“The Electoral College should be abolished.” “Military involvement in Israel will be the downfall of the United States.” “The United States military budget should be cut in half.” “Abortion is murder.” Statements like these and more echo through the halls of the Behavioral Sciences Building every other Thursday.

There’s a new kid on the block at Colorado State University stirring up hot takes, disagreements and debates akin to a Democrat versus Republican Jubilee video. Meet the CSU Political Review Club.

Earlier this year, political science student Tyler Chrenka noticed a gap in political discourse among students on campus. Along with the help of fellow political science students Raneem Kalaaji, Patrick McCabe and Victoria Doscotch, he was prompted to start a new club that encourages peaceful dissent and interactive civic engagement.

“I’ve always thought of institutions of higher education being places where radical ideas and politics would be something that everyone would be talking about, and it was just not something that was super present at CSU,” Chrenka said. “I basically just talked to a few different professors and advisors and said that I wanted to expand and create a community for people to have political discourse.”

A club by students, for students, CSU Political Review invites people of all backgrounds, values, beliefs and ideologies to come together and discuss the world’s most prevalent and pressing issues in formats that stimulate robust argument.

“I’ve been in spaces where I have not been respected for my whole life. It’s nice to be able to talk to people who don’t always hear other opinions — that’s a good thing. I get a lot of practice standing up for my beliefs. And on the one hand, I’m learning from (my peers), and I think they’re also learning from me.” –Katelyn Brennan, CSU Political Review Club member

Whether students prefer to be wallflowers or outspoken participants during the discussions, the club offers a platform for all minds and voices to coalesce, strengthening the nature of bipartisanship at CSU. 

“I joined (Political Review) because I’m obsessed with politics,” student AJ Tichota said. “I’m not a poli-sci major or anything; it’s just a hobby I have, especially in this election season. I wanted to get more perspectives and get out of my echo chamber and just hear everyone’s perspectives on the important issues right now.” 

One topic that stirred up heavy debate was the issue of term limits in office and whether it hurts or helps constituents in a given district. 

“Right now, our governmental system without term limits creates an impossible roadblock and a power vacuum, so when these people who are in positions of power for decades and decades and decades finally are forced out, there’s a power vacuum among their constituency,” said Braxton Dietz, Associated Students of CSU vice president. 

ASCSU President Nick DeSalvo offered a rebuttal against Dietz’ argument, claiming term limits only strengthen the two-party system and, in doing that, perpetuate a cycle of polarization and extreme partisan interests representing each side.

“(Former Rep. Scott Tipton) voted in ways that represented his district rather than his party,” DeSalvo said. “But by virtue of that, … he was voted out in his Republican primary. … A lot of the research shows that term limits have actually made political parties stronger, and what that means is when political entities — partisan entities — are making the decision, you find yourselves with representatives that are on both sides of the extreme.”

The meeting held Oct. 17 featured a (Civil) Fight Night theme, in which students formed teams based on their party or ideological affiliation and debated issues, including the Israel-Hamas war, health care, the environment, gun control, international relations and abortion. Participants then voted on which group of students gave the best debate, effectively winning the activity at hand.

Each meeting follows a different theme that guides each conversation topic and boosts the flow of ideas for each argument. Doscotch explained the ways she and the other leading members of Political Review settle on each theme. 

“Normally, we have a conversation with one another where we will propose ideas and we’re like, ‘Oh, I saw this,’ or, ‘I think this could be cool,’” Doscotch said. “And then we’ll decide on one of those, and then everyone in the group will go and tweak it how we think it should be fit.” 

Students typically walk out of classrooms with more insight than when they entered, and CSU Political Review is no exception. If anything, the knowledge students leave with reflects a deeper understanding of their peers and the experiences that shape individual beliefs. 

“I’ve been in spaces where I have not been respected for my whole life,” student Katelyn Brennan said. “It’s nice to be able to talk to people who don’t always hear other opinions — that’s a good thing. I get a lot of practice standing up for my beliefs. And on the one hand, I’m learning from (my peers), and I think they’re also learning from me.”

The CSU Political Review Club meets 6 p.m. every other Thursday in the Behavioral Sciences Building room 105.

Reach Claire Vogl at life@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.