Along with the rest of the nation, Colorado State University’s campus has been rocked by election year controversy. From immigration to inflation and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, students have proven to be involved and politically active. It’s part of the college experience: Students nationwide are encouraged to play an active role in politics.

“I have seen protests on campus,” political science student Lucas Toth said. “Some of them include Christian-related preaches, gay rights and one about Gaza. I think campuses are more politically active than in the past.”

As institutions of information, colleges and universities often grapple with questions related to the First Amendment. CSU even has an entire website dedicated to helping students navigate the First Amendment on campus. The page encourages students to exercise their right to free speech, something echoed throughout CSU’s history. Political science student Madeline Kippes pointed to the unique culture in college as a main reason why students are so politically active.

“Aside from college being the first time many students are on their own, I think that the culture of the university itself heavily plays into the subjects and types of protests,” Kippes said.

Records of The Collegian show that protest and political discourse have always been an important part of life as a Ram. One edition from March 1893 encouraged political debate by reminding students to join a literary club because “no better training can be had than by debating and speaking off hand before our own classmates.”

As the college grew in the late 19th century, The Collegian saw an increased following and expanded its publication to cover more global topics. Local, public sources like The Collegian archives provide a snapshot into daily life at CSU throughout the years.

During times of crisis, news articles provide reassurance and clarity to the student body. While no formal mentions of protest appear in early editions of The Collegian, it is clear that CSU’s campus has long been full of strong political opinions and controversy.

An article from May 23, 1934, detailed a meeting in Ammons Hall where a German exchange student defended the Nazi regime in a discussion. The article reported that the student spent the majority of the time answering questions and defending his position.

The Red Scare and the Cold War brought challenges of their own to CSU’s campus. During this time, The Collegian articles focused on the events happening worldwide but also stressed the need for a united campus. Political ideology and culture is reflected in the way reporters covered topics of the day.

A January 1932 edition of The Collegian praised the American education system for its ability to prevent communist groups from forming. The article heralded the effort from colleges and universities as a more acceptable form of rebellion than protest.

A little over 30 years later during the Vietnam War, a Collegian article reported on student-led, anti-war protests that involved coordinated draft resistance among young men, which is just one example of numerous student-led protests in the ’60s and ’70s. When the Vietnam anti-war movement gained even more traction later on, 1,300 students gathered on The Oval to protest U.S. involvement in Vietnam as reported in a Collegian article from 1969.

Perhaps the most dramatic example of Collegian protest coverage is an editorial that was published in 2007, which simply stated, “Taser this . . . FUCK BUSH.” This editorial landed The Collegian in national headlines and raised questions about free speech among student-run newspapers.

Today, The Collegian continues its coverage of hot button, controversial topics. As national crises continue to unfold, college campus culture evolves and the Biden administration finishes its term, communicating across party lines remains important. Public spaces like the Lory Student Center Plaza and The Oval provide important spaces for students to engage in debate and conversation.

Reach Ella Dorpinghaus at life@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.