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Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

All content by Grayson Boyer
President Hutchinson speaks to students about how difficult it was for her to come to the conclusion to raise all three student fees. Hutchinson spoke to several students who protested the increases outside Kendall Hall Monday. She also said that the need for the fee increases stems from a lack of state funding.

President Hutchinson decides to stagger student fee increases despite advisory vote results

Grayson Boyer
May 8, 2018

Chico State President Gayle Hutchinson announced on Thursday that she would be implementing the proposed student fee increases, despite students voting against all three increases. The announcement...

Candidate (left to right) Jessica Holcombe(D) , Marty Walters (D), Gregory Cheadle (R), David Peterson (D), Lewis Elbinger (D) and Audrey Denney (D) answer questions at open forum held at Chico State Monday. Photo credit: Carly Maxstone

Congressional candidates speak at Chico State on issues facing first district voters

Roberto Fonseca and Grayson Boyer
May 1, 2018

The Butte County League of Women Voters hosted a Q&A forum that featured candidates running for the First Congressional District election primaries coming up this June. The candidates answered a few...

Aldon Perez, a freshman distance track and field athlete, speaks in favor of the student fee increases at an open forum on March 6.

Proposed fee increases could initially cost students up to $380 more per year

Grayson Boyer
April 24, 2018

On Wednesday around 8 a.m. students received a link in their email to submit an advisory vote on three proposed fee increases; a Health Services Fee, Student Learning Fee and an Athletics Fee. Several...

Karla Camacho was lobbying the morning after winning her award. Back to Basics is a student mental health and student housing insecurity campaign that Camacho has lobbied for in the past. Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Karla Camacho

Chico State activist wins Student Advocate of the Year

Grayson Boyer
March 30, 2018

Chico State student Karla Camacho recently won the California State Student Association (CSSA) award for Student Advocate of the Year for her lobbying efforts in support of students who are part of the...

Radhika Kataria, a member of Students for Quality Education, raises concerns over the proposed fee increases at an open forum held on March 6. Photo credit: Martin Chang

Students share mixed emotions over proposed fee increases

Grayson Boyer and Alex Grant
March 12, 2018

Chico State’s proposed fee increases have sparked an intense debate in the student body, manifesting itself most visibly in the open forums that took place during the first two weeks of March. On...

Audrey Denney expresses point about human rights to hundreds of people who gathered at the Chico Women's Club on Jan. 27. Photo credit: Alex Grant

Human rights activist runs for Congress

Alex Grant and Grayson Boyer
February 20, 2018

Audrey Denney, a Chico State graduate and former teacher, sat down with an Orion news team to speak about her campaign for the First Congressional District seat as a Democrat. Denney spoke on many topics...

Chico State's Director of Environmental Health and Safety Marvin Pratt believes daily self-awareness is key to preparing for a school shooting. Photo credit: Grayson Boyer

Preparing for a university shooting

Grayson Boyer
February 12, 2018

The increase in university shootings has made preparedness for potential threats extremely important to college administrations, and Chico State is no different. According to Chico State's Director...

Jessica Holcombe speaks on various issues at a public forum on Jan. 27

Democratic Congressional candidates make cases for the June primary

Grayson Boyer
February 7, 2018

Democratic candidates running for Doug LaMalfa’s House of Representative seat met at the Chico branch of the Butte Public Library on Jan. 23 to discuss the issues of California’s 1st District. Candidates...

Photo credit: Diego Ramirez

How to manage the cold weather

Grayson Boyer
November 27, 2017

The weather in Chico has shifted from a crushing heat to frigid rain, and the shift in weather demands a shift in lifestyle. Cold weather and rain force people indoors, a marked shift from the active outdoor-living...

Photo credit: Diego Ramirez

Students’ political power is slipping out of their hands

Grayson Boyer
November 8, 2017

The Town and Gown committee is one of the most useful methods of political participation Chico State students have, yet knowledge of Town and Gown isn’t readily available to much of the student population....

Photo credit: Jessica Johnson

Living under the weight of senior anxiety

Grayson Boyer
November 7, 2017

To be near graduation is a lonely thing. The anxieties and fears of a senior student go beyond midterms and papers and inch into the metaphysical. What will I do? Where will I go? Am I ready? The seniors...

Photo credit: Diego Ramirez

Chico’s homelessness solutions are going nowhere

Grayson Boyer
October 31, 2017

Homelessness in Chico is one of the city’s most salient problems. Yet as we adopt increasingly aggressive policies towards the homeless population, it becomes more evident the problem is only getting...

Chico State students don’t know where their tuition money is going

Grayson Boyer
October 16, 2017

Although it is impossible to determine where exactly Chico State student tuition money goes, all students deserve a basic understanding of how their money is used.The following information has been acquired...

College man drinks his night away Photo credit: Briana Mcdaniel

Four steps to being drunk in class

Grayson Boyer
September 26, 2017

Getting drunk before class is an art form that many dabble in as an amateur, yet few have ever truly mastered. Years of careful study, meditation and deep introspection has led to a surefire list that...

City council member being greedy Photo credit: Briana Mcdaniel

Chico bans recreational marijuana dispensaries, losing millions for city

Grayson Boyer
September 25, 2017

In what can only be described as economic self-abuse, Chico City Council voted Sept.19 to prohibit recreational marijuana dispensaries within Chico, losing potential millions in tax revenue. The City of...

Judicial affairs preys on students ignorance

Grayson Boyer
September 24, 2017

The Chico State Judicial Affairs mission statement describes “[advancing] student development by adjudicating reports in a timely, consistent and fair manner” as a key goal, yet the rules and culture...

Parking meters right outside City Hall Photo credit: Grayson Boyer

Pimping students with parking meters

Grayson Boyer
September 18, 2017

Chico State students are the economic heartbeat of the city of Chico, yet are politically disconnected and essentially powerless. Until students find a way to harness their political potential, the city...

Protesters march against President Trump Photo credit: Isaac Ramsour

Death of the American protest

Grayson Boyer
September 13, 2017

2017 is one of the most politicized years in recent history, yet protest, one of the quintessential forms of American political participation, has shown to be utterly ineffective. Obviously, this wasn’t...

The Silent Government Dismantling Chico

The Silent Government Dismantling Chico

Grayson Boyer
September 4, 2017

When chaos unfolds on the national stage, it can be easy to miss the disruption that occurs right next to you. Chico’s City Council, like many city councils across the United States, are making massive...

The "big four" of social media Photo credit: Roberto Fonseca

Social media poses a danger for the heavy user

Grayson Boyer
September 3, 2017

Social media is now as much a part of our cultural fabric as anything else. At the time of its creation, we didn't know what this new technology would do to our culture, our relationships or our brains. While...

Photo credit: Jenny Salazar

What do freshmen think of Chico so far?

Grayson Boyer
August 27, 2017

“Chico’s been pretty fun. I honestly didn’t expect it to be this easy to move in. There’s plenty of really friendly people that I’ve met, and I’ve already made a bunch...

Photo credit: Diego Ramirez

Finding Rationality in Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un

Grayson Boyer
August 22, 2017

In the American mind, North Korea is an almost romanticized conception of Orwellian government control and ruthless dictatorship. Americans picture an insane leader with a handful of nukes and the capacity...