The Arbiter by The Arbiter at Boise State University

WHAT’S INSIDE

NEWS 1–2

SPORTS 4–5

OPINION 3

CULTURE 7–8 I SSU E

The Independent Student Voice of Boise State Since 1933

Volume 22

First Issue

F R E E Apirl 26, 2010

Kyle Wilson drafted No. 29 to the Jets!

Rape mitch esplin/THE ARBITER

The Greenbelt stretches along the Boise River across campus. In 2000, Boise State student Samantha Maher was raped and murdered on the Greenbelt. On Feb. 26, a woman was groped by two homeless men after stopping for a drink while riding her bike.

Dispelling the myths

patrick trujillo Journalist

A recent report by the Department of Justice on incidents of rape occurring among college women indicates that one in four women will be victims of rape, and that 90 percent of college women who are raped will know their perpetrator. “We (society) spend so much time teaching women to walk with their keys and have pepper spray -- and it’s going to be the dude sitting next to them in English class, not some guy jumping out of the bushes,” said Adriane Bang, interim director and violence awareness and response coordinator for the Women’s Center. Of the myths that surround rape, one of the most common is that “date rape” is somehow less of a crime than the traditional stereotype of rape involving an unknown assailant who violently attacks an unsuspecting woman.

The before mentioned circumstance is rape, not just a “simple misunderstanding that lead to unwanted sex.” This stigma, that somehow a woman is responsible for her victimization, is a prevalent thread that runs through our culture, manifested in a variety of attitudes that project. For example, some believe “women secretly desire to be raped,” or that a woman who is a “tease” wants to be conquered. Rape is about control. Studies conducted by David Lisak at the University of Boston reflect that a perpetrator of rape is driven by two things: anger and a desire for power. Rape offenders are often victims of childhood sexual assault and, or abuse themselves, and the need to become dominant over a victim, to assert control as an abuser instead of the abused, leads to rape. Rape is not about sex; sex is merely the utmost method in which to control and humiliate.

The cultural misconceptions about what rape is -- what it entails and what it does psychologically -- have to be addressed. These misconceptions, these delusions of fact and truth, are the very things that permit these staggering statistics to continue, and further drive the issues to a position of blame, reflected in studies that indicate up to 48 percent of women do not consider their assault as rape. Rape prevention is not only about recognizing situations, it is about addressing the crime before it occurs. “It’s about changing cultural values and changing men’s ideas, and it’s about engaging bystanders -- when people are at a party and someone’s stumbling drunk and somebody they’ve just met is taking them home -- recognizing that might not be the safest situation, that that might be an opportunity for someone to be predatory, and to step in and not let that happen. It’s about changing the scope

of how men and women interact,” Bang said. “Rape supportive cultures are infused with sexism, which is a tool used to justify and perpetuate a spectrum of violence against women: sexist jokes, sexual harassment, rape and murder. This is one reason the Women’s Center focuses on helping men and women to understand what feminism is really all about. When women are treated with dignity and equality, instead of as a joke or an object, violence against women becomes less likely,” Bang said. Located on the second floor of the Student Union, the Women’s Center can be contacted by calling (208) 426-2406 or by visiting http:// womenscenter.boisestate. edu. Included on the Women's Center website is advice for what to do if you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, and what you can do to prevent violence if you are a bystander in a situation where a rape might occur.

Jazz Festival jams on BSU campus

PAGE

Is Thomas Jefferson still important?

PAGE

ARBITERONLINE.COM

Election confusion Why did we have two ASBSU elections? Rebecca De Leon Journalist

The first election results were declared null and void. What went wrong?tThe official statement from the election board following the first election was that due to problems with the electronic system surrounding online voting, some votes were entered in as blank votes and some students said they could not vote at all. So the election board met and decided that the fairest course of action was to re-do the election. “The election board was totally unbiased in every step they took and made a good decision to keep the first election results confidential,” said Charlie Varland, assistant director of Student Involvement and Leadership. Unanswered questions However, it left many questions unanswered for many students. Former ASBSU Sen. Justin White was one of those students. “I must ask myself: Who am I representing?” White said in an interview with administrators and a member of the judiciary board the day of the winners’ inauguration. “Did every student have a voice?” White was one of three people who had to sign the results of the election in order to validate them. Before doing so, he asked questions about the validity of the elections. “There were nearly 2,300 people that voted in the first election, and only 1,289 that voted in the second election,” White said. “I am not questioning whether or not the election board made an unbiased decision or not. Our attempts at handling the problem were noble and good, but it caused 800 less votes.” Of the people White talked to, all confirmed that the glitches in the online system did not allow for anyone to determine beyond a reasonable doubt what the true results of the first election were. See Election I page 2

Election Timeline Wednesday, April 7: Online voting begins. Thursday: Online voting ends. Friday: Problems with software discovered. Results of election are not released. Saturday/Sunday: Meeting between election board and ASBSU judiciary. Monday, April 12: Judiciary decides on second election run-off between two top executive candidates and those running for senator using paper ballots. University counsel recommends including all candidates. Wednesday: Paper ballot election begins. Thursday: Paper ballot election ends. Friday: Unofficial results announced. Monday, April 19: Results certified by signatures. Inauguration is held and new officials take office.

Mental illness causes stigma on campus David Gasch Journalist

Note: The names of students interviewed for this story have been changed to protect their identity. Isolation, stress and fear are negative elements of attending college that often accompany the fun of new experiences. Some students, however, deal with these along with various types of mental illness -- as well as a potentially menacing amount of stigma. The public today consistently views people with a mental illness cast in a negative light in media, music, conversation and more. A college campus offers exciting opportunities but can also present a harmful environment if others on campus unknowingly strengthen the stigma and indirectly segregate those with mental illness from societal norms. Supporting those with a mental illness and eliminating negative outlooks takes little effort

and could dramatically improve the lives of others.

Stigma Stigma finds its roots as a biblical term used to signify that people should shun or reject those who live or think in a way unlike societal mainstreams. They were treated with shame, ignored or assumed dangerous. “I think that’s quite a prevalent attitude even today,” associate professor Peter Wollheim said. “I’ve heard colleagues of mine, people with Ph.D.’s and really educated, make laughing references to Schizophrenia, to depression, to anxiety and to other types of mental illnesses.” Though science can prove mental illnesses are results of chemical imbalances or other physical reasons, these illnesses are treated differently than cancer or heart disease. The most common assumptions are that people with mental illnesses are dif-

ferent than those who do not or their illness makes them dangerous to those around them. These assumptions are untrue. BSU student William has lived with Asperger Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, for his entire life. He functions well enough that he generally doesn’t tell others about it and can hide it. However, he often finds difficulty interacting well with others and at times notices that others don’t try to disregard his symptoms. William also finds stigma as an obstacle with employment opportunities. “I tell people a lot of the times when I’m applying for jobs because they can get money for hiring me. They say they won’t have me work up front where I’d interact with people because of unusual social skills,” he said. “And they’ll just straight up not hire me. I think it has ruined a ton of interviews. I can do (the work), but people assume that I couldn’t.”

Students commonly use words including “crazy,” “madness,” “nuts,” psycho,” “freak,” “retard” and more, not only isolating those with mental illness but also often hurting those with mental illness while they subconsciously degrade them in the minds of others. In fear of their peers’ responses, many refrain from getting the help they need or feel the need to hide their struggles from the world. Another Boise State student, Kendra, experienced this with her family after doctors diagnosed her stepmother with schizoaffective disorder. Though her medications allow her stepmother to function uninhibited in every aspect of life, Kendra noticed that others generally think of straightjackets and insanity when they hear “schizo.” “When my dad and I first found

out about it, it was kept a giant secret from the rest of our friends and family," she said. “We were afraid that they would see her as 'a lunatic,' which she isn’t, or that they would look down on our family.” This is the stigma; it can be as hard to experience, or harder, than the mental illness itself.

mct campus

Mental illness in college and on campus Some studies suggest one in every five people deal twith some sort of mental illness. This statistic means that everyday students encounter numerous others

See Illness I page 2

The Arbiter • arbiteronline.com

news

Apirl 26, 2010

Elections [News page 1] “It has nothing to do with the number of students that got online to vote,” said Election Board chair, Johnni Wuest. “Our online system was not up to code.”

Online voting glitches produce blank ballots Division web manager for Finance and Administration, Donna Snodgrass, and assistant director of marketing and promotions for Student Life, Kris Sandsing, issued a written statement regarding the online voting system. They said one of the issues with the system was the fact that after students logged on to BroncoWeb they were directed to a separate site for voting. If the student logged

Illness [News page 1] who cope with an illness -and the stigma. Most do not realize this because, as previously mentioned, people with a mental illness are just like those without an illness. Unaware of this fact, careless references, jokes and inaccurate portrayals could offend or hurt those around them. Attending college can prove stressful: leaving a structured environment for

ARBITERONLINE.COM

out before casting his or her vote on the new site, they were not allowed back in and a blank vote was recorded. This was established as a safeguard to prevent “ballot stuffing,” which is when students try to vote more than once for a candidate. The statement also said, since the voting application resides on an off-campus server, “any responsibility for the issues surrounding voting in no way involves the university or the Office of Information Technology (OIT)” and that “no member of the administration had or has access to voting results.” Wuest, who is one of the three required signatures for the validation of election results, said she was unaware of the issues surrounding the online voting application

before the first election took place. “We (the election board) weren’t aware of that until after the voting started,” she said. Vice president for Student Affairs, Michael Laliberte, agreed with her statement. “We’ve never been aware in the past that people have said that they cast a vote and it showed up blank… I had to have someone walk me through it so I could understand what the program was doing and what the students thought it was doing,” he said. The election results were not released Friday because of the issues with the online voting process. Over the weekend, the election board met with the judiciary board and decided

There were questions about the fairness of the second election.

one racked with demands and responsibilities. Not only can the college atmosphere increase issues created by an existing mental illness, but it can make students more susceptible to illnesses such as depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, anxiety disorders and more. “There are conditions called adjustment disorders, and you can feel anxiety, you can feel depression, you

can feel out of sorts, disconnected -- not having a sense of belonging to that environment, connecting with the people around them,” Wollheim said. One common result of stigma is fear of getting help or seeking support. Most mental illnesses are highly treatable with today’s scientific advances, so suffering without support is needless. With a lack of services in Idaho, sup-

port is valuable -- even from peers and faculty. “I think as a faculty member I’ve never had any material given to me specifically on (support). I’ve had to search for that on my own,” Wollheim said. “I think that faculty, staff, anyone who is most likely to come in contact with students on a regular basis, really needs to have some information, what to look for because again it is going to be

the results were invalid and a second election needed to be conducted. According to Wuest, this was based on the issues with technology surrounding the voting process and the number of students versus the proximity of votes between the winner and first runner up for the presidency. The decision was made to have a run-off between the top two executive candidates on paper ballots. However, in the interest of students, university counsel strongly recommended an election with all original candidates on the ballot.

Questions about fairness

The unofficial results of the first election were released without the election board’s endorsement and some say this caused the remaining three candidates and their running mates to drop out of the second election and endorse other candidates. Some argue that since there were only two parties on the second ballot instead of the original five, the second election was not the same as the first and therefore not a “true” re-do. “Another question I have is that: Was this a re-election or a second election?” White said. “Having a second election on campus only with paper ballots greatly favors on-campus students. When I was a commuting student, sometimes I wouldn’t go to the SUB for days, sometimes

even weeks. The fact that there were 800 less votes in the second election shows that there was a disservice to the students.” Varland said allowing parties to drop out and using paper ballots was part of the fair process. “It was not an unethical move,” he said. “If ASBSU would have kept it the same, hundreds of votes would have been thrown away because they would have been cast for candidates that were not running. It was more fair this way.”

very difficult for those people to come forward.”

illness is difficult to diagnose without seeing a doctor, and proper medication are much more safe and productive than self-medicating with drugs and, or alcohol. “I think just as people go in for a medical check-up on a regular basis I think it would be good for them to go in for a mental health check-up on a regular basis,” Wollheim said. Plenty of resources exist, both to learn more about mental illness and to find support. It is important to know that mental illness is common and is nothing to alienate or be alienated for. Reach out to those who may have an illness and speak to friends, family or professionals if you feel like something isn’t right. That is the first and most important step.

Support and ways to help “I want (people) to know that to deal with a mental illness it takes a lot of support from friends and family. Especially for the person diagnosed with the illness,” Kendra said. “They need to support; it’s a tough thing to cope with." One of the simplest and most effective ways an individual can help is with education. Knowledge is power, but with mental illness, awareness makes all the difference to those suffering from stigma. For those with mental illnesses and those who believe they might have one, resources and support exist. The Health and Wellness services on the BSU campus offers convenient and accessible help to all students. They have faculty on staff for consultations and support, and are willing to do what it takes to help students. Any mental

Go to arbiteronline.com for the rest of this article.

Go to arbiteronline.com for a list of mental health resources.

The Arbiter • arbiteronline.com

Opinion

Apirl 26, 2010

ARBITERONLINE.COM

ASBSU campaigning an embarrassment Jessica Swider Journalist

Boise State University seems to be collectively sighing with relief -- the elections are finally over. The ASBSU elections this year were interesting. With all the hubbub over voting issues, paper ballots and close races, no one seemed to be concerned with the campaigning itself. Or maybe the student body has just become used to the immature tactics used to sway opinions. The campaign tactics that some ASBSU candidates have used in past elections have been deplorable, to say the least. Candidates running for election don't have ideas or plans for change; they have buzz words. Words such as change, leadership, diversity, acceptance, low student fees, school spirit and empowerment were frequently on the tongues of candidates. Few, though, had actual plans to make such things a reality. If they did have such plans, they weren't made common knowledge. As if that wasn't bad enough, candidates also resorted to essentially buying

mct campus

votes on the quad. Handing out candy, soda and snow cones, competitors seemed to be vying for the popularity vote more than anything else. The whole scene was reminiscent of high school, something that I, for one, had hoped to leave behind when coming to college. Election season has turned into senior year, round 2. Writing over opposing party's sidewalk chalk advertisements and writing sexually suggestive

comments only helped to further the immaturity. None of these activities prove to the student body that a party is mature and intelligent enough to handle a place in office. Sophomore and social work major Alare Osawa also thought the elections seemed juvenile this year. "I remember running for student government in high school and the votes were way based on the status of a student. That's how

it is here....I remember a lot of them said they were going to lower the tuition. How are they going to do that? Honestly, it's not in their hands. They just put together things that sound like what we care about." ASBSU campaigning hasn't always been so childish. Former Boise State student Kylie Lombardi remembers past elections, but doesn't feel that they were quite as invasive. "I wasn't even on

the buzzkill

campus and I couldn't get away from it. The past few years I went to BSU it was never like that at all. I may have heard a few things here and there about it, but it wasn't as suffocating or ridiculously annoying." Such foolish campaigning erodes trust in the student government. When candidates use such absurd methods of getting into office, it becomes difficult to focus on what they do once they're actually there. Many people claim that ASBSU doesn't really do much. This isn't true, but it is hard to realize, or even hear about, what they do accomplish when it's shrouded in smoke and mirrors. If contenders slide by on popularity votes, how can the student body stand behind and support them, when they don't know anything that they actually represent? With such infantile election tactics, it's hard to have faith in ASBSU creating real change for students. However, we can only hope that with fresh perspective comes a desire for a fresh start, one that will include acting our age and making real progress, not just furthering popularity.

The 'going green'

BLUES Josh Gamble Columnist

April is the time of year where the Earth comes back to life from winter and everyone feels an extra sense of affection for the planet. Nature gives us flowers, and we forgive her for the cold shoulder she’s thrown us the past few chilly months. It seems a logical time for people to take up the cause of protecting the Earth and celebrating a holiday called Earth Day, or in the case of Boise State, Earth Week. We spent most of last week hearing about “commitments to sustainability” and efforts to increase recycling and environmental friendliness. It’s the height of public environmentalism. We’ve got grocery bags made of post-consumer plastic, recycling bins in every building and wide-spread environmental consciousness. The trouble is that it’s not enough. American environmentalism focuses primarily on reducing our impact and being “less bad.” Reducing the human impact on the environment is definitely important, but it does produce a rather unfortunate side effect: environmental profiteering, also known as green-washing. Green-washing occurs when a company strives to create the appearance of “going green” with as little effort as possible. For example, they could add a leaf to their logo or just change the background to green the way GM did. Other companies create an “all natural” version of their product that really doesn’t differ much at all from the original. If you see an item that says “made using recycled product” check to see just how much recycled content there is. Ten percent? Fifteen? One can’t really blame companies for cashing in; it’s the heart of capitalism. However, their reliance on marketing recycling is an issue. Right now, recycling is actually down-cycling. When paper and plastic are recycled, they produce a product of lower quality than the original. Plastic bottles end up grocery bags and printer paper ends up newsprint. Eventually, it gets downgraded so far that it’s no longer usable and ends up in the landfills. Right now our manufacturing system goes from assembly to land-fill, cradle to grave. If products are the life-blood of our economy, imagine a person with an open circulatory system -- blood goes in one end, does its job, and then spills out the other side, and, now useless, has to be stored somewhere. While making the most efficient use of products and materials is important, we’re addressing the symptoms, not the problem. The world needs to develop a closed-loop manufacturing system. It’s not about creating things that will never break. With our technology, that’s impossible. It’s not about never throwing anything away either. It’s about developing materials that are fully recyclable, so that they can be reworked time and again without producing waste. It’s about creating materials that aren’t just biodegradable, but bio-nutritive; when something biodegrades, it should give back to the soil. It’s a difficult task, but not an impossible one. Here’s the catch: I’m not a math and science guy, I don’t know how to do these kinds of things. So, Boise State engineers and chemists, it’s up to you. Good luck!

Thomas Jefferson who?

mct campus

Recent changes in the Texas public school history curriculim minimize the influence of Thomas Jefferson among the Founding Fathers. Haley Robinson Journalist

It’s a well-known fact that stories morph a little bit each time they are retold. It’s a natural evolution that comes from the application of opinion and the interpretation of the facts. But the Texas Board of Education is taking this concept to a new level. The Board recently voted to alter the content of public school textbooks. According to The Washington Post, “The curriculum plays down the role of Thomas Jefferson among the founding fathers, questions the separation of church and state, and

claims that the U.S government was infiltrated by Communists during the Cold War.” I have a hard time understanding the justification for downgrading Thomas Jefferson. It’s not like Jefferson was just some guy who happened to be around at that time. He was our first Secretary of State, our second Vice President, and our third President. He wrote the initial draft of the Declaration of Independence. He expanded the country with the Louisiana Purchase and founded the University of Virginia. The list of his accomplishments goes on and on.

Also, I’m not the only one who thinks he was important. The guy who decided that to carve his face in 60 feet of solid rock in South Dakota seemed to think Jefferson was as influential as Washington, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Also the people who put him on our nickels and two dollar bills thought he was OK. Oh and those people who turned his house, Monticello, into a historical landmark in D.C. How do Texans expect to explain his prevalence everywhere else to their kids? “Oh, yeah, everyone else really digs him… but you’re a Texan and he was un-Ameri-

can and really, he’s not that important.” The most apparent reason for his strange “demotion” is the fact that he was an advocate for the separation of church and state. I can’t quite comprehend the argument against this notion. It’s definitely in our Bill of Rights to grant freedom of religion to everyone. This concept implies religious acceptance in all areas of the nation and requires an unbiased federal government. Finally, there is the control factor. How much more control can one get than from influencing people from the time

they start school? They are not presenting history accurately -- they are censoring and manipulating the information more drastically than before. Many people are worried about the control that the Health Care Bill gives the federal government. I would think that those same people would be concerned about the altering of textbooks given to their children. BSU political science professor Gary Moncrief commented on the trend of educational conflicts among the states. “This is not the first time that such battles have been waged over textbook content,” Moncrief said. “A similar controversy occurred in Kansas, over creationism and evolution, just a few years ago… The Tennessee Legislature had made it unlawful to teach anything other than the biblical version of the origin of man.” Arguments about the separation of church and state and the type of education we give to children are never going to end. It would seem logical to me that public schools would remain neutral while private schools determine their own affiliation. After all, as Thomas Jefferson once said, "Most bad government has grown out of too much government."

e ditorial S taff

b usiness

Editor-In-Chief Shannon Morgan

NEWS Editor

Ben Mack

Editor

Kirk Bell

Managing editor Bob Beers

Producer

Mitch Esplin

Producer

Trent Lootens

Journalists

Patrick Trujillo David Gasch Chris Bodovinitz Sarah Murphy

Journalists

Daniel Priddy Brenden Sherry Kayla Bartling Drew Vatchel

Media manager Glenn Landberg Photo Editor Nik Bjurstrom online editor Stephen Heleker multiMedia editor Joey McCoullough Editorial advisors Steve Lyon Dan Morris

sports

opinion

culture

Editor

Nate Green

Editor

Jennifer Spencer

Journalists

Evan Bashir Josh Gamble Ashley Harshbarger Haley Robinson Allen Spurgeon Jessica Swider

Producer

Zach Ganschow

Journalists

Tony Rogers Nikki Houston Margaret Reimer Matt Dalley

d esign

General Manager Brad Arendt

production manager Jeremy Oliver

business/ad manager Dwight Murphy

prod. coordinators Lindsey Ward Eli Meuler

Marketing Director Jennifer Orr

Lead Graphic Designer Brendan Healy

Bookkeeper Shae Hanah account executives James Orr Miranda Forcier Jennifer Orr Miguel Varela

graphic designers Bree Jones Audrey Swift illustrator Ryan Johnson

o nline t eam Assistant online editor Josh Gamble

Community Managers Iko Vannoy Brittney Johnson

t o c ontact t he a rbiter www.arbiteronline.com 1910 University Dr Boise, ID 83725 Phone: 208.426.6300 Fax: 888.388.7554

Guest opinions (500 word limit) and Letters to the Editor (300 word limit) can be e-mailed to managingeditor@arbiteronline.com

The Arbiter cannot verify the accuracy of statements made in guest submissions. Opinions expressed by guest and staff columnists reflect the diversity of opinion in the academic community and often will be controversial, but they do not represent the institutional opinion of The Arbiter or any organization the author may be affiliated with unless it is labeled as such.

Distributed Mondays & Thursdays during the academic school year. The Arbiter is the official independent student newspaper of Boise State University and a designated public forum, where student editors make all content decisions and bear responsibility for those decisions. The Arbiter’s budget consists of fees paid by the student body and advertising sales. The first copy is free. Additional copies can be purchased for $1 apiece at The Arbiter offices.

The Arbiter • arbiteronline.com

Sports

Go online to view a slideshow of Kyle Wilson, Arbiter Sports Talk, Sports Talk with D-Vac and updates on BSU athletics.

Apirl 26, 2010

ARBITERONLINE.COM

Wilson Jet-set in NYC Kirk Bell

Sports Editor

yle Wilson sat in wait with family and friends to find where he would begin his professional football career. The New York Jets chose to pick up one of Boise State’s best football players in history at No. 29 overall in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. When he was announce Wilson immediately was bombarded with over 230 text messages congratulating him on his achievement. Wilson becomes the second selection by the New York Jets after former Bronco Willie Beamon was drafted in

the ninth round of the 1979 NFL Draft at linebacker. “Finally getting a chance to call everybody back and chat with them and just say thank you for everything,” Wilson said. After spending five years in Boise, Wilson returns to Piscataway, N.J. where his football career took flight before joining the Broncos. “I thought it was just a great situation,” Wilsons said. “That (N.Y. Jets) was one of the best visits I had and it was something about the interaction with the coaching staff. I know I couldn’t choose where I would go but that was just the best. To find out they

wanted me as much as I wanted them, it was just an awesome feeling.” Following a short celebration with his family Thursday night, Wilson made his way to the Jets facilities for interviews and interaction with reporters Friday in one of the biggest sports media markets the world has to offer. Saturday morning Wilson finally found time to contact those he attributes his rise to the NFL ranks. BSU head coach Chris Petersen and defensive secondary coach Marcell Yates received

a phone call from Wilson to express his appreciation for their hand in developing his athleticism to the elite level and simply to say thanks. “I was just calling them to thank them for everything that they’ve done over the past few years,” Wilson said. “Just wanted to say I couldn’t have done it without them. Those two were just really excited at the opportunity and just how everything has been going as of late and over the past time I’d been there (Boise).” Wilson begins the Jets minicamp Thursday to begin his NFL surge. “I’ll be there reporting in, ready to get out there and play football,” Wilson said. A professional in the making Wilson becomes just the second Boise State Bronco selected in the first round, following former teammate Ryan Clady who went No. 12 to the Denver Broncos in 2008. Wilson finished his career at BSU as a four-year starter and finished as a co-captain for the Broncos last season. He accrued 154 tackles (10 tackles for loss) intercepted 11 passes and 27 passes broken up. His senior season, Wilson returned two of his three interceptions for touchdowns and had 43 tackles. Wilson’s BSU career achievements include a 2009 preseason Playboy All-American selection, two-time Western Athletic Conference first-team selection (2008 and 2009) and 2009 second-team All-American selection. On special teams, Wilson returned 63 punts for 793 yards and three touchdowns.

OVERRATED: Top players tumble Daniel Priddy Journalist

or reasons that are beyond comprehension, the Western Athletic Conference still deals with the assumption that it is a second tier conference and the players who compete in that league are less valuable athletes than their more famous big conference counterparts. Though the assumption persists, the WAC has more top notch pro prospects on its roster than it has had sense the first golden era of WAC football ended in the 1990s. Tangible proof of how far the WAC has come over the last decade was seen during Friday night's NFL draft. Three WAC superstars were drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. Fresno State’s running back Ryan Mathew’s was picked No. 12 overall by the San Diego Chargers and is already being touted as the league’s next LaDainian Tomlison. The Idaho Vandals' Mike Iupati flew under the radar through out his college career but the 6-foot 5-inch, 330-pound behemoth’s rugged interior blocking capabilities earned him enough value to be picked up No. 20 overall by the San Francisco Forty-Niners. And of course Boise State’s own Kyle Wilson solidified his place as one of the most feared and versatile specialists in his class when he was picked up by the New York Jets as the No. 29 pick. The

Jets picked up Wilson to help their already dangerous defensive back field and to compete for the Jets' starting punt returner position. All three are expected to start in their rookie season and to

contribute as leaders in their positions for years to come. Unlike the Denver Bronco’s surprise first round pick of Florida’s Tim Tebow, all three WAC first round draftees were picked up without con-

troversy. Though it’s taken years, the WAC has finally reemerged as a conference that can offer NFL teams as much as the Pacific-10 or Big East. For those that scoff at the

assertion that the WAC can ever produce talent on the same level as the big six recall that NFL legends Steve Young and Tomlinson both came from the WAC and went on to have hall of fame careers. The

mct campus

(Left) Former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was drafted No. 85 overall in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. (Right) Former Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen was drafted No. 48 overall in the second round by the Carolina Panthers during the 2010 NFL Draft.

WAC has entered into a similar phase it enjoyed through out the '80s and '90s. Though none of these players were remotely as famous as others, such as Texas’s Colt McCoy and Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen, in the end they have proven more valuable. All three so-called second tier athletes were selected in the draft prior to the fore mentioned media golden boys. It seems the media is behind the NFL in respect to what players and teams they choose to write about and talk about. College football is a sport rooted in a profound tradition. That tradition extends itself to how college football is covered. Traditional power houses such as Note Dame garner an extreme amount of national coverage despite the fact the team hasn’t had a major bowl victory in more than a decade. The national media has a peculiar way of going about college football coverage. Though all three WAC players were signed to multi-year contracts to fresh and emerging professional football programs, Wilson and company have enjoyed only a minimal amount of discussion among the media’s elite institutions. It seems the only thing that anybody can talk about is why Clausen and McCoy were not drafted in the first round. It’s not that these two players are not great talents in their own rights; in fact the pair likely have good careers

See Overrateds I page 5

The Arbiter • arbiteronline.com

C SPORTS ULTURE

5 B

Apirl 26, 2010

ARBITERONLINE.COM

Freshman Howard makes new path for himself

Tomahawks continue tracking BSU football

Matt Bedinger

MIA PARRETT

Journalist

Freshman distance runner Jeff Howard is making an instant impact on the Boise State track and field team. Named the 2010 WAC Indoor Track Freshman of the Year, Howard is looking to make his presence felt both this outdoor season and for years to come as a Bronco. During the cross-country season in fall, Howard burst onto the scene with the team immediately. Consistently placing second on the team behind junior Sawyer Bosch at most meets, Howard ran the 8-kilometer WAC Championships in a time of 27 minutes, 4 seconds -- good enough for 14th place overall and All-WAC Second Team honors. Going into the track season however, Howard was skeptical of how well he would do. Throughout the indoor season Howard improved his 3,000-meter race time by more than 26 seconds, culminating in an 8-minute, 23-second showing at the WAC Championships. Also at the WAC Championships, Howard posted a time of 14 minutes, 44 seconds in the 5,000-meter race. Looking at himself as simply a cross-country runner, Howard bested his own expectations, going on to earn WAC Indoor Track Freshman of the Year honors. “It meant a lot because coming into track, like in high school, I didn’t have any good track times. I thought I was strictly a crosscountry guy,” Howard said. “I had a bad attitude coming in. I was just like ‘I suck on the track.’ But it was good because now I know if I just stay healthy, I can run every 3K, 5K, even 1,500 (m) pretty good too. That was the thing in high school; I wasn’t at full strength.” Coming from a high school cross-country team that won the national championship his senior year, Howard experienced big-time competition before coming to Boise State. He emphasized that his previous experience during high school kept him level-headed and painted the big picture for him. “Our number one guy that I was right behind most of the time, Andrew Kimpel, he went to (Washington State University). Our number three guy, Leon Dean, he went to Texas and he’s doing well down there. The rest of them were juniors and they’re having really good senior seasons so they’ll go D-1 after this year.” “I think it helped me grasp the grand scheme of things. Some of my (Boise State) teammates that came from smaller high schools, they kind of think of the WAC as something huge. I know it’s a quality conference, but I know there are bigger things than the WAC that I can shoot for in my sophomore, junior and senior seasons. It helped me because I got to see all the runners in the nation that were better than me. It kept my head from getting too big.” Heading into the outdoor track season,

On April 8, a reception was held in the Stueckle Sky Center for a group of students and staff from Tokyo, Japan, representing the Hosei Tomahawks football team. The group included five football players and six coaches. They were here for two weeks to learn, observe and experience the excitement of being a part of the Boise State Broncos football team. The reception was held in honor of the Japanese football players and their staff, who idolize Boise State’s football team, and regard it as one of the best in the United States. Among the attendees was the director of the Educational Leadership Program Kathleen Budge. “It is a custom in Japan to give a welcoming event for visitors,” said Budge. “So we reciprocate when they come here by giving them a thankyou reception.” The purpose of this trip was to observe and learn from the BSU football team and for some players,the trip was an experience of a lifetime. For the past three years, staff and students from Hosei University have been traveling to Boise each spring to gather more information and experience for their own football team. Since 2008 they have been coming to Boise to learn how to become, essentially, like Boise State. Some of the activities that the group participated in

courtesy bronco sports

BSU freshman distance runner Jeff Howard.

Howard decided to focus on the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter races. Having posted a time of 14 minutes, 39 seconds in the 5,000-meter race already, five seconds better than his indoor track time, Howard continues to show steady improvement. “I have one more invite. I’m running the 1,500-meter and it’s my first time running the 1,500-meter Howard said. "I just want to get a little under four minutes, hopefully. The first two meets outdoor, I did 5K at both. I don’t want to really keep doing the same event. It’s not like beating a dead horse, but it just gets a little repetitive so the 1,500-meter works on the speed a little bit. At the WAC (Championships), I’ll be in the 10,000-meter and 5,000-meter races probably. I just want to battle for the win in both of them and score as many points as possible.” Whichever events Howard runs in, don’t be surprised to see him set more personal records on the track each time he runs. “I’ve improved a lot as far as being a complete runner," Howard said. "In high school, all I wanted to do was race. My coach would be like ‘You’ve got to finish this workout.’ And I’d just be like ‘Nah.’ I probably finished 10 workouts in my whole high school career. There weren’t that many that I finished. I’m starting to finish workouts here and it’s paying off I think.” That improved work ethic has been responsible for him playing a big part on the BSU team to this point. As far as team goals for the outdoor season, Howard had a simple answer. “We definitely don’t want to let Utah State get the triple crown on us. They won crosscountry and indoor, so we want to win the outdoor season."

At some point the media needs to recognize which teams are succeeding and

the bleachers and were not allowed to attend coaches’ meetings or interact with the team. This is a huge reason why the Tomahawks love Boise State so much, due to their attitude and involvement with the team. The Hosei staff appreciate Broncos’ head coach Chris Peterson’s attitude toward visitors and how he treats the players like family. “They have a dream,” said Tetsuya Ehara. Ehara is a special lecturer of Japanese, and works with the groups when they travel to Boise. “They are a top three college in Japan, and win a lot of championships. They love the atmosphere and environment here at Boise State, which is why they enjoy coming back annually to learn.” Staying for only two weeks, the group of coaches and football players left April 20, to return back to Tokyo. The reception held April 8 was to welcome, thank and celebrate the return of the Hosei University students and staff. They had never been in the Stueckle Sky Center before, so the reception was held in a private suite and included a buffet and tour of the entire facility. “It was an opportunity for the coaches and the student athletes to interact with a variety of the College of Education deans, professors and staff,” said director for the Center of School Improvement and Policy Studies, William Parrett. “They absolutely love Boise State, and are sure to be coming back next year.”

Self-paced study. Anytime. Anywhere!

Enroll anytime! Complete in one year or less! Participating schools accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Overrated [Sports page 4] in front of them. But it seems ridiculous for a professional athlete to become famous for what didn’t happen as opposed to what did. In any profession it seems absurd to crown somebody a national superstar until that professional has achieved something worth crowning. Texas was a dominant power under McCoy but Clausen never led Notre Dame to an elite season. In fact, his time at Notre Dame was marred by some of the worst seasons in the school’s storied history. Yes, it true Clausen possesses great gifts as a quarterback. But the media’s obsession with him is an indication that they cannot see past the traditional forms of news coverage.

while they were in Boise included observing practice, watching film of Boise State games and talking with the coaches about strategy and techniques. The players had private position meetings with the appropriate coaches and received several bags full of BSU bookstore goodies, which they wore proudly every day. Due to the players’ physique and size, they did not actually participate in practices for fear of injury, but were on the field during practices and were able to experience BSU football by doing everything else possible. The Tomahawks have differences from football teams in the United States, but unfortunately, those differences are in everything but the actual game of football. The players practice on a dirt field, with no lights or bleachers. All of the coaches are volunteers, who can only give their assistance on Saturdays and Sundays aside from their weekday jobs. During the Monday through Friday practices the students are responsible for developing their own itinerary. There aren’t enough scholarships to give out and the players are limited on coaching staff and experience. For years, the coaches have looked to organize trips to several different universities in the U.S. to travel to and learn from programs such as Louisville, Oklahoma and UCLA. When once visiting USC the coaches of the Tomahawks were told to stay on

Over 100 online courses in more than 25 subject areas: which teams are not. Until then expect them to continue getting it wrong.

Accounting Advertising Anthropology Business Business Law Child & Family Studies Computer Science Economics Education English Environmental Science

Family & Consumer Sciences Finance Foreign Languages & Literatures Health Care Administration History Journalism & Mass Media Library Science Mathematics

Microbiology, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry Music History Philosophy Physics Political Science Psychology Real Estate Social Science Sociology

classifieds Classiﬁeds

Apirl 26, 2010

ARBITERONLINE.COM

Crossword

FOR RELEASE APRIL 22, 2010

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

KING SIZE PILLOWTOP MATTRESS set brand new in

bag. Must sell, $199. Can Deliver. 921-6643.

CHERRY SLEIGH BED

QUEEN TEMPURPEDIC

style visco memory foam mattress. Brand new in plastic. Must sell. $225. 921-6643

Solid wood. Brand new w/ matress set. Retail $1199. Sacriﬁce $299. Call 8881464. 7-PIECE CHERRY Bedroom

set. Brand-new in box. Retail $2250, sacriﬁce $450. Call 888-1464

FULL SIZE ORTHOPEDIC MATTRESS Brand new in pack-

age, warranty Sacriﬁce $99. Call 921-6643.

BED-QUEEN PILLOW TOP

mattress set. Brand new, still in plastic, warranty. Must sell $139. Can deliver. 921-6643. 9 PIECE KING SLEIGH BED SET. All wood- dovetail

drawers. List $2950. Sacriﬁce $799. 888-1464 BRAND NEW MICROFIBER COUCH & loveseat. Stain

Resistant. Lifetime warranty. Still in boxes. Retail $1395. Must sell! $425. 888-1464.

LEATHER SOFA PLUS LOVESEAT. Brand new in crate

with lifetime warranty. List $2450. Sacriﬁce $650. 888-1464.

JOURNALIST Duties of a journalist include covering news events, meetings, writing features, analysis and producing multimedia segments. We are looking for reporters who can and will work a variety of subjects and understand the value of community journalism. Photography, audio, video, skills and comfort with WordPress and social media such as Twitter and Facebook are a plus. To Apply e-mail a letter to Editor-in-Chief, Bob Beers, expressing your interest in the internship to jobs@arbiteronline. com. Students can also send a resume but it’s not requiered.

ONLINE COORDINATOR The Online Coordinator for the BSSMG will work with the Online Editor in managing a team charged with producing content and maximizing the potential of arbiteronline.com and universitypulse. com. They provide a key strategic role in website, multi-media and social media initiatives for the two websites. The Online Coordinator will help update and organize the sites daily with articles, multi-media, audio interviews and other content. To Apply e-mail a letter to Editor-in-Chief, Bob Beers, expressing your interest in the internship to jobs@arbiteronline. com. Students can also send a resume but it’s not required.

PHOTOJOURNALIST The

position is responsible for capturing and editing images for Arbiter Media, produce Soundslides (photo slide shows with audio) and collaborate with fellow journalists on creating media on a variety of platforms, including in print. We will train you and give you the tools, support and encouragement you need to succeed. We are looking for students who can and will work a variety of subjects and understand the value of community journalism. Audio, video, skills and comfort with WordPress and social media such as Twitter and Facebook are a plus. To Apply e-mail a letter to Editor-in-Chief, Bob Beers, expressing your interest in the internship to jobs@arbiteronline.com. Students can also send a resume but it’s not required.

ATTENTION STUDENTS!! Summer Work $15 Base/Appt. Positions in entry level sales/customer service. Flexible schedules, PT & FT available. No exper. nec., trainining provided. Conditions apply. 17+. Call (208) 344-3700

STUDENTPAYOUTS. COM

Paid Survey Takers Needed In Boise. 100% FREE To Join! Click On Surveys.

STAND

So you wanna place a classiﬁed ad? It’s easy!

There are four ways to do it: 1. Go to www.arbiteronline.com and click on the link to the classiﬁeds section and place your ad online, 24-7.

Classiﬁed Line Ads (per character)* 1 Issue..................................................$0.06 2-4 Issues ............................................$0.05 5+ Issues..............................................$0.04 *75 Character Minimum

5 Star sci. 6 10% of DXXX 7 Apprehension 8 Catch from a pier 9 “The Soloist” co-star 10 Robbery accessories 11 Nitrogen-based dye 12 Something that goes with breakfast? 13 Psyche parts 19 Avis lead-in 21 Samuel Johnson work 24 “You bet” 25 Alfred E. Neuman is its mascot 26 Overhead transports 28 LAX posting 29 Court decision maker 33 Indy 500 advertiser 34 Mask 35 Ownership call 36 Speech hesitations 37 Malarkey

Sudoku

For classified display rates, contact an Arbiter ad rep at ads@ arbiteronline.com. Please check your ad the fi rst day it runs, and notify The Arbiter of any errors. We will only be responsible for fi rst insertion.

4/22/10

49 Quaint retail word 51 Tony winner Tharp 52 Sweater synthetic 55 Peevishness 56 Les États-__ 57 Data-sharing syst. 58 Chapel vow 59 Ease, with “up”

BY MICHAEL MEPHAM

3 4

8/23/09

Funnies

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit

www.sudoku.org.uk

The

38 Happy, for one 39 Hair stiffener 40 Geisha’s sash 43 Spareribs separator 44 Keen on 45 Musical direction after ritardando, perhaps 47 Gap 48 Mercedes sedan category

The Arbiter takes no responsibility if you get scammed out of your beer money. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved Previous Puzzle Solved

Level: 1

4. Yell really loud. Someone from our oﬃce may or may not hear you.

Rates:

3. Stop by our oﬃce across the street from the SUB (the one with the big ramp in the front).

DOWN 1 Go up 2 Angora fabric 3 Sad, to Sarkozy 4 Churchill or Roosevelt, e.g.

4/22/10

By Jack McInturff

SOLUTION TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

2. E-mail ad requests to classiﬁeds@arbiteronline.com. Include your name, phone number and ad text.

ACROSS 1 Tsp. and tbsp. 5 Old orchard spray 9 Abu __ 14 Separate by color, say 15 Angle function 16 Barely flowed 17 Hairy “pet” 18 Father of Sam and Charlie 20 South Pacific site of large stone statues 22 Casual evenings 23 Dull 27 One might be snappy 30 Anti vote 31 __ Kan: Alpo rival 32 Some game enders 34 They come and go 35 Continuously 39 Enter 41 Search stealthily 42 Abate 43 Rosemary’s portrayer 46 Hides 50 Mind 53 Clinton Labor secretary Robert 54 Asian draft animal 57 “All of Me” actress whose first name is a hint to this puzzle’s theme 60 __ on the shoulder 61 Author __ Rogers St. Johns 62 __ sci 63 Pointed end 64 Feature of Oregon sales 65 Singles 66 Latin I word

The Future BY N. BLACK AND S. CLEMENT

Tribune Media Services Today’s birthday (4/26/10) This is your year to mend the damaged and restore whatever’s been lost. You prove indefatigable in the pursuit of independence. Perseverance, backed by a rich sense of humor, provides a way to express your passions to family and associates. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is an 8 - A lot of pieces come together today, and you see a way to repair something that you thought was permanently broken. In the process, you save a ton of money.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is an 8 - The best thing you can do for your associates is to state your opinion and reinforce it with action. Don’t let anything distract you.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 7 - Bring water and snacks everywhere you go. You may not have time for a regular meal until later. You’re running on emotional fuel all day.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is a 6 - Take today off if at all possible. You need time to recuperate from exciting weekend activities. Your significant other cleans up any leftover messes.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is an 8 - Something seemed broken on Friday. Today, you see just the way to repair or adjust elements so that they work together perfectly. Tweak, but don’t use a sledgehammer.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 6 - Use whatever means of persuasion you need to convince your significant other to relax. Less stress equals more fun, so lighten the mood.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is an 8 - Everything goes like clockwork today. You set household goals and someone else takes care of them. Meanwhile, you cheerfully handle whatever arises at work.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 6 - Let your significant other take the lead now. You’re perfectly happy to go along with any plan, reasonable or not. Maintain a playful attitude.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 7 - Use your persuasive powers to move others as early as possible. The weather could shift, and you need to be on the road before that happens.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is an 8 - It really is all about you and your most intimate friend. Get together early to make the most of the short time you have.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is a 6 - You wake up today knowing that you have the power. Now you need to decide what to do with it. Try making everyone around you happier.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 7 - Ask your group leader to work some magic and make obstacles disappear. Everyone needs to see the opportunity and enthusiastically embrace it. ___ (c) 2009, Tribune Media Services Inc.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

The Arbiter • arbiteronline.com

Culture

7 Go to arbiteronline.com to watch a slideshow featuring the Gene Harris Jazz Festival.

Apirl 26, 2010

ARBITERONLINE.COM

GENE HARRIS JAZZ FESTIVAL

Developing Boise’s future vibrations Stephen Foster Journalist

he Gene Harris Jazz Festival is a hallmark event in our community. The 13th installment, taken place last weekend, kept the tradition of excellence alive. “A truly distinguished metropolitan community must have a vibrant jazz scene,” was the motto and goal of this year’s event. Gene Harris (1933-2000) was a prominent American jazz pianist, who after an expansive career as a recording artist for Blue Note and Verve records, retired to Boise around 1970 and regularly played concerts around town. The Gene Harris Jazz Festival was established in 1998, with a goal of bringing in the best jazz artists to work with aspiring jazz students during the day, and then perform concerts at night. This year’s event began on Thursday with a Gene Harris tribute concert in the Stueckle Sky Center RR Ranch Club. In this luxurious setting, The Monty Alexander Trio paid tribute to the legacy of Gene Harris with a set of islandtinged jazz. Campus Jazz Club Concerts took place both Friday

and Saturday from 4-7 p.m. with the aim of recreating a downtown jazz club scene. With liquor on hand, acts such as Diverse, AnschellJensen Duo, and The New Trio delighted audiences with a mixed bag of styles, ranging from contemporary jazz to exploratory improv. Friday’s headliners were Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns. Hailing from Vegas, this band seemed a bit out of place for the elegant Gene Harris Jazz Festival. Their music probably works great in Vegas clubs and resorts, but failed to match the expectations of the audience. “I’m more interested in hearing what’s relevant in jazz music, this band was entertaining, but not inspiring,” said local businesswomen Claudia Schumeyer. Saturday’s headliners, Doug Beavers’ Latin Jazz Orchestra picked up the pace with a fiery set of Salsa and Samba infused big-band jazz. Doug Beavers was able to slide out smooth, slippery phrases with his trombone, testing the limits of the instruments range. Aside from the various jazz performances, the festival offers a wealth of educational opportunities. Gene Harris was big on jazz education, and the primary

robby milo/THE ARBITER

Photo features the band Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns and Diverse from Friday’s performance at the Gene Harris Jazz Festival. This year marked the 13th Gene Harris Jazz Festival in Boise. purpose of the festival has always been to inspire young jazz musicians. The festival provides the opportunity for amateur jazz musicians to directly interact

and learn from Boise’s premiere jazz artists and festival performers. Educational workshops place students and professionals together in instrument specific forums

that afford students the ability to develop their skills. “The festival is a great opportunity for those that want to further their development in the art of jazz. As a high

school student who attended the festival, I benefited from this opportunity. It was a very rewarding experience,” said Justin Stadlbauer, a senior political science major.

Squids, bacon and eggs: Metal Arts program exemplifies 'Past and Present'

zach ganschow/THE ARBITER

The fabricated copper sculpture "ëCephalopodí" by Michelle Emery lurks in the SUB gallery along with 61 other pieces by current and former Art Metal students. Margaret Reimer Journalist

The Boise State University metal arts program started in 1971 with one smith torch

and a toolbox. The program’s April 22 show, “Past and Present,” exemplifies how far the metal arts program has come since then, with students show-

ing their expertise in engraving, stone setting and many other areas. It was designed to give audiences a chance to become more familiar with the field of metal-smithing and jewelry. The Boise State Art Metals Club helped to organize the event to showcase current and alumni student works. “I wanted to work with my hands, and I like watching the process of actually creating something. I like the miniscule. I enjoy making people take a closer look,” Josh Wiklund, sophomore art metals major said. Wiklund created the piece “My Lady’s Hand,” a metal sculpture resembling a marionette’s hand done in copper, brass and silver. He also created “Ship Ring,” which is his favorite piece. “Ship Ring” is a brass ship sailing on a pa-

tina blue metal ocean. “You need time and patience -- the solder doesn’t always flow right or you heat it too much and something comes apart. The joints come apart and then you have to go back 10 steps and start over again,” Wiklund said when discussing the challenges of working with metal. In spite of often suffering from burns and having to don full leather protective gear, many of the artists see every aspect of metal-smithing as fun. “I get to play with fire. I love art, and metal (smithing) is a really difficult art, but it allows you to be really intricate. That’s what I enjoy about it,” Kristi Marshall, art metals alumnus said. Marshall, a former dental hygiene major, created “Floss” and “Toothbrush.”

“You have everything from stone setting to enamel casting,” Marshall said, gesturing at the gallery. Some cases display necklaces, others contain more sculptural pieces like a silver and bronze rendering of bacon and eggs. “I am now apprenticing with a local jeweler, Mike Rogers, of Precious Metal Arts. I want to have my own gallery some day,” Marshall said. Senior art metal major, Ellen Crosby, brought her love of a certain sea creature to her art. “We had to choose a theme this semester and I chose squids, because I love giant squids. This was my squid semester,” Crosby said. Her bracelets are squids rendered in sterling silver, aquarium glass and fishing lure.

Putting together such an exhibition can be difficult with a school that produces so many skilled artists. Fine arts manager of the Student Union Building, Holly Gilchrist, said it was a year in which many artists submitted their works to the SUB. “One of the challenges of this show was the number of students who had not had previous experience showing in a gallery setting who hadn’t submitted instructions on how to display their work. It took some guesswork, but we haven’t had any complaints,” Gilchrist said. The art of the men and women of steel (and other metals) can be seen April 22 to May 25 in the SUB gallery located upstairs directly above the bookstore. For more information visit finearts.boisestate.edu.

re(Mark) showcases BFA graphic design and illustration talent Boise State is making its mark. On Wednesday, the 2010 Biannual Senior Graphic Design & Illustration Portfolio Show will display 15 students work as part of the BFA graphic design and illustration program The event features Akiko Fry, Andy Harl, Ashley Durand, Christopher Raymond Brown, Eli Meuler, Jennie Jorgensen, Jean You, Lana Roth, Landon Larsen, Lauren Howell, Lindsey Ward, Rebecca Stich, Sara Love, Thomas Walsh and Tracie Holstine. Refreshments, including hors d'oeuvres and alcoholic beverages for purchase, will be available. To learn more, visit artdept. boisestate.edu/remark.

What: re(Mark) When: Wednesday, April 28, 6 - 9 p.m.

DR. DOG

glenn landberg/THE ARBITER

Excuse them, forgive them, they only wear blue. Dr. Dog played a full show at the Neurolux last Thursday, stunning the audience with their vibrant light show as Frank McElroy charms the crowd on rhythm guitar.

Where: Powerhouse Cost: FREE The Arbiter • arbiteronline.com

CULTURE

Apirl 26, 2010

ARBITERONLINE.COM

FROM THE CIRCUS TO THE LAB

Senior Benjamin Davis awarded research internship in Maine Tony Rogers Journalist

From the circus to the classroom, the life of senior Benjamin Davis is nothing like he planned. The pre-vet and cell and molecular biology double major has dabbled in everything from circus performing to falconry. Just recently, he was awarded with a summer research opportunity at a prestigious research lab in Maine. The Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL), founded in 1898, specializes in marine and fresh water organisms. The laboratory functions as the largest cold water research facility in the eastern United States. At the lab, Davis will be researching sea urchin regenerative capacity and how that is affected with age. "I will be exposing sea urchin embryos to fish spit in an attempt to get them to bud

larvae. It’s not glorious, but it is important for work to continue," Davis said. In addition to spending a summer doing research, his fellowship pays for his travel costs, room and board and a weekly wage. From an early age, Davis always had an interest in animals. He accredits this to Morley Nelson, a previous neighbor who helped rehabilitate birds of prey. During a good portion of grade school, Davis would go over to his house every day to help with the birds, and soon he had his dad and his brother involved. It would be this memory that would define who he would become. “Morley was pretty much the coolest guy I ever met growing up. He had been a ski trooper in WWII and told us stories and taught us to repel down cliffs and snow camp and all kinds of great things,” Davis said. However, in school it was art that grabbed Davis' atten-

tion, and he went so far as to join a circus, where he trained with acrobats. He ended up traveling all over Europe, though that career turned out to be extremely unstable. It was then that Davis remembered Nelson’s memory, and registered for classes. “He was the kind of man I aspired to be, so I guess it makes sense that at a time when I needed to, more or less, decide what to do with my life, his memory was very influential,” Davis said. That led him down a road that would ultimately ignite a wildfire interest in biology. His freshman year, Davis started working in the lab of Boise State biology professor, Julie Oxford, Ph.D., doing lab support, such as cleaning glass equipment and taking inventories. Over the next two years, his training and research contributions led to him applying to the MDIBL. "My definition for what makes something a circus

courtesy ashley rasmussen

Benjamin Davis is a pre-vet and cell and molecular biology double major. spectacle is that thousands of hours of mundane work are distilled into a few minutes of something extraordi-

nary," Davis said. often feels that always wanted to thing meaningful

"Research way. I’ve do someand with

the pace at which biological understanding is advancing it feels good to be a part of the work."

Bronco Best: Make your voice heard! Jennifer Spencer

CATEGORIES:

Culture Editor

What has made your Spring 2010? E-mail culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

mct campus

Hey there, Broncophiles. You have opinions and we want to hear them. With the semester (thankfully) coming to an end, it's time to vocalize your thoughts on 2010. Are you goo goo for Gaga? Are you bonkers for Bieber? What is the best place to eat on campus? Which professor rocks your world (in the academic sense, of course)? Submit your votes and musings on the following categories to culture@stumedia. boisestate.edu for the possibily of publication in the last issue of the semester on May 10. Send emails by Wednesday, May 5.

• • • • • • • •

Best Album Best Song Best TV Show Best Movie Best Place to Eat on Campus Best Professor Best Place to Study on Campus Best Music Venue

• • • •

Best Campus Event Best Resident Hall Best Place to Eat at 2 a.m. Best Place to Have Fun When You're Broke • Best Spot to Float the Boise RIver • Best Place to "frolf" on Campus • Add your own category!

You May Be Eligible

All examinations, lab work & medications related to the study are provided. Paid participation is made to qualified volunteers for time & travel.

Current Studies Are

Acne Quit Smoking & Asthma 208-685-0600 7373 W. Emerald St. Boise, ID 83704

Corner of Cole & Emerald

www.nwct.com

The Arbiter • arbiteronline.com