Stadium CPD Article - Casey Nimmer

    White table cloths, polished wooden floors and florescent lighting covered the room as people from all over the Fort Collins community filed into the Cherokee Room at the Lory Student Center. Residents, students, retired faculty, and Colorado State University alumni came together on February 23rd, 2012 for the first of several meetings to discuss an issue that will affect everyone involved with Colorado State University and Fort Collins.
    While more and more people began to arrive they were shuffled to assigned tables, offered an array of beverages and cookies, and given packets of quick tip information regarding the issue at hand. A minor introduction was given by Dr. Martín Carcasson, the leader for the Center for Public Deliberation that was asked by Tony Frank, the president to the university to lead the discussion of the problem at hand.
    The issue of a new football stadium being built to replace Hughes stadium has been looming over the athletic department and residence of Fort Collins since its proposal in the Fall of 2011. Jack Graham, the newly appointed athletic director for CSU hopes that the new stadium will bring alumni back to campus and solicit alumni donations to improve the athletic department and university as a whole.
    However, there are several citizens and students with multiple concerns regarding the new stadium. Some of the most commonly discussed are where the stadium would be built, where the funding would come from and how it will effect the community surrounding CSU. All of these topics and several others were discussed in a pre-planned, civilized manner as students involved with the Center for Public Deliberation, or the CPD, led the forum.
    As the deliberation began polite introductions started things off. Name, connection to CSU, and position on the stadium being built gave everyone at each table a general idea of who was there and why. Then specific activities were introduced by the student mediator at each table to aid the progression of discussion and be sure that everyone had an opportunity to voice their opinion.
    One of the mediators Candace Karlin, a junior communication studies major said that the CPD is a, “great opportunity to further my knowledge and skills in this area.” Karlin became involved in the stadium discussions because, “it is incredibly relevant to CSU and the Fort Collins community, and I also feel like I am doing something meaningful.”
    Although mediators and other participants in the CPD are not allowed to voice their opinions during the forum, these students are the ones that know the most about the issue. It is a requirement to know the topic from as many different perspectives and have all the known facts about the issue to be selected to participate in the CPD as a member.
    When asked whether the stadium should be built outside of the deliberation room, Karlin responded that, “as a student associate of the CPD I am dedicated to maintaining my partiality when discussing our forums publicly so that our processes maintain their validity.” However, when asked several questions regarding facts and concerns regarding the issue Karlin had intelligent and efficient responses.
    While the discussion progressed civilized debate continued but with more passion and quick response than before. As participants grew to be more comfortable in their environment, adjusting to the florescent lights bouncing off the white table cloths and shiny floors, their true opinions came out. Those most informed and passionate about the issue spoke the most, such as John Adams, a CSU alumnus, and Hank Bridges, a resident who’s backyard connects directly with Hughes stadium. Adams spoke strongly in favor of the stadium, explaining that it would increase donations to the school and aid CSU in gaining national recognition. Bridges was concerned for the hype of the football games to be moved even closer to town, having a first-hand experience of the damages that can ensue.
    After close to two hours the deliberation was concluded with a closing survey where participants could articulate their views more easily and give feedback on how the discussion was mediated and constructed. People slowly slinked back into the polite mode for farewells and thank you’s, some exchanging contact information to further the conversation regarding this topic and increase their knowledge about the subject. The mediators and head of CPD, Dr. Martín Carcasson, gave a final thank you and good-bye and the room was emptied. Cookie crumbs and small plastic cups littered the tables, the small, metallic tape recorders were removed and handed back to Dr. Carcasson, and the heightened energy from the forum slowly dissipated.     All of the information from this first meeting and all the others to follow will be accumulated and put together to be presented to athletic director Jack Graham, CSU President Tony Frank, and the review board for the stadium proposal to aid in their final decision.