Editor - Julia Rentsch 2014: Newspaper Pacemaker (1st place), Four-year Daily Newspaper; Editor - Andrew Carrera & Kate Winkle 2013: Design of the Year (4th place), Newspaper Page/Spread; Corinne Winthrop Design of the Year (Honorable Mention), Illustration; Corinne Winthrop 2010: Story of the Year (2nd place), News Story; J. David McSwane Multimedia Story of the Year (2nd place), Multimedia News; Staff of The Rocky Mountain Collegian Design of the Year (Honorable Mention), News Magazine/Special; Nick Marranzino 2007: Photo Excellence (1st place), News Picture; Aaron Montoya Story of the Year (Honorable Mention), Feature Story; Brandon Lowrey 2005: Photo Excellence (Honorable Mention), Feature Picture; Ryan Maier 2004: Newspaper Pacemaker (1st place); Editor - Shandra Jordan 1995: Newspaper Pacemaker (Winner) Society of Professional Journalists Mark Of Excellence National Winners and Finalists since 2000 The Mark of Excellence Awards annually honors the best in student journalism in print, radio, television and online collegiate journalism. Entries are judged regionally, and first-place regional winners advance to the national competition. 2016 Best Affiliated Website (Finalist) 2015 General News Reporting, Erin Douglas (Finalist) 2013 Best Use of Multimedia, Hannah Glennon, Hunter Thompson and Corinne Winthrop (Finalist) General Column Writing, Zane Womeldorph (Finalist) 2012 Breaking News Photography, Dylan Langille (Finalist) 2011 Breaking News Photography, Hunter Thompson (Finalist) Photo Illustration, Hunter Thompson (1st place) 2010 Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (Finalist) 2008 Online Feature Reporting, Staff (Finalist) 2005 Feature Writing, Caroline Welch (Finalist) 2004 Spot News Reporting, J.J. Babb (1st place) General News Reporting, Amy Resseguie (1st place) 2002 Spot News Reporting, Vince Blaser, Josh Hardin and Summer McElley (3rd place) Sports Writing, Jason Graziadei (1st place) 2001 Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (Finalist) Controversy On September 21, 2007, the paper’s editorial board ran the words “Taser This… Fuck Bush” in large bold font as an editorial. Members of the board stated that the editorial was a response to the University of Florida Taser incident, which had occurred earlier that week. Then-President Larry Penley responded: "While student journalists enjoy all the privileges and protections of the first amendment, they must also accept full responsibility for the choices they make. Members of a university community ought to be expected to communicate civilly and rationally and to make thoughtful arguments in support of even unpopular viewpoints." Community members and the campus’ College Republicans called upon Colorado State University’s Board of Student Communications to dismiss Editor-in-chief J. David McSwane, who had final say