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The Student News Site of Colorado Mesa University

The Criterion

The Student News Site of Colorado Mesa University

The Criterion

The Student News Site of Colorado Mesa University

The Criterion

A sign from the on-campus dining hall, The Caf, outlines nine foods present at the salad bar, and indicates that none of these options are gluten-free. The Caf’s lack of an allergy-free food station has sidelined students with life-threatening food allergies, such as Celiac disease, who must still pay for a meal-plan while living on campus.

CAMPUS DINING CROSSES CONTAMINATION LINE

Gabby Gallegos, Staff Writer October 5, 2025

Students with food allergies who dine at The Caf are fighting a seemingly neverending battle with getting the food accommodations they need. As required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),...

A sign outside of the Garfield Hall displays the times that the Resident Assistant (RA) duty phone is operational. Students living in Garfield Hall recently knocked on resident doors, pretending to be both RAs and local law enforcement.

“PANTY RAIDERS”

Thomas Chandler, Staff Writer October 5, 2025

Two weeks ago, Garfield Hall’s Residence Assistants (RAs) were put on high alert, as a group of students were causing distress for residents in the building. Reportedly, this group of four or five...

Protester and acting driver, manager and press spokesperson for The Bloodstained Men Mathew Kinnison walks on Independent Avenue and US Highway 6 and 50, holding up a sign that reads: “Circumcision Kills 100+ Boys A Year” and the web address for The Bloodstained Men’s website. The website expresses the group’s views on circumcision.

CIRCUMCISION PROTEST TAKES OVER

Bonnie Duffy, Staff Writer October 5, 2025

The Bloodstained Men staged a protest on Sept. 24 along the intersection between Independent Avenue and US Highway 6 and 50. This protest was a part of their Colorado Circumcision Crisis Protests tour....

Freshman pre-business administration major Luke Travis holds up the rock he found at Highline Lake State Park, which turned out to be an ancient piece of limestone.

FOSSIL ROCKS GEOLOGIST CONFIDENCE

Luke Travis, Staff Writer October 5, 2025

When freshman pre-business administration major Luke Travis picked up a curious rock while exploring the natural areas around Highline Lake State Park, he did not expect it to spark debate among geologists,...

Jared Polis discusses issues facing the Western Slope during an interview with Colorado Public Radio (CPR) reporter Ryan Warner, including immigration concerns, wildfire impacts and traffic concerns on Interstate 70 (I-70) on Sept 9. in the Asteria Theatre.

OUTGOING GOVERNOR TELLS ALL AT ASTERIA THEATRE

Didi Hooper, Staff Writer September 20, 2025

From wildfires to transportation concerns, outgoing Colorado governor Jared Polis discussed his policies and initiatives with Colorado Public Radio’s (CPR) Ryan Warner on Sept 9. While local concerns...

The Crime Scene Lab simulation room is arranged with blood on the mattress of a bed, a bedside table with a lamp and two shark heads that were placed there by Dr. Dante Penington "for fun." The Crime Scene House moved from an off-campus location to three smaller, divided rooms in the Maverick Innovation Center.
//Courtesy of the Criminal Justice Department

CRIME SCENE HOUSE MURDERED

Megan Pierce, Staff Writer September 20, 2025

Over the summer, the criminal justice department’s Crime Scene House officially shut its doors after years in operation. Its bloody history was brought to a violent end by a demolition team, and a new...

DOES YOUR VOICE MATTER?

Brianna Harlow, Distribution Manager September 20, 2025

At the end of every semester, each CMU professor is required to administer a course evaluation, but student respondents are not told what happens with their feedback or given a reason why they must complete...

MONTROSE WIELDS WELDING NEGLIENCE

Luke Travis, Staff Writer September 20, 2025

Located in the heart of Montrose’s historic downtown, CMU’s smaller sister campus aims to offer a quieter, more intimate college experience than its larger counterpart in Grand Junction. As CMU expands...

Two students hold candles and whisper amongst a sea of mourners while a student security employee monitors the gathering on the evening of 09/11. CMU's chapter of Turning Point USA hosted a vigil to remember Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who was murdered the day before while speaking at Utah Valley University.

AFTER ASSASSINATION: TPUSA LIGHTS CANDLES FOR CHARLIE KIRK

September 17, 2025

On Sept. 11, a candlelight vigil for Charlie Kirk, a recently deceased political activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA was hosted by the Turning Point USA chapter at CMU (TPUSA-CMU). An estimated...

Tutor and civil engineering major Mitch Ortiz tutors business management major Yasmin Campos for an upcoming College Algebra exam. The Center for Academic Support (CAS) connects students with student tutors and was recently renamed from the Tutorial Learning Center (TLC).

TOMLINSON TUTORING GLOWS UP

Marigold Nugent, News Editor September 12, 2025

The Tutorial Learning Center (TLC) has officially been renamed the Center for Academic Support (CAS) after many incidents of confusion between different acronyms and services offered. The facility’s...

A QR code near Flat Top Grill and Rowdy's in the University Center (UC) advertises CMU's new Grubhub partnership. Students can speed up on-campus dining by ordering ahead on the app.

GRUBHUB CUTS THE TIME IN DINING

Dana Dial, Managing Editor September 12, 2025

Long lines have plagued campus dining locations over the past year as CMU welcomed its two largest freshman classes in history. Dining services hopes to reduce the wait by introducing Grubhub mobile ordering. Junior...

The CMU Pisser's TikTok account currently has over 2,000 followers. The account has "hit" various locations on campus, including Aspen Hall and the University Center's water fountain.

A CAMPISS MYSTERY: CMU PISSER UNVEILED

Marigold Nugent, News Editor September 10, 2025

In recent weeks, videos from an anonymous student known only as “The CMU Pisser” have popped up on student TikTok feeds. An anonymous student has uncovered details about the multiple students running...

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