APRIL 24, 2025 | NEWS | By Olivia Link (Staff Writer)
Colorado College Student Government Association (CCSGA) held its last meeting of Block 7 on April 10. The council heard first from CC’s Outdoor Education (OE) program, which requested funding assistance for the annual Pride Outside event. Of the $6,765 needed to run the event, OE requested $3,765 in additional support. They are hoping to draw bigger crowds this year with more food and skill-specific workshops.
The event will feature arepas, games, live music, an outdoor gear sale and local LGBTQ+ resources. Participants can also try a 50-foot inflatable obstacle course and make bracelets out of yucca. It is one of the main events on campus centered around the queer community, and this year, they hope to exceed the 100 to 200 person attendance of last year. Sonia Guliak ‘25, of the finance committee, advocated for providing the full amount, stating that “with the current events, we thought it would be important to support a diverse community” at CC. The amount would leave around $6,400 in the special events fund for the rest of the year. CCSGA voted unanimously to fund the event, which will take place on April 25.
Student Body President Koray Gates ‘25 proposed a new bill that would allow student organizations to use some of their funds for senior regalia, such as cords and stoles. These allocations are currently not allowed, as CCSGA’s funding is designated for things that benefit the entire student body. The bill would only allow the purchase of stoles and cords, and the funding would still come out of the club budgets. Furthermore, recipients of senior merchandise could be taxed on it due to funding regulations. Gates argued that student clubs should at least be given the option to celebrate seniors. He explained that senior regalia “allows seniors to be recognized for the contributions they’ve had in the community.” The bill passed unanimously, making it the first ever unanimous bill in CCSGA history.
The meeting concluded with a discussion on recent administrative conflict over funding for the event put on by Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), a conservative student group, last block. Gates, along with faculty sponsors, attended an emergency meeting with Dean of Students Lacy Karpilo on April 10 to discuss CCSGA’s decision not to fund the YAF speaker, as well as the college’s ultimate choice to override the funding denial. Despite administrative pushback, CCSGA members do not believe they made the wrong move. “I unequivocally believe that we did make the right decision,” said Gates. “I’m proud that everyone was able to come together and have that discussion and think critically.”
Gina Jeong ‘25 added, “I know our own biases play a role in decision-making, but I think we followed the bylaws.” According to Gates, the college received a letter of warning from the attorneys of the national chapter of YAF. CC’s legal counsel and members of administration agreed to fund the event, presumably to avoid legal action. Karpilo also arranged a meeting with CCSGA members to review the bylaws once they are finalized.
Several members mentioned being hurt by the administration’s overruling of their decision; when discussing YAF complaints, Sophomore Class Representative Sophia Murphy ‘27 said, “I would have liked to be cued in on that conversation… it feels disrespectful to our positions and the student body that elected us.” She continued, “It’s upsetting to me that the administration is able to do that without talking to us. What does that say about who our administration is catering towards?”
Saw Sow ‘28 declared, “we represent the student body… (Karpilo) represents the institution. We have two different roles.” The council agreed that freedom of expression and political diversity are important features of a college campus, but many raised concerns about what they saw as administrative capitulation. Posy Vogt ‘25 said that “conservative voices have a place on this campus, but it is different to fund an event that seems harmful to students in our community.”