The Arbiter 10.20.15 online

October 20, 2015 Vol. 28 Issue 10

In d epe nd e nt

The Arbiter

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@arbiteronline

V o i ce

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@arbiteronline

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Across the Country

Student bikes Seattle to D.C. p. 16

arbiteronline.com

Justin Kirkham

editor@stumedia. boisestate.edu

MANAGING EDITOR Patty Bowen

managingeditor@ stumedia.boisestate.edu

NEWS EDITOR

Patrick Adcock news@ stumedia.boisestate.edu

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

IN THIS

Idaho Penitentiary/Courtesy

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ISSUE

Visit your favorite felons home p.14

Shelly Bohorquez news@ stumedia.boisestate.edu

SPORTS EDITOR

Ali Roberts sports@ stumedia.boisestate.edu

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Rylan Kobre sports@ stumedia.boisestate.edu

CULTURE EDITOR

Brittany Lindstrom culture@ stumedia.boisestate.edu

ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR

Boise State Men’s Rugby Club Facebook/Courtesy

Cheyene Austin culture@ stumedia.boisestate.edu

DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Jared Lewis digitalcontent@ stumedia.boisestate.edu

COPY EDITORS DESIGN MANAGER Ted Atwell

BUSINESS MANAGER Connor Jones business@ arbiteronline.com

Distributed Tuesdays 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 a piece at The Arbiter offices.

Encounters with Cheryl Shurtleff-young p.10

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Boise, ID 83725 Phone: 208.426.6300 Fax: 888.388.7554

BSU archives/Courtesy

Andrea Batton Reba Rice

Get your rugby on p. 19 Follow us on BroncoMobile, available in the App Store

Editor’s note

Football fans fumble when athletes underperform Justin Kirkham Editor-in-Chief

When it comes to sports, I am less than informed. Generally, when watching some sort of athletic event, I’m more invested in the different advertising motifs presented on the various billboards and signs surrounding the stadium in question or the color schemes presented by each combating team. However, one thing I’m sure I’ve noticed in line with the viewpoints and attention spans of other spectators is the inner fury presented by Bronco sports fans.

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I’ve had to ease myself into sports. Until reading staff writer Jessica Richmond’s “Football for the non-footballer” article, available on arbiteronline.com, I wasn’t quite sure whether those in possession of the football were deemed offense or defense. It makes sense when thinking about wizards attacking a tower— those flinging fireballs are the offense. But, when it comes to football, it’s hard to think of the ball as a weapon of sorts.

Luckily, that’s why we have talented sports editors and staff writers like Brittany Ryan who can explain these rules and details as shown on page

18 of this issue.

Despite all of this, one thing is readily apparent: Bronco fans are ready to fight and cheer for their team, especially when they are winning. But, when the players fall short, as detailed in Assistant Sports and Rec Editor Rylan Kobre’s column on page 19, fans become irrationally angry.

What’s interesting to me, as an avid non-sports fan, is how these fans become so angry about something they don’t fully understand the weight of participating in. Instead of panicking about the football team and devoting all of that negative attention toward a

team that works hard week after week, it might be good to devote a little more time to the appreciation of other athletes, like cyclist Chris Heggenberger on page 16, who succeed in their own right as much as other athletes.

This hyper focus on a singular group of athletes is detrimental to the visibility of other sport groups, clubs and teams. Instead of firing threats and frustration at a team who loses a game—as all teams are bound to do eventually—it might be nice to pay more attention to the other groups succeeding outside of the limelight.

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NEWS

Blind Idahoans vie for awareness Asst. News Editor

A business card textured with a pattern of raised dots provides Mike Gibson’s name and contact information at the Disability Resource Center for those who read braille.

As the assistive technology coordinator, Gibson works with the blind community at Boise State to provide students with the unique resources they need to succeed in their classes.

“My job is to give tech support—maybe help them brush up skills they might be a little rusty on. But, sometimes, I just provide encouragement,” Gibson said. “I know where they’re at. I can empathize with them. As a student in general, going through college life is frustrating. There are frustrations that are unique to blind and visually impaired students, and then there are frustrations which are universal.”

October is recognized nationally as Blindness Awareness Month. In 1964, Oct. 15 was declared White Cane Safety Day by President Lyndon B. Johnson in order to honor the accomplishments of blind people and to recognize people who are blind are members of the community.

“We shop and do business, we operate businesses, we’re employed, we spend money in the community—you know, we’re part of the community,” said Dana Ard, State President of the National Federation of the Blind of Idaho. “This is one time we can let the world know we’re out here, we share the same community with you, we have the same rights you have

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and it’s just a way for people to recognize we are part of the community.”

On Oct. 15 at 8 a.m., the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired marched to the Idaho State Capitol Building steps from their downtown location, where Ard read a proclamation in hopes of raising awareness of their presence within the community. This was part of the annual three day conference held by the Northern Rockies Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Both Ard and Gibson echoed a similar concern about the struggles of blind students and the blind community in general.

“Another frustration factor students deal with is lack of understanding or lack of knowledge about the abilities of blind and visually impaired students—meaning in public in general,” Gibson said.

“Those general stereotypes and attitudes that continue to persist about what blindness is or what blindness means— that’s an ongoing battle. It doesn’t matter who you are or what situation you’re in as a blind and visually impaired person. You have to combat those.”

According to Gibson, most blind students at Boise State University have gone through extensive training through the Assessment and Training Center at the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

This training includes learning to use a computer to its fullest potential.

“It is very intense to learn all of the skills for how to

function using your technology because there are hundreds of keystrokes you need to learn in order to make the computer talk,” Gibson said.

“It’s not just moving your arrow up and down—there are all sorts of different key commands to equal what you do by clicking with your mouse.

It takes time to practice and it takes time to learn those.”

However, no matter how much practice a blind student receives in taking advantage of technology, the biggest struggle blind students face is time.

“We do a really good job of trying to get the materials to the students,” Gibson said.

“But it takes time to produce these materials.”

Boise State University has an institutional membership with Learning Ally, a nonprofit organization that provides support for people who are blind and visually impaired with the goal of providing equal opportunities to learn.

The Disability Resource Center also works with book manufacturers to negotiate the unlocking of online content, allowing it to be read out loud through computer software, and making it accessible to blind students.

These negotiations can take weeks however, and when they don’t work out, the Disability Resource Center looks into additional measures for students to receive necessary class materials.

Gibson explained faculty can be unintentionally problematic, depending on how they assign work to their class.

“There are some professors whose (Blackboard) courses look like a disorganized

mess,” Gibson said. “Faculty is very willing. They want to.

They just need to have someone educate them on what works best. Once they grasp that vision, faculty is very supportive.”

These issues are constant, and for this reason, the Disability Resource Center works to dissolve them on a regular basis. While textbooks and general computer skills are some of the most common problems faced by blind students, the general lack of understanding from the sighted community is another continuous frustration.

Gibson hopes these misconceptions about the blind community will be corrected by informing the sighted community.

“This is what a person who is blind can do,” Gibson said.

“They can live the life they want—they can pursue their aspirations and their dreams.”

From ICBVI Facebook/Courtesy

Shelly Bohorquez

ICBVI hosts events for blind community

10/20/2015

NEWS

Mayor candidates talk new campus stadium Patrick Adcock News Editor

Last week, Boise mayoral candidates discussed the potential of a new stadium being built near Boise State in a meeting with The Idaho Statesman.

“There have been lots of conversations about the possibility of a baseball park or some kind of stadium in the downtown area over the last several years,” said Mike Journee, communications director for the mayor’s office. “It’s the latest iteration of that conversation.”

The Statesman reported Bieter proposed a baseball stadium as a way to bring baseball to Boise State.

“We’re constantly looking

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for ways to incorporate the university into the downtown flow,” Journee said. “A stadium—wherever it is—is another one of those huge catalyst for the development of downtown and would be a huge draw to our city.”

Journee said there is a natural connection with baseball since there is already a minor league team in the area. The Boise Hawks have expressed their interest in a new facility. “(Bieter) is very impressed with the Boise Hawks’ new ownership and thinks having a stadium in the downtown area would be great for our city,” Journee said.

Journee emphasized there are no formal plans for con-

struction of a stadium and the conversation has been going on for years. However, that hasn’t kept it from being a topic of debate in the mayoral elections.

Mayoral candidate and junior technical communication major at Boise State, Seth Holden, has hesitations about building a stadium in the downtown area. Holden believes it has the potential to be costly and increase traffic.

“More than likely it would have to have its own parking garage. It could take away from Boise State parking,” Holden said. “I think there’s a better location for it than downtown, especially competing with Boise State for events.”

Holden recommended

building the stadium in south Boise to bring economic development to the area and believes it would provide better access.

Holden also stated he would prefer to have a soccer stadium since there is already a baseball stadium near the fair grounds, but said ultimately, a decision like this should be voted upon.

Candidate Judy Peavey-Derr was unavailable for comment, but the Statesman reported Peavey-Derr recommended a soccer stadium or aquatic center instead of the proposed baseball stadium.

“We’re looking for the sweet spot: for the right partners, the right venue and the right location. Its all still a big conversation,” Journee said.

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NEWS

Transgender alliance aims for active club future Shelly Bohorquez Asst. News Editor

The Transgender Alliance has been up and running for half a semester, and while they have made strides toward their specific goals of transgender friendly housing and more gender neutral bathrooms, the future of this organization wavers.

“If it dissolves, that’s up to the members who follow us,” said June Meissner, a literature graduate student.

“We just wanted to leave something in place so our work didn’t just disappear

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with us when we left campus.”

The three founding members of the Transgender Alliance; Dianne Piggott, June Meissner and Eli Griffin will graduate this year, and some worry this new and important organization could disappear with them.

“I’m stretched pretty thin right now; I think as we all are. I try to find time here and there to do things with the group,” Meissner said.

“We’re hoping to start getting into having more regular meetings, but with so few initial members, it’s kind of

hard to figure out when anybody is going to be available.”

The Transgender Alliance has goals specific to their subgroup, and while the LGBT community at Boise State has stronger footing, the members of the Transgender Alliance felt the need to separate from these other groups in order to push the issues they are working to resolve further.

“A lot of the issues and needs can be a bit different,” said Dianne Piggott, senior marketing major. “A lot of activists say transgender

politics is basically where gay politics was 15 years ago. So there’s catching up to do.”

As a new organization, the Transgender Alliance has received support from the Women’s Center and the Pride Alliance, but they can also look to the Office of the Dean of Students for reinforcement.

According to the university’s non-discrimination policy, Boise State does not subject any individual to discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability,

income, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

“We want to make them aware of the various university policies that support those same topics and issues,” said Christian Wuthrich, dean of students.

“If they saw, for example, within a policy or within something the university was supporting, that their interests were not represented as clearly as they’d like, we would work with them to identify people to speak with as well as advocate on their behalf.”

According to Piggott, a lot of transgender people need a safe place to talk—a sense of community—and that really just comes from other trans people.

“I’m hoping the club keeps going and becomes this highly visible group,” Meissner said. “People who are on campus and may be out as transgender or who are not out as transgender people or who are questioning—we want to make sure people on campus have resources and people they can come to and see that there is a community for them here.”

10/20/2015

NEWS

Climate change is sending up smoke signals Patrick Adcock News Editor

The smoke plaguing the Treasure Valley has been more than inconvenient as sporting events had to be moved and the air quality reached unhealthy levels.

“The reason Boise has been so smoked in is, at night, all that smoke sitting over the fire area drains into the valley,” said Larry Van Bussum, incident meteorologist on-site at the Walker Fire.

Van Bussum said cooler temperatures in the evening and early morning cause the dense smoke particles to sink

to the lowest point, which happens to be the Treasure Valley.

As bad as the smoke has been for the Treasure Valley, Jen Pierce, associate professor with Boise State’s Department of Geosciences, said the fire reveals the condition of our climate.

Pierce studies fires in Idaho and said the Walker Fire is very unusual for this time of year.

“According to the U.S. Weather Service, for the second day in a row, Boise set a record high of 90 degrees, which is the highest temperature so late in any year

since records began in 1875,” Pierce said. “Those record high temperatures, combined with very dry conditions, create the perfect conditions for a fire.”

According to Pierce, this perfect storm is really the result of the larger issue of climate change.

“The evidence is very clear,” Pierce said. “We have some of the highest temperatures our world has experienced in the last thousand years—and likely longer.”

Pierce said fires are a nonlinear response to climate change, meaning, unlike global temperatures that slowly

rise, fires are growing more rapidly and causing a more noticeable change.

“Here in Idaho, rising sea level is really not going to affect us with climate change as it will in places like Florida,” Pierce said. “What we’re really seeing the effects of in terms of climate change here in Idaho are these large fires.

That’s one of the most obvious ways we’re being adversely affected.”

Denise Cobb, public information officer with Great Basin Incident Management Team Six, said a lot of resources have gone into containing this fire and asked people to

be patient as they contain the flames.

“We’ve got quite a bit of it contained in just a few days,” Cobb said.

So far, the fire’s perimeter is 92 percent contained, and the latest reports show a containment date of Oct. 21.

While the Walker Fire is under control, the cause of the problem still remains.

Pierce said there are several ways students can help become part of the solution.

“I think the most important thing for students to do is make that connection between these fires and our climate,” Pierce said. “If students

want to do something about the fires in Idaho, they need to realize climate change is real and it’s happening.”

Aside from understanding the larger issue of climate change, students can get involved by helping Pierce with research projects or just being more careful to not start fires.

Pierce said late fall fires, like this one, are avoidable because they are typically caused by humans, unlike summer fires which are mostly due to lightning strikes.

Students looking to get involved in research projects dealing with fires can contact Pierce via email.

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Opinion

Escape the gym, go outside Managing Editor

Deep orange leaves drift from grey tree branches while the warm greens of small plants and moss line the path below the feet of junior mechanical engineering major Tyler Dale.

Dale, who is also president and founder of the Idaho Outdoor Club at Boise State, started his Saturday morning surrounded by the sights and smells of the north fork of the Boise River.

“There’s something about being outside that brings a certain peace,” Dale said. “You’re able to experience everything with all of your senses. You feel the cold breeze and the vivid color of all the trees and flowers. It makes you appreciative of life.”

Not all students have an outdoor-oriented nature like Dale, but those in question should consider gaining one. A study recently published by Nature Publishing Group pointed to the health benefits of time spent outside.

This apparently results in health benefits that—over several years—are likely to add up to seven years onto a person’s life. According to the study, this health boost could also allow a person to gain up to $10,000 more in annual salaries over their lifetime.

The study took place in Toronto, Canada and focused on residents in areas that had higher tree concentration. It found an additional ten trees per block equated to a one percent increase in the health of nearby residents.

The study focused on trees specifically placed in front yards and on sidewalk areas— places where residents would walk by them—hinting at a

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relationship between the previously stated health benefits and close proximity between yo foliage and resident. This would hint at an increase in health benefits for students who focus on outdoor recreation over indoor gym workouts because they are in close proximity with trees more often.

“I feel a significant increase in my happiness and mental health after spending time outside and getting perseptive,” said Darby Leahy, senior history major. “Exercising outside makes me feel better about myself. It feels less like a chore and more beneficial.”

Leahy switches between hikes outside and going to the gym, but has found she feels a more positive and lasting emotional and physical response to her outdoor workout sessions.

Although her outdoor induced bursts in health and energy could be in part based on her love for nature, it is scientifically proven the chemicals trees give off help boost the immune system.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, spending time outside increases the number of white blood cells in our bodies. These white blood cells help kill off virus and tumor infected cells in our bodies.

For Tyson Stellrecht, owner of Backcountry Pursuit, there is “no excercising inside.”

Stellrecht has found excercising outside is pertinent to individuals like himself who have high stress jobs that rely on their ability to focus for long periods of time. “(When you stay inside) you get so closed in and focused you might not see other avenues for solutions,” Stellrecht

said. “When I’m really pressed for time—I need to get something done—I can just get outside and not think about it for awhile. I will see things newer or in a different light.”

Stellrecht is referring to Directed attention fatigue, a phenomenon that occurs when a person spends too long trying to focus on something. DAF drains the mind, disallowing it to process information efficiently while finishing work.

According to a study done this summer by the National Academy of Sciences, exercising in areas with a high density of greenery can lower a person’s likelihood to brood or create “maladaptive pattern of selfreferential thought that is associated with heightened risk for depression and other mental illnesses.”

The study connected urban living with depression, explaining more time spent in natural areas would result in a healthier state of mind and less lingering negative thoughts.

“A large part of exercise is a mental thing—to boost yourself,” Dale said. “When you’re going around a track or treadmill, you get caught in loops of thought where you’re saying the same thing the whole time.”

According to Dale, not only does moving outdoors for a workout bring new ideas and get students out of the mental ruts they fall into, it also helps them work harder and push themselves more.

“When you’re indoors, you become infatuated with how fast you’re going and how many miles you’re going,” Dale said.

“When you’re outside, you’re able to enjoy the full experience of it.”

Stellrecht recommends the Boulder Louie Lakes Loop

hike to students who are new to exploring the outdoors as a form of exercise. According to Stellrecht, the trail is relatively easy to hike but still enjoyable nonetheless.

“If you really want to get into a natural habitat, we really have the option to do that here in Boise, just up the mountain,” Stellrecht said. “Just throw a rock and you can get away from what man has built and just experience nature.”

Next time a student is told to jokingly “get out” by one of their friends, they might want to consider it a healthy suggestion instead of an insult.

Idaho Outdoor Club at Boise State/Courtesy

Patty Bowen

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VOTE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd

Feature

Cat hair and fi

Remembering Cheryl Shurtleff-Young

Brittany Lindstrom Culture Editor

Fiery, with an impeccable sense of style and a natural ability to bring out the best in her students, emeritus professor Cheryl Shurtleff-Young was a foundational member of the Boise State art department. ShurtleffYoung was more than a passionate teacher and her prolific body of fine art—including dolls made from cat hair— echoed a quirky personality.

On Sept. 4, Boise State and the fine arts community mourned when Cheryl Shurtleff-Young passed away.

Cat hair and charcoal

Shurtleff-Young’s artwork can seem intense and mysterious to students unfamiliar with her portfolio. Recent works, such as her cat hair dolls, are a melding of felines and voodoo dolls floating on black, void-esque spaces. Carefully harvested from beloved feline companions,

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the anthropomorphic figures are surprisingly clean-looking, but still hint at something wild and potentially sinister.

This pairing of absolute blackness with something natural and wild could be used to describe both her body of work and manner of dress. A petite woman frocked in black and crowned in tight, cascading curls, ShurtleffYoung presented herself with strength and intensity.

Shurtleff-Young’s final exhibition, “Encounters,” took place in early 2014. This exhibition, which was presented in correlation with her retirement from Boise State at the end of 2013, was her ode to the psychological and emotive depth of the natural world. Her drawings are small, but fierce, with depictions of various animals, wild-eyed, suspended in a monochromatic subspace.

According to her personal website, the ani-

mals in Shurtleff-Young’s work are a lifelong motif.

“Like many people who live in Idaho, I am an animal advocate and an obsessive hiker who encounters various animals in the wild in addition to the domestic animals that enrich my daily life,” Shurtleff-Young wrote.

“Animals are signifiers of beauty and power—essences I strive for in all of my work.”

Today, students can still view a piece of “Encounters” at the corner of Sixth and Fort streets as part of the City of Boise’s traffic box art.

From College to University

Born in 1947 in Oregon, Shurtleff-Young spent her early years on a fruit ranch with her family just north of Payette. She graduated with a B.F.A. in drawing and painting from Boise State—then Boise State College—in 1973. In 1978, at the age of 31, she received a Master of Arts with an emphasis in Art Education. Shurtleff-

Young also began her 36-year long career and was one of the first female professors in Boise State’s Department of Art. Though drawing and painting were her primary courses, ShurtleffYoung also taught art history and was the director of the art department’s graduate studies program. In 1978, she received a second master’s degree in modern art history from the University of Oregon.

Throughout her career at Boise State, ShurtleffYoung would be a strong advocate for the arts as well as a voice for women. On the art department’s Boise State page, Lee Ann Turner, current chair of the art department, discussed Shurtleff-Young’s impact.

“She’s influenced generations of students and artists and mentored untold number of female faculty...I don’t think her impact can be fathomed,” Turner wrote in her memorial. “Cheryl

was an active advocate for women and women’s rights on this campus and in this department.”

On the same page, Kirsten Furlong, gallery director of the Visual Art Center on campus echoed what Turner expressed in her memorial.

“Her influence on the art department and so many students over the years is just immense— a quiet but so strong force of nature,” Furlong wrote. “Truly, she was an amazing mentor as an academic and as an artist, particularly for women in the arts field.”

Accolades and A wards

It should come at no surprise that during her long and illustrious career Shurtleff-Young received numerous awards and accolades in both teaching and art. Her artworks have been exhibited on the national level at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

A glance over ShurtleffYoung’s resume reveals over 15 awards for her

art, seven one-person exhibitions, a near innumerable amount of joint exhibitions and invitations to juried shows and publications.

In 2011, ShurtleffYoung’s work was chosen to exhibit during the two day Congress of Curious Peoples symposium on Coney Island. This event, according to Shurtleff-Young’s website was “an intellectual investigation...featuring a variety of inspiring scholars, collectors, authors, artists and practitioners.”

Shurtleff-Young’s work was highlighted by the New York Times as one of the top five things to see during the symposium.

Most recently, Shurtleff-Young was honored by the Idaho Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts via their Individual Visual Artist Fellowship. Awarded for the 2014-2015 session, this award is one of the top honors an artist can receive from the Idaho

Commission on t Recipients are ered to possess th est artistic merit field.

Shurtleff-Young also the recipien Award for Distin Creative Activit Boise State Univ College of Arts a ences.

Teaching from t heart

When news o tleff-Young’s broke on the Boi Department of Facebook page, b dents and alumni out their grief. students shared experiences with tleff-Young and h encouraged and d them, shaping th sonal artistic care A former gradu dent, who chose main anonymous her experience an memories of Sh Young during he as a graduate stud email.

“Cheryl’s job as department’s g

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director gave her many opportunities to teach and share with her graduate students,” she said.

During one particularly memorable class session, this student recalls Shurtleff-Young spending time with two international students who were having issues properly enunciating the world “squirrel.”

“It was at the close of a class one evening, that Cheryl shared with us how her grandfather’s pet name for her was ‘squirrel,” she wrote. The nickname came about from a similarity in sound between “Cheryl” and “squirrel.”

Shurtleff-Young spent the remainder of the evening aiding her international students to hear and enunciate the difference between her name and the tree-dwelling rodentia.

“I still can’t help but chuckle a little at the memory,” The alumni said.

“Absolutely— Cheryl taught with her heart.”

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BSU archives/Courtesy

the Arts. considhe highin their

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Culture

Bats aid in bioacoustics research at Boise State Unbeknownst to many students, there are bats flying around and hunting prey in the science building at Boise State. Fortunately, these bats haven’t escaped from the local zoo and come to wreak havoc on students.

The bats are being studied in temporary captivity

by Jesse Barber, assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, and a team of graduate and undergraduate students. At the Barber Sensory Ecology Lab at Boise State, the students study how animals process and act on sensory input as well as the effects of noise pollution.

“Due to anthropogenic influences, such as climate change and other development-related effects on natural landscapes, our earth’s biodiversity is being depleted,” said Brian Leavell, graduate student and lab manager. “As we lose species, we lose opportunities to know more about the incredible life on Earth.”

Barber echoed his sentiments, stating now is probably the last time in human history we have almost all of the species that have evolved over the last many hundreds of years to study and understand.

Some of the major research being conducted at the lab—and the reason for the bats in the science building—includes studying the bat-insect arms race.

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“Some moths make sounds to jam bat sonar, which prevents the bats from being able to find their location,” Barber said. “Other moths exploit the sonar of bats by tricking them into attacking expendable targets they tow behind their bodies. The tails spin behind the moth and create echoes of their own that the bats attack, and if the moth loses a tail, it flies away just fine and continues its life.”

According to Barber, this research is important because it involves pursuing unknown areas of science, regardless of their apparent current worth to society.

Another project, just as important but with more immediately applicable results—called the Phantom Road—seeks to understand the impact of road noise on wildlife by studying migrating birds.

The team created a highway using speakers latched to trees half a kilometer long. During fall migration for birds, they turned the noise on and off every four days. Due to the noise pollution, many of the birds left, while others were unable to properly gain fuel for their long migration.

Mitchell Levenhagen, a

“

graduate student working in the lab, explained his research plans for next year.

“At Muir Woods National Monument, we plan on manipulating trail conditions through trial closures and ‘Quiet Zone’ sign use to see how these mitigation strategies do at reducing background noise levels, how the avian community responds and how these actions affect visitors’ experiences in the park,” Levenhagen said.

According to Levenhagen, they also plan to study how decibel meter signs—signs that display the real-time noise output of a passing vehicle—influence visitors’ driving patterns. This research is significant to both wildlife and people.

“If certain areas are too loud for wildlife to communicate effectively and use habitat, coupled with people unable to experience natural quiet and calm, actions can be taken to bring background noise levels down to levels where these things can happen,” Levenhagen said. “After evaluating and presenting our data, it is up to land managers to decide whether or not they want to adaptively manage to meet the noise level standards.”

- bat

2

any of numerous flying mammals of the order Chiroptera, of worldwide distribution in tropical and temperate regions, having modified forelimbs that serve as wings and are covered with a membranous skin extending to the hind limbs.

Idioms 2. blind as a bat, nearly or completely blind; having very poor vision: Anyone can tell that he's blind as a bat, but he won't wear glasses.

3. have bats in one's belfry, Informal. to have crazy ideas; be very peculiar, erratic, or foolish: If you think you can row across the ocean in that boat, you have bats in your belfry.

As we lose species, we lose opportunities to know more about the incredible life on Earth.

Design by Brena Murray

Asst. Culture Editor

“

Cheyene Austin

—Brian Leavell

10/20/2015

Culture Jeff Jackson COMM 273 Courtesy

The Campus Lions Club at Boise State is fairly new— it started just this year.

The club is committed to service on campus and in the community through projects put on by student members.

The Campus Lions Club at Boise State is the first to represent Lions Clubs International on a college campus in Idaho. The club is run and organized by mentors from local Lions Clubs.

One of the clubs leading mentors is Stevie Beehler, a district governor in the Lions Club.

A Lion for more than 13 years, Beehler, with the help of several other Lions and a Lions International Campus Club specialist Paul Baker, got the Campus Lions Club rolling.

“One of the best things about being a Lion is actually the friendships that I get to cultivate with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures,” Beehler said.

There are presently 24 students in the club, and ef-

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forts are currently focused on recruiting new members.

“There are leadership positions available, and we’re going to be voting on new efforts,” Beehler said.

The Campus club works closely with its sponsor club, The Boise Bench Lions. Beehler is working closely with other mentors and student members to get their agenda together for this year.

“We’re working on completing a schedule of meetings and projects for the semester,” Beehler said. “It should be ready in about a week.”

The Campus Lions Club at Boise State provides several opportunities for students to be connected with mentors in the community.

Club mentor Pat Frison, of the Boise Bench Lions, said the students can choose things to do that interest them.

“We want to have a club that is run by students, doing projects that they want to do,” Frison said.

Last semester, when the club was just getting started, Boise State Campus Li-

ons Club was involved in a project digging trenches for a local farmer’s sprinkler irrigation.

Rather than hiring a forprofit business, the farmer reached out to the Campus Lions, and they agreed to do the project in return for an agreed-upon price. The money the club earned was set aside and used to help fund future projects.

“I’m excited to see the club up and rolling,” Frison said. “They’ve become very sufficient.”

Beehler is the Council Chairman of all 67 mainstream Lions Clubs in Southern Idaho and part of Eastern Oregon, and a member of the Meridian Lions Club.

The Campus Club is an extension of the district 39 west lions of Southern Idaho, which has 41 clubs including the Boise State club.

Campus Lions Clubs at Boise State is a branch of Lions Clubs International. LCI began in 1917 has been providing service since. There are approximately 46,600 individual

Lions Clubs in 210 countries around the world, with more than 3.1 million members.

Some of LCI’s main causes are providing sight and hearing services to those who cannot otherwise afford it.

Campus Lions Clubs have been operating in the U.S. and Canada since 1999. There are more than 170 campus clubs in the U.S. and 700 worldwide.

LCI is the only foreign service organization allowed to operate in China.

The only requirements to join are a willingness to do service, and annual dues.

Campus Lions Club at Boise State Facebook/Courtesy

Campus Lion’s Club gets ready to roar-in fall service

Campus Lions Club started this year.

Pg 13

Culture

Frightened Felons: History, spooks and scares Culture Editor

As Halloween ever so gently closes in, spooks and scares abound. From haunted corn mazes to parties with friends and scary movie nights, there is a plethora of options available for students looking to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve. Nestled against the foothills, as the edge of civilization turns into something more wild, looms the Old Idaho Penitentiary. This over 120 year-old facility is the perfectly haunted grounds for Frightened Felons, a two-day annual Halloween event and fundraiser.

Started in 2009, Frightened Felons quickly outgrew event planners’ expectations. Amber Beierle, the visitor services coordinator for the Penitentiary, reminisced on its growth.

“We wanted to do something educational and fun,” Beierle said. “Originally, it was just going to be guided tours, a scavenger hunt, costume contest and storytellers. Well, 1,700 people showed up. We knew we had to do something bigger and better from there on out.”

This year’s event offers a haunted cell house, costume contest, actors portraying past inmates and presentations. Frightened Felons Family Night on Friday Oct. 30 differs slightly from the Adult Night version, which will take place on Oct. 31.

Students over the age of 21 can partake in some

Pg 14

alcoholic spirits during Adult Night while they indulge in presentations centered around paranormal activity. Family Night is an alcohol-free event, and presentations focus on the inmates who died at the penitentiary.

Proceeds from Frightened Felons goes to benefit the Idaho State Historical Society, which the Penitentiary is a part of.

“The ‘Old Pen’ is just one aspect of the Idaho State Historical Society,” Beierle said. “Proceeds certainly benefit our infrastructure and education programs, but ultimately have a far-reaching effect across the state with all the programs ISHS offers.”

Students wishing to take part in the costume contest are advised to follow some simple rules and be creative.

Costumes may not have masks which cover the wearer’s face or obscure vision. As the penitentiary grounds are uneven and rocky, this rule is enacted to insure the safety of attendees.

Furthermore, students should plan on wearing warm garments and shoes for some spooky spelunking.

With cash prizes on the line, students should prepare to be extra creative.

“Last year, a man and woman dressed as ‘Bob Ross and His Painting,” Beierle said. “He had the whole facial hair, fro thing going on and she was, well, a painting.”

Beierle has some suggestions for students stumped

on what to wear.

“The cookie-cutter costumes have never won” Beierle said. “I’m always one of the judges and pop culture and history-related items are always my favorite.”

With so much to see and do, it’s little wonder tickets to Frightened Felons sell out every year. Students are highly encouraged to pre-purchase tickets.

“Adult Night has sold out for the past three years,” Beierle said. “Family Night comes close every year, so I wouldn’t risk holding out for that either. We turn people away every year.”

Notorious Inmates who died at the Old Penn Henry Wilmbusse Died: Jan. 8, 1938 of natural causes A farmer known for his “occult powers,” Wilmbusse died at the age of 86 after serving 36 years at the penitentiary. Wilmbusse was incarcerated after escaping asylum twice in order to murder the judge who sent him away.

He is still buried in the prison cemetery.

Raymond Snowden Died: Oct. 18, 1957 by execution Sentenced to death for murdering a woman over taxi fare, Snowden was the last inmate to be executed at the penitentiary. Said to have a “malignant heart and sadistic mind” by the Idaho Supreme Court, Snowden left behind the remains of a lobster dinner and could not offer any last words before departing from this world.

William Henry “Fred”

Bond Died: Aug. 10, 1906 by execution Convicted of killing his lover’s husband, Bond paid the ultimate price for

his love affair with Jennie Daly.

Rumor suggested Daly murdered her husband and set up Bond to take the blame, Bond met his end

with dignity. Before his execution in the Rose Garden, his final words spoke of bravery and attested to being “... guilty to a ole lot, but not all of it.”

Idaho Penitentiary/Courtesy

Brittany Lindstrom

state Penn. sets bar for historical spooks

10/20/2015

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Sports & Rec

Boise State cyclist finishes cross country expedition Rylan Kobre

Asst. Sports & Rec Editor

Find a rock on the ground, pick it up and look at it for a couple seconds.

If a person looks closely enough, they can see Chris Heggenberger, the senior exercise science major who just rode his bike across the country with 20 other cyclists on an adventure that many can’t fathom.

“No matter how much everyone was complaining, Chris was always our rock.” said Colorado State Senior and fellow cyclist Jonathan Matheny. ”He reminded us it could always be worse.”

From June 3 to Aug. 8, Heggenberger went on a cross country bicycle ride formally known as “The Journey of Hope” which raised $620,000 this past year. The route Hegenberger took—one of three options—begins in Seattle, Washington and concludes in Washington D.C. The trip raises funds and awareness for people with disabilities.

Heggenberger is a founding father of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity at Boise State.

The nationwide fraternity runs Journey of Hope.

Heggenberger spoke about the trip with a calm demeanor and a humble tone, an indicator of the perspective he gained while traveling across the country and working with so many different people and organizations.

Along each stop of the trip, the group of 20 cyclists and eight crew mem-

Pg 16

bers stopped and worked with different organizations supporting people with disabilities. He specifically remembers a stop in eastern Washington where he worked with “The Arc,” the nation’s leading advocate for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

Heggenberger sat down with a child who had a form of autism and was mute. The two pulled out a puzzle to start, and didn’t need much time to finish.

“It was a 1,000 piece puzzle and I could hand him any piece and he knew exactly where it went,” Heggenberger said. “We finished it in 15 minutes.”

It was stops like that one which made the whole journey worth it—a journey that was mentally and physically draining.

On the second day of the trip, Heggenberger and his pack of cyclists went through a little under 10,000 feet of elevation change over 126 miles through Mt. Rainier in Washington. Tough days like those would catch up to the riders, especially on such a long adventure.

“Mentally, you’re like, ‘Okay, I’ve got to wake up in the morning, and I’ve got to get back on my bike again, and again, and again,’” Heggenberger said. “But at the same time, every day is different because you don’t know what you’re going to see or encounter.”

On average, the group would travel about 85-

90 miles a day, but some days could range from 30 to 140 miles. When going through the tougher legs of the trip Matheny remembers Chris’s leadership on the road because of his strong cycling skills and persistence for safe riding.

When the group began getting closer to the end of the trip in D.C., it became an emotional time for the pack. Although at the moment Heggenberger didn’t see it as one, when he talks about those last days now, the emotion and sadness in his eyes make it clear how difficult it was to leave the 20 guys he became extremely close with.

“The last day, one of the group members put together a poem about the trip and everyone was crying except for me,” Heggenberger said, holding back tears. “It was one of the saddest, bittersweet moments I’ve ever had.”

Heggenberger would like to go into active military duty upon graduation and is currently a cadet in the ROTC program here at Boise State.

The busy schedule between greek life, school and his military duties have him “full go all the time.” During those busy days, Heggenberger never fails to remember what that trip meant to him on a personal level.

“I knew I was there to ride my bike,” Heggenberger said. “But also to raise money and awareness—you think about those people you met every day.”

Student bikes seattle to d.c.

10/20/2015

Sports & Rec

Jump into the scrum with rugby basics, rules Brittany Ryan Staff Writer

basics of the game

Rugby consists of two 40 minute halves with 14 players from each team on the field tossing the ball to each other in order to score points. The rugby field is 100 meters in length and 70 meters in width, which is close to the size of soccer field. point breakdown

According to the USA Rugby League, points will be awarded by getting the ball into the “goal-in” zone.

This is otherwise known as a “try”. A try is worth five points.

Once a try is achieved, the team can then attempt a conversion, which is where they kick the ball over the posts, much like a field goal in football. The conversion is worth two points.

Teams can also receive a drop goal, where the ball is kicked for a goal in the middle of fair play. A drop goal is worth three points. Penalty points are also awarded for a kick after a penalty has occurred. These are worth three points as well.

plays and passing

Each team has six plays to try to score, meaning the ball can touch the ground six times and be called “dead” by the referee before it is surrendered to the other team.

The ball can be passed an unlimited amount of times during the play.

Many students may be thrown off by the fact that the ball has to be passed backwards as the players advance across the field. A forward pass is not permitted and will result in a scrum.

Rugby is a very team oriented sport—not just one

person can carry the team.

“It’s a real team game, so when you do get through to score it’s really 14 other guys hard work that has made it,” said freshman George Evans. the scrum

Possibly the hardest part of rugby to explain is the scrum—the parts a student sees where all the players are huddled up in big circle. A scrum is called after a penalty occurs. Eight players on each side huddle in a threefour-one formation. Three players from each team face one another, then, reinforcing behind them are four

players­­—then the one in the back.

The ball is then dropped into the middle while the two teams push against each other to determine where the ball is going to go. Once the ball is passed out of the scrum, it is thrown backwards as players move forward toward the goal, then game play continues on.

“What makes rugby so special is the way it’s played, with respect for the game.

There is no dissent to the referees or abuse to other players,” said Evans. “Rugby is a game for beasts played by gentlemen.”

Boise State Men’s Rugby Club Facebook/Courtesy

The English game of rugby is becoming more popular in the U.S. And, with more popularity comes new fans trying to learn the rules of the game. Boise State’s men’s rugby team has been gaining popularity over the past years since its reinstatement in 2006.

For many, rugby can be a very difficult game to learn.

It’s a sport a majority of people are not accustomed to seeing. They see a bunch of large men running around with no padding and go run-

ning themselves.

For newcomers wanting to learn the game, here are the basics of the game.

Pg 18

10/20/2015

Sports & rec

Kobre’s Korner: No football recap this week Rylan Kobre

Asst. Sports & Rec Editor

We watched, cried, laughed and then cried some more. Those were most likely the emotions students had following Friday night’s disappointing loss at Utah State.

Boise State fans were shocked. It wasn’t the loss that had them in awe, but the way it all went down— a final score of 52-26 and a whopping eight turnovers.

The scary thing about it was we beat the Aggies in the second half, 16-7, and

10/20/2015

only had one turnover. Do the math, carry the one— yes, we were outscored 45-10 in the first half with seven turnovers.

We were on pace to lose the game 90-10 and commit 14 turnovers.

One could say we actually played halfway decent based off what could have been—one would say that, if they didn’t have a working brain. Now that I’m done reliving the game— it’s time to look forward.

I chose not to do a game recap this week because I want us to all move on.

Sports requires short term memory, and any good team knows that. In a city that lives off of their college football team, we will see stories pumped out all week about the horrible loss, the missed opportunity of heading to another Fiesta Bowl and how the season is a waste—it’s not.

We as fans will read those articles and think, “oh what could have been.”

But, you know what the guys who suit up every week are gonna do?

They’re going to go out and prepare for Wyoming

next Saturday because it matters. They are done with last week’s game.

When we lose a job, a friend or any opportunity significant to ourselves, we don’t just give up. We fight, grind and strive to be better. We spend time to grieve but then we move on.

It’s comical how many of us can do this in real life situations, but when it applies to being a fan of a team—we can’t. Instead, we disrespect the guys who are playing the hardest and doing the best they

can to win.

It wasn’t only a tough weekend for Boise State fans, but imagine being a University of Michigan football fan.

Do you think their punter was trying to drop that snap and lose to rival Michigan State as time expired?

No, he wasn’t, and he certainly does not deserve death threats for it. Move on.

Not one person in the Boise State locker room Friday night wanted to lose that game, so stop acting

like the effort wasn’t there.

The season isn’t over— not by any means. These guys work way too hard and spend way too much of their time for us as fans to give up on them. Quit with the quitter mentality as fans of a bunch of guys who lace them up every week to play for us.

Get over the loss and move on to next week and more Bronco football. Bryan Harsin wants his guys to “be the best,” and we should all hold ourselves to the same standard as fans.

Pg 19

bucking around

ACROSS 1 Seed that follows command to open? (6) 5 Takes a break, having a day in France surrounded by rolling sand (8) 10 Made a phone call and spoke (4) 11 Enrage a repeat sex pervert (10) 12 Grain, and what to do with it, we hear?

(6) 13 Gave someone a ring and made a suggestion (8) 14 Recent recruit finally deserts to fight in irregular army – becoming this? (9) 18 Secured return of silver money... (5) 19 ...money that gives difficulty to the French (5) 20 Experienced peacekeepers found west of the river (9) 24 Steps taken by those who get their skates on? (3,5) 25 Drink some Schweppes with liqueur (6) 26 External cell tissue in nerve-ending to trap gas (10) 27 I happen to kiss a goat! (4) 28 Government department makes attempt to conceal a ruse that's gone wrong (8) 29 Neat drives (6)

Pg 20

DOWN 2 Learned English and Italian in an uncultured environment (7) 3 This does not describe a posh girl who is in prison endlessly (7) 4 Merseyside? (7) 6 As was Troy by Greeks, ultimately, in action (9) 7 Maiden perhaps might get the upper hand (9) 8 Drove, we hear, with good judgement – showing this (4-5) 9 Firm has to rearrange dates quickly (9) 14 In 1999, make a mistake over English books – causing hilarity (9) 15 Upstanding father wears short protective coat with elastic material (9) 16 They're discovered by pupils (9) 17 Describes a Dutchman giving rebuke kindly? (9) 21 Their properties should be permanently frozen (7) 22 Martial law upheld without resistance by Eisenhower (7) 23 Fallout can be expected from this type of family? (7)

10/20/2015