In 2025, The Catalyst’s headlines were dominated by administrative changes: Colorado College appointed its 15th president, Manya Whitaker, and President Donald Trump entered his second term, implementing federal cuts and freezes that had significant implications for higher education institutions.
President Whitaker announced multiple changes to rebuild the school’s reputation and national presence, including re-entering the U.S. News & World Report rankings. In downtown Colorado Springs, Colo., citizens and students came together throughout the year to protest the Trump administration and its policies.
“2025’s Biggest News in Review,” as determined by Co Editor-in-Chief Lilly Asano and News Editor Sydney McGarr, represents the top stories each month that have impacted CC students over the past 12 months.
January:
President Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on Jan. 20, 2025, and immediately began implementing rapid changes across the board, from federal funding for higher education institutions to policies for people with disabilities.
On January 30, Opinion Copy Editor Kole Peterson ‘27 published an article called “What Donald Trump’s Policies Mean for Disabled People.”
Title IX reforms at a national level had implications on the way CC’s office operated, as reported in early February by Annabel Shenk.
In other January news, TikTok was briefly banned in the U.S., Colorado College switched its healthcare provider to UC Health on Jan. 6, and CCSGA announced a focus on inclusivity.
February:
In February, CC began hosting workshops to inform international students about their rights amid the Trump administration’s threats to cut higher education funding and revoke student visas.
The first anti-Trump protest was held in Colorado Springs, covered by Tessa Franz ‘27. The Colorado Springs People’s Coalition organized the protest in collaboration with the Immigrant Rights Coalition, Southern Colorado Black & Pink, Colorado Resistance Network and Colorado Indigenous Brown Berets. Frantz reported that the protests, which occurred nationwide, were “dedicated to upholding the Constitution and ending executive overreach.”
Colorado College was named a top Fulbright-producing institution, and Esa George ‘25 reported that the Campus Advocate role had been vacant for six months.
Most notably on campus, controversy over student housing peaked when the housing office exempted some students from the selection process as a result of complaints.
CC also shut down its TREE (Teaching and Research in Environmental Education) program after 11 years.
On Feb. 20, The Catalyst released a story detailing how the Housing Department prematurely offered four students an apartment during the 2025-2026 housing selection. Veronica Bianco ‘27 broke the initial story, and the office announced that it would redo the selection process. The second round came with its own set of student outrage, covered by Sydney McGarr ‘27.
March:
Colorado College announced a raise in tuition on March 4, bringing the total tuition to $90,230. The school cited rising costs of wages, benefits, operations and facility maintenance as the reason for the bump.
A vehicle belonging to a staff member was stolen from an on-campus lot south of Ed Robson Arena, sparking a conversation about student sense of security on campus.
In early March, CC was designated as a Research College and University (RCU), which acknowledged that the school boasts significant research funding while offering little to no doctoral degrees.
The campus community mourned the loss of Glenn Ellis Brooks Jr., who was one of the founding fathers of The Block Plan, on March 12.
April:
April was a busy month for news on the CC campus.
Manya Whitaker, Interim President at the time, announced that CC would re-enter the U.S. News & World Report rankings, citing increased visibility in today’s “higher education landscape.” Later in the month, Whitaker joined more than 150 college and university presidents in signing a letter condemning the Trump administration.
Isabelle Rosewater ‘26 covered the controversy that stirred on campus when CCSGA denied funding for a Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) event, which invited Venezuelan Economist Daniel Di Martino to discuss an “economic approach to regulating immigration.” CCSGA denied funding because the event did not align with CCSGA’s bylaws after students raised concerns about international and undocumented student safety.
On April 29, a half dozen students attended a second protest hosted by the Colorado Springs People’s Coalition. The protest followed the arrest of over 100 immigrants in a local Colorado Springs nightclub by the DEA, condemning the arrests. The protest was hosted in front of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Earlier in the month, Grace Ersfeld-O’Brien attended the “Hands Off!” protest at Colorado Springs’ city hall. The protest responded to Trump’s import tax tariff, recent immigration raids, Department of Government Efficiency, federal cuts to higher education and other recently imposed administrative policies.
In other news, CC was named the main venue for the Department of Defense Warrior Games, and Outdoor Education hosted a Pride Outside event following Earth Week. Before the announcement, the Warrior Games had never been hosted at CC. However, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center and neighboring Air Force Academy have both served as venues before.
May:
Students celebrated Llamapalooza, the annual campus music festival. Margaret Freeman ‘28 profiled each musician who played, and Maddy Boneck ‘28 reviewed the limited edition Llamapalooza flavor released by local ice cream shop Josh and Johns.
On May 18, 537 students graduated from CC, the school’s largest graduating class in 150 years. The Class of 2025 originally had 10,969 applicants, and 628 entered as freshmen in 2021. Mike Shum ‘07 served as the commencement Speaker and spoke on the importance of free speech and the press. Shum is an independent filmmaker who specializes “in documentary cinematography and journalism,” according to his website.
June:
After Susan “Stuey” Stewart retired following 31 seasons with CC women’s lacrosse, Ashley “AJ” Johnson was named head coach of the Tigers. Johnson is just the second women’s lacrosse coach in program history, and served as Stewart’s assistant coach for four years.
On June 25, Whitaker was named the 15th president of Colorado College, following a full academic year as interim president. Whitaker, who the Board of Trustees unanimously elected, in a video shared with the school community on June 26, said, “At my core, I’m an educator and nothing brings me more joy than our students.”
“Rest assured that my leadership will remain grounded in collaboration, shared governance, informed decision-making, and respect for diverse perspectives and the deep expertise present on this campus,” she continued.
July:
CC hosted the DoD Warrior Games from July 18 to 26. Events were hosted between Ed Robson Arena, Reid Arena, Donald E. Autrey/Yampa Field and Washburn Field. ESPN+ covered various events, and Robson served as the primary facility.
The new Board of Trustees Chair and eight new Trustees were announced on July 31. Kyle Samuel assumed the Chair role and plans to focus on “enhancing the College’s long-term financial stability, deepening alumni engagement, expanding access for students, and ensuring Colorado College continues to thrive as a bold, forward-thinking institution,” according to an article written by the Office of Communications & Marketing.
The group was approved during the annual summer retreat, and included Kari Alldredge ‘87, Buck Blessing ‘85, Ed Casias ‘87, Andrew Masterman ‘89, Mary Naphtal ‘81, Lalia Scott ‘98, Thayer Tutt, Jr. and Mike Ukropina ‘89.
August:
CC welcomed the Class of 2029 for New Student Orientation, more affectionately known on campus as Priddy, on Monday, August 18, officially kicking off the 2025-2026 academic year. The class represents 47 states and 19 countries with 517 total enrolled students.
On August 28, police investigated a homicide by stabbing that occurred in Monument Valley Park, which is less than half a mile from the Colorado College campus. Director of Campus Safety and Emergency Management Cathy Buckley encouraged students to be aware of their surroundings and travel in pairs near the Tiger Trail.
On campus, water damage from a sprinkler system in Ticknor Hall forced residents to temporarily relocate. In other on-campus news, CC sunsetted its digital app, prompting mixed student reactions covered by Grace Ersfield O’Brien ‘26.
707 Pizza, a new restaurant, opened right next to Ed Robson Arena on campus. Editors Michaela Ocko ‘27 and Sydney McGarr ‘27 wrote a scathing review of the restaurant in early September.
Colorado College received a $12 million dollar gift from the Maclean Family to endow the Career Catalyst program, which provides students with immersive, real-world career experiences. Tessa Frantz ‘27 covered her experience in a Career Catalyst Block with National Geographic in November.
September:
Veronica Bianco ‘27 published The Catalyst’s most viewed story of 2025 in September: “Alumni, Current Players, and Parents Want Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Gone,” detailing controversy surrounding the coach, Mike Horowitz.
Colorado College sunsetted the Stroud Scholars Program, a three-year college-preparatory program for high school students in the Pikes Peak region, after five years.
At the time, Dean of the College and Chief Operating Officer Pedro De Araujo said, “While we’ve been successful in opening doors to the college, fewer Stroud Scholars have chosen to walk through the CC door than we had hoped.”
Polina Panasenko ‘28 covered the annual release of the campus Safety, Security and Fire Report.
Paisley Rekdal, a University of Utah distinguished professor and poet, spoke at Colorado College after being turned down by the Air Force Academy for speaking out against Trump.
On a national scale in higher education, colleges throughout the country faced swatting hoaxes, increasing student concern about safety on campus. Kim Osman ‘29 delved into Colorado College’s plan if it had faced a similar attack.
In late September, a man indecently exposed himself to a female CC student near the walkway of Tutt Library. Isabelle Rosewater ‘28 covered the story.
October:
In October, Colorado College asked for student and community feedback on its new Freedom of Expression policy, covered by Olivia Link ‘28 and Margaret Freeman ‘28.
CC ranked No. 30 among liberal arts colleges in the first year back in the national rankings and moved up 41 spots in the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression free speech rankings.
Olivia Link ‘28 profiled a political activist group that left messages in chalk, ranging from critiques of ICE to calls to defend democracy, on the sidewalks near the Boettcher Center.
As part of the “Work of the College” series, CC announced a new resource-efficient budgeting model at an Oct. 28 event.
Despite being on Block Break, CC students participated in the nationwide No Kings protest on Oct. 18. Nalani Wood ‘25 attended the protest in Bellingham, Wash., wrote on her experience in an opinion article published on Oct. 24. “It was emotionally and politically rejuvenating to hear the thunder of voices shouting into the rain,” Wood wrote. “We danced on wet pavement with strangers in blow-up frog suits, fighting for democracy.”
November:
CC officially inaugurated President Manya Whitaker as the 15th President. Tessa Frantz ‘27 checked in with Whitaker regarding her next moves.
An SUV crashed into a King Soopers grocery store less than two miles from the Colorado College campus, with one CC student describing his experience in coverage written by McGarr.
The Colorado College Student Government Association announced an emergency plan to help students and community members affected by federal SNAP cuts. Colorado voters approved of Propositions LL and MM, which funded free school meals for kids.
Colorado College ranked highly in The Princeton Review’s Green Score Ranking, reflecting increased sustainability efforts. The Board of Trustees held its fall meeting on campus, covered by McGarr. The meeting focused on four main goals: supporting the president’s priorities, institutional strength, shared governance and alumni engagement, according to McGarr. Additionally, Samuel shared that the Board has established a new Advancement and Alumni Engagement Committee, which will focus on alumni relationships.