in the works for over a decade. Online records referencing the order go as far back as 2011, when it was originally proposed by then President Barack Obama. According to an Oct. 2023 news release, DeSantis announced that this initiative was meant to “encourage Floridians to go outdoors and explore Florida’s natural resources, including our award-winning state parks, vast recreation areas, and world-renowned waterways.” This would also give way to discounted prices on tickets for families and annual state park passes or for those wishing to obtain a fishing or hunting license. Within this news release, there is no mention of developing hotels, golf courses, or any such industrial developments.

In a press release from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the goals of the initiative included, “expand public access, increase outdoor activities and provide new lodging options across Florida’s state parks; reinforcing the state’s dedication to conservation, the outdoor recreation economy and a high quality of life for Floridians.”

FSC biology professor Dr. Lauren Griffiths says that from her perspective, there is nothing inherently wrong with wanting to bring people to state parks, and that while there might not be any malicious intent, the ecological viewpoint is still a point of contention.

“Going in and removing some of those natural ecosystems is something that I think is often overlooked when we look at trying to add in more mix use applications,” Griffiths said.

While lodging in a state park might seem counterproductive to the integrity of the initiative, I do not think that any assumptions should be made without looking at blueprints or plans. Some infrastructure could bring more awareness to the state parks.

For instance, the visitor center at the Paynes Prairie State Park was nestled naturally into the park, and actually helped give some perspective on the wildlife that could be seen there. A visitor center is not the same thing as a pickleball court, or lodging for people to stay at, but it is still a man-made building that ultimately helps give people information and draws in engagement. 

Structures added to state parks should exist to enhance the experience of the park itself. For example, a disc golf course is not very damaging to the integrity of the nature around the park. Pickleball courts are different, though, since they require more space to be cleared and are made with asphalt. In terms of lodging, with the right amount of careful precision and respect for surrounding land, it wouldn’t be much different from making a visitor center. The incentive of bringing in families could work, as long as the building is not infringing on the local ecosystem.

“The purpose of state parks is for the people of Florida to be able to use them and we can’t expect everybody to want to go out to them if all we’re giving them is hiking land,” Griffiths said. 

Bahia Honda State Park located in Big Pine Key, Florida, is an example Griffiths uses to illustrate that there are several amenities and cabins that function as semi-resorts. However, it is integrated in a way that upholds the integrity of the nature of the park. 

Putting down an excessive amount of human infrastructure won’t increase awareness, but integrating something to enhance the experience of the land certainly could. 

Moving forward with issues like this, doing the appropriate research can help guide people in the right direction and find out what is really going on. 

“Don’t just take what you’re given as fact,” Griffiths said. “With that, a lot of the nuance gets lost; we lose this ability to recognize that there is another side of this.”

The nights are accompanied by a slight chill, the leaves are fading from summers green to a faint auburn, the closet turnovers are taking full effect and the sweaters are out to play. However, I am sure that anyone who loves reading as much as I do can attest that the coming of fall also means time for more books. As I consider myself an avid mood reader, my bookshelves seem to call to me more and more as the weather shifts. 

Over the years, I have come across many novels that personify autumn so clearly that I can feel myself drifting in a sea of falling leaves. Of course if I were to list them all, we would be here until winter, which defeats the purpose of this little guide. Allow me to jumpstart your list with a few of my favorite classics that scream autumn. 

The Secret History

If you are looking for the epitome of an autumn reading experience, Donna Tartt’s “The Secret History” will provide it. The novel falls into the genre of dark academia but is often referred to as a modern classic as well. I will warn you the writing is a bit pretentious, but the storyline makes it generally easy to follow.

The plot is narrated by a character named Richard Papen who recounts his time as a college student attending the elite Hampden College in Vermont. He divulges his involvement in the murder of a man named Bunny who was a member of Richard’s inner circle. The story consists of the group’s disheartening attempts to conceal their secret which ultimately costs them greatly.

This novel is the perfect mix of all things autumn in its ambiance; both its setting and plot speak to the nature of “spooky season.” The aura is vaguely reminiscent of the cult classic “Dead Poets Society,” a film adaptation of the dark academia genre. 

Carmilla

If you are anything like me, then the chill in the autumn air calls for a good vampire story. “Carmilla,” a classic novel by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, was one of the first works of vampire fiction ever recorded as its publication in 1872 predates Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” by 25 years. The novel is a staple in the gothic romance genre and is widely known as the original vampire story. 

The plot follows a wealthy girl named Laura who lives an extremely isolated life with her only companion being her ailing father. Laura thinks that her prayers have been answered when a carriage crashes near their property resulting in a woman named Carmilla needing to take up residence in her home. Laura is immediately hypnotized by Carmilla’s beauty and their friendship turns the corner of romance quickly. 

Their romantic dalliance quickly turns obsessional as Laura begins to notice Carmilla’s volatile mood swings and strange nighttime disappearances. As Laura’s health takes a random decline and she is plagued by feverish nightmares, she and her father begin to realize that Carmilla might not be the picture of innocence that she presented. 

In company with more modern sapphic vampire novels like “A Dowry of Blood” and “An Education in Malice” by S.T. Gibson, “Carmilla” is the perfect embodiment of autumn.

Frankenstein

“Frankenstein” is a cornerstone of gothic and science fiction literature and has been adapted many times in all forms of media. However, I believe the rendition of the story told by Mary Shelley is the most impactful. The story follows young scientist Victor Frankenstein, who grapples with his desire to have power over life and death by creating a monstrous creature out of human body parts. 

The plot unfolds in the form of letters as Victor recounts his experience creating and dealing with the price of cheating death as his creation turns on him. The monsters mission throughout the novel is to torment Victor mercilessly. The novel deals with the dichotomy of monstrosity versus alienation and how they collide in unexpected ways. 

As one of the primal additions to the gothic literature scene, “Frankenstein” corners the market as being an autumn necessity. If you are a reader who feels intimidated by classic novels but wants an introduction to the genre for the fall vibes, this story is a good place to start. It has an easy-to-understand storyline and the writing is far less ornate than that of other classics. 

Honorable Mention: If We Were Villains

I have written about “If We Were Villains” in a previous article, and while it is not considered a classic, I thought it would be criminal not to include it. In my eyes, it is the perfect autumn read and one of my favorite books.

This dark academia novel by author M.L. Rio explores the thematic elements of friendship and betrayal through a group of students at the fictional Dellecher Classical Conservatory. The students study Shakespeare and as the lines between stage and reality blur, they find themselves in the midst of a bundle of irreparable mistakes. Former Dellecher student Oliver Marks recounts his time at the academy and the horrific events that occurred during his fourth year in which a murder was committed at the school, but no one knows how or by whom. The dichotomy between the students’ personalities on and off the stage turns deadly.

The novel’s eerie atmosphere accompanied by the backdrop of a murder mystery makes it the best book to kick off the “spooky season.” The book shares several plot elements with Donna Tart’s “The Secret History,” but reimagines it in a slightly less pretentious manner, so they are both worth a read.

The post Return to the Classics as an Autumn Reader first appeared on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

ALEX LASSITER: Hello, lovely people! It’s Alex Lassiter with the Minnesota Daily, and you’re listening to In The Know, a podcast dedicated to the University of Minnesota.

Well, gang, we’re back! And things are looking pretty busy on the UMN campus! This happens every single year, the U turns into such a ghost town when summer rolls around. But the second classes start back up again, it’s a swarm of students scrambling to cut their way through the crowd and get to class on time. In all the hustle and bustle of a fresh new school year, it’s easy to forget to relax.

Fortunately, there are quite a few events on the University campus that students can partake in to unwind and meet new people. One of these weekly events is trivia, co-hosted by Calvin Hume, where students can test their knowledge on various subjects like history, pop culture and Beyoncé.

CALVIN HUME: Well, I went to every trivia my freshman year and I just, I loved it so much. I loved the people who were hosting and I was like, I thought it’d be really cool if I could take over that someday and then, one random day they just said, “We’re hiring, come apply!”

And then I was like, “Okay,” and then I applied, got the interview, and got the job. I thought it just seemed like a really good place to get a community and make a lot of friends, and I’ve done that so far, so it’s been a really good opportunity.

LASSITER: And through this position, Hume found his community. His co-host, Noah Schmidt, wanted to help make the space more welcoming to people seeking community, and get really creative with planning the themes.

NOAH SCHMIDT: I would just say that when I was a freshman, I just tried out some of the events, and I always went in thinking they seemed kind of fun. I always had a lot more fun than I thought I was going to have. And so it’s just a great way to hang out with your friends with, like, a specific something to do.

I really liked the Audience Choice Trivia we did at the end of the year last year. Just because we just like mashed a whole ton of the recommendations people did into one big trivia. And that was really fun. And also I got to make a Muppets round where people had to guess the silhouette of the Muppet. And that was a big hit. It was super, it was so much fun.

LASSITER: And the themes don’t stop there! This semester, attendees will be tested on their knowledge of reality TV, comics and RuPaul. Your expertise on niche topics will be stretched to the limit no matter where you come from, even if it’s from a galaxy far, far away.

SCHMIDT: I’m really excited for Star Wars trivia, just because that’s over Homecoming, and so I know that usually the energy around Homecoming events is a lot higher and more fun. And also, we have a lot of fun prizes and stuff picked out, and it’s going to be a really good time.

HUME: And that was really fun, because me and my old co-host Crystal, we both dressed up. I wore a Stormtrooper costume. We had cardboard cutouts. We kind of went all-out for that one, and that one was really fun. Or Glee Trivia, which was the first one last spring. Because that one we had, we brought it in like a slushie machine. Gave out slushies to all the people who came. 

I think they’re just a really fun time for any student. That’s not just freshmen. We have lots of regulars who’ve come every year of their college experience and they’ve come up and told us, like, “Yeah, we’ve been coming since freshman year and it’s been such a great tradition.” And, like, these traditions are what really has bonded a lot of friends and made people meet new people.

LASSITER: So I paid a visit to Thursday trivia to check it out for myself, and it was about as high intensity as I was expecting.

The crowd that popped out filled up the entire gameroom. And some of the questions were really cool. There was a whole section on events from just this past summer and a portion where players had to guess a whole song by listening to a small sample.

On the way out of the event hall, I caught up to a group of players and stopped them to ask about their trivia-going experience. Turns out, they’d also had a tradition of visiting the trivia hall since freshman year.

TRIVIA GROUP: As freshmen, you know, there’s like, I don’t know. Everyone’s always looking for like more things to do and we saw a trivia was happening on Thursdays and we’re like, “Hey, this might be something fun for us to do, you know?” And we went as a giant group and it kind of came out as a tradition whenever we could.

LASSITER: So you guys have been coming since, like, freshman year-ish?

GROUP: Pretty much, yeah. Yeah. With a few, like, other friends. But yeah, like, we just kind of went as a big group. Just, yeah, kind of just, I think we’d, like, meet up in the dining hall, and we’d be like, “Let’s go to trivia!” So then we would go just as a big group. It was fun.

LASSITER: Have you guys ever won?

GROUP: Nope. Never won, but we’ve gotten so close. We’ve gotten third place. Multiple times. And second. And second. Multiple times. That’s why we keep coming back.

LASSITER: Trivia takes place every Thursday in Goldy’s Gameroom in the basement of Coffman Memorial Union. It, like Bingo on Wednesdays, is a consistent event that students can attend weekly with friends, making it super easy to slot into a busy routine filled with classes and work. But what if you’re looking for something a little more spontaneous?

Jordan Martinez, a social event planner with Student Unions & Activities, organized a ton of upcoming events, like tote bag making on Sept. 20 at Coffman, and a Wes Anderson movie marathon on Sept. 27 at the St. Paul student center.

JORDAN MARTINEZ: I really find it that a lot of people enjoy the craft events that we host on campus. The resources of just having a free event and things for people to do on weekdays, or weekends instead of going out and stuff. Like we have an opportunity to change that and just give the students something else to do. 

We know that it’s always hard to, like, meet new people on campus. But we just encourage those that are interested in it to just come and stop by and we’ll be more than willing to, like, hang out with you and talk to you about stuff that’s always happening on campus.

LASSITER: Last Saturday, I took a trip back to Coffman Memorial Union, this time going behind the building for a bonfire event featuring games, tie-dye shirts and s’mores.

A swarth of students, freshman and beyond, had shown up to ring in the first Saturday of the new school year. And I won’t lie, it certainly helped that there was a food truck. I’m not kidding when I say that when it opened up, people were getting out of line for the main event in favor of the flavor. When I asked a group of girls waiting in line to get some munchables what the main reason they came to the event was, they all shared the exact same answer.

So what inspired you, yeah, to come out to this event tonight? Like, what was the main draw for you?

GIRLS: The food. The food. The food. The food, and they had like a movie going on, and they had more than like one thing happening at the same time. Yeah, definitely, there was, like, stuff, yeah. And it’s free.

LASSITER: Yeah, the variety and the freeness of it all? That’s super great. So have you guys actually been inside the space yet?

MEREDITH ANELLA: Yes, I tie-dyed a shirt. 

CAMDYN ORTH: And then the food opened up, so we came over here, but there’s s’mores that we probably will go try out.

LASSITER: So the food really is the main draw of tonight?

GIRLS: Oh, 100%.

LASSITER: I do not blame you, absolutely, it looks like good food.

The freshman girls you just heard, Grace Pierce, Camdyn Orth and Meredith Anella, said they hadn’t seen anything with this level of interactivity.

The girls had come from a Gopher football game earlier in the day, and had also visited a lot more campus events than I had back in my freshman year. They said the wide variety of activities helped them to form new connections.

ORTH: Like I’ve met so many people, like going out and doing things. Like it’s a good opportunity.

ANELLA: It’s like you don’t have to just come here and talk to people, like there’s stuff to do. You could start a conversation next to the person you’re tie-dyeing a shirt with. Like, you don’t have to walk up to someone and be like, “Hi.”

GRACE PIERCE: Everything you go to is going to be a new opportunity and a new memory. So, like, why not go and enjoy campus while you’re here?

LASSITER: There are a ton of super unique one-time events happening all throughout the year, but even the consistent ones like Bingo each Wednesday and Trivia each Thursday change their themes every week, so the questions and prizes can keep you coming back again and again.

And of course, a huge thanks to the Student Unions and Activities for putting these events together. The U is a really big campus, and in the swirling whirlwind of class and work and life, sometimes we just forget to slow down and say hello to the people around us. But it becomes just a little bit easier in an event space like these. Plus, if I’ve learned anything from hosting this episode, you can get anyone to come anywhere if you’re offering free food.

This episode was written by Alex Lassiter and produced by Kaylie Sirovy. As always, we appreciate you listening in and feel free to send a message to our email inbox at podcasting@mndaily.com with any questions, comments, concerns or ideas for episodes you’d like to see us produce this season. I’m Alex, and this has been In The Know. Take care, y’all.

Houston looking to reclaim the Bayou Bucket in their 47th meeting with Rice. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

Houston football will face off against Rice in the annual Bayou Bucket Classic on Saturday, Sept. 14. This will be the 46th meeting between these two teams in this historic rivalry. In the last meeting, Rice won in a double overtime shootout when Houston failed to convert on a two-point conversion. The Cougars seek to take the trophy back home by continuing the momentum they found in last week’s 16-12 loss to No. 15 Oklahoma.

Bayou Bucket Classic History

The annual Houston and Rice game was named the Bayou Bucket Classic in 1974 when the Touchdown Club of Houston introduced the Bayou Bucket trophy. Houston is known as the Bayou City because of the several bayous that flow throughout its area, which contributed to the nickname of this historic rivalry.  

Houston has dominated this rivalry, with a 33-12 record over the Owls. The Cougars won the first official game against Rice in 1971, 23-21. The rivalry was first referred to as the Bayou Bucket Classic in 1974, along with the creation of the Bayou Bucket trophy.

The trophy is around three feet tall and has the scores from every matchup engraved on it. The winner gets to take the trophy to their university until the next matchup. 

The Cougars hold the largest margin of victory in a single game over Rice, with a 64-0 blowout win in 1989. UH holds the longest win streak in the series, with six consecutive wins from 1987 to 1992. In 2023, Houston sought to tie the longest win streak but fell short after a two-point overtime loss to the Owls. 

The Bayou Bucket Classic has been played annually since 1971, except for a few interruptions. Despite this rivalry’s challenges, these two teams have made every effort to continue the game. At this time, the 2026 and 2027 Bayou Bucket Classics were canceled, and both teams rescheduled other non-conference opponents.

Last Meeting

The two teams’ most recent meeting occurred at Rice Stadium on Sept. 9, 2023. The Cougars were coming off a big in-state win against a tough UTSA team. Rice sought their first win of the season after suffering a blowout loss to the Texas Longhorns in their season opener.

The Cougars opened the game as only a two-point favorite against Rice and was predicted to be a competitive game. 

Rice stormed out to a 28-0 lead led by graduate transfer quarterback J.T. Daniels and redshirt junior wide receiver Luke McCaffrey, the brother of NFL star Christian McCaffrey.

The first half continued to be dominated by Rice until Houston scored its first points due to a ten-yard touchdown reception by sophomore receiver Mathew Golden. UH trailed Rice 28-7 at the half. 

The third quarter was a battle and neither team scored. Houston changed that by scoring quickly in the fourth quarter thanks to a one-yard rushing touchdown.

Houston cut the lead to seven with under four minutes left in the game. UH had one last chance to force overtime with 2:34 left on the clock. Junior quarterback Donovan Smith led the offense down the field on an eight-play drive and finished the drive off with a one-yard rushing touchdown, his second rushing touchdown of the game.

Each team scored two touchdowns in overtime, and Houston was forced to go for two. Smith’s pass fell incomplete, giving Rice its first win in this rivalry since 2010. 

What to Expect

The Cougars look to avoid going 0-3 for the first time since 2012 and snap a five-game losing streak dating back to Nov. 11.

Rice is 1-1 on the year and is coming off a dominant 69-7 win against Texas Southern University. The Owls are led by junior quarterback E.J. Warner and senior running back Dean Connors.

Rice has plenty of offensive firepower as seen in the seven offensive touchdowns against TSU. Connors rushed for 113 yards and scored three touchdowns. Warner was very efficient in this game and had two touchdown passes. Rice will lean on these two stars against Houston with hopes of winning back-to-back games in this rivalry.

Houston’s head football coach Willie Fritz outlined his expectations against Rice. “We need to continue to do a better job of becoming situational masters, understanding what to do in different situations,” Fritz said. “We had too many pre-snap penalties, and we need to play clean to be competitive.”

The Cougars have had 18 penalties through two games, and Fritz expects his players to cut down on the self-inflicted wounds.

The Cougar’s biggest key for the game against Rice’s will be their defense. UH only allowed 16 points to a preseason top-ten-ranked Sooner offense last week.

“A sign of a good coordinator is putting your guys in a position to be successful, and he’s doing a good job,” Fritz said. Wood was excellent in mixing up coverages and different looks last game and that kept the OU offense off-balance and out of rhythm.

The Cougars seek to recreate that strong defensive effort and reclaim the Bayou Bucket in Saturday’s matchup with Rice.

sports@thedailycougar.com

—
“Week three preview: Cougars seek revenge in Bayou Bucket Classic” was originally posted on The Cougar

This story is published as part of U.S. Democracy Day and the Utah College Media Collaborative, a cross-campus project bringing together emerging journalists from Salt Lake Community College, the University of Utah, Utah State University and Utah Tech University.

Utah’s three leading gubernatorial candidates took to the stage at Salt Lake Community College’s Grand Theater on Wednesday, engaging in a debate that covered topics ranging from bipartisanship to housing and energy.

Incumbent Republican Gov. Spencer Cox, Democratic challenger Rep. Brian King, and Libertarian candidate Robert Latham each presented their vision for the state, with sharp exchanges highlighting their differing approaches to Utah’s future.

King kicked off the debate with a call for bipartisanship and a criticism of current leadership.

“You deserve better,” he said. “You deserve bipartisanship not unchecked power.” 

Looking for his second term, Cox focused on his achievements in office, highlighting specific tax cuts and teacher raises while criticizing King. 

“We’ve accomplished so much together … the largest tax cut in our state’s history, despite my democratic colleague voting against it,” Cox said.

The debate often turned into a two-person sparring match between Cox and King, reflecting broader tensions between the Democratic opposition and the Republican supermajority that controls Utah’s Legislature. The contrast between the two candidates was apparent as they traded barbs over the current administration’s policies.

Latham, a political outsider, emphasized his role as an underdog.

“I am running to be your liberator,” he said, positioning himself against the traditional two-party system. Though less of a direct participant in the back-and-forth, Latham’s presence on stage marked a rare inclusion for a third-party candidate in a major Utah gubernatorial debate.

Bipartisanship and Polarization

King accused Cox of inconsistency in his approach to bipartisanship, particularly criticizing the governor’s recent endorsement of Donald Trump. 

“Our current governor said he wouldn’t support Trump, and two months ago, he flipped,” King said. 

Cox defended his shift, saying it reflected the will of Utah voters who largely support Trump. 

“It’s sad that my colleague would dismiss the vast majority of voters in our state who support the former president,” Cox said. 

For his part, Latham argued that the polarization stemmed from the two-party system itself.

“It’s historic that a third-party candidate has made this stage,” he said, calling for less government intervention.

Economic Growth and Energy Policy

On Utah’s economic growth, Cox described his term as a success story, pointing to the state’s prosperity under his administration as proof that his policies were working.

“Utah has led the nation in economic growth,” he declared, even joking, “I’d love to build a wall around Utah and make California pay for it.”

King countered that the benefits of Utah’s growth haven’t reached everyone. 

“For people who are struggling, statistics don’t mean anything,” he said, pledging to focus on everyday Utahns if elected.

Energy policy was another point of contention. While acknowledging the importance of the market, King pushed for more aggressive environmental measures. 

“Renewable energy isn’t the future; it’s the present,” King said.

Cox agreed that the free market was crucial but argued for the inclusion of nuclear power to meet growing demand. 

Latham, however, took a broader stance, advocating for an “everything above” energy policy and supporting various energy sources.

Housing and Constitutional Amendments

The state’s housing crisis also sparked a lively discussion. Cox touted his administration’s plan to build 35,000 starter homes by 2028.

“We have a plan; we have legislation,” he said.

King expressed skepticism, asking why so many Utahns still struggle to buy homes despite these promises. 

Latham took aim at what he described as “crony developer capitalism” and promoted a free-market approach to building.

Amendment D, which could give lawmakers more power to repeal or amend voter-passed initiatives, was a particularly contentious issue.

King and Latham both opposed the amendment, calling it a power grab. Cox, who did not say how he’d be voting on the amendment, said it was important to protect the state’s initiative process, adding that he had little influence over constitutional amendments. 

“I don’t get an opportunity to weigh in on this at all,” Cox said. “I don’t even get to call them into session. I think on balance, it’s worth supporting, but it’s close.”

King accused Cox of misleading the public, pointing out that while the governor doesn’t sign constitutional amendments, he had approved bills enabling the amendment’s placement on the ballot.

Utahns will get to vote for their next governor on Nov. 5.

Emerson Hagy reported and wrote this story as a journalism student with The Daily Utah Chronicle at the University of Utah. His article is part of U.S. Democracy Day, a nationwide collaborative on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, in which news organizations cover how democracy works and the threats it faces. To learn more, visit usdemocracyday.org.

e.hagy@dailyutahchronicle.com

@JEmersonHagy

The post Utah’s Fiery 2024 Gubernatorial Debate first appeared on The Daily Utah Chronicle.