A new student-led publication aims to spread social awareness and promote activism in the Brookings community.

“The Mosiac,” now in its third round of publication, hopes to be “a new view for SDSU.”

“We didn’t feel our views were represented in the Brookings area,” said editor Catherine Grandorff, a freshman English and Spanish major.

“Brookings seems pretty complacent for a college town. I’d like to see them get riled up,” said Grandorff, who met with eight or nine other people in December with plans to start their own paper.

Heath Alsgaard, a contributor, was also disappointed in the media’s coverage of social issues.

“We were getting tired of the editorials in The Collegian,”said Alsgaard, a junior history major. “We felt that The Collegian wasn’t doing as much as they could.”

Alsgaard was shocked by defamatory statements published during the highly debated issues of the 2006 mid-term elections.

“Those instances were a big push to get us started,” Alsgaard said.

Columnists and contributors write about a broad range of issues, including social justice, religious freedom and environmental and political issues. Alberto Orellana, a journalism graduate student, writes a column. His first got involved to write.

“I wanted to write, that was my first motive. I wanted to write about things that were not covered in The Collegian,” said Orellana.

Orellana focuses on discrimination and gender inequality in his monthly column.

Chrissy Eide, a junior music merchandising major, saw a need for “another piece of mind” in the community.

“I was concerned about the lack of awareness in America and especially our age group about what’s happening outside our own individual lives,” said Eide, a contributor for the publication.

Mary Carlson welcomes the new publication. “I appreciate the fact that there is an alternative source of opinions produced and written by students in our area,” said Carlson, a senior English major. “I like that it’s student-run.”

Carlson is not alone.

“So far the only feedback has been positive,” Eide said. “They think it’s great that we’ve taken the initiative.”

“I’d like to see it keep going and see more students getting involved in activist roles,” Grandorff said.

Funding is an issue for the fledgling publication, which received private donations after the first issue.

“We’re having a hard time coming up with the funds,” Eide said. She explained that the paper will run advertisements only out of necessity. “Printing costs are what’s keeping us back right now.”

Copies can be obtained at many locations, including Cottonwood Coffee, Yeager Hall, Black Sheep Coffee in Sioux Falls and from staff members. The third issue will also be distributed at local bars.

Interested participants can contact the publication at another.piece.of.mind@gmail.com or on Facebook under The Mosaic.

Pub crawl. Just the name elicits a feeling that the night may not end well for its participants. Still, the annual event draws crowds of college students each time it’s held.

Former SDSU student Chelsie Johnson made the road trip from Fargo just for pub crawl. “The best part of pub crawl is getting to hang out with old friends,” she said.

Beginning at noon, teams moved from their home bar to participating bars at set times during the day. The crawl officially ended at 5, but many teams stuck around until there were far fewer green t-shirts among the crowd. After all, drinking for 12 hours does take its toll on a person.

Senior Eric Hultgren and junior Katie Brannum were two of a small group who survived the fray until 11 p.m., but not without injury. Although Brannum had visible wounds from being hit in the face with a beer bottle, she had no plans of going home early.

“I’ll stay until I make it,” Brannum said.

At night’s end, the bar scene looked much like it does any other night, save a few costumed leprechauns. There were no less than 49 discarded paper plates on the ground in front of George’s Pizza. The floors of the 9 Bar and Nightclub had enough spilled drinks on it to rival the rain-soaked streets. Main Street Pub ran out of green beer, the 9 Bar and Nightclub ran out of hand soap, the Lantern Lounge ran out of tap beer and bartenders ran out of patience.

“I caught a guy puking on the floor, but he denied it,” said Stefan Limmer, a bartender at the Safari Lounge. Limmer had been working for 10 hours at the time of the interview. He said Pub Crawl is the busiest day he’s worked so far.

Amber Dell, a waitress at Skinner’s, spent pub crawl on the other side of the bar. Shortly after she sprinkled white powder on a small pile of vomit near the bar’s exit, she had some simple advice for what bar patrons could do to make her night a little easier.

“Don’t puke in the hallways, be patient, and move out of the way,” Dell said.

#1.883565:1802480072.jpg:pubcrawl3.bd.jpg:Pub crawl participants pack the bars downtown March 24.:Brandon DeVries

The United Retirement Center’s Child Development Center, in cooperation with SDSU, has been awarded a grant by the U.S. Department of Education, called Child Care Access Means Parents In School (CCAMPIS) to provide assistance for qualified student parents.

The grant will help defray the cost of childcare at the center for eligible students, which currently is anywhere from $425 to $475 a month.

To be eligible, students must be enrolled at least part-time, eligible for a Pell Grant and enrolled in South Dakota’s childcare assistance program.

The Child Development Center gives preference to the qualified students, who represent more than 30 families on the center’s waiting list of 80 to 100 children. Out of the 45 children attending the center, United Retirment Center administrator Sally Damm estimates that 15 are children of students. There are currently more slots available, and the center will continue to accept applications after these slots are filled. Applicants can apply online though SDSU’s Web site.

Statistics aren’t available for how many student parents are enrolled at SDSU, but Tasiyagnunpa DuBray believes they are underrepresented in the student body. DuBray is a 25-year-old mother of two sons, ages five and one. She’s currently taking a semester off. She said this grant is a good place to start, but more needs to be done to assist student parents.

“It’s not going to cover the needs of every student parent,” DuBray said. “The best daycares in town are always full ahead of time.”

The URC Child Development Center is a licensed child development center and one of only 5 locations in the state accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

The center is open the student-friendly hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday through Saturday.

“I think it can relieve a lot of the stress,” said Ruth Manson, SDSU grants coordinator. “Parents are never in between semesters, and good care can be hard to find.”

Manson also explained that because the center has a registered nurse on duty at all times, it is able to take care of kids that other daycares would not.

Senior journalism major Candice Stangle remembers her childcare search for her 7-month-old daughter Madison. Stangle’s husband is stationed in Iraq, and she’s dealing with the struggles of parenting alone. Before finding a suitable daycare, she was turned down several times because there were no openings. Stangle was under the impression that the Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education Preschool on campus was a daycare.

“When I was pregnant, other people told me there was a daycare on campus,” Stangle said. “That would have been so nice, especially for single parents.”

Both student parents and providers are aware of the childcare deficit in Brookings, but agree that the grant is a step in right direction.

“Right now, there’s a need for childcare in Brookings,” said Dawn Kane, director of the United Retirement Center.

The URC is planning an addition to the childcare facility that will accommodate 84 children.

#1.883700:97773346.jpg:Miles lib color.jpg:Miles Livermont, son of student-parent Tasiyagnunpa DuBray, draws at the Brookings City Public Library.:Tasiyagnunpa DuBray (Courtesy Photo)

Two cast members from MTV’s long-running reality show “The Real World” will be visiting SDSU on March 21.

Jennifer Grijalva, a former Raiderette cheerleader from Martinez, Calif., and Davis Mallory, a homosexual Southern Baptist from Marietta, Ga., will speak about their experiences applying for and appearing on the ubiquitous television series. The duo spent time, as the theme says, working and living in Denver, Colo. Both Jenn and Davis are set to appear on MTV’s “Real World Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno 3,” recently wrapped in Cape Town, South Africa. They will be speaking in the Performing Arts Center on March 21 at 8 p.m. After the lecture, they will be available for questions and autographs.

The 17th Annual SDSU Wacipi (Pow-wow) was held in the Frost Arena Feb. 24-25. The wacipi is a celebration of American Indian culture through music, fellowship and dance. More than 100 dancers, organizers, volunteers and drummers from around the state attended the event despite inclement weather. Dancers of all ages, accompanied by drum groups, participated in judged competition while wearing traditional American Indian costumes. Indian tacos, frybread and artwork were sold throughout the weekend. The wacipi is the largest cultural event held on campus.

There are at least as many pageants in South Dakota as there are shades of pink lip gloss at a drugstore. With each queen crowned, pageant popularity grows.

“This year, it’s expanding,” said Kate Wismer, a junior music education major. “In just this short amount of time, it’s grown so much. A lot has to do with Callee (Bauman, reigning Miss South Dakota) going out and getting people excited about it.”

Four out of the next six pageants in South Dakota are new to the system, including Miss Black Hills State University and Miss Prairie Pasque/Pheasant Country. These smaller-scale pageants offer contestants an opportunity to move on to Miss South Dakota.

Wismer is the reigning Miss South Dakota State Fair, a title she earned in September at the state fair in Huron.

She became interested in pageants when an acquaintance, after hearing Wismer sing, suggested she give it a try.

“I was bitten by the pageant bug,” Wismer said. “It’s a great way to get scholarships.”

Wismer estimates that she has won more than $2,000 in scholarships so far, a number that will grow when she receives her Miss South Dakota State Fair scholarship at the end of her reign in September.

Wismer won first runner-up at last year’s Miss SDSU pageant. Her next competition is the Miss South Dakota pageant in Hot Springs in June. Until then, she’ll complete her reign as Miss South Dakota State Fair, championing the platform “The Reading Advantage,” promoting good reading habits for children.

Scholarships and tiaras aside, pageant involvement promotes a healthy lifestyle and helps competitors groom skills necessary for life after graduation.

“It’s a great experience. You can really gain a lot from it and learn more about yourself,” said Elizabeth Gouin, a freshman majoring in graphic design and music.

Gouin started her pageant career with the Miss Teen USA competition in 2004, but felt it was more about beauty than scholarships, so she switched to the Miss America scholarship organization. She hopes to win Miss South Dakota and go on to compete in the Miss America pageant, which she has followed since she was young.

Wismer said that even her vocal coach has noticed the difference in her performance.

“As a music major, I enjoy the performance aspect of it. I’ve realized that I’m more comfortable in front of crowds,” Wismer said. “My interview skills have catapulted and my performance demeanor has improved.”

Perhaps closest to home is the Miss SDSU/Miss Brookings pageant, started in 1945. September Kirby, instructor and wellness assistant in Health, Physical Education and Recreation, volunteers for the organization by serving as a contact for contestants.

“Twenty-five years ago, I was Miss SDSU,” Kirby said. “I’ve been involved since, trying to help out where I can. It just works well to volunteer at the Miss SDSU pageant.”

Both contestants and pageant organizers are busily preparing for the Miss SDSU/Miss Brookings pageant, to take place Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. in Doner Auditorium. So far, between eight and ten contestants are set to compete.

Twelve of the 58 past Miss SDSUs, including former Miss SDSU Callee Bauman, went on to become Miss South Dakota.

Pageants have been accused of setting impossible standards and demeaning women, but the countless participants are staunch defenders of their organizations.

“It really isn’t a matter of how beautiful or expensive your gown is. It depends on what the judges are looking for,” said Gouin, reigning Miss Capital City. “Yeah, they are going to look at personal fitness, but personality matters too.”

Wismer was initially skeptical about pageant competition.

“I realize that the tradition of the Miss America Pageant was a beauty competition, but the other criteria outweigh that,” she said.

“It’s the largest organization that gives scholarships to women,” Kirby said. “I believe in the program.”

#1.883782:2805783768.jpg:calliebowman.jpg:Callee Bauman:File Photo

Former Miss SDSU and reigning Miss South Dakota Callee Bauman will represent South Dakota in the 2007 Miss America pageant in Las Vegas, Nev. Bauman, a speech communications major from Huron, has been climbing the pageant ladder since being crowned Miss SDSU last spring.

Next week, she’ll compete against 49 other women on the platform “America Pumps Ethanol,” a cause that she has been involved with since age 14.

For the talent portion of the competition, Bauman will sing “Journey to the Past,” from the 20th Century Fox movie “Anastasia.”

Watch Bauman represent South Dakota in the Miss America Pageant Monday, Jan. 29, at 7:00 p.m. on CMT.

On Jan. 26, CMT will air the reality show “Becoming Miss America,” where the public will be able to vote for Miss Congeniality. Results of the vote will be aired live during the pageant.

#1.883782:2805783768.jpg:calliebowman.jpg:Callee Bauman:File Photo

Indie and rock fans will be happy to discover that Death Cab For Cutie’s fourth effort is their best yet.

Death Cab for Cutie originated in Bellingham, Wash., a small suburb of Seattle in 1997. Don’t be too quick to categorize these men with the constant stream of new bands that constantly come out of Washington, because with the release of their fourth album, Transatlanticism, Death Cab For Cutie has proven their talent and staying power.

The name of the album, Transatlanticism, is the band’s own made-up word to “describe distances so vast and daunting that they seem impossible to breach.

“Appropriate, because distance and travel seem to be widespread themes throughout the disc. The track “Transaltlanticism” contains Death Cab’s description of the formation of clouds, islands and oceans. “The New Year” ends in a repeating chorus of “there’d be no distance that could hold us back.”

In “We Looked Like Giants” Death Cab recollects days of skipping classes to road trip en route to young love.

The opening track on the record, “The New Year,” is definitely the most radio-friendly track “The New Year,” like the rest of the tracks on Transatlanticism, are all written by Ben Gibbard.

My favorite track on the album is “Title and Registration.” Gibbard speaks of rummaging through a glove compartment only to find pictures he had hoped he’d forgotten.

“Cause behind its door there’s nothing to keep my fingers warm, and all I find are souvenirs from better times,” he sings.

This song is one of many that reminisce lost love.

Many of Gibbard’s lyrics are introspective and poetic, and at times pessimistic.

Each word fits with the next, painting perfect pictures. That combined with Chris Walla’s crystal clear production skills, and we’ve got some tear jerkers on our hands.

Initially compared to the likes of rock-god Radiohead, Modest Mouse and Built to Spill, Death Cab is paving its own way through the confines of genres and labels, making a name for themselves among music lovers of all kinds.

4 stars