A full-time undergraduate, enrolled in 12 credit hours at CSU-Pueblo, pays approximately $800 in student fees each semester. These mandatory fees are in addition to course-specific fees, which can bring the total amount due in fees each semester to more than $1000.

Student fees fund a number of organizations, projects and improvements on campus, but many students don’t know what organizations or projects their money is supporting.

Associate Students’ Government President Timothy Zercher and Anthony Schivelbein, speaker pro-tempore of the ASG Senate, are both members of the Student Fee Governing Board, which is the overseeing organization that handles the allocation of all fees paid by students with the exception of those for specific courses.

Zercher and Schievelbein explained the process by which student fees are distributed and spent by the eight committees that make up the Student Fee Governing Board.

“The Student Fee Governing Board is the board of boards,” Zercher said. “All the student fees go through this board.  As of this year, the Student Fee Governing Board will not approve course or program fees; rather, those fees will be directly approved by the Senators representing the school that the course or program fee would affect.”

“Within the student fees, there are different committees that go from there, and within those committees, there are sub-committees which govern different pools of money that can only be spent on certain things and allocated in certain ways,” Schievelbein added.

“Within each committee, there are representatives from both the faculty and the ASG, as well as any other students who would like to sit on (that committee), and those members are the ones who dictate how the money is spent,” he said. “Then those proposals are sent to administration to approve, and then the money can finally be spent.”

There are eight different fees that a student is required to pay, along with tuition, each semester. One is the facility fee.

Zercher explained that the facility fee covers maintenance projects, upkeep of the fountain and the wolf sculptures, the spirit rock and other special structures on campus.

There are several improvement projects being considered for facility fee funding this year, including a clock tower, which would be a defining characteristic and a central meeting place on campus. All are still in the discussion phase, and students will be involved in any decisions made.

Another fee, which seems to be controversial for students, is the child care fee.

“A lot of people think (child care) is just completely paid for by student fees, but it actually isn’t,” Zercher said. “We have it listed as the ‘child care discount program’ and all of the students fund this discount through fees.”

Zercher said the child care center is not owned by the university, and the child care fee is a supplement that helps students who qualify to use the center at a discounted rate.

The student health fee goes to the clinic and helps fund the basic health care, immunizations and mental health counseling that anyone enrolled at CSU-Pueblo can take advantage of for little or no cost. Since the health center functions much like a physician’s office, the student health fee allows the clinic to keep costs for services at a minimum.

The athletics fee helps pay for uniforms for various university teams, upkeep of the fields and equipment, and the startup costs for club teams that play within the scope of the university’s athletic department.

“This fee goes to the different sports and is allocated by the determined importance of the sport to the school and how much money that sport makes back,” Schievelbein said. “So football gets a large chunk of that because the school makes so much money through it. Sports that don’t have very many spectators will still get a portion of the money, but not nearly as much because it’s not an investment return.”

“The student recreation center fee pays for the student rec center,” said Zercher. “Some money comes from community members because they pay to use the facilities, as do faculty and staff, but the rest comes from student fees.”

The recreation center uses its fee allocation to keep the gym open longer hours, which allows those who use it to be more flexible. It also makes it possible to offer more classes and equipment rentals, and employ more student workers.

The student affairs fee funds student life and ASG activities, leadership retreats, festivals and a variety of other happenings on campus. The Howl, the newsletter for the Office of Student Affairs, is also funded by this fee and uses the phrase “your student fees at work” to describe events sponsored by the department.

The student affairs fee also pays the stipends that ASG members are given each month for their hours of service to the university.

The Occhiato University Center is funded by the student center fee along with a portion of the facility fee. This money pays for the upkeep and maintenance of the OUC, and according to Zercher, a percentage of the fee has been set aside to help cover the costs of the renovation, which is scheduled to begin next year.

The bonds for the original OUC were just paid in full, while the bonds for the renovation are just beginning, and fees have helped to pay them all.

“Universities, like corporations, they live forever,” Zercher said regarding the timing of the renovations. “It’s actually pretty common, when one 20 year bond is done, it’s time to build a new (facility), or maybe before because technology will start advancing even faster, so maybe we’ll need a new one in five years.”

Zercher said that many students whose fees are being collected to fund the OUC renovation will have graduated and moved on before the work is done.

“I will never be in the new ASG offices,” he said. “If I stayed here and got a doctorate, I wouldn’t see the new offices. But the current OUC was paid for by past students. I think, personally, that them paying for my ability to use the Student Center and my current class paying for future generations being able to use a new Student Center is one of the most inspirational things about being part of a university. The fact that the fees I pay today will continue to be utilized for generations to come is very inspirational to me.”

The last fee, and one of the most important, is the technology fee. This fee has many facets including the funding of the central core infrastructure, upgrading of computer labs on campus, replacement of equipment and the funding of two information technology staff members and a work study position.

The rest is allocated to different departments for equipment and upgrades. Students or staff from any department on campus can place a request for funding, but it must be sponsored by the department or a faculty member. The Technology Fee Committee approves the requests and allocates the funds.

Some recent projects that tech fees were apportioned to include the coming upgrades in the Hasan School of Business and new recorders and iPads for the mass communications department.

Both Zercher and Schievelbein realize that the process by which student fees are allocated is a complicated one.

“The Student Fee Governing Board manages all student fees that any student would ever pay. They have to approve it,” Zercher said.

According to Schievelbein, one of the most important things to remember is that student fees at CSU-Pueblo are approved by students, and they are always used to benefit students.

The Columbine Cafe’ will soon have a new name.
File photo

CSU-Pueblo’s Columbine Cafeteria will soon be known by a new, ThunderWolf-inspired name: the PackCafe’.

The Columbine, which is the main dining hall on campus, is located in the Occiato University Center and serves hundreds of students and faculty each day.

Following the school shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, the cafeteria, which was named for the Colorado state flower, has entertained the possibility of a name change. In recent years, the Dining Services Advisory Committee has received feedback from students and parents who felt the name “Columbine” carried too many negative connotations.

Since the OUC is scheduled to start renovations next year, the DSAC and the CSU-Pueblo Associated Students’ Government decided the time had come to reach out to students for name suggestions.

ASG President Timothy Zercher said ASG members were excited to be a part of the process.

“The DSAC recognized the need for a name change, and the ASG coordinated the search and voting,” Zercher said.

The ASG initiated the re-naming contest and solicited possible names through social media as soon as students returned to campus for the fall semester. Voting began on Sept.3 with an online survey and also at the Chartwells campus food fair where students could sample items and cast their vote in person.

The Wolf Den, Wolfie’s Den and the Munch Hall were some of the suggestions that made the final list.

Voting was coordinated by ASG Director of Student Affairs Freddy Correamanrique who verified each vote by PID number to ensure there were no duplicates.

PackCafe’ was the winning entry, but the student who submitted the idea did not leave a name. Zercher is hoping the winner will step forward after hearing the results of the vote.

“We need them to come collect their prize,” Zercher said. “They didn’t leave their name, so we don’t actually know who won yet.”

Although there were only 100 votes tallied, the contest succeeded in giving students a voice regarding changes and issues on campus.

The re-branding of the café is the first of many student opinion polls the ASG plans to conduct this year. Zercher said he wants the student voice really to be heard, and he hopes participation will increase as more people on campus take advantage of the forum provided by student government.

The United Kingdom
courtesy of the Denver Library

UPDATE:  The “no” votes have prevailed in the historic vote for Scotland’s independence from England.  A record number of voters turned out at polls across the country yesterday, with those rallying for independence garnering just under 45 percent of the vote.

The results showed that the majority of Scots were concerned about the political, economic and military implications of a break with England.

Scottish first minister Alex Salmond asked that citizens not dwell on the defeat, but realize how far the country has traveled toward independence and “have confidence the movement is abroad in Scotland that will take this nation forward.”

Scots will now be watching to see if British Prime Minister David Cameron will fulfill his promises of greater power for the Scottish Parliament.

Salmond said “Scotland will expect these to be honored in rapid course.”

__________________________

September 18, 2014 will prove to be a historic day in the United Kingdom; a day filled with nationalism and heightened emotions as Scots from Glasgow to the Highlands and the remote Shetland Islands flock to the poles to vote on the issue of Scotland’s independence from Britain.

The ballot is simple.  It asks “Should Scotland be an independent country?” allowing for either a yes or no answer.  Unfortunately the repercussions of either answer are far from simple.

Scotland and England formally united their governments in 1707, and Scots have been subject to English rule ever since.  Willingly or not, the inhabitants have conformed to an English way of life.  Many of those who favor a “yes” vote believe that Scotland’s heritage and history have been compromised by 300 years of strained allegiance to the crown. They hope that breaking away from England will bolster national pride, unify the country and allow them to govern themselves for the first time in centuries.

Scotland’s highest ranking official Alex Salmond, who initiated the referendum, was quoted in the New York Times as saying “it’s our opportunity of a lifetime, and we must seize it with both hands.  There are men and women all over Scotland looking in the mirror knowing that the moment has come. It’s our choice and our opportunity and our time.”

Those who have come out against independence have cited social and political implications, but the most common argument against independence is the economic impact on the newly sovereign nation.

The question of what currency the country would adopt is just one of many issues the “no” campaign has focused on.  A break with Britain would leave Scotland without the British Pound as its currency. It would either need to adopt the Euro or develop its own currency, and those against the referendum feel that would destroy the economy.

Conservative, British Prime Minister David Cameron has had difficulty persuading many liberal Scots to see the benefits of remaining a part of the UK.  They feel Cameron has made empty promises to give Scotland more control and rights of self-government just to suppress the referendum.

The campaign has influenced many across the UK.  Prominent Scottish and British entertainers have publicly endorsed their choices, and politicians have bombarded the public with predictions of prosperity or doom. Emotional speeches and political ads across every media platform have taken the campaign from a dream of independence to a historically close vote, with both sides expecting victory.

A reported 97 percent of those eligible have registered for the vote, including some as young as 16, and they have been turning out at polling stations in record numbers.

The “yes” or “no” vote will change the face of the UK, and no matter the outcome, Scotland faces some serious challenges including how to remain unified as a nation.  With the population divided down the middle, one side will have to concede, and it is hoped that those on the losing side can put aside their disappointment and keep Scotland’s best interests at heart.

Freddy Correamanrique is sworn in as director of student affairs for the CSU-Pueblo ASG.

The last two weeks have seen Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Associated Students’ Government working through the edits of a revised policy manual and sorting out several personnel changes within the senate.

On Tuesday, Sept. 2, Speaker Andrea Casados tendered her resignation from the ASG citing personal reasons. Following her resignation, the Senate held an election for Casados’ position as well as speaker pro tempore and parliamentarian.

Nominations were accepted and interviews conducted; then voting took place for each position by secret ballot. Senator Paul Martin was elected as new speaker of the senate. Senator Anthony Schievelbein was made speaker pro tempore, and Senator Juan Rodriguez took over as parliamentarian.

The director of student affairs position was filled on Sept. 2 by Freddy Correamanrique, a senior mass communications major who has been working to revamp the ASG website. He said that the changes are almost complete and he will turn over control of the site to IT director Jim Wiley in the near future.

Correamanrique has worked in the Student Engagement and Leadership office, been involved in the renovations of the Underground and has made it his mission to boost morale and get students more engaged on campus through student organizations. As director of student affairs, he said he would like to see more emphasis on the students and the overall perspective of life on campus.

On Tuesday, Sept. 9, the ASG held a discussion about changes to the organization’s policy manual. Updating the manual has been an ongoing project of the new senate.

Some changes that were noted include the addition of activity hours in the scope of a senator’s required office hours and the elimination of the director of academic affairs position. The duties of this director position will now fall to the vice president as the chair of academics.

Once approved, the policy manual will govern the actions and procedures of the CSU-Pueblo ASG for years to come.

In other ASG news, Senator Sarah Zarr progressed from senator at large to CHASS senator, acting Chief Justice Jibrail Dibble was sworn in officially as chief justice, and Harshita Ojha, who is receiving her second master’s degree from CSU-Pueblo, was elected to fill the vacant justice position.

The next meeting of the CSU-Pueblo ASG will be Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m. in room 001 in the OUC. All students, faculty and staff are invited to attend.

Tracy Samora and Paul Browning

CSU-Pueblo will be well represented in the community Saturday, Sept. 6 when Director of Alumni Relations, Tracy Samora and Thunderwolf wide receiver, Paul Browning showcase their talents at the 2014 Dancing with the Pueblo Starz competition.

The annual event, which includes dinner and a silent auction, will take place at the Pueblo Convention Center and is a fundraiser hosted by the Pueblo Downtown Association. Ticket sales will benefit the downtown streetscape program and Pueblo’s Young Marines.

The university has been a presence in the competition for several years. Todd Kelly, president of the CSU-Pueblo Foundation, took first place two years ago, and last year, Director of External Affairs, Cora Zaletel danced in the competition with her son.

Samora, who has been dancing in Pueblo since she was two, helped choreograph Zaletel’s routine and was then asked to represent CSU-Pueblo in this year’s event. She accepted, and when choosing a partner, immediately thought of Browning.

“Paul is competitive and in it to win,” she said. “When I asked him to dance with me, he said ‘absolutely!’”

Browning was ecstatic when Samora asked him to be her partner for the competition.

“I love dancing, so I had to jump at the opportunity,” said Browning. “Tracy is easy to work with because she wants to win, like I want to win. We both knew how much work would have to go into this, which is why we collaborated on the choreography for the dance.”

Many of the competitors work with outside dance studios, but because of Samora’s previous dance experience, she and Browning chose to work out their own routine, and by the second week of rehearsals, they had the choreography down.

Samora and Browning have been rehearsing during their off time, which has been limited with the start of school and the opening of football season. Browning, who is an award-winning wide receiver for the CSU-Pueblo Thunderwolves, had to balance his football practices and school work with his dance rehearsals.

“The closer we got to football season, the stress levels went up, but as our rehearsals progressed, we’d laugh and relax,” said Samora. “Dancing eases the tension of the day. Throughout this process, we’ve taught each other so much.”

“There is a direct correlation between sports and dancing, especially with the footwork. I’ve been dancing probably longer than I’ve been playing football so I think I’m pretty good,” Browning added. “After football is done, look for me on (the original) Dancing with the Stars.”

The music and type of dance for the couple’s routine has been a well-kept secret, but Samora explained that it will be very similar to the routines on the original show.

“We have three minutes to dance, and there will be a panel of judges,” she said. “It will be more contemporary like freestyles on Dancing with the Stars.”

Competing with Samora and Browning onstage this year will be Colorado State Senator George Rivera, Nicole Valdez from the Chieftain, Bureau Chief Charlene Graham of the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office and many other local celebrities.

Samora and Browning said they aren’t worried. They are confident they will come out on top.

“We have great chemistry,” said Samora. “And we are both in it to win.”

The Colorado State University-Pueblo Associated Students’ Government held their first open senate meeting Tuesday, Aug. 26. Several new justices and directors were elected by senate vote.

Acting Chief Justice, Jibrail Dibble, administered the oath of office for justices Gene Wilson and Sundeep Pendyala, as well as directors Jim Wiley, Phill Padilla and Toni Ousley.

Wilson, a junior at CSU-Pueblo, is majoring in political science and Spanish and plans to attend law school after graduation.

When asked about his strengths and leadership skills, Wilson said he has held several supervisory roles at school and work, and he plans to use his experience to serve the university as a member of the ASG. He stressed that it is important to be involved on campus and said he will work to provide a good example for students.

Sundeep Pendyala is a graduate engineering student who received his bachelor’s degree in his native country, India. He said he wants to meet other students, interact with people on campus and be a leader, and being a part of the ASG at CSU-Pueblo is his first step toward reaching that goal.

“ASG is where leaders are made,” he said. “I hope to add value and give 100 percent to the team.”

Pendyala said he is a decision maker and is good at resolving issues, so the justice position is a place where he can utilize those skills.

Jim Wiley, new director of information technology, is starting his second semester at CSU-Pueblo after transferring from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He brings a great deal of outside experience to the IT position including work at CU where he helped raise funding for upgrades. He hopes to produce quick results when issues arise and already sees several opportunities for improvement.

“I see students who get frustrated with the poor Internet access in the academic buildings, and then they return home to the dorms and poor Internet access. When the data systems can’t keep up, we are no longer competitive,” he said, stressing that better campus wide Internet access is one of his top priorities.

The new director of public relations is Mass Communication major, Phill Padilla. He is active in the CSU-Pueblo Brew Club and is an on-air personality on the campus radio station, REV89.

Padilla said he will utilize social media and the ASG website to communicate what the organization is accomplishing and how they are reaching their goals.

“PR is engaging the public and embracing feedback,” he said.

Padilla feels he is a strong listener and will utilize open communication skills and conflict resolution to accomplish his job as PR director.

Graduate student Toni Ousley was the last director to be installed at Tuesday’s meeting. She is currently working toward a master’s in business and will serve as the director of internal affairs for the ASG.

Ousley is a member of the Golden Key Honor Society and has an interest in human resources. She said being a part of the ASG at CSU-Pueblo will give her more experience in leadership roles and communicating with people.

Because she has a strong marketing background, her first order of business as director of internal affairs will be to make sure everyone on campus is aware of what the ASG is doing and how they can be a part.

The new justices and directors began their terms for the 2014-2015 school year Tuesday after being sworn in. There are still several justice and director positions that will be filled and confirmed at upcoming senate meetings.

The next ASG senate meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 6 p.m. in the Occhiato University Center, room 201. All students, staff and faculty are encouraged to attend.

Special Olympic athlete, Steven Higgins, poses with Cisco Cervantes, Trysten Garcia, Michael Linseman and Scott Dow from Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at CSU-Pueblo.

The brothers of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at Colorado State University-Pueblo are regularly involved in community service and recently spent an afternoon performing music for developmentally disabled individuals at the Pueblo Community Resources Day Program.

Cisco Cervantes, Trysten Garcia, Michael Linseman and Scott Dow brought their musical talents to the center where they played several songs and taught listeners about their instruments.

Although they had only practiced together a couple of times, their renditions of Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker” and “Neon Moon” by Brooks and Dunn brought laughter and smiles to their audience.

“We literally just started practicing together as a group the Sunday before the event on Tuesday,” explained Cervantes, who was featured on acoustic guitar. “We all have our own backgrounds, how we learned to play and the inspirations which encouraged us to do so. We all did learn on our own, though. I just knew that between the four of us, we had an extraordinary amount of talent and felt very confident about pulling this off.”

Dow grabbed the audience’s attention as lead guitarist by playing his red Stratocaster behind his head and then with his teeth.  Linseman tied the music together with his five string Ibanez bass.

Garcia, who provided the vocals, is a member of the choir at CSU-Pueblo along with several other Lambda Chi Alpha brothers.  When asked if they planned to turn the group into a real band, he shrugged and said they might.

“Maybe we’ll call ourselves the ‘Lambda Guys’,” he laughed.

Cervantes said, “I’m more than positive that we will be performing again, but as far as developing into a legitimate band, probably not.  We are simply having fun.”

Cervantes’ uncle, Manuel Casias, works at Pueblo Community Resources and along with his supervisor Theresa Sandoval, he helped arrange the group’s visit.  He said that on Tuesdays, those who attend the day program play music, and various staff members lead music classes.  To encourage learning, each of the four musicians took the time to explain a little about their instruments and field questions.

During the performance, a special certificate of recognition was presented to Steven Higgins who attends the day program at Pueblo Community Resources.  Higgins, a silver medalist in the Special Olympics, was made an unofficial brother in the CSU-Pueblo chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha.

Higgins, who was all smiles as he accepted his award, has played a number of sports including basketball, softball, volleyball and track and field.  His silver medal was awarded for football and he has become a celebrity among his friends who cheer him on as he plays for the Pueblo Crush, his local Special Olympics team.

“I love playing sports for the Pueblo Crush.  I’ll always be a Pueblo Crush, for life,” Higgins said.

He said he plans to continue competing in sports and is excited to be a part of the brotherhood of Lambda Chi Alpha.  According to Cervantes, Higgins’ unofficial status will allow him to participate in the fraternity’s events including tailgates and community service projects, and their door will always be open to him.

Lambda Chi Alpha’s community service work includes highway clean-up, the Feeding America Food Drive, working with housing students at CSU-Pueblo on move-in day and volunteering at the Pueblo Zoo.   Cervantes said they will definitely return to Pueblo Community Resources to play music and interact with the day program participants.

“We’ve only just begun,” he said.

Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Tower location in Colorado Springs will celebrate its one year anniversary with a community-wide event called “Party with the Pack” on Wed., July 23 from 4-7 p.m. in the parking lot of the Tower at 2864 S. Circle Dr.

Because many in the community are unaware of CSU-Pueblo’s presence in Colorado Springs, “Party with the Pack” will be an annual branding event for the university which has held classes in the city since 1969.  The newest location, previously housed near the Citadel Mall, relocated to Circle Drive in July 2013. In addition to the Tower, CSU-Pueblo has offices and classrooms on Fort Carson and the staff make regular visits to Peterson Air Force Base to assist military members and their families.

Jon Ullmann, program director at the Tower, said the new location is much more convenient and comfortable than the Citadel for CSU-Pueblo students pursuing degrees in the Pikes Peak region.

“We have eight comfortable, modern classrooms, full student services, a student lounge, computer access, wireless throughout the facility, free coffee and water, and vending snacks,” he said.

“Currently, we offer bachelor’s degrees in sociology, criminology, social work and a new business management degree through the Hasan School of Business.  These are popular with students at Pikes Peak Community College, and since we have the articulation agreement with the community colleges, it’s easy to transfer into our programs.  We are working on bringing several other degrees to the Tower and should have more class offerings in the future.”

“Typical class sizes are small,” Ullmann continued. “The average is 10-15 students. Programs are offered in 8-16 week terms and several formats such as face to face and hybrid instruction to provide the most flexibility to students.”

Because classes at the Tower are mainly in the evening, many of the students enrolled there are military or non-traditional and have full-time jobs during the day.  They enjoy the convenience of the new location and the more personal classes offered there.

Ullmann said the Tower is not just available for classes.  He hopes that those who attend “Party with the Pack” will take a tour and see the potential for holding meetings and conferences.

“Since our classes are held mostly in the evening, rooms are usually available during the day.  I would like to see CSU-Pueblo and even outside companies take advantage of what we have here at the Tower,” he said.

The first annual “Party with the Pack” will include food, drinks, games and music with CSU-Pueblo’s award winning radio station, REV89.  There will be drawings for CSU-Pueblo logo items and gift certificates donated by local businesses.  The event is expected to draw several hundred attendees including current and future students, alumni and community members.

All students and faculty are invited to “Party with the Pack.” For more information visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/CSUPuebloTower.

For the past 32 years, Colorado State University-Pueblo has hosted a week-long summer intensive for young men called the American Legion Boys State.   High school boys from all over Colorado travel to CSU-Pueblo during the first full week of June to receive hands-on experience in forming and governing a fictitious 51^st state.

American Legion members and experienced lawmakers offer guidance to the boys but don’t lecture them like traditional teachers.  Jim Otto, a longtime Legionnaire, said the participants are essentially self-taught and don’t get much sleep because the schedule for the week is intense.

“The first day, the boys set up city governments in groups; on the second day they set up county governments and then on the third day, they form parties and run for state office.  Wednesday is the day where they elect a governor and lieutenant governor and the rest of the week they are writing laws and learning first-hand how government is supposed to work,” he said.

“They write and debate bills that they feel strongly about, and some of them end up presenting those bills to the real state legislature.  Some have even been passed into law,” he added.

According to the American Legion website, Boys State programs exist in every state except Hawaii, with the first being held in 1935 in Springfield, Illinois. For 65 years, Boys State has been teaching government through activities like legislative sessions, court proceedings, law-enforcement presentations and recreation.

Program costs are paid by the American Legion and each participant must be sponsored to attend by their local post.  Boys who participate in the event, complete 58 hours of college level work during the week and earn four college credits when they are finished.

“The boys are also eligible for thousands in college scholarships and two boys from every state are elected to Boys Nation and represent their state in Washington DC,” said Otto. “Last year one of our boys from Colorado received a $20,000 scholarship from Samsung.”

Otto said this year 180 young men participated in the Colorado program, and about 30 of them were from Pueblo.

“The first Boys State in Colorado was held in 1949,” he said. “We had a man from La Junta helping this year who was a part of that first Boys State.”

During the week of Boys State, the participants not only experience government at a fundamental level, but they also take part in a very important observance on the CSU-Pueblo campus.

“The boys get a course in the proper way to hold a flag ceremony,” Otto said.  “The flags that fly over the Southeast Asia Memorial on campus are provided by the American Legion of Colorado.  At the beginning of each Boys State, the old flags are retired and new ones are raised.”

Otto also said the training the boys receive during their week at CSU-Pueblo prepares them to be leaders in their own communities.

He said they are encouraged to run for office when they return to their high schools and use the skills and knowledge they acquired during Boys State.

There is also a program called the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State which offers a similar experience to high school girls.  In Colorado, Girls State is held in June at Western State University in Gunnison.  For more information on Girls State, visit www.alaforveterans.org/Programs/ALA-Girls-State—Girls-Nation.

More information about Boys State and Boys Nation can be found by visiting the American Legion website at www.legion.org/boysnation/stateabout.

The newly elected Associated Students’ Government at CSU-Pueblo has been hard at work this summer, organizing the offices and meeting with administrators to make plans for fall. 

President Timothy Zercher and his team have been updating policy manuals, clearing out obsolete files and settling old accounts before the new school year begins.  Zercher said there is a plan in progress to repaint the offices, add some new furniture and improve the aesthetics of the ASG quarters.

“We are really focused on making the ASG more approachable,” he said. “We want students to be comfortable when they visit us.  It should be a welcoming place.”

Along with the cleaning and redecorating, Zercher also said they have hired an executive assistant to help organize meetings and paperwork.  They are setting up for the election of four directors as well who will work with the ASG in specific areas of involvement.   

“I want students to be aware that we’ll be having fully open applications for the director positions and they should watch for a campus-wide email from me with the details,” said Zercher.  “We’ll also announce it on social media, so they can watch our new Facebook page as well.”

Zercher has been revamping the current Facebook page and other social media accounts for the ASG, hoping to attract more student followers.  He plans to post frequent updates and important information on as many platforms as possible to make the ASG a more visible and interactive organization on campus. 

Since Zercher began as an administrator on the CSU-Pueblo ASG Facebook page, the total post reach has increased over 17,000%. He plans to work on the ASG Twitter page in the near future.  He hopes that students will use social media to interact with the student government and that they will feel better connected as a result.

Another significant change that Zercher is looking forward to is the completion of the new ASG website.  It will be more user-friendly, and material such as committee reports, meeting minutes and member contact information will be accessible to everyone.  It will also be linked to all the ASG social media accounts. 

Although summer is usually a season of leisure at CSU-Pueblo, the new ASG isn’t wasting any time preparing for the successful year ahead.  Students should watch for emails and social media updates about the many important projects the group is planning. 

“We’re working on several events that we’ll be announcing soon,” said Zercher. “We’ll be looking for people to get involved.”

To stay informed of ASG activities, follow the group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CSUPuebloASG and Twitter at  https://twitter.com/CSUPASG.